July 1 Santa Fe, NM I sleep in because REI doesn’t open until 10am. I walk by the newly renovated area along the tracks. Shops and restaurants are interspersed with train stops. I make my REI purchases, pick up the spot my parents have gotten me. Next I catch the Santa Fe free bus and … More Adobe

June 30 Start: Smart’s Mountain, CA Stop: Santa Fe, NM In the already hot morning I don my familiar hiking clothes, collect my paper bag carry-on. Don’t forget my vertical fan box aka checked baggage which contains my backpack and all its contents. It’s never easy but I say goodbye to my kitty Yazhi. He … More Spreading My Wings

June 21 It seems unfathomable that I’m gratefully vegging out in front of a tv during the summer solstice. For me it’s a day that resonates with being outdoors. I mean, it’s Naked Hiking Day for gosh sake. It also seems unfathomable that I’m in California and not hiking the mountains of Colorado at this … More The Trail Dance – Chama Anyone?

Miles?? That’s the question. How long will I be off trail? Until there’s miles to write about, I’ve got to suspend this daily thing. Aside from the few days I dragged myself through the snow, I haven’t really hiked in two weeks. Too long. 700 miles of calluses and muscles are going soft. My tan … More Day 48 and Beyond: Where Is My Path?

June 10 Start: blm land near Zion national park, ut Stop: cedar creek, ut 5 miles Total miles: 683 Under misty skies we slowly make our way through Zion National Park to the visitors center. Could this place really be more spectacular than the Grand Canyon? Maybe it’s because we’re down in this beast, getting … More Day 47: Where Zion Angels Land

June 9 Start: Kaibab national forest Stop: blm land near Zion national park We’re up early and don’t really know what time it is. We head into the park and catch our first glimpses of the canyon. I am no longer one who has studied geology but has never seen the Grand Canyon. It’s unbelievable, … More Day 46: Grand Layers

June 8 Start: Pagosa Springs, Co Stop: Kaibab National Forest, Az On a thru hike I make decisions about what I’m willing to push through. The adventure is more than just making miles at any cost. I’ve dealt with some pretty lousy weather and cold on this trip so far. I agree to live with … More Day 45: Diné Land and Tough Trail Decisions

June 7 Start: slyline lodge, platoro Stop: pagosa springs 1 Mile Total miles: 678 I’m awake early and write a few journals before everyone else wakes up. We head over to the lodge for 8am breakfast. We ready ourselves for the 23 mile road walk to hwy 17. But then there’s mumblings that we’ve been … More Day 44: Acid Hitch

June 6 Start: three forks Stop: skyline lodge, platoro 10 Miles Total miles: 677 Every time I wake up it’s raining. My fly on one side of my tent is awfully close to the tent wall and I check for wetness. Dawn blooms, I awake from a dead sleep and the wind howls. I hear … More Day 43: Laundry Room Camp

June 5 Start: rocky ledge over 12,000 ft. Stop: three forks 10 Miles Total miles: 667 4 am again. The wind is ripping so it’s cold out. The temp hovers around freezing and with the wind chill it’s easily in the low 20’s. We move across the icy snow as the sky begins to brighten. … More Day 42: Steep Forest Traverses, River Crossings, Rain = Hardest Day Ever!