One man’s journey to peace on the Appalachian Trail
Paul Stutzman, a native of Holmes County, was born into an Amish family. His family left the Amish lifestyle soon after he was born, and joined a strict conservative Mennonite Church.
When he was in his mid-50s, after working for 25 years as a restaurant manager, Paul lost his wife, Mary, to breast cancer. Following that traumatic experience, he sensed a tug on his heart — a call to a challenge, the call to pursue a dream.
After losing his wife to cancer those molehill of problems that folks turned into mountains became more than a desired to listen to any more. So when he decided to climb real mountain tops in search of peace, freedom and meaning of life. The Appalachian Trail became the vehicle that told the story of finding that peace.
With a mixture of dread and determination, Paul left his job, traveled to Georgia — and at age 57 — took his first steps on the 2,176-mile Appalachian Trail. That was in March 2008. What he learned during the next four and a half months changed his life and led to his first book, “Hiking Through.”
Paul had often dreamed of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Hiking through the beauty of nature had always brought him solace; so, after a year of trying to continue his life and work through his grief, he made the decision to quit his job, strap on a backpack, and walk the legendary trail through wilderness from Georgia to Maine.
The journey was more difficult than he had ever imagined. A thru-hiker walks the entire length of the trail in one season. In most years, less than 20 percent of all thru-hikers who begin actually finish. Paul encountered all of the things that drive people off the Trail: loneliness, discouragement, homesickness, physical injuries, exhaustion, extreme weather. He had vaguely expected such trials, but he was ambushed by the ferocity of these hardships.
On an Appalachian Trail hike you discover what the basic necessities are in life — food, clothing and shelter. However, everything you need to survive must be carried on your back. You soon realize if you are carrying extra baggage not essential to survival it needs to be discarded. I carried a sleeping bag, tent, water purification system, cooking equipment and about five days of food. With water, I was carrying close to 40 pounds.
And there was that lingering question: Am I crazy to give up a good job and do this? What am I doing out here?
Leaving my good job as manager at Dutch Valley Restaurant in Sugarcreek was the hardest choice I’ve made in life. I sometimes wonder if it was the smartest choice, and it certainly wasn’t financially, but I chose living life over money.
God walked with him on the trail, throughout four and a half months, over two thousand miles, through fourteen states. This book is much more than a retelling of the adventure, people, and sights of the Trail. It is the story of God creating a new life for Paul Stutzman.
Hiking Through was written for all of you who have known the sorrow of losing someone dear and for all of you who still have time to cherish the ones you love. It was written for those who question whether God has any hand in our lives, and for those who believe God walks with us every step of our journeys. And, of course, it was written for anyone who dreams of hiking the great Appalachian Trail.In the summer of 2010, Stutzman again heeded the call for adventure and pedaled his bicycle 5,000 miles across America. That led to his second book, “Biking Through.”
He recently released his first novel entitled, “The Wanderers,” a story about a young Amish boy and a young Amish girl, who undertake a long journey before they finally find home.
In addition to writing, Stutzman currently speaks to groups about his hiking and biking experiences and the lessons learned during these adventures. He can be contacted through his website at www.hikingthrough.com or www.paulstutzman.com.