How To Walk Across America

by Tyler Coulson

How to Walk Across America is the survival guide for the crazy, courageous few who want (or need) to chuck it all and walk from ocean to ocean. No nonsense. No marketing. Just lessons from the road, from people who have actually walked across America. This is the ultimate primer on mega-long distance hiking, practical advice to keep feet from failing, sanity from disintegrating, and bank accounts from disappearing, no matter how long the hike. Attorney, adventurer, and author Tyler Coulson walked across America in 2011 with his dog, Mabel. Contributor Nate Damm did it in 2011, and contributors John and Kait Seyal did it in 2012, with three therapy dogs. Coulson shares lessons that you can only learn on the road, from common sense to highway secrets. He writes with candor and humor, stripping away all the marketing and glamour of high-tech, high-dollar hiking. What’s left is the ultimate first-level guide to the practice of chucking it all and walking out. It pulls no it will scare you, inspire you, and leave you laughing. Tyler Coulson is also the author of BY MEN OR BY THE EARTH.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2013

Reviews

[tmber]

Saying hello to yourself

One of the things that I appreciated about this book is that the author laid out a number of rules to do exactly what the title suggests. While he includes several memories from his journey, this book really is as much or more a how-to manual as it is a memoir. So, if you are looking simply for a story you will likely be disappointed BUT if you are open to both the writer's experience AND the application of them that you can use on your own journey, Say hello to yourself.

[Tip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was scarier than any horror novel I've ever read. How to find water in the west is a nightmare scenario. It's probably scared me out of ever making an attempt.

[Danny Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its a great piece of material for people that are looking to get there feet wet or are looking for a base to start on. For the experienced traveler, or heavily researched wannabe (me prior to this book) you may pick up a tip or trick here and there, but nothing that will change your trip. I was able to actually make the attempt, however I got wrapped up in a severe case of tendinitis and had to cut the trip short. Heres a good tip, save up more money than you think you will need, then add even more! I had a good amount saved up, but if I had chose to continue I would have needed to spend 3 weeks in a hotel to recover! Would have drained my bank account and in turn still would not be able to finish. Expect that no matter how experienced you are, something will come up that you were not prepared for. I never anticipated an injury that would prevent me from finishing.
All in all, good material and he has a sense of humor and writing that kept me interested.

[Peter Derk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a guidebook for the preparation and execution of an across-America walk.

Which is REALLY FUCKING FAR, by the way.

I was just reading this reddit thread where people were discussing how people from Europe often have no concept of how big America is, saying things like, "We're driving from New York to LA tomorrow. Is there a good place to stop for lunch?"

I like walking, and I like long walks. But I won't be taking on the cross-America walk because:

1. You spend a lot of time walking along the highway. Which, fuck that.

2. As a person who has a hard time letting things go, the occasional bad run-in with an asshole (someone throwing shit from their car) would wreck it for me.

3. I don't like camping that much.

4. One of the hikers said that an important factor is liking yourself. If you don't like yourself, it'll be a disaster. Let's just leave that there.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. Good for those who walk or car camp or other travel whether alone, with a partner, or a dog. Formatting is in a technical manual format and sometimes a bit too much use of different fonts and formatting so that was distracting. Author is a bit egotistical and biased, but not overly so if you don't treat this as 100% a manual.

It is a quick read. It was entertaining, such as the advice to put peanut on everything. I had thought the book was more of his journey and would have been nice as a live and learn walk. Regardless, the "manual" is full of good info. You will have to fill in the gaps.

[Carianne Carleo-Evangelist · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read Coulson's book but this was a nice read after Nate Damm's, who he interviewed frequently. A fun, light read. I just wish he had photos - maybe in his other book.