The Appalachian Trail is established and well-known, perhaps making its greatest foray into general consciousness a quarter century ago with Bill Bryson’s 1997 tome *A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail*. I have lived in the shadow - or the dust, as it were - of the trail for about 30 years with sections running close to several places I’ve lived in Virginia.
Read MoreThe auto-biography moves chronologically from Washington's earliest memories and experiences on the Burroughs farm as an enslaved child and his family's relocation to West Virginia upon receipt of their freedom. Washington's first-person account of life for an enslaved and, then, formerly enslaved child seeking to gain an education while working long, hard, scary hours in the coal mine is itself a fascinating window into the past.
Read MoreIn some ways, the AT is a blank slate; it is of nowhere and somewhere very particular all at the same time. During most segments of the hike, would a hiker know that he or she is in the wilds of Pennsylvania or could it just as easily be Massachusetts? In either case, the AT is definitely the realization of the balance that has long challenged the residents of the United States: How to enjoy the splendor of the vast land while also living in the more cultivated environment, if in fact such a balance is even possible or beneficial.
Read MoreWant to better understand the Appalachian culture and history? Here are 3 books to read - both fiction and non-fiction - to bring the region to life through the eyes of historic figures, literary characters, and historical research.
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