Derick Lugo had never been hiking. He certainly couldn't imagine going more than a day without manicuring his goatee. But with a job cut short and no immediate plans, this fixture of the New York comedy scene began to think about what he might do with months of free time. He had heard of the Appalachian Trail, but he had never seriously considered attempting to hike all 2,184.2 miles of it. Suddenly he found himself asking,  Could he do it?    The Unlikely Thru-Hiker  is the story of how a young black man from the city, unfamiliar with both the outdoors and thru-hiking culture, sets off with an extremely overweight pack and a willfully can-do attitude to conquer the infamous trail. What follows are lessons on preparation, humility, and nature's wild unpredictability. But this isn't a hard-nosed memoir of discouragement. What sets Lugo apart from the typical walk in the woods is his refusal to let any challenge squash his inner Pollyanna. Through it all, Lugo perseveres with humor, tenacity, and an unshakeable commitment to grooming―earning him the trail name "Mr. Fabulous"―that sees him from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Katahdin in Maine.   Praise for The Unlikely Thru-Hiker "Even for a skilled hiker, a twenty-two hundred mile thru-hike is challenging, so for Derick much can and will go wrong on the Appalachian Trail. Yet, with humor, his story takes us into a world where his lack of AT knowledge, his unique perspective and his appearance, open the minds and hearts of those he encounters along the way. Change has come and the AT will never be the same again... and neither will this unlikely thru-hiker." -- Jennifer Pharr Davis, author of Becoming Odyssa & The Pursuit of Endurance "Derick Lugo's description of his Appalachian Trail thru-hike is a highly readable, personal, humorous and insightful account of his nearly 2,200 mile journey from Georgia to Maine. His fellow hikers and companions are brought to life beautifully by the author's candor and introspective commentary. It is one of the very best of the many A.T. thru-hike books." -- Ron Tipton, former President/CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and a '78 thru-hiker "Forget what you know or think you know about hiking the Appalachian Trail and experience the hike through the fresh perspective of novice hiker Derick "Mr. Fabulous" Lugo, who provides us with a candid and clear-eyed account of a contemporary thru-hike. And worry not about the moniker "Mr. Fabulous"; Mr. Lugo tells his story with engaging humility. His respect for the trail and interactions with other hikers are exemplary." --David Miller, author of AWOL on the Appalachian Trail and The A.T. Guide Derick Lugo had never hiked or camped a day in his life. This Brooklyn born, NYC urbanite hopped a train to Georgia, grabbed a taxi at the station, and told the cab driver to drop him off at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail. Then he did as he has always done -- put one foot in front of the other and never looked back.    After hiking for over 2,000 miles, he now feels invincible and plans to cross the Sahara barefoot. (Not really, but when an ambitious spirit is successful, it will strive for even greater accomplishments.)   The Unlikely Thru-Hiker  is his debut memoir.