Book Review:
Walk, Ride, Paddle; a Life Outside by Tim Kaine. Harper Horizon, 2024.
A former colleague from Virginia recommended this title, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
You might recognize the author’s name, Tim Kaine, as the Senator from Virginia who was Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016. He is also quite the outdoorsman and as an antidote to the bruising campaign in 2016 decided he would walk, ride, and paddle across Virginia.
The walking part included 559 miles of the Appalachian Trail. All of his adventures were accomplished in segments over several years. Many of the miles on the AT were done solo and one of many interesting observations is that when it’s hot outside and raining too, it’s cooler to take the rain coat off and just deal with the moisture. Sounds like a good model for paddling here in Texas. I’m convinced that being an armchair hiker is a good choice for me but I enjoyed his description of the trail, the characters he met along the way, and the beauties of solitude.
Next up, 321 miles of bike riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway from its origin to its end in Virginia. Long distance biking is not for me either, makes my butt sore to even think of it but we can get vicarious enjoyment of the downhill runs, the beautiful countryside and the companionship of fellow riders and longtime friends who joined Tim for segments of all three of his venues.
348 miles of the James River from its headwaters to the Chesapeake Bay were the last part of the trip. Many of us can identify with the Old Town Camper tandem canoe and its virtues as a gear hauling and steady river companion. I didn’t realize how much whitewater was on the James. Maybe we should check it out? I’ll pass on one of the last segments of the trip which required 7 nasty portages around dams. Those of us who have “enjoyed” perilous putins and takeouts on Bruce Bodson trips can certainly identify.
Fascinating Virginia history is interwoven in the adventures and as you might expect, there are political perspectives as well. Tim was in the Senate chambers on January 6, 2021. Musings on what’s important in life, the value of friendships and family, the beauty of nature, it’s all in this book.
Natalie Wiest