Tag Archives: thru hiking

Meteors and Moonlight

As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can. John Muir My last post (Get Up andContinue reading “Meteors and Moonlight”

This Land is My Land

I usually try to keep politics out of my posts, but a recent decision by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee should send chills into every aching bone of a hiker’s body. The bill forces the sale of more than 250 million acres of public land, including Forest Service and Bureau of Land ManagementContinue reading “This Land is My Land”

Hiking Through the Pain

You must remember that no one lives a life free from pain and suffering. Sophocles Thru hikers and other long distance adventurers all know what it is like to be injured on the trail. In fact, anyone who has carried a pack and set off to explore a mountain trail has experienced discomfort. Even withContinue reading “Hiking Through the Pain”

With Thanks to Outer Space

Older hikers and backpackers like myself may remember a time when convenient and lightweight food was hard to find. Oatmeal and cocoa were not available in packets. Freeze dried food could be purchased at outdoor stores like REI but was expensive and offered limited choices. Fortunately there was the space program. NASA and the PillsburyContinue reading “With Thanks to Outer Space”

More About Beauty

When I have trouble getting to sleep at night, which is often these days, I never count sheep. I have tried a variety of other counting methods, and the one I return to over and over again is to review in my mind’s eye the beautiful places where the trails have led me. I wroteContinue reading “More About Beauty”

Training for the Trail

In my much younger years I took up running, not because I liked it, but because I needed an efficient way of maintaining and increasing my cardiovascular fitness so that I could be ready for the trails every summer. I had signed up for a group backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon, and in orderContinue reading “Training for the Trail”

A Life Told in Miles

At important transitions in my life I find myself reflecting on the journey that has led to this place and time. As always, everything relates to the trail, the long treks with my backpack, the quiet moments in camp with a cup of tea and a good book, and the places where those journeys haveContinue reading “A Life Told in Miles”

Thoughts on Trail Therapy

I do not usually go hiking in November. By this time of year it is typically well below freezing when I awaken in the morning and warms up only a little during the day. I seem to be less tolerant of the cold as I age, along with many other things. Fortunately for me thereContinue reading “Thoughts on Trail Therapy”