Like a modern-day Chaucer in
The Canterbury Tales,
Cary Segall, a former award-winning newspaper reporter, has captured the stories of the hikers, hostel owners, trail angels, volunteers and others along the nearly 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail. As he hiked the entire trail, he interviewed hundreds of people about their experiences, dreams and aspirations, and about their motives for attempting the scenic and arduous hike through 14 states from Georgia to Maine. His reporting skills led those 21st-Century pilgrims to open their hearts about their lives and their journeys on the venerable, public footpath along the crests and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains. And why was he on the trail? Find out for yourself, as his personal story unfolds along the way. - Terry Shelton, editor