Alone in the Appalachians: A city girl’s trek from Maine to the Gaspésie

As a fan of Colin Fletcher and an admirer of Bill Bryson, I plunged into Dykstra’s book with great anticipation. She did not disappoint. The book tells of her trek of International Appalachian Trail which opened in 2000, adding over 1,000 kilometres of new trail to the established one. Dykstra started in Maine doing all the wrong things, including wearing new hiking boots and carrying an enormous back pack. By the time she travelled out of New Brunswick and up through Matane to the Gaspésie, she was a seasoned hiker, open to the insights provided by physical exertion and solitude. Odd individuals are a fact of life in trail literature, and Dykstra meets a few, limning their characters with respect. Her photographs are superb.

The Essential Guide at the back of the book gives all the information a hiker could desire. It will make you want to lace up your hiking boots and head out the door. mRb