Having read Johanna's first book Edge of the Map, I couldn't wait for her second one to come out. Even though the topic was totally different, I found this book to be just as compelling. Having recently returned from a humanitarian trip in Uganda, the characters and story were even more timely and relatable.
As an avid hiker, I've contemplated hiking the Camino from time to time, but always put it off since it's not a wilderness trek. However, reading Tim's guide + commentary made me reconsider how I perceived the Camino experience.
He spends the first half of the book covering the history of the Camino and what it means to be on a pilgrimage in modern times--even if you aren't religious. Unlike traditional guide books, this was an enjoyable read before setting foot on the trail. I even enjoyed reading through the trail segment sections because of his anecdotes and excellent descriptions.
I have a much richer understanding of the Camino Frances now and intend to travel it in the near future thanks to this book.
Having set numerous Fastest Known Times myself (including on the Pacific Crest Trail) Emily's story of setting the FKT on the Oregon section of the PCT was at once a return to something familiar, but also an entirely different journey.
She was heavily supported (I was not), and the way her community flowed through her experience was beautiful and touching. Having also lost a parent, as well as someone I love, to cancer, the backstory of losing her mother to cancer, which was interwoven through her run, resonated deeply. I cried more than once reading this book.
Heather Anderson’s second memoir tells the story not only of her attempt to set a Fastest Known Time on the iconic Appalachian Trail, but also delves deeply into the psychology of a driven endurance athlete and the personal growth she gains along the way.
The 2,180 miles of the AT, from Maine to Georgia, did not make it easy. Anderson contended with pouring rain, sultry humidity, biting gnats and flies, blisters, and steep grades for fifty-four days on a physically difficult, yet profoundly internal journey. Mud, Rocks, Blazes is a testament to the power of a challenging physical feat to transform a person's self-awareness and sense of self-worth. As Anderson comes to realize, “The trail has a way of answering questions you most need answered, even if you are afraid to ask.”
