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Johnny at Blackstack Cliffs Tennessee
Johnny's Official Motto:
"Be Sure You Are Right Then Go
Ahead"
David Crockett
I am a capitalist. I am a Christian. |
Johnny Molloy
molloyjohnny@hotmail.com
Johnny Molloy is a self-employed outdoor writer based in Johnson City,
Tennessee. A Christian -- member of 1st Presbyterian church, native Tennessean and free-market capitalist, he was born in Memphis and moved
to Knoxville in 1980 to attend the University of Tennessee. It is
here in Knoxville, where he developed his love of the natural
world that has since become the primary focus of his life.
It all started on a backpacking foray into the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park. That first trip, though a disaster,
unleashed an innate love of the outdoors that has led to his
spending over 100 nights in the wild per year, over the past 20
years, backpacking and canoe camping throughout our country and
abroad. Specifically, he has spent over 650 nights in the Smokies
alone, where he cultivated his woodsmanship and expertise on those
lofty mountains.
In 1987, after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a
degree in Economics, he continued to spend an ever increasing time
in the natural places, becoming more skilled in a variety of
environments. Friends enjoyed his adventure stories, one even
suggested he write a book. Soon he was parlaying his love of the
outdoors into an occupation.
 |
Johnny loves the
Tennessee Volunteers! |
The
results of his efforts are over 42 books:
The Day & Overnight Hikes books are guidebooks, each containing 42
recommended hikes that takes the reader on a detailed journey to
infrequently visited sites, from highland meadows and open vistas
to pristine mountain streams and pioneer farms in three of the
most popular national parks and forests in the East.
Trial By Trail is a narrative, a collection of 14 real life
backpacking adventure stories that weave Smoky Mountain truth and
lore along with practical backpacking tips and glimpses of his
growth as a woodsman.
The Best in Tent Camping books parlay his vast camping experiences
throughout the Southern Appalachians, Colorado, West Virginia,
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Tennessee,
Kentucky and Florida into concise guides of the 50 best tent
campgrounds in each area offering the finest scenery and
recreational opportunities the South, Appalachians and Rockies
have to offer.
Beach and Coastal Camping in Florida details the 24 best oceanside
camping for tent, pop up and RV campers. This includes the sandy
white beaches of the panhandle to the islands of the Keys. Beach
& Coastal Camping in the Southeast follows the format of the
popular beach camping Florida book, except it expands the scope to
include beach camping destinations from Maryland down the
Atlantic, then around the Gulf all the way to the Mexican border.
50 Hikes in South Carolina.
A
Paddler’s Guide to Everglades National Park was his initial foray
into water oriented guidebooks. This informative guide includes
detailed descriptions of all the commonly paddled routes and
campsites in the Everglades and helpful information for paddlers
who explore the backcountry. It includes over 50 photos. He is
soon to be working on the second edition of this book.
Hiking
Trails of Florida’s National Forests, Parks, and Preserves details
all the hiking trails of the Sunshine State’s vastly underused
federal lands such as Everglades National Park, Gulf Islands
National Seashore and the Ocala National Forest. Molloy also gives
talks to various groups about the outdoor life.
The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area Handbook is a
comprehensive guide covering every marked and maintained trail in
this jewel of the Southern Appalachians. It also details
campgrounds, swimming holes, fishing streams, picnic areas and
gives vital information that every visitor to Mount Rogers needs.
He wrote Long Trails of the Southeast. This offering covers long
trails, as an alternative to the Appalachian Trail, of Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. It will
give long distance and day hikers pertinent trail information they
need to enjoy these lesser used pathways of the South.
60 Hikes in 60 Miles: Nashville informs readers about all the best
hiking and walking destinations in the greater Nashville area,
from city parks to state parks and more. It highlights everything
from paved greenways to rugged foot trails of the Highland Rim.
He also helped San Antonio native Tom Taylor with the book 60
Hikes in 60 Miles: San Antonio & Austin. Johnny discovered hiking
in Texas can be quite a treat!
The
Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Handbook, a
comprehensive guide, is similar to the Mount Rogers book and tells
about everything you can do in the scenic swath of Tennessee and
Kentucky.
Molloy’s 2nd adventure book is entitled From the Swamp to the
Keys: A Paddle through Florida History. Johnny started at the
Okefenokee Swamp, headwaters of the Suwannee River and paddled the
Suwannee to the Gulf. From there he paddled a sea kayak from the
Gulf past Tampa Bay to the Everglades. And from the Everglades, he
paddled to the Keys and the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, Molloy
explored the history of Florida, and how the state has changed
over time. During this voyage unforeseen adventures occurred.
Johnny
also updated
Bob Sehlinger's classic A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to Kentucky.
In this book he updated the rivers included, then added several
more that have reveal more paddling opportunities in the Bluegrass
State. He then returned to the Sunshine State and paddled more,
enhancing, rewriting and updating of another classic paddling
guidebook, A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to Florida. Johnny paddled
all over Florida and added many new streams to the old book, as
well as updating river access, maps and more.
Johnny teamed up
with Countrymen Press and wrote 50 Hikes in the North Georgia
Mountains, and 50 Hikes in South
Carolina and 50 Hikes in the Ozarks. Both places are underutilized
hiking destinations. He is now writing 50 Hikes in Alabama for the
outfit.
Another release is A Falcon Guide to Mammoth Cave National Park.
It covers not only the caves of this American icon, with the
largest known cave system in the world, but also above ground
pursuits, such as hiking, paddling and camping. Johnny covers
everything a visitor would need to know to make the most of their
trip to Mammoth Cave, the pride of Kentucky.
The latest
adventure story book, his 3rd, is Hiking the Florida Trail: 1,100 Miles, 78
Days, Two pairs of Boots and One Heck of An Adventure. It is
the first narrative book detailing a thru hike of the Florida
Trail.
Other endeavors are Hiking Mississippi, Best Easy Day Hikes: Tampa Bay, Best Easy Day Hikes: Richmond, Best Easy Day Hikes: Greensboro Winston-Salem, best Easy Day Hikes: Tallahassee all for Falcon Press.
The Backcountry Fishing book is
his first how-to guide, which he enjoyed writing. It offers
practical tips on angling in the back of beyond and is written in
a fun style with lots of real life experiences thrown in to help
the reader enhance their angling adventures.
Paddling Georgia is
a
paddling release. It details 38 paddling destinations throughout the
Peach State, from mountain streams, to the Piedmont and on to the
Atlantic Ocean.
Johnny also continually works on
revising and updating his guides. Many are in their 4th edition.
Molloy has also written numerous articles for
magazines such as Backpacker and Sea Kayaker, and for Web sites,
such as Away.com. He also is a columnist for his hometown
newspaper, the Johnson City Press.
He continues to write to this day and travel
extensively to all four corners of the United States endeavoring
in a variety of outdoor pursuits. |
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