Balance Over Obstacles
On July 4, 2020, I began my 310-mile trek on the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT). By hiking the SHT, I chose to speak out against racial injustice in the United States— brought to light by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Read more) I…
SHT Total Thru-Hike Complete
SHT NOBO (Northbound, starting in Wisconsin ending at the Canadian border) Total thru-hike complete! Total miles: 310+ In the spirit of transparency, I hiked approximately nine SHT trail miles on the Gitchi-Gami Trail. Trail start: July 4, 8:46 a.m. Southern Terminus, Wisconsin/Minnesota border Trail end: July 28, Northern…
Hiking While Black
Surprisingly, my trek has gotten a lot of attention. Granted, I intended to speak out about injustice in light of the death of George Floyd by thru-hiking the SHT. I feel strongly that social justice and environmental justice are intrinsically linked. I’ve encountered…
Lady Slippers
On Saturday, July 4, 2020, I began my 300-mile thru-hike along the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT). This hike intends to raise money and awareness for PGM ONE, the People of the Global Majority in the Outdoors, Nature, and Environment. As a tribute to George Floyd, the…
Library Shack in the Woods
I was warned that the Duluth section of the SHT might come with a few roadblocks (meant both literally and figuratively), but the views would be amazing. Both of these things were true. <script async src=”https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6139803315441080″ crossorigin=”anonymous”></script> The roadblocks were plenty, and on my…
Trail Angel Advocates
The SHT has two non-section hikes: The traditional one starts at Martin Road Trailhead and is about 260 miles long. The total thru-hike starts at Wild Valley Road Trailhead and is about 310 miles long. Whether northbound or southbound (NOBO/SOBO) makes no difference, I…
10,000 Lakes
I feel a bit like Eugene Henderson’s character in the book Henderson the Rain King. It seems that every place I’ve hiked, the rain has followed. Many of the creeks and streams are dry. And here I was, thinking that water would be plentiful…
SHT Gear Trades
On Saturday, July 4th, at8:46 a.m. I will begin hiking the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) in honor of George Floyd. Below are the changes to the original. Patagonia provided me with their 29.3 ounces 850 down sleeping bag. And I’ve switched to the…
SHT Gear List
I will begin my Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) thru-hike in precisely seven days. As of June 1, the SHT Association recommends that SHT users #RecreateResponsibly. This hike intends to raise money and awareness for PGM ONE, People of the Global Majority in the Outdoors,…
Additional Pack Weight
In 2016, planning for the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), my biggest pack weight dilemma was carrying my neurological recharge system. Fast forward to 2020, as I prepare for my Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) thru-hike, I’m facing yet another weight dilemma. The reality of hiking…