
Skywalker
Highs and Lows on the Pacific Crest Trail
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Narrated by:
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Bill Walker
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By:
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Bill Walker
About this listen
The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT )is the perfect place for an average person to do something extraordinary. Bill Walker ("Skywalker"), who stands 6'11", might seem like anything but average. Yet in a brutally honest tone, he lays to bare all his considerable weaknesses and fears. Among these are crushing weight loss and fatigue, along with a fear of getting lost or a bear stealing his food. Nonetheless, he is bound and determined to hike the PCT which - at 2,663 miles - runs all the way from Mexico to Canada.
The PCT's calling card is its stunning beauty. It has a diversity of geography unequaled by any footpath in the world. Haunting and beckoning the PCT hiker are the implacable desert, the towering majesty of the so-called High Sierra, and the ruggedly bleak, northern Cascade range. Indeed, the PCT hiker faces much greater extremes of terrain and climate than on the famed Appalachian Trail. Completing this demanding challenge calls for overwhelming clarity of purpose.
Walker's signature characteristic as a writer is his real talent in capturing people. Obviously, he is a people person because he runs into and vividly describes a truly colorful cast of characters from seemingly all walks of American life. Among these are Uber Bitch, Shit Bag, and Serial Killer; the listener learns how these hikers ended up with their names (hint: blunders).The listener need not worry that Walker is a bully. Throughout this irreverent narrative, he turns his considerable supply of humor back on himself in ruthlessly self-deprecating fashion. It all makes for a delightful experience.
©2010 Bill Walker (P)2013 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Skywalker: Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail
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- Narrated by: Bill Walker
- Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
Why would a middle-aged businessman who had never even spent the night outdoors, attempt to hike the entire Appalachian Trail? Bill Walker, a former commodities trader in Chicago and London, and an avid walker, had developed a virtual obsession to hike this historic 2,175 mile footpath in one hiking season. In the spring of 2005 he set off from his home state of Georgia, hoping to make it to Mount Katahdin in northern Maine before the arrival of winter.
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Liked the story, but the recording quality was fair.
- By D. Corcoran on 11-25-15
By: Bill Walker
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The Trail Provides
- A Boy's Memoir of Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail
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- Narrated by: David Smart
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Disillusioned by the corporate lifestyle, David finds himself unemployed and desperate for change. Bradley, his older, more adventurous, and slightly-wreckless college fraternity brother presents an enticing offer. Just a few weeks later, the two inexperienced hopefuls abandon society and plunge into a soul-searching sojourn to thru-hike the Pacific Crest trail, a 2,650-mile Mexico-to-Canada footpath - barefoot. At the trail’s mercy from day one, the two hikers face the endless pains of walking, rising tensions, and falling behind to the coming winter.
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Good Story
- By Zach mielens on 01-02-20
By: David Smart
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Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Mexico to Canada
- By: Bruce Nelson
- Narrated by: Bruce "Buck" Nelson
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
One April morning I left the Mexico border and walked north on the Pacific Crest Trail. For five months I hiked through the California desert, the snows of the Sierra Nevada, and the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington. My goal was to succeed in an epic challenge: to hike 2,650 miles and reach Canada before the October snows.
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Trail journal published for money...
- By Ronda on 07-04-19
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The Unlikely Thru-Hiker
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Derick Lugo had never been hiking. He certainly couldn't imagine going more than a day without manicuring his goatee. But with a job cut short and no immediate plans, this fixture of the New York comedy scene began to think about what he might do with months of free time. He had heard of the Appalachian Trail, but he had never seriously considered attempting to hike all 2,184.2 miles of it. Suddenly he found himself asking, Could he do it?
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On My Feet All Day
- By bannedbum on 08-21-21
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Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart
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Carrot Quinn fears that she's become addicted to the Internet. The city makes her numb, and she's having trouble connecting with others. In a desperate move, she breaks away from everything to walk 2,660 miles from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. It will be her first long-distance hike.
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Like an infinity of switchbacks...it just never ended
- By Anonymous User on 12-20-17
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Only When I Step on It
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- Narrated by: Peter E. Conti
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- Unabridged
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Story
It was 23 months after his accident, and Peter was still dealing with constant excruciating pain. He'd seen dozens of doctors and tried a myriad of medications, but nothing seemed to work. Faced with the impossible choice of suffering through the rest of his life, he had an unlikely epiphany, "If I could somehow hike 2,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail, then my leg will have to be better." He set a starting date three weeks out, cobbled together a novice's pack, and set off on a journey destined to change his life forever—though not exactly how he had envisioned it.
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Inspiring story
- By D Williams on 05-29-22
By: Peter E. Conti
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Skywalker: Close Encounters on the Appalachian Trail
- By: Bill Walker
- Narrated by: Bill Walker
- Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why would a middle-aged businessman who had never even spent the night outdoors, attempt to hike the entire Appalachian Trail? Bill Walker, a former commodities trader in Chicago and London, and an avid walker, had developed a virtual obsession to hike this historic 2,175 mile footpath in one hiking season. In the spring of 2005 he set off from his home state of Georgia, hoping to make it to Mount Katahdin in northern Maine before the arrival of winter.
-
-
Liked the story, but the recording quality was fair.
- By D. Corcoran on 11-25-15
By: Bill Walker
-
The Trail Provides
- A Boy's Memoir of Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail
- By: David Smart
- Narrated by: David Smart
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Disillusioned by the corporate lifestyle, David finds himself unemployed and desperate for change. Bradley, his older, more adventurous, and slightly-wreckless college fraternity brother presents an enticing offer. Just a few weeks later, the two inexperienced hopefuls abandon society and plunge into a soul-searching sojourn to thru-hike the Pacific Crest trail, a 2,650-mile Mexico-to-Canada footpath - barefoot. At the trail’s mercy from day one, the two hikers face the endless pains of walking, rising tensions, and falling behind to the coming winter.
-
-
Good Story
- By Zach mielens on 01-02-20
By: David Smart
-
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Mexico to Canada
- By: Bruce Nelson
- Narrated by: Bruce "Buck" Nelson
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One April morning I left the Mexico border and walked north on the Pacific Crest Trail. For five months I hiked through the California desert, the snows of the Sierra Nevada, and the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington. My goal was to succeed in an epic challenge: to hike 2,650 miles and reach Canada before the October snows.
-
-
Trail journal published for money...
- By Ronda on 07-04-19
By: Bruce Nelson
-
The Unlikely Thru-Hiker
- An Appalachian Trail Journey
- By: Derick Lugo
- Narrated by: Derick Lugo
- Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Derick Lugo had never been hiking. He certainly couldn't imagine going more than a day without manicuring his goatee. But with a job cut short and no immediate plans, this fixture of the New York comedy scene began to think about what he might do with months of free time. He had heard of the Appalachian Trail, but he had never seriously considered attempting to hike all 2,184.2 miles of it. Suddenly he found himself asking, Could he do it?
-
-
On My Feet All Day
- By bannedbum on 08-21-21
By: Derick Lugo
-
Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart
- An Adventure on the Pacific Crest Trail
- By: Carrot Quinn
- Narrated by: Erin Spencer
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Carrot Quinn fears that she's become addicted to the Internet. The city makes her numb, and she's having trouble connecting with others. In a desperate move, she breaks away from everything to walk 2,660 miles from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. It will be her first long-distance hike.
-
-
Like an infinity of switchbacks...it just never ended
- By Anonymous User on 12-20-17
By: Carrot Quinn
-
Only When I Step on It
- One Man's Inspiring Journey to Hike the Appalachian Trail Alone
- By: Peter E. Conti
- Narrated by: Peter E. Conti
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It was 23 months after his accident, and Peter was still dealing with constant excruciating pain. He'd seen dozens of doctors and tried a myriad of medications, but nothing seemed to work. Faced with the impossible choice of suffering through the rest of his life, he had an unlikely epiphany, "If I could somehow hike 2,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail, then my leg will have to be better." He set a starting date three weeks out, cobbled together a novice's pack, and set off on a journey destined to change his life forever—though not exactly how he had envisioned it.
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Inspiring story
- By D Williams on 05-29-22
By: Peter E. Conti
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- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In 2003, software engineer David Miller left his job, family, and friends to hike 2,172 miles of the Appalachian Trail. AWOL on the Appalachian Trail is Miller’s account of this thru-hike from Georgia to Maine. Listeners are treated to rich descriptions of the Appalachian Mountains, the isolation and reverie, the inspiration that fueled his quest, and the rewards of taking a less conventional path through life. While this book abounds with introspection and perseverance, it also provides useful passages about hiking gear and planning.
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Enjoyable but severely lacking.
- By Amazon Customer on 07-01-13
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- Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
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The Appalachian Trail trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America - majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaing guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way - and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).
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Informational
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What is the best way for the average person to authentically experience the world's greatest mountain range - the Himalayas? Fortunately, there is now a good answer. The Annapurna Circuit in Nepal is the most popular footpath in Asia. Its genius lies in its design. Trekkers wind their way around and along some of the world's greatest peaks, ultimately getting near 18,000 feet, without ever having to do any 'technical climbing'.
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Hearing it made me feel like I was there.
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Keith Foskett’s dream of escape started with a single step. When the long-distance hiker chose to backpack all 2,180 miles of the Appalachian Trail, he left ordinary life behind for five months. Enduring an incredible test of physical and psychological strength, Foskett was pushed to his limits....
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Another great adventure!
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Once a person hikes a long trail, they catch the bug, but does it get any easier the second time around? Four years after starting the Appalachian Trail with his brother, Brian takes to the Continental Divide Trail for his second thru-hike in familiar company. However, trail life is not always as rewarding and romantic as the pictures you see or second-hand stories you hear.
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This is a terrific audiobook. It's interesting, well-written, and timely. It's the story of a textbook editor who retires, reads the popular book The Wild Effect and decides to hike the Appalachian Trail - and have an unexpected adventure! The tone is wry humor, tongue in cheek - the author has a great sense of humor, is perky, and as she learns in this adventure, is often in over her head! She is a very likeable character.
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Overall
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Performance
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
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Excellent!
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I Hike
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- Unabridged
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Story
"I never set out to hike 10,000 miles. It just sort of happened over the course of a decade." And so goes Lawton Grinter's compelling collection of short stories that have been over ten years and 10,000 trail miles in the making. I Hike brings the reader trailside with blissful moments on the highest mountain ridges to the mental lows of mosquito hell and into some peculiar situations that even seasoned hikers may find unbelievable.
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The best hiking book I've read yet
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What listeners say about Skywalker
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Sandy O.
- 08-16-16
Skywalker: Highs and Lows on the PCT review
Easy listening of one man's adventures and observations (people and lanscapes) along the Pacific Crest Trail.
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- Blaise
- 12-13-17
Informative Travelogue
I've read a lot of these travelogues over the past year as I prepare to embark on the Appalachian Trail myself this coming March. I enjoyed this one as it was more educational and thoughtful than some others. The author did a good job of explaining any major decisions about his successful thru-hike of the PCT. I enjoyed listening to this while I was doing my own training for the trail.
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- Rebecka
- 04-05-16
Fantastic!
Loved this book! Author has a great voice for audio! Great stories, funny, inspirational, heart wrenching at times.
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- megloves.portland
- 08-25-16
Must Read!
Bill Walker is an amazing story teller! Do your self a favor and take a listen 😊
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- Virginia
- 03-30-15
One persons account
I found his experience on the PCT interesting. To get another point of view other than Cheryl Strayed's was good. I may now read his account on the AT. Appalachian Trail.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Geek Reader
- 06-16-17
Good Story, but Narration is weird
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Dialog seems a little clunky, no one talks like this in real life.
Any additional comments?
The narration is weird.
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- JW
- 01-29-24
I enjoy most trail books
Overall the story is pretty good. As a disclaimer. I’m one who will watch YouTube hiking videos of the AT and PCT, it may give more rose colored lenses for anything hiking. (Long as it is a book about hiking and not a platform for something else.)
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- JM
- 06-13-16
Not Bad
Stayed on PCT hiking subject matter fairly well. Story was more documentary style than well crafted storytelling.
Narration is a bit rough in places, but the narrator is also the author.
Reasonably entertaining if you are interested in thru hiking.
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- Andrea
- 10-28-19
Excellent, Entertaining
Just finished this book for the 2nd time and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great story and the Author did very well narrating. Just like "being there" absent all the hardship.
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- Cyclety68
- 11-06-24
Great listen
I really like this style. Outstanding.
Casual and interesting and keeps me listening. Would like to hear more from this author.
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