AWOL on the Appalachian Trail

by David Miller

This was the second book on trails I read this year. I do have these in in my bucket list, so please do not read too much into it. Of course, I enjoy the wilderness, camping, the sea and some shorter hikes of in Washington State. The best days of my childhood were shaped by the outings, camping and boating trips with my parents and siblings.

I enjoyed this book more than that I thought I would. Over 2000 mile walk through fourteen states from Georgia to Maine, up and down the ragged Appalachian range.

Unlike my other reading this year, the author was all about the challenging journey with great descriptions of his long trip, dealing with the changing weather from sweltering heat to peltering rain, camping or spending nights in hostels and dealing with health challenges.

As he progressed in his journey, you get the sense of a strengthening heart, one of a person enjoying the massive challenge, at ease with the elements, less concerned about the challenges and more about nature and the journey. It was until the Epilogue and the Q&A section that you get a real sense of how much he grew as a human being.