There Are Mountains to Climb

I have dozens of AT books in my library and none comes close to this marvelous read by "Indiana Jean" Deeds. So many other thru hiker books are whiny, complaining, negative and have a desperate tone to them. Jean was an upbeat, likeable, witty and eternally optimistic hiker and her writing skills are refreshing. The book reads as if she is sitting in your living room, talking about the journey in a conversational tone. Jean paints a fascinating portrait of the other hikers she encounters on the trail and a hilarious group they are. There's even a group of 3 men who carry an inflatable goat with them and call themselves "The Goatherders." Jean is also greatly fortunate to have such a dedicated network of friends who meet her on the trail, write her letters and drive from Indiana to the east coast just to keep a bridge date. She also has a 100-year-old penpal whom she has never met but writes her faithfully every month. Sadly, this lady passed away shortly after Jean completes her thru hike. In addition, she includes a fascinating Appendix which updates you on what her companions did after life on the trail. If you are an AT enthusiast, an armchair hiker, or even an avowed coach potato, it matters little because everyone will love this book. I've read it twice in short succession and can say without hesitation: this is the best book about hiking you will ever read!

Wonderful book for inspiring someone to challenge themselves by attempting an AT hike or any other life challenge. This woman planned it, hiked it and experienced it by herself. Don't bother with Adrienne Hall - this one is a much better read by a more open-minded hiker.

Having section-hiked portions of the AT, I am always looking to read other's accounts of their experiences on the Trail. Deeds' story was truly inspirational to me and one of the best accounts of life on the trail that I have read so far. I found myself coming to truly care for her and rooting her on in her quest to make it to Katahdin. And yet as she neared her goal and began to feel that impending sense of loss, I too felt a sense of loss that I would not be continuing on with her and would be sorry to have the story end. My dream is to one day Thru-Hike the AT from end to end. This will be one of the books I reread before that journey begins.

Jean Deeds has done a magnificent job in displaying her triumphs of thru-hiking the Appalacian Trail. However, this was not only her story, but also the story of those around her for the 2,000+ mile-long journey. She tells tales about the people she encounters, and they become an important part of the plot as she quests for some sense of identity. The book left me wanting to know more.It made me want to plan a similar adventure in the near future: perhaps not the AT, but one of many other wilderness excursions available in the world.

As a woman in midlife, I found Jean's story truly amazing and awe inspiring. I could never take on a task such as hers, although I am struck sometimes by the need to do something at this juncture in my life -- but I certainly enjoyed living this one vicariously and absorbing life's little lessons that are revealed. I am a true believer in synchronisity and love it when I read about documented occurances. My 22 year old daughter has found the book equally as enticing -- she is faced with going out into the real world after college this spring and this challenge may be one she wants on her resume. Hopefully she also picked up on the don't-stress-over-things attitude -- enjoy and absorb the world around you -- and the all-will-work-out mantra of which we need to to be reminded. I have enthusiastically given the book over to others and have been sorely disappointed to see that it seems to have disappeared from not only our local bookstores, but our local outdoor recreational store and is not carried in a nearby adventurer's travel bookstore (it's not that old-1996). It seems a shame that it has lost some visibility. But hopefully it is readily available here! A great read for all of us on this journey on earth!