A Backpacker's Life Book Project

"Write a book" has been on my bucket list at number 19 since 2006, which is pretty high considering there's an additional 150 items below it. After the last few years, and after a lot of encouragement from readers, I finally feel like I have something worth writing about.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The book will be about walking away from what was a comfortable okay life, albeit a inexplicably discontented one, with only what I could carry on my shoulders, to take a shot at living an amazing life. It won't just be an exact copy of the blog or a series of journal entries. It will be a story, filled with many things I have written about here, but also some things I never got around to telling. There will be stories from:

• Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Long Trail, Wonderland Trail, and John Muir Trail. 
• Road-tripping around America for 25,000 miles
• Hitchhiking coast-to-coast across America
• Walking across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England
• Cycling around Spain
   

Here are a few selected stories to give you examples of these life-changing experiences:

• The Sunset at Half Dome
• Sixteen Months of Wandering
• Take Another Step
• That Weird Guy in Town
• A Blue Pair of Eyes
• The Hardees Bag
• Nancy Drew and the Mystery of Trail Names
• Our First Night in Andover
• Thoughts About Death and Fun-size Candy Bars
• Dreams
• The Waitress
• Tech Support for the Homeless
• Denver or Bust
• The Bonnie Baby Contest
• The Feeling of Being Free
    

I'm doing this fundraiser to give me the added motivation to finish the book, and of course, help fund the printing costs.

REWARDS FOR CONTRIBUTORS

Anyone interested in contributing to this project, will receive one or more of the following when it is complete. If you would like to show your support and pledge, just click on an option below. As a thank you for anyone who has already donated to my blog before starting this fundraiser, I will also be sending you the gift(s) below. Thanks again for all of you who have donated so far!

Pledge $10 or more 4 backers Receive a copy of the ebook and your name listed on the blog's donation page

Pledge $25 or more 6 backers Receive a signed copy of the book in addition to the ebook version, and your name listed on the blog's donation page

Pledge $50 or more 9 backers Receive a companion photo book, which will reference back to pages in the book, a signed copy of the book, in addition to the ebook version, and your name listed on the blog's donation page.

Pledge $100 or more  12 backers Get your name printed in the acknowledgements in the back of the book, the companion photo book, a signed copy of the book, the ebook version of the book, and your name listed on the blog's donation page.

Questions or Comments?

If you have any questions or comments about this book or anything else, please email me at ryan@abackpackerslife.com.