Book excerpt: Jeff Alt convinced his wife, a woman raised with the belief that vacations include hot showers, beaches, and warm beds, to hike the 218-mile John Muir Trail to help her overcome the loss of her brother to suicide and to spread the word that depression is treatable. Readers walk vicariously alongside Jeff and Beth, through three national parks, ending atop the highest mountain in the contiguous United States. Their adventure included bear encounters, beautiful scenery, rugged trails, lightning bolts, and food shortages-and they are still happily married! A Hike For Mike is an inspiring and humorous true-life adventure of perseverance and overcoming adversity. Includes a chapter with valuable facts about depression that offers readers information, resources, and hope; which was reviewed and endorsed by James Blumenthal, Ph.D.; Professor of Medical Psychology at Duke University.