Blog
Remembering That We Agree and Trying Not To Lose Your Mind
When it comes to our current political and cultural disagreements and challenges, at the root of it, don’t we all want the same things? Don’t we all want to take care of what we love? Don’t we all want to keep our kids and communities safe and have decent opportunities??
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CEREAL BOXES AND DEBATES
Making it through breakfast on a school morning is a major accomplishment. You get up when you’re not ready then wake up your kids, who really aren’t ready either. You get dressed in something that makes you look more “put together” than you feel, then try to convince your kid to wear clean clothes that are not on backwards or inside out, and not too hot or too cold for the current weather forecast.
You try to make a breakfast that is quick and nutritious - and that your kids will actually eat. Then you have to convince them to sit down at the table and spoon some reasonable number of calories into their mouths. Just when you think you’ve done it, when you’re finally there and both kids have utensils in hand, food a few inches from their mouths… at that exact moment, one kid will say something to upset the other.
The spoon drops, milk splatters, voices rise, and tears roll. Fifteen minutes, later you are ushering them into the car with unkempt hair, handing them granola bars because they didn’t eat anything on their plates.
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America, All of It, The Whole Shebang
When I hit my middle-age, mid-career crisis, I didn’t want a sports car and I didn’t rethink all my life choices. I just knew I wanted to use the second half to do more to protect the places that I loved. As the owner of an outfitter and guide service, as well as an author and speaker, I felt like a cheerleader for conservation and a catalyst for engagement. But I also wanted the tools and understanding to sit at a table and help make decisions. I wanted to be able to advocate for these places with deeper knowledge and a stronger voice.
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The '24 Olympics - We Needed That!
Have we ever needed the Olympics more?!
It’s been a weird and very isolating 8 years politically and with a pandemic. I give Tokyo props for pulling it off in 2021, but this Olympics has showed us what it looks like to come back together and really cheer for one another. Thank you for reminding us how to strive for our best, how to hug our opponents, and how to cry – be it with joy or sorrow, it all was such a needed release.
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Blue Ridge Hiking Company Sale Q&A
Hello! I’ve been fielding a lot of the same questions about the sale of Blue Ridge Hiking Company so I figured I’d do a short Q&A to spread some info. Thanks for reading/sharing.
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A New 350 Mile Hiking Route
The Appalachian High Route is a ~ 330 mile loop that combines the Appalachian Trail, Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and Black Mountain Trail using the newly established "Burnsville Connector" as a connector.
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Announcing... The Appalachian High Route
If you follow me on social media, you know that for the past few years I’ve been infatuated with wild flowers. I’ve sought them out in the Smokies, journaled about them and posted on my “Wild Flower Wednesdays.”
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Sustainability Update: Vehicles
It turns out diving into a Sustainability Initiative is a lot like trying to backpack a long-distance trail. You start out thinking it’s going to go one way, and quickly it looks and feels totally different than the Instagram images of what you thought it would be.
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Just... Keep... Going... (and try to help others)
Not many people get to turn their dream career into a reality, but I’m so grateful to have had that opportunity. In 2008, I started Blue Ridge Hiking Company and have spent the last 15 years introducing people to the wonders of the natural world through writing, speaking, and guiding.
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How to learn all about native plants - at home
I have a very high retention rate of knowing/remembering the plants and animals I sketch. Using my hands to translate the image into a notebook helped me embody the look, feel, and facts surrounding the subject matter. And it’s fun to sit and draw.
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