How to avoid falling while hiking in Maine

How to avoid falling while hiking in Maine

I was headed down a mountain, navigating a steep slope of bedrock, when my dog, Juno, yanked on her leash. My leading foot landed on a slippery pile of dead leaves, and down I went. It was an elegant tumble. (No one was around to witness it, so no one can dispute my claim.) My right knee landed on the rock, along with the palm of my left hand. I slid, ripping a hole in my brand new hiking pants — and my skin underneath, unfortunately. But all in…