One of the most often-repeated lessons I have with students learning how to build fire is: It takes patience. Too many times, we just want to pile up fuel and strike a match, and it never works that way. Fire is often compared to a living thing, and like so many things in life, it…Read more To Build A Fire
Philosophy
Outdoor Ethics on the Appalachian Trail
Every year as March rolls around, thousands of people set out to fulfill a bucket-list item and complete the Appalachian Trail. Best wishes to those who are setting out now, and in the next couple weeks, as the Class of 2020! Thru-hikers admonish each other to "hike your own hike" - a reminder that there…Read more Outdoor Ethics on the Appalachian Trail
Dark Skies
"The Lorax", by Dr. Seuss, is a cautionary tale of environmentalism, one in which all resources (truffula trees) are completely consumed to make consumer products ("You Need A Thneed!"). The landscape, devoid of trees, becomes a barren wasteland, no longer suitable for life. It's a classic tale, a metaphor for human excess and a call…Read more Dark Skies
Tearing Up Jack…
I really enjoy trail-riding on my mountain bike (an old Specialized Rock Hopper). At the same time, I hate what mountain bikes do to some of my favorite trails. It's a conundrum, forcing a little bit of self-examination and recognition of hypocrisy that I haven't figured out how to resolve. To be clear, I'm not…Read more Tearing Up Jack…
Monuments and Minutia
Humans love superlatives. The biggest, the oldest, the best, or in some cases, the only. It's not hard to understand why we flock to places that hold superlative treasures, why we protect unique examples of nature's beauty - deepest canyons, tallest trees, best views, most endangered animals. But is that enough? I recently came across…Read more Monuments and Minutia
Filters
There's a great segment in Douglas Adams's Mostly Harmless, the 5th book in the ever-increasingly misnamed Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy, about the limitations of human perception. In it, the latest version of the eponymous Guide is an intelligent cyborg-type creature resembling a bird, and it tries to explain the nature of reality by shining…Read more Filters
Respect
Things have been really busy over the past couple weeks. Work and kids' schedules have made it really hard to keep up with writing. I've had a couple good events, and another teaching opportunity, thankfully - it's just a matter of catching up. So while I know I'm running behind on my usual posting,…Read more Respect
Every Day is Earth Day
Tomorrow is Earth Day, April 22 - a day founded in the '70s, in the US, to draw attention to human excesses and neglect for the environment. It was a well-intentioned, generally appreciated idea, and is celebrated all over the world today. But as good as it is that we are reminded to take pause…Read more Every Day is Earth Day
Flying Squirrel Outdoors 