National Geographic Adventurer of the Year to Visit Staunton

STAUNTON, VA (05/15/2014)(readMedia)-- Called Again: An Evening with Jennifer Pharr Davis

Jennifer Pharr Davis has hiked over 12,000 miles of long distance trails. She has trekked on six different continents and in 2011, she became the first woman to claim the endurance record on the Appalachian Trail, hiking 2,181 miles in 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes for an astounding average of nearly 47 miles per day.

Jennifer has authored five books, including three North Carolina guidebooks and two Appalachian Trail memoirs, Becoming Odyssa and Called Again. She has written features for Blue Ridge Outdoors and Trail Runner magazines.

In 2008, Jennifer was named Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine's Person of the Year. In 2011, her record-breaking A.T. hike won Ultrarunning Magazine's Female Performance of the Year. And in 2012, National Geographic named her one of ten Adventurers of the Year. Jennifer has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Daily Beast, Guideposts magazine, NPR's Talk of the Nation, and the CBS Morning Show, and she has appeared on the cover of Experience Life magazine.

Jennifer is founder and owner of Blue Ridge Hiking Company, where she and her staff of dedicated guides strive "to make the wilderness accessible and enjoyable through written and spoken word, instruction and guiding" for novice and experienced hikers alike. Jennifer lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband Brew and their one-year-old daughter Charley.

But Jen's story is not solely about records or numbers; it's about endurance, faith, and most of all, love. She will be speaking about the many challenges and lessons that present themselves along the trail, showing slides from her long-distance hiking trips. Jen will also be answering questions about her hiking exploits. After her presentation, she will be signing copies of her new book Called Again: A Story of Love and Triumph, which Kirkus Reviews has called "an inspired exploration of the meaning of commitment." Join us at 7pm on Monday, May 19 at the Staunton Public Library for what is sure to be an exciting and inspiring presentation from this world class athlete and wilderness adventurer. This event is sponsored by Staunton Parks & Recreation and the Staunton Public Library. Special thanks to the Frederick House for sponsoring Jennifer's stay.