Tracy Certo

I have always loved to travel. Whether a grand tour of Europe, an exotic safari or simply a weekend away, I embrace it. And, I actually enjoy the planning — selecting destinations, flights, lodgings, itineraries, activities, restaurants, and tailoring each trip to our interests. As a child, I pored over each spiral-bound AAA TripTik and the coordinating “big” maps, highlighting our route in neon yellow, with the promise of new adventures.

Editor’s note: Since late 2005, we have interviewed many of the most interesting and noteworthy people in our “city-state of Pittsburgh” as my old editor and friend John Craig used to call this area. The number of interviews that have appeared in this magazine reaches well into the hundreds (writer Jeff Sewald alone has interviewed nearly 80).

“Do not (repeat: DO NOT) attempt to cross the creek during periods of high water. This is a significant waterway and the current can be very strong.” So said the Guide to the Quehanna Trail tucked in my backpack. But exactly how high was “high water”? Yes, it was spring, but it hadn’t rained for at least three days. I’d already hiked 34 miles to get to this point; backtracking would require a difficult and lengthy detour up the steep slope and over miles of rocky trail I’d just traversed.