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Hiking with Dogs: The Rules Most People Ignore
Hiking with dogs is one of the best things on earth. Period. Fresh air, shared miles, muddy paws, quiet companionship that doesn’t need small talk. But here’s the part nobody likes to say out loud: A lot of people hiking with dogs are winging it.And the trail is not the place to wing it. Most…
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Fun Fact: I Already Earned My First Trail Quest Pin
Here’s the part that made me laugh a little when I officially committed to the Virginia State Parks Trail Quest: I’d already started. Not intentionally or even strategically.Just by living my life and saying yes to hiking the trails over the last two years. Which means, before I even “started”, I had already earned my…
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The 10 Essentials Every Hiker Should Carry (No Exceptions)
There’s a romantic idea floating around that hiking is all vibes: boots on dirt, sun through trees, problems left at the trailhead. And yes is of course the magic. But here’s the truth nobody puts on the inspirational posters: the trail doesn’t care about your intentions. Weather flips. Trails disappear. Ankles roll. Phones die dramatic…
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Why I’m Doing the Virginia State Parks Trail Quest
On paper, the Virginia State Parks Trail Quest sounds simple. Hike a list of state parks.Collect stamps.Earn a little sense of accomplishment. Easy, right? But the real reason I’m doing the Trail Quest has very little to do with checklists, prizes, or bragging rights. Those are nice. They’re just not the point. I’m doing it…
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Why We Plant a Tree When You Finish the Trail Year
When I first started thinking about how to mark the end of the Trail Year, I knew one thing immediately: I didn’t want a badge. I didn’t want a medal, a digital confetti animation, or a loud declaration of “YOU DID IT!!!” that disappeared the moment you closed a tab. That kind of recognition has…
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Hiking With Dogs Isn’t a Distraction, It’s the Point
I used to think hiking “with dogs” was a lesser version of hiking. Slower.Messier.Less focused. I thought real hiking meant: And then I spent enough time on the trail with my dogs to realize how wrong that framing was. Hiking with dogs didn’t take something away from the experience. It gave me the experience I’d…
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You Didn’t Fail, You Resumed: Rethinking Consistency on the Trail
There’s a sentence I hear all the time from people who want to hike more: “I was doing really well… and then I fell off.” They say it like a confession.Like they broke something.Like the trail revoked their membership. And every time, I want to interrupt and say this: You didn’t fail.You paused.And then you…
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Why I Created a Ridge Raven Trail Tear That Doesn’t Care About Miles
There was a moment on the trail, somewhere between week fifteen and week twenty, when I realized something important: If this hiking challenge had been about miles, I would’ve quit. Not because I don’t like walking.Not because I’m not capable.But because the moment hiking turns into a performance metric, it stops being the thing that…
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Hiking Occoneechee State Park
Beaver Pond Trail (5.38 Miles)Beaver Pond Trail is a multi-use loop open to hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders. It’s a wide, easy trail, great for hiking, walking, or even trail running. I hiked it clockwise, which meant turning left at the start. About 1.5–2 miles in, you begin to see views of the lake. The…
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Camping at Occoneechee State Park
First Impressions: Clean & Well-MaintainedOcconeechee State Park immediately makes a good impression. The grounds are very clean and clearly well cared for, which sets the tone for a relaxing stay. We opted for primitive camping, which includes two raised platforms: one for your car and one for your tent setup. How the Tent Platforms WorkWe…
