You quit to hike the Appalachian Trail?!?

Today was the day, the day it became real for me. I have resigned and let my team know that I will be leaving my position to go hike the Appalachian Trail. It has been a tough day to say the least. I’m not leaving work because I hate the job or because I got […]

A Review of “Walking With Spring” by Earl V. Shaffer

Walking With Spring is a memoir by Earl V. Shaffer that tells the story of his hike of the Appalachian Trail. His was the first recorded thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail and took place in 1948. Shaffer had returned from World War II and was looking for a way to deal with the trauma he […]

Journey to Harpers Ferry, WV

The family took a nice trip down to northern Virginia over the kids’ February vacation. Along the way, I took the opportunity to stop in Harpers Ferry and to visit the headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The ATC office is considered the midpoint of the Appalachian Trail and is rather significant to thru hikers. […]

Making a Cooking Pouch

Following up on my last post about Making a Pot Cozy, I wanted to share directions for making a cooking pouch. This pouch has the same purpose as the pot cozy in that it conserves fuel and frees up time that would otherwise be spent tending a stove. This pouch is perfect for many popular trail meals that can be cooked right in their own packaging. It’s perfect for Knorr sides, Idahoan Mashed Potatoes, and other similar foods. Simply heat your water, pour it into the package, seal it in a ZipLock bag, and cook it in the pouch for 15 minutes – food time!

Making a Pot Cozy

I’ve read a lot about ways to save fuel while on the trail as a means of keeping down the cost and weight of the fuel on a long distance hike. I will be covering two methods – a pot cozy and a cooking pouch – in this and my next post. Both of these […]

Winter Hiking

Just because it’s really cold outside doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get out there and hike! With the right preparation, hiking in the winter can be very enjoyable. Snow cover lends a hush to the woods that completely changes the experience. I love the peace and serenity in the wilderness at this time of year. Sure, […]

Brewing an Imperial Stout

As you might expect, I have other passions beyond hiking and I occasionally like to inject some variety into these pages. One of those passions is home brewing. I got into it about a year ago and have completed 15 bears (2 more in process). You can see everything I’ve done on Untappd – Hendrick […]

Hiking at Night

If you’ve never tried night hiking, you should! Hiking after dark is completely different than hiking during the day time. The trail is completely new – everything familiar is suddenly gone, the forest sounds completely different, and it is exciting! There are a few things you should know before venturing out at night. Being prepared […]

Bigelow Hollow State Park

I set out on a nice autumn day to do some backpacking at Bigelow Hollow State Park. The park adjoins Nipmuck State Forest so most of the signage covers both. It is a nice property in northern Connecticut – 9,000 acres according to the official website. Most of the locals call it Bigelow Hollow even […]

Why I want to hike the Appalachian Trail

When I talk to folks about wanting to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT) the responses are mixed. Some folks are surprised, some supportive, some ask how I’d get the time off from work, some think I’m crazy, and still others don’t think I can. I’ve explained (to varying degrees of success) why I’d like to […]