Trail Guides, Gear Reviews, and Backpacking Tips
The long distance hiking community is wonderfully inclusive. Details such as age, where you come from, what you do for a living are all but irrelevant. People from different generations and backgrounds are brought together not just by the goal of Read More …
Doing my part for the bovine population of northern Arizona.
July 2, 2011 to December 28, 2012……………..14,302 miles, 29 states, 4 provinces, 28 pairs of shoes…………..I originally planned on having the 12 Long Walks overview map ready in June……………2011……………timing never was my strong suit. Big thanks to Brian “Beardoh” Ristola Read More …
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” – J.R.R Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring Andy “Astro” Lyon Read More …
This is my first backpacking gear list spreadsheet. Were those trumpets I just heard in the background? Indeed, despite having always had a reasonable idea of the combined weight of my gear, this is the first time I’ve ever actually listed Read More …
I recently spent a fantastic few weeks in New Hampshire. In addition to the presentations for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), I had the opportunity to do some hiking with fellow Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) alumni Nancy “Why Not” Huber and Read More …
Four months ago I wrote a post about a fellow hiker by the name of Ryan “Dirtmonger” Sylva. We had previously met in August last year on the Continental Divide Trail. In early April, Dirtmonger set out on an approximately Read More …
On August 4 and 5 I did a couple of presentations for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) at Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire. Both talks, the 12 Long Walks and Going Lighter without Compromising Safety were well received………………at the very least no Read More …
The Bartram Trail (BT) runs for 116 miles between Russel Bridge, GA and Cheoah Bald, NC. It is named after William Bartram, 18th century botanist, writer and all-around outdoorsy type. Scenic, but not jaw-droppingly so, it remains relatively unknown in the US long Read More …
‘To cook, or not to cook, that is the question: Whether it is nobler in the tummy to suffer, The Pangs and Rumbles of going cold, Or to take a stove against a Wave of hunger, And by opposing it; Read More …
When it comes to backcountry cooking, Teresa “Dicentra” Black has made it her mission to expand the minds, as well as the stomachs of her fellow backpacking enthusiasts. Her book and website, both of which are titled One Pan Wonders, contain a multitude of recipes that are Read More …
An overdue shout out to a couple of great ladies that are currently hiking the CDT. Their names are Christy “Rockin” Rossander and Erin “Wired” Saver (see photo below; Rockin’ is on the left). I had the good fortune of meeting the Read More …
“In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.” – Albert Einstein Idealistically speaking, ‘Leave No Trace’ is a philosophy that most outdoor enthusiasts embrace. Unfortunately, when it comes to the environment, ideals and realities are not always Read More …
In late April each year the Pacific Crest Trail has a gathering of aspiring thru hikers, trail angels, lightweight backpacking gear vendors and former hikers. It is held at Lake Morena Country Park in southern California and is known by Read More …
Whilst walking through the Bob Marshall wilderness last year, I had the good fortune to run into Lint and Dirtmonger (pictured below – DM on the right). Strong hikers both, they were on the last leg of a northbound CDT Read More …
The paragraph below is copy/pasted from my Facebook page, which I just reactivated after a longish period of dormancy: “Within the past hour, I’ve received a few emails from friends and family expressing their surprise at seeing me on facebook. Read More …
I’m a firm believer that time spent in the wilderness will ultimately be your best backcountry teacher. That being said, we all occasionally need a nudge in the right direction. The following hiking-related websites are excellent resources for planning, gear, Read More …
On January 28 I did an interview with Network 10’s (Australia) Los Angeles bureau. It was the first time I had ever been on television. Whilst it was a little surreal hiking in the shadows of the Hollywood sign, I was made Read More …
During the course of the 12 Long Walks, I ran into approximately 35 to 40 youth groups whilst out on the trail. Some of these were wilderness therapy groups, others were church affiliated, but the majority were Boy Scouts. Three things stood out Read More …
I recently came across some short videos from the Oregon section of my PCT 2012 thru hike. I had almost forgotten how much snow there was on the stretch between Crater and Ollalie Lakes! Thanks to fellow thru hiker, Erin Read More …