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Standing Room Only Tonight at Teens to Trails Fundraiser
Inspiring people to get outside is the most rewarding thing I can imagine. Tonight’s event was fantastic. Read more…
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The Book Tour of a Lifetime told (mostly) through numbers
Let’s just say it’s been amazing from beginning to end (and it isn’t over yet!). Months on the road 5 Miles 40,000 States visited 34 National Parks and Monuments visited 27 State Parks and Campgrounds visited 46 Nights spent at Camp WalMart, Rest Areas or Truck Stops 21 Total appearances 56 Appearances at L.L. Read more…
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“People start pollution. People can stop it.”
I have a thing about trash. And about keeping places better than how I found them. I’m not sure when it started, but I distinctly remember a time when I was 11 years old when my mom and I flew to St. Paul to visit my grandparents. I went out out one day to explore the neighborhood and discovered that the banks of the Mississippi River were nearby. It was a beautiful place. It would have been even more so if it wasn’t so full of litter. Read more…
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Why I U-turned back to Sedona
Sedona. I first heard the name when I was painting a house for an elderly couple in Maine a few decades ago. It’s not unusual for people to escape Maine winters. What stuck in my mind was their destination of choice and the effect it had on them. As soon as they would say the word “Sedona”, they would acquire a look of deep contentment. It was as if they had found something in the hills of Arizona that didn’t stay in the southwest, but forever became a part of them. Now I understand. Read more…
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Travel Tales: The Art of the Unplanned
One of my favorite sentiments regarding travel comes from Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley – In Search of America. He contends that they sure way to ruin a journey is to think that you control it. This is such a marvelous metaphor for every aspect of life — work and relationships come to mind— but one place that particularly requires you to let go of the tiller is when you are traveling. Thousands of miles of walking have taught me to continually assess situations and adapt accordingly. I am most grateful for what that experience has added to my day-to-day living. Read more…
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The Joy of Writing is in the Stories Shared
I was signing books the other night in Pennsylvania when I looked up to see something I had never seen before — a man with a little boy were walking toward me and the boy had my book under his arm. They had come to have me sign their copy of Appalachian Odyssey. The first time someone brings your book to a signing is an incredible experience. Read more…
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The True Meaning of a Road Trip
I’m currently on a national road trip for my book, Appalachian Odyssey: A 28-year hike on America’s trail. At least that’s the headline version. But, as with all meaningful journeys, there’s a much deeper story woven through my sojourn through America’s National Parks, cities and towns. It’s that we are (still) a nation of incredible places and people. In just the one month since I left Portland, Maine in my 1985 Vanagon, I’ve met a wide variety of people who are, to quote Thoreau, “living the lives they’ve imagined,” and not coincidentally, having the time of their lives. Read more…
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Appalachian Odyssey Interview on WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, VA
I stopped by the WHSV-TV in Harrisonburg, VA this week to appear on Bob Corso’s 1-on-1 interview program. We had a great time talking about my book and the trail before, during and after the interview.
Bob Corso really took the time to ask me all about my book and the journey. He arrived with a sheaf of papers — some printed from my website, reviews from Amazon and a number of notes. It’s really great to meet a professional that’s been doing something for a while and still gives it the same effort they did when they started out. Bob Corso is one of those people. It was a really good experience.
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Appalachian Odyssey tour stop #4 – Mount Pleasant B&B
The evening of July 16th was perfect for a book signing event. The moon approached the full stage and the summer ambiance was amazing at the historic Mount Pleasant B&B in Strasburg, Virginia. Built in 1812, the rolling fields and hills surrounding the inn were once the scene of Civil War troop movements as the precursor to the nearby Happ’s Hill skirmish in 1864. Today the inn retains its stately charm and is the perfect home to a book signing event. My heartfelt thanks go out to Martha Beatty Eyman, Art Pfaffko and all who attended the event. Read more…
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Parklife DC catches up with Appalachian Odyssey tour
Parklife DC caught up with me on my DC tour swing and wrote up this nice piece.
