on a mountainside or her exciting escape from a bear she startled from slumber along the way. But in the end, it is the solitude that Donna Purdy remembers best when she thinks of backpacking along the Appalachian Trail.

"When I work I'm constantly with people," said Purdy, 55, a healthcare coordinator at The Surgery Center in Cleveland, OH. Adds the mother of seven and grandmother of eight, "At home there is always someone around. It's really nourishing to have some time alone and that's one of the things I love about backpacking."

With her dog Sadie Pine at her side, Purdy has already solo hiked 300 miles of the Appalachian Trail, a 2,174 mile route from Georgia to Maine. She "section hikes" the path during a week-long trip each year, dividing it into single-day segments averaging nine miles a day. That way, her husband can meet her at designated points and times along the way to be sure she is supplied.

"My pack is pretty heavy," said Purdy, who was diagnosed with postmenopausal osteoporosis and loves "getting away from it all" in the great outdoors. Interestingly, Purdy's dog carries all of her own food. "I wouldn't take a step without her. She's my companion and my protection."

Purdy, who had her bone mineral density tested when her mother's osteoporosis was discovered after her death, said she is determined to manage her disease so it doesn't stop her from doing what she loves. That's why she hikes during the warmer months and, in winter, swims three times a week.

And how does she reward herself after a long hike?

"I always get an ice cream treat at the end. It's full of calcium and it's my way of telling myself, 'Well done!'"