I was diagnosed with diabetes in 1985, when I was two years old. I’ve been told the story about what happened when they drew my blood at the hospital, and I feel like I almost remember it. I became irate when the nurse started drawing blood from my veins, and I started yelling at her … More It’s In My Blood
People talk to me about hiking now, and often express interest in joining me. I put it on social media that I wanted to do a hike this weekend, and I would be willing to stay more local, do a less intense trail and even start later in the morning to be accommodating. I had … More Both Feet off the Ground
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” – Henry David Thoreau Before this past weekend’s hike, my friend Maria checked our … More Skipping Stones
Although I did not hike last weekend, I did have a trek that led to some self-reflection and insights. For the first time in over a year, I got on a plane, and went to Providence, RI. I ventured to New England to get some furniture and odds and ends from my parent’s house. I … More Integrity in the Face of Self Preservation
My boys and I went to Harpers Ferry this weekend, at the request of my older son. We parked at the visitor’s center, hiked past Lincoln Rock, downtown, up the Maryland Heights Loop, and back into town. The total mileage was about 7 miles, with an elevation gain of 1,404 feet and took us about … More I Wouldn’t Trade This For Anything
My “ecotherapy” group for this weekend’s hike consisted of four people; myself, Mike, Maria and Billy. We completed the Billy Goat Trail and C&O canal loop in about three hours and forty minutes. We each did the same thing, yet we each had our own unique experiences, and takeaways. This hike is a “buffet of … More Facets In the Forest
I thought I wanted to spend time alone, let the snow from my snow globe settle after having shaken up my life. I don’t believe this to be true anymore. This past weekend I went to Old Rag in Shenandoah Valley. I went with a mix of people I have known from various aspects of … More “No Place To Go But Everywhere”
Urban Dictionary’s word of the day for March 14th was “vaxhole,” one who has been fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus and brags about it. Two weeks after the second shot and that vaxhole is posting selfies from a Cancun bar. I snorted when a friend read this to me. I know a few (other) … More Ignorance is Bliss(ters?)
It was my weekend with the kids, and the weather was nice enough to go out, so we went to Sugarloaf Mountain in Maryland for a four mile hike. I am often asked about how I got my kids into hiking. The truth is, they didn’t always love it, and I had to cultivate their … More Hiking with Kids: Be the Influence and Find the Compromise
I like winter hiking- from the silence of the woods, to the bright winter light that casts long shadows. It reminds me of cross country skiing when I was a kid in Massachusetts. Most of Maryland doesn’t get much snow, but this past week we got some snow, then an ice storm, followed by freezing … More Hiking on Ice
Found in the Forest 