Tag adventure

Crowds Jam Iconic Illinois Park

Reg Spittle 2 Comments

It began as a routine hiking day during our campout along the Illinois River about 80 miles south of Chicago. We headed to nearby Starved Rock State Park to walk a loop trail.

The parking lot at the trailhead made it clear this was an extraordinary place. We arrived mid-morning, but hundreds of cars already filled most of the main lot. Cars were turning toward the overflow lots too.

Then we walked toward the network of trails, where we joined a crowd that reminded me of the Mist Trail in Yosemite National Park.

Just as Sue predicted, the crowd thinned as we explored and climbed the many stairs to trails through the mostly deciduous forest and views of spectacular rock formations. We paused at harrowing viewpoints looking down where Sue later stood.

Starved Rock attracts two million-plus visitors a year, more than many national parks. Our verdict? Get there early if you can. And visit Wildcat Canyon, from above, and below.

Appalachian Conqueror Finds New Way

Reg Spittle 9 Comments

A changed man.
That was David Miller after walking 2,172 miles on the Appalachian Trail.

For the rest of his life, he vowed to do the hard things. “I will have fewer ‘shoulda have dones’ even if it means some ‘wish I hadn’ts’ “ he wrote in AWOL on the Appalachian Trail.

He was 41 when he quit his job as a software engineer, left a wife and three young daughters at home (with his wife’s support), and walked for 146 days from Georgia to Maine. Going by AWOL, his trail name, Miller pushes himself too hard at the beginning, leading to painful blisters and exhaustion. Later, he becomes stronger and more able to walk longer days.

On arguably America’s most difficult thru-hike, he learns to be less isolated as he forms friendships with other trekkers, trail angels, and people who host him. He experiences the freedom that comes with being vulnerable.

The narration flows smoothly. He does not gloss over his physical and mental struggles and paints vivid pictures of the trail and his fellow walkers. This is an excellent book for anyone considering tackling the AT. Miller is also known for writing a trusted guide book about the trail.