Attn: 		News Director/Assignment Desk			FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact:	Pam Flowers
Email: 		pam@pamflowers.com
Phone:		907-733-3307

WORLD CLASS ADVENTURER PRESENTS POWER POINT PROGRAM

Record breaking adventurer Pam Flowers will share a PowerPoint presentation and stories about her 2174 mile thru-hike with her dog Ellie down the Appalachian Trail.

Date:                                                     Time:
Location:

Audiences will hear about how Pam and Ellie survived a flash flood and tree-toppling wind-storm, a fall that nearly ended their journey and a terrifying anecdote when Ellie falls through thin ice into a cold mountain stream on the edge of a waterfall. Learn how Pam came to adopt an abandoned puppy, how they trained together, and managed to finish their journey together despite many challenges.
To learn more, visit www.pamflowers.com

Pam Flowers’ story is of interest to:

Outdoor Adventurers Sports fans: She is the recipient of a Gold Medal from the Society of Women Geographers (along with Amelia Earhart and Jane Goodall) was named an “Outsider of the Year” by Outside Magazine and has completed many expeditions.

Children: Pam has spoken to more than 700,000 students at over 1200 schools. Her presentations emphasize Life Lessons (“you can do it!”, “team work”, “respect”, “courtesy”) Planning and preparation.

Women: Pam was 62 when she decided to hike the Appalachian Trail. In speaking to women across the US, she has heard many times how her story has inspired them to take a chance and follow their dreams.

 “Dog People”: Pam introduces her dog Ellie and describes how she came to adopt a puppy abandoned in a box beside the road. Audiences get to know Ellie’s strengths and weaknesses and how these effected their journey together along the Appalachian Trail. Pam’s love for her canine companion shows through in the telling of many thrilling anecdotes.  

	Pam is the author of:
Ellie’s Long Walk
•	The True Story of Two Friends on the Appalachian Trail
•	“It is unusual for one small book to show both the peace and the natural perils of the Appalachian Trail woods.”  Brian King - Appalachian Trail Conference

Ellie’s Long Walk
The True Story of Two Friends on the Appalachian Trail 

When Pam adopted Ellie, an abandoned puppy, she was sure she had found a new friend. But Pam wanted more than just a friend; she wanted a companion to hike the world-famous Appalachian Trail. 

Does Ellie have what it takes to make this journey?

In Ellie’s Long Walk, Pam and Ellie set out to hike the 2174-mile Trail. In this adventure-packed true story, they ford rivers, survive storms, and scramble up rugged cliffs. Near the end of their journey an icy storm almost forces them to quit. Find out how these two friends keep each other going and if Ellie really is ready to hike the Appalachian Trail.

Written by Pam Flowers
                   Illustrated by Bill Farnsworth 

Ellie’s Long Walk 
is the only in-print, non-fiction, illustrated children’s book about the Appalachian Trail. 

It is endorsed by the Appalachian Trail Conference.

Publication date January 2011
Available everywhere

	ISBN 9780615340760				ISBN 9780615340777
List Price hardbound $15.95			List price softbound $9.95

BIOGRAPHY 
of Pam Flowers 
                                   
Pam Flowers is a registered respiratory therapist who currently earns her living by public speaking and writing.

She is the 14th recipient of the Gold Medal from the Society of Woman Geographers, following in the footsteps of Amelia Earhart, Margaret Mead, and Jane Goodall.

Pam was named an Outsider of the Year by Outside Magazine.

She has participated in nine arctic expeditions and completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

Pam is the author of Ellie’s Long Walk, Hug a Husky, and Douggie and, along with Ann Dixon, is the co-author of Alone across the Arctic: One Woman’s Epic Journey By Dog Team and Big Enough Anna.

Pam has spoken to more than 700,000 students at over 1,100 schools and has spoken at the Smithsonian, the St. Louis Science Center, and hundreds of public libraries.

Her next goal is to hike the Pacific Crest Trail!

                   Ellie

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS	

Q. How long is the Appalachian Trail?

Answer - The length varies from year to year as the Appalachian Trail Conference buys more land and moves the  trail. The year my dog Ellie and I hiked it, the Trail was 2174 miles.

Q. Most people hike the Trail south to north but you chose to hike it north to south. Why?

Answer - People hiking south to north tend to bunch up and hike in groups. I like solitude, so because so few people hike north to south, I knew there would be fewer hikers to content with.

Q. What did you eat?

Answer - I ate Crème of Wheat for breakfast, which I could make by soaking it in a freezer bag of hot water. Lunch was a large Milkyway and two dry beef sticks. Dinner was either a freeze-dried meal or macaroni and cheese along with some gorp.

Q. What did Ellie eat and where did you get your food?

Answer - Ellie ate Purina Pro-Plan lamb and rice dog food. I prepackaged it before leaving on our hike and a friend mailed it to me along the way.

Q. Why did you do this?

Answer - Ever since I was a kid I loved to hike and I knew about this thing called the Appalachian Trail. I promised myself that if I lived to be 62 I would hike the Trail.

Q. Did you and Ellie have fun?

Answer - yes, we had a lot of fun. In fact it would have been a lot less fun if it wasn’t for Ellie playing games and waking me up every morning by touching her cold wet nose to mine

Q. Did you see any bears?

Answer - yes, we saw one mother and cub black bear. It was scary but they just ran off and didn’t bother us.

Q. Would you do the hike again?

Answer - yes, and I plan to do it again in a couple of years.

	

Hiking The Appalachian Trail: Maine to Georgia 2008 – 2009
A journey from Baxter State Park, Maine to Amicalola Falls State Park, Georgia. 
On August 24, 2008 Pam Flowers reached the summit of Mount Katahdin in Maine’s Baxter State Park, which is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Her plan was to hike the entire Appalachian Trail with her dog, Ellie, aka Eleanor Roosevelt. However, other then service dogs, no dogs are allowed in Baxter State Park, so she hiked down to Abol Campground just outside of the Park and Ellie was brought to Pam the next day. 
Their goal was Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, 2,174 miles to the south in the State of Georgia. Hiking from one terminus to the other is referred to as thru-hiking. A person can hike the Trail in one long period of time, usually 5-6 months, or they can hike in sections over a number of years. On the Appalachian Trail hikers say “Hike your own hike”, meaning how a person chooses to complete the Trail is up to them.
The Appalachian Trail was conceived by forester Benton MacKaye in 1921. The Trail was completed in 1937. From time to time the Trail may be shifted a bit as new land is acquired by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), the governing body of the Appalachian Trail. In 2010 the Trail was declared to be 2,174 miles long.
Upon leaving Abol Campground, Pam and Ellie entered the Hundred-Mile Wilderness, a stretch of trail in which there are no communities. The trail was swampy and much of the time they walked along split-log walkways and narrow boardwalks, careful to stay out of the delicate ecosystem that lay on either side. 
Near the Maine/New Hampshire state line, they came to the famously intimidating Mahoosuc Notch. This mile-long narrow gap in the mountains is filled with boulders the size of a small car, creating a series of tunnels. Ellie was not particularly thrilled at the prospect of going through these tunnels, so while Pam crawled through, Ellie confidently found her own way over the top.

Hiking The Appalachian Trail – continued …

While crossing Wildcat Ridge in New Hampshire they were almost literally washed off the ridge by a torrent of mud and gravel rushing down the trail during a fierce storm. 
Pam and Ellie hike south through Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New jersey. In the beginning they could only hike eight or ten miles a day but as they moved through Pennsylvania they sometimes hiked 25 miles a day. This meant they had toughened up and had what are called “trail legs”.
Moving south they were stalked by winter moving south. Three times they were overtaken but each time they managed to walk out of winter on their southbound odyssey.
After hiking through Maryland and West Virginia, they entered Virginia, which has more Trail miles then any other state. While the terrain in Virginia was not particularly difficult, it was Virginia that gave Pam and Ellie their last winter challenge. Pam slipped on an icy patch and, for the third time, severely injured her back and Ellie broke through some thin ice covering a creek and nearly drowned. By now they were a strong team and each encouraged the other to keep going. 
Up in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina it was cold but fortunately there was little snow.
Finally, 199 days after leaving Baxter State Park, on March 10, 2009, Pam and Ellie reached Spring Mountain, the official southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. But Springer Mountain is in the wilderness, so they hiked the remaining few miles to Amicalola Falls State Park. It was a wonderful journey filled with challenges, beautiful scenery, and a lot of laughs courtesy of Ellie, but it was still not over. After a bit of rest, Pam and Ellie visited some schools that had participated in Ellie’s Walking Club and then headed home to Alaska.

PRAISE FOR ELLIE’S LONG WALK – THE TRUE STORY OF TWO FRIENDS ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

"It is unusual for one small book to show both the peace and the natural perils of the Appalachian Trail's woods." - Brian King Appalachian Trail Conference
                                                         
“This new book, illustrated by Bill Farnsworth, takes readers along the famous trail in a gentle story that recounts both the beauty of the experience and the challenges. Above all, the story is about the relationship between Pam and Ellie, her dog.

“Anyone who knows Pam knows two things about her. Once she sets a goal, almost nothing (even Mother Nature) will prevent Pam from achieving it. The only thing that can stop her is the second thing: her love for her dogs. It shines through in every adventure she pursues and every story she tells, including this one.” - Ann Dixon, children’s author and librarian, co-author Big enough Anna and Alone across the Arctic, Willow, Alaska. Blog: Kid Lit North.

“Pam Flowers new book tells the story of her 2009 hike along the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. Ellie’s Long Walk vividly describes the courage and determination of this amazing author/explorer and her dog, Ellie. Pam and Ellie will win readers’ hearts and make them long for adventure. Bill Farnsworth’s splendid illustrations capture the drama of the long hike and its many dangers.” - Casey Sundermann, library teacher, Fir Grove Elementary, Beaverton, Oregon

Anyone who knows Pam knows two things about her. Once she sets a goal, almost nothing (even Mother Nature) will prevent Pam from achieving it. The only thing that can stop her is the second thing: her love for her dogs. It shines through in every adventure she pursues and every story she tells, including this one.” - Ann Dixon, children’s author and librarian, co-author Big enough Anna and Alone across the Arctic, Willow, Alaska. Blog: Kid Lit North.

Pam Flowers has a special knack of entertaining the reader with the silly antics of a fun-loving dog while educating as well. The book encourages readers to think about the planning, stamina, and courage it takes to hike a trail of such diversity and length. As I read the book, my emotions moved from happiness, to excitement, to fear with every turned page. Bill Farnsworth’s beautiful illustrations compliment the writing perfectly and left me feeling that I’d hiked right along with Pam and Ellie – Judy Fadel, librarian, Woolley Elementary, Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Ellie’s Long Walk combines outdoor adventure and canine instinct in an inspiring story about two friends who face challenges and dangers to accomplish one extraordinary adventure.” - Vicki Winstead, librarian, Jackson Elementary, Kingsport, Tennessee.

“Pam Flowers has told an incredible story of friendship and mutual determination in her newest book, Ellie’s Long Walk. The story of the journey Pam and Ellie had on the Appalachian Trail is told in this book, but it also tells a story within a story. Through the sharing of the adventures along the way, the reader can truly see the real definition of teamwork between Pam and Ellie; hard work, planning, lots of fun and interdependence leading to a success they can both be proud of. The illustrations by Bill Farnsworth are captivating and fill in details of the story that words cannot. Anyone who owns a dog will appreciate the question at the beginning of their hike ‘Ready for a REEALLY long walk?’ All who have ever had a personal aspiration that required them to build a team will appreciate the joy at the end of the hike. This is a terrific book to read aloud to middle elementary students as an adventure with some life lessons. It is even better to read aloud with middle school students, the life lessons wrap around the adventure.” - Michele Taylor, librarian, Don Callejon School, Santa Clara, California.

 “Who could be a better through-hiking companion than a faithful pup like Ellie? From the morning greeting of a cold, wet nose, to a solid, warm hug during a night-time storm, Ellie is always ready for adventure. Hiking the 2,174 mile-long Appalachian Trail takes preparation, planning, and perseverance. Pam and Ellie do all they can to get ready for the long hike and have to dig deep during some scary and potentially disastrous situations. When they finally reach the end of the trail, the feeling of accomplishment makes every grueling step worth it. Flowers writes an engaging story suitable for a wide audience from the story-time crowd to early middle schoolers. The book could also be used during research on the Appalachian Trail or hiking with dogs because of the details included in this slim but complete picture book. The beautiful full-color illustrations capture the emotions, weather, and scenery perfectly. Like the other books Flowers has written about her adventures with dogs, this one is sure to entertain and inspire.” - Dorothy Hall-Riddle, librarian, Freeport Middle School, Freeport, Maine.

“The book was great! It was very captivating. Having adventures along the trail happening frequently, the reader is kept interested and wondering what will happen next. I really think you have a winner!!! The elementary students will greatly enjoy the book. You should make school appearances as you did before.” - Ginger Jackson, librarian, Stockdale Elementary, Stockdale, Texas.