As has been the case since the early ‘90s, this Saturday, the first Saturday of June, is National Trails Day. It’s a day when all throughout the land we celebrate our trails, by hiking, biking, paddling or sprucing them up. And we do so largely by taking part in a bevy of organized events.
Off the Grid? Sure, for a weekend
“Have you ever thought about living off the grid?”
The question took me by surprise, in part because we had been talking about federal grants at the time and usually when Anthony changes topics he signals it by saying, “Random question … .”
Aging, but not old
Years ago, in the late 1990s, I was reporting a story about the wafting program run by River Dave on the Eno River in Durham. It was popular program that involved paddling up a mile-long mill-dammed section of the Eno, then drifting back down, both physically and spiritually.
A surprise breath of adventure
“I’ll be right back,” I said, heading for the door. “Just stepping out for some air.”
I was helping to recruit correctional officers for a minimum security facility — “helping” may be stretching it. In fact, I was just making sure the laptops used to fill out applications remained charged; my colleagues with the Department of Adult Corrections were doing the actual hiring. We were two hours into a four-hour Saturday shift and traffic had slowed. It seemed like a good time to slip out.
Learning from What Went Wrong
Watching Darwin onthetrail’s three-part film on his 2025 trek through Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic reminded me of the importance of reviewing — and learning from — a trip gone bad.
The first two episodes chronicle the 17-day, 400-mile trip, a mix of hiking and pack rafting in one of the most wild and remote spots around. The scenery and struggle are compelling. But it’s the third episode that’s especially worth watching (though you need to watch the first two episodes for the full impact).