“My first love was playing imagination in the woods. Creating pathways, weaving carpets with tall weeds I’d stripped the leaves from, and creating kingdoms only I could see. There was a magic in those childhood explorations in the forest. As an adult, I found myself drawn to the forest again seeking that familiar wild magic. I first found the love for hiking. I then learned you didn’t always have to stop hiking if you could carry your home on your back, and began backpacking. I then found trail running, and learned I could explore new trails in less time. Trail running taught me a very different, still meaningful, way to experience a trail. I truly believe powerful and engaging experiences can be found both in moving quickly through wild spaces (trail running, fastpacking), as well as moving more slowly (hiking or backpacking). I won’t say one is more difficult, enjoyable or wiser than the other. Each provides a unique experience. This blog is for the adventurers out there who’d like to read stories about such experiences.”

-Erica aka “Manifest”