Until John McKinney agreed to take his epic hike, no one had ever walked along the edge of the state to determine if a California Coastal Trail was even possible. Were the beaches passable at low tide? Could the bluffs be traveled without arrest for trespass? Could a trail be found through the rugged coastal mountains? The intrepid trailblazer found the answers to these questions - and to more profound ones that never occurred to him until he was on his challenging journey of discovery.
The natural beauty of the landscapes and seascapes exceeded his high expectations, but what he didn't expect was hiking headlong into so many controversies on the edge of California: nature boutiqued, coastal access denied, bureaucracies run amok. Near and dear to his heart are the unforgettable people he met along the way, including the founding father of whale-watching, backcountry rangers, nuns praying for mercy for the redwoods and for us all.
A saga, a celebration, a comedy, and a lament, this narrative ranks with the classics of California travel literature.
