About

About Tory | Tory in the Media | Tory’s Code of Ethics

About Tory

Hi! My name is Tory and I am the voice behind the blog My Trails Are Many and @ToryTalksTrails on social media. I’m here to help you find your next favorite outdoor adventure!

Tom and I exploring the abandoned Rockland Tunnel in Rockland, PA

Growing up, my family was more about Hiltons than hiking. When the pandemic hit in 2020, I was living in Orange County, CA in a 600 square foot apartment. I felt so claustrophobic and started taking my dog for walks away from our crowded apartment on trails in the area. Turns out…I was hiking??

Fast forward eight months and a move to Cleveland, Ohio. I was working at a horribly toxic job and I was miserable. When I finally found another job, I had two weeks off in between to decompress. What do you do with two weeks off of work in the middle of a pandemic?

My friend told me about this hiking challenge that was 115 miles of hiking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I had nothing better to do, so I signed up and did eight hikes in two weeks. In January. I completed the challenge in May and stopped hiking to focus on other things.

In 2021, I moved to Pittsburgh and injured myself. The only thing I was able to do was go for walks on my crutches. As someone whose entire identity and social network was built around working out, I really struggled with the isolation. We live close to Frick Park and being able to be surrounded by trees calmed down my frustration at not being able to move my body normally.

It seemed as if hiking kept coming back into my life when I really needed it – whether it was to escape from the uncertainty of the pandemic, to heal from a toxic work environment, or to get out there and make friends in a new city.

That’s it, I am hooked for life. And I want to share my enthusiasm for the great trails of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and beyond with you through this site.

Am I an expert hiker? Nope! But I am learning as I go and want to encourage other beginners who think that hiking is too hard or that they’re not outdoorsy enough that hiking is for them too!

Hiking is fun!

Tory in the Media

Media About My Book, Scenic Natural Wonders of Pennsylvania

Podcast Guest

Guest Contributor

Photography Contributor

Tory’s Code of Ethics

Transparency is a core value of my business, so here’s my code of ethics. 

I do accept PR, gifted, and hosted experiences or things. If anything has been provided without me paying for it myself, I will clearly disclose it in both the caption and on the video if I talk about it on social media, and will have a boxed disclaimer before the content of the blog post. 

I also accept money for partnerships. All paid partnerships will be clearly disclosed with the platform’s “paid partnership” and an [AD] copy in the caption or the video and will have a boxed disclaimer before the content of the blog post.

In both gifted and partnered scenarios, I only share my truth about the product or service. If I’m saying it’s great, it’s because it is. And if I don’t like something, I’ll share that or I just won’t share the experience or product at all.

I only accept partnerships that align with my values. If something doesn’t align, I say no (and sometimes I say hell no). Remember, content creation is not my full time job. I do not rely on this income to pay my bills and therefore I only take on work that is fully aligned and is something I am excited about. 

I do not use AI for creating content. Any word I write or speak in any of my blog posts, social media posts, or my book is from my own brain (for better or worse!) and I condone AI’s use of natural resources and impact on the environment.

Your trust is important to me. Your voice also matters to me – if you’re not sure about where I stand on something, just ask. I’m always happy to explain my relationship with a partner. 

As always, my opinions are my own. What you see me talk about is how I feel. Period.

Have a question? Send me a note!