March 2, 2013 I got a lump in my throat the other day while watching a TV special about amputees from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Especially the leg amputees. They had been fitted with prostheses and were celebrating each step they made on their new legs. I was celebrating right along with them at home. I well know how important walking has been to my own family. Just going back as far as Grandpa. Every day he could be seen walking the roads of Dorset Township, and quite often his shrimpy little grandson would …

February 22, 2013 I backpacked only a few times on my trip around the Buckeye Trail, but I wanted to go back and do some more. First, though, I had to see what I could cut out of my pack. You see, each year I try to trim weight from it so that the gross weight of the pack and the hiker remains roughly the same as when I took up the sport. I usually fail–it seems each year that the total weight only grows grosser and grosser. It used to be easy to trim …

January 21, 2013 A winter hike sponsored by the Miami Rivers Chapter of the Buckeye Trail Association took place a week ago. I pulled my car into the lot near the trail head before the others arrived. The air already felt unusually warm for a mid-January day, even though the sun was still barely peeking over the wooded hills at East Fork State Park. I planned to use the time to mentally prepare for what lay ahead on this day. This, to compensate not only for any lack of physical readiness, but also for the …

January 17, 2013 I love the Bible stories where the angels show up. And the hiking trips where trail angels “magically” appear. Trail angels helped me complete my walk around the state of Ohio. They treated me to such things as hot soup on a cold, rainy day, a portable shower set-up to remove a couple layers of dirt, shuttles to the trailhead, and even hot pizza!  They’ve also helped to show that it’s not about me; it’s about “us.” It’s risky for me to name my trail angels, because I’m bound to forget one …