Trail Ways, Path Wise [Paperback]

John Illig (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2005

Green Tunnel "Just in time to counteract Bill Bryson's lumbering 'A Walk in the Woods,' here is a book by a guy who actually made it through. John Illig is light on his feet and writes with tripping prose." John Hanson Mitchell, Author Ceremonial Time, Living at the End of Time "The author's style is breezy, intimate; he talks to you, to himself, to his trail mates. When he describes a day on the AT you see it, feel it, as if you are there. He writes fluidly, always compellingly readable." Jane Weinberger, Windswept House Publishing

Editorial Reviews

Review

The author'Â’s style is breezy, intimate; he talks to you, to himself, to his trail mates. When he describes a day on the AT you see it, feel it, as if you are there. He writes fluidly, always compellingly readable. --Jane Weinberger, Windswept House Publishing

Just in time to counteract Bill Bryson's lumbering, ‘A Walk in the Woods,’ here is a book by a guy who actually made it through. John Illig is light on his feet and writes with tripping prose. --John Hanson Mitchell, Author of Ceremonial Time, Living at the End of Time

About the Author

John Illig grew up in New York and later spent 17 years living in Maine. He now lives in Vermont and coaches squash at Middlebury College. He is currently at work on a new novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Elderberry Press (OR) (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932762426
• ISBN-13: 978-1932762426
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,782,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suffer, Rejoice and Laugh, May 29, 2009

By 

Nature Person - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trail Ways, Path Wise (Paperback)

"Trail Ways, Path Wise" is an entertaining and inspiring tale. John Illig shares every thought with the reader so that it feels as if you could be the one hiking solo on the Appalachian Trail. The detail John uses in his descriptions and the great dialogue between characters that he incorporates really make the journey come alive. You will suffer with him when he starts the hike with 75 pounds on his back and later, when he hikes an insane number of miles with a dysfunctional shoe. You will rejoice with him when he reaches his PO boxes and gets to take warm showers. You will laugh with him during his encounters with other hikers--all of whom have their own quirks and unique trail personalities. You will admire his determination and feel inspired to follow in his footsteps. You will not want to put the book down as John will never fail to amuse you as he recounts his interactions with others and describes his own thoughts and reflections. I recently read several chapters aloud to my dad as we were on our own journey--a road trip home from college. My dad laughed so hard the he had tears in his eyes and had to be careful not to run us off the road. Also, if you are interested in hiking part or all of the AT in your lifetime, reading this book is a great way to become familiar with the trail and learn what experiences to expect.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Cool, May 21, 2009

By 

Marcus Aurelius (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trail Ways, Path Wise (Paperback)

Trail Ways, Path Wise

"There is no single right way to hike the trail. There is no one correct way to experience the woods...Fast or slow, my hike meant more to me than anyone would ever know." Here author John Illig finishes a thought about the solace and beauty that attracts so many different types of people to the woods (and the Appalachian Trail, in particular). Illig is one of those people and fortunately for us, Illig shares his Appalachian Trail (AT) through-hike with readers in a way that is at once engaging, exhilarating, and deeply honest.

Illig, an athlete and outdoorsman but an inexperienced hiker, approaches the formidable challenge of through-hiking the AT in an endearingly naive and humorous fashion (the way most of us would probably would). The 29-year old Illig had the summer of '93 off from his job coaching squash in Maine and thought that the 2,147-mile trail, spanning 14 states, would not only be an excuse to spend time in the woods, but for someone self-described as "restless", an opportunity to, "fulfill a primordial urge and get up and go - and go, and go...!"

Trail Ways, Path Wise is most simply Illig's tale of hiking the AT from its southern end, Springer Mountain in Georgia, to its northernmost tip, Mount Katahdin in Maine. Illig writes in the present but laces his narrative with retrospective morsels, and tells us upfront that he was able to hike the entire trail. When one goes into the woods and stays there, in the "the green tunnel" as Illig calls it, an inevitable transformation takes place; hiker, trail, and woods coalesce. On the AT, the through-hikers themselves, the animals they meet, the age-old hiking institutions, and the history of the trail (the history of America, even) and those who came before (both real and legend) combine into their own little Gaia, and it is Illig's place in this harmony that makes his story both truly awesome and very fun to read. Illig's prose is nimble and conversational-- keeping up with his hike and his thoughts is effortless for the reader.

With eyes wide-open Illig introduces us to the inside (and intimate) world of AT through-hikers. Every hiker has a trail-name, sometimes self-imposed but more often created by other hikers. Illig befriends, teaches, and learns from Mercury Mark, Chinook, Mozyin', Easy Stryder, Food Dude, and others. It's difficult to forget the powerful scene in Fahrenheit 451 when Montag discovers the old men who've memorized great works of literature and in turn have taken on the identity of the books. Illig's through hikers offer a parallel; these hikers are named and known for their trail quirks and in turn their trail identity becomes supreme. Illig's book is ripe with wonderful conversations, hilarious observations, and moments of profound friendship on the trail. The characters of the AT help color his story.

And Illig is a winning character himself! He begins his hike with a 75-lb dysfunctional backpack, he brings snowshoes (it's summer), and an abdomizer (some sort of ab-workout machine from an infomercial). He makes numerous other mistakes. But Illig's journey is our journey and in time we learn how to prepare food on the trail and how to cut out unnecessary weight. We learn when to slow down, when to speed up, when to rest and when to go as Illig writes, "for miles." But our author still keeps some quirks--he hikes the entire trail with a pair of New Balance running shoes, and is ostracized for it all the way to the very top of Katahdin (in no small part because his trail-name was "Sneakers").

Above all, it is Illig's ongoing description of the relationship between man and nature that stands as the most enjoyable and enduring aspect of the story. And for all of us who might not ever hike the AT, Illig clearly articulates this profound effect of nature on man. Inspired by another through-hiker, Illig writes about beauty: "The essence of beauty is pure in the woods. Sun warms your face; wind blows your hair; a cold chill reddens your cheek; your body grows lean and strong climbing hills and mountains. The search for the sight of a secret pond makes your eyes sparkle, grace develops tiptoeing over stones in crossing a creek. The sun, the moon, the wind, the stars, the grass, the leaves, the noises, sights and smells of the forest are the most natural makeup of all. Hikers feel alive in the woods. Alive and aware. You appreciate a simple meal in a pot in the deep woods at night in a shelter. You enjoy easy talk there with friends."

Illig's book covers everything from chaos theory to Steinbeck to Monty Python, all while walking through the woods. We face each challenge with our author, we go for miles, we're alone, we're in love, we're sick, we make it to the next shelter, we take a rest here and there. There is so much to learn in this short book. As readers, we soon piece together the AT--both physically and spiritually. And (not to give everything away), when we finally reach Katahdin (proudly not part of the 90% through-hike attrition rate) we look back fondly at the view and celebrate the pages of our journey. This is a terrific read and I recommend it highly. I can't wait to read about Illig's next two through-hikes.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great adventure available in e-book everywhere for just 2.99 on B&N, Apple and other sites., December 25, 2005

By 

Jack Of Alltrades "Just another soul" (Loth Ethtadoth Unidoth) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Trail Ways, Path Wise (Paperback)

This book is for those of us who have always wanted to hike across the US but never seem to get out for a daily stroll. Few of us can hike sixty miles in a day carrying all we need to survive. Fewer still can write with such candor, honesty and humor. This is a true story about a great adventure in modern America and should not be missed. Save money. Get it in ebook.