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My name is Carrot Quinn. I’m currently walking from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. I’ll be posting updates on this blog nearly every day of my journey, buy unfortunately I’ll need all my battery power for posting and I won’t be able to respond to comments while I hike. I love your comments though! If you don’t see a post for a few days it means I’ve gone out of cellphone range; the missed posts will appear together in a clump once I can get a signal again.
You’re awesome, thank you for reading! My info about care packages is here, and if you’d like me to write you a postcard from the trail you can read about that here.
More about me:
My name is Carrot Quinn. I was raised in Alaska on welfare by a schizophrenic single mother who thought that she was the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary. I spent most of my twenties hitchhiking and riding freight trains across this great North American continent, trying to figure out who I was and why I existed and what the world was really like. When I’m not hiking I live in a little trailer in Portland with my two chihuahuas and work as a rare-book seller and a professional dog walker. My biggest influences are Annie Dillard, Phoolan Devi, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’ve been writing since I was nine years old.
Contact me: carrotquinn4 (at) gmail (dot) com
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I’ve been reading your archives for the past few weeks and I love your writing and your stories. The last thing I read was about how masculinity is idolized and it blew me over. I don’t know anyone who is not guilty of that, either idolizing their own masculinity or someone else’s. Myself included. I’d really like to be able to read your new, password-protected posts, if you wouldn’t mind. It’s a beautiful world that you describe, and one that’s very far from mine. (not that I don’t find my own world beautiful, in it’s own way!).
Thanks and take care,
D
Dear Carrot:
I have enjoyed reading many of your stories, and it finally occurred to me today that you might be interested in writing a piece for a journal I edit, the Oregon Historical Quarterly. First-person accounts have comprised much of the Quarterly’s pages for the past 110 years, and you could help to document an aspect of Oregon life that will be challenging for historians to understand. If you are interested, please get in touch at the email address listed above.
Take care,
Eliza
Salute!
Best wishes . . .
Succat
You write well. I’ve been an editor and publisher for – well, let’s say, quite a long, long time and in different countries. Continue with your style and don’t “think” about it. Nice to know there are still people who know how to write – and mean what they say. Nice one.
i love this picture of you. i come back to it often.
I just happened upon a beat up copy of pilgrim at tinker creek and decided to get some orientation to annie dillard… my weird internet journey wandering here to your blog and thought it strange that my inquiry into a writer’s work would lead me to a (-nother) writer with some connection to oregon (where i am) and that was delightful, meaningful and gave me comfort. so thank you!
Katherine-
I am obsessed with Annie Dillard’s writing, so yes, we are kindred spirits! I’m glad that you found my blog!
Best,
Carrot
Carrot,
I just read your post – Everything is wrong – about your health issues. Going through something similar at the moment – same pancreatic issues. Just wondered how you got on?
Hugh
Hi Hugh!
Things turned out really well for me. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs helped re-balance the ecology of my gut, and following a grain-free diet that’s real low in sugar keeps my gut working awesome, so I only rarely have any problems. My digestion actually works fantastically now. Thanks for asking, and best of luck with your pancreatic issues!
Best,
Carrot
Thanks for replying Carrot. Appreciate it and glad to hear you have recovered. Have not tried that route – will look into it. All the best
Hugh
Carrot,
I love this about-me-page.
I love that you are sticking to the low-sugar/ grain free/ dairy free diet for the trail. It is awesome to see that kind of dedication at work. In my non-trail life I strive for this same diet, and helps immensely. I rebuilt the flora of my gut after some nasty parasites I got in Latin America. On the trail…I’m like: jerky and greens for breakfast, okay. I can avoid the pop tart. Yet, I will not be rigidly following a health regimen on this hike, as of now I will be all inclusive in the nourishment department (within reason!)…We shore do live in a health bubble here in the PNW, especially Portland. excited to share snack ideas!!!
yo yo yo yo yo
Angela