People keep asking me if I am afraid to be on the trail alone. Yes, I am leery of grizzly bears, icy snowfields, and raging rivers, but my experience driving across country last May was as scary as a lot of things I encounter on the trail. When I hit the deer I thought the…

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By Mary Anderson For a long time I ate no meat, and for a while I was a total vegan. Then I lived on a tiny island near Labrador, Canada, and I realized that being a vegan was not only impractical there, it went against my mammalian nature. If I was to really survive in…

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I continue to be surprised at how many different ways something can be viewed. When I meet someone hiking down a mountain while I am hiking up, they often tell me, “You’re almost to the top.” I’ve learned this can mean anything from one to three miles. I’ve passed hikers who tell me there is…

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Being happy and feeling successful when finding a trail. Losing the trail ten steps later. Hooking up with Jenn, whom I had met on Facebook back in May, and hiking together for three days. Taking thirty photos in a day because the views were so spectacular. Watching a bald eagle soar overhead. Enjoying having sobo…

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Anticipation is a funny thing. So often I anticipate something only to be disappointed when the event actually happens. Sometimes the anticipation is actually the more enjoyable part of the whole experience. But yesterday I knew my anticipation was well placed. I would not be disappointed, no matter what. I had not even seen the…

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I thought it would be interesting to share a town day. In the old days, when people lived rurally on the farm, going to town was a big deal. Town days are still big events for many long-distance hikers, though to be honest I find them exhausting and a bit disconcerting. Sometimes I am eager…

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