Category: Uncategorized
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How to Hike the Last Mile of the Day
I try to get creative when I have a painful last mile to walk. I play different games with myself to make it easier. I envision walking down my road at home for what I know to be a mile. I tell myself, “now I’m at the bottom of the driveway . . . now…
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Trail Wisdom: Making Do
Mary Anderson is hiking the Continental Divide Trail and writing a book about it. Above: The Spanish Peaks range in Montana. It is fairly certain that on a long hike, some piece of clothing or equipment will need repairing. We try to plan for such things, carrying small repair kits. I check my clothes periodically…
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What I remember:Big Sky to Old Faithful
Enjoying a lake, stopping early to bathe and wash clothes. The clouds and mountains reflected in the lakes. The silence and sense of deep peace. Missing Jenn. Learning guys I met and taught how to use/carry bear spray got grizzly-mauled later same day. Steep ups/downs. Some scary ridge walking. Not looking down and talking self…
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The Trail So Far
From Helena to Whitehall By Mary Anderson What I’ll remember: The smoky views. Feeling like I am walking in an eclipse due to the smoke. Having to keep changing my route because of fires. Setting out for maybe 200 miles cross-county by myself. Feeling strong and satisfied with my walking pace. Feeling accomplished and okay…
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The Beauty of Small Things
The views out here are really affected by the smoke. The sky is hazy and I no longer have the far-reaching spectacular views from the ridgetops. I admit, I am a bit disappointed. There is less reward each time I reach a summit. As a result, I’ve decided to change my focus. Since the fires…
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How Hiking Teaches Us to Be Flexible
I’ve heard it said that the older you get, the harder time you have adjusting to new situations. If that is the case, then hiking will keep me young, at least in my mind. I am constantly having to adjust out here. First, there are the minute changes that happen often each day. When climbing…
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Expect Nothing, Appreciate Everything
Both times I hiked the Appalachian Trail, trail angels did not really exist. Nor were they present for me on the Pacific Coast Trail. There were people who were kind to me and fed me and even housed me at times. But they were few and far between. We hikers had not yet coined the…
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Life’s Trail Angel’s
When I hike a trail like the Continental Divide Trail I find it useful to gather information from people I meet along the way. They can tell me if there are a lot of blowdowns or what the river crossing will be like. Sometimes I take what they say with a grain of salt, knowing…
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Yes, the Small Stuff Matters
How many times have you heard someone say not to sweat the small stuff? Well, I’m here to tell you the small stuff matters a lot. For starters, that single grain of sand in my boot can become an incapacitating blister if I don’t deal with it. The same with a hot spot I feel…
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Letting Go and Traveling Light
My tent in the Chihuahan Desert You become really aware of how much packaging surrounds the food we buy when you have to carry all your trash on your back for days. In fact, you become aware of the weight of everything. Hardly a day goes by when I don’t wonder what else I can…
The Mary Badass 