"I have fond memories of that playground at the Mason-Dixon," Philip said, and we all knew exactly which playground at the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania. He was talking to me, Wade, and Toni (who we knew by her trail name, Sphagnum P.I.). So many things had come together for us to be having... Continue Reading →
Thru-hiking will always impart a heavy sentimentality to my memories. For me, it added a kind of legendary vibe to place names, rumors handed down the trail, real names and occupations no longer relevant. This place in Washington evokes a field where Jiminy Cricket materialized after vanishing from our world for 500 miles. When I... Continue Reading →
Note: This is not actually meant to be a method of judging people to be fit or unfit as hiking partners, it is just a slightly tongue-in-cheek idea I had after some conversations about What Makes a Good Hiking Buddy (an undefinable concept). It might be a good way to get to know people before... Continue Reading →
The answers to this survey were so diverse and thoughtful, I put off writing this for a long time because I was trying to figure out a way to do it justice. The responses were surprisingly diverse, with people from every region of the US, an equal number of past thru-hikers and aspiring thru-hikers (20%... Continue Reading →
Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit This book was a meandering but accessible description of why, culturally, we walk and how this has changed over the course of history. Everybody walks (well, almost), so the culture of walking is relevant to almost every field of study and every person. Walking, as Solnit says, is... Continue Reading →
I just went snowshoeing this weekend, and after seeing this article about the practical benefits of snowshoeing, I thought I'd add my own, less objective reasons to snowshoe. I think it's one of the most underrated activities out there, maybe because it seems like hard work (which it is, but it's fun work!) It's cheap... Continue Reading →
You don't have to be a thru-hiker to notice some surprising physical and psychological benefits of walking. Some of the most magical effects of traveling on your own power include: You sleep better. One of my friends on the Appalachian Trail once said, "My favorite part of the day is when I get in my sleeping... Continue Reading →
