travel light, wake early, walk far
“The sparrow hops along the veranda, with wet feet.” — Haiku by Masaoki Shiki I officially declare the Loyalsock Trail in Pennsylvania the best long-weekend backpacking trail in the mid-Atlantic. Having long heard praise of it, I weirdly never had the opportunity to experience it. Having now completed a thru-hike, I added it to my... Continue Reading →
Planning appointments are a regular occurrence for DCUL organizers, as David ("Spiderman") and I know all too well. However, I was being summoned to DCUL HQ for an entirely more terrible and sinister reason: I was in trouble for "high crimes and misdemeanors" and multiple violations of the DCUL code of conduct. Things weren't looking... Continue Reading →
Photo Credit Jake Sawyer On October 7-8, 2023, seven DCUL backpackers completed a delightful low-mileage (LM) 19-mile overnight clockwise circuit along the West Virginia-Virginia border, in the Wilson Cove Wildlife Management Area and Great North Mountain region. The literal and figurative highpoint was the view from White Rocks Cliff while the low point was when... Continue Reading →
I planned this Labor Day Weekend trip as I do any DCUL trip. I appeared for my planning appointment before the DCUL power-brokers at the national headquarters. With my PowerPoint presentation ready, I sat at the end of the 40 foot mahogany conference room table to present my plan. At the head of the table,... Continue Reading →
There are many reasons why people consider August the worst time to go hiking in the Mid-Atlantic: the weather is often 90 degrees plus with humidity, reliable water sources can be bone-dry, and bugs are everywhere. So when I proposed a 32 mile hike on the Tuscarora Trail on a summer weekend, it was already... Continue Reading →
