Walk Ride Paddle: A Life Outside

by Tim Kaine

A compelling account of one man’s journey across hundreds of miles of Virginia wilderness and a moving testament to the optimistic spirit of America, fueled by three journeys undertaken by Senator Tim Kaine, Walk Ride Paddle provides an unseen glimpse into a life outside. In 2019, Tim Kaine—Virginia Senator and former Democratic vice presidential candidate—commemorated both his sixtieth birthday and his twenty-fifth year in public office by undertaking a three-part journey across the Virginia landscape as he hiked, cycled, and canoed across the state. His chronicle of the journey became an organic reflection of the extraordinary events occurring across America during that time, including impeachment trials, a global pandemic, growing racial protests, the January 6 th attack on the Capitol, and more. During weekends and in Senate recess weeks, Kaine—over a period of several years—hikes the 559 miles of the Appalachian Trail that cross Virginia from Harpers Ferry to the Tennessee border; bikes 321 miles along the crest of the Virginia Blue Ridge on the beautiful parkways built during the Great Depression to create jobs and give everyday people on the East Coast an accessible place to vacation; and canoes the entire James River—348 miles from its headwaters in the Allegheny Mountains to its entrance into the Chesapeake Bay. Along the way, Kaine reflects on the monumental events that have shaped both his life and the world around him, sharing his deep love for the natural world and the importance of preserving it for future generations in a fascinating memoir that blends adventure, reflection, and political insight. Written during the journey and with immediacy and honesty, Kaine pulls back the curtain to reveal his inner thoughts during such monumental times. Kaine’s storytelling gift and wise observations offer a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a seasoned politician and outdoor enthusiast. Walk Ride Paddle is a captivating and compelling memoir of one man’s physical journey through the Virginia wilderness—but it is also a unique and ultimately optimistic perspective on these pivotal moments in history, offering inspiration, wisdom, and hope.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Nature, Biography, Travel, Politics, Adventure

384 pages, Hardcover

Published April 9, 2024

Reviews

[Mshelton50 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tim Kaine is a fine public servant (mayor of Richmond, Governor of Virginia, and now a U.S. Senator), and a genuinely good man. In 2019, to mark 25 years in public life and turning 60, he decided to embark on a Virginia Nature Triathlon of sorts, by (1) hiking the Appalachian Trail from Harpers Ferry to the Tennessee line, (2) biking the Blue Ridge Parkway from the North Carolina line to the end of Skyline Drive, and (3) canoeing the James River from its source to Old Point Comfort in Hampton. As it was accomplished during times when the Senate was in recess, the feat took three years to complete. Along the way, the transplanted Missourian relates vignettes about the natural wonders he observes, the fascinating bits of Virginia history that occurred nearby, and his political career. As he says at book’s end, it is really a love letter to the State he has made his home. Enjoyed it very much.

[Marcia Reel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a chapter or two of this book every night before bed. I considered it a beautiful devotional to nature.

I respect Tim Kaine so much after reading his story and his reflections on family, politics, and the great outdoors. He’s devoted his entire adult life to public service yet exhibits humility at every step.

Senator Kaine, I hope you are considering a Presidential bid in future. You have my vote!

[Matt Royer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody loves Harmonica Dad

[Yaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who grew up in the mountains of Southwest Virginia along the Appalachian Trail, this book was a comfort.

It's an autobiography by a former VP candidate, so it definitely contains some political views. Kaine combines nature and history and politics with his own personal life in this book.

I love the Commonwealth of Virginia and the AT, so I think it was natural for me to enjoy this book. So much of this book felt like home to me.

[Becko · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was really engaging and I loved hearing Tim Kaine reading it to me.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed seeing the personal side of Senator Kaine. The book is a mix of adventure journal, glimpse behind the scenes in Washington, and historical reflection for Virginia and the United States.

As a Virginian who loves the outdoors, I also got a kick out of so many places that I have experienced.

In the end, I have a lot to ponder from the book - places I want to go, history I want to know more about, and greater advocacy for our public lands.

[Cameron Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be my first book on my top 10 list of the year and was a total surprise. I loved it and it inspired me to get outside more.

[Keith Pruitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard about Senator Kaine's book Walk Ride Paddle on an advertisement at the Ashland Theater while attending another event there. Being one that is interested in the happenings around me, I suggested to my daughter that we might wish to attend this event, and furthermore a private reception afterward.

The tickets were purchased, which also included an autographed copy of the book, and we trekked to the theater. It was an interview session and soon I found myself mesmerized by the stories this former Richmond Mayor, Virginia Governor, former VP candidate in 2016 and present Senator was telling about his triathlon. His stories were introspective, but applicable for many of us.

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky where I've just finished reading one of the most remarkable adventure memoirs. I feel like I know the state of Virginia far better now, geographically, politically, and historically. Since it is the land of my ancestors (1600s), I have an affection to learn all things Virginia. I also feel like I know Senator Kaine far better. I already held him in high regard, but now I really feel like I know him.

The book chronicles his adventures over about a three year period of walking the Appalachian Trail, biking the Blue Ridge Parkway, and canoeing the James River from its beginnings to Fort Monroe where it empties into Chesapeake Bay. Along the way, he meets some interesting people who remind him of valuable lessons. His introspection helps him navigate the rough national waters he is experiencing along with the rest of us. His insights are helpful. His affection for family and friends, delightful and warming.

I highly recommend this book. While it is Virginia specific, I think it also gives you insight into how the outdoors can help you both physically, emotionally, spiritually. I invite you to love the nature God has given to us. Enjoy the great outdoors. That is what this book is all about.

[Georgetowner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Tim’s wonderful book about walking the entire Virginia section of the Appalachian Trail, bicycling the entire Virginia section of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and canoeing the entire James River to commemorate his 60th birthday and create an outdoor Virginia triathlon! I loved the book and love the man in the book! It is so fun to read about his adventures in places I know. Even better, he blends his adventures with tales of his job, his family, Virginia & USA history, friendships, restaurant recommendations, important causes, and more. It truly is an excellent book, that is very well written!

[Paige Wilmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This introspective, humble, and grounded account of Kaine's Virginia outdoor triathlon is an antidote to the chaos and incompetence of the current administration. My eyes welled with tears multiple times simply from the kindness and love Kaine shows to his family, his friends, to Virginia's natural wonders and to Virginia's people.

[Christie Bane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've often said that all Appalachian Trail books are essentially the same: I set out to do a hard thing, it was hard, I powered through and did it. Just because Tim Kaine is a senator does not make his story an exception to this rule. The fact that he designed his own Virginia Nature Triathlon, consisting of hiking the entire length of the AT in Virginia, biking the Blue Ridge Parkway, and canoeing the James River does make him a relatively cool senator, and honestly I would probably vote for him for that reason alone. But I found the book to be mostly one big example of why the advice "Show, don't tell," is a thing in writing. There are way too many sentences like "My friends and I stayed up laughing and talking for hours." Were they talking about something interesting? Maybe, probably, but I feel like authors who write sentences like these forget that their readers haven't lived through those experiences so don't realize how profound the conversation was, and it just reads as boring. His reflections on political life were moderately interesting, with the highlight being the part about what it was like to be in the Capitol on January 6, 2021, but the rest of the book was pretty standard stuff as far as hiking/biking/paddling go.

[Coralee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant, inoffensive. I was mostly bored with all of his personal stories, though appreciated the nature and history facts, Bible/gospel song quotes, and book recommendations.

Reading this made me realize, not for the first time, that I should be reading more stories of travelers in nature and small towns; they just need to be ones that I can relate to more and find more interesting.

[James Narramore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have campaigned and voted for Senator Kaine, and though we may not agree on everything, his ability to find common ground in politics and life is impressive. Nothing but respect for a man who has embraced, represented, and adopted Virginia by putting his money where his mouth is and traversing our wondeful state.

A wonderful collection of stories for the Old Dominion nature lover.

[Amy Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this gem of a book based on Senator Kaine's exploration of our beautiful Commonwealth of Virginia!

The author chose to venture into Virginia's great outdoors as a ritual for turning 60. He thru-hiked the Appalachian Trial in VA, biked the Blue Ridge Parkway in our state, and canoed the James River from its origins to the Chesapeake Bay. I love how he weaves his Catholic faith, history, and his love foe his family and friends throughout the book.

I gave the book 4 stars because while I enjoy the folksy tone of the Senator, I also like a more "hardcore" narration (he didn't exactly "rough it" the entire time).

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book, and it made me like our Senator whom I had the pleasure of meeting back in March, all the more!

Get outside and explore!

[Judy McMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narrated by the author, I listened to this book twice. It's beautifully written. Compelling detail on the Appalachian Trail, history of the region and current issues of the day.

[Nick Dye · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you need something to help put a 2-month old to sleep, boy do i have the audiobook for you

[Lynn Rasor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of politics, but enjoyed reading about the AT since I am on my own journey to finish the VA AT. Also inspired by the biking and learned a lot about the James.

[Dan Ream · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Kaine has long been my favorite person in the world of politics as Richmond’s mayor, Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor, then Governor and now US Senator. Through it all I’ve admired his political values, his honesty and his optimism. He also gave two of the best graduation speeches I ever heard, at Maggie Walker Governor’s School (where his son and mine were classmates) and at Virginia Commonwealth University, where I served on the faculty. I still remember his quotation from those speeches, “ If you want to be right, be a pessimist, if you want to do right, be an optimist”. After reading this fine book, I’m only more convinced that I like this guy and would enjoy being his friend.

This book chronicles his hiking of the entire Appalachian Trail through Virginia, biking the entire Blue Ridge Parkway through Virginia, and canoeing the entire James River from its source to the Chesapeake Bay, in three separate journeys over the years 2019-2020-2021 during his Senate recesses.

So, given that I already like the author and I’m already interested in the places he’s traveling, I’m happy to discover that he does a great job of telling the story of his travels and blending those stories smoothly with commentary on his life and American political life during those years. He has a wonderful appreciation of the “faraway nearby”, an expression he attributes to an earlier writer, but one that sticks with me through this great book. Highly recommended.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have such admiration for Senator Kaine, and this book only locked in my respect for his impressive and meaningful public service career. He is perhaps the person in public life that I most wish to emulate. This is such a wonderful memoir, combining the best aspects of his public and private lives: his love of the outdoors, his humility, his wit and reverence for the state of Virginia, with all its flaws. Such a humane and thoughtful dude. Things like his reflections on the 2016 campaign and that whole mess come spliced in very naturally among quotidian observations about what he made for breakfast that morning, who was at the shelter where he spent the night. "Inspiring" is a word that gets thrown around too much but for me that is precisely what this is.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Kaine is my Senator and I didn't now much about him until I read this book after hearing him discuss it on the "Virginia Outdoor Adventures" podcast. I loved it! I learned so much about what's it's like hiking the Appalachian Trail and canoeing the James River and bike riding on the Blue Ridge in Virginia. So many great stories about people he met along the way as well as stories on local history that I did not know about. Very entertaining and it inspired me to want to create my own adventures outdoors. And it was really interesting hearing a bit about the behind-the-scenes of being a US Senator and being on the Presidential ticket.

[Ashley Speed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful love letter to the state. My favorite bits were him mentioning little hole in the wall places across the commonwealth. . . For example, the Mexican restaurant in Pearisburg, VA (where I've celebrated many of my nephew's birthdays!) The book is sprinkled with political events going on during the time he set out on this adventure (COVID, insurrection, etc). It was interesting to hear his point of view on these things. Also refreshing to hear a political voice not rip apart the other party (I mean, he does have some thoughts about Trump, but like, who can blame him? Trump is a turd.) It's clear he loves our state and is doing his best to help the people who call it home.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a native Virginian and am proud to say that Tim Kaine is one of our Senators. After reading this book, I really like him even better!! He seems to be a very genuinely nice and caring person.

I enjoyed each aspect of the book broken into parts: hiking, bike riding, and canoeing. Having lived in Virginia my whole life, I was familiar with most of the places he described. I enjoyed learning about his family, beliefs, and his thoughts on our current polarization. We need more like him!!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect to enjoy a book about hiking, biking, and canoeing. I was never really good at any of them, but I do admire Tim Kaine , so sure.
Well, first of all this book is about everything. Life, family, the environment, politics, friendships, reading, faith, weather, climate change… and sometimes hiking, biking, and canoeing.
And I loved it all. At this point in our national life, it is a blessing.

[Debi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is now one of my favorite books ever. It’s extremely well written with many different anecdotes along the way about the history of Virginia, the James River and Appalachian trial. The fact that Tim was in his 60’s when he undertook this amazing feat only adds to my admiration. He is a huge inspiration. Only wish he’d been my Vice President in 2016.

[Margaret Elder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is many things. It is a love letter to Virginia and its beautiful natural heritage. It is a glimpse into the family life and thoughts of a well-known Virginian, and it is a commentary on the state and nation's recent political history. While I found all those things interesting, it was the focus on nature that held my interest most. Sen. Kaine writes about his traversing the Appalachian Trial through Virginia on foot, of cycling its length along the beautiful and connected mountain parkways, and of canoeing its most historic river. As a lifelong Virginian who has traveled to many of the places he writes about and enjoyed canoeing a couple of its rivers, I am awed by his stamina and resolve as his walking and canoeing self-imposed challenges, especially, required both dedication and nerve. I very much enjoyed this book though I would have liked to have seen it edited a little more, and there are a few proofreading errors (Retired English teachers like me always notice these things.). I don't know if the book will appeal as much to out-of-staters, but I hope it will and that they will come to visit our beautiful state. I applaud Sen. Kaine for writing such an honest and delightful work.

[Renee]

Pros:

Reading this book is like spending a lot of time with a really nice guy. Likeable. Compassionate. Intelligent. Well read. Would I want to spend an afternoon with him? Yes. Would I want to go on a trip with him? Yes.

Reading the book inspired me to get outside more – to be more intentional about this.

The author's concern for racial minorties and the preservation of nature is woven into the text.

The author's love for his friends and family is refreshing.

Cons:

The use of present tense is awkward at best, and often completely disorienting. Done well, this can lend an urgency and immediacy to a text. Done badly, the reader can't stop noticing the choice. This was done badly.

Dubious theology. Leanings towards universalism. A tendency to follow comments about Christianity and personal faith with inclusive comments about other world religions. This left me, as a reader, feeling like I was being fed a line rather than like I was hearing the genuine thoughts of a man who adheres to a particular faith.

I read “The Way is Made for Walking” - a similar book about a long walk. I enjoyed it more because I didn't keep asking myself if this was one long sales pitch by a very likeable politician.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started this book out of a sense of obligation as it was a gift from a relative. Woefully, I put down Walk, Ride, Paddle after page 113. The narrative was simply not very interesting nor compelling. Tim Kaine was having a fairly mundane time on the Appalachian Trail. I have read plenty of trail books, and this particular one just doesn’t stack up. On the jacket cover, Hillary Clinton intones: “This book offers much needed hope for our future.” I was curious to see where that sense of hope might come from. The three of us (me, Tim Kaine and Hillary Clinton) are all Democrats. Sadly, I don’t see much hope coming from our particular political corner of the world. It was on page 111 that the author starts talking about Jesus. Darn. Name any Christian based nation in the world that actually practices “turn the other cheek” instead of “eye for an eye”. If there is hope to be found in humanity, it will be found through reason, compassion and hard work, not mythology, nor Hillary’s version of plutocracy.

[Robert Leedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I read Tim Kaine's "Walk, Ride, Paddle: A Life Outside," I gained a lot of respect and learned quite a bit about the man. Kaine chronicles his three-part epic journey across his home state of Virginia via hiking, bicycling, and paddling. Though there is much more to it, the book could also qualify as an outdoors guidebook for the areas he covered. Kaine is a compassionate man with an impressive background of jobs including Mayor, Governor, and Senator (only 30 others throughout history share the same collection of titles, yet, for Kaine, you could also add a Vice Presidential candidate.) He has spent an impressive career in public service and thoroughly enjoys working to improve his constituent's daily lives. There is a nice balance of work and play here, and as an outdoorsman, Kaine proves he is a hard-working steward of the environment. He is a patriot and a family man seeking to fulfill his life meaningfully. It looks like he has already succeeded.

[Florence Buchholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Kaine is an unusual type of guy. After many years of public service he decided to embark on a grueling triathlon, 1200 miles across the state of Virginia. I followed those miles, remembering places I had visited and discovering others I didn't know about. It's difficult to express how much I enjoyed the journey.

Tim is a statesman, a lawyer, a humanitarian, a husband, a father, an optimist and oh yes - he is my Senator. He is a politician with a heart who truly represents his constituents.

Along with the travelogue Tim digresses about Virginia's past. He doesn't gloss over racial history, especially the shameful parts. He is an advocate for Virginia's native american tribes. It is refreshing to hear an honest version of events. Keep on fighting, Tim.

[Mirandajoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more for the adventure than the random political feelings he added to the book. I am sure he had many thoughts through this journey and a few were political, but the experiences of his hiking, bike trip and canoe time were plenty to fill this book with wonderful stories. I enjoyed reading about his days outside and the encounters he had. He added bits of history on Virginia, the rivers and the Appalachian Trail, which were all quite interesting. He is a lucky man to have so many friends that had the skill, time and desire to accompany him on many days of his expedition. What a wonderful exploration of himself, the state and life. Wish I could have joined him.