Why would a middle-aged businessman, who had never even spent a single night outdoors, attempt to hike the entire 2,180 mile Appalachian Trail? Bill Walker, a former commodities trader in Chicago and London, and an avid 'streetwalker', had developed a virtual obsession to thru-hike the AT, which runs for fourteen states from Georgia to Maine. In the early spring of 2005 he set off, determined to hike this Georgia-to-northern Maine wilderness trail before the arrival of winter. Immediately, he realized he had plunged into a whole new world. The AT has some ferociously difficult terrain, winding through dramatically diverse geography, and covers the very highest peaks in the East. Walker's near 7-foot height earned him the trail name, Skywalker, and drew raves from fellow hikers. But that same height made him more vulnerable to weight loss, cold weather, and crushing fatigue. An elemental fear of bears, snakes, and getting lost also loomed large. The journey often seemed like a see-saw battle between his determination vs. his blunders. No other country has a footpath even remotely as popular as the Appalachian Trail. Up to 4,000,000 people hike on the AT during any given year. Mortals are compelled--or perhaps cursed--to relive their lifetime adventure. This is Bill Walker's (Skywalker's) unforgettable version, leavened with ruthlessly self-deprecating humor. His fondest hope is to inspire other rookies and novices, to give the Appalachian Trail a try as well. "Walker's description of his fellow hikers is the best part of this fine book. He has a real talent for capturing human foibles." Smokey Mountain Book Review, Jeff Minnick "Ruthlessly self-deprecating. It's a winning tone." Sarasota Herald-Tribune , Tom Becnel "I was surprised at his honesty. I respect his dealing with the subject of trail romance the way he dealt with it and not using graphic descriptions." Village Journal " This book is such a delight to read because of his fondness for people, and his talent for capturing it all in words. " Appalachian Long-Distance Hiking Association Skywalker writes a great read on my favorite trail. I have read dozens of trail writes and this is the best so far. Highly recommend. Don Carter One of the best books about through-hiking the Appalachian Trail -- and I've read a bunch of these. "Skywalker," being 6'11" tall, had to deal with some unique problems in backpacking -- like finding a sleeping bag long enough to be useful. A fascinating read, with many wonderful stories about folks he met along the way! Rick Hutto Skywalker is a great writer of hiking and walking experiences. Try his other books on Annapurna and Way of St. James. Ron LaSalle Some have joked that this book is as much about what NOT to do, as what to do. Skywalker couldn't agree more! EXCERPTS "Walker's description of his fellow hikers is the best part of this fine book. He has a real talent for capturing human foibles." Smokey Mountain Book Review, Jeff Minnick "Ruthlessly self-deprecating. It's a winning tone." Sarasota Herald-Tribune , Tom Becnel "I was surprised and frankly happy at his honesty. I respect his dealing with the subject of trail romance the way he deal twith it and not using graphic descriptions." Village Soup Republican Journal , Milton Gross "This book is such a delight to read because of his fondness for people, his observation of their character, and his talent for capturing it all in words." The Appalachian Long-Distance Hiking Association, Linda Patton Bill Walker was a commodities broker at the Chicago Board of Trade and London International Financial Exchange for fourteen years. Walker then sharply reversed course and spent three years in four Latin American countries as a Teacher of English as a Second Language. Walker hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2005 and the Pacific Crest Trail in 2009. In 2010 and 2011, he hiked the most popular trail in Europe--El Camino de Santiago. This is an 1,100 year old medieval trail that is variously considered a spiritual pilgrimage, or "the European Divorcee Trail." He recently completed a narrative on that journey, 'The Best Way--El Camino de Santiago'.