I am not a book critic, but I am a hiker, not a very good one mind you, but one nevertheless. I looked at Peter Potterfield's 23 breathtaking treks book and I just had to get it. Here is why. Nothing has changed my life more than three treks I have made in my life. The Machu Pichu trail, Torres del Paine and one that is not featured in the book, the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
If you are a hiker you know that to do these walks, you have to train or do it all the time. I live in Houston so I hardly walk. I trained by going up and down the stairs of the high rise where I live. That was not enough! Trekking is serious business. Now I want to go to to the Everest Base Camp Trek and Potterfield has some great info on that. It is a 35 mile hike. He suggests it is difficult but you will have plenty of time to think, meditate and reflect. It will be a risky endeavor since the altitude unexpectedly can surprise you with extreme weather changes, lack of oxygen, and he says "cultural disorientation." What I like about this book is the different questions you get answered about logistics and strategy, hazards, seasons to go, the route you will take and what it will be like and finally the guides you'll need so you won't make a dumb mistake that could cost you your life.
I also like the fact that most of the trails he covers are in North America. Eleven are in fact featured. His top three are the John Muir trail in southern california, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, which I have flown but not hiked, and Chesler Park in Southern Utah. Come to think of it. I will stay in America first before I try going as far as Nepal. Yes...maybe I should train here and then go there! I better not wait too long. This book designed for trekkers of all abilities is not designed for trekkers who hardly walk or train, yours truly. I start going up and down the stairs this weekend! Yeah right.
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