The Book Tour of a Lifetime told (mostly) through numbers
Let’s just say it’s been amazing from beginning to end (and it isn’t over yet!). Months on the road 5 Miles 40,000 States visited 34 National Parks and Monuments visited 27 State Parks and Campgrounds visited 46 Nights spent at Camp WalMart, Rest Areas or Truck Stops 21 Total appearances 56 Appearances at L.L. Bean stores […]
Everett Potter’s Travel Report weighs in on Appalachian Odyssey
It was an honor to be interviewed by Everett Potter for his esteemed travel blog. Everett has a well deserved worldwide following due to his travel writing for the New York Times, USA Today and Forbes Travel among dozens more. His website is among the most visited by travelers. He also asks great interview questions!
The Joy of Writing is in the Stories Shared
I was signing books the other night in Pennsylvania when I looked up to see something I had never seen before — a man with a little boy were walking toward me and the boy had my book under his arm. They had come to have me sign their copy of Appalachian Odyssey. The first […]
The True Meaning of a Road Trip
I’m currently on a national road trip for my book, Appalachian Odyssey: A 28-year hike on America’s trail. At least that’s the headline version. But, as with all meaningful journeys, there’s a much deeper story woven through my sojourn through America’s National Parks, cities and towns. It’s that we are (still) a nation of incredible […]
Touring the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive
The Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive are special to me. I walked the length of Shenandoah National Park in 1991, a hundred mile stretch that is largely in the shadow of Skyline Drive (the Appalachian Trail crosses the road over 20 times). The AT continues south along the Blue Ridge (also in the shadow […]
Appalachian Odyssey goes into second printing
In just one month, Appalachian Odyssey has achieved second printing status! I am so happy that my story has resonated with such a wide audience. I have been out meeting people in national parks, in bookstores, in barber shops, you name it, and the response has been genuine and incredibly uplifting. It seems everyone has […]
Appalachian Odyssey Interview on WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, VA
I stopped by the WHSV-TV in Harrisonburg, VA this week to appear on Bob Corso’s 1-on-1 interview program. We had a great time talking about my book and the trail before, during and after the interview. Bob Corso really took the time to ask me all about my book and the journey. He arrived with a […]
Appalachian Odyssey tour stop #4 – Mount Pleasant B&B
The evening of July 16th was perfect for a book signing event. The moon approached the full stage and the summer ambiance was amazing at the historic Mount Pleasant B&B in Strasburg, Virginia. Built in 1812, the rolling fields and hills surrounding the inn were once the scene of Civil War troop movements as the […]
You can’t reach the summit unless you leave self-doubt in the valley
An Excerpt from Appalachian Odyssey: A 28-year hike on America’s trail It’s inevitable that you will hit low points in your career — days where you wonder if getting out of bed and getting your butt back into the chair to write yet another proposal or into the driver’s seat to initiate a new round of client […]
A Nationwide Book Tour in a 1985 Vanagon? Yes!
PORTLAND, Maine – Jeffrey Ryan, author, speaker, photographer, avid hiker and former catalog writer at L.L. Bean, will be embarking on a five-month book tour in his 1985 VW Vanagon. Ryan is the author of a new book about the Appalachian Trail that highlights a 28-year trip, hiked one section at a time. APPALACHIAN ODYSSEY […]