Story and photo provided by Stillwater Public Library
Author and endurance hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis is bringing adventure to the Stillwater Public Library on Wednesday, June 12 at 6:30 p.m. The program is the first of three programs designed for adults during the summer reading program and is targeted for an adult and teen audience.
Pharr Davis has hiked more than 14,000 miles of long distance trails on six different continents. In 2011, she set the overall fastest known time on the Appalachian Trail by hiking 47 miles a day for 46 days straight. This amazing feat beat all of the records set by “ultra-runners” and resulted in Pharr Davis being named a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year in 2012.
The hiker has taken her experiences on the road, sharing her inspirational journeys with audiences and recording them in a new book, “The Pursuit of Endurance: Harnessing the Record Breaking Power of Strength and Resilience.”
Pharr Davis plans to share many of the important lessons she has learned on the trail.
“The biggest thing I hope to show is that the trail is a metaphor for life and that we can get through almost anything if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other,” Pharr Davis said. “I hope the audience sees that we are capable of a lot more than we think we are at first blush, whether that’s hiking three miles instead of two, organizing a fundraiser for our kid’s school, or tackling some project that seems massive to us at work.”
The author will also impart the biggest lesson she picked up while adventuring in the great outdoors.
“One of the biggest blessings in my life that only came when I spent time on the trails was that I saw myself as a ‘part’ of nature and not just some being that hovered ‘above’ nature and operated from the outside looking in,” Pharr Davis said.
“That was a real gift and something that keeps me grounded in my life. It makes me feel big and small and, ironically, there’s great comfort and satisfaction in that. There’s great freedom and joy in connecting with the world around us on a level that’s a good bit deeper than what many of us are used to.”
Following Pharr Davis’ presentation, the author will sign copies of her book, which will be available for purchase at the event courtesy of Bliss Books.
Pharr Davis is the author of seven other books, including three memoirs and four hiking guides. She has also written articles for The New York Times, Outside magazine, Backpacker, Trail Runner and has been featured on NPR and the CBS Early Show.
Registration for the program is required. To sign-up, please visit the library’s website at http://library.stillwater.org, email [email protected] or call 405-372-3633 x8106.
Learn more about Pharr Davis at https://jenniferpharrdavis.com.
Find information about Stillwater Public Library programs at http://library.stillwater.org.
The Stillwater Public Library is located at 1107 S. Duck St. Library hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
