Where's the Wine?

Carol and Jim Steiner say they understand that the idea of a jaunt on the Appalachian Trail can intimidate some would-be hikers. After all, the AT is about 2,181 miles long, known as the longest continuously marked footpath in the world.

A simple online search is daunting: “Most hikers hike 8-10 miles each day at the beginning of their hike, then slowly work up to 12-16 miles per day. Most hikers will eventually have a few 20-25 mile days,” one online entry reads. Oh, and there’s this: “Occasionally, water is scarce on the trail.”

What? No water?

“Everybody hears about the through-hikers,” Carol said in a recent conversation, referring to people who start their Appalachian Trail experience at one end and keep at it, day after day, week after week, until they arrive at the end point, whether going from Georgia to Maine or in the opposite direction. “People think, ‘I really can’t do that.’ But you don’t have to do that,” she said.

What Carol and Jim suggest is that people plan day hikes so they know without a doubt that they find lodging and restaurants and maybe a glass of wine at the end of their one-day adventure.

They’ve written a book promoting just that idea, titled: The Appalachian Trail Day Hikers’ Guide: Downhill to Fine Wine and Accommodations.

Carol says the book is geared to hikers who’d prefer to crawl into a bed at night instead of sleeping in the woods. Carol and Jim point readers to places to stay along the AT where they’ve found delectable breakfasts, friendly hosts, and front porches that were perfect for an evening glass of wine. 

This first edition profiles day hikes in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.  

“Pick someplace you want to hike; hike where you live,” she said. “That’s what I’d like to encourage people to do.”

Day hiking wasn’t always Carol’s first choice as a way to walk the trail. She planned a longer family hiking trip after her retirement, but she quickly learned that sleeping in the woods was not her husband’s idea of a good time.

Carol said she and Jim are both 74, and she said the target audience for their book had been people over the age of 40. They have been surprised, though, at how many younger people have embraced the concept of pairing day hikes with exploring sights near the trail. In fact, day hiking makes the trail accessible for young families who’d like to walk portions of the AT with their children.

In many ways, the book is a good guide for anyone who in interested in hiking anywhere, with tips about getting physically prepared; what to take with you; what are the general rules of hiking; what is essential to know before hiking; what equipment best supports your success; and, of course, where to find fine wine and accommodations along the Appalachian Trail.

“There’s nothing like getting out there and just taking a walk,” Carol said. “You don’t have time to worry about anything” other than where you are going and what you are seeing. “It’s really very difficult to have your mind on your work when you are out there,” she said.

As there are few places on the Appalachian Trail where lodging and relaxation exist right on the trail, the book gives guidance on how to get from the AT to civilization. That might involve the hiker pre-parking a car at the end destination, or making plans for someone to pick you up at a certain time to drive you to a nearby inn or lodge.

“You can find people to shuttle you,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call these people. They’re always very accommodating, and they know where the trail is. It’s easy enough to do, but you do have to plan it ahead of time,” she said.

The book details more than 20 specific hikes on the AT, along with many alternatives based on certain starting points. Each hike has been completed by Carol and Jim, and the book includes entries from her hiking journal, directions to the trailhead, information on nearby towns, a description of difficulty and elevation changes and location of trail shelters. 

The guide also lists lodging and restaurants nearby, though many are a much as 20 miles away. That, Carol says, is why you carefully plan your hike and either stage your car at the destination or arrange for shuttle service.

She said day hikers can enjoy “being out there and relaxing and seeing what you would never see if you were driving on the road.” Another joy is “meeting all kinds of people; people from all over. You talk to them and get a sense of where they are going, where they are from, why they are hiking,” Carol said.

She said she often strikes up conversation on the trail with people who can’t believe they are out in the woods hiking the Appalachian Trail. Many times she hears from people about how they had frequently thought about an AT hike, but said, “I was really afraid to try.”

She recalled talking with a preacher who “just goes out and back. He said, ‘You know, I just found I need to get out here, so I just do. I just take one day at a time. I do a little bit here and a little bit there.’ He may do a couple of miles out and a couple of miles back,” Carol said, often traveling the same trail repeatedly. 

“There are not too many places that you can’t enjoy the hike. I have not found too many that are too great a challenge,” she said. “You don’t have to hurry. Walk at a pace that is comfortable for you.”

The key, though is to get started.

The Appalachian Trail Day Hikers’ Guide: Downhill to Fine Wine and Accommodations Georgia, North Carolina & Tennessee by Jim and Carol Steiner, published by Downhill Adventures Press. Available on amazon.com, books.com, and in select regional bookstores. For more information, visit atdayhiker.com.