On the Beaten Path: An Appalachian Pilgrimage

Both my wife and self have just finished this book, and highly recommend it to all who are intereted in hiking and/or the AT, and we believe it is excellent first rate reading. Robert Rubin reveals the human side of man, the real life stresses which resulted in his need to walk this walk, and the conflict created in doing it, and leaving all behind until he's finished. We absolutely disagree with the very pious and judgemental thoughts of person who wrote, "Bryson says it better". As much as I enjoyed Brysons, A Walk In The Woods, and thought it an excellent and humourous read, Rubin finished his AT walk, which unfortunately Bill Bryson did not. Both left wives behind, so what's the difference. Rubens walk no doubt strengthened him and maybe brought him and his wife closer together. Leaving wife and home behind for six months to walk the beaten path was no doubt hard, and caused it's share of stesses and anguish. In Rhymin Worm's case, this walk seemed to be just the therapy he needed to sort out the conflicts of mid life, and he had one hell of an adventure along the way in doing it. All in all, good sence of humour, great adventure, excellent reading, and if I could give it six stars I would. This book is very well written, and kept us riveted to the last page. Both thumbs up from down under, "New Zealand".

My first copy was free, but I'm going to buy more as gifts because I want this author to write more!When I got my copy of this book at a recent booksellers convention, Robert Rubin asked me as he signed it, "So, is this a dream of yours, to hike the Appalachian Trail?" No doubt an amusing question to ask of a slightly plump, middle-aged woman exhausted after 4 hours of walking the floors, but in actuality, I had to tell him -- "Yes!" Years ago I had a dream, to take 6 months off from work and life, and walk the Appalachian Trail, alone. There has to be more to life than working 9-to-5, I'd thought -- a sentiment Rubin shared when he made his decision to abandon job and wife for half a year. In my case, time slipped away. I grew older, with more responsibilities and limitations, and recently realized that for me, this long and lone journey isn't likely to happen. This book simultaneously put that dream to rest, while making it come as true as it can be for me. In the beginning of the book, Rubin shares a quote you'd find at the start of the journey -- "Appalachian Trail - Georgia to Maine - A Footpath for those who seek Fellowship with the Wilderness." In this shared journal of his 6 month venture, Rubin finds just that, and more. From the start. he knows he's going on some sort of pilgrimage -- a search for meaning in his life. Though he never spells out what he found, by the end of his journey, it is clear that he has gotten where he needed to go.Rubin is a true storyteller, weaving together day-to-day happenings with past events that put him on this path, pulling the reader in so close we are there with him as his body is put through the rigors of 2,160 miles of walking, climbing, falling (don't let hikers tell you they never fall on the Appalachian trail!), being sick and eating portable meals that eventually taste like paste. His humor shows through - I laughed outloud in several places (that's just not like me - I'm more of a silent smirker). He develops friendships with other thruhikers -- those who are hiking the trail from start to finish -- Kilgore Trout, RockDancer and many more - while struggling to assure his wife of ten years that though he's left her behind (alone at home with the dog), he will be coming back. Hiking this trail is one of the last adventures in the United States -- it would be impossible to finish it without changing your self, to some degree. Each section has a map of the leg of the journey he's on with miles hiked, and miles to go. By the end of the book, as the 'to go' got down to less than 150, I was nearly as excited as he must have been -- almost there! Never once did I get the message from him (though others would strongly disagree) that those who don't make it all the way through are 'less than.' In fact, I find myself wondering now if I could be a "section hiker" -- for me, a month would more than meet my pilgrimage needs, while probably being the emo

This book will inevitably be compared to Bill Bryson's recent book about hiking the Appalachian Trail, A Walk in the Woods. This book is far superior. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Walk, but it was mostly just an amusement, without any depth or real insight. Rubin's book gives a far more comprehensive and even realistic account of hiking the AT. For one thing, Rubin actually hiked the entire trail, while Bryson hiked about half--still quite an accomplishment. Bryson's hike is a lark, a way to find another topic to write about. But for Rubin, hiking the AT was far more personal and his reasons for more complicated. That's what we learn about, as we also discover the wonderful, oddball culture that makes the trail so unique.

I first saw this book erroneously placed in a book store and started reading the first page. After 40 minutes of standing and reading it, I brought it home and devoured it. It is the most enchanting chronicle of a man who does something that everyone in their lifetime thinks about doing. I have always wanted to trek the Appalachian Trail and this book has so much to offer to somebody sho has the vision of finding personal freedom.