Just Passin' Thru

Ever since starting his lawn-mowing business at age 10, Winton Porter has found it hard to stay indoors. At 21 he opened B. Bumblefoot and Co., producing hiking sticks for retailers throughout the southeastern United States. And for years he tried the corporate route-selling gear and managing operations at such retailers as REI in Chicago, Salt Lake City, and Atlanta. In 2001, at age 35, he ransacked his 401k and bought the venerable Mountain Crossings store, a hiker's mecca deep in the Georgia woods near the southern end of the Appalachian Trail. It's a blissful match for the lifelong outdoorsman and natural-born storyteller. Now called the Guru of the Appalachian Trail, Winton is famous for his "shakedowns" to help weary hikers lighten their loads. When he's not busy selling boots and shipping hikers' boxes home, he's writing about the zany adventurers that populate the trail and his store. Winton's memory for dialogue, eye for detail, compassion for those in trouble, and gift for humor come together in the 20 chapters that make up his first book, "Just Passin' Thru."

“Winton Porter is one real character recounting many other real characters. That’s the true Appalachian Trail conversation, but he is a classic country storyteller. In his words you also get the sounds, the smells, and the scenes—smoothly crafted to get under your skin.”—Brian B. King, Appalachian Trail Conservancy“I love, love, love this book. It’s funny, poignant, inspiring.”—Janece Shaffer, Atlanta Playwright“This book is gonna fly, dear friend, it’s gonna fly!”—M. J. “Nimblewill Nomad” Eberhardt, author of Ten Million Steps“For a guy whose job has him posted in the middle of nowhere, Winton Porter certainly draws a crowd.”—Bo Emerson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution“Just Passin' Thru is a work of genius.”—Scott Ourth, former assistant secretary of state for the State of Iowa