Customer Reviews

Zero Days: The Real Life Adventure of Captain Bligh, Nellie Bly, and 10-year-old Scrambler on the Pacific Crest Trail

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a delightful book, written with humor and humility. Although the "Blighs" adventures are beyond anything that I think I will ever experience, this book definitely has me thinking that it's about time I got back into the great outdoors, even if its just for a picnic in the woods. I would recommend it to backpackers and backyarders alike. Entertaining, funny and informative.

If you like backpacking, hiking or camping, you will love "Zero Days." I couldn't put it down. Without a doubt, it's the best backpacking book I have read. This book has challenged me to push my limits on the trail this coming Summer. It is well written and brings to life the joys and hardships of walking a few thousand miles--with a 10-year-old--who is stronger and braver than most people of any age.

Reading about their adventure is inspiring and informative -- Barbara almost makes me think I could do something like this with the proper attention to details, she's so matter-of-fact about the incredible amount of planning that goes into an awesome journey such as this. "Scrambler" seems to have the same attitude about accomplishing undeniably incredible feats. I'm sure much credit goes to the Captain, for taking each step forward and leading his girls so well. A very enjoyable read, whether you've looked at the areas they talk about on the map or actually walked parts of these trails, let alone aspired to do something similar. I admire them! From Kathy Miedema in the East Bay

The story of "Zero Days" is far superior to what parades nowadays as "reality" programming. I am a backpacker so I've had a taste of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail that Captain Bligh, Nellie Bly, and 10-year old Scrambler set out on, and I know that it's not a stroll in the woods. The extremes of weather--from desert temperatures in the triple digits to rain, hail, snow, and sleet in the mountains--are enough to dissaude most people from setting out. Add to that the necessity of making 20-30 mile days in order to finish the trail within the hiking season. Consider the challenges involved in crossing flooded streams and ice-covered trails. Add in the creatures -- bears, snakes, mosquitoes, etc., and you have plenty of challenges to hikers of any age.

It is utterly amazing that a family with a 10-year old would undertake such an adventure. What's perhaps more amazing is that "Scrambler" (Mary Chambers) consented to the trip, and flourished! An inspiring story!

This was a good book and I did enjoy it a lot. I expected more of the interesting or exciting days in a chronogical order. It seemed to be written in sections ie one section was about the people they met that would not have bored me if they were written more about on the day they met. There were a few spots (the mention of Mensa meetings) that gave me a sense of snobbishness. All in all a good book.

I throughly enjoyed this inspiring book. Barbara Egbert writes with great intelligence, humor and love, for both her family and the great outdoors. Without preaching, she gently offers a convincing argument that vigorous exercise and a connection to nature are both essential ingredients for a healthy, happy, lifestyle. After reading this true adventure story of a family's six month trek from Mexico to Canada, never again will I whine about not getting a "close" parking spot.

A friend loaned me this book. I enjoyed it so much that I bought a copy for my son from Amazon. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys hiking, adventure, or the outdoors. It was very well written. It reveals aspects of the Pacific Crest Trail such as the wonderful trail angels and the characters with whom hikers share the trail. This wonderful tale of Barbara, Gary, and Mary was a fun read for both myself and my husband.

Most travelogues detailing distance hikes (usually on the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail) are chronological affairs. The hike began.... But a far more interesting approach is to look at life on the trail in a topical manner. Food, bathing, interactions with other hikers, life in towns, etc. The first book to utilize this organizational structure was David Brill's classic description of the Appalachian Trail As Far as the Eye Can See. Barbara Egbert's 'Zero Days' is in the same mold, but with an interesting twist. Ms. Egbert, aka Nellie Bly, did not hike alone, or even just with her husband. They also took along their already veteran hiker and 10 year old daughter Mary in their quest to complete the trail.

This is a delightful book from several angles. First there is the fascinating story of Mary herself, alternately a young adult and then a child again as she grows and matures on the trail. A nice touch are the reproductions of Mary's journals, which made for great reading. (As an aside, I wish all 5th graders were such good spellers!) Planning a hike like the PCT is not easy, and doing it with a 10 year old provides several extra challenges, such as which stuffed animal must come along for the trip. The author also describes the town stops (the title is derived from these) and explains some of the problems that come with brief returns to civilization, including the tendency to quit hiking. And there are the 'usual' traumas which people who do not hike for distance may not even think of. Where to get water, how to protect food from bears, and how to stay on speaking terms with someone for six months are all important topics that anyone planning to hike the PCT needs to consider.

From my perspective, there were two unique issues that this book raised. The first concerns the future of the PCT. The author wonders what thru hikes will be in the future. I think we are already getting a glimpse with solar powered IPods. She also worries that hikers are already too numerous, or at the very least, that they come together in bunches, which strains resources in the local communities that host them. She wonders how long "trail angels," those of us who try to assist hikers, will keep up their work. (Answer, as long as we can.) These are all good questions and fortunately, Egbert recognizes that answers will have to come from the PCT community, not some government mandate which will likely serve only to limit access. But speaking of limiting access, there is an implicit question in the book about whether it is appropriate to take 10 year olds on hikes like this. After all, they will miss a couple months of school. And there are "dangers." Egbert does not address these questions head on. She places them in the mouths of those she meets on the trail and answers by noting the extensive backpacking experience her daughter had even before launching on a 2,650 mile trek. I think the question should be reversed. Are we harming children by not letting them experience wilderness to this extent? Reading "Scrambler's" journals (Scrambler was Mary's trail name) I think the evidence is overwhelming. We would be far better off if more children missed a little school and a lot of their Gameboys in favor of long hikes with loving parents.

In 2004 the authors began a six-month journey to hike the length of the pacific Crest Trail with their ten-year-old daughter. Their family adventures comes to life in ZERO DAYS, which recounts their physical and mental challenges, the special obstacles and benefits which were derived from making a family effort, and their newfound discovery of family values. An inspiring read of physical and mental challenge, ZERO DAYS is a wonderful addition to any general-interest library, whether it be a collection specializing in outdoors and nature books or one catering to parents.

This book is a great overview of the PCT for non-hikers. It is not the best gear guide for either long distance backpacking or backpacking with children. It is not the best guide to the pct. It is not the best narrative of the pct experience. For instance their is a whole section on how thru hikers are hungry, but that's sort of obvious to anybody who's done any backpacking, and their aren't really any recopies in it just a comment they bought a lot of per-packaged meals and this strange discussion on vegetarianism that seemed irrelevant. Most disappointingly it is absolutely not anything resembling a how-to guide for hiking with children, it does not even make an attempt at that really. I was very bummed how little information in it would actually be useful for someone who wanted to do long distance hiking as a family. The author doesn't have a lot of different backpacking experiences, by that I mean they had one way of hiking and camping (presumably the husband's, the author admits she wouldn't be comfortable backpacking without him as part of the team), and that's what they did. Their was not a discussion of different options and how they worked out and why what they did was their favorite. For instance on tent use they always used a tent because they were afraid of creepy crawlies, okay, but if that's all they have done then they are speculating and not really comparing. I found the author's simplistic classification of people somewhat annoying (for instance the liberal/conservative labeling of large geographic areas). Their was limited discussion on how to keep kids engaged and entertained while hiking. Their was no thought of what families with two or more kids would do. Great pictures, I will say that was well done. So the book is a great overview for people who know nothing about the PCT or hiking. However if your looking for a good book on how to hike with children, or trail resources for the PCT specifically, look elsewhere.