Having climbed two Colorado 14ers earlier this summer, I better appreciate the tips on alpine scrambling I gave in Backpacker's Predicament for June: Trapped on a Peak. What causes snowblindness? What's the proper way to hold an ice axe? And how can you safely slide down a mountain on your butt? Trust me: it's more fun to do it than write about it.
The April 2010 release of my new book--The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking--has encouraged me to do some publicity. During the next few months I'll sign copies and demonstrate hiking skills at book stores and libraries in the Lancaster, PA area, and also in my hometown of Hudson, Ohio.
I landed a newsy feature article in the March 2010 issue of Portland Magazine, Maine's city magazine, about a local group's efforts to acquire the USS John F. Kennedy, a 60,000-ton aircraft carrier the navy wants to donate as a museum ship. I will continue to follow this story as it develops.
This summer I interviewed dozens of moms, dads, teens, and youth leaders to write Last Child on the Couch, Backpacker's second annual Outdoor Kids package. My goal: Find out what works to motivate kids to spend more active time outside. What did I learn? To take kids from Wii Fit to really fit, you need to re-awaken their innate curiousity about nature.
Having climbed two Colorado 14ers earlier this summer, I better appreciate the tips on alpine scrambling I gave in Backpacker's Predicament for June: Trapped on a Peak. What causes snowblindness? What's the proper way to hold an ice axe? And how can you safely slide down a mountain on your butt? Trust me: it's more fun to do it than write about it.
For the July issue of Spirit magazine I wrote an article on how to outfit yourself or your family for a summer perfect car camping experience. Which lantern is best? What is the most versatile butane cook stove? And what new technology can make your weekend at the lake a great one. It's all in the article.
The April 2010 release of my new book--The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking--has encouraged me to do some publicity. During the next few months I'll sign copies and demonstrate hiking skills at book stores and libraries in the Lancaster, PA area, and also in my hometown of Hudson, Ohio.
I landed a newsy feature article in the March 2010 issue of Portland Magazine, Maine's city magazine, about a local group's efforts to acquire the USS John F. Kennedy, a 60,000-ton aircraft carrier the navy wants to donate as a museum ship. I will continue to follow this story as it develops.
Last summer I wrote my first book--The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backpacking and Hiking which was published on April 6, 2010. The tight-deadlined project kept me inside and at my computer from June to September, but I celebrated its completion with a backpacking trip in California's Sequoia National Park in early October 2009.
