Balancing on Blue: Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail (Thru-Hiking Adventures Book 3) Kindle Edition

I have read all three of Mr. Foskett's books. In a row. In the same week. Very compelling reading. The author elevates the average thu-hike memoir with a wonderful sense of story-telling. The reader gets to understand the terrain, the beauty, the wonder; rather than just a daily re-hash of a trail journal (as interesting as those can be). Recommended to anyone who is thinking of such an undertaking or for those of us who can only experience such things vicariously.So, why not 5 stars? The author's habit of denigrating those who are only out for a day, or possibly just a peek at the trail. Fortunately, these nasty digressions are brief and rare. It would be fine if everyone could walk and walk and walk as the author has. It would be great if everyone could be gifted with the health and ability to pick up for six or more months to pursue such an epic hike. However, and sadly, this is not the case. Some of us venture a mile or so up the trail, up the stairs, out of breath, just to get a glimpse of what the author has the health to accomplish and the skill to write so blithely about. Next time you see the middle-aged "out of shape", overweight woman slowing down your thru-hike, keep in mind this may be her dream to just walk that mile, struggle up those stairs, because injury or illness means that is the best she can do. To walk a mile on a trail may be just as big an accomplishment to her as completing thousands of miles is to the author. Comments such as yours is why many would rather not attempt at all rather than face the scorn and ridicule such as the author exhibits on occasion.

The reviews on "Balancing on Blue," by Keith Foskett, an Englishman, seemed pretty favorable on the whole, so I thought I'd give it a try and bought the Kindle version. I've done some overnighting on the Appalachian Trail myself in years past, and I've read many accounts of the end-to-enders (now called thru hikers). Some accounts focus on the trail and the flora and fauna, most on how the hiker feels along the way, most (nowadays) on the camaraderie experienced among the hundreds who hike the trail, while a few focus (too much in my opinion) on the psyche of the author and those met while hiking. "Balancing on Blue" was a very nice blend of these. Foskett (whose trail name was Fozzie) liked hiking alone, and his descriptions of the woods, the mountains, the streams and the animal and vegetable life—appreciated especially by him when hiking solo—are beautiful. He has a gift for making detail interesting, an example of which was how he described even the "nuisance" rocks and stones the Pennsylvania portion of the trail is known for. But Foskett also got full enjoyment from his being with others on the trail, and that's what makes this book well-rounded. He appreciated the woods, while appreciating at the same time to the full the friendships with others that sprang up on the trail and off, when the hikers would rest up, clean up and resupply at nearby towns. I found Foskett very candid about his fellow hikers but never offensively so, and I did NOT find what a couple of reviewers found: a critical "I'm better than they are" attitude toward some other hikers. He was equally candid about himself. Foskett was not a novice long-distance hiker. He hiked the AT after having hiked the slightly longer Pacific Crest Trail. Interestingly, although the mountains were higher on the PCT, he found the AT harder, in part due to the very frequent wet weather on the AT. "Balancing on Blue" is one of the best AT thru-hiker books in my opinion, packed with information presented interestingly—only perhaps just a little bit too heavy on the off-trail doings of going end to end today. However, that may be because I'm an old timer, before the era of trail names, trail magic, so MANY hikers, and the popularity of the trail.

The author has an extremely high opinion of himself and loves to point out the unworthiness of the typical day hiker. If you like reading about how American taxpayers out for day enjoying their own country are fat, unworthy and ridiculous, while reading about how picking imaginary fleas out of one's beard is hilarious (wtf? Euro trash), then this book is for you. When he tried to give out insulting trail names to fellow hikers ("Pink Bits"? AUFKM?!), he is stunned and hurt that his misogynistic humor isn't welcomed. I couldn't enjoy the adventures because I kept thinking what a premium ass---- this guy is. Yuck. Please don't come back to the US.

Over the past several years I have read just about every book published as to through walkers on both the AT and PCT. Unfortunately due to being as old and dirt and due to health problems I will never be able to do due either one so I am forced, at this time, to live gregariously to these accounts. I have read some really poorly written book on the subject but even the poorly written one I have learned from.I will say that over the entire book in one of the better worked it have read. It is not only a very practical guide but it is one of these that preached “walk you own walk’ and is far less preaching that some I have encountered. It was a pure joy to read. I have been hiking (some quite long) since the late 1950 and so regret not being able to accomplished with the At or PCT but though these book I feel I have gained a lot.This is probably one of the top five I have read.

Epicly boring. Virtually nothing happens. Full of cheesey, corny mundanity. The trail names alone made me want to stop reading. Let me summarise: man cornily bangs on about how he's never more happy when on the trail, begins trail, talks endlessly about the weather and even more endlessly about other hikers and their retarded nick names, finishes walking for the day, sleeps in or near a trail shelter after telling you the names of everyone else sleeping there and what 'wacky' and 'zany' things they said, eats his food, goes to sleep, gets up and starts walking again. Repeat this for a few days and then add a short section about hitching to town, eating a burger, looking for the internet, drinking a coffee at. . . . . . Then back to the hiking. Yawn.Some journeys are best left untold.

So having read his other two fine efforts, I was straight into his most recent book and again it didn't disappoint. For those who don't have the time, the circumstances, the age or the fitness to take on such a challenge then this a fine substitute. You almost feel like you're out there with Fozzie sharing the ups and downs, and the friendships forged with other hikers. This book kept me up way later than I should be during a working week and almost made me miss my train stop on a number of occasions, both situations there probably describe why Fozzie relishes this lifestyle away from my own city life mundanity, thanks for sharing the journey! Again I recommend you check his website out while reading this, the video blogs give the book some depth and context. I look forward to more of the same.

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as his first two travelogues. I got the impression that to try to avoid being repetitive and needing to download a set number of words, this book was padded out. For example, how many pages were really necessary to describe the different types of board-walk in (I think it was) Maine, and how in wet conditions they were extremely slippy? Nevertheless, I was hooked on seeing the book through to the end. I've been looking out for his account of the CDT and am now aware that alk wasn't a success. But, intrigued as to why, and what happened next, I've just bought book 4. I hope it's as good as the first two books. In these times of lockdown through these books Fozzie has given me some escapism, for which I'm grateful.

This was the first ever book i had bought or read from "Fozzy" and i bought it by mistake. On flying home from holiday where i had read several other walking books i had heard him talking on the Podcast The Outdoor Station. The book i was supposed to be downloading was High and Low: How I Hiked Away From Depression Across Scotland. So you can see why i bought this one by accident.I did find it a little difficult the first chapter where he was describing the other walkers and i was a little confused. However i did reread this chapter later a few chapters in to get a better idea of the people i was reading about and then it all made sense. I did like this touch and i felt i was part of the team for knowing their stories and background.The rest of the book just flows out and you can imagine what he is seeing.This path has definitely been added to the future bucket list and given me some ideas on how to tackle it.While reading this book i have completed my own through walk albeit no were near the same length but felt i understood more what he was writing about.It has also opened my eyes to while im sat at my desk at work typing this how much i hate being sat in an office and i would rather be out walking and crossing paths with hairy smelly people on the trails.If your looking for a good read that isn't a guide book but it one mans memories of the walk then this is the book for you. i cannot wait to read the rest of the catalogue hopefully in order this time.I wish Keith the best for all his future endeavours and hope to meet him on the trails one day.

I really enjoyed the Last Englishman, the author’s account of walking the PCT, so chose to read this. Likewise, this is really good if you enjoy reading about long-distance trails. What’s striking is the camaraderie amongst the hikers and the hospitality shown by locals.Scenically the Appalachian Trail sounds disappointing at times as most of the route is apparently through forest without any view. There is much emphasis on doing the miles each day, which of course you need to do if you want to hike 2,000 miles before winter sets in. Personally, I came away with the impression I’d rather hike a small section of it and take the time to really absorb it, although I can understand those who want the sense of achievement that comes from doing the entire trail. His reflections on how he felt free on the trail with just his backpack and no other possessions makes you think about the way we live with so much focus on material things. I’m now looking forward to reading his other books on long distance hikes ( the trail to Santiago in northwest Spain and the western coast of Scotland).