Media we've read/viewed:
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| Books |
Walkin' on the Happy Side of Misery:
A Slice of Life on the Appalachian Trail |
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By J.R. "Model-T" Tate |
| Definitely the most entertaining book about the trail we've read. Follow J.R. "Model-T" Tate as he walks from Georgia to Maine. This book discusses his first thru-hike of the three he has completed! He is at it again, trying another hike this year (2006)! Without a doubt this is the funniest and most well-written book on the subject. If, like us, you've ever thought about thru-hiking--or like our parents, you've ever known someone who wanted to thru-hike--you will enjoy this book. If you could only read one book about the AT, this should be it! |
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Walking the Appalachian Trail
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By Larry Luxenberg |
| This book is a very detailed book that discusses the history of the trail, and a set of stories that deal with various famous thru-hikers and other trail-celebrities. Among those in the book are: Myron Avery, Earl Shaffer, Emma "Grandma" Gatewood, David Horton, and Warren Doyle. Interesting read--highly recommended. |
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A Walk in the Woods
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By Bill Bryson |
This is by far the most recognizable book to backpackers and non-backpackers alike. A Walk in the Woods records Bryson's attempted thru-hike. Much of the book is very entertaining (some is downright hysterical) but the middle of the book tends to drag, turning from entertainment to education as Bryson discusses negative impacts of humans on the environment. If you ever decide to try and thru-hike the AT you will find out just how popular this book is.
**Robert Redford and Paul Newman have reportedly bought the movie rights and are considering this for their final "buddy-flick." |
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Women & Thru-Hiking on the Appalachian Trail:
Practical Advice from Hundreds of Women Long Distance Hikers |
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By Beverly "Maine Rose" Hugo |
| To be reviewed. |
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The Appalachian Trail Backpacker - 3rd Edition
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By Victoria and Frank Logue |
| Very good overview of all aspects of backpacking. Nice catch-all resource. By the time we got to this one we already had been exposed to most of the content. This isn't meant to say the book isn't useful, but at some point you have done enough reading to feel confident in these subjects. |
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| Not Without Peril: 130 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range of New Hampshire |
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By Nicholas Howe |
| Very disturbing at times. Do NOT let anyone who is worried about your hike read this book (or just don't tell them you have to walk through the Presidentials). Still, despite its depressing nature, it is an excellent book for hikers/backpackers to read. The one lesson to take from this book: LOOK INTO THE WIND regularly. Time after time it seems people died yards from shelter simply because, as is natural, they braced themselves against the wind by turning their head. Of course the book is also a warning to be prepared for rapidly changing conditions in the Whites. |
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The Appalachian Trail Food Planner
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By Lou Adsmond |
| Definitely interesting to see how someone actually ate for the entire thru-hike duration (including their actual maildrop schedule). Ideas on meals and variable menu options. Recipes require some preparation at home and the book includes small "punch-out" instructions for the campsite portion of the cooking. This would be especially useful for those considering mail-drops (which we won't be sending ourselves, but would gladly receive!;) ). |
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Lip Smackin' Backpackin': Lightweight Trail-Tested Recipes
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By Tim and Christine Conners |
| This book contains many more food recipes than the Food Planner, including the major categories of: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Breads, Snacks and Desserts, and Drinks. The recipes all sound good and are in fact lightweight (most are portioned for 1 serving and the weight in ounces is listed). To be honest, we haven't tried any of the recipes because most seem to require substantial preparation at home. The result? This may be better geared toward weekend-campouts, or again those who are using mail-drops. |
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The Backpacker's Handbook
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By Chris Townsend |
| This is very much like the Appalachian Backpacker. It has a much larger amount of information but it is not geared specifically toward the Appalachians. Very interesting overview/discussion of all types of gear included. Nice primer to get you up to speed. |
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White Blaze Fever
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By William Schuette |
| This fairly well-known book is primarily a transcribed trail-journal. With reportedly few post-hike edits, this book will give you the daily picture of what people say life is like during a thru-hike. This one isn't as captivating as some people make it sound--but that reaction could also be a result of the order in which you read these books (We had read Walkin' on the Happy Side of Misery first and this one was not designed to entertain--but rather keep a record of his hike). |
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The Appalachian Trail: How to Prepare for & Hike It
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By Jan D. Curran |
| Interesting little pocket-sized guide. Containing summaries of almost everything. Most interesting in this book are the appendices. Addresses of AT Hiking Clubs, Equipment Manufacturers addresses, Camping stores along the trail, camping/hiking website listing, detailed maps of the trail, and most useful for friends and family--addresses of Post Offices within 6 miles of the trail. |
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Walkin' with the Ghost Whisperers:
Lore and Legends of the Appalachian Trail |
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By J.R. "Model-T" Tate |
| Model-T's second book. Based on how much we enjoyed his first book, we couldn't pass on this one. We haven't finished it yet, but it is definitely enjoyable. He writes about the various trailside monuments and testaments to the history of that area. Questions like: How did a mountain get its name; or Who inspired a stone memorial are explored within. This one isn't funny (it isn't meant to be) as much as it is interesting. This would be interesting to anyone who, while walking through the woods, has encountered an old stone foundation and wondered about it origins. |
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DVDs/Videos |
Trek: A Journey on the Appalachian Trail
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By Cirque Productions |
| Trek was the first DVD we watched on the subject. It follows 4 friends during the course of their attempted thru-hike. Very fun to watch especially the "Milk Challenge." Unfortunately there are one or two extremely short clips (a few seconds out of the whole video) that may be somewhat inappropriate for kids. Overall, though, this one is highly recommended. |
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2000 Miles to Maine: Adventures on the Appalachian Trail
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By Douglas Morse |
| This one is another great show. Will's Dog is especially funny. This doesn't follow exactly the same people all the way to Maine, but different people in each state--although one or two of the hikers did manage to keep popping up. One in particular is interesting to watch as he changes throughout the course of the hike. At the end it does catch up on all of the individual stories. This is another great one that has some funny but questionable parts (again for kids) that mostly revolve around two hikers Morse describes as the "Cheech & Chong" of the AT. Overall, though, this is another one that we definitely recommend. |
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Appalachian Impressions: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
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By Flagler Films |
| Apparently this film frequents PBS stations in GA--with good reason. This is definitely one of the more formal videos we've seen. If you are looking for a video that will introduce people to the AT (and the idea of continuously hiking all of it)--this is the perfect primer and includes a lot more about the Trail itself (i.e. Shelters, Privies, Resupply, Weather, etc.)than the specific people hiking it. Very informative, very good. |
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How to Hike The Appalachian Trail
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By Lynne Whelden |
| We actually have the VHS version of this 5 hour marathon, but it is now on DVD. The film breaks the trip down to major categories such as Finances, Feet, Food, Security, etc. Written and directed by Lynne Whelden (a very experienced cameraman and thru-hiker) this is certainly worthwhile to watch. Personal favorite: watching "Stumpy" talk about his gear. This video introduces you to a wide variety of people (different backgrounds and different motivations) which can help make the 6 month trip less daunting. Good for the detail oriented. |
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Five Million Steps
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By Lynne Whelden |
| Another (in fact the first) video by Lynne about the AT. Some of the material (specifically gear) seems dated. But this is still without a doubt a very interesting film. Being one of the first documentaries on the AT, it is almost required viewing. Perhaps it is just a different set of mannerisms (from a different time), but the hikers portrayed seem much less concerned with their image than a lot of people today--which is refreshing. |
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North to Katahdin: On the Appalachian Trail
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By
Tim Hogeboom |
| The quality of this footage is better than in Five Million Steps because it was shot in 16mm. It has a lot more texture than more modern recordings but you can certainly appreciate that the quality of the older footage (in particular when compared with 5 Million Steps) is remarkable--incidentally Lynne Wheldon worked on this film too. Not a lot of information in this one, but nonetheless a classic. There are more complete films today, but don't you think the effort of carrying such heavy equipment for over 2000 miles deserves recognition? Especially when you consider our digital camera (which records video 640x480 at 30fps) weighs in at a whopping 4.6 oz.! We did. It is worth it. |
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