Whose online trail journal is the best you ever read and your favorite?

[refreeman]

I enjoy reading trail journals. I am also impressed that hikers take the time and energy while hiking to record their experiences. Of course, a hiker’s commitment to their trail journal varies greatly. Hence my question:

Whose online trail journal is the best you ever read and your favorite?

I ask more in the spirit of apprenticing the hiker’s effort in producing a great trail journal and less in the spirit of competition. The trail journal doesn’t have to be current or in progress to be mentioned. My current favorite is 2007 SOBO, Hammock Engineer’s. He writes quite a lot each entry, giving a great impression of his experience. By the way Hammock Engineer is a WhiteBlaze member as many of you know.

Here’s a link to his trail journal.
http://www.trailjournals.com/nater/

There are lots of trail journals, so everyone pointing out the ones they like would make the best use trail journal reading time.
Whose online trail journal is the best you ever read and your favorite?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I like the 2005 journal of Troll, Anchor and Oblivious.

Hammock Engineer is one of my friends and I am enjoying his journal as well. I am also following Certain's journal (Michele on this site)this year and enjoying it.

GatorGump's journal from this year is a lot of laughs, but it isn't as much of a treatment of the experience of a trail hike as a comic look at the trail world.

[mrc237]

My own, the one I keep in my head!

[Mags]

The 1983 AT journal "THEN THE HAIL CAME" is still my favorite:
http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html

[burger]

I have two all-time favorites. Break-a-Leg's 2005 NOBO (she didn't finish the trail) was terrific--really funny and well-written.

And BirdLegs' NOBO hike this year has been a great read, also. She's high-brow and low-brow at the same time. It makes the journal really diverse.

I'm a really picky reader--I've browsed through hundreds and hundreds of journals over the year, but these two definitely stand out.

[Midway Sam]

The 1983 AT journal "THEN THE HAIL CAME" is still my favorite:
http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html

Thanks Mags for the reminder! I started reading Then the hail came a while back and got sidetracked. I had totally forgotten about it.

[Newb]

I have two all-time favorites. Break-a-Leg's 2005 NOBO (she didn't finish the trail) was terrific--really funny and well-written.

And BirdLegs' NOBO hike this year has been a great read, also. She's high-brow and low-brow at the same time. It makes the journal really diverse.

I'm a really picky reader--I've browsed through hundreds and hundreds of journals over the year, but these two definitely stand out.

Birdleg's journal is getting a bit racy..apparently the NoBos are hiking "au natural" these days. Oh my.

[twosticks]

The 1983 AT journal "THEN THE HAIL CAME" is still my favorite:
http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html

I've read that and I agree. It's a very good read. Did you read the after part? By the look of his website, it looks like he's doing good and has made it past the "rocks" of life.

[rhjanes]

Birdleg's journal is getting a bit racy..apparently the NoBos are hiking "au natural" these days. Oh my.

and no photo's..........

DItto on all of the above journals. All great ones.

[bulldog49]

I really enjoyed Red Dane's journal last year. This year I've been following Uncle Tom.

[John B]

I'll have to say that Trine Jensen's 2006 journal was the one that I like the most. She never had a bad word to say about anyone or anything, and was always cheerful no matter what the situation.
www.trailjournals.com/reddane

Overflow's journals was incredibly funny. At the beginning, I would have bet $100 that she wouldn't have made it past Neel's Gap, but she was able to laugh at herself and keep a great attitude, such that by the time she made it through the Smokies, I knew she'd go all the way.
www.trailjournals.com/ChristieK

I logged in everyday just to see if there were updates on them.

[Jim Adams]

Trine Jensen's journal is a very inspiring read. Always picks me up.

geek

[Jim Adams]

Also 42 from 2006. Her descriptions of her final days on the trail and her Katahdin climb are so reflective that they brought tears to my eyes.

geek

[Mags]

Also 42 from 2006. H

She is a very good friend of mine. She is as cool in real life as she is on her journal. If you read her early entries she makes a reference to Coach Mags.

She may be starting a job with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado as a youth coordinator. Hope she gets the job... She'd be awewsome at it!

[Flinx]

I really enjoyed this Scottish guy's ( flying scotsman) 2003 AT Journal...he had lots of heart! Funny guy too...made a lot of friends

http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=26692

[Tipper]

Mark "Postcard" Hughes'. All of his AT trips (on trailjournals.com) and his aborted PCT trip this year. Lots of wonderful original art and 'artfully' crafted words.

[Topcat]

I really liked the journals in 2004 especially Dharma's http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=49448
and Lonesome Dove's
http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=52769
I think the fact that they had so many pictures of people in their journals attracted me to these journals.

[Jim Adams]

Mags,
I met her on St. Patricks Day at Low Gap shelter and got to talk with her awhile. What an incredible woman.

geek

[Lilred]

http://www.2000milehike.com/

I agree with mags on "Then the hail came" Excellent!! Another good one from '83 was "All in one Roll" by Gonzo. If I remember right, I got to Then the Hail Came from Gonzo's journal.

[SawnieRobertson]

Back in 1998 I found Magaroni's journal to be very helpful. It seemed to me that he did everything just right, especially carrying a watermelon to the top.

Then along came Belcher. That woman was outrageous, and I could be heard reading it (silently) because of my sudden bursts of peels of laughter, snickers, etc.

I liked them all, and then there got to be so many. And with so many, there was the inevitable growth in numbers of journalists who would leave the trail and even those who would just lose interest in writing. I started finding myself disappointed too often.

Of course, Right Turn was kind. He hurt himself right off before we'd gone too many miles. That was, in a way, a kindness.

BUT the one I like the most is my own, deficient as it is. Somehow or another Kahley found it after WF had destroyed it. I lost all those encouraging notes from people, but I got back the daily account of what all had happened. I don't read it often, but, when I do, I remember why I love the trail.--Kinnickinic