Weathered: Finding Strength on the John Muir Trail by Christy Teglo is a compelling non-fiction adventure story of finding strength in the face of adversity and learning how to believe in yourself. The famous John Muir Trail is a challenge in itself, but imagine trying to hike it if what you've learned about it are from books and documentaries alone, and you've never even backpacked before. The author's three-week trek was more than physical. It was a journey of self-exploration, meditation on her rocky marriage, and the opportunity to meet new people. The preparation she did to hike over 220 miles was six months, but was it enough? Why the idea drew her like a magnet from her corporate world, she couldn't quite understand. Yet, she was determined to answer the call. But it was hard. The weather was just the beginning--frozen temps, hail storms, getting lost, and experiencing self-doubt. There were positives to balance everything, though, like beautiful views and those she met on the trail. This life-altering journey taught her more about herself than she could ever imagine.

In an appealing, friendly style, Teglo delivers an intriguing study on inner and outer strength. I like the honest way she explains her thought processes leading up to the hike and admitting that she had no clue how challenging it would be. She tells us what happened on each day on the trail, a chapter at a time, each chapter more engrossing and nail-biting than the last. The author explains in precise detail the life-threatening conditions she had to endure and survive when things became a matter of life and death. I was surprised by the meticulous way she approached the trip, yet the preparation still seemed lacking, and she did come to realize this but still found resourceful ways to survive. The only hiking she had done previously had primarily been on family trips. Readers will appreciate her attention to the facts, figures, and descriptions of the mountains, trails, and areas she hiked in California. Besides a riveting account of her hike and the life lessons it taught her, this book can also be used as a reference guide for those interested in learning more about what a trip like this would be like. The accompanying images are a bonus. For a fantastic story about a determined woman's physical and personal journey, I recommend Weathered: Finding Strength on the John Muir Trail by Christy Teglo.

Weathered: Finding Strength on the John Muir Trail by Christy Teglo is the story of the resilience and strength of a woman who was on a journey that many deemed impossible. The people around Christy were baffled by her decision to conquer the dangerous (often terrifying) John Muir Trail, and so was Christy at times. However, the pull of JMT was too much for her to resist. After training, she started her journey, but nothing could have prepared her for the reality of the trail. The hailstorms, crazy temperatures, and dangerous territory were enough to make even grown men cry. But Christy was resilient, and she wanted to conquer the JMT and get out of it alive. Getting lost was not going to stop her and the view more than made up for it. Christy was prepared for the hardships, but nothing could have prepared her for how the JMT would change her.

Weathered: Finding Strength on the John Muir Trail by Christy Teglo is such an immersive, inspirational story of a woman’s journey to do the almost impossible and live to tell the tale. This is the kind of story that I would be proud of sharing with future generations and, frankly, so would any woman who surmounted anything close to this. I loved how each chapter was dedicated to each day in Christy’s life after the author gave a brief introduction to John Muir Trail. The narrative truly depicts how hard the trail was and how it was a trial for her resilience and mental strength. This book would be the perfect guide for people who want to go on the JMT and get an inside look at how tough it could be. Christy’s raw and honest journey was entertaining and goosebump-inducing. I am sure people interested in the JMT would appreciate the inside look by a person who has done it.