Thru - An Appalachian Trail Love Story
When a diverse group of northbound "thru-hikers" meet on Springer Mtn., the southern terminus of the fabled Appalachian Trail, they begin developing a bond that will unite them as they embark on a 2,184-mile odyssey toward Maine's venerable Mt. Katahdin. When author Richard Judy completed a southbound hike of the A.T. in 1973 at age 21, he dreamed of capturing the essence of this last great American adventure on paper. Now, in THRU: An Appalachian Trail Love Story a decades-old vision comes to life as his characters take on the elation, the blisters, the excruciating pain and the unimaginable thirst and hunger of a thru-hike. Ultimately, the novel explores the sheer existential conundrum of why anyone would spend months walking along ridge crests and examines the human side of the wilderness trek that millions ponder but few actually experience. THRU also contemplates the question asked by all thru-hikers: "What have I gotten myself into?".Fiction - but in a very realistic way.About the Author - Richard Judy (trail name: Peregrine), a graduate of the University of Georgia, spent a long career in corporate public relations and as a leader in environmental groups. He thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia in 1973 and bicycled from Los Angeles to Savannah Beach in 1975. His son and daughter are also A.T. thru-hikers. He currently serves as board president of a not-for-profit group overseeing the Len Foote Hike Inn, a backcountry lodge in the North Georgia mountains that encourages environmental recreation and education. He will soon complete a section hike of the A.T. that began in 2000. His novel, THRU: An Appalachian Trail Love Story, is published by the Appalachian Trail Museum, and all proceeds benefit that organization. He lives in Roswell, Ga., with his wife who has hiked the entire width of the A.T. He is currently writing his second novel, Trail Town..Author - Richard Judy.Binding - Paper.Pages - 304.Publisher - Appalachian Trail Museum Soci...