About this item
In thirty-six thrilling days, Melanie Radzicki McManus hiked 1,100 miles around Wisconsin, landing her in the elite group of Ice Age Trail thru-hikers known as the Thousand-Milers. In prose that's alternately harrowing and humorous, Thousand-Miler takes you with her through Wisconsin's forests, prairies, wetlands, and farms, past the geologic wonders carved by long-ago glaciers, and into the neighborhood bars and gathering places of far-flung small towns. Follow along as she worries about wildlife encounters, wonders if her injured feet will ever recover, and searches for an elusive fellow hiker known as Papa Bear. Woven throughout her account are details of the history of the still-developing Ice Age Trail - one of just eleven National Scenic Trails - and helpful insight and strategies for undertaking a successful thru-hike.
About the Author
Melanie Radzicki McManus was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her family moved to Wisconsin when she was in grade school. She earned a B.A. in communications and political science, then an M.A. in religious studies. Over the years she worked as a radio station news reporter, a press secretary in the Wisconsin State Legislature and in strategic communications for an insurance company. Melanie has been a freelance writer since 1994, specializing in active travel, health and fitness.She has won several prestigious Lowell Thomas gold and grand awards for her travel journalism. Her first book, "Thousand-Miler: Adventures Hiking the Ice Age Trail," was published in 2017. She is now on a quest to hike all 11 U.S. National Scenic Trails.Melanie lives in Sun Prairie, Wis., with her husband, Ed. She and Ed have three grown children.Interview with Melanie Radzicki McManusWISCONSIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESS INTERVIEW WITH MELANIEWHS Press: Why did you decide to write Thousand-Miler? After I hiked the Ice Age Trail, I couldn't get it out of my head: the trail's beauty, the profound experience of thru-hiking a long-distance trail, the transformation that occurs when you're out in nature every day. I also kept thinking about the other thru-hikers I'd met, and about how their trail tales were similar, yet different, than mine. One day I realized combining all of our stories would make a compelling read.WHS Press: Was there one part of the trek in particular that speaks to you and/or captures the Ice Age Trail experience? Many parts of the trail and my trek spoke to me in different ways. But one of my favorites was a segment mid-way through the trail. I popped out onto the top of a hill and a farm field spread out below. The farmer had mowed a pretty, curving path down the field for hikers to follow. It was edged in these knee-high, waving grasses. I felt like the trail was acknowledging my accomplishment by unrolling the red carpet for me, so to speak. I was quite emotional as I made my way down the path. It was then that I felt the trail's real power and impact.WHS Press: Describe your hardest day on "the trail"Probably the day I hiked from the Albany area to the outskirts of Janesville. I had a raging case of cellulitis on the bottom of one foot, and that day I changed shoes a hundred times, but my foot still hurt with every step. It was also very hot and humid for the umpteenth day in a row, and I had to hike about six hours on a connecting road route under the broiling sun with not a speck of shade. The person crewing me did not have any ice, either, so every time I got water it was pretty warm and unpalatable. That was a tough day mentally.WHS Press: What do you want readers to most understand about The Ice Age Trail and the people who thru-hike it? The Ice Age Trail is easily accessible. Sixty percent of Wisconsinites live within 20 miles of a trail segment, and out-of-staters can quickly reach a segment from Chicago or the
