A Long Walk South

Book excerpt: There's something to be said about being average. It's not a bad thing, but it isn't necessarily great either. After growing up in suburban New England, following the social norms and reluctantly falling into the "average" category in just about everything, Brad Herrick wasn't quite ready to take on the "average adult" lifestyle yet. With the light shining bright at the end of the college tunnel, Brad finds himself with the opportunity of a lifetime after he made a joke comment to his dad: a chance to hike the infamous Appalachian Trail. The conversation went something like this: Brad: "I don't want to grow up yet! I'll just go and hike the Appalachian Trail!" Dad: "Okay. Do it." Brad: "Wait, what?" Follow Brad as he tries to conquer the extraordinary as he walks almost 2,200 miles from Katahdin in Maine through fourteen states to Springer Mountain in Georgia. As his average life slowly takes a back seat, it's gradually replaced with exciting, funny, and ridiculous adventures, both on and off the trail, with friends old and new. It's a trail of discovery as Brad finds perseverance, adventure, an expanded world view, a love of food and reading, the proper use of diaper rash cream, and the journey out of the "average" category.