Have you ever wanted to exit the highway in a valley of the far West and spend the rest of your life on foot? When Robert Schnelle settled down among central Washington's steppes and foothills, he began to make his dream a vocation. In this collection of 33 essays, the author accompanies readers on walking excursions in search of pleasure, consolation, and insight.These are the narratives of an outdoor enthusiast, a seasonal round that is seeded with wit, passionate environmental protest, and glad praise for the threatened but still gorgeous landscapes of a high mountain valley.