Photo credit: Janet Donovan
“After almost three decade of walking, I discovered that the secret the trail repeatedly held for me was this: If we head in the direction of our dreams and accept the winds and rains that will test our resolve, we can experience the deep satisfaction of looking back upon the path of a life well lived.” Jeffrey H. Ryan. Thos. Moser Georgetown Showroom hosted the first stop on Jeff Ryan’s five-month tour for his new book Appalachian Odyssey about his 28-year journey hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Jeff Ryan
“In the raw days that followed September 11th, I had several discussions with friends about the fragility of life. A common theme was that the terrorist attack was a clarion call to ensure we lived the lives we wanted to – that in a world filled with uncertainty, the best thing we could do was to ensure we stayed true to making our own visions become reality. It was time to get back on the trail.” Jeff Ryan
“Every trip is different, yet one thing stays remarkably constant – my gear list. The only variables that change are the food, which sleeping bag I bring and clothing, Some hikers are fanatics about carrying the lightest load possible. They are known to drill holes in toothbrush handles and such. I am not one of them. My tastes tend toward eating well and being comfortable. Some of my gear choices may be a bit indulgent in that regard, but it’s worked pretty well for thousands of miles and I’m happy with the results.” Jeff Ryan
“Particularly notable is that hikers and climbers in the Bugaboo Mountains of British Columbia need to encase their trucks in chicken wire to deter the porcupines in that region, who also have an insatiable love for rubber automobile parts marinated in road salt.” Jeff Ryan
