A Long Way From Nowhere: A Couple's Journey on the Continental Divide Trail

by Julie Urbanski, Matt Urbanski

What is it like to hike the length of the Continental Divide Trail? For Matt and Julie, also known as Optimist and Stopwatch, life on the trail meant twenty-seven days without seeing another hiker, six bears encountered within fifteen hours, two sets of maps, a GPS, and a compass to find the trail, and both wildfires and massive flooding to add to the adventure. Hiking the trail also meant a dramatic shift in perspective, a strengthening of love and friendship, and a redefining of the journey.

This is the story of the couple's 3,000 mile walk on the Continental Divide Trail, through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Both Optimist and Stopwatch play a role in narrating the story, revealing how differently they both think and act in the face of challenges but also how well they work together to complement each other.

Few people know about the Continental Divide Trail and even fewer have hiked the entire length of it, creating an air of mystery surrounding the trail. Optimist and Stopwatch explore the many layers of the trail life on the Continental Divide Trail as they make their way over desolate terrain, eventually finding solace in the very aspects of the trail that made them question their desire to ever take on such a challenge.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Memoir, Adventure, Nature, Outdoors

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 10, 2014

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading "Between and Rock and a White Blaze" (AT thru hike)and meeting both Julie and Matt. I was on the look out for their other two thru hikes. CDT was their final hike, yet the second book I read. I'll get to the PCT. I'm glad I read this one second. Julie came to an amazing Ah Ha moment some competitive runners never get to. It's about the journey not the destination. I especially loved that she (Stopwatch) and then Matt (Optimist) wrote a chapter.

They both keep it very real. And that means you hear the whines and the complaints you also hear the amazing things they experience.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you read The Cactus Eaters and want a window into a couple that's less dysfunctional, this book is an extreme foil. Matt and Julie are so self-aware and functional, it's almost too much. But after reading Wild, Cactus Eaters & A Walk in the Woods, it was refreshing to hear about trail life from experienced hikers. Plus, the CDT had been a mystery to me before this book. Great account of the trail's unique challenges.

[Mara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. I love reading thru-hiking accounts, but I had to force my way through this one. I couldn't stand the way the authors wrote about nature (the section about observing vs participating in nature and the comparisons to Jurassic Park?? Yuck.). This book also really, really needs to be put through the editing process, which is a step that was clearly skipped. The constant errors were distracting.
Just glad I'm done.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An eye-opener on the poor conditions of the CDT and details that I found interesting. I was some surprised at their lack of knowledge as to how they needed to stay together, foresee possible problems that could occur, and their lack of knowledge on using various tools to help them navigate.

[Jenifer Ludovico · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trail journal

I enjoyed reading about an adventure I'd like to try one day. The trials, honest self examination, and the celebrations of a couple working in harmony was interesting reading.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine but it didn’t really grab me. It was interesting to read about a married couple and hiking the CDT, which features in far fewer books than the AT or PCT.

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gobbled this up and enjoyed it no end, but I'll only recommend it to people who love traveling and hiking but are stuck in one place for a while. I enjoyed the people--the man and woman alternating chapters along the way. But I didn't feel like i was really there--I was a spectator watching them be there, but I was somewhere else and that place was far, far away. It was like the difference between watching a narrated slideshow versus watching a big-screen movie with surround sound. I wanted the full deal; I got the slideshow.

They're really cool people and had some wonderful times, and I appreciate the chance to read about their journey. I'd gladly read a second volume--how's that for a recommendation?

[Mike Calabrese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book

First of all my hat's off to the authors. They accomplished just about all of the toughest of the triple crown trails. They definitely had that 'fast hiker' gene. The book was well written and their emotions were well conveyed. I have read a bunch of AT and PCT trip books. This was the first PCT trip book that I have read. These guys have hiked more miles in 10 years than the 1,900 miles of the AT that I have hiked in 21 years.

The only 2 things that I found hard to believe were that they actually hiked 80 miles straight over a 2 day period and that they hiked 20 miles, made whoopie, then hiked another 15 miles. Amazing.

[Janis · Rating 3 out of 5]

In A Long Way to Nowhere, Matt and Julie Urbanski documented their hike along the Continental Divide Trail from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. This was a self-published book which certainly could have used more editing. However, I liked how they took turns in telling about their adventures. They were speedy hikers, sometimes even running several miles with their packs to finish a segment. It was interesting to read about their many challenges with water shortages, unclear trail routes, wildfires, resupply logistics, and even bears and mountain lions.

[Deb Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazing journey, and a much more dangerous one than I ever imagined: rattlesnakes, grizzlies, lightening, forest fires, foul or dry water sources, and scaling high mountain peaks in Colorado in foggy, cold, rainy weather. If a hiker gets injured, with no cell phone coverage, and no one else hikes by for a day or more, it could end badly. My hat is off to brave/fool-hardy people who can through-hike this challenging trail.

[D Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a tremendous achievement and well done to them for completing such a long walk and retelling it so well to make an enjoyable albeit a long read. Still unsure if they really enjoyed doing it though as they seemed to be pushing themselves really hard to finish by a certain time and perhaps missed a lot of the pleasure in doing it. Sometimes the journey itself is more important than the goal.
Apologies from someone who has yet to complete more than a 10 mile hike!

[Eric A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the candid honesty, and appreciate the tenacity to complete such an arduous task. And for Stopwatch going back to the trail.

The canid honesty, determination, and respect for the trail. Stopwatches returning to the trail more in support of a relationship and it turned out to be a blessing to both.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too many details in the book. It felt more like a detailed log of day by day events. Did not finish the book as it was probably as exhausting to read it as to walk the Continental Divide. Instead of sore feet, a sore brain and eyes. 2 stars for having potential to wrap the facts up into little stories.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very different from what I usually read but drew me in. I came to love Matt and Julie and all their friends. I shared their emotions both the ups and downs the joys and the disappointments. I recommend this book as one that won't disappoint you.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally! A (fairly) recent account of a CDT thru-hike! Hope other hikers follow suit and put some personal perspective out there on this third leg of the triple crown. If you enjoy any kind of hiking or endurance sport, you'll enjoy this book.

[Don Huling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun on the CDT

How did Julie and Matt find the strength, mentality and fortitude to accomplish this monumental hike is beyond my imagination. Kudos to them and their compatriots for doing and writing about their adventures. Thank you.

[Kathern A. Freed · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was interesting, beginning to end

Because it was interesting beginning to end. This book not only told the story about the climb but also the interpersonal story of the couple.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are planning to thru-hike the CDT, read at your peril. This book is a great read, from the two different perspectives of the authors

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

Very well written account of the amazing 3000 mile hike from Mexico to Canada. Poignant, humorous, painful, amazing. I'm in awe of these hikers.

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story but just ok writing.

[Mark Gannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly interesting read. I found the authors to be engaging. The first book I read about the CDT, and it confirmed what others authors mentioned in passing in other books. Five stars.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall the book is good, an adventure I imagine myself wanting to do, well except I hate camping. Matt's sections were so much better than Julie's. I found Julie to get annoying and whiny at times. I probably would have given the book more stars, if Julie was removed from the writing

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book

[ALAN HENDERSON · Rating 4 out of 5]

An OK Read

Not too bad. A bit too much of the same. Would be better if knew the areas they walked through.

[Joanna]

⅖

[Mark Dobbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

A long challenging hike

I found this memoir to be compelling and I wanted to finish the hike with Matt and Julie. Repetitive at points but so is through hiking. Fun read.

[NanC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazingly strong (mentally and physically) couple…story of their hike is told from both perspectives…fascinating and inspiring !

[Nina · Rating 2 out of 5]

As in other books, I find Julie very annoying. I've decided life is too short to read about people I would normally avoid.

[Veli-Pekka Suuronen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read several thru-hiking books and while this was not a bad book, if you would read just one thru-hiking book, I wouldn't choose this one. The book felt more like a technical explanation of their hike and I found it lacking emotion and drama. There was some, sure, but I only found very few moments getting emotional myself.

[Dwayne Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book will definitely draw you in and take you on a hike

Awesome a great insight into the CDT and what you might expect hiking this trail. And I also liked the two point perspective