I Love New York: 50 Hikes in the Adirondacks

Barbara McMartin has been hiking in the Adirondacks for decades; her family, for generations. She has distilled her vast experience into the 50 hikes offered here, representing a cross-section of the wilderness and wild forest: rugged peak climbs, gentle trips to distant waterfalls, bushwhacks to wild rivers. In all she describes 360 miles of trails to caves, uninhabited lakes, wetlands, cliffs, and fire towers across the Park's 6 million acres.

The hikes range in length from 1.5 to 13.5 miles. Each hike description includes a topographic map, mile-by-mile directions, and information on distance, difficulty, terrain, and hiking time. An overview chart makes it easy to pick a hike for every ability. Throughout, McMartin provides commentary on the natural history of the region, along with colorful incidents from Adirondack history.

Novel Destinations: Naked in Dangerous Places

Told with wit and shameless honesty, this book documents a yearlong journey through exotic lands, proving the truth of the old saying “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Naked in Dangerous Places: The Chronicles of a Hungry, Scared, Lost, Homesick, but Otherwise Perfectly Happy Traveler
by Cash Peters

Novel Destinations: Throwim Way Leg

A poignant journey into the enigmatic wilds of New Guinea.

Throwim Way Leg: Tree-kangaroos, Possums, and Penis Gourds -- on the Track of Unknown Mammals in Wildest New Guinea
by Tim Flannery

Novel Destinations: Shadow of the Silk Road

The author recounts his ambitious and dangerous 7,000 mile trek along the legendary Silk Road, from the heart of China to the mountains of Central Asia, through northern Afghanistan, across the plains of Iran, and into Kurdish Turkey.

Shadow of the Silk Road
by Colin Thubron

Novel Destinations: Where the Pavement Ends

The author bikes across the Asian steppes and on through China and Vietnam describing an Asia inaccessible to tourists. Riding on horseback she herds cattle on the steppes, shares a grandmother’s bed in a Chinese village, spends time teaching English and living in a Mongolian yurt; everyday is filled with new adventures and challenges.

Where the Pavement Ends: One Woman’s Bicycle Trip Through Mongolia
by Erika Warmbrunn

Novel Destinations: Stolen Figs

A marvelous evocation of Calabria and Calabrians, whose way of life is largely untouched by the commerce that has made Tuscany and Umbria into popular tourist destinations.

Stolen Figs, and Other Adventures in Calabria
by Mark Rotella

Novel Destination: Blue Highways

Join the author in Ghost Dancer, his converted van, as he travels over the back roads and through the small towns of America.

Blue Highways: A Journey into America
by William Least Heat Moon

Novel Destinations: Alone Across the Arctic

The author tells of her cold and dangerous journey from Alaska to the Arctic of northern Canada with her team of eight sled dogs.

Alone Across the Arctic: One Woman’s Epic Journey by Dog Team
by Pam Flowers