We woke up to find a regularly scheduled trash fire burning behind our tents, welcoming the warmth as we packed, and hiked the Herbert Hoover Dike north towards Okeechobee. We’d hiked on and off with Forrest, who was hiking across America with his Gump for President message, suggesting to people that there was something wrong […]
Category: Hiking Journal
Uncle Joe’s Campground, Moore Haven, Florida
There was a storm coming that had many hikers concerned about spending the night outside. Personally, I was more concerned that I’d finished the last of my water before we broke camp at the STA-5 water management complex. We’d be walking the levee along the canal, where water without agricultural runoff would be scarce if […]
Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, Florida
At Nobles Campsite mosquitoes hung on the tent, waiting for me to emerge. I ate Crunch n Munch for breakfast, hiking through spider webs stretching across the trail, north towards the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. On the first Sunday of every month, Big Cypress New Testament Baptist Church offers a free meal for anyone who […]
Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
Twenty miles through the swamp took all day, with knee to thigh-deep water slowing every step. Unseen holes beneath the surface threatened to slow progress, or worse, bring you to an ankle breaking stop. Every step demands attention, pushing through knee-deep water while searching for solid footing. That alone will wear you out, but the […]
Florida Trail Thru Hike Kickoff
Picked up by two of the finest people you could meet, @adventurepreacher and @boxcar_hikes, to camp with a bunch of friends, old and new. Fed, and fed some more by the incredible @ftthruhike#trailangels Strangers providing food, information, and assistance with logistics to ensure that everyone can embrace the trail in a way that resonates with […]
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail
Long days of rhythmic, meditative footsteps across unfamiliar terrain allow for easy access to mystic-lite states of consciousness. Where the balance between the internal and external experience is a sort of perpetual motion, a physical reflection of the inner need for exploration, growth, and understanding. But then again, I’m a romantic. This idealized view of […]
Northbound from Key West, Florida
It took two days to reach the southern most point of the Continental United States, only to then immediately turn around, hiking north on the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. A new beginning, to see Florida again with fresh eyes. Two days more of pounding pavement, back to the Seven Mile Bridge, where cars rush […]
New Beginnings at the End of the AZT
In these final days on the Arizona Trail, I had the pleasure of hiking with @socotoshowco for a few miles, someone I haven’t seen in years. I weaved back and forth along the trail as I awaited my bus. The upcoming walk from Vail into Tucson, then onward to Phoenix for a layover, marks a […]
Plans Change on the AZT
Rain fell from the cloudless sky as I lay awake, gazing at the twinkling stars. There had been no rain predicted, not the slightest chance of showers, and yet, within a half hour the stars were hidden behind a thick canopy of dark clouds. I fell asleep thinking it would be a passing shower. But […]
Stealth Camping Sabino Canyon
Gratitude washed over me as the sun reclaimed the Santa Catalina Mountains. The persistent chill and dampness had worn on me, prompting daydreams of warmer, heavier gear. On a cold and breezy morning descent from Mt. Lemmon, my focus wasn’t on miles but on descending to Hutch’s Pool. I yearned to warm up, spread out […]