Writing a book, want to help?

[Greenlight]

consider an additional two thru-hikers/authors. JR Tate (Model-T) and Bill Erwin.

Thanks, I'll research JR. Bill Irwin is already on the list.

Jim

[Greenlight]

I would also consider adding:

Lone Wolf
Dorothy Hansen - Through hiked, then ran Neels Gap tore for years.
Cindy Ross and Tod Gladfelter
Mic Lowther - author of one of my favorites "Walking North"

Ankle Bone, Thanks. This book is going to end up being 750 pages and including 100 legends instead of 50! No! I'm keeping these suggestions in a master list for "Blazers 2: Fifty More Legends of the AT"

Jim

[Greenlight]

Duly noted. Thanks.

Jim

[gpburdelljr]

CB: Multiple sources. Haven't begun deep research into Stacey. What's the downlow?

Jim

She claimed to have thru hiked the AT, and PCT, with leg braces, but did neither.

https://claybonnymanevans.com/yes-st...t-lies-matter/

[jigsaw]

dorothy laker the real first woman thru hiker i think she hiked 3 times

[jigsaw]

hugh and jeanne joudry they were the caretakers of stratton mt for over 50 years

[LazyLightning]

She claimed to have thru hiked the AT, and PCT, with leg braces, but did neither.

https://claybonnymanevans.com/yes-st...t-lies-matter/

Wow that's crazy. It's one thing to not hike the trail or not the whole thing then claim you did and who cares? Not when your all over TV and even gain financially from pretending to achieve some extraordinary accomplishment.

That's a good one for a future book about the 50 most misrepresented people of the AT...

[k2basecamp]

koser, get a life.

[chknfngrs]

I also think anyone who has hiked or is hiking the AT should be included, because you’re a legend if you can do it.

[Greenlight]

I also think anyone who has hiked or is hiking the AT should be included, because you’re a legend if you can do it.

I have the utmost respect for anyone who thru's. Heck, I have respect for every single person who set out with that goal in mind. What is it with this trail, and the mystical pull it has on so many? Once you're bit, the fever never goes away. I want to avoid controversy as much as possible in the book, but that won't be entirely possible. The intended audience is everyone who loves the trail, and wants to get invested in the characters that have populated it since it was created. I love good stories, so I'm focusing on little vignettes from each of the subjects. The entries won't be comprehensive treatments of each person, but I hope to make readers feel like they know them a little bit. That if they run into them in real life, they'll have something to start a conversation with.

Jim.

[Greenlight]

koser, get a life.

Who is koser?

[TwoSpirits]

If you'd like to touch on a little diversity, look at Daniel White (aka "The Blackalachian") and Adama-Malkia McGrapth (aka "Wild Child").

[Greenlight]

If you'd like to touch on a little diversity, look at Daniel White (aka "The Blackalachian") and Adama-Malkia McGrapth (aka "Wild Child").

TwoSpirits,

Thank you. I'll research.

Jim

[TwoSpirits]

I look forward to your book.

Going back to my earlier suggestion of Larry Luxemberg, I think he alone could link you to more stories than you could possibly include in one book. He founded the AT museum.

[LittleRock]

I think Bob Peoples deserves a spot.

[The Kisco Kid]

+1 for David Brill – as Dan Roper says above, As Far As the Eye Can See is one of the finest books on the A.T. and really captures an earlier era of the trail in the not-too-distant past. Cindy Ross' book is also great. You have Ed Garvey on the list, so you've about covered the best of the earlier generation of books.

Speaking of books, Dan "Wingfoot" Bruce" needs to be on this list. He authored the Thru-Hikers Handbook which was the guiding star for thru-hikers for many years.

Also, David Starzell the longtime executive director of the ATC who probably did more than anyone to protect the trail corridor. He is a true legend.

As noted above, Ward Leonard, is an interesting subject. I had a brief encounter with him north of Sherburne Pass in the summer of '95.

[chknfngrs]

Simply cannot forget to include trail maintainers like Rip Van Winkle.

[TrailsEnd]

The suggestions in this thread have been great. This may be entirely contrary to the tone of what you are going for but if you want to consider some elements of the darker side of the trail, you could look into Randall Lee Smith.

He wasn't a hiker but his connections to the trail were undeniably strong and his story borders along the notions of "truth stranger than fiction."

I have other suggestions along these lines, perhaps not quite so dramatic. I'll spare you in case this isn't the direction you're headed in but happy to keep going if you are interested.

Cheers,

[Cedar Tree]

Rusty of Hard Time Hollar?

[wyclif]

It's a shame that Wingfoot disappeared. Totally ghosted the trail community. I know circumstances and life priorities change, but nobody ever heard from him again as far as I can tell.