The Short Bio
Bowing to a bloodline of adventure that includes explorer Henry Hudson and Lappi reindeer herders, Sandra Friend walked away from a career in software design and headed to the woods. After getting her feet wet with outdoor writing in the mid-Atlantic and traveling backpacker-style across Greece, India, and Nepal with her sister, she carved out a niche: Florida hiking. With 2,500 miles on foot and eight hiking books to her credit, she took on the Explorer’s Guide series for Florida, and signed on full-time as Communications Director for the Florida Trail Association. Sandra now serves as Faculty for the Society of American Travel Writers Institute and is a past board member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association.  She lives in Central Florida with her husband, native Floridian cartoonist Rob Smith, Jr.