Footpath My Ass!

By Terry Croteau 'Bluebird'

Book Overview

When Terry Croteau was twelve years old, tromping around the woods on family outings, looking under leaves for frogs and salamanders, and relieving herself behind trees, she had no idea she'd end up... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1441565337
• ISBN13: 9781441565334
• Release Date: October 2009
• Publisher: Xlibris
• Length: 210 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

"Bluebird" Lands in Damascus

I met Terry "Bluebird" a couple weeks ago during Damascus Trail Days 2010! She was very impressive; we talked for a while - she sold me her book - I went home and am almost finished. She is a great inspiration. Especially to ladies like myself, a 48 yr old woman who has dreams of doing the trail in its entirety! She keeps a good sense of humor, of the utmost importance! I am finding her book very practical and helpful but I love her pictures and poetry scattered throughout! Good Job on and off the Trail Bluebird! Snowbird @[...] - Keep on Hiking!!

Footpath My Ass! - A must read for any AT hiker

You will want to start reading this book on a Friday night, because despite the many attempts to set it down for the evening; it won't happen that way. I made ten attempts to bookmark my page and call it a night, only to find myself reading about another day in Terry Croteau's amazing account of her hike of the Appalachian Trail, and before I knew it, I had crossed another state line with her. This book is like no other book I've read on the AT; this book encompasses the heart and soul of the author and weaves her day-to-day activities in a mystical way. This book is a 'must read' book for anyone contemplating the hike or folks like myself who can only sit back an envy those courageous enough to commit to six months of walking over terrain that doesn't even remotely look like a footpath at all. Terry provides helpful hints that go beyond what you may see in other books. Terry's brilliance in realistically depicting the trials and tribulations of her journey, plus her original penned sketches throughout the book is as good as having her sitting in your family room telling you first-hand the ups and downs of her amazing trek. Men, women, and children will be inspired by Terry. This is a book that you will read again and again.

Inspiration for women who want to do it all!

I followed Bluebird's journal in 2006-7 as a precursor for my own Appalachian Trail hike, and I was thrilled that she decided to publish her journal. It was a true inspiration for me as I prepared for my own journey, just to see another older woman like me get out there and enjoy creation at its finest. Ladies, if you want to dream a dream and see how one has lived it, even when the going gets rough, read Bluebird's book.

Bluebird spread your tiny wings and WALK 2000+ miles!

Simply couldn't wait to buy this book. It was my pleasure to get to read this amazing story while it was still in draft because the author is none other than my sister! So, no bias here then. I never quite believed that my grey-haired, middle-aged sister would succeed in her quest to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, Georgia to Maine, but even more unbelievable is that she has succeeded in capturing her amazing adventure on paper. This blood, sweat and tears tale of her triumphs and tribulations is not just a lesson for all of us in trusting our ability to meet adversity, overcome physical, mental and emotional challenges and to keep putting one foot in front of the other for as long as it takes to reach our goal, it also shows the strength we can all derive from the goodwill shown to us by others, finding humor in the most ackward situations and enjoying nature on her own terms. The author's courage, determination and pleasure in her quest shines through every page and her beautiful illustrations add to the enjoyment of this book. There's absolutely no way you'd ever get me out in those deep, dark woods for six months and 2,000+ miles, so for me this diary style account was the perfect way to get to walk along from the comfort of my armchair. The writing style is informal and chatty, a combination of thoughts, observations and personal experiences. For the novice hikers out there, this book is full of helpful hints learned the hard way.

Don't miss this one!

First, don't let the title put you off. It carries a generous dose of what the Appalachian Trail routinely serves to the unsuspecting or uninitiated hiker from the "get-go." "Bluebird's" account of her 2006 attempted thru-hike not only vividly describes the daily ups and downs in the life of a thru-hiker, but it also provides a wealth of "lessons learned" information (including some valuable life lessons). It's all here, the good, the bad, and the ugly in unvarnished truth. A "must read" for both seasoned and novice backpackers. After four thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail, I still learned much from "Footpath My Ass!" J.R. "Model-T" Tate