Bliss(ters)

How I walked from Mexico to Canada One Summer

By: Gail M. Francis

Narrated by: Wendy Tremont King

Just before her 40th birthday, Gail Francis quit her perfectly good job and set out to hike one of the great trails of the world. Carrying everything she needed on her back, Francis spent five months walking from Mexico to Canada along the Pacific Crest Trail. Along the way, she lost her pack scrambling over scree in the desert, struggled to navigate high mountain passes, and wore the soles off her boots trekking across lava fields - all within some of the most pristine wilderness in the nation. Though she set out alone, her story includes an eclectic cast of characters. From the man walking the entire 2,700 miles in a series of 26 wedding dresses, to the woman making the journey in the company of her pet mouse, Francis learned to count on her fellow hikers for entertainment as well as a few important life lessons.

©2017 Gail M. Francis (P)2019 Tantor

Wish I had a warning

I would have liked this book much more had the author not snuck in her socialist agenda and hatred if Gin rights.

Hiking Inspo Here!

Great inspiration for hiking! There are points in the story I feel were “placed” that turned this a bit political, but if you can overlook a few sentences & take in the whole… Definitely put me in the hiking mood!

Impressive

In January I read my first hiking book called “Steps Out of Time: One Woman’s Journey on the Camino” by Katharine B. Soper.

In this book Francis is hiking the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) from Mexico to Canada. The author is a natural storyteller. Francis does an excellent job describing the countryside. It is so picturesque; I feel I am right there. I am familiar with the areas she describes and that makes her comments more interesting. She also tells of the people she met along the Trail and includes some humor. Both books discuss problems with the feet, primarily blisters. The author states she is a weak hiker. I would disagree with that as she completed the 2700 miles. When I was young, I might have enjoyed this hike, but now I am happy to be a vicarious hiker.

The book is eight hours and thirty-two minutes. Wendy Tremont King does a good job narrating the book.

A very clear story of self exploration through a physically grueling journey.

A very clear story of self exploration through a physically grueling journey. i appreciated the honest approach of seeking solitude on the PCT and realizing community is sometimes needed more in tough situations to get to a common goal

awesome

love hiking stories, they inspire me to keep moving forward day by day step by step you will get there. And the adventures you will have.