Rating: 
Summary: Publisher's Weekly Reviews Scraping Heaven as Outstanding
Review: Helen Keller said,"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." And it is with this in mind that seasoned trekkers Cindy Ross and Todd Gladfelter set out to hike along the 3,100 mile Continental Divide Trail from Canada to Mexico with their two toddlers, Sierra and Bryce,and a string of llamas. When Ross (A Woman's Journey) and her husband first met, two of the main loves they shared were of hiking and the outdoors. But when their children arrived, they were afraid they would have to wait years to return to the wilderness- until hearing of the docile nature and great versatility of the llamas, inventing more efficient ways to wash diapers on the trail and keeping two toddlers entertained, warm and healthy while trying to stay sane and absorb the vast beauty of the trail that drew them. After 2 months, 500 miles, bags of candy, wet and smelly socks, lightning storms and temper tantrums, what their friends and family thought would end early in disaster was completed with success and the desire to do it all over again. That summer in 1993 ends five years later as the Ross family returns summer after summer to the Continental Divide Trail in their quest to grow closer and be one with nature.
NOT ONLY ARE READERS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE SHEER BEAUTY AND AT TIMES FRIGHTENING DANGERS OF THE TRAIL, BUT THEY ALSO WATCH TWO CHILDREN GROW AND LEARN TO CALL THE TRAIL THEIR HOME. WELL WRITTEN, CAPTIVATING AND INCREDIBLY EDUCATIONAL, THIS ADVENTURE IS A LESSON IN THE SIMPLICITY AND THE BEAUTY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
Rating:
Summary: Publisher's Weekly Reviews Scraping Heaven as Outstanding
Review: Helen Keller said,"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." And it is with this in mind that seasoned trekkers Cindy Ross and Todd Gladfelter set out to hike along the 3,100 mile Continental Divide Trail from Canada to Mexico with their two toddlers, Sierra and Bryce,and a string of llamas. When Ross (A Woman's Journey) and her husband first met, two of the main loves they shared were of hiking and the outdoors. But when their children arrived, they were afraid they would have to wait years to return to the wilderness- until hearing of the docile nature and great versatility of the llamas, inventing more efficient ways to wash diapers on the trail and keeping two toddlers entertained, warm and healthy while trying to stay sane and absorb the vast beauty of the trail that drew them. After 2 months, 500 miles, bags of candy, wet and smelly socks, lightning storms and temper tantrums, what their friends and family thought would end early in disaster was completed with success and the desire to do it all over again. That summer in 1993 ends five years later as the Ross family returns summer after summer to the Continental Divide Trail in their quest to grow closer and be one with nature.
NOT ONLY ARE READERS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE SHEER BEAUTY AND AT TIMES FRIGHTENING DANGERS OF THE TRAIL, BUT THEY ALSO WATCH TWO CHILDREN GROW AND LEARN TO CALL THE TRAIL THEIR HOME. WELL WRITTEN, CAPTIVATING AND INCREDIBLY EDUCATIONAL, THIS ADVENTURE IS A LESSON IN THE SIMPLICITY AND THE BEAUTY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
Rating:
Summary: Scraping Heaven- Among the Best
Review: I had no idea when I began reading "Scraping Heaven" that it would be such an exciting story, so full of love and emotion. I have long been a fan of true adventure books and have read many, and the best. And "Scraping Heaven" is now included among those I will recommend to friends. I thought it was so brave of Cindy to include the issues of her heart- to question her parenting skills, to examine her marital relationship. Who among us hasn't done that at some point, but NOT for public scrunity! It took courage to be self-critical, and to be honest about what she wanted from her husband, her children, and her life. There were times when I laughed out loud, and times when I shed tears for her.
I was pleased to read in the epilogue that her sense of adventure has not waned, and that she continues to seek out exciting ways in which to relate to nature. Perhaps one day Cindy will write another book, dealing with how she is living life to its fullest.
Rating:
Summary: Scraping Heaven- Among the Best
Review: I had no idea when I began reading "Scraping Heaven" that it would be such an exciting story, so full of love and emotion. I have long been a fan of true adventure books and have read many, and the best. And "Scraping Heaven" is now included among those I will recommend to friends. I thought it was so brave of Cindy to include the issues of her heart- to question her parenting skills, to examine her marital relationship. Who among us hasn't done that at some point, but NOT for public scrunity! It took courage to be self-critical, and to be honest about what she wanted from her husband, her children, and her life. There were times when I laughed out loud, and times when I shed tears for her.
I was pleased to read in the epilogue that her sense of adventure has not waned, and that she continues to seek out exciting ways in which to relate to nature. Perhaps one day Cindy will write another book, dealing with how she is living life to its fullest.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I looked forward to the delivery of this book, but was sorely disappointed when it finally arrived. Both my husband and I--avid travelers, backpackers, and outdoorspeople--were annoyed with the amount of time Cindy Ross spends complaining about the trail conditions and her husband's lack of affection for her. In addition, this book is repetitive and at times poorly written.The story itself is an interesting one, but too much time is spent psychoanalyzing--and, even worse, complaining--about other people's feelings, actions, etc. We came away from the book feeling as if Ross felt that she was above others, that everyone else's opinions and feelings--like Todd's, on the trail; and Bob's at times; and her relatives who hike with them for a short time--were not as important as her own. In short, this book disappointed us from beginning to end.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: If you can't go out and thru-hike the CDT yourself - then read Cindy's book instead! As with all of Cindy's previous books, her writing puts you right on the trail with her and her family. You feel all of the joy, the pain, the tears, the laughter and see all of the incredible beauty on this magnificent trail. To hike such a trail is a monumnetal undertaking, but to include your young children in such a hike is incredible. Her honesty about life on the trail with her family only reinforces the respect I have for her and her family. I highly recommend Scraping Heaven - truly a work of art.
Rating:
Summary: The Next Best Thing to Being There
Review: If you can't go out and thru-hike the CDT yourself - then read Cindy's book instead! As with all of Cindy's previous books, her writing puts you right on the trail with her and her family. You feel all of the joy, the pain, the tears, the laughter and see all of the incredible beauty on this magnificent trail. To hike such a trail is a monumnetal undertaking, but to include your young children in such a hike is incredible. Her honesty about life on the trail with her family only reinforces the respect I have for her and her family. I highly recommend Scraping Heaven - truly a work of art.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring
Review: In an age when children are being raised on Teen Nick, Disney World and Bart Simpson, Cindy offers an alternative. Expose your chilren to the rain in life so they'll appreciate the rainbows, whatever they may be. Gratitude is the natural result. And, isn't that what we all wish for with our own children? As for Todd...well you have your hands full. Well written, Really inspiring!
Rating:
Summary: Adventures on a High-Altitude Footpath
Review: My family and I have hiked many segments of the trails Cindy Ross writes about in her extremely evocative and exhiliarating tale called, "Scraping Heaven." Completing either the Colorado Trail (nearly 500 miles, from Denver to Durango) or the Continental Divide Trail (3,100 miles from Canada to Mexico) has always been a personal fantasy and probably always shall remain one. But after reading Ross's fine account of the agonies and ecstacies of the journey, I feel as if I've been at her side every step of the way. I've felt her passion and optimism at the beginning of the challenge, her maternal concerns for her family, her frustration with uncooperative animals and impatient husband and kids. I've felt her overpowering fatigue at the end of the day, and then renewed my spirit with her as she celebrates the power and beauty of the wilderness landscape.
I applaud the Ross family for completing their five-summer trek over the roof-top of North America. Although the adventure offered endless plhysical and mental challenges, few families are able to tell a more inspiring tale of self-reliance, trust, interdependence, and self-determination.
For those who've never hiked a mountain trail, Cindy Ross's tale of curiosity and perserverence offer even the most seasoned armchair traveler a stimulating and mental adventure.
Rating:
Summary: A Vicarious Experience of Life on the Continental Divide
Review: Scraping Heaven is a beautifully written story. Cindy Ross describes the landscapes so vividly, you imagine yourself there. She talks about the family and social dynamics so openly, you feel like you are with them on their journey through the Continental Divide. As in life, it's not all about beautiful views and happy times. She doesn't leave out the hardships of bad weather, failing equipment, and strained family and friend relations. She also shares with you the joys of nature's rewards and the kindness of strangers. You experience life's lessons along with them. My favorite parts are those involving their son Bryce. I'd often laugh out loud, even days later, just recalling stories of his antics. "It's only recently that Bryce's three year old brain has realized that the Oscar Meyer song he likes to sing is about one of his favorite foods. He is so taken by this discovery that he shouts to every hiker he sees on the widened, graded trail that leads to the parking lot: 'Do you know that an Oscar Meyer wiener is a hot dog?'" It was thoughtful of her to have an Epilogue, updating you on her and her family's lives, because by the end of the book, you feel like you know them, and so would naturally be interested in how they are doing these days. I would recommend this book to hikers and non-hikers alike. It keeps you interested and entertained from the inside cover until the last word.
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