Hiking the length of the Long Trail is a lesson in living without. For twenty-five days on the long trail, I enjoyed living without cosmetics, without showers, without a change of clothes, without social media, email or the internet. And I didn’t miss them at all. NO INTERNET, NO EMAIL, NO SOCIAL MEDIA Of all […]
Lessons from the Long Trail
My New Attitude Toward Food
On the trail, I learned a new attitude toward food. When Jan and I started planning our trip, I imagined twenty-five days of oatmeal for breakfast, peanut butter for lunch, and rice and beans for supper. Jan objected. “We need variety,” she said. “And texture.” She was polite about rejecting a constant diet of mush. […]
Mt. Mansfield Forces a Change of Plans
Mt. Mansfield Forces a Change of Plans We’d planned to hike an ambitious ten miles on September first, but we stopped after arduous six. It wasn’t the distance that stopped us; it was the topography, forcing us to change our plans. Our plan was to climb and traverse Mount Mansfield, descend to Smuggler’s Notch and […]
Dear Subscriber
Dear Subscriber, I love knowing that you’re one of my readers! Thanks for subscribing. Posts go up on Wednesdays – when the technology’s working. However, due to a recent work stoppage by the munchkins in cyberspace who stamp, sort and send out my posts, these emails weren’t delivered for the past two weeks. Thanks to my […]
Learning Routines on the Trail – and at Home
By our second day on the trail, Jan and I recognized the importance of developing routines; by the end of our hike, we were discussing ways to implement similar routines at home. ON THE TRAIL With more backcountry experience than me, Jan had more camping routines down, and I learned a lot from her, from […]