The Dirtbag's Guide to Life

Eternal Truth for Hiker Trash, Ski Bums, and Vagabonds

By: Tim Mathis

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

“I see the "How on earth do you make this happen?" question in various groups all the time. I'd love to just get this guide out there in response!” - Heather "Anish" Anderson. National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, record-setting long distance hiker, and author of Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home.

Forget picket fences. Live your best life. Sleep in the dirt.

Most people think that an adventure-filled life is only an option for the rich or the irresponsible. For the dirtbag, it is a birthright for the masses.

In the spirit of classics like Thoreau’s Walden and Rolf Potts’ Vagabonding, The Dirtbag’s Guide to Life is both a celebration of an under-appreciated subculture and a practical how-to manual for building your own life of adventure.

It distills the real-world experiences of hundreds of the most dedicated dirtbags to address the key challenges to creating a meaningful, flexible life outside, whether you’re a weekend warrior or a full-time nomad:

• How to stretch a small budget to accomplish big adventures through seasonal work, minimalist living, and dirtbag financial strategies.
• How to build a career path that will support your passions rather than working against them.
• How to keep your friendships and make your mother proud in a life punctuated by six month thru-hikes and overseas adventure.
• How to manage grown-up responsibilities like debt, housing, and health insurance without giving up time flexibility.
• How to live intentionally and make your life meaningful through a simple, adventure-centered lifestyle.

Whether you want to travel the world, hike the Appalachian Trail, or just want to fit in more mountain biking on the weekends, The Dirtbag’s Guide to Life is an essential, inspiring, and consistently entertaining roadmap.

A note on the 2025 revision:

This book started as advice for a few friends who wanted to work less and go outside more. Somewhere along the way, it connected with thousands of readers. This updated edition is revised, polished, and expanded to keep the dirtbag dream alive.

Loved this, will listen too again!…..!

Fantastic book that captures the spirit and realities of the dirtbag life! Ver inspiring! The author did a great job!…..!

Cool begets Cool

I don’t like robots reading to me. Ironic since this book is all about being in nature and not around technology.

Empowering

Fell upon this book due to a recommendation from a fellow dirtbag. Realistic strategy on how to live the life of your dreams is presented, and I will aim to carry them with me as I pursue a life of adventure

Inspiring!

A book that explores the counter culture of deeply pursuing outdoor sport hobbies, and not being tied to a cubicle or desk. It’s a beautiful book and has really great financial lessons for anybody, but in a way is also a counter culture to consumerism and the pursuit of material things. I love this book and feel very inspired by it as somebody who works a 9 to 5 job and doesn’t have any extreme outdoor hobbies, but would like to spend more time outdoors.

Loved it!

Very well written. So glad to find something like this it’s really something unique. As a climber/biker/hiker and just overall adventure lover and having a girlfriend who really wants to travel abroad, this covers everything! I can’t say how much I appreciate the author for making this! Also The AI voice was actually good better than some real human narrators.