John McKinney, author of 30 books about hiking, parklands and nature, is a man with mission: to motivate and inspire fellow hikers on that great trail we call life. For 18 years, McKinney, a.k.a. The Trailmaster, wrote a weekly hiking column for the Los Angeles Times and now writes articles and commentaries about nature and outdoor recreation for both print and online publications. A passionate advocate for the environment and our need to reconnect to nature, McKinney also shares his expertise on radio, TV, in the blogosphere and at TheTrailmaster.com. John McKinney is the author of "Hiking on the Edge: Dreams, Schemes, and 1600 Miles on the California Coastal Trail" and "Hiking the Holy Mountain: Tales of Monks and Miracles on the Trails of Mount Athos, Greece. He is also the author of many more books about hiking, nature, and outdoors recreation for both adults and children.