by Collin Stuart Chambers
Déjà Vu on the Appalachian Trail: What three section hikers taught me about perseverance, trail magic, and squeeze cheese. After my Sunday Trail Ambassador patrol on Max Patch, I did what any reasonable person would do after eight hours of hiking around and around the...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
In my earlier post about our latest adventure in the Great Smoky Mountains, I mentioned my hiking partner rolled her ankle and went on to hike more than 35 miles. I thought I would elaborate and share how we assessed whether to turn back or continue with our planned...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
LEAVES OF THREE: POISON IVY AND ITS SNEAKY LOOKALIKES Wow, did I learn what poison ivy was the hard way, as so many of us do. Years ago, I was clearing English ivy vines in the wintertime, in short sleeves, in an overgrown part of my yard while living in Atlanta....
by Collin Stuart Chambers
A reflection… The first proof copy of my latest book arrived yesterday. I stopped by the mailbox on my way home last night, knowing the package was in there, waiting for me to get home. There is a good bit of, shall we say, “off road travel,” through...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
Blame It On Bobby! Our imaginary hiking buddy we cursed to survive 4-days in the Smokies My friend and I just got back from four days and 45 miles in the Great Smoky Mountains, chasing another chunk of our “900 Miler Map.” For the uninitiated, that’s a delightfully...
by Collin Stuart Chambers
AVOIDING THE BITEY THINGS! (A NO-PANIC GUIDE TO TICK SEASON) Every year… the posts, the warnings, the hand-wringing… “The ticks are worse than ever!” And this year? They might actually be right. The CDC reported in April 2026 that emergency room visits for...
