Jim Andersen

Following in her father's footsteps, Withanee Andersen begins the expedition of a lifetime when she and her comrades embark on a trek from Mt. Whitney to Death Valley, tracing the rugged path her father, Jim Andersen, traversed forty-three years earlier.With hopes of being listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, Jim led the first documented walk from the highest to lowest point in the contiguous United States­ in 1974. He lived, albeit just barely, to tell the tale to his daughter, sparking a desire in Withanee to retrace his steps in his honor. In 2017, she took on the incredible task of recreating Jim's legacy trek of 131 miles with the help of divine intervention, ice-cold beer, and her parents, who were following along as the support party.Walk of Ages humorously relates the parallel journey of an epic adventure told from two perspectives–a daughter's difficult quest, and a father who supports her, through it while recalling his own experiences from four decades earlier. Throughout this momentous odyssey, readers will realize how a once-in-a-generation adventure leads to life-changing transformation, and that the bond between father and daughter knows no bounds.

In this fascinating and humorous memoir, paper-mill worker Jim Andersen enlists three buddies to join him on an adventure of a lifetime in 1974. To make a name for themselves in the Guinness Book of World Records, the four men hike 143 miles from the highest point in the contiguous United States to the lowest. This means they must trek through treacherous terrain starting at Mt. Whitney in California and ending in Death Valley. In preparing for the trip, which takes the better part of a year, they make one huge mistake. They do not train for the grueling seven-day expedition. Instead, they focus on gathering supplies and even creating a few contraptions to help make their journey easier. Jim and the others learn as they go, making plenty of mistakes along the way. Find out if they succeed in the end or fall short of their goal. Ultimately, they gain important life lessons that only a once-in-a-lifetime trip can teach. Outdoor enthusiasts-and novices-will appreciate this candid account of an incredible journey.