Recent Posts
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Leaving the Bootheel and walking into Trail Days!
Lordsburg to Silver City. Days 4 to 7. Miles 85 to 161. After Lordsburg, the Continental Divide Trail gradually climbs up and out of the desert of the Bootheel and into the Burro Mountains. The vegetation transitions from cacti and… Continue reading
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My first days of thru-hiking the Continental Divide Trail
Southern Terminus to Lordsburg. Days 1 to 3. Miles 0 to 85. The Continental Divide Trail begins at the US-Mexico border in a part of New Mexico known as the boot heel. The boot heel is characterized by shrub-steppe desert… Continue reading
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Traveling to the CDT’s southern terminus
It’s a strange moment, waking up and putting on the outfit you’ll wear every day for the next 5 months for the first time. That’s how my day began, yesterday. Since then, I’ve traveled across the country by car, plane,… Continue reading
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Everything I’ll Carry to Walk From Mexico to Canada (again).
It’s a little surreal that I’m starting a thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail later this month! I’m doing many things to prepare for my thru-hike, such as training. I’m also carefully deciding what gear to pack. As with all… Continue reading
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8 surprising things about thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail
The expectation and reality of thru-hiking are often vastly different. But unexpected things can be some of the most special and worthwhile parts of a thru-hike. I was fascinated with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) for over 10 years before… Continue reading
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Training to Walk 3,000 Miles
How do you train to walk 3,000 miles across the United States? This is a question I’ve given a lot of thought to recently. That’s because right now, I’m preparing to start thru-hiking the 3,000-mile-long Continental Divide Trail (CDT) this… Continue reading
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My Experience Hiking the PCT in a Dress
Last year, I walked from Mexico to Canada wearing a dress. When I started my thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), I’d never hiked in a dress before. Now, 2,650 miles later, I’m fully convinced that a dress is… Continue reading
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Reflecting on the PCT High Sierra: entry date, resupply, gear, and more
Before I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, one section in particular gave me pause: the High Sierra. I was already an experienced backpacker, having completed the Appalachian Trail and Colorado Trail. Even so, the big mountains of the Pacific Crest… Continue reading
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CDT Prep: What is the Continental Divide Trail?
In last week’s post, I shared that I’m planning another thru-hike. This time, I’ll be tackling the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). The CDT is less well-known than the Pacific Crest Trail, which I hiked and blogged about last year. And… Continue reading
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Here we go again.
This week, I have an exciting update to share. I am planning another thru-hike. This time, I’ll tackle the Continental Divide Trail. It will be my third and final of the three Triple Crown trails. I hiked the Appalachian Trail… Continue reading
Adventures with Val 