I really enjoyed Jan Leitschuh's 2002 hiking memoir, The Ordinary Adventurer: Hiking Vermont's Long Trail: A Primer for Baby Adventurers and Other Musings on the Nature of the Journey. Ms. Leitschuh's book achieves her goal "to retain a sense of all the glee, freedom, and awe that hiking in wild places evokes." She does not sugar coat the hard work involved in hiking one of America's most strenuous trails and concludes that "adventures are not for those extraordinary "others," anyone can have them.
If you are considering hiking the Long Trail, I recommend reading this book. Though the huts and trail itself may be different now from 2002, the attitude toward hiking, the love of the outdoors, and the sense of accomplishment never change.
Having read Jan's trail journal of her Long Trail end-to-end, I was one, probably of many, who encouraged her to write this book. It is as humorous and engaging as the original journal was. I actually bought this book after completing the Long Trail as an end-to-end thru hike, too. The hike itself was a wonderful time for me, but for those who might never make the trek I can highly recommend it as a virtual experience that will be totally enjoyed. Beware that you may find yourself rationing the read into it's actual daily portions so that the trek won't end too soon.
Jan Leitchuh's book , the Ordinary Adventurer, takes you on a great adventure along Vermont's Long Trail. You do not have be an experienced hiker to walk this trail, as the author's vivid writing takes you there. Jan's humorous descriptions of colorful hikers she encounters, as well as exciting accounts of her many trail challenges, makes this a book to be enjoyed by all. For anyone who has ever felt a "oneness" with the natural world, this is a Must Read!
A realistic exploration of long distance hiking from a newbie hiker's perspective. Jan's ability to communicate how she felt and what she experienced on this hike provides any hiker whether new or old a powerful read. Her amusing antidotes and trail trials keep you coming back for more and I'd highly recommend this book to anyone as a great read.
Hands down, the best hiking book I have read. Leitschuh's witty, thoughtful writing captures the wonder of Vermont's beauty, struggles of a long, rugged hike, and the joy of meeting small goals every day. Highly recommended.