Category: The Moosilauke Letters

Brother Wisdom

…not quite a hiking article,but my brother Laurence often walked when others rode… I grew up with two older brothers, each one smarter than the other.  I’ve said to each one, “I smile because you are my brother.  I laugh because there is nothing you can do about it.” This is how they see the… Continue reading Brother Wisdom

1000

All Over the PlaceWednesday, February 26, 2020 Two things made this difficult. The first is that on some days, when I felt ill and barely had energy to keep moving, I was able to make it around the block. The second was carving out the time, especially on travel days.  So it became day or… Continue reading 1000

Thru Hiker

Bigelow WildernessMaineAugust  1992 Ever since I first heard of the Appalachian Trail, and since the first time I carried a backpack through a weekend, I thought of the long distance hike from Georgia to Maine.  I’ve been very lucky throughout my backpacking career, in some seasons spending as many as 80 nights on the trail. … Continue reading Thru Hiker

A Matter of Mattress

not really any wilderness location at all1992 1The sales guy spends so much time telling me why his mattress is superior to everyone else’s mattress that I become suspicious.  Also tired. 2Lisa suggests I go to Costco for a new mattress.  I’m sure I will be able to find something I like at a great… Continue reading A Matter of Mattress

Manypede

Duff ParkMurrysvillePennsylvaniaOctober  2013 Training day.  Duff Park.  Altitude gain of about 200 feet in a tenth of a mile on Round Top Trail.  Once.  Twice.  Many times. Lots of people on the lower, flatter elevations, running, walking the dog, picking invasive garlic mustard.  Trillium, skunk cabbage, may apple, squaw root, the last of the trout… Continue reading Manypede

Who’s a Pepper?

Rural RetreatVirginiaJuly  2014 We stay the night in Wytheville after our summit climb of the Old Dominion state, Virginia.  First thing in the morning, we’re on the road to visit the nearby rural retreat called Rural Retreat, a town of 1500 living residents, and one dead resident in particular. In the pursuit of knowledge, we… Continue reading Who’s a Pepper?

Brother Time

Cohutta WildernessGeorgiaSeptember  1992 Steve is my brother, ten years older and so much wiser than me, in his mind.  Even though he spent time in the trenches in Vietnam, he was still willing to go out into the wilds of north Georgia with me.  We planned a three-day backpack trip in the Cohutta Wilderness, just… Continue reading Brother Time

Snake Butt

Boyce Mayview ParkUpper St ClairPennsylvaniaSeptember  2017 Lisa and I are on a training hike in Boyce Mayview Park, not too far from home.  At the highest point of a loop, where several trails converge, a cute little dog comes bounding from the brush, happy as dogs usually are.  Following behind is a hiker.  Or a… Continue reading Snake Butt