I would like to start of this post by admitting that I am not the most adventurous person. On most days, I don’t even want to “go outside.” I have gotten myself adjusted to where I do enjoy a nice walk around my neighborhood when the weather allows. But I definitely don’t want to walk through a stream and get my shoes wet, or repel down the side of a cliff face. And don’t get me started on camping - a person should always have indoor plumbing and heating/AC the way the good Lord intended. So I don’t rough it. However, I do enjoy reading about people who do. If you think adventuring outdoors is fun, or if you’re like me and don’t but enjoy reading about it, check these out.

Way back in 2020, my husband and I had a trip scheduled to go west and see the Grand Canyon - but then COVID killed that idea. Sigh. This past fall, we finally were able to visit (just a day trip - see earlier for my thoughts on actually camping outside), and it was worth the wait. So when I got home, I found a couple of books about the place. This was one of my faves. My husband and I stayed on top of the South Rim, but Fedarko worked for years as a boat guide, because apparently you can ride boats down the Colorado River through the canyon. If that wasn’t enough of a challenge, Fedarko and a buddy decide to walk what has been described as “the toughest trek in the US” through the length of the canyon. This stressed me out. I’m all for a little walk, but with the repelling and the weather - uh, no thank you. Good read with excellent history of the canyon. Also, be sure to check out Fedarko’s other book, The Emerald Mile, about the fastest boat trip down the canyon. Lots of good history there as well.

Whew - after reading about all the issues Fedarko had in the Grand Canyon, it was a relief to pick this one up. Joan, a nice lady in her 50s, sets off with two friends to hike the John Muir Trail. If you don’t know where that is, you are not alone. I didn’t either. Turns out this trail runs for 211 miles through the Sierra Nevadas in California. It runs alongside the Pacific Crest Trail (which stretches from Mexico to Canada). And Muir himself is considered the founder of the National Park System, hence the trail named in his honor. This seems like a much more relaxing walk after the insanity of the Grand Canyon. However, it is not without its dangers - including lightning storms at 11,000 feet and snowy passes to cross - even in June. Still too advanced of a trek for me, but was a nice palette cleanser to follow up the previous book. 
 

 Open Road : a Midlife Memoir of Travel and the National Parks by TW Neal

This one came across my desk in ILL, and since I was on a Grand Canyon kick, I figured why not? After seeing a postcard on the wall in her doctor’s office, the author decides that she wants to see the real thing. So she and her husband set out to visit several of the National Parks and helped the author come to terms with being middle aged. This was a good read, but I think I actually liked her first book, Freckled, about growing up wild in Hawaii better. These are both ILL books, but if you are curious they are worth the time.

So those are my couch-based adventures in nature. With the help of the library, I really can go from here to anywhere (and not give up my creature comforts).

Happy adventuring in any way you choose…
:) Amanda