Product Description
Francis Tapon sought wisdom when he quit his Silicon Valley job, donated most of his belongings, and set off to hike the Appalachian Trail. He and his hiking partner, Lisa Garrett, traversed the 2,168 mile footpath by walking for nearly four months from sunrise to sunset. The pilgrimage gave him insights that not only apply to backpacking, but to life itself. It also taught him that there sure are easier ways to go from Maine to Georgia.
While you enjoy the intense journey, you’ll learn: Why the Appalachian Trail’s credo is relevant to your life.
- How to control your finances.
- How to discover and pursue your passion.
- How to avoid costly mistakes and conquer your fears.
- How to dramatically improve your health.
- Why the Appalachian Trail teaches you more about human nature than Mother Nature.
- How to shrug off misfortune and live stress free.
- Why mosquitoes just want to be your friend.
Packed with a map, photographs, sidebars, and self assessment quizzes!
Francis Tapon knew he had a good life—he had a great career, fantastic friends, a nice home, and a cool electric shaver. However, something was missing. His life was good, but not great. It was quite predictable and safe, but thoroughly uninspiring. He wondered how to take his life to the next level.
He thought it would be smart to do what the sages do: hang out in the woods for several months and get some wisdom. Although he ultimately found wisdom, finding it wasn’t as easy or as romantic as all those spiritual books say it is. They neglect to mention that during the hot humid summer months there’s no air conditioning in the woods.
Hike Your Own Hike balances the story of an adventurous and insightful trip across the Appalachian Mountains with practical advice on how to squeeze the most out of life both on and off the trail. It’s enlightening, educational, and entertaining. It’s a
serious book that doesn’t take itself so seriously.
Hiking the entire Appalachian Trail in one season has soared in popularity over the last 20 years. Compared to 1986, there are eight times more people trying to “thru-hike” it! What accounts for this phenomenon?
Today people are overly stressed and need a break to return to the fundamentals. Feeling disconnected from the rhythms of life, hikers go on multi-month trails to recalibrate their perspective and to remind themselves of what really matters.
Hike Your Own Hike is about an incredible pilgrimage, what we can learn from it, and how to enrich our lives without getting too muddy.
Francis is donating 50% of his book royalty to the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail. So even if you don’t think you’ll like this book, buy it anyway so you can support those trails.
“This is definitely not your ordinary Appalachian Trail thru-hike memoir.”
—Brian T. Fitzgerald, Chair, Appalachian Trail Conservancy
“Francis Tapon’s book is a marvelous addition to the very best outdoor and personal development books available. Against the
backdrop of a rich and unique journey along the Appalachian Trail, Hike Your Own Hike offers the reader a wealth of
practical how-tos blended masterfully with the wisdom of the ages. This isn’t another boring hiking guidebook, it’s a wonderful
guidebook for life.” —Kim and Demetri Coupounas, Co-Founders, GoLite
“Don’t expect a dull trail log. Don’t expect a humdrum self-help book. Instead, expect to laugh and learn as Hike Your Own Hike weaves practical wisdom with an epic journey as the backdrop.”—Dave Roberson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Hitachi Data Systems
“It’s hard to imagine a book that combines the strengths of Bill Bryson’s "Walk in the Woods" and Stephen Covey’s "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," but "Hike Your Own Hike" has done it!” —Marco Iansiti, Harvard Business School Professor
Hike Your Own Hike: 7 Life Lessons from Backpacking Across America
Tags: Appalachian Mountains, intense journey, book, FRANCIS, Lessons
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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.
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