Park Service on Smoky Issues

The Maryville Daily Times from Maryville, TN carries "Park spokesman responds to hikers' questions, concerns about backcountry management" based on Buzz Trexler's conversations with Bob Miller, management assistant and spokesman for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The questions posed are:

1. Why can through-hikers camp outside when the shelters are full, but not section-hikers? Does it really matter who is being put out to tent?
2. Why are horses allowed, but not someone’s Brittany spaniel? If it’s because horses are a means of transport, then how can you stop off-road vehicles?
3. If you can not enforce what shelter policies you currently employ, how will you be able to enforce the pending pay-for-use shelter policy? It seems there are too few rangers.
4. Some even suggested that perhaps the Park is actually trying to deter backcountry and through-hikers. How do you respond?

See related articles in the paper about a weeklong hike that Trexler and two buddies took toward the end of April aimed at finding out what Bill Bryson and Katz missed when they skipped some of the Smokies.

Buzz Trexler's Hike in the Smokies

Buzz Trexler, the managing editor at The Maryville (TN) Daily Times puts together a hike on the AT in the Smokies with a couple friends. The results inclue a series of articles in the paper, beginning with: "There was something cosmic about deciding to take ‘A Walk in the Smokies’." That article introduces Bill Bryson's book to the paper's readers and then lays out his idea.

The plan: Put in at Clingmans Dome and take out at Max Patch, just outside of the Park boundaries – the very place where I first set foot on the Appalachian Trail in the late 1980s when my Sunday School class was staying at Sterchi Lodge.

He hopes to be able to update readers from his iPad. This story was Originally published: 2012-04-19 14:14:32 and Last modified: 2012-04-25 16:19:34

Bryson's Book Reviewed

It's been a while, but here's a new review of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, done by Chris Mackowski in the website or blog "Scholars and Rogues" on 16 January 2012. Under the title "Bill Bryson's Pleasant 'walk'," Mackowski begins his favorable review with these words:

I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s read Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods and had a burning urge to go hike the Appalachian Trail. Of course, that might also have something to do with the fact that my girlfriend is heading there today to hike part of it. But whatever.

He recounts some of his encounters with pieces of the Trail including "my favorite stretch of the AT heads into the woods at the northern border of Gapland State Park" [make that Gathland].

So once again Bryson gets people out into the woods, or at least just more aware of them.

Bryson's Books Reviewed and Inspiring

Two recent notices of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods have come to my attention.

First is a short review of it online at English language site of the New Straits Times from Malaysia [Malaysia!] on 17 October 2008. There Su Aziz writes under the headlines "Read: Come along for the ride!" that "It’s a humorous book that is also interspersed with informative details of the trail's history and ecology."

Second is from a web site called World Hum; Travel Dispatches from a Shrinking Planet" and their travel blog dated 17 October 2008 with the title "What We Loved This Week: Idlewild Books, the Appalachian Trail and Flowers on the Turnpike." There, contributor Joanna Kakissis writes: "I lived in North Carolina for six years and never managed to step foot on the Appalachian Trail, despite hiking vicariously through the likes of Bill Bryson, Scott Huler and Eustace Conway (via Elizabeth Gilbert)." After finally getting on the Trail while at a conference in Roanoke, VA, she got inspired. Kakissis adds, "I started planning big. Anyone want to take off three months and hike the entire Maine-to-Georgia trail with me? It’s only, uh, like 2,175 miles." [Do I need to comment that that's planning for a very fast hike.]

Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" Suggested

Beth Sceery, a librarian at the Emma Andrews Branch Library, Newburyport, VT recommends Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods in her 22 February 2008 column in the Newburyport Current titled "Speaking Volumes/Beating the February blahs". She suggests it as a way of keeping an upbeat attitude in the midst of February's cold, dull weather. Specifically, she says:

"If you have ever had any interest in outdoor adventure, this book will be sure to satisfy. In the troughs of a mid-life crisis, Bryson joined up with an old college buddy and hit the trail — the Appalachian Trail — pen in hand. He relays his experiences in hilarious, gut-busting detail. A few chapters in, you’ll snap right out of your February funk, I guarantee it."

Sceery has some other good suggestions for md-winter reading, too.

Bryson Being Read in Cohasset, Ma.

The Cohasset Mariner and Patriot Ledger of 7 February 2008 announces by way of its "Library Corner / Cohasset Reads" column that Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods is one of the two books chosen for this year's community read-together by The Paul Pratt Memorial Library. The other is something called Walden by some guy named Thoreau.

There is a discussion group on the Bryson book on 27 February at 10 in the morning. And the next day there is an "Appalachian Trail Slide Show – Learn about what it takes to maintain and manage the Appalachian Trail from Mass. Appalachian Trail Management Committee member Steve Smith. Mr. Smith will present a slide show of the trail at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 28. This is a free Cohasset Reads Together event and all are welcome. Seating is limited."

Heading Toward Last Hiker on the Trail?

Heather Mallick has a column in the 6 February 2008 Guardian Unlimited out of England titled "Reluctant Campers". A Canadian journalist, Mallick tells us that Americans (of the United States variety) don't go camping as much as they used to.

"Here are the statistics: Americans make 25% fewer trips to national parks than they did in the 1980s. Hiking the storied Appalachian Trail peaked in 2000 and has slid 18% since then. (Perhaps they read Bill Bryson's 1997 book on the subject, A Walk in the Woods, and discovered it was just as scary and arduous as he said.)"

Well, hmmm the headcount may well be down, but the word on the trail has been that Bryson's book increased the number of hikers, hasn't it?

Redford Film, Again

The BBC has published its notice of the proposed Robert Redford filming of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. It appears on the 29 January 2008 UK version on its website under the headline "Redford 'considering Bryson film'"

Redford Does Bryson

The media-serving blogs are carrying the "news" that Robert Rrdfors is heading to the woods to make a film version of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. Some of the more traditional media (i.e., newspapers) are also carrying storied about the project.

There's a 29 January 2008 Reuters news story by Borys Kit titled "Redford, Levinson hit 'Walk' trail." This story says that the Appalachian Trail film may not actually be Redford's next movie, but that Barry Levinson

"is in discussions to direct the long-gestating project, which at one time was being eyed as a Redford-Paul Newman reunion. Levinson's involvement would be a leap forward for the project. Redford plans to star and produce."

So, I guess that means Newman is out and we won't be reading about 'Butch and Sundance on the Trail.'

Jane Ivory has a similar story on a website called efluxmedia.com titled "Robert Redford Heads for the Woods". She refers to a phone interview Redford did with Associated Press.

A site called Monsters and Critics (or M&C) has a very brief blurb it titles "Redford to film A Walk in the Woods" on 29 January 2008.

And an even shorter note appears in the Orlando Sentinel on 29 January 2008 titled "Channing Tatum signs up with GI Joe, Julianne seeks Shelter, A Walk in the Woods for Redford, Levinson" It includes the thought "Better do it quick before developers take the last of the woods."

Look Out for Redford!

Robert Redford seems to be carrying through with the reported film version of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. That is, if you put any stock in these media reports:

The CBC from Alberta, Canada has an Associated Press story on 26 January 2008 which it headlines "Robert Redford heads from Sundance to the Appalachian Trail." "Redford will star as Bryson and produce the film. Barry Levinson is expected to direct."

A website called "The Canadian Press" has what looks like an abbreviated versino of the same story under the title "Robert Redford headed for 'A Walk in the Woods' in next film role" on the same 26 January 2008 date.

And Idaho Falls, Idaho's television station KIFI news channel 8 has an even briefer version of the story under the headline "Redford headed for 'A Walk in the Woods'" also on 26 January 2008.

Redford thinks it'll be "fun."

Michael "Bobcat" Innes Spoke in Pittsfield

Benning W. De La Mater writes under the headline "Talking the walk" in the Berkshire (MA) Eagle about the talk given by Appalachian Trial thru-hiker Michael Innes. The article appeared on 13 January 2008.

Innes helped kick off the Pittsfield, MA community reading of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. His wife Lori hiked the last 800 miles with him and also spoke. The article recounts some of the highlights of "Bobcat's" hike. It took him just over 4 months to thru-hike, summiting on 27 July 2007.

Pittsfield, Mass. Appalachian Trail Events

Pittsfield, MA is reading Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, and a number of connected events are listed in the 9 January 2008 Berkshire Eagle Online under the headline "Pittsfield READS! events".

The two events directly related to the Trail are:

on Saturday, 12 January "A citywide book celebration and kick-off party will be held from 11 a.m. to noon at the Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Ave. This event will feature refreshments and a lively illustrated talk by Mike Innis, who recently walked the entire length of the Appalachian Trail."

And:

on "March 14, 7:30 p.m.: 'The Appalachian Trail in Massachusetts,' a talk with Cosmo Catalano, chairman of the Massachusetts Appalachian Trail Management Committee".

An article of more substance than those notices appears in the same paper on 9 January 2008, written by Jenn Smith under the headline "Launching literacy; The city gets on the same page as residents prepare for Saturday". Smith recounts the point of a one-book-one-community program, the funding for Pittsfield's effort, and some of the training librarians and others have had to make this a success.

Pittsfield Reads Bryson

Pittsfield, Massachusetts community book reading of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods is highlighted in the Berkshire Eagle Online under the 3 January 2008 headline "City book club; Pittsfield residents will share Appalachian adventure," in the article by staff writer Amy Carr.

Bryson a Community Read Book

Pittsfield, Massachusetts is launching a 'one book, one community' project with the reading of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, according to an article by Jen Thomas on the web site iBerkshires.com posted on 28 December 2007. The article, titled "Pittsfield To Launch Community Reading Project," says that the Pittsfield READS! project was organized by the Taconic High School's librarian Meredith Cochran.

Alt No Bryson

The online e-journal (aren't all e-journals de facto online ones?) 'Blogcritics Magazine' has a "Book Review: A Walk for Sunshine - A 2,160-mile Expedition for Charity on the Appalachian Trail by Jeff Alt" posted therein on 11 November 2007 by 'Friend Mouse.'

The reviewer calls Alt's 2nd edition "a quick read" and opines that

"Alt isn’t a particularly eloquent storyteller – he’s no Bill Bryson, but then again, Bryson didn’t come close to finishing the Appalachian Trail – but his words do bring you out into the woods with him, bug bites, blisters and all."

Of additional interest, at least to me, is that she [the reviewer] was interested in reading the book because she wanted

"to see how Alt’s experience matched up with that of my parents (my mom, “Periwinkle,” also walked the AT in 1998 but had to come off for a couple hundred miles because of an injury; she rejoined my dad in New Hampshire for the last push)."

Book About PCT Also Not Bryson

The book review of Barbara Egbert's "Zero Days" in the San Jose Mercury News of 8 November 2007 is written by Tom Mangan and titled "A family trek of 2,650 miles; Book follows 10-year-old girl on her adventure."

"Zero Days" describes the 2004 PCT thru-hike by Egbert, her husband Gary Chambers, and their daughter, Mary, that put Mary in the record books as the youngest PCT thru-hiker. Along the way in the positive review, Mangan writes that

"Egbert's first-person prose is plain-spoken and unpretentious. It's not the equal of, say, Bill Bryson's, whose "A Walk in the Woods" is a classic, antic tale of failing to through-hike the Appalachian Trail. But Egbert, a Mercury News copy editor, has success on her side, having hiked all but a couple hundred miles of the PCT (medical issues forced her off the trail for a few weeks) and finishing the trek in Canada with husband and child."

Check it out: Zero Days: The Real-Life Adventure of Captain Bligh, Nellie Bly and 10-year-old Scrambler on the Pacific Crest Trail By Barbara Egbert (Wilderness Press, 288 pp., $15.95)

Bryson Being Read in Massachusetts

The 8 August 2007 story out of Monson, Massachusetts in MassLive.com a web outlet for the western Massachusetts newspaper, the Republican, (out of Springfield?) is that there's a "Hiking book perfect fit for program." The program is a "one book - one community" reading program sponsored by the Monson Free Library. The book is Bill Bryson's 'A Walk in the Woods.'

One Community Reads Bryson

In the Norwell (MA) Mariner of 9 May 2007 there's an article by Matt Dunning titled "Norwell Reads program highlights the great outdoors." It highlights the 'one book, one community' program in Norwell. Duplicated across the country, it involves getting lots of people in the community to read and discuss the same text in a relatively short period of time. Builds community. Builds literacy.

"Now in its third year, the Norwell Reads program has become something of a tradition. According to Jeanne Ryer, the featured tome in 2007 finds the town trading American history for nature’s majesty.

For this year’s Norwell Reads initiative, the program’s selection committee chose New Hampshire-based author Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods,” which chronicles Bryson’s trek from Georgia to Maine along the Appalachian Trail. According to Ryer — who in addition to coordinating the Norwell Reads program serves as the reference and adult librarian at the public library — upon returning to his native New Hampshire after living abroad for 20 years, Bryson wanted to reconnect with his homeland, thus his decision to walk the trail in its entirety."

For more information about the Norwell Reads Program, visit the public library’s Web site at www.norwellpubliclibrary.org, or call Jeanne Ryer at 781-659-2015.

Bryson Mentioned

The Bainbridge Island (WA) Review has an editorial in its 18 April issue titled "Schools could use your voice." It's about upcoming school board elections.

Along the way to making their point, they refer to Bill Bryson's book "A Walk in the Woods." They call is "his 1998 environmental opus," which is something I have never heard it called before.

Bryson's New Book (not about AT this time)

In the Baltimore (MD) Sun of 11 February 2007, Susan Reimer writes a book review of Bill Bryson's latest: "Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir."

She writes that "Bill Bryson, a humorist and travel writer who has taken us on amusing journeys along the Appalachian Trail and across time and the cosmos, has turned his wit and his memory to growing up in the middle of the country, in the middle of the century, in the middle of a delightfully dysfunctional family."

Some AT hikers may be surprised that Bryson has had a big writing career both before and after his "A Walk in the Woods." I find him pretty entertaining.