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where’s the next shelter?

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Where’s the Next Shelter? written and read by Gary Sizer

From Audible:

Where’s the Next Shelter? is the true story of three travelers on the Appalachian Trail, a 2,000-mile hike that stretches from Georgia to Maine, told from the perspective of Gary Sizer, a seasoned backpacker and former marine who quickly finds himself humbled by the endeavor. He teams up with Megan, a sassy college grad whose indomitable spirit eclipses her lack of experience; and Lemmy, a cartoonist from overseas whose off-kilter commentary on the wonders and frustrations of the trail keeps everyone laughing.

Sprawling through the woods and towns of the Appalachian Mountains, the trail carries the trio through real and fanciful ups and downs ranging from hilarious to perilous. Much more than an orderly account of mountaintops and meals, this book is an adventure about friends figuring things out as they go. It’s about screwups and solutions, awe and inspiration.

If you long for the horizon or to sleep under the stars, then come along for the hike of a lifetime. All you have to do is take the first step.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Yes, yet another audiobook on long distance hiking and my second in a row on the AT! This one took a bit of getting used to. The author reads his own story and he reads at a speed that is slightly too fast for comfortable listening. He also has a slightly irreverent attitude that while novel means quite a lot of swearing. Hearing fuck in an audiobook conversation while not shocking is kind of jarring and I was nearly at the end before I was getting used to it.

A consistent element of the story style is the author recounting conversations as they happen and verbatim. I find it difficult to believe that he was able to recall so many conversations over such a long period of time and almost a year after finishing the trail.

Sizer himself is an interesting character and I found his friendship and relationship with other hikers and trail angels really well written and described. In particular his special relationship with Voldemort (Megan) and Lemmy is particularly enjoyable.

Another good depiction of the AT and I found it particularly interesting how Sizer’s description was different to that of David Miller’s while still staying so similar in many ways.

Header image source: fossbytes.com

song of the week 10: chasing cars

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“Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol

  • Genre: Alternative Rock
  • Single Release Date: June 2006
  • Album: “Eyes Open”

A friend of mine once described Snow Patrol as “elevator music” but there is something special about this song. Every time I hear it it makes me think of taking a relaxing “timeout” from the stresses and busyness of modern life. I get an image of a couple just stepping back for 10-15min and taking a quiet moment to themselves. It always makes me feel better, every single time I hear it.

Lyrics

We’ll do it all
Everything
On our own

We don’t need
Anything
Or anyone

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

I don’t quite know
How to say
How I feel

Those three words
Are said too much
They’re not enough

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we’re told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that’s bursting into life

Let’s waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads

I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we’re told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that’s bursting into life

All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they’re all I can see

I don’t know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Header image from 8Tracks.com

awol on the appalachian trail

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Awol on the Appalachian Trail written by David Miller and read by Christopher Lane

From Audible:

In 2003, software engineer David Miller left his job, family, and friends to hike 2,172 miles of the Appalachian Trail. AWOL on the Appalachian Trail is Miller’s account of this thru-hike from Georgia to Maine. Listeners are treated to rich descriptions of the Appalachian Mountains, the isolation and reverie, the inspiration that fueled his quest, and the rewards of taking a less conventional path through life. While this book abounds with introspection and perseverance, it also provides useful passages about hiking gear and planning. This is not merely a travel guide; it is a beautifully written and highly personal view into one man’s journey and the insights gained by abandoning what is comfortable and routine.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

I listened to this straight after “Journeys North” and I think it would have been more enjoyable with a gap between the two. It’s also the very first AT based audiobook for me and it seems that the PCT is a much more diverse adventure and also seems to attract a more interesting participant. This means that while the author is interesting and has his own good back story those around him seem less so. Again this could be due to comparing everyone to Journeys North.

I did enjoy the writing style of the story which kept it tipping along at a steady pace. He also provided a lot of information about the AT itself and I felt that I knew it much better at the end compared to Bill Bryson’s book which was more about his experience than the actual trail.

At a similar age to the author I found great admiration for how he was able to recognise the way his career was affecting his mental health and happiness and was able to change the script of his life with the incredible support of his wife. I was really glad he filled us in at the end on how he returned to real life once again.

My only regret with this book is that I should have listened to it before Journeys North.

Header image source: fossbytes.com

welcome break

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With a big Sale event at work to launch the new store it’s been a pretty busy few weeks. Wednesday was my first day off after working nine straight through and nine very busy days at that. As you may imagine a day off was very welcome.

I’d been keeping an eye on the weather and with a dry and sunny forecast I decided it was a perfect day for a longer walk and wanting something different I decided to walk to a small wooded area approximately 6km from home and to cook some lunch while sitting and enjoying the woods.

I packed a bag with a frying pan, some bacon and eggs and my Trangia stove. Not preparing the evening before I ended up doing everything in a bit of a rush and managed to forget a few things. The biggest thing I forgot was my fuel bottle so I only had what was remaining from my last time out. This was only half what I needed so I had to make a choice between a full lunch or skipping a cup of tea. In the end the tea won out.

The frying pan was too big for the stove and with the ground being more uneven than expected it was quite unwieldy and cumbersome. The uneven ground also resulted in mishaps with my water boiling and I managed to spill it twice! Despite all the things that went wrong I still learned some valuable lessons, had a really good time and enjoyed a great day for a walk. I initially expected a 13km walk but coming home by a slightly different route it ended up as 16.5km.

click here to view on strava

I’ve recently upgraded my cheapo Akaso action camera to a fancy new GoPro Hero 10 and Wednesday was my first real opportunity to try that out too. I didn’t know what to expect so was very impressed with the quality of the video compared to the old one. The sound quality was also superb but this was more expected. I put together a video of the day and it’s live on YouTube if you want to have a look at the link below. I’m looking forward to seeing exactly what the GoPro is capable of on outings over the next few months.

Header image by Pixabay from Pexels

evening daylight

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Today was that special day when I get home from work and I’m able to go for a walk in the woods before it gets dark for the first time this year. I managed to get home just in time to make the most of that unique period just as the sun is setting and the moon is rising.

With a massive relaunch sale at work the last two weeks have been long hours, very little time off and demanding days so this evening was very much needed to clear my head and leave me feeling rejuvenated.

It was brilliant to hear so many birds singing vocally as soon as I got out of the van. It put a real pep in my step and I could have sat for hours and listened to them.

The last 10min or so were in under the taller trees which brought an earlier darkness but I had enough moonlight to boost my night vision just enough to still be comfortable. I really do love the woods at dusk.

It wasn’t quite Venge Day but it was damn close…

Header image by Pixabay from Pexels

song of the week 09: dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’

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“Dyin’ Ain’t Much of a Livin’” by Jon Bon Jovi

  • Genre: Rock
  • Single Release Date: Album only (1990)
  • Album: “Blaze of Glory”

Blaze of Glory was Jon Bon Jovi’s debut album and was written for and inspired by the movie Young Guns II. Only two songs from the album actually featured on the official soundtrack of the film.

This track wasn’t one of the featured songs but to me totally encapsulates the ethos of the gunslinger and the raw grit of the lifestyle that has been romanticised in many other films. This to me is the standout track of the album.

Lyrics

A whisky bottle comforts me
And tells me not to cry
While a full moon says a prayer for me
I try to close my eyes

But the night’s there to remind me
Of the guns and the early graves
The ghosts appear as I fall asleep
To sing an outlaw’s serenade

Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’
When you’re livin’ on the run
Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’ for the young
Is it too late to ask for forgiveness
For the things that I have done
Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’ for the young

Oh, the desert’s been a friend to me
It covers me by night
And a snakebite’s not my enemy
But it taught me how to fight

All this fame don’t bring you freedom
Though it wears a thin disguise
And an outlaw is just a man to me
And a man has to die

Oh, dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’
When you’re livin’ on the run
Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’ for the young
Is it too late to ask for forgiveness
For the things that I have done
Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’ for the young
Na

And I hope someone will pray for me
When it’s my turn to die… pray for me
Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’
When you’re livin’ on the run
Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’ for the young
Is it too late to ask for forgiveness
For the things that I have done
Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’ for the young
Na

Header image from 8Tracks.com

journeys north: the pacific crest trail

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Journeys North: The Pacific Crest Trail by Barney Scout Mann

From Audible:

In Journeys North, legendary trail angel, thru hiker, and former PCTA board member Barney Scout Mann spins a compelling tale of six hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2007 as they walk from Mexico to Canada. This ensemble story unfolds as these half-dozen hikers – including Barney and his wife, Sandy – trod north, slowly forming relationships and revealing their deepest secrets and aspirations. They face a once-in-a-generation drought and early severe winter storms that test their will in this bare-knuckled adventure. In fact, only a third of all the hikers who set out on the trail that year would finish.

As the group approaches Canada, a storm rages. How will these very different hikers, ranging in age, gender, and background, respond to the hardship and suffering ahead of them? Can they all make the final 60-mile push through freezing temperatures, sleet, and snow, or will some reach their breaking point?

Journeys North is a story of grit, compassion, and the relationships people forge when they strive toward a common goal.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I absolutely loved this, easily the best  audiobook I’ve listened to so far. Really well written and excellently narrated but it’s the story that makes it special.

Most thru-hike stories focus on the author, their personal story and the people they meet along the way. This one gives the other five stories equal merit and this makes it unique.

Scout seems to be a very special person and I really enjoyed his take on the PCT but also his insights into the lives of the friends he made along the way. It’s obvious that much of the information was provided by them, rather than just observations, which points to the close relationship he had with each one.

A truly inspirational story of resilience, determination and the strength of humanity.

Header image source: fossbytes.com

song of the week 08: if you could read my mind

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“If You Could Read My Mind” by Johnny Cash

American V was recorded by Cash shortly before his death in 2003 and posthumously released in 2006. Similar to the four other albums in the series, it features many cover versions of old songs. American V was the first Cash album to reach No1 in 37 years.

American V features the very last song written by Johnny Cash (“Like the 309“) but it is this song that is the stand out track on the album for me. Cash’s voice is raw and full of age, you can hear and feel his many years and his impending death. It is simultaneously heart-breaking and uplifting.

“If You Could Read My Mind” was first recorded by Gordon Lightfoot and had its first release in 1970.

Lyrics

If you could read my mind love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old time movie
‘Bout a ghost from a wishing well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains around my feet
You know that ghost is me
And I will never be set free
As long as I’m a ghost that you can’t see

If I could read your mind love
What a tale your thoughts could tell
Just like a paperback novel
The kind the drugstore sells
When you reach the part
Where the heartaches come
The hero would be me
Heroes often fail
And you won’t read that book again
Because the ending’s just too hard to take

I walk away like a movie star
Who gets burned in a three way script
Enter number two
A movie queen to play the scene
Of bringing all the good things out in me
But for now love, let’s be real

I never thought I could act this way
And I’ve got to say that I just don’t get it
I don’t know where we went wrong
But the feeling’s gone and I just can’t get it back

If you could read my mind, love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old-time movie
‘Bout a ghost from a wishing well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
The stories always end
And if you read between the lines
You’ll know that I’m just trying to understand
The feeling that you left

I never thought I could feel this way
And I’ve got to say that I just don’t get it
I don’t know where we went wrong
But the feeling’s gone
And I just can’t get it back

Header image from 8Tracks.com

big walk day

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For some reason I’ve recently had a real hunger for hiking and walking rather than cycling. I’ve signed up for a fundraising 310,000 Steps in March Challenge (more info below) to give me something to work towards and to keep my motivated through the month. My hope is that consistent walking will build strength in my legs that will give me a head start when I rediscover the urge to get back on the bike.

After a terrible couple of weeks of storms and heavy rain we have had a wonderful week of calm, bright weather. Watching the forecast all week it was clear that today was to be one of the best.

Through the week my half marathon walk from last year had been tickling away at the back of my mind and I had a plan for an early start and a long walk which somehow became known in the house as “the big walk” – I may have been talking about it a bit too much!

I woke shortly after 5am and had an unsettled couple of hours which delayed my early start until 10am. Probably a good thing as we had a hard frost overnight but the sun was well up by 10. Throughout the day it was chilly but beautifully sunny and calm. Out of the sun though it was cold with ice still in the puddles at 3pm in the shaded spots that hadn’t seen sun all day.

My previous big walk was slightly over 21km but I had an urge to top that. At the 19km mark I veered off my previous route into the forest, overlapping my route from last Sunday. Close to home I realised that I was going to finish at about 24.5km so I overlapped part of my earlier route from the morning before doing a U-Turn and heading home. I finished with 25.15km, tired and sore legs but feeling great. My longest walk ever was 30.5km and I hope to be able to beat that by the end of March 💪

310,000 Steps in March

This is a fundraising challenge for Irish Community Air Ambulance. The challenge is to walk an average of 10,000 steps per day for a total of 310,000 for the month while raising money.

No pressure but if you want to support this fantastic charity please follow the link below. Big thanks to those that read this blog and have already donated, it really is very much appreciated.

facebook fundraiser link

Header image by Pixabay from Pexels