The Unlikely Thru-Hiker: An Appalachian Trail Journey

by Derick Lugo

Derick Lugo had never been hiking. He didn't even know if he liked being outside all that much. He certainly couldn't imagine going more than a day without manicuring his goatee. But with a job overseas cut short and no immediate plans, this fixture of the greater New York comedy circuit began to think about what he might do with months of free time and no commitments. He had heard of the Appalachian Trail and knew of its potential for danger and adventure, but he had never seriously considered attempting to hike all 2,190 miles of it. Until that summer left him with a wide-open schedule and a burning curiosity to know: Could he do it? The Unlikely Thru-Hiker is the story of how a young black man from the city, unfamiliar with both the outdoors and thru-hiking culture, sets off with an extremely overweight pack and a willfully can-do attitude to conquer the infamous trail. What follows are lessons on preparation, humility, and nature's wild unpredictability. But this isn't a hard-nosed memoir of discouragement. What sets Lugo apart from the typical walk in the woods is his refusal to let any challenge squash his inner Pollyanna. Through it all, Lugo perseveres with humor, tenacity, and an unshakeable commitment to grooming--earning him the trail name "Mr. Fabulous"--that sees him from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Katahdin in Maine.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel, Nature, Adventure, Outdoors, Biography

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 2019

About the author

Derick Lugo is an accomplished storyteller, best known as the author of the captivating book The Unlikely Thru-Hiker. In this widely acclaimed memoir, he humorously recounts his remarkable six-month journey along the Appalachian Trail. With a knack for engaging narratives, Derick has contributed to various outdoor magazines and penned captivating short stories for several publications.

His second book, A Fabulous Thru-Hike—chronicling his thrilling five-month thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail—is now available for pre-order. He’s also working on a delightful children’s picture book.

Beyond his writing prowess, Derick Lugo is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, an intrepid adventurer, and the charismatic host of the popular Unlikely Stories Podcast.

Reviews

[Gretchen Stokes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pretty excited to read this book, but disappointment slowly crept in, and grew. I couldn't quite put my finger one what I didn't like, but starting another book concerning a trail voyage shed some light on the issue: Derick does not go into his background, his emotional or practical life, and it greatly takes away from the depth of the book. As such, the book ends up reading more like a diary of tra-mily and other trail characters.

Also, I got the idea that the title and general gist of this book was celebrating the fact that the author was a black AT thru-hiker, which is uncommon at best. The author's only reference to this was one incident where he was asked quite directly about it, and he blows off the question, seeming rather offended that the question was even asked. This seems disingenuous when that is a main subject of the book. The author makes much more of his identity as a well-groomed metro-sexual, repeatedly highlighting events like not taking showers.

Overall, it was much more superficial than I hoped, although I was happy to read it; I just had higher hopes.

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read many books on thru-hiking the AT, I didn’t think I wanted to read anymore but this one was a little different in a good way. I loved that Derek was not a hiker or even outdoor enthusiast before his trek. I listened on audio and enjoyed the dry humor and voice of the author.

[Elizabeth Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many great take aways from this book! I underlined about 8 different sentences that were great metaphors and reminders for life.
You can definitely hear the author's voice throughout the book which makes it easy to read and full of heart.
I got the book to mentally prepare for a short hike in the Smoky Mountains I am planning. Still feeling motivated to go forward with it!
I admit I did tear up a bit at the end. The book is a great motivator to go for those dreams or ideas that seem crazy. It is a bit of trail magic out here in the real world!

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love hiking memoirs, but this one left me unsatisfied. I know not everyone who attempts a thru-hike has a personal demon, dream, or neat character-arc a la "Wild," but the lack of something to tie this all together was very apparent for me. Further, I wanted far more about what made Derick Lugo an "unlikely thru-hiker." Other than a very short chapter, there isn't much said about why he chose to do this as an urbanite who had never hiked before and, more especially, what his experience was as an African-American, especially later on in the book when he was notably the ONLY African-American man on the trail. I was really interested in this aspect of his hike, especially having read books and essays like "Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors" (Finney) about the history and sociology links between race and nature here in the United States, and as soon as Lugo mentioned that he didn't pay much attention to such subjects, I knew I'd be disappointed. While Lugo is not at all responsible or required to make these subjects a part of his memoir, as a POC myself, I was hoping to hear more about his take while doing something that mostly white people do, and perhaps whether his friends or family judged him for it, what fears or worries he may have had, what he wants to share with others who might have been told that hiking is "something white people do" etc. Perhaps my hopes were high as well because I attended a virtual author talk with Lugo, who was absolutely charming and lovely, and that he referenced Bill Bryson's "Walk in the Woods" as an inspiration for his book. I loved Bryson's book and how he added to his experience historical, environmental, and cultural information about the AT. Perhaps I was expecting something like that from Derick Lugo, which may or may not have been fair. If you like reading straight forward hiking blogs about the trails, shelters, and hikers etc., then you'll enjoy this book. If you are looking for something with a little more meat (an inappropriate metaphor considering Lugo is a vegetarian - sorry Derick!), it might be not be as satisfying.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps if this book had been written closer to the actual event, the writing would be better. As a reader, you find yourself NOTICING the stilted dialogue and recreated scenes. Sometimes the author tries a little too hard to land a joke and it doesn't exactly hit, since the author doesn't spend much time developing his own voice.

I was not surprised at an offhand reference to updating his blog at a rest stop later in the book. I would describe this book as more of a collection of blog posts than a fully fleshed out trail memoir.

The core of a good story is present. However, the finished work deeply needs a better editor to bring out the full potential of this story.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books you just can't put down. The book is so well written that you lose yourself, hours go by and you haven't moved. I feel like I was along on the journey.

[Doug Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breezy account of a noob to hiking and camping having a successful journey on the AT. Mostly covered the social interaction and less the technology but I got a better sense of the experience from him than from many other hiker authors I’ve read.
He said that it took a long time to write the book with much input from his trail mates and it shows. He has an easy style that pulled me along in a linear fashion at a time I needed a quest story to alleviate these quarantine blues. It’s not tremendously deep or insightful but does have some trail magic moments and some deep thinking when he was going it alone and at the end.
There is a caveat at the beginning by his editor that his tramp should not be duplicated by other noobs as it may be dangerous. He was lucky to have settled into trail shape quickly and avoid Lyme disease, bears and falls that befell others. Would have liked a little more about the challenges especially those at the southern portion like the dreaded tree tunnels. But overall was good and I read it in a few days.

[Laurence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t always leave reviews but when I do it’s either because the book was really bad or really good.

This book made me laugh out loud, cry, think, and more. Great reflection on life.

I could relate to some of these moments as a hiker myself, but it was also amazing to read more about the AT. So well described you could almost feel like you were there.

Would definitely recommend this one. I don’t give a lot of 5 star ratings. But this one deserves it!

[Jennifer Dillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started Dericks book while relaxing by the fire at camp. What a perfect place to read such a Fabulous book. I started and finished his book in one day. I wanted to hear what happened. I wish there was more!

I felt like I was a part of the journey and could imagine the people he met along the way. I have lived near the AT for a few years now and have never ventured to it. I for sure will now! Such an amazing story that brings you along the way. There were parts that really deep, parts that would make me tear up just imagining what he was feeling and then a lot of laughs along the way!

I highly recommend reading his story. This is my first hiking story but what a great one it was!

Thanks for sharing your journey with us! Maybe one day...I could absolutely see this turning into a dream of mine!

[Melissa Wood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads as a collection of blog posts.

[Dan Chant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brought back many of the same stories I had when I hiked it.

[Cindy C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful and unique book among the large collection of personal accounts of "thru-hiking" (completing) the 2200-mile Appalachian Trail. The author is 'unique' in that he decided to do the Trail (having never hiked or backpacked), got himself equipped properly at a good outdoors store, and within a couple weeks was on the Trail--despite disparaging remarks from friends & family he proposed the venture to! During his trek, Derick was continually lauded by strangers for being unique (he is an African-American/ Puerto Rican New Yorker with dreadlocks) which he found a little off-putting but decided to embrace. This is warm, ebullient story of adventure and misadventure but especially about the community of friends that forms around thru-hiking the AT or any long distance trail. Derick tells his story in a collection of anecdotes (chronologically as he completes his 6-month journey northward) that capture the risk, the characters, the self-discovery, the angst & the all important power of the "white blazes" that keep hikers on track and define this thin track thru 14 states which is a life-changing journey for most. I especially loved Derick's love of people and experience and his creative invention of new "cuss" words to keep the book "clean." Refreshing! Must-read for any neophyte considering a thru-hike along with those curious about the daily Trail experience or just wanting a good entertaining read. I think it's much better than "A Walk in the Woods" for a true description of the Trail experience in a fresh lively voice. Hope Derick does the "Triple Crown" so we can read a couple more great Trail adventures!

[joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this gem from start to finish, devoured it in two sittings and was sad to see it end. As a fellow hiker (Via Francigena in Italy), I really appreciate Lugo's determination, humor and positive attitude. He manages to carry the reader from Georgia to Maine and introduce them to all his colorful hiking buddies along the way. Am I the only nerd who kept a list of all the trail names? If you've ever considered a challenge like the AT, this is a must-read. Bravo - can't wait for more!

Some of my favorite excerpts:

"Rain is part of this adventure. I can't change that, but I can prepare for it. I don a rain jacket that has a hood large enough to cover my long hair. I also have a rain cover for my backpack and gaiters to prevent my socks from getting wet. But the most essential tool that I have is acceptance. Rain will be part of my thru-hike, no matter what. I will have to trek through areas that may have significant snowfall early in spring and endure thunderstorms that can hit with little warning. This journey will go better if I don't dread and curse the things I cannot control."

"You are left to your thoughts without anything like television, videos, or computers to lull you into a brain-dead state. You visit shadows and pass doors to your history that you have tightly shut. If you are lucky, you get glimpses of your authentic self without judgment but with acceptance instead."

Oh, and the chapter on Magic. Sweet, sweet Magic.

[Kerry Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book today and guys I legit cried at the end. Here’s the thing- if you’ve ever felt like you were made for something more, something scary, like a dream or a hope or a wish or just something crazy- I promise you need to read this book. ⁣
⁣
I am not a nature girl. And honestly I bought this book to support my friend @dericklugo but reading it really woke something in me. It stoked the fires of this dreamer. To read of his accomplishment- hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, all 2,200 miles of it, was thrilling. Bears, rain, snow, falling. All of it. Guys I felt like I was there and I finished the book thinking “what’s my Appalachian trail?” What’s the thing that is going to change me? What’s the scary thing that everyone else tells me is crazy that I’m actually going to attempt and finish? What mountain am I going to summit in my life? ⁣
⁣
For real, go buy this book. But only if you want to be inspired.

[Sue Tretter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derick Lugo aka Mr Fabulous was an unlikely hiker, one of very few men of color to be found along the Trail. There is no chance that I would ever contemplate such an ordeal, let alone begin such a journey ... but reading the book was a true delight. Lugo informs us that there is a strip of land in this nation, two thousand miles long, where neither distrust nor polarization rule every human-human interaction. It's a place where strangers accept and help each other, where those who live nearby open their hearts and homes to smelly, scruffy-looking peers as if they were long lost friends.

If only we could expand the width of the trail to three-thousand miles, and lengthen it a bit while retaining the spirit Lugo found and perpetuated, the US would be magically transformed into a near-heaven. Imo.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a pleasure to read. I enjoyed the author's outlook and bravery as he undertook this extraordinary challenge. While I found myself wishing he would provide a bit more of his own backstory, and I found myself waiting for inevitable passages about racial trouble on the AT, it was surprisingly refreshing that those things are not there. And as a black woman, I found it wonderful to read a writer of color who had this positive experience and wrote what he wanted to write, and not what readers may have expected him to. Bravo.

[Chelsea Selby · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read able to be enjoyed by both Appalachian Trail lovers and outdoor newbies alike. Derick truly has a unique perspective/experience and writes with a relatable humor. While enjoyable, I did find this book to be more superficial than expected. There is no explanation of why the author decided to hike the AT, a head scratcher when you learn that he's never camped or hiked a day in his life. Other details of how he planned and chose equipment were missing and just piqued a curiosity that was never satisfied. Overall a solid read. Will definitely be recommending.

[Mary Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book on many levels. First of all, I am a frightened flyer and we had to fly up to New York for our niece’s wedding. I had put this book in my purse and was so caught up in it, I forgot to be nervous! I have done some of the trail so I could relate, but even if I hadn’t I would have been able to see it through Mr. Fabulous’ eyes. This was funny and moving, spiritual and profane, and a truly lovely read.

[Sonja France · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chuckled throughout this book. So many funny moments but so many life lessons as well. The AT, like life, is all about the people you come to know along the way. Highly recommend the book but more importantly, go spend some time on the Appalachian trail. You will not regret it.

[Alma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reinforced my need to get out on a thru hike! Very enjoyable and funny

[Ashley Holcomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read! I loved Derick's / Mr. Fabulous's positivity and funny observations about the AT and his fellow hikers. I'd love to read more from him in the future!

[Hope Figuero · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this book I want to hike the trail again!

[Elizabeth Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ This read like a novel so it was very different from the typical trail memoir which I really enjoyed.

[Ilona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pirms vairākiem gadiem uzzināju par "Appalachian Trail" - 3540 km pārgājienu taku ASV Austrumkrastā un cilvēkiem, kas atvēl no 1.5 līdz 8 mēnešiem savas dzīves, lai vienā piegājienā to noietu (tā sauktie "thru-hikers"). Biju skatījusies daudz video no šiem pārgājieniem, bet mani ir fascinējis, kas pamudina cilvēkus izvēlēties to darīt, kas viņus motivē un kas īsti notiek, kad viņi ir ceļā.
Šis ir viens no šādiem stāstiem - autors ir komiķis no Ņujorkas, kas nebija gājis pārgājienos vai gulējis teltī, līdz brīdim, kad izdomāja, ka šis ir tas, ko viņš grib paveikt. Stāsts par grūtībām, ko viņš pārvarēja un cilvēkiem, ko viņš satika ceļā.

[Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Jenn Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Schu · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Most people live in this world asleep. We go through our routines, have our habits, are seduced by the illusions of advertising and consumerism, which create a life lacking in authenticity and integrity and sometimes real love.”



When I lived out east, I loved to take hiking excursions on the Appalachian Trail; Springer Mountain is one of my favorite spots (the beginning of the AT). I often felt, especially in the southern segments of the trail, that I was hiking alongside Mr. Fabulous (his trail name). When one of my book clubs designated May as a book about hiking month, I knew I had to read a book (that I hadn't already read) about the AT. And that's when I stumbled across this beautiful book. Derick Lugo writes about his experiences on the AT, from what he learned about using hiking poles and bear-proof food cords to the lovely people he met, including thru-hikers, day hikers, and trail angels, as well as the nature surrounding the trail.
I look forward to reading more about Derick Lugo's adventures on hiking trails (he's currently hiking the Continental Divide Trail on 5/22).

[David Nadas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great read where I found myself stepping out of the cab with Derick in Georgia, following him to the start of the trail and trying to convince him to turn around while it was not too late and head back to the comfort of his NY City apartment life. But what I discovered was my own cadence and I wanted a thru-hiker name of my own. I could smell the scent of pine bows and cabin smoke along the blue ridge mountains, I could hear the flap of bird wings guiding me and the snap of twigs beneath my boots and began to worry what stirred just beyond the tree line as I raced to my mark before the sun slid below the ridge and plunged me into darkness. Fortunately, I had Derick as my guide.

But what opened my eyes to this adventure are those who hike thru and those who live along the trail, where there are no stereotypes or prejudice, no dystopian future or ill will to see their fellow man fall. Kindness and willingness to help others is not dead, it just takes a different trail along the blaze of humanity.

You will not only fall in love with Derick, he will become the compass needle for your own life.

[Anny Rosenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books for this pandemic summer! The perfect antidote to being stuck at home, able to do only some short, close-by hikes, unable to meet new people, etc. is Derrick's story of his Appalachian Trail through-hike a few years ago. I met lots of new people along with him, what he calls the "Moving Village," and experienced many adventures vicariously. Derrick is an "unlikely" thru-hiker because he is the only Back hiker on the trail that year, something that never interferes with his positive attitude, although he makes it clear he would love to encourage more Blacks to join the thru-hiker ranks in the future. And honestly, in contrast to Bill Bryson in "A Walk in the Woods," (which I also loved), Derrick makes the hike seem possible. Not easy, mind you, but totally possible.

[Laura Hoffman Brauman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love stories about people who look at huge, crazy goals and say "Yeah, I'd like to try that.". Derick Lugo headed out to hike the AT never having spent a night in a tent or done any distance hiking. If you've ever done either of those things, embarking on a 2192 mile hike without that experience seems a little questionable. I loved hearing about his experiences on the trail and the people he met along the way. I appreciated his experiences as one of the few people of color hiking the AT that season - it was a perspective that I valued learning about. I think, though, what I loved the most was hearing about the trail angels and all the ways big and small people showed kindness to each other. It's been a rough year (several years really) and hearing about generosity and love and friendship is a balm.

[Mark Gannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, an interesting read. One of those books where I wanted to get back to. The author states that he worked for years on the New York Comedy scene, and it showed, as there was a lot of humour in the book. However, there was a few (minor) things that lost it half stars. Firstly- I got the impression that this wasn't written as a book, but more of a collection of blog entries cobbled together as a book. This was confirmed near the end of the book. Another thing was the way other hikers are introduced. I like "meeting" other new hikers at the same time as the author, but there several instances where Derick (or Mr. Fabulous as he was know on trail) would go "I met X hiker again after several weeks." This ruined the flow of the book for me as I was going back over what I had previously read wondering what I had missed. Worth a read.

[Jillian MacDougall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to follow and the voice of the author, though very different from myself, was relatable at every turn. I grew up camping and hiking, but felt fully immersed in the experience of an unlikely thru-hiker like Derick. I've tried reading similar books, written in this "journal style" and I didn't enjoy them as much. I think part of the reason for that is simply personality. I really jive with this author, but others rubbed me the wrong way. For example, I read a similar book written from the perspective of a park ranger who made some pretty critical observations about less experienced hikers that led me to put the book down and donate it before I finished it. I'd recommend this book to avid hikers and unlikely hikers alike.