Blog
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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A Resolution for the Planet
At a time when most of us focus on goals for our waistline and bottom-line, take some time to consider what tweaks and changes you can make in your everyday life to improve the world around you.
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Hot Springs National Park includes 5,500 acres and 30 miles of trails, so even though the Visitor Center and NPS run bathhouse is currently closed due to Covid (3.15.21), it is still a great time to visit and explore Hot Springs National.
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