Habitual Hiker

The trail name of Leonard Adkins. He is someone I have heard about over the years. I was a week or so behind him last year on the Appalachian Trail.

Profiled by Backpacker magazine, and referred to as “The Habitual Hiker,” Adkins returned home last November from the completion of his fifth complete hike of the 2,174-mile Appalachian Trail, which he, wife Laurie, and 14-year-old dog MacAfee of Knob began on February 28. He chronicled their adventures in a series of reports featured in The Fincastle Herald.

Leonard has walked more than 19,000 miles in North America, Europe and the Caribbean. Among others, his photographs and articles have appeared in Islands, Backpacker, and Caribbean Travel and Life. His travels have resulted in the publication of 15 books.

The Appalachian Trail: A Visitor’s Companion was presented the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation’s Lowell Thomas Journalism Award. Wildflowers of the Appalachian Trail won the National Outdoor Book Award, ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year, and a Virginia Literary Award nomination. He is currently the Roanoke Walks columnist for The Roanoker, and The Hike writer for Blue Ridge Country.[...]
Leonard’s presentations and books receive high acclaim. Poet Allen Ginsberg called it the “best program of its type that I’ve seen.”

High praise. High praise indeed. His web site is here.