When I first read the Runner’s World issue with the best trail runs in the United States, I latched on to the Shut-In Trail for two reasons: it was near Asheville, North Carolina – a city I’d longed to visit, and it ran from the base of a forest 18.9 miles into the mountains. These […]
There are 27 trails within the Bent Creek system in the Pisgah National Forest Southern Research Station. I know this because when I checked into the park, I was handed a map. The reason for the organization: Bent Creek is a research forest, which means scientists are here conducting all manners of research around conservation. […]
Wednesdays are my off days, which in Muncie means I spend most of my time lounging around my town home doing a whole lot of nothing. I’d like to say I’m motivated to get out and do activities in my town of residence but there’s not a culture of activity there. Here in Asheville – […]
I’m sitting in my tent, nestled in the Hard Times loop of the Lake Powahatan Recreational Area. The campground itself is just a small part of the Bent Creek Experimental Forest project on the edges of Asheville, North Carolina. The drive east along Interstate 40 and then south along Interstate 26 was breathtaking. I kept […]
I had the opportunity to do two runs while I was in Nashville, both at Percy Warner. I realized when I’d completed the first day that I’d neglected two important particulars: take a picture of the awesome Stone Gate entryway into the park and run the last .3 of a mile to the top of […]
Night falls early at base camp. The sun goes down, the human noise begins to subside, and the night sounds begin to creep. After a long day of running, rain assembly, and general insanity I climbed into my tent at 9:10 p.m. in order to prepare for the Percy Warner Ascent on Monday. (If you’re […]
After months of planning, I finally launched Brad’s U.S. Trail Adventure. I awoke at 6:30 a.m., grabbed my gear, had a quick bite of breakfast with the Mom and Dad, and his the road. I had a 2-hour drive to Lexington, Kentucky where I was slated to run 6-8 miles on the Legacy Trail, a […]
I sent an email to a friend of mine today explaining why I’m embarking on this 11 state, 7 park running/camping trip. She’s become rather important in my life recently, and I find myself sharing not only the events of life but also the reasons behind those events. That’s not easy to do. It’s hard […]
I spent the day booking my reservations, which has only made my desire to hit the road even more pronounced than it is now. (I say this with one exception: Alabama. The park I was trying to book has only one phone line and no website. I started calling when the park opened, and 8 […]
After weeks of kicking around itineraries, I’ve finally settled upon the course for the southern part of Brad’s US Trail Adventure. (You can see the whole map here, including the places I won’t be going). Many of these trails are in Runner’s World’s “25 Best Trail Runs in America” series that I stumbled upon several […]
For years, I prided myself on my ability to pick up and leave without a second’s thought. My life was set up in such a way that I could be out the door and gone without leaving a trace in about an hour. There were many reasons for it — youth, drinking, the exploration bug […]
I’m sitting in at my living room desk, gear surrounding my feet, a binder of information sitting next to me, and Brad’s U.S. Trail Running Adventure Google Map open behind my blog. In less than two weeks, I’ll leave Muncie behind for the summer and set about my journey to Austin, Texas, where I’ll be […]