I bought this book in 1972 while on vacation in the Smokies, and it introduced me to the sport of backpacking as well as to the Appalachain Trail. Info is now very dated but it was an extremely good guide in '72. This book gives a pretty good introduction to backpacking equipment (of that time) & techniques for the novice, as well as a day-to-day journal of Mr. Garvey's hike. Very well written, very entertaining. Am surprised and delighted to see he is still going stong 25 years later. I've wanted to say this for 25 years: Thank you, Mr. Garvey!

I am fully aware of the late Ed Garvey's contributions to the Appalachian Trail and to his Trail club. But frankly, the man had no business writing or even telling a story. This book was a boring, failed last-ditch effort to recapture the glory of earlier hikes.
Pet peaves:
* Garvey comes off as an elitist Appalachian Trail Conference insider, and is constantly yapping away on some insane minutia about ATC governance, the history of the Trail, and his own private involvement with it over the years. Some of his hiking friends are frequent companions on the Trail, and he never tires of dropping their names, or indeed of any other perfect stranger he meets, never to be mentioned again. The elistism or snobbishness is evident in some descriptions of other hikers, especially those that weren't falling all over themselves to be friendly or act as he would have. I think Garvey hiked not for solitude in the wilds, but for the feeling of belonging to a club.
* The mind-numbing details are infuriating by the end of the book. The author obsessively counts everything: blowdowns, steps to the privy, pieces of litter, number of times he gets up in the night to relieve himself, etc. The comments that Garvey makes about trail maintenance are also tiresome: he talks on and on about the acceptability (or not) of water bars, blazing, relocations, shelters, springs, switchbacking, dangerous rocks and roots in the path, overgrown vegetation, unsavory businesses and along the way, and on and on and on. It's enough to make you want to throttle the guy and throw his book in the fireplace!
* The most unbearable thing about this book is the short shrift Garvey gives to his surroundings and the emotional aspects of hiking. I would rather hear about the beauty of a sunset and its effects on him.
This book misses the whole point of hiking the Appalachian Trail. It definitely misses the point of writing about it.

Having read the works of Bill Bryson and Jan Curran (which I would recommend) I was looking for an additional perspective on the AT experience and was disappointed by this book. This book is Edward B. Garvey's trail log for his hike on the AT. It is (over) filled with his day-to-day activities such as when he woke, who he met on the trail, what he ate, and when he went to bed. Unfortunately, there isn't much else. A few short descriptions such as "it was a nice view from the top" but the real disappointment of this book is that it fails to put the reader on the trail with him to experience what it is to hike the AT. If the writer would have done that, this book would have been worthwhile.

To get the full appreciation out of this book, You realy need to read Ed Garveys other book (Appalachian Hiker) This is a man who Realy cared for the AT and all the people who are a part of it, no matter what there function! The book is written in a journal format, This is like reading his diary! you begin to feel like you know his limitations! and his Pet Peaves!..even know what Beer he Likes!. Even at age 75 This man still tried to walk the whole AT and help to make it better for the next hiker! and if you look at the AT today and compare it to what it must have looked like back in 1970 when Mr. Garvey wrote his first book, you can see where his Books and dedication has indeed made a BIG difference in the way people look at, and take care of the AT!
If you have never read Mr. Garveys other Books, and are under the age of 40, This book may be too Real Life for you! Its not full of ( I almost got hit by Lightening while chasing off a pack of wolves ) kind of adventure. But what it is full of is a glimps into a truly caring man who realy Loved the AT and The people who made the AT worth hiking!