Hiking in the shoulder seasons bring a unique set of challenges. The weather is apt to swing to extremes, often from one day to the next. Winter gear? Summer gear? Both? You’ve got to be prepared for anything. “Fortunately” for me, New England was hard hit by a nor’easter just a few weeks before I had planned to start my thru hike. My winter gear kit was packed. The weather warmed a little, snow melt started, ... The post The New England Trail Part 1: From the Top! (sorta) appeared first on The Trek ..read more

You know what they say… you can never have too many shakedowns!!! This time, I ventured into Cleveland National forest for a quick one day in, one day out hike specifically with the intention is testing (another) different backpack and my new HG quilt. GEAR EXCHANGED SINCE LAST SHAKEDOWN ? Osprey Eja 58 (instead of the Osprey Aura LT 65L which destroyed my hips in Joshua Tree ? ) Hammock Gear Premium Burrow 30° quilt ( exchanged this with my Sea to Summit Flame 15 because I’m planning to bring this for at least half my AT hike since it’s hot and humor on the AT AB’s so my 15 def mummy will be ..read more

You know what’s better than one shakedown hike in Patagonia? More shakedown hikes! This time around, my second shakedown hike was in Joshua Tree, CA. I chose this location for my second shakedown hike because: My friend invited me to go backpacking with her  I thought this would be a great chance for me to test out my gear in warmer weather (considering Patagonia was cold, wet, and windy). Another benefit was that this time around, ... The post My Second Shakedown Hike appeared first on The Trek ..read more

I got lost for the first time since setting out two days prior, and had to make a decision after learning about a problem bear in the area. The post Day 3: I Got Lost and Faced a Bear Situation appeared first on The Trek ..read more

Reflection The past week of life on the Pacific Crest Trail has felt so full. My routine consists of eating, sleeping, hiking, and getting to know so many interesting people from all over the world and from all walks of life. Everyone carries such good energy, as they are all light and free from whatever held them back before getting on the trail. This week has been all about finding balance and staying present for every moment. ... The post The Beauty of Impermanence and Stories from Week 1 on the PCT appeared first on The Trek ..read more

Sure people describe it as heaven on top of hill but is it all that it’s cracked up to be? Absolutely! It’s an epic and magical place, I’m probably going to take a zero tomorrow and soak it all it in. I started a new audiobook today, called “anti-fragile”, and there is an extensive chapter about certain books becoming wildly popular because they had been banned or had highly negative reviews. So I figured I’d rouse the masses by throwing shade on the infamous Max Patch. ... The post Day 25 – Max Patch Is Overrated! appeared first on The Trek ..read more

The Zpacks Duplex is one of the most popular two person thru-hiker tents in production. Is it worth parting with your hard earned cash for one of the best tents available? The post Zpacks Duplex Review appeared first on The Trek ..read more

elcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for: hitting the trail. While 11 members of this group have boots on the ground and are headed in their chosen direction toward their trail’s terminus, today we also hear from one correspondent who has yet to depart along with another who, after a harrowing first day, has made the difficult decision to get off trail.  Each trail presents its own difficulties and challenges and simply showing up on the first day is certainly a herculean feat in and of itself.  ... The post S4 Episode #3 | First Night On Tra ..read more

Welcome! Thank you friends, family and random internet browsers for joining me here for recaps of the absurdity that will be my life these next 4-6 months. My main purpose of keeping this blog is to let all those people who asked me to stay in touch to have a place to congregate and look at my trail endeavors without me sending out a copy and paste text message to everyone. Additionally I am excited to keep up with this blog as a reflection of what goes on during my trail life. ... The post It’s the start of something new (and something familiar) appeared first on The Trek ..read more

One of my favorite things to eat on the trail is pasta salad. It’s absolutely delicious, refreshing, and doesn’t require cooking so it makes a great lunch meal. I make a version of Fresh off the Grid’s pasta salad recipe. This is a “cold soak” recipe, meaning that it requires no cooking! You simply add water, wait an hour or two, and then the meal is ready to eat. I prefer to get the process started in the morning so I can eat the pasta salad for lunch. ... The post Backpacking recipe: dehydrated pasta salad appeared first on The Trek ..read more