Sticks and Stones

How to Hike the Appalachian Trail in Thirteen Years

By: Diane "Sticks" Harsha

Narrated by: Diane "Sticks" Harsha

How does a middle-aged wife, mother, and FBI agent pursue her dream of hiking 2,200 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine?

Sticks Harsha balances her trekking ambitions against the responsibilities of daily life by hiking the Appalachian Trail in sections, one piece at a time.

Across a thirteen-year odyssey, Sticks discovers the best of America: the stunning beauty and diversity of nature, the quaintness of small towns, the quirkiness of fellow hikers, and, above all, the generosity of strangers.

She also discovers the disorientation of extreme thirst, the unpredictability of feral animals, and the dangers of life-threatening winds across knife-edge precipices in the isolated, mountainous wilds.

Follow this brilliantly written saga of one woman’s quest to hold onto her dream even as her body ages and her spirit tires, making her question whether she will ever finish her journey.

And whether she will truly make it back home.

©2021 Diane "Sticks" Harsha (P)2022 Diane "Sticks" Harsha

Highly recommend

I actually looked forward to my 90-minute commute to and from work each day just because I got to listen to this book along the way. Now that I’ve finished it, I’m sad it’s over. Not sure what’s getting me into the car tomorrow. What a great escape while it lasted! Brought my mind right out onto the trail. Excellent imagery. Good pace. I stayed engaged and never caught my mind wandering. What an amazing person. This author has inspired me to get going on my next hike.

Determination!

Enjoyed this adventure very much. Tears at the end.. Such a wonderful family of support and understanding.

Great story!

This is probably my seventh or eighth book on hiking the Appalachian Trail. Although I’ve enjoyed every book I have read, this was the one that was the most relatable to my situation. I too, am a middle-age woman and although I’ve not hiked the trail at all, I definitely have aspirations to do so! Sticks helped me to realize that the dream is still a possibility. I thoroughly enjoyed her story and chuckled out loud many times throughout with her sense of humor. I loved her southern accent, it definitely added some extra charm. She kept the story interesting with her trail observations and also interspersed with her personal life. I am so inspired!

Sticks

Adventure was interesting. Author and narrator monotone voice. Impressed her daughter joined her often and continues to hike.

Best trail story yet

I have read and listened to a lot of hiking logs but this one is by far my favorite. The imagery is beautiful but also the accurate description of time on the trail is just perfect. Also the depiction of how off trail life has such a profound effect on when and how long you can duck out to hike was reassuring for those of us who didn’t thru in our twenties. Thank you for this beautiful book and for sharing your story with all it’s triumphs and sorrows.