Exciting Announcements
I made the decision not to hike the PCT this year in order to support my sister with her dream of owning a business, so what is next for Taogoi? A new book! I have started the process of writing the next book of poetry from the poems and writings from PCT 2020, when I was hiking while the world was shutting down. A lot of things happened, as it did with everyone, and I have (for the most part) decided to add more than just poetry for this project, which will bring a better idea of what was going on.
While waiting for this new book to be finished, I did go on a podcast called 'Shit We Do Outdoors Podcast', which should be coming out later this month! I'm really excited about this, Monika was amazing to talk to and it's a really great podcast with hilarious poop stories from all sorts of hikers. The last episode I listened to, a 14 year old was doing their business when he noticed people getting his attention, telling him not to move. There was a moose right behind him! I won't ruin the episode (ep. 12), because it is a fantastic! Definitely glad to be a part of such an awesome project.
Another incredible experience I've been fortunate to be a part of, Taogoi is going to featured in another book!! Poems from '1100 Miles' will be in a brand new book that will be widely available in places like REI! They reached out to me via email and asked if I wanted to be a part of their new volume in their series, 'Campfire Stories: Volume II'. They asked me to provide some details about each poem that was selected, such as where I was and what inspired me to write about the areas I was in. It was really cool to look back in my original journals to remember more details about my first long distance hike. I've taken inspiration from this opportunity towards my own next project!
I'm blown away by how many connections I've made on and off the trail! First, it was meeting incredible people who were dedicated in hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, everyone learning more about themselves, loving even the hardest moments. Then, after working two years to self publish, not hiking the way I enjoy the most (LASHing), I still feel so connected to this community, especially with the other creatives who are creating amazing things from their own passions! It is absolutely incredible to feel so connected, even when you're not together, experiencing the magic of the PCT at the moment, but the bond between hikers is strong. We all want each other to succeed and we can all talk about the trails we have been on for days!!
To recap, Taogoi has been featured in:
To Try the Mountain Passes, aka; PCT Peoples Project - A "coffee table" photo book chock-full of Pacific Crest Trail hiker portraits and their stories. It's exquisitely printed on a matte archival paper, the book includes 196 beautiful pages featuring 250+ hikers.
Unbound Collective - A contributor for the Unbound Collective which is a space created for human powered, long distance travelers to share their creative work
Shit We Do Outdoors Podcast - A pod about poop stories in the outdoors, inspiring stories by people living their best lives, and educational conversations.
Campfire Stories: Tales from America's National Parks - Volume II - an anthology of short stories about some of America’s favorite national parks, intended to be read together around the fire. While the first volume of Campfire Stories featured works from the first 100 years of our national parks, CAMPFIRE STORIES VOLUME II will share park stories of today.
and of course, '1100 Miles'! I have been incredibly fortunate to be a part of every single one of these amazing projects. Never did I imagine Taogoi would be a part of so many varied opportunities! I've always told people I didn't publish to get rich, but to connect with people in a way I've never been able to before. I think we can all agree that Abby and I have done just that!
Never give up on those dreams that seem so out of reach, just like long distance hiking, you can only get there one step at a time.
-Allie/Taogoi