WanderLearn Forum with Francis Tapon

Hi Francis,

first I want to tell you that I like your website very much. Therefore I visit it frequently and find it very informative and entertaining too!

Right now I have some questions and would be happy to get answers from you.

For your recent trip to eastern europe I ask myself if you are hiking there too? For me it is hard to imagine, that somebody who hiked so many miles during the last years and obviously enjoyed it, simply can give it up, to start something new, like it seems for me with your travelling to europe and your upcoming african voyages.

It seems like you do what you want to do in your life, free of economic pressure. Surely I understand your message that everybody should live his own life. But I think most people are trapped in their obligations to family etc, and of cause also the need to earn money to make a living.
What do you think, can you live the life you live because you were lucky to sell your company interests which gives you financial independence or are you sure that you always would find a way to do what you want even without that luck?

I am surprised with how light your gear for the long trails was, even compared with other long distance hikers. I understand the philosophy behind it, and am sure that there are many advantages when traveling that ligtht, but ask myself how often you had situations when you wished to have other gear, for example warmer clothes or a real tent in the storm?

Lastly a practical question: I consider hiking the Hayduke trail in the Canyon country of Arizona and Utah next year. It is recommended to use the 7,5 Minute maps there, which would lead to a mountain of paper and quite an expense, too. How did you deal with the map problem on your hikes?
I frequently already hiked in wilderness ares with large scale maps for example this year in northern Yukon with 1:200.000 or in Mongolia 2006 with russian military maps at 1:500.000 but I am aware that the canyon country is not easy in topographic terms.
Do you have any suggestions for me?

Looking forward to hear from you and wishing you luck in your east european travels

Gerald

P.S: If you come to germany drop me a line!

Gerald,

Thanks for the good questions and comments!

1. I'm glad you like my website! In early 2009 you might like it more because I'm re-desigining it (finally!).

2. I don't see my adventure in Eastern Europe as starting something new, but rather a continuation of my lifelong dream of seeing the whole planet! You may be familiar with my ten year plan to see all the countries in the world. As of today, I'm 37% done. My backpacking adventures were ways to see America. Although I'm not doing as much backpacking in Europe as I did in the US, I'm still doing some.

3. Selling my interest in my company brought me relatively little money. I wasn't a great deal, but I was eager to be free of it. Most of my savings came from working at two big companies for a few years, living like a monk, and investing it wisely. More about that here:

http://francistapon.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=61

4. There were a few times where I wish I had warmer clothes. I rarely desired a tent. A large tarp covers you well in practically any weather. The only place that I skimped on that I sometimes wish I hadn't was warm clothes. It was rare thoug. In 201 days on the CDT, I felt I could have used an extra layer about 10 nights. I got lucky in the San Juans. I was underdressed and right before I hit this 200-mile high mountain section I found a warm fleece jacket abandoned in the middle of the trail. I took it and it served me well. I would have been miserable without it. Total luck though.

5. Although I've never hiked the Hayduke trail, I agree with your instinct that you don't need a 7.5 minute map, especially since you have experience with reading less detailed maps.

Thanks for your questions and be sure to subscribe to my newsletter to get the latest news about my travels! Keep in touch and keep posting!

Best,