“Dude, you should try some olive oil,” hiker after hiker commented to me. “Why olive oil?” “Because it has the highest amount of calories for its weight of any food.” Calorie vs. weight. In summation, that is one of the direct challenges that the majority of thru-hikers will face on the two great national scenic trails, the Appalachian Trail (AT) and Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). For those of you who have read my...

 I am currently reading, ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle. Many of you have probably read this bestseller by the expat German author. Tolle consistently harps on the need to rid ourselves of the ‘tyranny of the mind’, and focus instead on the glory of the present moment. What does he mean? And what about all the misfortunes we have suffered in the past and problems we face in the future. Tolle mentions peace, love,...

There was silence at the other end of the telephone. I was talking to Warren Doyle, a legendary name on the Appalachian Trail (AT). He has hiked the entire trail 16 times, which puts him at around 35,000 trail miles and counting. In fact, he has spent more miles on the trail than any other human. It was February, 2005. I was planning to attend his Appalachian Trail Institute class, in which he coaches aspiring thru-hikers on how to make it all...

  The annual Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Kickoff will be held at Lake Morena County State Park, California on April 26-28, 2013. We know you’re anxious to register! In 2012, registration opened on March 17, and we were essentially full by March 21. They expect to be on a similar schedule this year. Yes, full in four days. And there’s a good reason why. This is one heckuva party. Any outdoorsperson would love soaking up all the...

 “His writing style is very good,” wrote Deborah. “But he seems a little sketchy. I would go out of my way to avoid hiking with a fool like him.” This was a a recent Amazon review for my trail narrative, Skywalker–Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail. First, let me say that I appreciate Deborah buying the book, as well as writing the review. And I certainly am happy that she described the writing style...

  “To be or not to be. That is the question.” Of course, those words are famous to all of us with just a morsel of knowledge of the Bard. And it’s all in the realm of fantasy, except for a few select people around the globe. Especially us Americans, for whom suspicion of royalty runs through and through our very DNA. But several years ago, I faced a question of direct relevance. Upon reading Bill Bryson’s...