Reddit reviews A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)

Read "A Walk in the Woods" - which was also made into a movie.

On the trail, you end up seeing the same people over and over again, and they give each other (or adopt) a "trail name".

http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-Appalachian-Official/dp/0767902521

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Walk_in_the_Woods_%28film%29

You have to read A Walk In The Woods before you go hiking. Otherwise, you'll never be able to properly hate it by the end of the trail, and you won't be a real thru hiker. Thems the rulez.

http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-Appalachian-Official/dp/0767902521

Oh sure, go for it...There is a book written by a man who hiked part of it.

A Walk In The Woods: Bill Bryson.

http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-Appalachian-Official/dp/0767902521

>Also, 5 days with 40 pounds?

Sounds about right to me. I spent some time on the Appalachian Trail and was carrying over 60lbs when starting out...I chose poorly. There's a few great moments inBill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods that illustrate how not to pack.

Edit: typo

Have you read Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods"? http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Woods-Rediscovering-Appalachian-Official/dp/0767902521

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail - Bill Bryson

Read or listen to Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods before you go. It'll help you figure out what not to take, and may help with the hashing things out bit. If you crossed John Cleese, Dave Barry, George Carlin, and Bob Newhart you'd end up with Bill (throw in a little Garrison Keillor for good measure).


Also bring Walden.