I am Rob Rogers, a lawyer in my late 40s and a self-described “desk jockey,” After losing 100 pounds, I decided to try backpacking at a state park near my Central Florida home in January 2024, after making an impulse purchase of a tent and backpack. Before then, I hadn’t backpacked since adolescence. When the recurrence of depression forced me to take a medical sabbatical, I discovered that backpacking in the Central Florida wilderness helped me cope with my inner turmoil and, more importantly, fostered a love affair with the natural spaces near my home.
I also became so passionate about my experiences backpacking that I wrote my first book, Finding My Way Home: Fighting Depression Backpacking in Central Florida, which was published by Barringer Publishing in November 2024.
In this blog, I share my experiences hiking, backpacking, and otherwise enjoying the outdoors near my Central Florida home and in other places I have visited. Through all of these stories, I celebrate what I have learned by backpacking: You don’t have to climb a mountain or hike the Appalachian Trail to enjoy the wilderness. You can do what I have done in your own backyard, in places you may not know even exist but drive by every day. Wonderful places that will make you feel more connected with and captivated by where you call home. And it just might change your life.
