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An Interview with Fish Tank on the Pacific Crest Trail

Fish Tank talks about his Pacific Crest Trail hike; his wife talks about how to make this work with a family; he reveals a never-told story, and announces his next adventure.

5 Lessons from Heavy to Lightweight Backpacking

I was carrying 45 pounds of all this great gear. It was a 3-mile 800-foot elevation gain hike into camp. My shoulders went numb, my head was pounding, and my feet ached like I had hiked all day. It didn't have to be this way.

Unpack Your Fears

There’s a saying among backpackers. “You pack your fears.” So, unpack your fears and feel the weight lift and a stronger you emerge.

Good Enough Water - Water Treatment in the Backcountry

Water is essential. Having clean water choices is a necessity while backpacking and hiking. What is the best option for making sure we are safe from bad water? Find out here!

Preparing for a Hike on the Arizona Trail

What does it take to prepare for a long hike? Here's what I did for my recent section hike of The Arizona National Scenic Trail.

Hiking Gear for the Arizona Trail

Get some insight on light weight gear for long distance hikes. Here is a detailed list of the gear I took with me hiking the Arizona Trail.

Macey Lakes – Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Colorado

My final trek in Sangre de Cristo Mountains this summer was the Macey Lakes trail. One more alpine experience for the year was not disappointing.

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About

About
The good life starts with being present and being on purpose.
We should all follow the path that makes us happy and well... content in body, mind, and spirit.
I'm David Ashley, David on Earth when I'm on trail. And I am SO thrilled you are reading this.

A little about me: I've been happily married for all my adult life to the same wonderful woman.
She gave me two beautiful girls who blessed me with four grandchildren.
Currently I live in Colorado, but I've lived throughout the Midwest and traveled the world for 20 years when I was in the Air Force.

On this site I bring you stories of the trail and insights from my pursuit of the good life. I've logged 2000 trail miles over the past 6 years. In 2018 I hiked the 500-mile Colorado Trail. In 2020 I began my section hike of the Arizona Trail.
Please enjoy this site and my YouTube channel. You can also find me on FaceBook and Instagram. Drop me a note. I'd love to hear from you by commenting in the blog or via any of my social media connections.

And please check out my book about my experience hiking the Colorado Trail.

eBooks

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Purpose on the Colorado Trail

Take a journey of a life-time with David Ashley (David on Earth) along one of the most beautiful trails in the world - the Colorado Trail. Learn how a strong sense of purpose can push anyone to achieve accomplishments beyond their expectations, overcoming difficult odds, and breaking through personal boundaries. David takes you from his childhood through a string of circumstances that brought him to the southern terminus, facing 500 miles of Colorado back country wilderness, experiencing the beauty and often unforgiving and relentless terrain. The book is illustrated with hundreds of photographs, paired with a day-by-day account of life on the trail. A gear list, some Q&A, and lessons learned are also included. This makes for a great preparation source for those planning to hike this trail. THIS IS THE PDF VERSION. The PRINTED and E-BOOK versions can be found on Amazon by searching: "Purpose on the Colorado Trail"

$4.99