Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed → Start Date: July 10th, 2015

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Mandiann and I!

Join us if you can (but this is NOT a YA title - so make sure you're okay with content before joining)

[Mandiann]

Thanks for making the thread. I should not have a problem with the start date you picked.

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Phew! that's great! I'm so excited to read this one!
I used to live near the Pacific Crest Trail

Now that I've relocated to the other side of the US, NOW I'm near the Appalachian Trail. I'm hoping to start the Appalachian trail this next Spring! :)

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

I'm through Part I

(which isn't very far....)

backpacking packs(view spoiler)[ OMG who doesn't pack their backpack the day before! I can't believe she waited and then couldn't lift it!! ha! that's just funny! I have a backpacking pack and there is no way mine is EVER that heavy (hide spoiler)]

post office(view spoiler)[ What a great idea. I love that she has prepackaged boxes that her friend will mail on her way. that's great thinking (hide spoiler)]

hiking shoes(view spoiler)[ UM! lol the beginning starts with her losing her shoes?? I can't imagine what else she must go through! (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

I may join in on this one if y'all don't care!

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

we'd love you to join Sarah!!!

[Sarah]

What are your thoughts about it so far, @Trisha?

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

I really like it.

I think the discussion about losing her mom was really tough to read (ugh, I cried because it was so touching)

but her lack of prepping her backpack is just killing me! LOL

have you started??

[Mandiann]

I am a few pages in. I hope to read more today.

[Sarah]

Trisha wrote: "I really like it.

I think the discussion about losing her mom was really tough to read (ugh, I cried because it was so touching)

but her lack of prepping her backpack is just killing me! LOL

hav..."
Not yet. Going to finish . Shouldn't take long...

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Through Part II

Packed(view spoiler)[ OMG 400 - 500 MILES of packed snow?? I'm terrified for her (hide spoiler)]

Monster(view spoiler)[ I can't believe how much weight she packed and that she never though to just start tossing crap out of it. I think I would have on those really hot days! I can't even imagine (hide spoiler)]

the guys(view spoiler)[ I love the guys she's bumped into! they are so fun and protective of her
so sad 2 of them are sick (hide spoiler)]

PCT Angels(view spoiler)[ I had no idea. What a sweet sweet person to go out there and just meet and greet them, feed them food and talk to them about hiking. (hide spoiler)]

this is so good so far (although I just shake my head at some of the ridiculous things she's done!)

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Through Part III

Lady(view spoiler)[ the story of Lady was horrific
absolutely awful. I wish I'd skipped it :/ (hide spoiler)]

I think(view spoiler)[ this is the point in almost every nonfiction book that I start to get bored. her stories are okay, but it's a lot of "then this happened, then this"
I'm excited for her to get to the next leg (hide spoiler)]

[Mandiann]

Sorry Trisha, I have tried multiple times to get further but keep getting interrupted. I haven't had much reading time but when I do, its this one.

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

No worries.. :) I totally understand. I'm behind on so many buddy reads! LOL

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Through Part IV

shoes(view spoiler)[ LOL i can't believe she lost a shoe! but her using duct tape to reinforce her socks once her sandals were destroyed was good thinking (hide spoiler)]

people(view spoiler)[ she's really met a huge amount of people on this trek. it's pretty impressive that she's remained alone (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

done

I can't believe(view spoiler)[ she really made it
she really did have so many people reach out and help her (hide spoiler)]

doug(view spoiler)[ so amazing they met up again

so sad that he died just a few short years later :( (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

OH and on a side note

when you read about Eagle Creek - I backpacked JUST that part.
it was 8 1/2 miles in to 8 mile camp (lol, I know) and we even brought our dog. it was a beautiful hike, with narrow trails, rock scrambling and HUGE elevation changes - but waterfalls galore and one you even get to walk behind. it's a beautiful amazing area to backpack.

[Mandiann]

Trisha wrote: "I'm through Part I

(which isn't very far....)

backpacking packs[spoilers removed]

post office[spoilers removed]

hiking shoes[spoilers removed]"

Gah, life has been crazy. Had a bit of time today while I was waiting for the motor of my father in law's pressure washer to unflood itself. LOL. Now through part one and onto part two.

I found the discussion about losing her mom and how it changed her especially touching. (view spoiler)[The way she described being one person before the death and another after and never being able to go back to being the person she was before, I have felt that. I liked the way she put it into words. (hide spoiler)]

[Mandiann]

Trisha wrote: "OH and on a side note

when you read about Eagle Creek - I backpacked JUST that part.
it was 8 1/2 miles in to 8 mile camp (lol, I know) and we even brought our dog. it was a beautiful hike, with n..."

That is so cool!! I love it when books I read talk about places I have been. Does it do a good job depicting it?

[Sarah]

I'm finally through part I. (Woo! Goo me!) I found the first chapter dragging along for some reason. Once I got past that, it got better and more interesting to read. I think it's because of (view spoiler)[ where she talks a lot about her mother dying and just the fact that it's the beginning of a book, which all beginnings take some time to really develop.
Her and that backpack is just sooo funny. I don't want to imagine what happens to her. I really hope that losing her shoe(s) is the worst thing. I'd say there will be more things that happen that are worse than that. (hide spoiler)]
I will be moving on to Part II today. I really want to watch the movie to this. Has anyone seen it after reading the book? It's got Reese Witherspoon in it, so I know it has to be promising.

[Mandiann]

I too want to watch the movie but I need to finish the book first.

[Sarah]

Something else that touched me about this book: (view spoiler)[ She seemed to grieve and be impacted for a long time about her mother's death. Now, it seems as if you grieve for such a long time people would think there's something wrong with you as far as ability to cope/mental state/emotional state. It seems as if we don't grieve over our losses anymore. Her doing this shows the love she had for her mother, which she had a lot of. I mean she stayed with her despite what Karen and Leif done. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Karen in a whole other state and Leif was out partying it up? I have had sick loved ones and I know I would be doing what Cheryl done. It just blows my mind how death and grieving affects people in many different ways. I think her hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is a positive way to cope and get stuff off her mind such as her stepfather and ex-husband, who's names totally slipped my mind at the moment. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

Mandiann wrote: "I too want to watch the movie but I need to finish the book first."

Ditto!

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Mandiann wrote: "That is so cool!! I love it when books I read talk about places I have been. Does it do a good job depicting it? .."

it really only bounces over it, quickly
I was sad, Oregon wasn't in this book too much
it's mainly the California part of the trail....

[Mandiann]

Through parts II and III. Not exactly certain of the sequence of events so I will make one post for both instead of two.

Snow(view spoiler)[kind of sad she gave up on the high sierra's and can't believe she got rid of her ice axe. Worried for her without it as it seems that wasn't the brightest choice. (hide spoiler)]

Monster(view spoiler)[ I love her nickname for her bag. Although even with the culling, it still seems like a huge weight she is lugging. (hide spoiler)]

Bartender(view spoiler)[ He seems creepy. I really hope nothing super bad happens to her over the rest of the book. (hide spoiler)]

Greg(view spoiler)[ so sad he decided to pack it in. From their first meeting I wouldn't have guessed he would be the one to leave. (hide spoiler)]

I loved it when(view spoiler)[ she beat Doug and Tom to the first big pit stop and no one had bet she could beat them. (hide spoiler)]

Lady (view spoiler)[ very horrific story. Ugh. Sometime too much detail is just disturbing. (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

yay! sounds like you're liking it!!

Bartender(view spoiler)[ I agree. wasn't he creepy (hide spoiler)]

Greg(view spoiler)[ I KNOW! Right? I was surprised too (hide spoiler)]

Snow(view spoiler)[I know, just another point I shook my head at her. lol (hide spoiler)]

loved it(view spoiler)[ ahhaahahah!!! RIGHT?? That was one of my favorite parts!! (hide spoiler)]

[Mandiann]

Yes it was slow going at first and I had so many distractions around me that I really didn't read much at all but now I feel like I am flying through it. I am enjoying it but so far I am in complete agreement with your rating and can't fathom that changing.

[Sarah]

I'm almost through part 2. It is going slow and steady...

[Mandiann]

I just finished. It was good but I doubt I would reread it.

[Trisha, lives on coffee]

Mandiann wrote: "I just finished. It was good but I doubt I would reread it."

I agree(view spoiler)[ I liked it...but yes, I don't think you'd get more out of it by re-reading it. (hide spoiler)]

So glad you liked it Mandiann!
I hope you enjoy it Sarah!!

[Sarah]

@Trisha: Thank you! I've not gotten to read much, as I've been on a trip today!

[Sarah]

I'm on Chapter 9, part 3. I'm 41% through. It's going steady, like her hiking...lol. Sometimes it's hard in places to read when it becomes sort of "slow." I have to push myself at times to read it. Once I do get to reading though, I like it okay.