Chapter Eleven: Summit

As we walked in the grassy meadow that lay atop Springer Mountain, a renewed energy gripped my sister. She clamored about the rocky outcrop which bore a bronze plaque with the raised image of a hiker, just a hiker who might be any of us. It was dedicated to Benton MacKaye, whose vision had helpedContinue reading “Chapter Eleven: Summit”

Chapter Nine: Dirty Dancing at the Len Foote Hike Inn

The Len Foote Hike Inn, deep in a pocket of Appalachia, invited visitors to go backwards in time and enjoy the community of other hikers, resisting the urge to check in with the outside world. Its no-cell-phone policy found me wandering back down the trail to text our parents, to let them know we wereContinue reading “Chapter Nine: Dirty Dancing at the Len Foote Hike Inn”

Chapter Five: 32 Degrees

Snowflakes floated down like particles of dust as we stretched our arms up to a wide purple sky. We took in the sweet indulgence of night yoga, inhaling winter pine, and underneath our sneakers, the rocks and roots of Georgia. Somehow, in my sister’s company, breathing deeply felt good and fulfilling rather than restricted andContinue reading “Chapter Five: 32 Degrees”

Chapter One: Bad Vibes at Hawk Mountain Shelter

Nine and a half miles, our longest day of hiking yet. We strolled into camp at Hawk Mountain Shelter and found Dorothy had arrived some time before us. “The Yoga Sisters!” she cried out and leapt down from a picnic table as Toto yelped from the loft of the three-sided hut. My sister’s eyes flittedContinue reading “Chapter One: Bad Vibes at Hawk Mountain Shelter”