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summer of gravel and steel: a thru-hike of Alaska, 20 years after the first
Thru-hikers in America have some nice options for summer-long walks where they don't have to bushwhack or stress about navigating. The Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails allow that type of passage. Alaska also has a gravel pathway across the state that Ned Rozell and his dog have hiked twice, one time 20 years after the first. Here is his story about his most recent summer crossing of the largest state on the north-south running path of the trans-Alaska pipeline. As far as he knows, he is the only one to have covered that ground on foot.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 5, 2024
Kindle version
I was first introduced to Rozell's Summer of Gravel and Steel a few months ago and was immediately intrigued and interested. I had not read (or heard of) Walking My Dog, Jane, his first Trans-Alaska Pipeline adventure from 1997, and considered, for a moment, trying to track down a version of it so I could read them in order. But I was too impatient and bought a Kindle copy of Steel and jumped in.
The immediate reasons Rozell's two books popped for me: I moved to Alaska in 1987, at 18, with the intent of staying for 6-9 months, but I have now been here almost 40 years. In 2023, my husband retired from Alyeska Pipeline Service Company after 43 years. I have worked for nearly 20 years in the same university system as the author. It seems obvious, but of course, I always enjoy a book much more (and score them higher) when I can relate with the subject and surroundings and I expected to find a new best friend. I have always found the pipeline amazing and beautiful. I visited Pump 1 in Prudhoe Bay twice during the 15 years my husband worked there and spent ample time driving back and forth from the Matanuska-Susitna Valley to Valdez when he spent two years "stationed" there. It's a thrill for me every time I glimpse the awesome man-made pipeline glinting in the sun. On a blindingly bright blue crisp winter day and on a whim, I have been known to drive the 3 hours from my home to the closest point so that I can marvel at the magnificence of the pipeline stretching across the landscape. I know this is a bit much, but I want you to understand why I had high hopes that this might end up being one of my favorite reads of all time.
But that wasn't the case. Unfortunately, Rozell and I are two very different people; ultimately, those fundamental differences were too vast. I soaked up and couldn't get enough of every word written that was specifically about the pipeline, the landscape, details of those who lived and worked just off the pipeline gravel pad, and the history of it all. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I didn't feel I missed anything by not reading the first book. There was enough backtracking and remembering to get more than just the gist. But, for me, there were not enough of the details I wanted and craved. There was too much diving into the lives of the individuals who joined Rozell on his walk. I'd never heard of those people and was not interested; admittedly, some of the side stories were good, but there was way too much of it, and I felt they overtook and overshadowed the main story.
Overall, this is a short, easy read. I read about 60% of the book in one sitting on a Sunday afternoon...but then it started dragging for me, and I had to remind myself to pick it up and finish it a week later. It's a mixed bag for me. I didn't connect or relate with the author's philosophies and interests (I'm not a runner, skier, or extreme hiker), and I actually think our fundamental beliefs and feelings regarding the pipeline are at opposite ends of the spectrum. But, as always, I am in awe of the pipeline, the people who built it and those that keep it going and I appreciate the short glimpse into an adventure I will never experience.
I was first introduced to Rozell's Summer of Gravel and Steel a few months ago and was immediately intrigued and interested. I had not read (or heard of) Walking My Dog, Jane, his first Trans-Alaska Pipeline adventure from 1997, and considered, for a moment, trying to track down a version of it so I could read them in order. But I was too impatient and bought a Kindle copy of Steel and jumped in.
The immediate reasons Rozell's two books popped for me: I moved to Alaska in 1987, at 18, with the intent of staying for 6-9 months, but I have now been here almost 40 years. In 2023, my husband retired from Alyeska Pipeline Service Company after 43 years. I have worked for nearly 20 years in the same university system as the author. It seems obvious, but of course, I always enjoy a book much more (and score them higher) when I can relate with the subject and surroundings and I expected to find a new best friend. I have always found the pipeline amazing and beautiful. I visited Pump 1 in Prudhoe Bay twice during the 15 years my husband worked there and spent ample time driving back and forth from the Matanuska-Susitna Valley to Valdez when he spent two years "stationed" there. It's a thrill for me every time I glimpse the awesome man-made pipeline glinting in the sun. On a blindingly bright blue crisp winter day and on a whim, I have been known to drive the 3 hours from my home to the closest point so that I can marvel at the magnificence of the pipeline stretching across the landscape. I know this is a bit much, but I want you to understand why I had high hopes that this might end up being one of my favorite reads of all time.
But that wasn't the case. Unfortunately, Rozell and I are two very different people; ultimately, those fundamental differences were too vast. I soaked up and couldn't get enough of every word written that was specifically about the pipeline, the landscape, details of those who lived and worked just off the pipeline gravel pad, and the history of it all. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I didn't feel I missed anything by not reading the first book. There was enough backtracking and remembering to get more than just the gist. But, for me, there were not enough of the details I wanted and craved. There was too much diving into the lives of the individuals who joined Rozell on his walk. I'd never heard of those people and was not interested; admittedly, some of the side stories were good, but there was way too much of it, and I felt they overtook and overshadowed the main story.
Overall, this is a short, easy read. I read about 60% of the book in one sitting on a Sunday afternoon...but then it started dragging for me, and I had to remind myself to pick it up and finish it a week later. It's a mixed bag for me. I didn't connect or relate with the author's philosophies and interests (I'm not a runner, skier, or extreme hiker), and I actually think our fundamental beliefs and feelings regarding the pipeline are at opposite ends of the spectrum. But, as always, I am in awe of the pipeline, the people who built it and those that keep it going and I appreciate the short glimpse into an adventure I will never experience.
July 7, 2025
I was surprised and delighted to find this book something like driving into your own driveway after a long car trip.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews