I can smell it… With a cabin at the base of Mt Hood, my dad would study forest service maps the night before (force) marching we 4 kids into a pristine Cascade lake the following day.. The late sixties, we’d have it to ourselves! The oldest, I’d take charge of ‘setting up camp’ and gathering firewood for our eventual cookout, as dad fished. Hummingbirds, Rhododendrons, Waterdogs, hotdogs, Rainbow & Brook trout, echos, the cleanest air on earth.. and yes, mosquitoes!

We traveled light, day trips only. And yes, nothing like having climbed a ridge, only to look down on your destination below. Switch-back city - and no shortcuts.. But as you know, it’s as much the journey as it is the destination. Miss them Cascades, but looking forward to some more adventures on the Blue Ridge as Fall kicks in ‘over east’ Beautiful shots, thanks, for the memories ~

Great to see your ankle is back to nature full steam ahead!!!

I no longer hike like other people do - I use my own invention, a pair of "gallopers." No more twisted knees, sore feet, or even getting tired.
I can move at the speed of a slow jog uphill and down, on rocky, steep, or trails with sliding debris, and dangerous footing, without fear of slipping.

I don't even feel the weight of the backpack, and because I lope on "four feet," animals and birds take me for a deer and ignore me.

I came up with this invention in self-defense after my ex talked me into an Appalachian Trail overnight winter hike with a backpack almost half my weight, and I got blisters, almost blew a knee, and was miserable the entire time as the backpack dug into my back. Furthermore he kept complaining that I was "too slow" and began talking about taking a "through hike."

In 2009 I made myself a pair of gallopers and began zooming in circles around him on the steepest roads, until he was so annoyed he begged me to make him a pair. Then, because his legs were longer, he was STILL able to go faster than I did, so resumed complaining that I was "too slow."

I kept improving the design after I moved to Thailand in 2010, and came up with one with flexible "joints" that keeps heavy backpacks from shifting as I bound down the steepest trails.

So far, my clumsy homemade prototypes can only fit in a backpack, but if I can get a licensing deal where they use carbon fiber telescoping poles, it might fit in a large purse.

I actually did find a company that wanted to license it, but changes in patent laws scared me off.

Thanks for sharing. Hiking is a unique experience.