Tory Talks Trails

Tory Talks Trails Helping you find your next outdoor adventure in Pennsylvania and beyond!

08/20/2026

Who wants to go for a hike at the UPMC Harrisburg parking lot?!?

Yeah that’s what I thought.

The first principle of Leave No Trace is to Plan ahead and prepare. 

AI generated content posing as experts in the hiking community is so dangerous because unsuspecting users will think that they *are* planning ahead. 

Outdoor adventures like backpacking, kayaking, trail running, hiking - correct information from lateral reading across vetted sources with firsthand experience of the terrian is vital to the safety of every adventurer.

It makes me sick to think that someone could be out for an outdoor adventure with their family or for a first outdoor adventure and have a bad time or even dangerous experience because of someone irresponsibly posing as an expert and putting out information they didn’t vet or experience firsthand.

Like and follow for parts 2 and 3 where I tell you how to spot the red flags that this wasn’t written by a human and what sources you should use to plan your adventure instead!

And if you want to support folks that write their own content that is 100% human created about hiking in Pennsylvania check out:

📚Trailsthatrock.com - Lauren Stites Lauren - Trails That Rock
📚Hikesandhops.org- Hannah Powell Hannah | Hikes & Hops
📚Uncovering PA - Jim Cheney Jim Cheney
📚And of course my book Scenic Natural Wonders of Pennsylvania or blog Mytrailsaremany.com

What’s your take on this? Am I on point or overreacting? Let me know in the comments!

The “or else” is sending Gritty to your house when you’re sleeping until you agree to vote for a moratoriumFor more read...
08/20/2026

The “or else” is sending Gritty to your house when you’re sleeping until you agree to vote for a moratorium

For more reading about this topic, check out Conservation Voters of PA & PennFuture who have good info on the Exec Order.

08/12/2026

[HOSTED] If you are waiting for a sign to try van life…

HERE IT IS!

Outdoorsy invited me to try living out of a van for a week and I am hooked.

I LOVED my five days, four nights in the Noovo Van I rented through . They make it SO easy to find the perfect vehicle for you, rent it, and plan your road trip!!

At first I was worried I wouldn’t be able to take this road trip at all because my PTO for the entire year was already accounted for. But with fast internet, I worked my FULL (and I mean full) hours during the day.

Then in the evenings, I got to relax at camp, go for a hike, all while experiencing the comforts of my van

Easy Steps to Book Your Van Trip
🔎 Search your trip dates to see available vans in your area
📋 Review the listings to see where they are located and the amenities
✅ Book your van using code TORY10 for a discount
🏕️ Book your campsites
🚐 Adventure!

For my Pennsylvania and mid-atlantic states people, comment VAN LIFE to get the link to the exact van I rented from outside Philadelphia. (And don’t worry - I promise Outdoorsy has an amazing van for you even if it’s not this one!)

Who are you bringing on your van trip? (PS: this van is dog friendly!! 🐾)

Thank you travelcorx for featuring my story of my love/love to not love relationship with the Rachel Carson Trail and Pi...
08/11/2026

Thank you travelcorx for featuring my story of my love/love to not love relationship with the Rachel Carson Trail and Pittsburgh Magazine for allowing Tom to reach the celebrity status he deserves

Also thank you to Julianne for dropping this magazine off at my house!! So I could see it in the flesh!!!!

08/06/2026

I *could* have bought myself a treat but….

This summer I am ALL IN on prioritizing making memories instead of buying myself things I won’t use in the future

Halfway thru this adventure, Tiffany turned to me…

And pointed out that neither of had gotten a *single* bag in a hole.

We were having so much fun, I didn’t even notice that we were that bad!! (We did get some in on the back nine)

Mars-Bethel Golf
⛳️Cornhole golf costs $14 for adults and $10 for kids
⛳️First come, first served, no reservations, so you may have to wait if it’s crowded
⛳️Also offer traditional mini golf and soccer golf
⛳️Open 10a-10p, weather permitting
⛳️And if you want to cool off after, they serve ice cream from where you pick your bags up!

Fundamental question - is it still considered golf if there’s no golf club?!

****le

07/29/2026

Do we think New York is better than us?!

Well THEY got a one year ban and WE want a three year ban!

I’ve been traveling across the state a lot this year and NOTHING gets people to band together across the political aisle than data centers.

Township meetings are packed.
Residents are researching, organizing, and protesting.
But it’s not always enough because things are moving so fast.

Support PA State Senator Katie Muth’s proposed moratorium would halt the development and permitting of hyperscale data centers for three years.

The bill would impose a moratorium on:
❌Development or permitting of any new construction or expansion of a hyperscale data center
❌Ban expansion at data centers that are currently not hyperscale, but would become a hyperscale data center if expanded, and
❌Building or expanding data center infrastructure that would be used to power a hyperscale data center, such as new power generating facilities and utility transmission infrastructure

This three year moratorium would give communities across the Commonwealth time to understand the impact of data centers - from land use, to water use, to impact on electricity bills.

I support Senate Bill 1359 and I have let my state senator know that. (Maybe I’ll call yours too??)

Will you join us?

Your homework for this week is to close ChatGPT and text your friend instead, then DM me and tell me how it went.
07/28/2026

Your homework for this week is to close ChatGPT and text your friend instead, then DM me and tell me how it went.

➡️ for all the feelings I have about this photoFour years ago today I took the photo that became my book cover.Here is i...
07/23/2026

➡️ for all the feelings I have about this photo

Four years ago today I took the photo that became my book cover.

Here is its story:

On July 23 2022, I had been blogging for about half a year. I loved writing but I knew my photos had to get better. Unedited trail photos were not going to get me to page one of Google rankings.

On July 23 2022, I drove to State College (for the first time ever) for a family vacation. Took a half day from work because I knew there were some “I want to go here” pins on my google map. One of those was Buttermilk Falls.

On July 23, 2022, I still was having trouble walking long distances because of my leg injury from the prior winter. Buttermilk Falls had a short trail and a waterfall. Perfect.

On July 23, 2022, armed with a tripod I just bought and wearing an outfit purchased in 2010, I set up my phone and took photos of myself in front of strangers. It was horrible and I felt so embarrassed. But I loved this waterfall and I knew in my heart the photo would be worth it.

Later in July, 2022 I paid for a Lightroom subscription and taught myself how to edit via YouTube video and trial and error (literally pressing buttons and moving dials to see what they would do) because I wanted people to see my photo the way I saw the waterfall that day.

In January 2026, Reedy Press sent me the first draft of my cover, having picked this photo out of the over 200 that I submitted, and I had a full circle moment.

Four years later, over 20K people across platforms see what I photograph, film, and write. Four years later, I am an author. Four years later, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette wrote that my photography was great.

This photo is my reminder. Do the thing. Do it scared. Start now. You never know where it might take you.

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