Date: 2015-03-24
To: Atlanta airport
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Sorry, this admittedly is a long post, but these are books I have read to prepare myself for the AT. 1) A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson. 397 pages. Published 2006. Bought by my kids. I read this on a whim, about 2010. Yes, this got me to thinking about hiking the entire AT. This book has been made into a movie, by Robert Redford and Nick Nolte, and should be in movie theatres in May, 2015.   This movie is expected to increase substantially the number of AT thru-hikers, already at about 2500 per year starting, 700 completing the entire trail in one year or less. 2) The Complete Walker IV, by Colin Flether and Chip Rawlins, 844 pages. Published 2002. Purchased and read Jan 2011. This is a book that describes HOW to backpack, in great detail. It especially covers backpacking gear. I read about half of it, then quit. Much of the things I now know about backpacking I learned from others while on 1/2 dozen backpack trips to the BWCAW from 2011-2014. 3) How to Hike the A.T., by Michelle Ray 260 pages. Published 2009. Purchased and read Jan, 2011 The nitty-gritty details of a long-distance hike. Specifics for an AT hike. 4) Long Distance Hiking, by Roland Mueser. Published 1998. Lessons from the Appalachian Trail. 180 pages. Purchased and read Jan, 2011. This book, by an older thru-hiker (55 years old or so), has a lot of statistical data, including what gear people carried, how fast or slow they walked.It should be apparent that by January, 2011, I was seriously considering thru-hiking the AT. 5) The Appalachian Trail: How to Prepare for it and Hike it. By Jan D. Curran. Published 1997.   192 pages. From the library. Read it 2013. 6) Long Distance Hiking on the Appalachian Trail for the Older Hiker. By David Ryan Published 2012   76 pages (short!) From library.   Read Feb, 2014. This book was useless.   Didn't tell me anything special about how older hikers could thru-hike the trail. Glad I didn't buy it. 7) AWOL on the Appalachian Trail, by David Miller 352 Pages Published 2011 From the library.   Read it Jan, 2014.   The story of his thru-hike 8) David Miller is also the author of "The A.T. Guide, 2015". 223 pages.   A handbook for hiking the Appalachian Trail. Updated annually. The A.T. Guide has now become the preferred AT guidebook. I have this guidebook, in both printed form and as a .PDF file on my smartphone. This guidebook lists all the shelters, water sources, and details about supplies and other services available in each nearby town. 9) The Appalachian Trail Food Planner 126 Pages Published 2001 Purchased and sort-of read 2014   This book has detailed recipies for actual meals to cook, over a stove, with a pot, for 10-20 minutes. But I do not (yet) plan to do any actual cooking, just boil water.   Actual cooking takes far more fuel (to simmer something for 15 minutes, for example.)   I expect to boil water in < 1 minute, then use it. 10) Appalachian Trials, by Zach Davis.   A Psychological and emotional guide to successfully thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail   A very informative book.   The majority of the people who quit a thru-hike do so because of their mental state, not their physical state. 167 Pages Published 2012   Purchased and read Jan, 2014.   11) Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner 95 Pages Published/Updated 2015 Purchased and read it Dec, 2014.   This is from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the main group that advocates for and maintains the AT.12) Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers Companion for 2015 264 Pages Published/Updated 2015   Purchased Dec, 2014.This is the 2nd detailed guide book for the AT.   I will not bring this paper copy, but have a .PDF version on my smartphone.13) Appalachian Trail Data Book, 2015 88 Pages Published/Updated 2015   Purchased Dec, 2014. This is a condensed guidebook, with just the milepost descriptions for shelters, water, etc. I will not bring this. OK, that is it for actual Appalachian Trail books.   But I read at least two other books about how NOT to hike or do an outdoor adventure. 14) Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer 202 Pages From the library.   Read it 2012.This book was made into a movie. This is about a restless youth who camped out for several months in Alaska, but died doing so.   The one interesting item I learned is that the main character intentionally did not bring maps, to "enhance" the sense of adventure, so that he intentionally knew less about his surroundings. But it ended costing him his life, that and careless planning, and the more unforgiving nature of wilderness in Alaska. 15) Lost in the Wild: Danger and Survival in the North Woods, by Cary J. Griffith 302 pages, published 2007 Jason Rasmussen got lost on the very same BWACW Pow Wow trail that I hiked with several others in Sept, 2013.   From the library, read Nov, 2013. How NOT to backpack.