Personally, I felt the storytelling average. Sometimes pretentious.
What kept me going was the plot ➙ story of the search for Valerie Gillis, a 42-year-old hiker known as “Sparrow,” who vanishes while navigating the challenging Appalachian Trail.
After weeks experience on the A.T., Sparrow makes many dumb mistakes.
The book was slightly inspired by the story of Geraldine Largay who went missing in 2013 and survived for 26 days.
Valerie pours her thoughts into fractured, poetic letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles to keep hoping.
At the heart of the investigation is Beverly, the determined Maine State Game Warden tasked with finding Valerie, who leads the search on the ground. Meanwhile, Lena, a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community, becomes an unexpected armchair detective. …
… The mystery inspires larger questions about the many ways in which we get lost, and how we are found. …
The Adventure Capital of the World, a gorgeous location on Lake Wakatipu opposite the saw-toothed Remarkable range.
If you’ve never been to New Zealand, start planning. Now. It’s our #1 hiking destination on Earth.
Queenstown is an international resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand’s South Island. …
According to the 2006 census, the usually resident population of the Queenstown urban area … is 10,416 …
… a centre for adventure tourism. Skiing, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, mountain biking, tramping and fly fishing are all strong promotional themes. …
Queenstown is the departure point for a large number of day trips to the similarly famous Milford Sound …
If you find it too much of a tourist trap, move away up the lake to Te Anau (pop. about 2000). It’s got everything you need to stage for an epic Kiwi hike.
Our favourite hike hikes out of Queenstown and Te Anau are:
These are the three on the list of Great Walks. (Kiwis avoid them because they’re crowded with international tourists. Locals can take you on hikes just as good, but unknown to foreigners.)
I’ve hiked it at least 100 times — though it’s been rerouted in recent years.
Only 4km one way to an impressive pedestrian-cyclist suspension bridge from my favourite beach on Vancouver Island, Rathtrevor.
Normally I don’t start from Rarthrevor. I skip the road walking and begin at the “I” information sign. That’s the trailhead parking lot: 175 Allsbrook Rd, Parksville.
Saysutshun (Newcastle Island Marine) Park is a family friendly adventure, accessible only by foot passenger ferry or your own boat from Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.
I put my bike on an intercity bus. Then rode the fantastic Nanaimo bike trails to get to the ferry.
It’s a quick, scenic trip over to Saysutshun.
Many simply kayak over to the island. It’s quite protected and safe.
I believe it’s obligatory 😀 to take a photo at the first totem pole.
There are a number of trails to explore on foot and (some) on bike. I did both.
Most day trippers spend about 2 hours walking the trails.
With frequent stops for photos.
Surprisingly, coal was mined here 1853 – 1882. Hence the name, Newcastle.
The rocky shelf is perfect for exploration.
Most fun for me was exploring some of the boat wrecks at low tide.
As you can see 😀, I pushed this one boat back into the ocean.
You are almost certain to see some of the Nanaimo ferries.
Sandstone quarrying began on Newcastle Island 1869. There is plenty of evidence of that stonework, even today.
Happily, you can still see some huge old growth trees.
I saw many deer. A few rabbits. None of the worrisome racoons.
For the first time at Saysutshun, I camped one night.
18 walk-in campsites are located in a quiet forested area a mere 5-minute walk from the docks.
Five group campsites are also available that can accommodate up to 50 guests.
Potable water is available along with flush and pit toilets, hot showers, and food lockers to protect your rations from local raccoons!
With no cars allowed on the island, the quiet is serene, with nothing but the sound of the ocean, birds and wind in the trees. And with no bears or cougars on the island, there is little worry of any alarming wildlife encounters.
Sites are available on a first-come first-served basis, but reservations are highly recommended.
I unexpectedly got free-to-me access to the BEST A.I. VIDEO generating tool as of May 2025 — Google Veo 3.
… It costs U.S. $250 / month as I post. 😳
I first asked for audio and video of a hiker crossing a river in a rain storm on Vancouver Island.
NEXT I was offered anA.I. enhanced version of that same prompt:
Atmospheric and moody cinematic scene, reminiscent of a Pacific Northwest indie film. Overcast day, with a soft, diffused light filtering through the dense canopy of evergreens. Cool blues and grays dominate the color palette. Medium shot of a lone hiker, seen from the waist up, mid-stream in a rushing river. The hiker is wearing a waterproof hiking jacket and a backpack. His face is partially obscured by the rain and the hood of his jacket. The river is rocky and fast-flowing, with the water churning around the hiker’s legs. The background consists of a lush, green forest with ferns and moss-covered trees. The camera slowly pans to follow the hiker as he makes his way across the river. The sound of the rain and the rushing water create a sense of immersion and isolation.
Finally, I changed the last enhance prompt to have the hiker in deeper water. 😀
besthike.com 