Tales From The Trail

During the 2020 pandemic, one thing held true: Scores of people headed out for a day hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT) as if being in the woods, immersed in beauty and mystery, immunized them against an invisible enemy. The AT became a hospital for souls locked up in quarantine, needing to breathe, stretch, and be grounded by the earth beneath their feet. For decades, the AT has been a sanctuary for seekers, the tired and the lost; those hungry for renewal, the broken and the grieving; and those who want to face and answer questions they have lugged around with them in invisible backpacks. Questions like, what is next for me? Is there a God? Should I live or end it all? How can I liberate my life from what weighs it down? How can I forgive God? This book pays tribute to all those who dare such a grueling and soul-satisfying adventure. It tells the tales of those on a pilgrimage through insightful conversations and encounters, exploring and revealing what angels the hikers are wrestling with in the wilderness, angels who call out to name them again. This collection unveils the spirituality of any such journey in sometimes humorous, sometimes heart-wrenching portraits. Tales from the Trail explores the longings within us to lose our life, only to find it.

A collection of non-fiction short stories, Tales from the Trail details Dawson Smith’s many hunting expeditions with hunting partner Bill Cash and others. Filled with close calls and lots of luck, these stories are cast upon the wild backdrop of British Columbia, Canada, pursuing moose, caribou, grizzly bears, sheep, mountain goats, cougars and more. Travelling on foot, on horseback, or even by quad, following animal trails, creeks and rivers, Smith’s work depicts the adventure behind each kill.

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District currently has 25 preserves (24 of which are already open to the public) containing about 220 miles of traits open to the public. This book serves as a guide to and celebration of these 25 preserves.

An Account, From a Woman's Viewpoint, Of the Crossing of the Plains inOx Caravan in 1864, and Settlement of the Boise Valley of Idaho; A Wagon Trip to Texas, andSettlement and Life There; A Wagon Trip to Washington Territory from Texas, and Settlement in the Kittitas Valley.FOREWORDS: Grandmother Fulton, at the age of eighty years, began writing her memories of pioneer days in the Northwest. Without recourse to anything but her wonderful memory, she collected the material for this book, and then undertook the almost incredible task of transcribing in longhand the voluminous mass of facts which she had accumulated.This writing she accomplished between times as she worked in her garden or looked after her chickens and turkeys on her little farm in California. Primarily, as a sort of family story for her descendants, she worked to leave them a remembrance of the conditions of life which all pioneer people had lived. Her story tells of the struggles in pioneer times; in which woman bore her share of the burden. Most of her companions have joined the silent ranks, but their children and children's children may learn here something of the heroic work their parents accomplished in building homes in a new country.W. S.(Will) Cooper (husband of Estelle Fulton)1930This is the most interesting and exciting factual history of crossing the Plains and settling the West you will ever hope to read. Every chapter is written in such a manner that you cannot wait to read the next few paragraphs to see how each drama is going to play out. If you grew up in the Methow Valley before World War II, your genes are loaded with those of your Grandparents and Great Grandparents who made this western trek across the Plains, over the Rocky Mountains and into the Northwest Territory of Washington by wagon train to open up new frontiers never before settled by white families. Up to 80% of the first 150 pioneers to settle in the Methow Valley were either their children, children of relatives or close friends of Frank and Arabella Fulton coming from Wise County in Texas and later to the Ellensburg area in Washington.Four of Frank and Belle Fulton's children (Lee, Frank, Jr., Nellie, and Jacqueline (sic) along with numerous nephews, nieces and in-laws and some of their parents, came to stake out homesteads in the Methow Valley including Hartles, Pattersons, Barnharts, Germans, and Sullivans. Mason Thurlow (perhaps the first farmer in Methow Valley) lived with Frank and Belle Fulton in Texas for several years during his teenage years. Mason Thurlow came to Northwest Territory with the Fultons on the same wagon train.Dale W. Dibble (Methow Valley pioneer family, part of the wagon train from Texas in April, 1883.)1994Arabella finished her writing in the home of her daughter, Della, at Caldwell, Idaho in 1930. Arabella's grandson, David "Lee" Nickell (son of Jacquelyn) paid for a private printing in 1965 in cooperation with Payette Radio of Montreal, Canada. There were 500 copies printed at that time. Lee often discussed with the family that Grandma Fulton's story should be reprinted. Some 30 years later, permission was given by Lee for an adaptation for school use to Judith Greenberg and Helen Carey McKeever - portions are included in A Pioneer Woman's Memoir Based on the Journal of Arabella Clemens Fulton (1995). There has been no attempt to rewrite Belle's language. This is Belle's story, and it is with pleasure that her voice may continue to speak through this unique memoir.Jacquelyn Nickell Fewkes (grand-daughter of Jacquelyn Fulton) 2018.Additional writing included from Arabella's oldest son, Joseph Lee Fulton on the early settlement of the Methow Valley, Washington.

Manuscript of the book.

“The Hike just works. It’s like early, good Chuck Palahniuk. . . . Magary underhands a twist in at the end that hits you like a sharp jab at the bell. . . . It’s just that good.” —NPR.org “A page-turner. . . . Inventive, funny. . . . Quietly profound and touching.”—BoingBoing From the author of The Night the Lights Went Out and The Postmortal, a fantasy saga unlike any you’ve read before, weaving elements of folk tales and video games into a riveting, unforgettable adventure of what a man will endure to return to his family When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects. On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical objects, tools, and potions. Desperate to return to his family, Ben is determined to track down the “Producer,” the creator of the world in which he is being held hostage and the only one who can free him from the path. At once bitingly funny and emotionally absorbing, Magary’s novel is a remarkably unique addition to the contemporary fantasy genre, one that draws as easily from the world of classic folk tales as it does from video games. In The Hike, Magary takes readers on a daring odyssey away from our day-to-day grind and transports them into an enthralling world propelled by heart, imagination, and survival.

"Tales from the Medicine Trail" offers readers an adventure into the healing practices of ancient and modern cultures. This is blended with actionable health remedies, such as teas for tension, meditations for migraines, and poultices for pain. 32 color photos.

From early spring through late fall, nearly one hundred thousand people hike or bike the Ghost Town Trail that winds its way through the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. Its beauty is legendary and so are its ghosts. To solve the mysteries of the trail, renowned ghostologist, C. L. Shore, Ph.D., and her "Ghost Crew" are called in to investigate the strange conditions and uncanny occurrences on the trail that have local residents screaming in fear. What Dr. Shore and the Ghost Crew discover is both shocking and unbelievable as the ghosts reveal the secrets of their deaths. Fortunately, the group of ghostbusters are able to help some of the lost and lonely spirits pass over to the next dimension. Sadly, there are many who remain earthbound, unable to find their way home. Perhaps you can help them find peace by walking the path with them for a little while. Don't be afraid...they won't hurt you. Much. Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, do yourself a favor: Read Ghost Tales from the Ghost Trail. Examine the photographs of disembodied spirits and the locations of ghostly sights included in the book. Then be prepared to shiver.