Happy Anniversary Section Hiker!
It’s a year ago today since I first started this blog. Since then, I’ve had a lot of fun writing articles about all kinds of backpacking-related topics and discovered a passion for blogging, outdoor photography, and natural history that I didn’t know existed.
During that time, I’ve written and posted over 250 articles, backpacked about 400 miles and day hiked many more. In the process, I’ve been rewarded by making friends with many of you, around the world, and it is thrilling for me to receive your feedback in comments, via email, or by twitter. Plus, our in-person meetings and trips together have been fabulous. Keep it coming!
There are a few special people that I’d like thank for their encouragement and support during the year. First off, my wife for listening to my incessant chatter about vapor barrier liners, stoves, and Vermont mud, and for tolerating my many absences during national holidays. There have also been several outdoor bloggers and readers who have also encouraged, befriended and taught me more about backpacking, mountaineering and lightweight gear: These include:
- Frank Hall, of Our Hiking Blog: Bushwalking stories in Australia, who left the first comment on my blog.
- Chris White of i, cjw ~.::.~ hiking and climbing in japan, an unbelievably talented outdoor photographer and mountaineer who always seems to be curious about the same stuff as me: esoteric stuff like vapor barrier liners and how to reverse engineer GU. Check out his site. It’s a treat.
- Grant Sible at GossamerGear.com, Ron Moak at SixMoonDesigns.com, and The Jacks at JacksRBetter.com for linking to my early gear reviews and for their continuing support throughout the year.
- My friend and ultralight hiking buddy Quoddy, a trail angel to many, many Long Trail hikers.
- My hiking friends Wystiria and Sherpa who I hope to hike with again this year.
- My twitter/blogger friends, including Ramkitten, Winehiker, Calipidder, bfgreen, alatrails, erikwiklund, mlarson and MikeOnTheTrail.
I’m excited about year ahead. I’ve already started planning a series of section hikes in early spring on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont and New Hampshire and I hope to hike most of Maine by the end of October. This winter, I’ve started to learn the basics of winter hiking and mountaineering and will attempt an ascent of Mt. Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, a few days after you read this post. In addition, I just got a 12 month sponsorship from Probar, a company that makes 100% organic vegan sports bars, that are popular in the hardcore hiking community. Hopefully, more will follow.
Thanks for visiting – Earlylite.
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Congratulations! Speaking for the beginners from your tagline (”Lightweight backpacking for beginners and experts”), I can say your site has already proved invaluable. Thanks, and keep ‘em coming!
Good Work, Philip! I really appreciate and enjoy the articles here as well as following your tweets.
Congratulations Phillip,
Not only have you done some great walking and trips, you have worked your backside off on this blog.
It is a credit to you, well done.
Keep up the great work and remember to keep “she who must be obeyed” happy! Once that occurs, the world is your oyster
Frank
Phil your blog is wonderful and well done on the first year. Look forward to the next and those high mountain tales you will have to tell.
Congratulations on a great first year, and here’s to many, many more. I’ve learnt a lot from your site and am constantly impressed by both the quality and quantity of what you produce.
Good luck on Mt Washington. Very much looking forward to reading about your experiences up there.
Thanks all – I really appreciate the comments and your support. Packing now for this weekend’s adventure. I’m so ready for this. But I can’t find my car keys….
Hey, happy anniversary! I’ve really enjoyed your blog and Twittering (or is it Tweeting?) with you. Keep up the great stuff. I’ll be reading!
Congrats! Now get to work
Congrats on the 1 year anniversary! I just found your site and enjoy it very much. Good info & tips. I’m going back to the AT in Spring ‘09.
Steve.
Happy Blogging Birthday!!
Sorry – I just upgraded Wordpress and it seems to have unbroken something that I’d not realised was broken and suddenly turned up a bunch of trackback pings (including this one!).
Glad you’re still going strong. I hardly find the time now. I’ve several more Iceland postings written that just need formatting and pics added…
Dave – I saw some of your other Iceland trips posts. They looked really good – exciting place to go.
I’m still plugging at it, but winter is wearing. I need to get out and do some big walks in early May when the icepack breaks up. Take care.