A blog for stubborn hikers, backyard grillers, and gear nerds who don’t mind a limp or a flare-up. Real stories. Real smoke. Real misadventures.
The coast has its charm, but sometimes you’ve got to trade salt air for mountain air. That’s how we ended up leaving Northport with a thermos of coffee, a bag of snacks, and a loose plan to head west. The drive itself is half the story—rolling inland, farm fields flashing by, the hills getting sharper…
You don’t always need to climb a mountain to earn a view. Sometimes, Vaughan Woods delivers exactly what you’re looking for—sunlight spilling through tall pines, the steady sound of water over stone, and trails that won’t leave you limping back to the car. Nestled in Hallowell, Maine, this stretch of forest proves that adventure doesn’t…
Intro: Chasing Moxie (and Finding It) Some places you don’t stumble into — you chase them. Moxie Falls was one of those places for me. A long drive into a part of Maine I’d never set foot in before, fueled by coffee and the promise of a waterfall I’d only seen in pictures. Two hours…
Intro: Why It’s Time to Break Free from Auto There’s a moment — right before the sun cracks the horizon — when the whole world feels alive. The air smells like salt and pine, the fog clings to the shoreline, and the light shifts by the second. I’ve stood there, camera in hand, heart thumping,…
Low-and-slow pork butt and brisket, no fancy smoker required. Early mornings guaranteed. I get it. You want smoky, tender pork butt or brisket without dropping $700 on a fancy smoker. Enter the humble Weber 22-inch. Full disclosure: Weber doesn’t sponsor me. I’ve had mine 10 years and it’s still kicking. The first crack of the…
The pros and cons of hiking solo vs. hiking with a friend There’s something about hiking solo that is hard to replicate. The quiet feels different. The trail feels like it belongs to you alone. Every rustle in the trees or snap of a twig underfoot gets your attention in a way it doesn’t when…
A quiet ride north and a trail that reminded me why I do this I decided to head up to Downeast Maine this weekend. A solid two-hour and forty-five-minute drive from home. I took Route 1 north, which, if you’ve never driven it, is one of the better stretches of road in this state. Old…
Trying out the CCS G3 Strapshot for camera carry on the trail I hope everyone is making the most of summer and finding time to get out and walk a little. The coast has been humid, the bugs are out, but the trails are still calling. I have been easing back into hiking since the…
Coming home to the trail with screws in the bone and something to prove Coming back to hiking after hip surgery is not a triumphant movie moment. There is no soundtrack. No dramatic summit shot. Just gravel under your feet and a dull ache behind every step. The trail does not care that your femur…
