The happy girl in that photo above is me, the hiker otherwise known as Ramkitten, at the end of my 6-month Appalachian Trail adventure, excited about the accomplishment and looking forward to being home again but a little sad inside, too, because an amazing journey had come to an end.
That was in 2000 but feels like yesterday, as I remember everything in such detail. That's often how it is when you're moving through life at no more than 3 miles per hour along the simplicity of a trail. And as I often say, walking a trail frees my mind to wander. It was on the Appalachian Trail that I conceived my first novel, "I. Joseph Kellerman," later published in 2003, though the book has nothing to do with backpacking or the trail I was on when I wrote the first draft.
Since then, I've written a second novel, an award-winning essay titled "A Man Called Screamer" (which you can read at http://www.squidoo.com/screamer) and more than 100 online articles. I was also a contributing writer to Sasquatch Books' "Guide To Southern California."
As much as I enjoy cozy nights at home, curled up with my dog and a good book, I also thrive on adventure, which is why I just love being an active Search & Rescue volunteer in the second largest county in the United States. That's also why I jumped at the invitation from the founder of the Himalayan Rescue Dog Squad to travel to Nepal for three months in 2010 for this project. And, for me, my adventures wouldn't be complete if I didn't write about them and share them with others.
You can follow along with my treks and Search and Rescue pursuits on my various websites and blogs, including "Deb's Search & Rescue Stories" (http://debssarstories.blogspot.com) and my "Hiking Writer" website at http://www.hikingwriter.com. I will also be blogging about my experiences in Nepal and those that follow, when I return to my home in Flagstaff, Arizona, to write the book.
