Book Recommendations for my Big Hike

[Bonny]

Leaving on Sept 1. I'm probably going to be so pooped that I'll only read about 1 hour per night.

I've both read and seen "Wild" so that's out.

It needs to be in paperback.

Would like something appropriate for the trail but could do without bear attacks or people cutting off their arms and such.

BTW for those of you who are interested Moon has graciously agreed to work with me to update my trail progress on the hike. I'll start a thread and I have a satellite communicator with a tracking device. I will send her daily e-mails from the tracker and she'll edit and save to the thread. My one condition was that I remained anonymous so she's editing out the personal stuff but ya'll can see where I am.

[Deleted]

So glad we get updates!

Will think on books.

[giramomma]

I generally don't read books <sigh>, but a quick google search turned this up

www.bustle.com/articles/86027-11-books-to-read-while-hiking-that-are-totally-worth-their-weight-in-your-backpack

www.booksforhikers.com/

[billisonboard]

Consider taking an "old friend" with you, one that you want to reconnect with.  Not sure what your hiking style will be.  Mine was up in the morning, strike camp while eating a bar, hike to a mid day water stop, eat a large lunch and relax/read/sleep for a couple of hours, hike until near dark, eat a bar while tying up the hammock, crawl in and read while falling asleep.  Retention rate from reading was very low so it was great for it not to be new nor significant.

[Happy prose]

How cool. I'm excited for the updates. Where are you hiking? (Sorry if I missed this)

[Cookies Galore]

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.

[Bonny]

Aug 23, 2016 18:16:12 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Consider taking an "old friend" with you, one that you want to reconnect with.  Not sure what your hiking style will be.  Mine was up in the morning, strike camp while eating a bar, hike to a mid day water stop, eat a large lunch and relax/read/sleep for a couple of hours, hike until near dark, eat a bar while tying up the hammock, crawl in and read while falling asleep.  Retention rate from reading was very low so it was great for it not to be new nor significant.

Yeah, I definitely don't want anything too intellectually challenging because I'm going to be tired.

My style is different than yours in that i'll probably hit the trail around 8:30 (we'll see if I can eat breakfast), a quicker break for lunch (bar or tuna pack), hike 'til around 3:30-4pm. I plan on averaging about 10mi/day after the first few days (also have some zero days planned), want to set up camp before dark, have my camp cocktail while pumping water/cooking dinner, eat one of those packaged dinners, clean up and read until I fall asleep.

[Bonny]

Aug 23, 2016 17:55:41 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I generally don't read books <sigh>, but a quick google search turned this up

www.bustle.com/articles/86027-11-books-to-read-while-hiking-that-are-totally-worth-their-weight-in-your-backpack

www.booksforhikers.com/

There are some good suggestions here. Thx!

[Bonny]

Aug 23, 2016 19:00:27 GMT -5 Happy prose said:

How cool. I'm excited for the updates. Where are you hiking? (Sorry if I missed this)

John Muir Trail starting from Yosemite's Happy Isles.

[Bonny]

Aug 23, 2016 19:00:36 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.

That looks like a good book to read AFTER I do this hike.

I think I will feel like an underachiever if I read it on the trail.

[Cookies Galore]

Aug 23, 2016 19:18:36 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Aug 23, 2016 19:00:36 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.

That looks like a good book to read AFTER I do this hike.

I think I will feel like an underachiever if I read it on the trail.

Considering I read it during my daily train commute and I am unable to run currently, and you're about to embark on a hiking trip, I think I'm the underachiever here!

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Are you looking at reading a paper book?  A Kindle is lighter to carry than a book, can hold a 2 week charge and you can read it in less than good light.

[Ryan]

"A walk in the woods" by Bill Bryson is a great book. I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet.

Born to run is also an interesting book, although not totally about hiking.

[Bonny]

Aug 23, 2016 20:21:19 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Are you looking at reading a paper book?  A Kindle is lighter to carry than a book, can hold a 2 week charge and you can read it in less than good light.

Not in it's case. I've got a paperwhite which I could use in my high-tech improvised case (aka gallon sized baggie). Am a little concerned that I could break it. But it is a consideration.

[Bonny]

Aug 23, 2016 20:26:43 GMT -5 Ryan said:

"A walk in the woods" by Bill Bryson is a great book. I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet.

Born to run is also an interesting book, although not totally about hiking.

Already read it. That's a perfect read because he wasn't that prepared but managed to have a really good time. I love the way he makes fun of himself.

Unfortunately I don't like much of the other stuff he's written other than Notes from a Small Island.

[Ryan]

Aug 23, 2016 21:08:51 GMT -5 Bonny said:

Aug 23, 2016 20:26:43 GMT -5 Ryan said:

"A walk in the woods" by Bill Bryson is a great book. I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet.

Born to run is also an interesting book, although not totally about hiking.

Already read it. That's a perfect read because he wasn't that prepared but managed to have a really good time. I love the way he makes fun of himself.

Unfortunately I don't like much of the other stuff he's written other than Notes from a Small Island.

I think he peaked with that book and the 2nd half of the book was nowhere near as good as the first half.

[Tennesseer]

May add a few ounces to your backpack but how about this? You can check off the birds you encounter on your journey.

[Bonny]

Aug 23, 2016 21:48:32 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

May add a few ounces to your backpack but how about this? You can check off the birds you encounter on your journey.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I have Sibley's Guide to Birds. It's a great book which I actually use. But that sucker (in paperback) is huge and heavy plus I'm not carrying any binoculars due to weight constraints.

I will also likely carry Elizabeth Wenk's "John Muir Trail" which goes into a lot of detail of both the flora and fauna likely to be found on the trail. Hopefully I can take pics of anything unusual that I can't figure out from her description.

[olderburgher]

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo leopold

[Deleted]

Are you stopping in Etna or Seiad by chance?  

[Bonny]

Aug 25, 2016 12:10:58 GMT -5 @workingshasta said:

Are you stopping in Etna or Seiad by chance?  

The hike is from Yosemite south to Mt. Whitney (Lone Pine).

[Bonny]

I just ordered two paperbacks;

"Essential Muir" which arrives Saturday. Gotta love Amazon Prime!

And "Thousand Mile Summer" by Colin Fletcher. He's often referred to as the father of modern backpacking. It won't arrive until after I've left because it's from a private seller but DH can bring it to me when he does the resupply at Vermillion Valley Resort.

I find it interesting that I'm going to be reading books from a Scot and a Welsh guy about my own state!

[wvugurl26]

Amazon prime is the best. Some of my stuff shows up the same day if I order in the morning.