The paradox of the internet, maybe better described as its own internal battle, is that it has the potential to be both the medium for unprecedented communication and education whilst simultaneously aiding in the rapid diminishing of our attention spans and monopolisation of the way we communicate. Naturally with the wealth of freely available information on the internet many choose to seek out and use this to their benefit, but often the majority are content to funnel their clicks and views into a tiny number of websites (names such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube spring to mind). Not to completely discount any of these companies or the services they provide – I have found much artistic inspiration and many musical gems trawling the suggested tab of Instagram and investigating potentially interesting accounts – but for the most part they sap time and brain space for something superficial and essentially arbitrary in likes and followers.
It is surprising then that the subject of this post, the wonderful account of the ambitious undertaking to walk the 2,100+ mile journey along the Appalachian Trail, was found not only whilst I was sitting inside at a computer but on the website 4Chan. For many 4Chan will be synonymous with right-wing Trump lovers, famed for their brand of ‘weaponised autism’ that has so often landed the website in controversy, frequently to the detriment of those who seek to expose or mock its users who remain anonymous when posting on the various boards of the site. Simply it is a message board, meaning its content and therefore reputation is entirely based on what is posted onto it, but I for one am glad that it escapes the clutches of PC culture and facilitates free speech, even if said speech can quickly slip into the hurling of derogatories. It was then on the ‘Travel’ board (/trv/) that I found myself scrolling, delving deeper than I would have liked to go and seemingly wasting time before I happened upon a thread on travelling the USA and its innumerable sites of natural beauty. There one user recommended the north east – Virginia, New Hampshire, etc. – and along with it some recommended reading; ‘A Walk In The Woods’ by Bill Bryson. Given my preexisting fascination with nature and hope to one day visit the national parks of north west America in states like Idaho, Wyoming and Washington, I didn’t need much convincing to buy the book.
As I mentioned, the book documents Mr. Bryson’s urge to take on the staggering challenge of walking the whole Appalachian Trail, which runs through fourteen US states from Georgia to Maine. His seemingly whimsical plan of action, considering how mammoth a task the AT proposes for even experienced hikers, gains another participant in the form of an old friend, Stephen Katz. Hilarity ensues as the two attempt to negotiate the various unique tests presented by living in a world of walking and wilderness, helped by their comedy which is steeped in sarcasm. I intend to read more of Bryson’s work and recently bought a copy of ‘Notes From a Small Island’ (a £1 charity shop bargain), the book which made his name in Britain and details his journey around the country. Residing in England for almost forty years (at the time the book was published it had been twenty years) undoubtedly shaped what must have already been a sharp wit, honing it further as he acclimatised to the British sense of humour.
In Bryson’s own words “You might have a great day [hiking], but it’s not an interesting thing to write about, let alone read.” – and he is of course right. Throughout the book I found myself thinking that many of the peaks and panoramas found along the trail must have been ‘you had to be there’ moments, despite the author’s best efforts at providing every detail of the view. In fairness Bryson does a good job of evoking the feelings that would be stirred in you had you been alongside him, but I’m sure he will freely admit that words don’t do full justice to the sheer beauty of the (mostly) untouched landscape on the east coast of America. To supplement this, Bryson provides many anecdotes and historical facts pertaining to the trail and various parts of the country it passes through, from important knowledge on how to survive a bear attack and the perils of hypothermia, to the often calamitous handling of the various national parks along the Appalachian Trail.
The book is fascinating, but more than anything it is entertaining. It is to Bryson’s credit that he finds the hilarity in every situation, and expresses it succinctly. You can’t help but warm to the mismatched coupling of he and Katz; they are seemingly unfit for the undertaking but nonetheless walk on and overcome the pitfalls that await them. It has awoken in me an urge to walk, to seek beautiful walks and hikes and countryside nearby me and to just go. Who knows, maybe one day I will follow in the footsteps of Bill Bryson and many others before him and attempt the same monumental challenge that he did. Most likely in the same slightly cynical yet optimistic way.
This book is a great example of exactly why I love the internet: a seemingly inane scroll of a message board led me to find much joy in the story of ‘A Walk in the Woods’ and ultimately impacted my life for years to come.
Journey for Clarity 