Sharing and Helping In between the beautiful bits, the trail is hard. It can be hot, wet, demoralising, lonely, fearsome, and it sometimes feels unfair. In fact, it’s just when it feels unfair – when I start anthropomorphising rocks, roots, or gradients, heaping curses on them or seeking to report them to higher authorities –... Read More

Hikers and Other Animals The Appalachian Trail often brings to mind bears. I have seen three bears, singly, on my walk, all in Shenandoah National Park. Each one seemed vaguely put out coming across me in their patch, and they all moved off, albeit one with a little huffing and puffing. I’ve also come across... Read More

Mike recently took a few days R&R to dry out and have a bit of respite! He took the opportunity of calling in to see how things are going and something he said has fixed itself in our minds: “Often while I am walking I find myself thinking especially about the elderly in Zimbabwe and... Read More

You Are What You Eat Imagine a doctor prescribing all the foods you should avoid lest you end up with premature maladies of the cardiovascular system: Trail nutrition means cramming as much of those foods as you possibly can into your belly. And when that’s full, carry on cramming up to your neck, your cheeks,... Read More

Everyone knows that walking scores of miles day after day will take a toll on your body. Unlike a day’s outing, or even a section hike, a through hike requires special appreciation for the long-term. Hiking for a few days, you can afford to use up some of your body’s reserves. The same can be... Read More

Walking in pouring rain is what I have been doing for the last three days. Now, this is interesting in many ways. I hiked to the top of Cheoah Bald at mile 145 – described as a beautiful view point but I was not able to make out much more than my hand in front... Read More

I’m learning a lot about ‘bear-bagging.’ The park services strongly encourage hikers to hang their food and other odoriferous things (like wet socks for instance!) by the “PCT method,” to stop animals associating campsites with food. To do this, one must first throw a line with a weighted bag over a branch at least 20... Read More

I’ve just finished day 5, and everything is going well. I’ve made excellent progress and feet seem to be holding up fine. My first three nights were rain, snow and 20F / -6C temps!! But I’m buoyant and feeling exhilarated by all the changing scenery and the feeling of making progress! Unfortunately the cold messed... Read More

People contact us from time to time asking if they can help ZANE and often they come up with some pretty hare-brained schemes so we decided to start a whole new section of ZANE Australia called “I am totally inZANE”!! Last year, we had someone in Western Australia host a dinner party for 96 people... Read More

The first time we met Richard* he was living in appalling conditions in a little shack at the back of a property in Braeside. We were called in by the people who lived in the main house though, if truth be told, their living conditions were hardly better than his, but at least they were... Read More