Product Description

Join adventure author Andy Harrah on his epic hike along the Appalachian Trail. As a recent thru-hiker, Andy a.k.a. Iron Toothpick, shares a first-hand account of the characters, remote towns and oddities encountered on the trail. A must-read for backpackers and armchair travelers alike.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #619149 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-10
• Binding: Paperback
• 234 pages

Review
"Quizzical and humorous, probing and often philosophical ... Get into an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker's state of mind ... and decide if you want to follow him up the trail." --Tom Johnson, President, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club

"Iron Toothpick presents a real world view of what to expect for anyone considering a long backpack trip on the AT or any other long-distance trail. Harrah addresses everything from logistics, people and weather to the mental aspects of a long trek." --Reese Lukei, Co-founder, American Discovery Trail

About the Author
In addition to being a flight instructor and iron-distance triathlete, Andy Harrah's list of accomplishments include climbing Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, Mt. Kenya, and Mt. Elbert as well as swimming across the Chesapeake Bay. Harrah's appreciation for people and nature comes through in his unique writing style which uses a combination of wit and momentum to draw readers into his journey with little introduction or the usual justification for the question of "Why?"

Customer Reviews

I agree...a little bland
I too agree with some others here who rated this book a little "bland." It seems to me the book was all about "him" and all of his mileage he racks up. Ok,so this guy was a triathlete...he seems to try in a subtle way (and a lot of the times not) to impress the reader on how far he walks. To me, he viewed the AT as race or competition against others rather than taking his time and enjoying the trail. He even has the audacity to say that he JOGGED into Hot Springs, NC after coming off the trail !!! Well good for him !!! Some may be impressed with this tidbit and similar others interspaced throughout this book...but I am not. And no, I am not jealous. I simply appreciate a little humility. I do give him two stars for finishing the trail. I highly recommend "Walking on the Happy side of Misery" by J.R. "Model T." Tate.

Didn't Care For It
I found the story severely boring and the author very difficult to like. He doesn't appear to be the kind of person I'd want to spend any trail miles with. He's constantly worried about piling up miles in case an injury or calamity should befall him. This reasoning gets thin and tiring after awhile. The writing is bland and doesn't express any real feeling. I give Toothpick 2 stars for his physical accomplishment.

Good easy read. Gives scope to the day in and day out grind of the AT
Great read. Good info.