Earl Shaffer

Web Sources For Topic:
1.) Title of Web page: Michael Fieldman's: Whad'Ya Know?
Web Address: http://www.notmuch.com/Features/Place/place-103198.html
Brief Description: Michael Fieldman is the host of a radio talk show called Whad'Ya Know?, a show that features a variety of news, commentaries, and guest interviews. On his October 31, 1998 show, Mr. Fieldman interviewed Earl Shaffer about his life and historic Appalachian Trail pilgrimages. This in depth and quite thoughtful interview is available on the show's website and provides a valuable spoken word resource.
Source of Website: Public Radio International, the interview was Earl Shaffer himself.
2.) Title of Web page: Thru-Hiking Facts.
Web Address: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hike/thru_hike/facts.html
Brief Description: This is a resource page of facts about thru-hiking the Appalachia Trail, the act of hiking the trail from start to finish as a continuous action, rather than completing the trail in sections over a period of time. Because Earl Shaffer was the first person to thru-hike the Trail, his life and deeds are expounded upon in this section of the Appalachian Trail Conference's (ATC) site. The ATC is an organization whose purpose is to promote and preserve the Trail.
Source of the Website: The Appalachian Trail Conference.
3.) Title of Web Page: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/travel/DailyNews/bbat_basics.html
Brief Description: This page is that of the ABCNews.com Travel section and provides a series of stories about the gear and mindset necessary for long range hiking excursions. It details a gear list and provides the transcript of an exhaustive interview with Earl Shaffer regarding what he packed for his legendary trip in 1948 and his advice and philosophy in regards to hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Source: ABC News
4.) Title: GORP.com: Nutrition
Web Address (numerous parts of this site are relevant): http://www.gorp.com/gorp/activity/hiking/medical/nutrition.htm
http://www.gorp.com/gorp/books/excerpts/thruhike.htm
Brief Description: Gorp (Great Outdoors Recreation Pages) is an encyclopedic reference site covering all aspects of outdorr recreation and travel. It touts a reputation as being the "most trafficked web site dedicated to outdoor recreation and adventure travel," priding itself on offering information that is first and foremost accurate but also authoritative and expansive. This site is a haven for short stories and snippets of information regarding the trail legend, Earl Shaffer. Information about Shaffer and his life is provided in numerous pages throughout this site.
Source: Gorp.com and the individual article contributors.
5.) Title: First hiker to walk Appalachian Trail does a repeat.
Web Address: http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/03/briefs/first.hiker/index.html
Brief Description: Cnn.com presents a feature article describing the 79 year-old Earl Shaffer's 50th Anniversary Appalachian Trail thru-hike. It highlights both Shaffer's historic first hike in 1948 and his latest journey in 1998.
Source: Cnn.com
6.) Title: Pioneer: 79 and Climbing
Web Address: http://travel.phillynews.com/outdoor/ocoves/HIKE14.asp
Brief Description: This website is the Travel portion of the Philadelphia Inquirer and features a story about Earl Shaffer's recent thru-hike at 79 years-of-age. It also presents a detailed picture of the Appalachian Trail and the specifics that a trip on it would require.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Non-Internet Sources

Bryson, Bill. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. New York: Broadway Books, 1998. Call Number: F106 .B92 1998.

Emblidge, David. The Appalachian Trail Reader. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Call Number: F106 .A63 1996.

Browne, Robert A. The Appalachian Trail: history, humanity, and ecology. Stafford, Va.: Northwoods Press, 1980.

Appalachian Trail Digital Guide [CD Rom]. Greenland, NH: Maptech, 1999. Call Number: CD-ROM C917.5 A64m.

Until 1948, only vagrants, vagabonds, and villains were perceived to travel on wilderness trails across the nation. When Earl Shaffer finished his historic non-stop journey along the newly created Appalachian Trail on August 5^th, 1948, another noun could be added to the aforementioned list, that of veteran. (1)
	Shaffer, freshly home from World War II, sought a means to shake the horrors of foreign combat from his recent memory. (3) He decided to offer up his frustrations and pain to nature’s altar, calling upon the purging power of a newly completed trail called the Appalachian Trail, stretching over 2000 miles along the Appalachian Mountain Chain. In 1921 a regional planner named Benton MacKaye had put a dream to paper, submitting his “An Appalachian Trail, A Project in Regional Planning,” to the October issue of the Journal of the American Institute of Architects. MacKaye envisioned a continuous path that would traverse the crest of the Appalachian Mountain range from Maine to Georgia, providing easy access to the solitude of wilderness for urbanites all over the Eastern United States. (1) It was never intended to be traveled straight through, nor was it presumed feasible for a person to “thru-hike” the entire trail. The Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) refused to believe it was possible for an individual to undertake and complete such an endeavor, seeing their trail as just a form of regional recreation, that is until they received a postcard of prose from a Earl V. Shaffer, who claimed to be writing from the Shenandoah Valley, halfway through the trail. (2)
As summer of 48’ marched to a close, Shaffer marched into history, trudging up the rock steps culminating on the icy pinnacle of Mt Katahdin in Maine, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Shaffer had turned logic on its head and forced the ATC to re-think the very nature of the trail they created. Shaffer became the first person to “thru-hike” the entire Appalachian Trail.
	As summer of 48’ marched to a close, Shaffer marched into history, trudging up the rock steps culminating on the icy pinnacle of Mt Katahdin in Maine, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Shaffer had turned logic on its head and forced the ATC to re-think the very nature of the trail they created. Shaffer became the first person to “thru-hike” the entire Appalachian Trail. Shaffer would live his life peacefully and without fanfare until the 50-year anniversary of his first thru-hike loomed in 1998. In that same year, the 79-year old Shaffer would attract media attention again, completing the more than 2000-mile pilgrimage on the verge of becoming an octogenarian. (1) (1) Imhoff, Ernest F. (1998, July 17). 50 years as trailblazer; Hiker: Earl Shaffer,* 79, the first person to hike the Appalachian Trail in both directions, is on a 50th anniversary walk.* The Baltimore Sun [Online], Local (News), Pg. 1B. Available: Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe [2002, February 4]. (2) Chutchian, Kenneth Z. (1998, October 22). 2,143 miles later, he's arrived; Man, 79, ends third hike of the Appalachian Trail. The Boston Globe [Online], Metro/Region; Pg. B1. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe [2002, February 4]. (3) McNeely, John. (1999, May 30). Friends One and All Annual Gathering of Hikers Brings Out The Best. The Columbus Dispatch [Online], Features - Accent & Arts, Pg. 1I. Available: Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe [2002, February 3].
Bibliography: 1.) Title of Web Page: It's the Hiker, Not the Gear: Get Down To Basics http://abcnews.go.com/sections/travel/DailyNews/bbat_basics.html Earl Shaffer Chat Transcript Web Site: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/travel/DailyNews/shaffer_chat981028.html Brief Description: This page is that of the ABCNews.com Travel section and provides a series of stories about the gear and mindset necessary for long range hiking excursions. It details a gear list and provides the transcript of an exhaustive interview with Earl Shaffer regarding what he packed for his legendary trip in 1948 and his advice and philosophy in regards to hiking the Appalachian Trail. Source of Website: ABC News 2.) Title: Pioneer: 79 and Climbing Web Address: http://travel.phillynews.com/outdoor/ocoves/HIKE14.asp Brief Description: This website is the Travel portion of the Philadelphia Inquirer and features a story about Earl Shaffer's recent thru-hike at 79 years-of-age. It also presents a detailed picture of the Appalachian Trail and the specifics that a trip on it would require. Source of Website: Philadelphia Inquirer 3.) Title of Web page: Thru-Hiking Facts. Web Address: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hike/thru_hike/facts.html Brief Description: This is a resource page of facts about thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, the act of hiking the trail from start to finish as a continuous action, rather than completing the trail in sections over a period of time. Because Earl Shaffer was the first person to thru-hike the Trail, his life and deeds are expounded upon in this section of the Appalachian Trail Conference's (ATC) site. The ATC is an organization whose purpose is to promote and preserve the Trail. Source of the Website: The Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC).
	Web Sources For Topic: 1.) Title of Web page: Michael Fieldman's: Whad'Ya Know? Web Address: http://www.notmuch.com/Features/Place/place-103198.html Brief Description: Michael Fieldman is the host of a radio talk show called Whad'Ya Know?, a show that features a variety of news, commentaries, and guest interviews. On his October 31, 1998 show, Mr. Fieldman interviewed Earl Shaffer about his life and historic Appalachian Trail pilgrimages. This in depth and quite thoughtful interview is available on the show's website and provides a valuable spoken word resource. Source of Website: Public Radio International, the interview was Earl Shaffer himself. 2.) Title of Web page: Thru-Hiking Facts. Web Address: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/hike/thru_hike/facts.html Brief Description: This is a resource page of facts about thru-hiking the Appalachia Trail, the act of hiking the trail from start to finish as a continuous action, rather than completing the trail in sections over a period of time. Because Earl Shaffer was the first person to thru-hike the Trail, his life and deeds are expounded upon in this section of the Appalachian Trail Conference's (ATC) site. The ATC is an organization whose purpose is to promote and preserve the Trail. Source of the Website: The Appalachian Trail Conference. 3.) Title of Web Page: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/travel/DailyNews/bbat_basics.html Brief Description: This page is that of the ABCNews.com Travel section and provides a series of stories about the gear and mindset necessary for long range hiking excursions. It details a gear list and provides the transcript of an exhaustive interview with Earl Shaffer regarding what he packed for his legendary trip in 1948 and his advice and philosophy in regards to hiking the Appalachian Trail. Source: ABC News 4.) Title: GORP.com: Nutrition Web Address (numerous parts of this site are relevant): http://www.gorp.com/gorp/activity/hiking/medical/nutrition.htm http://www.gorp.com/gorp/books/excerpts/thruhike.htm Brief Description: Gorp (Great Outdoors Recreation Pages) is an encyclopedic reference site covering all aspects of outdorr recreation and travel. It touts a reputation as being the "most trafficked web site dedicated to outdoor recreation and adventure travel," priding itself on offering information that is first and foremost accurate but also authoritative and expansive. This site is a haven for short stories and snippets of information regarding the trail legend, Earl Shaffer. Information about Shaffer and his life is provided in numerous pages throughout this site. Source: Gorp.com and the individual article contributors. 5.) Title: First hiker to walk Appalachian Trail does a repeat. Web Address: http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/03/briefs/first.hiker/index.html Brief Description: Cnn.com presents a feature article describing the 79 year-old Earl Shaffer's 50th Anniversary Appalachian Trail thru-hike. It highlights both Shaffer's historic first hike in 1948 and his latest journey in 1998. Source: Cnn.com 6.) Title: Pioneer: 79 and Climbing Web Address: http://travel.phillynews.com/outdoor/ocoves/HIKE14.asp Brief Description: This website is the Travel portion of the Philadelphia Inquirer and features a story about Earl Shaffer's recent thru-hike at 79 years-of-age. It also presents a detailed picture of the Appalachian Trail and the specifics that a trip on it would require. Source: Philadelphia Inquirer Non-Internet Sources Bryson, Bill. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. New York: Broadway Books, 1998. Call Number: F106 .B92 1998. Emblidge, David. The Appalachian Trail Reader. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Call Number: F106 .A63 1996. Browne, Robert A. The Appalachian Trail: history, humanity, and ecology. Stafford, Va.: Northwoods Press, 1980. Appalachian Trail Digital Guide [CD Rom]. Greenland, NH: Maptech, 1999. Call Number: CD-ROM C917.5 A64m.