I don't know how I got started being interested in hiking!
No, wait a minute. I didn't say I hiked. Heaven forbid. I am talking about just having an interest in learning about it. No way am I gonna do it!!
I think first of all was the book "Grandma Gatewood's Walk" that set me on this path. I found it totally fascinating... as long as someone else was doing it! And, I am more familiar with the Appalachian Trail than other hiking sites.
But then I read another book called "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed. The book was good, the movie was good. It was about a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail through Calif, Oregon and Washington.
Last month a friend on facebook mentioned another hiking book and this one really caught my attention. It was written by a Lawrence Alexander who is from my hometown. So, I got noisy and looked him up and found that his grandpa married one of my husband's cousins... and the grandpa was a distant cousin of mine. Of course, I had to order both Larry's books.
I'm over half way through the first book, the first leg of his journey on the Appalachian Trail. I'm pretty proud of him because it's well written, funny in places, agonizing in other places and I am once again fascinated by this hiking thing.
Oh, did I tell you that my Daughter Shirley and I hiked part of the Appalachian Trail!! It's a funny story!
We were driving back to Virginia from Alabama when we saw this pull off and a sign that said, 'Appalachian Trail'. So, Shirley's a nut, so much fun, and that nut pulled the car over and we girls got out and hiked a short distance and now we can say we have hiked the A. T.
Do any of you hike? I hear that my grandson is planning his first hike... in the Grand Tetons! I can't wait to hear about that. Maybe he'll write a book.
I enjoyed the movie "Wild" as well. Funny story about the Appalachian trail -- I met some folks who had backpacked in the Himalayas and they said hiking in the Appalachians was a lot harder on the legs!
ReplyDeleteWe're not serious hikers, but we've gone on short hikes around Seattle. There's just something about being on a path in a forest...
ReplyDeleteJust a note that Cheryl Strayed hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs through the Sierras of California and the Cascades of Oregon and Washington, which basically are in the middle of the states. The coastal mountains are a whole different area.
ReplyDeleteWhoops
DeleteAt this stage in my life, I’d be more likely to read about someone else hiking. It isn’t something I’m likely to do myself. I’ll join you in reading about it!
ReplyDeleteI love reading about people challenging themselves so I'm sure I would like the books you mentioned. I did read Wild and saw the movie too, so good! Great post!
ReplyDeleteI've walked but never hiked...
ReplyDeletehugs
Donna
You should read The Salt Path. I mentioned it on my blog some time ago. A really good memoir.
ReplyDeleteI was sure I had commented but I see I didn't after all. Must be forgetfulness due to old age. *smile*
ReplyDeleteI read the book by Cheryl Strayed. I found this interesting tidbit on the internet. What happened to Cheryl Strayed?
Strayed subsequently married filmmaker Brian Lindstrom in August 1999. They have two children and live in east Portland, Oregon, where Strayed has lived since the mid-1990s. Her daughter, Bobbi Strayed Lindstrom, played the younger version of Strayed in the film adaptation of Wild.
Granny M
I read the first two books you mentioned, now I need to find the others. I hike...and oh how I love it! I may watch Wild again. We have the DVD. Thanks for this post! Hugs Diane
ReplyDeleteFrom Marie: Loved hiking so much. Our time on the Grand Canyon Trails hold special memories. We always wanted to hike the AT, even a small part (not as small your hike, though :-) ) but never could. Now the health issues have taken over. :-(
ReplyDeleteI agree with Marcia. The Salt Path is a great read. I am halfway through Landlines by the same author Raynor Winn.
ReplyDeleteWendy (Wales)