Jeffrey Ryan sets no speed records on the Appalachian Trail, unless it is for the slowest time ever recorded getting from Maine to Georgia. But in a world which sometimes seems obsessed with velocity and superficiality, Ryan’s story is a reminder that the long slow journeys taken with friends are the best—and the most memorable. His Appalachian Odyssey, destined to be a classic of nature and travel writing, will inspire a new generation of readers to follow in his footsteps. 

~ Robert M. Poole, executive editor (retired), National Geographic.