STATUS

The blood, sweat, and thrills of numerous section hikes — both solo and with friends over decades, including a 2008-09 thru hike of its entire length — more than qualifies Timothy to write this unique, fanciful story. The Somewhat True & Thru Adventure of Wilson, Waldo, & Footnote on the Appalachian Trail is the working and hopeful title of another future novel still under construction.

PREVIEW

Waldo was the nickname he gave his fedora. Wilson was the nickname he gave his walking stick, fashioned from a child’s garden hoe. Footnote was his trail name. Their original plan was to southbound it from Maine to Georgia. And so it began as such, but uncontrollable circumstances derailed it.

Maine to Vermont. Then Georgia to Virginia. Then Vermont to New York. Then early winter. Then early spring. Then New York to Virginia and an unlikely but sentimental finish at an overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Under the stars, in a tent, in a hostel. Over rocks, roots, mud. Fords through streams. Sun, rain, sleet, snow, fog, lightning. Hydrated, thirsty. Hot, cold, balmy, breezy. Famished, full. They chose the baptism by immersion experience and hiked their own hike like nobody had done before. Step aside, Bill Bryson!