8 Comments

LFG! (Let's Froggin' Go) Looking forward to reading about walking!

Expand full comment

This immediately left me with a desire to write a story involving frogs.

Expand full comment

I love this idea and look forward to walking and hiking articles in your wonderful voice and from your love of humans viewpoint.

I may have asked before but have you read?…

Islands of Abandonment

NATURE REBOUNDING IN THE POST-HUMAN LANDSCAPE

By Cal Flyn

If not you would probably love it.

Expand full comment

So glad to hear it, Deirdre, given your long-term Moss readership and your delightful story comments. I have not read Islands Of Abandonment yet and I've got a trip coming up with dedicated time at a bar that's great drinking and reading on a cold winter night. And as it happens, I'm currently at my local library. So I'll hit the stacks pronto. Thanks!

Expand full comment

AS A 90 YR OLD CALIFORNIAN AND A DEVOTED HIKER/WALKER FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENDEAVORS. I SIGNED UP MY GRANDSON, WHO HAD MOVED TO THE BOSTON AREA, HOPING HE WOULD FIND YOUR NEWSLETTER AS AN INTRODUCTION TO YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS. I HAVE IMMENSLEY ENJOYED YOUR FREE POSTINGS., WISHING YOU THE BEST WITH YOUR NEW IDEAS. PS I HAVE FOUND THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO JOIN ME FOR A "WALK" INSTEAD OF A "HIKE" AND SEVERAL YEARS AGO I FOUND THAT WALKING THE LAS VEGAS STRIP WAS A BEST VEGAS EXPERIENCE. BY CHANCE TWO YOUNG BOSTONIAN BACKPACKERS ASK ME TO TAKE THEIR PHOTO IN FRONT OF A "FAST MARRIAGE" FACILITY SO THEY COULD "FREAK OUT" THEIR PARENTS. FRED, ATASCADERO, CA

Expand full comment

This is music to my ears, Fred, especially given the space between our respective necks of the wood. I'm looking forward to being able to spend more time in yours, and report stories accordingly! And maybe I could swing over to Vegas in the process. Earlier this year, I had been thinking about asking the owners of the grotesque Spirit Of The Seas cruise ship if I could walk the entirety of the ship for fun, when it was docked in the northeast. But walking the strip and treating it like an outdoor adventure sounds much more feasible.

Also, I've found the same thing you have when leading walking events here in Boston. When I frame it as a hike, fewer people show up, and when I frame it as a walk, the opposite happens. Even if the event is basically no different from a hike in practice (which it often is), language evokes a lot of things.

Expand full comment

I'm here for it! I debated the meaning of "hiking" and "walking" for years with my partner, finally giving in and calling most of what I do "walking" with the occasional "hike". I'm looking forward to reading about the wider world. Maybe I'll even walk there!

Expand full comment

Thank you so much for your work. More power to you.

Expand full comment