Thinking About Hiking The Pacific Crest Trail?

If you're thinking about going "Wild" and following in the footsteps of author Cheryl Strayed to hike all or a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, plan on attending a presentation about trekking that route that will be given from 7-8:30 p.m. on August 31st at the REI Corte Madera by Dick Jordan's travel writing colleague, Susan Alcorn and her husband, Ralph.

(Samanta Levang Flickr Photo)

If you can't make it on that date, or can't wait to find out how you, too, can conquer the PCT, the Alcorns will be at other REI stores on these dates:

• Tuesday, July 12. 7-8:30 PM. REI Berkeley.
• Wednesday, July 13. S.F. Library. 6:30-7:30 PM.
• Tuesday, July 19. 7-8:30 PM. REI Mountain View
• Wednesday, July 20. 7-8:30 PM. REI Concord
• Tuesday, July 26. 7-8:30 PM. REI Saratoga
• Tuesday, August 2. 7-8:30 PM. REI Fremont
• Wednesday, August 10. 7-8:30 PM. REI San Carlos
• Saturday, August 13. 9-10:30 AM. REI Dublin
• Tuesday, August 16. 7-8:30 PM. REI San Francisco

Although Strayed's book, "Wild," (and the movie of the same name) are the most recent PCT memoirs, Dick recommends reading Dan White's "The Cactus Eaters: How I Lost My Mind and Almost Found Myself on the Pacific Crest Trail" to help you decide if you are up to long-distance mountain and desert hiking, or just for entertainment. You can get the book from Marin County libraries.