What you need for an Appalachian Trail hike – Part 3 – Water
How to Stay Hydrated on the Trail Nothing affects your pack weight more than your choices of food and how much water you need to carry. Today I’ll cover the topic of H2O. Water management is critical One pint of water weighs one pound. Depending on your peak water carrying capacity, the difference between having […]
What You Need for an Appalachian Trail Hike – Part 2
Training for a Long Distance Hike After my lectures and during my book signings, I am often asked, “How do you train for a hike?” It’s a really good question. Most folks (including me) don’t want to spend our time away from the mountains walking around town with a full pack on. And even if […]
What You Need for an Appalachian Trail Hike – Part I
Logistics: Planning your hike My friend, Wayne Cyr, and I spent 28 years hiking the Appalachian Trail, one section at a time. Every time we were in our adventure mode (heading to the trail, traveling back from it or out on the path itself) we would invariably meet people of all ages that would say, […]
9 backpacking tips — preparing for your first hike
Nine tips for preparing your gear for backcountry adventures.
Why we need both Time and Place for Contemplation
Frederick Law Olmsted’s “island of sanity” amidst the 1893 Columbian Exposition offered a chance for quiet contemplation away from the bustle. 130 years later, it’s a critically important concept.
This Land Was Saved for You and Me: The generational baton passes that created America’s public lands
The Falmouth Memorial Library and Ocean View at Falmouth are pleased to welcome native son Jeffrey Ryan to discuss his latest book; This Land Was Saved for You and Me.
Where to Buy This Land Was Saved for You and me
New Hardcover! My new book traces the path from Frederick Law Olmsted’s first wanderings in Yosemite to the signing of The Wilderness Act in 1964. Along the way, we meet well-known advocates for America’s lands and waters including Gifford Pinchot, Theodore Roosevelt, and Aldo Leopold. But importantly, we also meet many lesser-known people who gave their […]
Lyme disease sucks — 5 tips for minimizing risks when you’re hiking
If you hike in wooded areas, you’re bound to encounter ticks. And if they encounter YOU, you’re at risk for getting Lyme disease. The bad news is that Lyme disease can cause arthritis, irregular heartbeat and other serious medical issues. The good news is that
Hiking Poles and the Fountain of Youth
“You have the knee cartilage of a 24-year old” That’s what my doctor announced after reviewing x-rays taken when I was age 58. After hiking over 8,000 miles in three decades — most with a pack weighing 40 pounds or more — the news didn’t surprise me much. Over the years, my knees only bothered […]
Lost no More — How to Stay on the Trail (and what to do if you get off it)
“Have you ever gotten lost?” This question (or some variation of it) comes up often in my presentations about hiking. The answer isn’t simple. While there have been plenty of times I’ve been “temporarily disoriented”, there have never been times when I was “hopelessly lost.” The difference lies in making general awareness a priority. In […]