Appalachian Trail Book

     Paralee Dawson Hayward found her journey was not about hiking but about the challenges and commitments, motivation and willingness to make things happen, and taking steps toward making dreams real.
    Still Living a Dream is an outdoor adventure book that combines advise with personal experiences and tales of long-distance hikers through the Appalachian Mountains while hiking along the Appalachian Trail.
     This hiking book describes the author's laughter, pain and life on the Appalachian Trail. Her daily backpacking journal, from 2002 can be found in both books, and is untouched from it's original writings-the good, bad and everything in between.

"August 2008-Climb up Katahdin, Maine
     It was raining most of the day, but it stayed much cooler than if the sun had been out. We did not have any views at the top, but I was just so glad to be there I didn't even mind. It took us six hours to climb up and another six to come back down. I think we could have completed the entire climb in ten hours if it hadn't been so wet and slippery.
     What a feeling of accomplishment it is to be at the top and share the excitement of the thru-hikers as they summit the mountain. Some have tears of joy while some rush up to the sign and kiss it. Several hikers told me that the climb up Katahdin was the hardest part of the Trail for them.
     The trip pushed me to the edge of my comfort zone, propelling me to a place I wasn't sure I wanted to be. Even though it was only a little over five miles up, it was more than I ever expected and the hardest thing I have ever done. I don't think I could have done the hike alone and was fortunate to have four other hikers go up with me."
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