2012 – Sliding down the mountain on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail
I made some sorely needed updates July 3, 2023!
Birth Name: Kylena Cross
I have heard that originally my parents thought I was going to be a boy. So they picked out the name Kyle for me. When they realized I was actually a girl, despite all the boy vibes I was giving them, they made the name more feminine by adding the ‘na’ at the end!
Trail Name: BoobOnARock
I earned this name on my section hike on the AT through Georgia. And it involved falling…on a rock. My take is that it is worthy of someone creating an alcoholic fancy drink in its honor. We have a drink called “sex on a beach”. I implore you people: why not a drink called “boob on a rock”? Heh…heh…
*Update July 3, 2023…I need a new trail name. My hiking friends say “BoobOnARock” no longer applies. 😀
Real job (the one that makes money): Associate Professor and Department Chair, Mathematics, Frederick Community College
I started my professional career as a pet groomer…moved on to own my own grooming shop. I loved it, but knew I had other passions I needed to chase. So I sold my shop and went back to school. Earned a BS in Mathematics from the University of Maryland, in addition to a BS in secondary education. Taught high school for 9 years during which I picked up a master’s at Johns Hopkins. I felt like public school wasn’t equipped to use the talents I had to their fullest so I started branching out … becoming an adjunct instructor at FCC. Became full-time faculty in 2011 and was the Program Manager of Developmental Math for several years. Still full-time and now Department Chair (as of 2020)… love it, but looking forward to handing it off to someone younger and fresher in a few years! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Volunteer job #1: I groom rescue animals for the Animal Welfare League of Frederick County. I have also raised two litters of rescue kittens (bottle feeding!) *Update July 3, 2023…I moved very far away from Frederick county and gave this one up. 😦
Volunteer job #2: I am a hike leader for the Maryland Trail Dames. This is a wonderful group dedicated to getting women on the trail, building their confidence for hiking and back packing, and mostly letting them find their inner super hero!
Passion: I am a hiker and backpacker. I would spend a quarter to half the year, every year, in the woods if it was feasible. I cannot put into words what walking into a forest does for me.
I am section hiking the Appalachian Trail which is great fun! I may never finish and that does not bother me at all. 🙂
Where I have lived: I am from southern Indiana. I lived in San Antonio, Texas for a while and now live in Maryland.
Where I would like to retire: During the pandemic, I bought my retirement house and started working on it. My partner and I decided it was time…and it made sense to buy and fix while we both have full-time salaries! So, where would I like my retirement base to be…in the mountains of western Maryland. 😀
2022 – Hiking in Maryland – rocking the Transition lenses! 😀
Girl Gone Hiking 
[…] Girl Gone Hiking – we may be on opposite coasts but enjoy similar things! […]
Well, I am curious! What keeps your world turning? Sometimes I think I have taken on way too much stuff…but it somehow all works out . 🙂
Hi, I’ve just nominated you for the Liebster award 🙂 feel free to accept it or not (I know how much time it takes out of our busy days to reply), here is the link: http://smilinginsonoma.wordpress.com/2014/12/21/402/
Happy Holidays!
Thank you! I accept this challenge, oops, award! 😉 not sure I know how to do a ping back…got some homework to do. 🙂
Love your blog! Can’t wait to make it out East to hike. Keep up the great work and hike on! 🙂
Thank you! I am from the Midwest…a Hoosier! Glad I stumbled upon your blog. Enjoying it greatly! 🙂
Thanks for the like of my blog. I appreciate it! 🙂
Thanks for the ‘like’… Just Like Church, I love your site and your story. I will be back to read some more!
Thanks for following Sawyer’s adventures! Looking forward to reading more of your blog! ~Uschi
Amazing blog, loved reading and hope to continue to read! If you ever come back up to Pennsylvania, try out Rickett’s Glen! It’s 33 miles west of Wilkes-Barre, and probably one of the best day hikes I’ve ever been on.
Thank you so much! I will definitely have to check out Rickett’s Glen! I get to PA often as I am pretty close here in Maryland.
Glad you liked our post. Happy to hear you’ve found your dream job, too. My daughter got a B.S. in poli sci, discovered that she loved teaching while working as an aid, went back and got her credential to teach math and science, and now works with returning students at an alternative school in Portland, OR. She and her wife are quite happy and accepted there.
Good for your daughter! I was finishing up a section hike yesterday when I found out about the SCOTUS decision! Very happy! 🙂
Love your site and passion for hiking. Really neat that you are a hike leader for the Maryland Trail Dames. I need to find a similar group in PA!
I know a few hikers in PA who say the same thing! Check out traildames.com… If you contact Anna Huthmaker on FB, you could start a TrailDames chapter up there! It is needed!
There is a TD chapter looking for a Head Dame near Philly.
Just discovered your blog and look forward to following you. I live in Southwest Virginia and the hiking down here is also excellent! BTW, you should be legal in Virginia now. 🙂 Karen
Haha, time to update that page!! Thank you for the follow. I will run on over and check out your blog. Love finding new trails to hike! 🙂
Why choose Shenandoah Valley? I always thought it I was an American I’d want to live in Burlington, VT. Pretty sure they have the right laws there too 🙂
Nah, Vermont is not my cup of tea. 🙂 and everywhere has the right laws now. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Riight! I remember hearing that on my way home from the Whites June 2015. I got happy teary 🙂
I am new to hiking and I already feel a deep passion for it! I’m from Evansville and ironically two of my sons live in Terre Haute! I’m driving up for a day visit tomorrow et was researching where I could hit some trails in my way back! 😊 That’s where I found a link to your blog as I was trying to find trail maps for Fowler Park
Did you find any trail maps?
Hello!
My name is Brenda, and I am a senior at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. This semester I was offered a research position along side with my professor, Dr. Kelly on the Appalachian Trial. For my position, I have tracked down when the shelters were built, and find missing shelter pictures from the data my professor has from his personal data basis.
Here is the link: http://appalachiantrailhistory.org/collections/show/9
*This project is not yet finished, but will be happy to forward the link
once the project is finished!
I came across your picture file, and would love to use them for school related purposes only. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out, my email is Ibrenda13@yahoo.com
I appreciate your time!
Thank you!
Awesome and inspirational. I am in a women’s group of 4, over 50, women. We decided to section hike the AT. ( I know. Zero to Absurd in a microseconds. Lol)
Would love to email you some questions for advice.
Thank you! I am happy to try and answer questions or point you in the direction where you can get info!
Hey, Boob-on-a-Rock, how many AT miles have you hiked so far? I think that you and my wife and I began section hiking the AT at the same time. We are Maple and Birch (weekendjots.com). We used to follow each other much more closely, but you took off going south, and we took off going north. FYI: Your e-mail option doesn’t work, as no e-mail address presents itself.
Thank you for letting ne know about the email. I haven’t totaled up miles in awhile. I am the state organizer for Trail Dames of MD, so end up leading many hikers that are not on the AT. But as for the AT, I’ve completed GA, half of NC, have a big chunk from Tye River in VA to Delaware Water Gap, NJ, a little more in NJ, and a little in NH! Planning on the Smokies next summer!!! 😀 Happy Hiking…hope we meet up sometime!
Kinda late on this comment but local folks are interested in the caves running underneath Charles Town and Harpers Ferry, WV. Your article on the Jellystone Campground was helpful as evidence is being prepared for the re-rezoning hearing required by Judge Hammer, where the Town of Ranson did not follow the law on advertising a rezoning hearing which ultimately led to the heavy manufacturing manufacturer Rockwool. Happy Trails!
Yay! Go away Rockwool!