With the new year comes a new hiking season and it seems like a good time to reflect on some lessons learned during my failed thru-hike attempt last year, a hike that ended abruptly due to knee problems after just six short but amazing weeks. NOBO, SOBO, or flip-flop. A flip-flop hike is not for everybody but it was the right decision for me and … Continue reading Lessons Learned From My 2018 Thru-Hike Attempt
I thought it might be useful to prepare a gear video for my upcoming AT Thru Hike. Things have changed a bit since my earlier gear post based on some additional research and some great advice. The video won’t win any production awards and the plot and characters are a bit underdeveloped (lol) but if anyone goes crazy about backpacking gear, or just wants to … Continue reading AT Thru Hike Gear Video (and I get photobombed by my cat)
As preparation for my upcoming thru-hike, I did a series of five shakedown hikes last fall ranging in length from two to five days. These proved to be incredibly useful as I continued the process of dialing in my gear and refamiliarizing myself with the physical challenge of lugging a pack up and down mountains for days at a time. This post includes my observations … Continue reading A Shakedown Hike and Gear Review
This was a bit of an experiment to learn the ins and outs of video making and to decide if I want to vlog my upcoming AT thruhike. If I do vlog, I am hoping to include a history angle along with the usual documenting my thru hike experience. This is my first attempt at a video of any kind so l welcome any feedback, … Continue reading Video: Appalachian Trail 2018 Prep Hike: Hiking and History in Prince William Forest
It has been more than 30 years since my introduction to the world of long-distance hiking. My first wide-eyed adventures on the Appalachian Trail as a young man left me amazed at the existence of such an extraordinary footpath winding its way through the mountains, valleys, and towns of fourteen states. I was hooked, and over the next decade spent as much time as I … Continue reading Some Reflections on Hiking, Then and Now
Hikes & History 