“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” — Henry David ThoreauIt took me about a year to finish the cabin to the point I could comfortably work (write at my desk) inside of it for long

The issue of meal choices on the trail poses some interesting challenges. There's the "weight vs. convenience" question. Sure, carrying packets of Ramen noodles is cheap and easy, and may be the perfect lunch on a day hike, but I'm out for days, I'm not crazy about having them as a daily staple. Over the

The Med School Murder Case The Story of a Murdering Harvard Professor, the Woman Buried in My Front Yard, and the Shocking 1850 Trial Attended by Nearly Half the Citizens of Boston When my partner …

Guest blogger Matt Podolsky weighs in with his thoughts regarding the Appalachian Trail and the evolving concept of wilderness in modern society.

I am one to set audacious goals and see them through. I am forever indebted to my mother for that glorious affliction. She, the person who encouraged me to be fearless (yet never reckless) in…

One of the boldest — and smartest — decisions I ever made was creating a 28-state US book tour to launch my first book. As you may imagine, it took several months and a lot of leg work to plan it…

At first look, they seem like unrelated incidences. Different seasons. Different reasons for being where I was. Vastly different moods to the days. But there was one constant — I was behind the…

If I could assign blame for acquiring this condition, it would be purely Henry David Thoreau’s fault. But I don’t have him to blame, rather I only have him to thank. When I was fourteen years old, my…

One September day when I was nine years old and seated at our family’s kitchen counter, my mother announced that I’d be taking the day off from school. She assured me that I hadn’t done anything…

The author takes on the project of building Henry David Thoreau's cabin fifty-plus years after he is hit by the bug.

— Coined by an unattributed writer (likely, Granville Hunt) who traveled with Roy Ozmer while blazing the Appalachian Trail through the Great Smoky Mountains. In 1927, a young forester from Erwin…

Some thoughts I've had during long walks and road trips about the benefits of easing off the throttle a bit and making room for fulfillment.-----I am an author, photographer, hiker, and storyteller who enjoys sharing my passion for the outdoors with…

When I was writing my first book in a quiet office one autumn evening, I had no idea that the inspiration for another book would walk through the door. In fact, a man bearing a generous demeanor and a vacuum cleaner was about to send my writing…

The unlikely and inspirational story of how an Indiana marsh — mostly lost to the ages — has been restored due to the century old writings of a local author and an inquisitive farmer who dug into the problem of his flooding field.This is Episode 9 of…

Grandma Gatewood was an Appalachian Trail pioneer. In 1955, at age 67, she set off to escape an abusive relationship and blazed a path that inspires women to this day. A new project seeks to create two bronze statues of Grandma Gatewood. one at her…

Have you ever considered hiking the Appalachian Trail in sections (as opposed to doing it all at once)? I spent 28 years hiking the trail in sections with a good friend and share what I learned about planning, preparation, and logistics. My Guide to…

I took a road trip to Burlington, Iowa to visit the childhood home of the great American conservationist Aldo Leopold and then the Baraboo, Wisconsin farm which inspired the bestselling book, A Sand County Almanac.

Sifting through the wreckage of a shattered dream that brought a man to ruin, I discovered three gold nuggets — one of the most highly regarded American impressionist painters, a symphony adored worldwide, and a national treasure where millions go to…

In 1983, I set out with a couple of friends to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. About 450 miles into it, we had a scary experience in the Mojave Desert. At the time, the trail crossed a nearly waterless section where a wind-powered well pump was the…

In 1912, a young man in his early 20's named Ernest Oberholtzer and his friend Billy McGee, who was in his 50's, set off on a 2,000-mile trip through uncharted waters in a canoe. Their goal was to reach Hudson Bay and make it back home before winter…