I started backpacking as a young girl when it was the cheapest way to get out of the city with equipment left over from my grandfather and father’s years in the service. A light pack often weighed over 50 pounds (23 kg) without water. Two knee injuries later, I have reduced the pack weight to under 30 pounds (14 kg), so that I might continue to observe, document, and reflect upon experiences in the outdoors. Each backpacking trip is a way to engage with the natural world, learn about the geography, and listen to elders. Walking into natural spaces is a history lesson and quiet activism, one step at a time. My work is strongly directed by the stories we tell ourselves and others, and how they impact our internal sense of place.
Hike your own hike… “it will change you.” – Sarah A Meyer
