Research: A Sort Of Book Review

I'm one of those people who loves to learn new things.  If I could make my profession be full time student, I would.  So when I'm getting ready to do something different, I spend a lot of time getting as much information as I can, so I can be as prepared as possible.

So on my very first trip to REI (I absolutely LOVE REI but that a post for a different day), I picked up this book: How To Hike the A.T. by Michelle Ray.  As far as books go, I found this one to be easy to read and pretty informative for a fledgling back packer like myself. It helped answer a few of the questions I had about different things- like do I really need hiking poles? (the answer is yes, hiking poles are a good idea, especially if you have knee or hip issues).  And the author includes several lists of helpful information or websites throughout the book.  It also included some information about the AT folklore/traditions.  I learned that parts of the AT are reported to be haunted, and as a paranormal investigator, I'm now getting ready to research that angle (and plan some future section hikes to the haunted sections because that's the kind of nutty stuff I do).  I did skip a few sections that pertained to Thru Hikers only, but overall, I'd recommend this books for anyone who is looking for some information on planning a back packing trip.

Next time, I plan on reviewing Wild by Cheryl Strayed.