The Gilded Age, a Catholic Nun, and Public Lands
Public lands once felt like places anyone could enter with a pair of boots and a bit of curiosity. Today they feel increasingly exclusive. A lesson from a Rhode Island nun still lingers. Read More …
Category: Musings
My views on life, the universe, and everything.
Thoughts on two years with the National Park Service
Thoughts on two years balancing my trade with my passion at the National Park Service, and on still processing the decision to leave. Read More …
Magic 8 Ball for Public Lands Management
Public lands increasingly look less like shared landscapes and more like economic assets. From Moab to Big Bend, the pattern keeps repeating. Read More …
Off-Piste: Keeping an Aging Laptop Useful
And now some geek talk but explained plainly – Turning my circa 2019 laptop in a usable workstation going forward. Read More …
Some small, good things.
Here are some “small, good things.” Read More …
On being an amateur professional
What is a professional outdoors person? Who knows for sure. But I am an avowed amateur. Post Script for 2026 Read More …
2025 in review
The annual navel gazing I call the “Year in Review.” But, hey, there are pretty photos! Read More …
Small, good things.
A recent social media post made me think about shorter hikes and how they add up to a collective whole; much like a collection of well-crafted short stories. Read More …
Gear pick of the year 2025 – Cider, rum, and chocolate
Gear pick of the year for 2025? Cider, chocolate, and rum. Read More …
How to get ultralight?
Going ultralight with your gear is a Holy Grail of sorts for many new to backpacking. Here are some thoughts on achieving that goal. Read More …
Ultralight Catechism: When a Toolkit Becomes Dogma
Ultralight works best as a toolkit, not a creed. A case for skills over spreadsheets and context over catechism. Read More …
Outdoors after 50
What you do regularly matters more than what you do spectacularly. Hiking after 50 isn’t about slowing down, it’s about living a life where movement is ordinary, not exceptional. Read More …
One step at a time, differently – Long Distance hiking vs. Thru-hiking
Not every long journey on foot is a thru-hike and not every long-distance hike needs to be one. Some musings on the difference. Read More …
WANE Bonus : A Post-Hike History Tour
A “bonus” entry from my New England Walk where I took in colonial, early US, and early 20th century era history. Read More …
Paralysis by Analysis
A look at paralysis by analysis that I think stops people from getting out in the wild places. Read More …
Not Gatekeeping – Guardrails
Some thoughts on maps, miles, and giving people the tools to see what they want to see. Read More …
Pay to Play on Public Lands
A piece inspired by a recent article in the Florida Phoenix about a private corporation now controlling access to public lands. Read More …
Whitman – Almost a decade later
More thoughts about Whitman almost a decade later since I took my solo Walk Across Southern Utah. Read More …