2025 Summer break for Reinhardt Assistant Professor of Psychology and Assistant Director of Undergraduate Research Christopher Robinson, PhD proved anything but typical. He mapped and followed naturalist and philosopher John Muir (1838-1914)’s 1000-mile walk from Indiana to the coast of Florida. Just as one of Muir’s famous quotes states, “The mountains are calling and I must go and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly,” Robinson felt compelled to do the same.
“When one does this trip, one not only understands other individuals, places, and times, but one ends up with a better understanding of yourself and your place,” stated Robinson. He added, “Since psychology is the study of people, if we want to understand people, we have to study tendencies and trends in people.”
Muir went on his expedition in 1867, just after the Civil War, to collect plant specimens and explore the natural environment. By using Muir’s journal and letters, Robinson identified Muir’s path including specific cities Muir traveled through, as well as the places he stayed, and people Muir met along the way. Robinson then mapped, drove and documented the journey.
Robinson spent time considering Muir’s trip to that made by American naturalist, writer, and explorer William Bartram (1739-1823). After returning home from his travels, Robinson gave public talks on Muir and Bartram’s views on ecology and our relationship to nature to guests at Hike Inn in Dawsonville, Georgia. He is also working on his third book titled A Billion Seconds which is a story of American social history told through historic journeys, such as Lewis and Clark and the Oregon Trail, which are approximately 30 years, or a billion seconds apart.
– By Suzy Alstrin
