"Carry as little as possible but choose that little with care."~ Earl Schafer Carrying 14 lbs. with food and water I have an obsession with pack weight. I got it early in my backpacking days while carrying a base-weight that must have been in the 45-pound range....
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Highway 34 roughly follows the Big Thompson River from Fort Collins to Estes Park. We enjoyed this beautiful drive and finally found a nice spot to pull off next to the river. I wanted to go wading but remembered the power of rivers whose source...
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The second part of our travels took us to Bozeman, Montana. We loved the low humidity and morning temperatures were glorious. Based on a recommendation, we stay at the Lewis & Clark Motel right on Main Street in Bozeman. It was being remodeled, but the rooms were comfortable,...
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Arkansas gets hot in June! Even the most enthusiastic consider June through August the offseason of backpacking. Hiker-dog and I attempt to stay in shape with early morning walks at Lake Alma. I struggled to find the word that describes how I feel about camping...
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It’s hip! It’s fun! But, there’s depth, too! Bookish is Fort Smith’s independent bookstore, owned and operated by a group of delightful ladies who are themselves, bookish through and through. As a bonus, they were excellent teachers, known for their ability to build strong relationships through the...
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Here in the River Valley, sandwiched between the Ouachita Mountains to the south and Ozarks to the north, we have the luxury of two wonderful indie bookstores. They’re each unique! You won’t find another Bookish or Chapters on Main anywhere else on the planet. Full disclosure: Both of these bookstores...
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Hiker-dog and I needed a nice long dayhike. The expected rain began about one hour into our hike. The temperature hovered around 44-degrees. Just perfect! Dogwoods provided accents across the forest understory. I paused to take a photo of a single bloom, causing Hiker-dog to return...
Read MoreI’ve wanted to check my adopted section of the Ozark Highlands Trail for several months but life wouldn’t cooperate, so we were thankful for this time. I love this section and Hike-dog does, too. It was a crisp, clear day and water was running perfectly. Immediately,...
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[caption id="attachment_5384" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Ice crystals on the high ridge of Hare Mountain[/caption] I awoke today and found the frost perched on the town It hovered in a frozen sky, then it gobbled summer down When the sun turns traitor cold And all the trees are shivering in...
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[caption id="attachment_5318" align="alignright" width="292"] Taking a short break with a light pack[/caption] A reader emailed several good questions while preparing for a backpacking trip on the Ozark Highlands Trail in Arkansas. I enjoy responding to these type of inquiries and decided to write this post. Many trip failures...
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