Welcome!
My name’s Matt, and I love to write and hike. I’m the author of 4000s by 40 and am currently working on book two. When I’m not doing that, I come here to share tales from the trail, reflections on the writing process, and explore hidden truths.
Whether you’re a hiker, a writer, or just someone trying to figure out their own next step, I hope this site encourages you to keep getting outside, keep exploring, and keep making new discoveries. I suppose this place serves as a very public reminder to myself that I need to keep doing the same.
Enjoy it out there!
What’s New
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Taking Church with You
So it’s the day after Christmas, and if you’re Christian, you probably went to church yesterday. For many, it’s the only time they go each year, or maybe the only time they go outside of Easter. And that’s fine with me. I’m not here to chastise or judge. I can’t get my family to go…
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Balancing Late-Night Inspiration
A big problem for me as a writer is that some of my greatest inspirations come right as I’m about to lay down for the night. Or the moment my head hits the pillow. If I heed the call to write at that moment, then what could have been a reasonable bedtime around 10:30 can…
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Peakbagging or Peak Chasing?
In the hiking/climbing community, you’ll sometimes come across a hiker’s profile on Instagram, or somewhere else, that says they are a “no-list climber.” This reference distinguishes them from people who are focused on peakbagging lists as part of an overall “get it done” approach to climbing. And that’s cool. I appreciate what the no-list mountaineer…
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What Do We Tell Kids to Pursue These Days?
When I was growing up, I remember parents telling all of us kids to specialize in one thing so that when we got out of college, we’d have job security. But nowadays it’s pretty hard to know what job security will look like for college-bound children. AI isn’t just coming fast and furious—it’s here. And…