Tom Mangan recommends a new book on the Pacific Crest Trail in his Mercury News review.
I’m intrigued by the 10-year-old Scrambler, Mary, youngest yet to complete the PCT.
… you may want to pick up “Zero Days” just to marvel at how a mom, dad and daughter avoid driving themselves batty after week upon week in the outdoors.
Among the book’s parenting lessons: Never forget your child is a child, but never let her think you’re treating her like one. Don’t hand her more than she can handle, but let her prove she can handle even more. …
Mother and father took extra care to keep her safe, but they also insisted Mary was a full partner in the team, pulling her weight with camp chores and even carrying extra weight when Barbara needed to lighten her load because of foot and leg pain.
By the time they got to Washington state, Mary was a seasoned trail veteran, joining the debates over which trail to take and which water supply to avoid. And, finally, her stern determination to finish the hike propelled her dad to find a safe route to the Canadian border when the high trails were snowed in.
“Zero Days” is a straightforward account full of outdoorsy details most relevant to those captivated by the idea of trekking the PCT, but there is a moral for the non-hiking masses: If you give your kids the opportunity to amaze you, generally they will.
Read the entire review: San Jose Mercury News – A family trek of 2,650 miles
(via Two-Heel Drive)
besthike.com 