HIKING Archives - Semi-Rad.com

New Film: The Seven Summits Of My Neighborhood

by brendan on August 10, 2023

I have a new film out today. It’s called “The Seven Summits of My Neighborhood.”…

Strava: A Fitness App. Also: Poetry?

by brendan on March 9, 2023

After I got home from a run in November of last year, I typed into…

Get Your Tweak Off

by brendan on February 23, 2023

My Favorite Sign

by brendan on February 9, 2023

I slowed my running-shoe-and-microspiked steps to move over to the side of one of our…

One Segment: The M Trail

by brendan on February 17, 2022

The folks at Strava asked me last summer if I’d like to tell a story…

15 Useful Trail Etiquette Tips

by brendan on July 8, 2021

The summer trail season is here, and you may or may not have questions about…

17 Hill-Climbing Strategies

by brendan on May 13, 2021

There you are, at the bottom of a hill, on foot, or on your bike,…

Walking The Knife Edge Of Switzerland’s Hardergrat

by brendan on July 23, 2020

[NOTE: 2020 is the tenth year of my blog at Semi-Rad.com, and since I…

Should You Do It In Jeans?

by brendan on March 5, 2020

The bumper stickers about politicians skiing in jeans were first created more than a decade…

Fellow Hiker, I Am Currently Unable To Accurately Tell You How Much Farther It Is

by brendan on August 29, 2019

Dear fellow trail user, In response to your question, “How much farther is it?” which…

The Nine Circles Of Hiker Hell

by brendan on August 15, 2019

—Brendan More stories like this in my new book, Bears Don’t Care About Your Problems,…

The Hill That You Love To Hate

by brendan on June 6, 2019

“I hate this hill,” I said to the man pushing his mountain bike up the…

Yes, A Friend Can Make Miserable Things Less Miserable

by brendan on March 14, 2019

I trudge forward, the muddy road tugging at my running shoes, splattering my ankles and…

If You Don’t Want To Dawn Patrol, You Can Dusk Patrol

by brendan on October 4, 2018

It’s (hopefully) common knowledge that if you want to climb a Colorado 14er in the…

The One Thing You Need To Know

by brendan on September 6, 2018

To climb rocks: Use your feet. Despite what you may have seen in Cliffhanger, or…

Hiking Meetup Groups You Probably Shouldn’t Join

by brendan on August 9, 2018

LOCAL SINGLES HIKING GROUP So, are you single? So are we! And we’re always looking…

Nature As An Airbnb: A Review

by brendan on May 24, 2018

For a quick getaway last weekend, my friends and I planned a three-night stay in…

The Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim: A Trail Diary

by brendan on April 19, 2018

4:35 a.m. The wind blows across the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, 20 mph…

Climbing Out Of A Huge Metaphor

by brendan on April 12, 2018

Ten years ago last weekend, my old friend Jarrett didn’t have cancer anymore, so I…

10 Basic Rules For Adventure

by brendan on October 19, 2017

Earlier this year, my book Surviving the Great Outdoors came out, representing about 12 years’…

Fake Merit Badges For Real Outdoor Achievements

by brendan on September 7, 2017

Because we all deserve a little recognition for doing things well out there. —Brendan More…

How To Sound Smart On The Trail

by brendan on July 13, 2017

Are you an expert? Well, thankfully, it’s 2017, and everyone can be one. Here are…

The Best Campsite In The World

by brendan on June 22, 2017

One Friday this past March, I hiked a few miles down a trail and set…

Dear New Guy At The Climbing Gym:

by brendan on May 4, 2017

Dear New Guy At The Climbing Gym, or lady running around the track at the…

Announcing A New Book: The Great Outdoors: A User’s Guide

by brendan on March 30, 2017

Today, I get to share something that some wonderful people and I have been working…

Happiness Is Your Backyard Trail

by brendan on March 9, 2017

I plodded my way up the Hayden Trail, headed up toward my fifth “summit” of…

Ace And The Desert Dog

by brendan on May 12, 2016

About a year ago, I spent a few days with Ace Kvale and his 10-year-old…