Syracuse.com - Cheryl Strayed, author of best-selling book, "Wild," speaking at Syracuse University

[HuntingNY-News]

She is an S.U. grad, and her appearance is part of the Raymond Carver Reading Series.

Cheryl Strayed 

Cheryl Strayed, author of The New York Times bestselling memoir, "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail," is appearing at Syracuse University Wednesday as part of the Raymond Carver Reading Series.

Strayed, a Syracuse University graduate, will be speaking at 5:30 p.m. in the Gifford Auditorium. A question-and-answer session will precede her reading at 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the university's paid lots.

Strayed's memoir (Knopf 2012) describes the author's summer 1995 solo hiking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail. She traveled 1,100 miles from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State after her mother died at 45 of cancer, her marriage was ending and she was dabbling in drugs (heroin).

She said in the book she took to the trail with "a hole in her heart," and struggled with numerous problems and setbacks. She was a back packing rookie. From the start her pack was too heavy, her shoes didn't fit and at one point she walked with sandals held to her feet with duct tape. She also grappled with lack of food and water, inclement weather (snow) and not having enough cash.

Wednesday's appearance is co-sponsored by the Nonfiction Reading Series of the university's Writing Program. She attended Syracuse University from the fall of 1999 to 2002, graduating with a Masters of Fine Arts in fiction writing from the university's Creative Writing program. Her response to several submitted questions follows:

A recent N.Y. Times story reported on the "Wild Effect," namely other women with problems who identify with you have reading your book and taking off on the Pacific Crest Trail or some other extreme outings. They see you as a mentor, an example, an inspiration.

"I hear from both men and women who feel inspired to go hiking after reading WILD. Some of them hike on the PCT, others just get out onto any trail. I feel honored that my book inspires such a response. I don't tell those who contact me any one particular thing, but I always wish them luck and I tell them to keep going, even when it feels hard to do so. One of the joys of backpacking is that it isn't always a joy. It's hard a lot of the time, but the best things come from some sacrifice."

You went into detail in your book about the use of heroin prior to your trek. Did you stay clean or backslide afterward? How are you doing now?

"I haven't used heroin since before my hike on the PCT. I've never even been tempted. I thankfully wasn't a heroin addict, but rather dangerously dabbling with the drug and on my way to a bigger problem. Hiking the trail and getting my head back together was the cure I needed to stop me from using heroin and to keep me away from it. I wasn't contending with a physical addiction, so I didn't need to go through treatment. I only needed to get my footing again."

Looking back, what was your darkest moment on the Pacific Crest Trail? Did you at any point feel you were going to die?

"I never felt I was going to die, but I did become aware a few times of the fragility of our existence. When I ran out of water, for example, I took that situation very seriously. I knew I was in danger. Also, when I was hiking over the snow and not sure if I was anywhere near the trail I knew I could become lost and my situation could turn grave. In both instances, I was very conscious of doing everything I could to stay safe."

"Wild"is being adapted into a movie, starring Reese Witherspoon, with a screenplay by Nick Hornby. How true does the movie remain to the book? What's your feelings about being portrayed by Reese Witherspoon?

"The movie is going to be beautiful. We're in our last week of production right now and it's been an amazing process seeing it from beginning to end. The film has been very true to the book. I think Reese is a tremendous actress and a wonderful human being. I can't imagine anyone in the role but her. And Nick wrote a great script. The director, Jean-Marc Vallée, is like a kindred soul to me. His films take my breath away."

Since you made this trip, have things changed today in regards to society's attitudes toward women in the outdoors? What are you seeing out there and is it different than when you headed off?

"Women have always ventured solo into the wild, but our numbers are increasing with each passing year and I love that. I think the biggest change I've witnessed is not so much about who is out on the trails but what they carry with them. The internet and cell phones have changed the world in so many ways and they've really changed the experience we have in the wild. For one thing, you can read so much more about the PCT than ever before. People post trail journals online. They share real time information via the web. Most hikers have a cell phone in their pocket. It changes one's sense of solitude and self-reliance. I'm as addicted to my iPhone as the next person, but I'm nostalgic for the old days when we weren't all so easily reached."

What kind of outdoors activities do you currently enjoy with your family. Are you still a hard-core backpacker, or have you branched into other outdoor activities?

"Hiking is still my favorite outdoor activity. I hike with my family and friends. I hike alone. I've not gone backpacking as much as I'd like in recent years, since I had my children, but they're now reaching the age when my husband and I plan to start getting them out there with packs on their backs. We'd love to hike the entire PCT as a family some day."

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog