February 22, 2013

Carrying a Lighter Load

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 …
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A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
February 2, 2013

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

February 2, 2013 I love dogs, but I don’t always trust them. Especially dogs that I don’t really know. Dad instilled that wariness in me one day long ago when he explained that a dog that licks you just might be testing your salt. That whole being-eaten thing was running through my mind one day as I was hiking the BT on a lonely back road in southern Ohio. After two dogs had harassed me a couple of bends-in-the-road ago, I made a mental note to team up with someone next time–maybe the Dog Whisperer …
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January 21, 2013

The Last Shall Be First

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 …
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January 17, 2013

I Get By With a Little Help From My Buckeye Trail Angels

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 …
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January 12, 2013

Organization of Buckeye Trail Photos

January 12, 2013 I want to give a brief explanation about the arrangement of my Buckeye Trail photos. The pictures I took on my hike around the BT are not in the order that you would see if you hiked straight through. (I want to get this out there before my BT buddies understandably point that out.) I am not confident that I could arrange all of my photos in that order, even if I wanted to.  Instead, in each section the photos are posted in the order I took them. My hike was anything …
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December 15, 2012

Welcome To My Blog

I’ll serve up some serious stories as well as some silly side dishes. Hopefully, you’ll find the prices affordable, the service friendly, and no unpleasant side effects from your visit. Comments on your experience here are always welcome, and I hope you’ll come back soon (and maybe bring a friend). If you want to know when a new dish is added to the menu, register and check the box at the bottom of your profile page. You will be notified by email when a new blog is posted. Bon appetit! CW
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