It happens every time I walk into a grocery store. I feel overwhelmed by all the possible selections, and my brain seems to shut down. I walk from aisle to aisle in a state of confusion. I know some of this is because it is such a stark contrast with the simplicity and lack of…

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Trail maintenance crew. I am older than all of them put together There are trail politics around alternate routes. On some trails, such as the Long Trail in Vermont, there really aren’t alternate trails for people to consider. You hike from one end of the state to the other on a very well marked trail.…

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Self-discipline is often hard. When I am home it is easy to find reasons to put something off until the next day. But out here on the trail the consequences are much more apparent and often dire. For example, if I just don’t hike because I don’t feel like it one day, I will run…

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From right: Mayor Mary Janacaro Hensleigh of Whitehall, Montana; Mary; and Shannon. I took off from Butte not exactly sure where I was going. As I was about to embark on a very sun-exposed walk of about 20 miles with almost no water I met Derby, a really kind hiker. We wove our way together…

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It’s not the bears I am most afraid of out here. Lightning on an exposed ridge scares me more. And even more than that, I am concerned about forest fires. I don’t go around in constant fear of them, but I am more wary of them than I am of bears. I keep an eye…

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I am continuously struggling not to compare myself to others out here. Most everyone I meet can outhike me. Sometimes I attribute it to the fact that I am usually more than double their age. But I know there are people my age who are in better shape. If I compare myself to others I…

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