Rocks, Roots and Rattlesnakes is the captivating story of trekking through the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of the eastern US in 2020. My thru hike from June 5 to November 17 is written as a daily account of life on the trail from a geologist's perspective. The book contains three parts with 26 chapters and reads like a journal log, capturing my challenges and experiences each day on the trail. In addition to the 240 pages of text, there are over 100 color photos, 6 figures and 6 charts. Hopefully you will find this book both informative and entertaining, as you read and enjoy my tales of 150 days of discovery on the Appalachian Trail!

Craig Eckert is a retired petroleum geologist living with his wife near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During his career, Craig worked for numerous companies in the exploration and production sector of the petroleum industry while living in WV, PA, KY and TX. His passion and expertise were in combining geology and geophysics to accurately map the subsurface of the earth in search of hydrocarbons to fuel the ever-increasing energy demands of our civilized world. Today he is equally passionate about exploring the world on foot by long distance hiking. Craig has 2 grown children and three grandchildren is also an avid canoeist, skier and golfer. As a lifelong geologist, he is forever fascinated by those rocks beneath his feet wherever the trail leads.