I am sitting in the Outdoor Club of Dartmoth College, enjoying air conditioning after walking into New Hampshire on one of the most blistering hot days of summer. I am now two states away from the end of this journey, and some of the most exciting sections of the Appalachian Trail lie immediately before me–the […]
* Note: This website is experiencing some buggy-ness that I will not be able to address until I am off trail in the fall. Images associated with posts are not longer loading in the header above, though they are still viewable by clicking on individual thumbnails at the bottom of the post. Walking into Pennsylvania […]
One of the great pleasures of life on the trail is reading trail registers. You get into the shelter after a long day of walking and sit down with the log book in your lap to read notes left by friends who passed this way before you. Many are humorous; some give a simple account […]
This episode is only available for viewing to backers of the AT movie feature film production. If you have contributed to the film and would like a password to view this segment, please write to thelongstart@gmail.com.
I must admit I had low expectations for the state of Virginia. After hearing plenty about the “Virginia blues” that plague thru-hikers as they walk through this state that constitutes fully a quarter of the entire Trail I had my hopes set low. I was pleased and surprised to discover how much Virginia had to […]
I have a few select partners who are supporting me on this journey. As opportunity presents itself, I will offer reviews and insight for the gear I’m using on the AT. I don’t pretend to impartiality–I’m just thankful to work with outdoor gear makers who I believe in and rely on. These articles are offered […]
There are many, many varieties of backpack out there, all different types of sizes, styles, and yes, colors. This video is our attempt to break down three levels of backpack that would be appropriate to take on a thru-hike. We also highlight some of the features specific to the Osprey line of pack (our partner […]
The Brewer is a shoe that was developed for kayaking and other water sports. It has a sticky rubber sole (5.10 Stealth Rubber, the best for traction on slick rock), and it’s built of lightweight, durable materials that drain water and dry quickly. For me, these shoes were a perfect solution to my search for […]
In selecting a shelter to carry with me on the trail, here’s what I had on my mind: 1. Weight — It needed to be light to offset the extra load of camera gear I was carrying. 2. Roomy — I like to spread out, especially on long rainy days when I decide to sleep […]
In mid-winter I wore thick, water-proof gaiters to keep out the snow and wet. When the weather warmed, however, I wanted a lightweight/breathable option to keep the twigs and rocks out of my shoes. An extensive search led me to Dirty Girl Gaiters, a cottage industry run out of Arizona by long distance runner Xy […]