I was recently visiting the Berkshires in western Massachusetts when a cold spell drifted in from the north. A flake of snow fell, the ground froze, and the conditions were ripe for some exploration of the surrounding country. During a walk, I came upon a...
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[caption id="attachment_4300" align="alignleft" width="300"] Day hikers using their new copy of Five-Star Trails: The Ozarks[/caption] What do I wear? What do I bring? Where should I go, and when? What are the dangers? Will a bear get me? Many questions come to mind when spring temperatures entice you toward the trails....
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Recently, I was out of town for a family visit while Hiker-dog spent four days at the R&R Ranch north of Alma. She’s always happy to go there, and they take good care of her, but I enjoy seeing her excitement when I return. Even four...
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When I began to work out the details of revising 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Boston, I obviously had to plan around the winter. My first big deadline was April 1 (not coincidentally, April Fool’s Day). That’s pretty much the tail end of winter, assuming...
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The week after Outdoor Retailer is always bittersweet. It's nice to sit still and sleep in your own bed, but it's sad to be away from inspiring, like-minded people. And the cool new products. And the parties. And the adoptable puppies. If you followed along with...
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I was in Rhode Island a couple of weeks ago to pick up a boat of mine that was being repaired, and I thought I would take a hike as long as I was up there. A friend recommended that I check out Weetamoo Woods,...
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[caption id="attachment_4146" align="alignleft" width="300"] ORAt the top of a steep section of the AT near Canopus Lake, NY, January 2016[/caption] Winter is officially here! Just because the weather is getting colder and the precipitation is coming in the form of freezing rain and snow doesn't mean...
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The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DWGNRA) has always been a bit of an enigma to me. In spite of its size (it spans over 70,000 acres in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania along the Delaware River), its extensive natural scenery, and its vast...
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I've had a minor epiphany regarding the 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Boston book I am revising. The last element of each hike profile is a Nearby Attraction—other things to do and see nearby, restaurants, things like that. This is a Boston book, my friends....
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This fall, I began working on my next guidebook project, the second edition of Best Tent Camping: New Jersey. The first edition of the book was written by Marie Javins, who no longer lives in the Northeast. Given my close proximity to New Jersey, Menasha Ridge...
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