I have maps of the North Country Trail between the Michigan/Ohio state line and the Mackinac Bridge. The pages are highlighted, dated, sweat-stained, dirty, and torn from endlessly moving in and out of my pocket. They are taped together and dotted with post-it notes...
Saturday was like a Monet painting, peaceful and serene. The forest contained very little fall color except for the Maple trees, which were red like cherries. The light in this picture whispers Monet; the lily pads scream it. If today was a Monet, yesterday was a...
Some of the NCT follows country roads. It’s annoying but reality. If one wants to hike this trail, roads are part of the deal. I knew this when I parked in Marshall last weekend. The trail started in the woods but soon led to B Drive N and followed the road for...
A couple days ago I made my first post in three weeks. That’s a long time, especially with all the words and ideas that have bubbled up. I try to catch and organize them. I get distracted by this idea or that one and end up on yet another path with more ideas to...
Three years ago, I went backpacking in Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming. It changed my life. The trip was incredible. I loved being so deeply connected with Nature. Many things shifted that week. I came home determined to return the following year. I trained at the...
“Look up! Think about all the things you are missing!” He said. “Don’t look at the ground. Trust that your feet know where they are and that they will keep you safely on the trail.” I agreed but half-heartedly, not even half-heartedly, a quarter-heartedly. Maybe...
