Acknowledgments

I’d like to thank my family for their love, patience, and support: Terri Sansonetti; Maria, Frazier, Christina, and Cory Payton; Doug Watson; Sue, Tom, Frank, Amy, Thomas, Joe, Kristen, Rebecca, Nathaniel, Katilee, Mark, Jonathon, and Joshua Strazza; Michelle, Roland, and Lucas Arisolo; Maris Herold; and Rachel Saunders. I love you all!

Many people were helpful in confirming the accuracy of the hikes contained within. I’d like the following people to know how thankful I am for their investment of time and their wealth of knowledge: Curtis Phillabaum and Melissa Dolinsky at the Palm Beach Zoo, David Reams at the Chattooga Ranger District of the Chattahoochee National Forest, Traci Bash at Caesars Head State Park, Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, Anthony Lampros and Tracy English at Black Rock Mountain State Park, Bill Tanner at Amicalola State Park, Randy Gambrell at Vogel State Park, and Toni King at Tallulah Gorge State Park.

Finally I’d like to thank the following people for covering my shifts at the firehouse so that I could spend six weeks in the woods, rehiking every trail in this book: Jeff McCord, George Donechie, Donny Brown, Joe Bostic, Travis Thomas, and of course, my crew at Station 51—Craig Hatton, Chris Uzzo, Jody Miedema, Jason Alexander, and Mike Osuna—for their patience and tolerance while I diligently worked on this project.