The Mountains are Calling
Big city became woodland, farmland, river. From downtown Chicago to the suburbs, from the urban to the sweeping plains. Across Illinois – over the Mississippi – through Iowa and into Nebraska. The train carried us …
Category: Country
Where Snow Still Falls
Beyond the village, the final stretch of road hadn’t even been cleared. We drove slowly as the road wound through twilight into darkness, covering the final few metres on foot. The snow creaked beneath us. …
On the Trail of Giants
‘Which way?’ I didn’t look at the map; it didn’t seem necessary. Instead, I pointed in a vague south-westerly direction where there was no road, only a wall of houses. ‘That way.’ Dad nodded, accepting …
Into The Woods
I get lost in the beauty of the place and forget to run. Instead, I listen as the trees engage in whispered conversations around me, the wind gently teasing their uppermost branches. I watch as …
Cold Waters
I step out into the unknown. Tomorrow’s teenager, still small and high-pitched, scoots past me as I make my way along the river embankment. He has known this place for as long as he can …
Just Keep Spinning
‘I’m hungry,’ I said. ‘Me too,’ said David, leaning over the reflections on his phone screen to get a better look at the map. A fat drop of water fell from my helmet onto my …
On Learning to Fly
Ich war vierzehn, schüchtern und unsicher. Vor mir auf dem Tisch lag ein Anmeldeformular für einen Schüleraustausch in Deutschland mit dem Hinweis, dass Teilnehmer:innen extrovertiert und selbstbewusst sein sollten. Tja, ich fühlte mich nicht ganz …
Cold, I See You
Cold: I see you. I see you in the naked, shivering trees. I see you on the lake, as you gust and skim across its steely surface. Cold: I feel you. I feel you with …
Head Down, Legs on Fire
The ascent began. It began gradually, and I took advantage of the absence of traffic to cycle alongside David – a rare luxury. I was most familiar with his back, and even that was usually …
Bikes and Bears
We were cycling along a mud track high up in the mountains when a bear of a man called out an invitation: ‘Sit down! Take a rest!’ He was waving us towards him at the …