Since 1992
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Authors: Peter and Suellen Diaconoff
Why a hiking book for Boomers? Because Boomers are a savvy lot and they know that one size does not fit all. While they may be up for adventure and eager to challenge themselves, they wisely want to know what they are getting into before taking the leap. That’s exactly what you’ll get in this lively and informative hiking book, appropriate for both novice and experienced hiker.
Organized into five “Boomer Rating” categories according to the level of challenge, the 75 hikes of this book begin with an honest assessment of the physical demands (and pleasures) of a hike, then give you all the advance trail “intel” necessary to make your day in the woods memorable. Drawing upon first-hand experience, the authors—who didn’t start hiking until into their fifth and sixth decades—are eager to encourage others in the upper-age bracket to enjoy the great benefits of hiking. To entice you out, they include a full spectrum of hikes from easy rambles to dozens of peaks, giving you a wealth of helpful and practical advice about the trails, along with entertaining and informative anecdotes about wildlife, trail lore, Maine history, and tips for dealing with creaky joints and cranky knees.
Book excerpt:
Of course it’s no secret in the broader hiking community that Maine is considered one of the premier hiking states in the nation. With its 6000 lakes, 32,000 miles of rivers, 5000 miles of coastline, and 17 million acres of forestland, the state has a trail for every level of walker or hiker and for every season of the year. While many trails offer precisely the combination of challenge and reward described above, there are also plenty of rambles with less daunting challenges that still deliver lots of beauty and pleasure. It’s our intention to bring to you that full spectrum. You can, for instance, meander along forest pathways and through the nineteenth-century elegance of Vaughan Woods, near Augusta, to admire the imposing stone bridges built to last for generations; or take a gentle stroll alongside glistening Great Pond on the “quiet side” of Acadia National Park, perhaps even catching the glimpse of a loon; or set forth on the short but stiff climb up rock ledge, near beautiful Height of Land, to access the fairytale woods leading to Sabbath Day Pond. If you’re committed to more challenge, you can opt for a whole range of trails and reap even more impressive rewards by hiking the steep but highly scenic trail up to the bald summit of Rumford Whitecap, through its “islands” of wind-sculpted dwarf trees surrounded by patches of blueberries. Or you could head for the real backcountry wilderness of another White Cap, this one on the Appalachian Trail, where you’ll hike up a rough creek bed to the sprawling top that looks out, from one side of the summit, onto layer after layer of mountains, including Maine’s fabled mile-high mountain, Katahdin, the terminus for the 2175-mile Appalachian Trail. In fact, this state has it all. Whether you’re a Boomer, a post-Boomer, or a twenty-something, there is a hike for everyone. We know, because we’ve not only hit the trails throughout the “Pine Tree State” but have hiked and backpacked throughout the U.S. as well as in Canada, Europe, and North Africa. Still, truthfulness compels us to confide that we didn’t begin hiking in earnest until we reached the “advanced” ages of 56 and 63 respectively. Well over a decade later, hiking remains our passion. Which means that we’re here to tell you that it’s never too late to start hiking, nor are you ever too old to continue hiking.
About the authors:
During their 20-year residence in Maine and in their fifth and sixth decades, the authors discovered a passion for hiking. As a consequence, they have not only extensively hiked the trails of Maine but also backpacked in nearly all the national parks of the American West and Southwest, and in Canada, Europe, and North Africa. Upon retirement, they moved to Santa Fe to learn about the challenges of hiking in the high desert. Their hearts, however, remain on Maine trails.
This book is available in bookstores and booksellers online.
