Coming Soon: Love and the Long Path

 

At the southern terminus of the Long Path in New York City

I am delighted to share with you that my new book, Love and the Long Path, is coming to fruition. It has been a long path indeed. Writing a book about a trail takes far longer than hiking it. 

On September 4th, 2017, Scott and I set out from the West 175th Street subway station, our hearts filled with excitement and our stomachs churning with nervousness. This would be our first long hike together and my first long hike that wouldn't be largely solo. From city sidewalk to rugged mountain top, farmland and country road, we walked for thirty-two days, totaling 358 miles when we finally reached the official northern terminus in John Boyd Thacher State Park. By January of 2018, I started click-clacking away, putting our story into words. Thankfully, I'd kept detailed journals of our experience and taken many a photo, and when I struggled to remember, Scott was helpful in filling in the blanks. 

We met so many kind souls along the way who helped us in our journey, from fellow hikers to townspeople, and as we walked we were graced by the autumn's plants. More than once precious, cool weather, wild greens like wood nettle and waterleaf made it into a pot of instant noodles, and plants helpful in first aid, such as birch and pine, appeared when we needed them most. 

Scott and I sometimes struggled to work out logistics together. There was the time I totally miscounted the miles to a particular shelter and he was pretty sure I was trying to leave him the dust. On more than occasion, I could hear Scott's obscenities echoing over the click-clacking of his trekking poles behind me. But we worked through it. Scott earned his trail legs and I learned to chill out...well mostly. And a love that was still rather fresh between us, deepened and expanded. 

Animals crossed on our paths on many an occasion, most often at night when, from the confines of our tent, we couldn't see them but we could sure hear them. Spikey ones, furry ones, howling ones. 

The Long Path is alive in every sense of the word. It is rife with vibrant plants, maintained and crafted by those who hike it and love it, and still a work in progress. One day this trail will likely stretch all the way to the northern Adirondacks. Good thing my book is coming out before the northern terminus changes! And if compared to the big three - the AT, the PCT, and CDT - it may be a shorter long distance trail, but good lord, does it pack it in. There's no wasted miles on this trail. Every day offered reward and most days you'll have the trail to yourself.

So just when will this book be available? The expected release date is June. A book is a living thing, too, with many hands and minds that help to shape it - thank you to all those that have lent a hand or an ear in making it happen. 

The book (print version) is presently available for pre-order on this blog (see upper righthand corner) and on my website: www.TheBotanicalHiker.com. I'm offering it at small discount to those who pre-order here and those who pre-order will also receive an autographed copy! Once the book is officially released, it will continue to be available at my websites as well as Amazon and most major online book retailers. 

If you'd like a sneak peak at Love and the Long Path, those who are local can pick up the latest issue of Dirt Magazine. Check out the "Yonder" section - you'll find an excerpt there!

Here's to the Long Path!

Aqua blazes mark the Long Path's route