"Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience."This book was written by a couple who took on the daunting (even for a yearly marathon runner who knows a challenge when she sees one) task of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). This trail takes you from Canada to Mexico and in the summer of 2000, Angela and Duffy took one hell of a long walk. Approximately 6.3million steps worth.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Angela had been working as a writer for an ad agency in Philadelphia when she met Duffy who was currently in medical school. On a trip to Duffy's parent's lake house in Oregon they came across a book by William R. Gray called The Pacific Crest Trail which sparked their interest in tackling the 2,655 mile trail which traverses 3 states and has your feet in three countries. And doing it in one summer hoping to become "thru-hikers".
They had been dating about a year when they decided to take on the project. Angela taking time off from her job and Duffy getting the hike in between classes during the summer. Along the trail they found bee attacks, dehydration, hypothermia
("But not today -my magical buttocks were useless against Washinton's wet fury" --Duffy)sunburn .... and well....an absolute love of the trail and of each other.
The book is formatted with Angela writing one chapter and Duffy the next. So Angela will say something to effect of, "I couldn't believe that Duffy was doing x y & z" followed by a Duffy chapter with, "Maybe I should have read Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus before we left on this trip"
I absolutely loved this book as although I don't think I want to do a hike as this energetic and brave couple did, I did see parallels between my husband and I as we train for marathons or get ready to graduate from graduate school. I love camping and so there was the added interest of that for me although if you don't like hiking or camping that wouldn't be a distraction. Both Angela and Duffy are talented writers and have put together a wonderful adventuring book.
Life is short.....sometimes we should slow down, take a look around and see what this country has to offer.
4 comments:
I don't think anyone wants to get blisters from love. They don't always go away, even after a course of anti-biotics.
love the blog and am inspired to blog my own reading addiction...i just don't want to develop a blog addiction too...can it be helped? I have added you to bloglines cuz!
Lisa
Leah-
If I slow down any more I"ll be going backwards....but that's life on a sailboat! Nice review
DAd
Leah,
Love this blog. And your speed of reading is quite impressive. I really liked White Oleander - finished it in a week which is unheard of for me. I'll be on the lookout for many of the books you'll have on your reading list. The last one (Falling Leaves) sounds good and this one is intriguing as well. Can't wait to hear about The Company of Strangers. You're going at a great pace. You'll easily make the 52.My $$ on you!
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