Suzanne Roberts’ book made me thankful for my female hiking companions, our grand adventures, and the brave ladies that paved the way for “girl power” trips. I was excited to read Almost Somewhere: Twenty-Eight Days on the John Muir Trail and retrace the sections of the John Muir Trail (JMT) Squirrel and I have already hiked and read about what’s to come.

However, this book was more than reflecting on the trail, it was also about what the author and her two girlfriends gained on this walk in the woods. I don’t think their packs were as heavy as Cheryll Strayed’s, but some weren’t fully prepared or in the right state of mind for this journey. At first there was a lot of talking about how men defined the author’s outdoor adventures, thankfully once the ladies ditched the token guy in their group they started relying upon each other and themselves.

I fell in love with each of these ladies throughout the book for various reasons including Deonne hiking in men’s tighty-whities, Erika calling mountain chickadees cheeseburger birds like I do, and Susanne for rediscovering her love of writing through John Muir.

At first all of the focus on men was a bit annoying, but then I realized this is when women were starting to enter the wilderness on their own. These ladies were part of the brave generation lacing up their hiking boots and blazing a trail for those of us to come. Now when Squirrel and I enter the wilderness I don’t think twice about it just being the two of us. We’re strong, confident, and ready to hike in the footsteps of John Muir – thank you to all of the ladies that came before us!

-Trails