Date: 22 March 2026
Location: Jay & Gina
We had a nice group of thirteen Bookers meeting at the Bain’s to discuss Kevin Fedarko’s A Walk in the Park. Nine of us actually read the book, which is a pretty good percentage, and all of us enjoyed it.
The book describes an amazing adventure undertaken by Fedarko and his friend, photographer Pete McBride, to hike the Grand Canyon – below the rim. While a good bit of the book addresses such issues as the lousy treatment afforded Native Americans and the unfortunate environmental deterioration in some areas, most of the book centers on the adventures and misadventures of the two hikers.
Fedarko had spent several years as a guide and boater on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, but he was not an experienced hiker. Neither was his friend McBride who convinced him that they should undertake the hike through the canyon.
The beginning of their trek was especially bad; they were heavily overloaded with gear and they were not in good physical condition. Fortunately, they had joined up with some experienced hikers who essentially saved them from a near disastrous situation. Eventually, they were able to resume their trek, now better prepared for the trials ahead – traversing the spectacularly beautiful but incredibly difficult and dangerous terrain and dealing with the heat and shortage of water. Again, they received a great deal of support from many more experienced hikers who guided them over some of the more treacherous regions.
We all came away with an appreciation of the enormous difficulties of such an adventure, and it is definitely not something that any of us are interested in pursuing.
— Bob