Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart: An Adventure on the Pacific Crest Trail by Carrot Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book will stay with me for a while. Erin Spencer (Narrator) made me feel like I was right there, on the trail, soaking wet or extremely tired. Sometimes a narrator is so good that you think it has to be the author as they seem to maintain the cadence of the written speech as if it were their own. It was fantastically done.
That means the writing was natural and felt genuine. This was a journal of sort of the hiker, Carrot Quinn. She was honest and told the good and the bad of her travels. There were times that I laughed out loud at what happened. And there were tears of seeing the incredible scenery and tears of hurt along the way.
I have to admit I want to do this. But it seems so far away from possible when just getting the dog and I out for our mile walk is tough. A windy day will keep us in. Rain is my dog’s least favorite. She won’t go out, yet I have the raincoat and boots and plenty of umbrellas. Snow is my favorite, but my dog can’t handle it very long, even with coat and pad coverings, so we walk around the yard. So much for my trek.
So it is fun to live vicariously through those who do the long hikes or marathons. Inspiration helps with daily life and gives hope for more.
I want to read this again soon.
Darswords 
I enjoyed vicariously experiencing my dad’s hikes. He did less journaling as he got older, but he was considering a certain epic trail through the Dakotas when a stroke took him a week after one of his treks on Isle Royale (he did several of those every summer, after he’d accomplished the PCT, the AT, and TRT [3 times iirc] and other important big ones).
I am sorry for your Dad. I didn’t know. I was excited that I was three degrees from a couple people that did those great hikes. I’d love to read some of his journals of the hikes. That must have been a wonderful read for you. How are you and yours doing these days? โค๐๐ค
Ralph is retired, and just finished a course of treatment for cancer, seems perfectly healthy now. My older boys are living together in OKC but working towards independence. Neil just graduated with a degree in Mathematics Education in Missouri. We moved here with him (cheaper than living in NV & also paying for a dorm, also an adventure) and now the three of us are considering a move to OK, where there is a desperate need for teachers.
So happy to hear Ralph is healthy again.
It is so cool the brothers live together. I can’t believe Neil is all grown up! I still remember him at 12! And now a teacher!? Amazing! I so miss you all!๐ค๐