A.T. Jumping off Point for a LONG Hike

Russell Helms has an article titled "Hiker plans to walk around the world in seven years" in the 10 February 2008 issue of the Birmingham (AL) News. The piece records the imminent departure of Daren Wendell on a planned hike around the world.

"Wendell begins his journey in March, hiking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, then hopping the Atlantic to pick up his trek in Europe. He will traverse southern Europe and hike his way through China, making the Great Wall part of the adventure. Into Siberia, bounding over the Bering Sea, wandering through Alaska, Wendell will finish out the final 2,075 miles walking west to east, eventually landing back at the start of the Appalachian Trail in northern Georgia."

Wendell grew up near Canton, Ohio (I recently read the Steven Newman book Worldwalk about his 4 year round-the-world hike some 20 years ago; and Newman was from Ohio. Coincidence? I think not. Newman walked across northern Africa and eventually made his way across Australia, skipping China and Siberia.)

There's a web site.