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post thru-hike gear wrapup: La Sportiva Akyra mountain running shoe

You might recall that it was one year ago, while hiking the Coast-to-Coast and aliloop-of-the-lakes in England, that I became a true believer in using trail runners for backpacking. It turns out this is not just a fling. We’re talking full-on love affair made to last for the long haul and that’s because for the […]

spring song

The volume’s turned up on muddy trails at Minnesota’s William O’Brien State Park and my ears open to the music of early spring.

post thru-hike gear wrapup: Kavu Fishermans Chillba

It’s not that I have anything against baseball caps. I often wear them hiking, biking, kayaking, running, skiing, climbing – you get the idea. But for a long-distance thru-hike, I really need to cover more territory. I am a pony-tailed hiker most of the time, and there’s a lot of exposed skin. A wide-brimmed sun […]

post thru-hike gear wrapup: Granite Gear Crown2 60

When I purchased the iPhone that would become my camera, typewriter, microphone, editing studio and means of communication with the outside world, I needed to ensure it was big enough to handle all those tasks, but small enough to fit easily in the hip-belt pocket of my backpack. “Olive Oyl” – my Granite Gear Crown2 […]

the moment before

It’s gray and cold, my hoodie is tied tight at my chin. A tiny stream seeps from a pile of shriveled and melting black snow where a mummified squirrel is revealed, his tail a soft curve. Last year’s fall display crunches underfoot in a seemingly barren forest. But green rises in round pools of life, […]

post thru-hike gear wrapup: Leki Micro Vario Ti Cor-Tec pole

Gusts were at “extreme gale” in exposed areas and squally showers blew sideways the day I crossed Nelson Lakes National Park’s Traverse Saddle in New Zealand’s South Island. I made it to the top with enough clear sky to shoot a selfie even if I was barely able to stand. Going down, per usual, was […]

forest fungus fotos

Fungus was certainly among us when Richard and I walked the Kepler Track in New Zealand’s South Island.

time to vote!

Vote for your top three favorite avatar names…Deadline is Tuesday, April 23 at midnight I am overjoyed with the number of entries I received on the website and on social media for this naming contest many replete with background stories and good vibes. While I convened a jury to select finalists – cos it was […]