I'm a freelance writer and devoted yogi. I completed my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2013 and have been missing trail life ever since. I might not be the nomad I once was, but my current home in Colorado isn't a bad place to rest. I dream of the day all my belongings can fit in a backpack again. Until then, I am here to lend a hand to all the gear junkies, hiker trash, and outdoor lovers alike. Feel free to follow me on Instagram @madidragna
Posts
Gear Review: Outdoor Research’s Womens Sonata Hoody
Late January brings chilly days and a crowd of panicked prospective future thru-hikers. This is the time I decided to hike the trail, and if you're
Eyeglasses or Contact Lenses for a Thru-Hike?
If you battle with bad eyesight like I do, deciding on contacts or glasses for a thru-hike is a big decision. I've seen numerous forums on
Gear Review: Audio-Technica SonicFuel in-ear headphones ATH-CKX5iS [PLUS A GIVEAWAY]
Find out how you can win a pair of Audio-Technica's SonicFuel in-ear Headphones ATH-CKX5iS at the bottom of this post! Hiking with music is
Gear Review: Native Eyewear Polarized Sunglasses
The Appalachian Trail might be known as the green tunnel but that didn't stop me from using sunglasses during my thru-hike. Im not going to lie, I
Gear Q&A: Should I Get a Foam or Inflatable Sleeping Pad For My Thru-Hike?
The following Gear Question was pulled from the Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers Class of 2015 page on Facebook. If you have a question you'd like
11 Common Beginner Mistakes in Backpacking and Hiking
We all start somewhere. We all begin as a beginner, a novice. New gear also demands we catch up. An experienced backpacker in the early 90s might
Gear Review: Men’s & Women’s ExOfficio Underwear
ExOfficio makes many articles of clothing but their most popular item among hikers is underwear. Both my fiancé and I used ExOfficio undies for our
This is Life on the Spectacular (and Insanely Difficult) GR 20 in Corsica
For a background on Corsica's GR 20, please see my previous post HERE. Have you ever done this kind of stuff before? a red-faced, slightly
The GR 20: Planning for the Hardest Hike in Europe
For those that are avid Appalachian Trials readers, I am the gear aficionado. I usually write about gear reviews and tips. However, for the next few
12 Unnecessary (& Hilarious) Backpacking & Camping Gear
As the gear aficionado, most of my posts focus around essential gear items, gear reviews, and gear tips. I thought I would switch things up a bit