Customer Reviews

Hike Your Own Hike: 7 Life Lessons from Backpacking Across America (Wanderlearn)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hike Your Own Hike: Seven Life Lessons From Backpacking Across America by Francis Tapon is an inspiring and entertaining travelogue of the one-hundred-and-eleven day walk through 2,168 miles of one of America's most intriguing areas. Expertly authored for a vivid and intimate detailing of Tapon's travels, Hike Your Own Hike enlightens readers to the exclusively awe-inspiring journey through the Appalachian Mountains in both discovery of land, self, and the lighter side of life. Hike Your Own Hike is very strongly recommended for all readers searching for an engaging tale of remarkable encouragement, creative entertainment, and informative endeavors, particularly ideal reading for novice hikers aspiring to take on the Appalachian Trail themselves.

I was searching for my next BHAG (big harry ambitious goal) when I spotted Hike Your Own Hike at the bookstore. While I'm not yet sure if I will hike the Appalacian Trail, the thought provoking material in this book can be applied to any goal -- big or small. This book was inspiring AND funny (big bonus).

It's a funny, smart and important book. The writing flows so naturally that it just flies. Francis Tapon breaks the book into 7 chapters to correspond to his 7 ah-has, or lessons, that he learned on the Appalachian Trail. Six of them have to do with mental/spiritual issues and one of them has to do with the body (health/diet/fitness).

The book helped me to understand the best ways of living my life in a more healthy and more fulfilling way! I love to backpack, and anyone who does has to get this book! But this book isn't a backpacking book and you can find it quite useful even if you hate backpacking. Read it, and you'll smile and go forward to your dreams!

Okay, so I'm not objective. I'm Francis's brother. But Hike Your Own Hike is an awesome book. Funny, practical, and filled with great, great stories. Weeks after reading it, I'm still thinking about its lessons.

I loved this book. First, it is easy to read. It tells a great story about this backpacking trip and reads very nicely and effortlessly. Second, the author has a great step by step approach for getting more out of life. Everyone should read this book because it is filled with useful tips for having a fun, happy life.

The author offers up some great wisdom that most avid hikers and backpackers well know, since hiking and backpacking beyond a afternoon jaunt teaches one how to react quickly and well, deal with changes, as anyone who has been caught in a rain or snow storm while backpacking can attest to.

How to endure when your feet hurt and all you want to do is rest, but you cannot because the next base camp is less than half a mile away. How to adapt to change that you couldn't see but had worked hard to consider the worst case scenario.

Even recommend the book to new backpackers because you may learn how to look think and react differently when on a trek. And for the non outdoors person the book is excellent as using outdoor terms to connect to inside worlds and everyday life challenges.

This book is fabulous! The author's voice really comes through in his narratives and tips on improving life. Even though I am not a backpacker, I found myself engrossed in this book about life. I would recommend it to anyone who just wants an interesting read. Tapon is very accomplished, both as a person and as a hiker. Therefore, his insights are valuable and useful. I also liked the quizzes in the book: they helped me gauge where I am in life. The quotes that are scattered throughout are also nice; they supplement Tapon's writing. Hiking the Appalachian Trail is amazing in itself, but being able to extract seven lessons and write a book on it is even more unbelievable. Thanks for writing this book, Mr. Tapon!

Well written but more about personal development than hiking the AT. I would have liked more about the adventure than how to improve my life.

'HIKE your own HIKE (7 Life Lessons from Backpacking Across America)' by Francis Tapon is a self development and self help book with a difference.

Francis Tapon and his hiking partner, Lisa Garrett, walked the Appalachian Trail (AT), covering 2,168 miles across 14 states in under four months. Why? They were "living on auto-pilot mode", just existing and not truly living life to the full. They "yearned for a break to recharge our spirits" with the aim to venture "into the wilderness to find wisdom."

They had never backpacked for longer than four days before embarking on this adventure. "Thru-hikes" like the AT are very brave things to do as you put your life completely on hold for half a year. As illustrated in this self development book review, little did they know just how powerful the trip would be.

Francis explains that living in the wilderness was "a form of meditation...That state of mind allowed me to absorb lessons I might have otherwise overlooked. When I returned to civilization, I sought to summarize those insights. I distilled them into Seven Principles that not only apply to backpacking, but to life itself."

This book does exactly that. There are seven chapters with each covering a major Life Lesson: principles "to squeeze the most out of life."

What do you learn?

Francis' descriptive writing makes you feel you are there with them on the AT. He talks about the astounding mountainous scenery, the bugs that attacked them, the treacherous weather, the dangers, the excitement and other trials, tribulations and exhilarations.

There is much information and insight in this book. Its 352 pages comprise his story, life lessons, graphs, histograms, pie charts, photos, maps, quotes and quizzes. It is a comprehensive and fascinating read. Even the Appendices were interesting, covering what gear they took and why people hike in a particular direction!

He talks about the characters they meet along the way and how they got their `trail names'. He keeps being told "You gotta hike your own hike." Over the course of the hike he realises the meaning and implications of this, discovering the analogies between hiking and the way you live your life.

He also makes you ask "Are you hiking your own hike?" He makes you wonder if you are indeed enjoying life and if not, what action to take and when to take it. His self development tips cover:

* Why freedom is crucial
* The effect of sheer willpower
* The advantages of taking risks
* The assets of keeping an open mind
* How little you need to truly enjoy life
* Why take time out of your current life
* How to find perspective and worry less
* Why it is crucial to find your life's passion
* The five questions that allow you to find it
* The disadvantages of over-analysing things
* How simply you can live and still be content
* The benefits of levering the experience of others
* The reason for constantly re-questioning your beliefs
* How to enjoy life now rather than leaving it till retirement
* How to look after your finances, whatever `trail' you are on
* How your smallest expense becomes significant if you do it repeatedly

Francis also shares what he learns about healthy living from his encounters with animals, plants and nature along the hike, giving you his personal views on drugs, smoking, alcohol, coffee, exercise, sleep, diets, stress and more. He also touches on great topics like:

* Frog psychology
* The Fun Compass
* The power of water
* The assets of getting lost
* Isaac Newton and inertia
* That elusive `true happiness'
* Why people do not complete trails
* The three dietary mistakes that people make
* Trail magic and how it affects and extends your life
* How to burn more calories without needing extra time to do so
* The power of simple pleasures on a hike versus those in `real life'

Who is this book for?

This book is great for anyone contemplating a hike for the first time as it gives you an insight into what you need to consider. It was fascinating to read about the extremes that hikers go to minimize the weight they carry, and how heightened your senses become.

Also, you often hear that a walk is the best way to clear your head. This book shows you exactly why walking is so powerful - for your body, mind and soul!

Even more importantly, if you feel your life is boring, frustrating or unfulfilled, this self development and self help book will get you going on a new `hike'. It is valuable for anyone interested in emotional health, emotional wealth, personal growth and self empowerment.

In summary

This is not a travel guide about the Appalachian Trail (AT) but a fascinating book on life lessons that you can use throughout your life. Francis shares his wisdom with you. It may kick-start you into walking daily. It may excite you to set off on a long hike as soon as possible. It may make you start treating your body in a different way. It may set you off on a new path in life. Whatever you take from it, it will change your life.

Thank you BackpackingLight.com for introducing me to the very talented "AA-FT"



FYI My wife kept asking "what's so interesting about that book that you can't put it down?" She's a naptaking English woman and a cardplayer. As you might imagine, our marriage survives as we give each other a LOT of space.



I could write a book about your book but succinctly, this is what comes to my pragmatic mind ...



I'm going to sort thru my gear "garage" and re weigh with preparation to "finally" make an attempt with a Thru-Hike next Spring.
AND
I'm going to get rid of my therapisssssssst who keeps promising me to be one of those "overnite" succe$$es. KWIMJB?
AND
share with my wife of 47 years to STOP criticizing my backpacking hobby or I'll attempt the "Classic ThruHike" of an AT-CDT-PCT in one year and just maybe, MAYBE, create a TrailMagic post somewhere in the Sierras and operate it.



IndianaDave
Bikes (pedal)/Hikes/Boats (paddle)