At first glance, Washington, D.C., may seem like a large city with an inescapable amount of people and politics. Even the sightseeing-worthy national monuments and museums will find you elbow-to-elbow with equally contemplative tourists. While touring the traditional D.C. monuments is all well and good, Renee...
Read More
During a phone interview with Kyle Kellams of KUAF, I mentioned how hiking and writing about trails go together for me. I couldn’t imagine doing one without the other. He said, “So, in addition to being a thru-hiker, you’re a ‘thru-writer.'” I thought, what a cool...
Read More
The eve of the autumn equinox is upon us, and we cannot welcome fall fast enough. We are ready to roll out the burnt orange carpet and usher in the coziest season of them all (sorry, Winter, we don't like frostbite or ice storms). Every season...
Read MoreWe all blinked, summer came and passed, and now fall is knocking at our doors. While beach days may be behind us, the promise of crisp air, fresh apples, and pumpkin everything make fall basically the best season. If you live in a sprawling city like Philadelphia, it...
Read More
Unless you've been living under a conch shell, you know that outdoor advocacy and protecting our public lands has been slightly more top-of-mind than usual. All politics aside, we all want our lands to stay pristine for future generations to enjoy. And since there's no magical trail fairy...
Read MoreHere are a few photos from an assignment I thought up during a morning hike on my home trail. I took a photo using my smartphone camera every 100 steps, allowing myself to move up to ten steps from each stopping point to locate a...
Read More
In this season of FKTs (fastest known times) and alpine starts and even trail running, it's easy to forget about plain ol' vanilla hiking. You know, the slow amble where you soak in the views and cheerfully step aside as others who are surely faster and fitter...
Read More
So the Appalachian Trail just turned 80 years old. Wow. I hope I am as well-loved and in as good of a shape as the dear old AT when I turn 80. Hell, I hope I’m still alive by the time I turn 80! So...
Read More
It’s been a little over a year since I finished working on Best of the Appalachian Trail: Mid-Atlantic. With this year commemorating the Trail’s 80th year in existence, I’ve spent a little time this past week looking through the photographs I took while working on...
Read More
This is it, guys! The day we've been eagerly anticipating and hearing about for weeks. Solar eclipse day! Maybe you're sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic right now waiting to get to your viewing spot. Or maybe you're already there, leisurely brewing coffee and breaking down your campsite. Or maybe...
Read More