the Good Badger archives

About the Good Badger

Zach Davis is a dude who writes blog posts and occasionally a book. One time he ran a marathon without any training. Another time he walked from Georgia to Maine without any training. Get special discounts on nothing by liking the Good Badger Facebook Page. Also find Zach on Google.

Appalachian Trials- Available in Print!

Appalachian Trials by Zach Davis

HOLY HOT DAMN

Five words:

Appalachian Trials, Available in PRINT

“Sorry, I couldn’t hear you, can you say that again please?”

Sure.  I said…

MOTHER-F*#(NG APPALACHIAN TRIALS, AVAILABLE IN MOTHER-F(&!NG PRINT.

“Sorry it sounded like there was golden joy sauce pouring directly into my ear cavity.  Maybe you can say that one more time?”

Appalachian Trials: A Psychological and Emotional Guide to Successfully Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail, as of today, February 8, 2012 is available in print.

Here’s a short video on why you might enjoy reading it.

Read the first chapter for free

To make good on my promise, for those who purchased both the Kindle version, as well as the print version by February 15, 2012, I will send you a signed copy of the book, on the (Good) Badger.  E-mail me both of your receipts at theGoodBadger@gmail.com, and I will dedicate your book in any way you like (I’m a pretty good artist.  And when I say good, I mean laughably bad.  I’m the Nickleback of artists.  But some people like Nickleback.  Those who don’t, can at least laugh at them.  That’s the equivalent of my artistic ability.)

For those who may have noticed, the Amazon sell page isn’t completely filled out yet.  Apparently that takes a few days (Amazon’s doing, not mine).  Eventually, all of you fine folks who left wonderful reviews for the e-book version (by the way, THANK YOU), will show up on this page as well.  Again, you are doing me a huge favor by doing this.  I’m sincerely truly, truly grateful for all the wonderful words you guys have left thus far.   To be clear, I would never ask you to leave a dishonest review.  Appalachian Trials only wants to earn your 5-star review.

I’ve consumed a lot of coffee so I’m going to continue to ramble. Feel free to jump ship to the Appalachian Trail book page whenever you want.

So some of you may be wondering why the reviews matter so much?

Honesty = Best policy.

Aside from being a heavy ranking factor in Amazon’s search algorithm, it’s what fellow Amazon shoppers use as their gauge for making a purchase.  I will paint out each of the following scenarios for you:

Scenario 1 – Only a few reviews:  Badger gets few reviews on his book revealing a mixed opinion on quality.  Some think it’s garbage.  Some think it’s compost (which is only slightly better than garbage).  Appalachian Trials dies in its tracks.  Zach’s aspirations to become a word writer on published paper dies along with it.  He’s forced into the only other career path available to him (eye brow model: see intro picture).

Zach has many great years flexing his forehead muscles on the catwalk and on prominent billboards, but his true passion for life, expressing the insanity that lies behind the eyebrows, never gets fulfilled.  He grows bitter and recklessly decids to spend all of his eyebrow wealth on purchasing the first HondaCopter (Honda’s first car/helicopter hybrid).  Because Zach is impatient, he arrogantly believes he can fly his HondaCopter without formal training.  Turns out he can.  Right into a tree.  Zach survives, but must spend the next half year in a hospital bed.  The nurse brings him some reading material to help pass the time.  It’s the latest New York Times Best Seller –  Pacific Unrest – A Psychological guide to hiking the PCT.

NOOOO!!!!!!!

Scenario 2 – Lots of happy reviews:  Zach makes a modest living talking about HondaCopters and making lots of awesome new friends in the process.  The end.

It’s up to you.

But in all sincerity.  Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for everything thus far.  You don’t have to do anything, I’m already indefinitely grateful for all of the support I’ve gotten.  You guys have made this an insanely fun journey.  Without you, I would be a paralyzed eyebrow model.

Thank you.

Also, I would like to give special thanks to the following people.  Without you, this book would either not exist or exist in a much shittier fashion.

Co-Editor: Michele Weiner-Davis

Some may refer to you as the best-selling author of Divorce Busting, I of course, refer to you as “mom.”  Although we often did not see eye-to-eye on this process, you refused to quit on me- even when I was an intolerable ass (see: often).  Thank you.  I love you.

Co-Editor: B. Hanson MacDonald

B- to put it bluntly, you are fucking amazing.  Not only did you make this book a much, much, much, much more polished version than the one I handed you, but your consistently kind feedback and passion for this project fed right back onto me.  You deserve so much credit in this.  Thank you!!!

Cover Design: Paula Murphy

Paula, flat out, you’re a genius.  You too had to put up with my volatile mind-changing antics, but in the end, the finished product is one that makes me very proud.  I hope you feel the same.  For those looking for some highly professional and creative design work, PLEASE check out: branditarians.com

Website Design (coming soon): Adam Nutting

Although you haven’t seen it yet, we have a new website for the book coming out very shortly.  It was designed by Founder of Hiking the Trail, Adam Nutting.  Adam gets shit done.  Adam is a great support.  Adam is a great guy.  Thank you for everything thus far Adam!  (side note: more big news coming out of the new site – stay posted!)

Contributors: Ian Mangiardi, Aubby Duggan, and Miss Janet Henley

Ian- I’m done talking about you.  The only name that exists in the book more than my own, is yours.  I kid.  You are a living manifestation of benevolence.  Without your help, it is quite likely I would have joined the 70% of hikers who fall short of Katadhin.  Without your help this book wouldn’t be possible.  Thank you.  (Side note: check out Ian’s site The Dusty Camel.  He has an amazing PCT documentary coming out later this year – I got a sneak peak.)

Aubby (Cayenne) Duggan – Your story adds an emotional layer to this book that would otherwise be missing, but even aside from that, I am truly glad our paths crossed on the trail.  I am very proud of you for sticking to your goal.  You are a badass and a kind soul.  Thank you.

Miss Janet – It is spirits like you that make the AT the surreal experience that it is.  Aside from the wonderful words of wisdom you offer in this book, the countless others that you help along the AT makes you a trail angel in every sense of the word.  Thank you.

By clicking here, I acknowledge that I will be linked to the greatest Appalachian Trail book ever written. 

Last note, this book is written for:

  1. Aspiring thru-hikers
  2. Those on the fence about hiking the AT
  3. Those who want to know what goes on inside of the head of an AT-thru-hiker
  4. Those following loved ones on the trail.
  5. Those looking for inspiration to accomplish a major accomplishment in their life

Although the book will make you laugh (I hope), it is by no means a comedy.  It is also not a “Zach Davis hikes the Appalachian Trail“, although there are stories about my hike.  The most accurate description is the book’s subtitle: A Psyschological and Emotional Guide to Successfully Thru-Hiking the Appalachian Trail.  If you’ve enjoyed this website, you will enjoy the book, but I wanted to be clear about our expectations here.

I am fielding suggestions for the next book 🙂

Good chat.

Love,

Zach

Appalachian Trials Available On Kindle!

Appalachian Trials: "Hi, I wrote a book"

After months of writing, editing, formatting, fighting with myself and others (mostly myself), and designing, the day has finally arrived….

Appalachian Trials is here!!!

Assuming “here” means “available in e-book form”

So the print version is still a little ways away (days, not weeks), but the Kindle Version of Appalachian Trials is up & active:

APPALACHIAN TRIALS on KINDLE

Reasons to buy the Kindle (e-book) Version Read more →

Ryan Mogan, The Proud Owner of Appalachian Trials’ Last Page

Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner!

So about a week ago, we ran a promotion auctioning off the last page of my upcoming book, Appalachian Trials.  The highest bidder won the right to input their name on the last page of the book.

With a high bid of $203.50, Ryan Mogan is our winner! Read more →

Get YOUR NAME in MY BOOK: And More Delicious Appalachian Trials Info

Get YOUR NAME in Appalachian Trials

Hi team,

So, my Appalachian Trail book, is finished (official launch coming soon).

Well, almost…

I have every page written, except for the last.

That’s where YOUR NAME goes.  Only your name.

Yes, I’m serious.  No, I’m not drunk.

Imagine flipping through the final pages of this soon-to-be-released Appalachian Trail super-book, and the last thing you see – the reader’s final impression – is your name.  That’s what’s happening.

I’m going to auction off the last page of my book on eBay.  The highest bidder wins their name, and their name only, on the last page of the soon-to-be-announced-release-of-Zach-Davis’-first-book-Appalachian Trials.  It’s easy as that.  I will start the auction at $0.05 with no reserve.

100% of the proceeds will go to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (eBay takes their cut because they’re capitalists*)

* – “9.0% of the item’s total cost to buyer with a maximum charge of $100.00.” (Every penny that eBay doesn’t take from Zach will go straight to the ATC).

Here’s how you can get YOUR NAME on the last page of Appalachian Trials:

  1. Go to this link to view the auction page
  2. Bid to get your name in the last page of Appalachian Trials
  3. The auction will end on January 31st, 2012 at 10:00 AM CST.  When it does, the high bidder wins their name in the last page of my book (sorry for sounding like a broken record).
  4. That’s it.

Some notes about the promotion:

  • As you know by now, I get a good chuckle out of potty humor, but I won’t put a dirty word on the last page of the book.  Sorry, I don’t believe that your name is “Farty McBallSlap“.
  • Appalachian Trials will be released both as a print and e-book.  Your name goes in both.  One name, two formats.
  • I have contacted the ATC about this promotion (still waiting to hear back).  Those who know me already know that I wouldn’t ever try to pull a Bernie Madeoff on anyone.  For those who don’t know me, know that at the conclusion of this promotion, the ATC will be expecting a check from me.  If I would try to pull a fast one, they would very quickly make this public and then Zach would be forced to live under a bridge for the rest of time.

Reasons Why This Promotion is Worth Your Bid

  1. I had to write 40,000 words to get my name in it.  You can accomplish the same thing with ~39,998 fewer words.  That’s a good deal.
  2. High upside.  I’m pretty confident that we’ve got a winner on our hands here (really).  Getting your name in a book that could potentially be popular within this very beautiful niche, is an exciting proposition.
  3. It’s ridiculous.  Your name would stand alone on the last page of Appalachian Trials.  I haven’t taken the time to research if this has ever been done before, but considering most books go through traditional publishers, and traditional is Latin for boring, I’m guessing not.  (Side note: Appalachian Trials is currently scheduled to be released under Good Badger Publishing (aka self-published).  If in the future a traditional publisher wants to give me a cruise ship full of cash for the rights, I won’t let the last page with your name on it fall by the wayside.  It’s there for the long haul.)
  4. It’s funny.  Is it not?
  5. It’s for a good cause.  Did I mention that 100% of the proceeds goes toward the ATC (the wonderful volunteers and workers who maintain our beautiful 2,181 mile path of wonder, mystery and love)?
  6. Good Advertising.  I will announce the winner of this contest on this website.  Ultimately when someone reads the book and searches “Appalachian Trials + [your name]” the post announcing your victory will be what shows up in Google.  They will see that your donation went to the ATC.  In addition, I will let the winner write a short statement and link to the website/cause of their choice.  That’s right.  In-book advertising.  What is that worth to you/your company?  (*Note*  No URLs in the book itself, only in the victorious post, which will still be seen by a lot of people.  Also, I’ve had people ask if they can pool their money together and then make a fake name- YES.  I love the creativity.  Just no potty words, offensive phrases, or competing products.)

So, go check out the eBay bid, throw a couple dollars at the idea of your name being on the book, share the promotion with others (like this page, retweet it, e-mail friends, shout it at strangers) so we can help raise more money for this worthy organization.  And then probably consider checking out Appalachian Trials.

Last note- I will announce the winner on this site and the Good Badger Facebook Page.  I suggest “liking” it so I can let you know when you win YOUR NAME on the last page of Appalachian Trials.

Questions? E-mail me at theGoodBadger[at]gmail[dot]com.

Here is the link to the auction page.

 

 

3 Learning Lessons from 2011

3 learning lessons from 2011

Holy Moldy Mayo, Batman!

2011 has been a monumental year for Mr. Zach Davis; this is a simple fact.

It all started with a post. 

January 2011

I was suffering from a fairly severe case of life dissatisfaction.  As is a common scenario amongst the employed population, I was at odds with my boss.  So- I did what any over-worked, under-appreciated, and slightly over-confident employee does to their boss- tells them to shove it.  Unfortunately, in this particular scenario, I was the boss.

So, in search of some life answers, I decided to shake shit up a bit.  Me, the class clown, computer nerd, sheltered son to a highly over-protective Jewish mother announced that he would be spending the next half year backpacking through the woods of Appalachia.  Not knowing the first thing about backpacking, camping, or really anything related to being outside for longer than 9 innings, I was eager to take on the biggest challenge of my life.  And by eager, I of course mean anxious as fuck.

One of two things was going to happen:

1) I was going to find the life answers I was so desperately in search of, or

2) I was going to end up in a bear’s digestive tract.

December 2011

I am happy to report that not only did I avoid #2, I made decent progress down route #1.

And because so many of you have spent so much time with me during this journey, I’d like to share some of the insights that have found me along the way.Read more →

Lyme Disease on the Appalachian Trail

The follow excerpt is taken from Appalachian Trials: a psychological and emotional guide to thru-hiking the Appalchain Trail.  If you’re thinking of hiking the AT, I’ll go as far as to say, it’s a must read.

Deer Ticks are assholes.

I went into the Appalachian Trail with my share of premonitions. Most, turned out to be false.

The crazy hillbillies in the southern part of the trail, just turned out to be crazy nice.  Even if you can’t make out what they’re saying, it’s perfectly clear all they want to do is help.

That black bear that was going to leap out of tree for the sole purpose of eating my face– also turned out to be incorrect.  Black bears are big raccoons; they’re on a mission from God only to dig through trash.  They don’t seem to realize, or at the very least care about, their strength.  Watching a 300lb black bear scamper up a tree because it sees a 130lb female backpacker in the distance is one of life’s great mysteries.

My biggest fear going into the trail, however, turned out to be justified- Deer Ticks.  More specifically, the disease these micro-satans spread, Lyme Disease.

About Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and is transmitted through the bite of one of the aforementioned micro-satans.  Symptoms include fever, headache, stiff joints, fatigue, depression, and the common “bulls-eye” rash. If left untreated, symptoms can increase in severity including permanent damage to joints, heart, and central nervous system, and eventually death.

Here’s why Lyme Disease is a big risk to Appalachian Trail thru-hikers Read more →

On Trial: Technology on the Appalachian Trail

Technology and the Appalachian Trail

I recently received the following e-mail:

“Hi, Zach

Considering that you had your iphone with you the whole time, I was wondering if you’d given any thought to how truly disconnected you were?  Or to how truly connected you were to nature/outdoors/the AT because you were listening to music and audiobooks while hiking?  I’m not judging, I’m just wondering what a different experience hikers from 10 years ago would have had with no option for those kinds of distractions or entertainment on the trail.

I don’t know if that was your intent while hiking (I came to the Good Badger late in the game), but was wondering if you’d thought about it.

One day, I hope to hike the AT.  It was on my to-do list for my early twenties, but life got in the way.

Congratulations on finishing, and I look forward to the book.”

————-

Not only is this a fair point, but I’m guessing some of you have had this same question.   I feel as though this is an issue worth examining because as technology improves, becomes more mobile, more affordable, and universally accessible, it will only become more prominent on the trail, and thus a more polarizing topic.

The Complainant’s Case

The Appalachian Trail is a unique experience.  The physical challenge associated with a half year’s worth of hiking is unlike anything most humans would ever fathom.  But even more unique Read more →

Appalachian Trail Nutrition Guide: 7 Tips to Avoiding Post-Trail Weight Gain

how to avoid post appalachian trail weight gain

[Editors note: Although this post is geared toward those who plan on hiking the AT or who have recently finished, the truth is, this information is applicable to anyone looking to lose a couple of pounds. This is sound nutritional advice from someone who knows what they are talking about (clearly not a reference to myself).]

Remember the advice we got from Appalachian Trail legend, Miss Janet? Well in that post, we tackled the 2nd issue she brought up: Post-Appalachian Trail Depression (which I’ll be covering in more depth in the upcoming Badger Book).

Today, it’s time to confront the other:

How do thru-hikers avoid gaining weight after the Appalachian Trail?

Read more →