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A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

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    • If you go to see this movie expecting it to be a accurate account of hiking you will most certainly be disappointed. If you go see it with the attitude and expectation that its a comedy will probably walk out of the theater happy.

      Im looking forward to seeing it.
      RIAP
    • Trebor wrote:

      If you go to see this movie expecting it to be a accurate account of hiking you will most certainly be disappointed. If you go see it with the attitude and expectation that its a comedy will probably walk out of the theater happy.

      Im looking forward to seeing it.
      yup, just like the book. I to look forward to it, it's a great story which should adapt well to the big screen...although not a big screen movie per se, I will still will go to the theater cause I just can't wait any longer.
    • Annie has purchased 2 tickets for us to see this on 2nd September. It releases here on the 3rd but we are going to an advanced screening with Bibbulmun Foundation.
      With 12 hour time zone advantage I may well be one of the first to see it.
      Expecting it morphed into a grumpy old men movie. Promo I saw indicates it will show them as walking more than they did. But hey! Who am I to criticise! :)
      Expecting a fun movie not a thru hiker journal.
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.
    • OzJacko wrote:

      Annie has purchased 2 tickets for us to see this on 2nd September. It releases here on the 3rd but we are going to an advanced screening with Bibbulmun Foundation.
      With 12 hour time zone advantage I may well be one of the first to see it.
      Expecting it morphed into a grumpy old men movie. Promo I saw indicates it will show them as walking more than they did. But hey! Who am I to criticise! :)
      Expecting a fun movie not a thru hiker journal.


      Exactly! :)

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Socks ().

    • OzJacko wrote:

      Annie has purchased 2 tickets for us to see this on 2nd September. It releases here on the 3rd but we are going to an advanced screening with Bibbulmun Foundation.
      With 12 hour time zone advantage I may well be one of the first to see it.
      Expecting it morphed into a grumpy old men movie. Promo I saw indicates it will show them as walking more than they did. But hey! Who am I to criticise! :)
      Expecting a fun movie not a thru hiker journal.
      there is a screening tomorrow nite in atlanta. i have tickets (free) but they printed more tickets than seats so actually having a ticket is no guarantee you'll get in. first come first served. i'm not sure its worth the hassle getting there (early!) when its gonna be at the theaters in a couple weeks. i'll decide at the last minute about going.
      2,000 miler
    • max.patch wrote:

      OzJacko wrote:

      Annie has purchased 2 tickets for us to see this on 2nd September. It releases here on the 3rd but we are going to an advanced screening with Bibbulmun Foundation.
      With 12 hour time zone advantage I may well be one of the first to see it.
      Expecting it morphed into a grumpy old men movie. Promo I saw indicates it will show them as walking more than they did. But hey! Who am I to criticise! :)
      Expecting a fun movie not a thru hiker journal.
      there is a screening tomorrow nite in atlanta. i have tickets (free) but they printed more tickets than seats so actually having a ticket is no guarantee you'll get in. first come first served. i'm not sure its worth the hassle getting there (early!) when its gonna be at the theaters in a couple weeks. i'll decide at the last minute about going.
      I'll wait for Red Box.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • max.patch wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      journeys magazine just came. it has to be at least 1/2 about the book/movie.
      I made it into at least photo in the flipflop article.
      hmmm....green shirt and ball cap on page one?
      Yep. That's my me in my trusty (sometimes crusty)green shirt.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • SGT Rock wrote:

      FWIW, I think it is the best book ever written about thru-hiking.



      Most disagree with me because of his failure to finish, lack of accuracy about many trail towns and people, and other flaws in the book. Usually they point to books like "Awol on the AT", or "On the Beaten Path" as better examples. But let me try and make my case with just a short explanation of my reasoning.



      Something like 75% of the people that start a thru-hike don't finish it (me included) for various reasons. As I understand the generally accepted statistics, 50% drop out before ever getting through the Smokies. Again, for various reasons. Think about that: half the people that start a thru-hike don't complete 10% of the distance.



      But think of this: at 200 miles (about the distance to Newfound Gap) you have barely even begun a thru-hike really. Whatever knocks you out at this point is failure to properly prepare for the whole endeavor. If it is physical, then you were probably not in good enough shape to begin with and went too fast. If it is financial, then you probably had no real clue how much you would spend in towns since you have only hit 2 or 3 at this point. And if it is because you find backpacking for weeks (probably only 2 or 3 weeks at this point) a real drudge, then you really had no idea what thru-hiking was going to be like.



      There are many books about hikers completing their thru-hike. Uplifting stories about what people have learned about themselves. About the injury, the personal situation, or the whatever that the hiker has to overcome to make it to the end. We all want to be that guy and can see ourselves in those shoes. None talk about the absolute drudge that thru-hiking can be at times, except one. A Walk in the Woods.



      So, while I think there are lots of books people can read for inspiration on how great things can be accomplished and how great a thru-hike can be. Only one doesn't sugar coat how miserable you can feel and how it can be something you don't expect. I may recommend any one of the other books for someone thinking about doing a thru-hike. But I always recommend reading A Walk in the Woods. Maybe it gets the hiker to understand before he starts the trail what it can be like and helps to mentally prepare for it. Or maybe it gets the hiker to realize that thru-hiking isn't for everyone so they can skip where they quit their job, let the lease go on the apartment, put all their stuff in storage, give away the cat, and piss off the girlfireind - just to find out two weeks later they hate thru-hiking.

      I realize I'm quoting a rather old post here, but I had just read it for the first time yesterday, and ironically, I came across an interesting article today (link I found in the other sandbox) that was spot-on with this opinion (which I happen to agree with.)

      Why the Most Popular Hiking Memoirs Don’t Go the Distance
      newyorker.com/books/page-turne…oirs-dont-go-the-distance

      Pretty good article that covers three major trail failures that turned out to be decent books.
      *

      For once I'd just like to hear myself say, "Great job, self! Why don't you just take the day off."
    • I agree with HB. The reality is a lot harder than the concept.
      A thru hike of 2000 miles is just too long for most of us. It sound appealing but there is just too many low points over that distance.
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.
    • every year, plenty of hikers decide springer to neels gap is more than enough.
      that being said, i think the ones who write about their failures can sometimes be more inspiring than those who finish. they come to understand themselves and learn exactly why they fail, and most will identify with failure more readily than they can with success
      its all good
    • hikerboy wrote:

      every year, plenty of hikers decide springer to neels gap is more than enough.
      that being said, i think the ones who write about their failures can sometimes be more inspiring than those who finish. they come to understand themselves and learn exactly why they fail, and most will identify with failure more readily than they can with success
      My bust, I hit the wrong button.............
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:
    • hikerboy wrote:

      every year, plenty of hikers decide springer to neels gap is more than enough.
      that being said, i think the ones who write about their failures can sometimes be more inspiring than those who finish. they come to understand themselves and learn exactly why they fail, and most will identify with failure more readily than they can with success
      they are certainly more entertaining.
      By end of smokies, trail is warming up, people learn what they are doing, and most trail journals become a boring daily grind. The interesting part is their first couple weeks, dealing with cold and ignorance.
    • Trebor wrote:

      As long as you have the expectation that the movie is a comedy you'll probably leave happy. If you go see it expecting it to be a accurate depiction of what long distance hiking is really like you will surely be disappointed.
      I do not expect the film to be anymore or any less an accurate depiction of hiking than, let's say Band of Brothers was an accurate depiction of E Co. 506 PIR's experiences during WW2. Characters and events will be altered or compressed to move a story along.

      The film is at least based on the book, and no matter how much we argue the point, Bryson is an AT hiker with 800 miles under his belt and A Walk in the Woods is an accounting of that hike.
      Of course I talk to myself... sometimes I need expert advice.
    • just my opinion, but i disagree with the so called experts who predict that the movie is going to drive thru hiking next year to unmanagable numbers. i think just about anyone who is gonna thru hike as already well aware of the appalachian trail. oh sure, they'll be a few but not enough to matter.

      where it will increase numbers slightly is among foreign hikers. there will be oversea hikers who will learn about the trail through this movie.

      and if i'm wrong come next may i'll eat crow.

      edit to add: i do agree that it is prudent to prepare as if numbers will increase. however, these steps need to be done in any regard based on current trail useage without regard to any movie coming out.
      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 1 time, last by max.patch ().

    • max.patch wrote:

      i do agree that it is prudent to prepare as if numbers will increase. however, these steps need to be done in any regard based on current trail useage without regard to any movie coming out.
      Totally agree. I was looking at the "recorded" numbers of people starting from Springer over the last 20 years or so and I was actually amazed by the increase every year. Subtle, but certainly rising every year without any influence at all.

      And I was worried about the potential increase because of hoping to start from Springer myself in March. But after reading that article about the expected demographics for moviegoers that would most likely be interested in the movie to begin with, well, I'm not so sure there's going to be as much trail exposure as feared.

      Either way, I can't wait until it hits DVD or NetFlix or whatever. ( I don't do movie theaters.)
      *

      For once I'd just like to hear myself say, "Great job, self! Why don't you just take the day off."
    • g00gle wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      i do agree that it is prudent to prepare as if numbers will increase. however, these steps need to be done in any regard based on current trail useage without regard to any movie coming out.
      Totally agree. I was looking at the "recorded" numbers of people starting from Springer over the last 20 years or so and I was actually amazed by the increase every year. Subtle, but certainly rising every year without any influence at all.
      And I was worried about the potential increase because of hoping to start from Springer myself in March. But after reading that article about the expected demographics for moviegoers that would most likely be interested in the movie to begin with, well, I'm not so sure there's going to be as much trail exposure as feared.

      Either way, I can't wait until it hits DVD or NetFlix or whatever. ( I don't do movie theaters.)
      Movie theaters all around me are putting in big comfy reclining chairs and sofas with some tables...love goin' to the theater.