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8/6/2021

Have you ever headed to the trail with a backpack that’s mostly empty cause other than some water, your smartphone and maybe sunscreen you weren't quite sure what you should bring along? Well, let’s make that a thing of the past.

No one every hits the trail thinking I will get lost, injured or that it will take me a longer than planned but it happens. And being prepared for these eventualities will make a huge difference in your safety and capacity to handle it. So what should you have with you to deal with these scenarios?

Packing what has become known as “The Ten Essentials” is a great trekking habit. The original list was assembled in the 1930s by The Mountaineers, a Seattle-based organisation for climbers and outdoor adventurers, to help people be prepared for emergency situations in the outdoors. Over the years the list has evolved into a “system” rather than a list of 10 items. Those systems will change depending on the activity, location, weather, remoteness from help, and complexity which you need to factor in when choosing exactly what essentials to take along.

<< The Ten Essential >>

1. Navigation: map, compass, altimeter, GPS device, personal locator beacon (PLB) or satellite messenger

2. Headlamp: plus extra batteries

3. Sun protection: sunglasses, sun-protective clothes and sunscreen

4. First aid: including foot care and insect repellent (as needed)

5. Knife: plus a gear repair kit

6. Fire: matches, lighter, tinder and/or stove

7. Shelter: carried at all times, in its simplest form an emergency blanket can do the trick

8. Extra food: Beyond the minimum expectation

9. Extra water: Beyond the minimum expectation

10. Extra clothes: Sufficient to survive an emergency overnight

To be honest, we think there should be an eleventh essential, Leave no trace, to help keep the trails we love stay beautiful for generations to come. Include a sealable bag to pack waste out.

- Book Review -

6/1/2021

I have always hated to do this and have a really hard time admitting to it, but sometimes you just have to. Okay, here goes... I did not love this book. Gasp! There, I said it. If you are looking for a thrilling page-turner that you just cannot set down, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for an exciting story, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a read that flows smoothly in chronological order, this is not the book for you.

What this book is though, is the extraordinary and inspiring story of a woman with a very painful and violent past, who decided, much later in life, that she was going to go and do something for herself - just because she could. This is the story of Emma Gatewood who set out to walk the entire Appalachian Trail at age 67! The ENTIRE Appalachian Trail, all 2050 miles (roughly 3300 km) of it. And she did it more than once. Let me ask you this: how many people can claim such a feat, even once in their lifetime, let alone several times, and all this at age 67 plus?

Grandma Gatewood, as she became known, first read about the Appalachian Trail in a discarded 1949 issue of National Geographic. The article claimed that the trail was “planned for the enjoyment of anyone in normal good health” and the trail “doesn’t demand special skill or training to traverse.” The article also mentioned that food and shelter, trailside, were easy to come by. What Emma discovered on her journey was far from the claims the article made. She became the object of much media interest and she was outspoken during her interviews with journalists to mention the lack of food and shelter as well as the poor condition of the trail in areas. The title of the book claims that she saved the Appalachian Trail although there is no substantiation of this in the story. Perhaps her frankness with the press about trail conditions led to improvements, more maintenance, and certainly an increase in usage of the trail but there is nothing documenting that she was the cause of these things. Nonetheless, she inspired a new pedestrian movement in the United States, at a time when walking was being phased out of society and motor vehicles were taking over.

Even though I did not love "Grandma Gatewood's Walks" by Ben Montgomery, I certainly would recommend it to anyone whose interests lie in hiking, history, hiking icons, or inspirational stories. Emma’s story is certainly one that should be shared. And if you’re busy this is a great book to pick up, read a snippet, drop, and pick up again at a later time without losing the flow of the story... cause there is no flow.

- Kirsten -
Fresh Air Reads contributor

- GEAR -

16/12/2020

Don't despair! Here are 6 gift ideas for that outdoorsy person in your life that seems to have ALL the outdoor gear already. Personally, am hoping for number 3. Fingers crossed!

1. Buff® filter tube scarf

OK, so this may not be the most original outdoor gear suggestions but c'mon, how could I not mention it with 2020 being what 2020 has been!!!

2. North Face Thermoball™ V Traction Mules

These mules are light, comfortable and warm. Packable and perfect for sliding into a backpack. The design has a relaxed fit, but they don't feel sloppy at all. The sidewall gives just enough support for lounging around camp and the collapsible heel cuff can be worn around the heel or underneath to easily take on and off. Love mine!

3. Katadyn BeFree Water Filtration System 0.6L bottle

Great lightweight, on-the-go filtration system. It features a small high-flow nozzle and fibrous filtration unit that attaches to a soft bottle. All you have to do is scoop up water from any source softly squeeze and start drinking. It filters out bacteria and protozoa including Giardia and Cryptosporidium, but not viruses.

4. "The Man Behind the Maps" by James Niehues

Perfect coffee table book for any ski lover. Featuring over 200 hand-painted ski resort trail maps, this beautiful 292-page hardcover book is the first and definitive compilation of the art created by James Niehues during his 30-year career.

5. Emergency blanket

You'd be surprise how many day hikers don't carry emergency blankets. Perfect stocking stuffer!

6. Mountain First Aid course

It's one of those things many outdoor enthusiast think of doing but never get round to. Completing a First Aid course run by a highly qualified professional will prepare them to deal with an emergency in remote areas where a rescue may take time to arrive. Currently we are offering an online Mountain First Aid course in partnership with HealthFirst that will begin in January 2021. Click here for details

Have more ideas? Found a gem for that outdoorsy person? Let us know in comments below.

- Tips -

15/11/2020

Most hikers you come across will have a strong opinion about what is the best footwear to hike in: hiking boots, walking shoes, trail runners, running shoes, minimalist shoes... Barefoot, on the other hand, is not a common response. Taking off your protective footwear on the trail may sound crazy to some. But maybe not. Here are 5 questions & answers to consider.

1. Why hike barefoot?

There seems to be two camps within the barefoot hiking adepts: the nature lover and the fitness enthusiasts. Why? Nature lovers relish in the feeling of freedom and closeness to the earth whereas the fitness enthusiasts get excited by the added agility, reflex and movement being barefoot on the trails provide.

2. Won't your feet get hurt?

Maybe but usually no more than when walking barefoot in your garden or at the beach. When starting barefoot hiking you tend to be hyper aware of each step, eyeing the path to spot the best place to land your feet reducing the risk of getting hurt. That's not to say you won't scratch or bruise your feet from time to time. However, the most common injury to a barefoot on the trail is actually a friction injury. You get these from scraping your foot on the ground rather than landing it flat as you step down. As you get use to hiking without the weight of footwear you'll adapt your way of walking to minimise the friction.

3. Are there any benefits?

Many! To mention just a few:
* Increased balance and coordination: barefoot hiking makes your body more responsive to the ground, absorbs impact very efficiently, and increases your balance.
* Better traction: contrary to what you may think when the trail is slippery, a little muddy or when you're negotiating uneven terrain like rocks and boulders you're better off barefoot. Your feet are simply more flexible and more tactile than your hiking boots or shoes.
* Easier on your joints: Without shoes, you're naturally producing a gentler gait and movement than you are wearing hiking boots or even trail shoes.
* Muscle strengthening: As the boots and shoes aren't supporting your feet, you're strengthening those feet muscles.
* It's a sensory experience: Your bare soles are able to experience the rich variety of textures, temperatures and sensations that nature has to offer: dusty dirt trails, soft grassy paths, wet muddy walkways...
* Wet feet dry quicker: They sure dry quicker than soaked hiking boots or trail shoes!

4. Do you hike barefoot in all seasons?

It does become difficult to hike barefoot in more extreme weather that makes the ground very icy and cold or very hot.

5. How do you get started barefoot hiking?

A) If you never walk around barefoot, start by taking your shoes off at home and get familiar with the sensations of being barefoot in your home and garden, trying different surfaces.
B) Step straight down with your feet to avoid cuts and blisters.
C) Watch the path ahead, 2-3 paces in front. With time you'll get use to interpreting the feedback from your soles.
D) Take it progressively. Start with short hikes or only go barefoot for part of your longer hike. Take rest days and let your feet recover.
E) Always carry shoes. You may need them because your feet will feel too tender or because you come across a section of trail that is dangerous for your bare feet. It's not all or nothing!

- Book Review -

6/4/2020

Several years ago, my husband and I decided to live on our sailboat in Seattle after moving from a fairly remote island in the Gulf of Alaska. Our decision was based, mainly, on our newly found passion for sailing and our desire to try something new and out of the norm. On the plus side, it seemed like a much more affordable way to live in the big city. “Living on a sailboat?!” Why yes! Sounds dreamy and romantic, doesn’t it?

Many people dream of a fresh start, living an alternative lifestyle, and just getting away from it all. In a world filled with people spending too much time inside and not enough time in nature, it’s no wonder that many of us yearn for something else. And back in February, just before our entire world was turned upside down, I started reading a book titled "Our Life Off the Grid - An Urban Couple Goes Feral" by J. David Cox. To some, the thought of living off the grid may sound like pure hell while for others it would be utopia. For David and his wife Sally, an urbanite couple in their mid-fifties, it just seemed like the right thing to do for their own mental health. So they moved from the city to a remote island on the west coast of British Columbia. However, dreamy and romantic, it was not. Take it from me, after living on a sailboat, I know! Just imagine pumping out your own sewage, running out of water in the middle of a shower when you’re all by yourself on the boat and having to run out on deck to fill up your water tank with a head of hair all sudsy from shampoo, carting your groceries and clean, dry laundry up and down the dock when there are monsoon rains, and the list goes on. And my list doesn’t even compare to the challenges David and Sally have to face just to go for a grocery run.

Reading this book was like spending Sunday afternoons with a favorite uncle, listening to him recount story upon story of his most excellent adventures and encounters. This memoir was written with such wit and satire, that I often found myself laughing out loud and relating to the experiences they’ve lived. David and Sally dove into this new lifestyle without any skills or knowledge about building houses, creating their own electricity, water, etc. yet they managed to create a home for themselves with all of life’s basic needs and more. This book is written in a way that is so organic and down to earth, that most would relate to their stories, from how to make things happen when you have no clue about what you’re doing to how couples work together, deal with each other, and grow together in the face of new challenges. They kept it real throughout, giving us the good, the bad, and the ugly.

If an alternative lifestyle was intriguing to you before reading this book, you just might still want a taste of it after reading it. Dreamy and romantic it is not but gratifying and worthwhile, it certainly seems to be to David and Sally. Sometimes, small changes make a difference but in David and Sally’s case it took a whole lifestyle change to make their existence worthwhile again.

And in this time of quarantines and social distancing, this book might bring you great joy and a bit of an escape from the mundane.

- Kirsten -
Fresh Air Reads contributor

- Tips -

12/2/2020

There was a time when you'd only spot snowshoers or skiers out on snowy winter trails but nowadays they are shared between skiers, snowshoers, fat bikers and dog walkers. And that makes it a little more complex to navigate the rules of trail behaviour without making any faux pas. Especially if you're new to the whole trail experience or winter one! So here are some winter trail tips to consider before your next snowy adventure.

© Charlaine Jannerfeldt

* GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ALL TRAIL USERS *

1. Learn about trail use rules
Not all trails are to be used for multiple winter sports. Before heading out, make sure to check on the website of the nature park or with the nearest tourism office that your chosen activity is allowed on the trails. And this even includes checking that your four-legged friends are welcomed.

2. When stopped, move off
If you stop to adjust your layers or have a snack, make way for others by moving off the trail.

3. Yield the trail
Uphill travellers always have right-of-way, just like on hiking trails.

4. Leave no trace
Minimising the impacts of human waste on our trails preserves them and just makes them more enjoyable for everyone. Make sure you to pack out ALL your garbage (taking a Ziplock bag is great for this) and if you need to pee, take a few steps away from the trail and cover it with snow.

* GUIDELINES FOR WINTER WALKERS *

1. Ski and snowshoe trails are off limits
Groomed cross-country ski tracks are made up of 2 parts; one is the rails for classical skiing and the the other flat section is for "skating" skiers. Neither of these should be walked on as it creates potholes which can be dangerous for skiers once they freeze and get hard. Same goes for snowshoeing specific trails.

2. Doggy trail etiquette
Make sure to keep control of your pooch at all times whether they are on leash where required or under voice control. And please, pick up after them too.

* GUIDELINES FOR SNOWSHOERS *

1. Preserve the rails
If you are sharing trails with groomed cross-country ski trails, keep off the rails.

2. Single-file for minimal impact
Best practice when sharing groomed trails is to walk single-filed and as far to one side of the groomed track to reduce impact for skiers.

© Charlaine Jannerfeldt

* GUIDELINES FOR CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS *

1. Know the way
Most trails are two-way but not always. For safety reasons, know the trail map (usually available online or at the trailhead) and go with the flow of traffic to avoid a collision.

2. Right of way
Faster skiers have the right of way. If you are slower, step out of the trail to allow the faster skier to pass. As a faster skier you may also yell “track!” to ask for the trail to be yielded to you.

3. Yielding the trail
If you meet on a hill, the skier going uphill should step to the side to yield the trail to the skier coming down the hill.

* GUIDELINES FOR FAT BIKE RIDERS *

1. Newbie niceties
Riding in the snow with a fat bike is a relatively new sport so make sure that if you head to a groomed trail that fat bikers are welcomed. It's best practice to check-in at the trailhead with ticket office, groomers or nearest tourist office. A courtesy chat will do lots for keeping all users welcome.

2. Always yield to others
Fat bikes should yield to all other users on multiuse trails, similar to the etiquette for bikes on summer hiking trails.

3. Stay visible
Ride with lights and reflectors especially on multiuser trails.

4. If you're sinking, head back
Groomed tracks need time to settle. Sometimes the snow is just too soft making it difficult to ride and creates ruts that will hardened once the snow hardens. If you're sinking, best to head back home.

- BOOK REVIEW -

12/12/2019

I don’t know about you, but sometimes, in a certain moment of extreme bias, I will pick a bottle of wine because of its pretty label and not touch another because the label is completely unappealing to me. As you can imagine or have experienced yourself, this behavior may lead to a horrible taste experience, or to the discovery of a gem of a wine, or missing out completely on an amazing wine because I thought the label was ugly. In the same vein, I will admit to doing the same with books. Either the cover will draw my attention, or the title, and even, sometimes, the font that was chosen for the title.

For this month’s book review, it was all about the title for me: The Accidental Adventurer by Ben Fogle. That title was so compelling to me and it made me wonder what could have happened to this man to accidentally make him an adventurer... Intriguing, right?

Throughout the book, Fogle takes the reader on a multitude of adventures that he has experienced throughout his adulthood: from his travels to some of the remotest areas of South America, rowing across the Atlantic, participating in the Marathon des Sables, humanitarian work in Africa, and the list goes on. He chronicles his travels and he recounts the events in a genuine and humorous prose, usually detailing any mishaps and more often than not, his complete lack of preparation or experience for some of the challenges he tackled. I really enjoyed how he included succinct snippets of history of some of the places he visited or the current or past political background of a country he was in.

The Accidental Adventurer was an entertaining and easy read, which kept me turning page after page. In the end, it was not as thought-provoking as I expected it to be, yet it took me on a whirlwind tour of what it might feel like to always live life to the fullest, no matter how ready one might be. The lesson here being: just go for it and do the things that make you feel most alive.
And just like the biased bottle-of-wine-picking method I sometimes adopt, choosing this book for its title led to the discovery of a bit of a gem. A great read for the Holiday season!

- Kirsten -
Fresh Air Reads Contributor

- GEAR -

29/11/2019

Patagonia, a long time environmental leader in the outdoor apparel industry, shattered anyone's illusions that the outdoor apparel industry was intrinsically eco-friendly when they published their New York Times Black Friday ad « Don't Buy This Jacket » back in 2011.

"The environmental cost of everything we make is astonishing. Consider the R2® Jacket shown, one of our best sellers. To make it required 135 liters of water, enough to meet the daily needs (three glasses a day) of 45 people. Its journey from its origin as 60% recycled polyester to our Reno warehouse generated nearly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide, 24 times the weight of the finished product. This jacket left behind, on its way to Reno, two-thirds its weight in waste. And this is a 60% recycled polyester jacket..."

Since then many outdoor gear producers have established corporate responsibility charts to address the environmental impact they have, others have taken it a step further with more concrete initiatives like upcycling, product lifetime repair or the recommerce of their used products. But what about us, the outdoor gear consumers? What can we concretely do to green our outdoor gear habits?

1. Stand by durability
The most sustainable piece of gear you have is the one you keep using. Selecting gear that is high-quality and durable. It's one of the best ways to lessen your environmental impact.

2. Be hands-on
A durable piece of gear is no guarantee against the occasional mishap like a tear in your tent or a zipper malfunction on your shell. Repairing rather than replacing it has become child's play even for those of us who don't consider ourselves that gifted with stitching or mechanics. There's a plethora of «How-to» videos on YouTube to show you the ropes but also many outdoor apparel companies now provide online resources on how to care and repair your gear.

Patagonia's Worn Wear Repair & Care library
Vaude & IFIXIT partnered to offer a Repair library
Arc'Teryx's Product Care library
Fjällräven's Care & Repair library
Columbia's Product Care library
Norrøna's Product Care library and apparel Spare Parts shop with video tutorials
Haglöfs Care Instructions library

3. Give them a second home
For whatever reason, you may need to breakup with your gear. When that happens find them a second home: swap, giveaway or sell.

Click & join our newly created free Outdoor Gear Swap group on Facebook

4. Recommerce all the way, baby
Support outdoor gear brands that recommerce. What's recommerce? It refers to the the buying and reselling of pre-owned goods. Outdoor apparel companies have entered the recommerce market not only by offering to retake and recycle their own products but even by buying back, repairing and reselling. This is still hard to come by in Switzerland but there are some options nearby and be on the look out for more.

The Northface's « Clothes the Loop » initiative is available near Switzerland in Annecy (F) and Strasbourg
Patagonia's « Worn Wear Trade In » store nearest to Switzerland is in Chamonix (F), Innsbruch (A) or Milan (IT)

5. Don't be a fashion victim
Fashion and outdoor apparel should not even be in the same sentence but unfortunately they are more and more interlinked. Select items in a colour, material and shape that will remain fashionable over the years. Gosh, here I am giving fashion advice. Who'd a thought it!

* Quote source: Patagonia

- Gear -

12/11/2019

On a given rainy November day, you know the one where even your pooch can't be dragged out for a walk, you'll find me pulling out all our rain and winter gear to check it for wear & tear. A little repairing will often extend the life of my favourite gear but sometimes they're just too beat up and damaged so replacing them is the only alternative. Purchasing everything new for everyone in my active family can get VERY pricey so here are 7 ways I get my hands on discounted gear online and in stores here in Switzerland.

1. Campz Outdoor & Adventure
Campz is an online store that offers weekly deals that can go up to 50% on branded items. They carry brands like Patagonia, FjällRäven, Vaude, Mammut, MSR, Sea to Summit and Poc. You can create a wishlist with the gear items you are interested and monitor the price to get them at the best deal. By signing up to their newsletter you receive a EUR 10.- voucher you can use towards your purchases (see their terms & conditions of use of voucher).

2. SportXX
SportXX is a sports retailer with an online platform and is part of the Migros Group which means you can use Migros' Cumulus vouchers on purchases at SportXX. To receive Cumulus vouchers you need to sign up to their fidelity program and you get credit for every purchase you make at any Migros Group stores. In addition, Cumulus members receive regular members only discounts.

3. Ochsner Sport
Ochsner Sport also offers a fidelity program where they offer a regular weekly 20% reduction to Club members on Wednesdays in the stores and on Sundays online. In addition, you receive credit for purchases and you can earn vouchers. They also have outlet stores and host their outlet products directly on their online shop platform with discounted items.

4. Decathlon
Decathlon is probably Europe's biggest sports retailer and famously known for their low-cost sport goods which they develop and test in-house. They tiptoed into the Swiss market just 3 years ago but have remained faithful to their commitment to keep prices competitive to the ones they list in their French stores. They are a great option for any new sport or outdoor activity you want to get started with and for kids that grow out of gear sometimes annually! They also have a customer fidelity program but to be honest, I have rarely benefitted from it.

5. Anibis
Anibis is a Swiss online classifieds platform and the one I've found to offer the best second-hand outdoor and sports gear. It is a little like a treasure hunt and you do need to regularly troll the listings but you can come across some gear gems. You can find anything from backpacks, to ski trousers, to bikes and tents listed.

6. Skid'Oc
Skid'Oc is a speciality store that exclusively sells and rents refurbished winter sports gear or low-cost liquidation winter sports gear. Based near Neuchâtel, they operate only from end of October to April each year.

7. Free gear swap
Swap gear with family and friends. We often pastedown kids outdoor gear but take it step further and do the same with family and outdoorsy friends. Get everyone to bring along items that are still in good condition but are being used by the current owner and swap.

Have any other tips for finding discounted outdoor gear here in Switzerland? Share them with us in the comments below.

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- Book Review -

16/9/2019

I haven’t read any of her works before but The Shipping News is a wonderful film and I really enjoyed Brokeback Mountain so I was excited by the opportunity to read Annie Proulx latest novel "Barkskins".

"Barkskins" is an epic, tome of a novel -- over 700 hundred pages! –- that covers the fortunes of the descendants of two men who escape the poverty of 17th century France to try and find a new life in Canada (New France). Meanwhile, Proulx beautifully but painfully tells of the story of the gradual destruction of the forest of North America and in parallel, the destruction and dispersal of the native peoples.

The novel is written in sections of uneven length some lasting just 10 years, others nearly 120, and oscillates between the two family trees, whose family fortunes ebb and flow. It follows a rather dizzying array of characters and generations. The one permanent character throughout the book is the rapidly shrinking ancient forest.

This book will appeal to anyone who loves epics, forests, and beautiful scenery. It is very upsetting. It follows the irreversible impact of destroying ancient woodland, the impact of humanity on the living world, and what that means for our future. The book is, intentionally, raising alarms:

“Men behave as overlords. They decide what will flourish and what will die. I believe human kind is evolving into a terrible new species and I am sorry that I am one of them.” (p. 658)

It starts at the colonial expansions in Europe and step-by-step covers the decisions and attitudes that have led us to the dire state we are in today. “So extensive are the forest here that Americans cannot see an end to them. Therefore, they have no interest in preserving them.” (p. 480). Proulx contrasts the successes and impact of the short-sighted capitalist machine compared to the native beliefs and attitudes.

There is also an undeniably feminist slant to the book. On the forest, “To Mari it was a living entity, as vital as the waterways, filled with gifts of medicine, food, shelter, tool material, which everyone discovered and remembered. One lived with harmony and gratitude. She believed the interminable chopping of every tree for the foolish purpose of clearing the land was bad. But that, thought Rene was woman’s talk. The forest was there, enormous and limitless. The task of men was to subdue its exuberance, to tame the land it grew on – useless land until cleared and planted with wheat and potatoes.” (p. 51)

For all its merits, however, this is quite a difficult novel to get into. For me, it suffered from real pacing issues. Some parts of the story are really slow, especially at the beginning, which I suspect will put some people off. There is a very long section on the original character Charles Duquet’s entry into international trade with abundant detail about the intricacies of 18th century international trade, which I would thoroughly recommend skim reading, unless you are that way inclined. By contrast, there are other sections of the novel where the author just seems to try and cover too much ground, covering the lives of so many characters in such a short period of time, that it makes it difficult to identify with any of the characters before they have been killed off in some sort of gruesome accident. It reminded me of going to see "The Complete Works of Shakespeare" in 90 minutes! I felt this was especially the case with the Sel family members. I assume some of this was deliberate, to show the short, brutal lives of the native peoples, especially as compared to the forest, but as a reader I felt a little short changed, especially after having read nearly 100 pages on how the Dutch East India company traded.

The book found its pace for me with the introduction of James Duke and his descendants. Without too many spoilers, the novel does end with some glimmer of light with the focus returning to the present day, to the Sel family and the works they were doing to save today’s forest. I particularly, enjoyed the character of Sapastia Sel, “She seemed to feel personal guilt for eroded slopes and dirty rivers. If she looked up she saw not the heaven’s blue but apocalyptic clouds in aircraft gouged sky” (p. 683). I would have enjoyed reading a lot more about her, but once again the pacing issues stepped in and the end felt rushed to reach a conclusion.

In the end though I really enjoyed this novel, but it is one that needs an investment of time and a fair amount of attention. As a tip for anyone starting to read it, there is actually a family tree laid out, but only at the end of the physical book. I felt that would have very much helped me navigate some of the more productive generations of the families.

- Gemma -
Fresh Air Reads Contributor