The Pacific Crest Trail is a 2,663 mile long trail reaching from the Canadian border in northern border in Washington, through Oregon, to the Mexico border in southern California.  Hiking this trail can take 4-6 months and it purposefully avoids civilization.  The Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountains make for both difficult hiking and beautiful unspoiled scenery.

After a trying few years after the death of her mother, author Cheryl Strayed started her PCT trail hike despite her outdoor inexperience.  Her book, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail chronicling her hike came out this past spring and was well reviewed. I promptly put this book on my to-read list as doing a long hike lingers at the bottom of my life to-do list.  

Looks like I will have to wait to read this memoir a little bit longer as this past week Oprah selected Wild as the first title of her new Oprah Book Club 2.0.  As of this morning there were quite a few holds on this book, but I'm thinking the wait just might be worth it.

While you are waiting on the hold list, the library has a pretty good selection of hiking handbooks and guides to prepare you for your own summer hikes, whether the Appalachian Trail, the PCT, or maybe even an afternoon spent nearby at McCormick's Creek State Park, Yellowwood State Forest, Brown County State Park, or Morgan-Monroe State Forest. Check out titles ranging from Ultralight Backpackin' Tips by Mike Clelland, Hiking Indiana by Phil Bloom, Solo Hiking by Adrienne Hall, or just the basics from Hiking & Backpacking: A Complete Illustrated Guide by Buck Tilton.

Happy trails!