Tag top ten

Hoofin’ It is No. 1! Thank You, Readers!

Reg Spittle 2 Comments

My third adventure trekking book is a number-one best seller! I am so grateful to readers.

Hoofin’ It on the John Muir Trail has hovered in the top ten in several categories, but today it made the leap to the top in the Kindle walking category.

The actual sales remain modest, but Hoofin’ It has continued to find new readers since its launch in January.

I also want to send my deepest appreciation to readers who took the time to write reviews:

“This is a great read and fun story…It does exactly what a book of this type should…Makes you want to go hike it as well!”

“Hoofin’ It on the John Muir Trail lets the author do the walking while you do the gawking, imagining the splendid scenery and unmatched beauty of this special wilderness so thoroughly described. You don’t have to be a long-distance hiker or wilderness adventurer to enjoy this book.”

“Hoofin’ It is just as delightful as Reg Spittle’s first two books with a slightly different spin. I had no idea that the John Muir Trail was a difficult as it is, and if Sue and Reg found it arduous, there aren’t many of us who could accomplish it. Seeing the map day by day made each climb clear. I felt like I knew his hiking mates and especially the packers. All long-distance backpackers of a certain age should read all three of these books for confidence and inspiration. I’m looking forward to next year’s trip. Go Reg and Sue!”

“Fun read from an author in his 60’s. This was a sweet book with great characters and a different perspective.”

“Reg’s vivid prose takes the reader through strenuous climbs and risky descents, and the descriptions of the magnificent Sierra vistas will fill you with awe. Their fellow hikers and the packers that guide them become like family on the trail, and Reg details their bonding with warmth and humor. Although the book isn’t intended as a guide, there are plenty of helpful tips for prospective hikers on clothing, packing, eating and trail etiquette (including the fine art of “poop maintenance”). All in all, it’s a joyful read.”

“Loved this book, it tells the amazing story of their hike without being long and drawn out. Very inspiring story.”

The ten distance treks and three books have brought challenges and joys beyond any I imagined. And none would have been possible without Sue, my walking partner, chief editor, and artistic designer. Here’s to many more journeys together!

Top Ten Retirement Adventures: No. 2

Reg Spittle 4 Comments

Sue’s words transformed our lives.

It was 2012. We had just watched Martin Sheen’s movie The Way, in which the actor walks the 500-mile Camino de Santiago across Spain to honor his son’s memory. Played by real-life son Emilio Estevez, his son had died in a snowstorm during his first day on the trail. The movie was great, but I was blindsided by Sue’s delayed reaction.

“We should do it.”

I blurted out my response. “What? Walk 500 miles?” My head was spinning. I pictured sleeping and changing clothes in coed dorm rooms, showering in coed bathrooms, and carrying a backpack. My anxiety was in high gear.

“We can’t do that!” I thought my words would settle the issue.

I was wrong. So wrong. For months, Sue was a broken record.

“But what if we can?”

In spring 2013, our Merrell shoes carried us across Spain. My anxieties were quelled the first day when fellow pilgrims quickly became friends and I eventually put my fears where they belonged: in the rearview mirror. We made many newbie errors, but it didn’t matter much.

We have been walking distance trails ever since, building experiences and friendships that have formed powerful memories, leading me to again undertake the unexpected: I wrote my first book. It is Camino Sunrise: Walking With My Shadows. I have heard from readers in 10 countries and continue to feel honored every time someone orders a copy.

I am grateful that Sue never gave up on the Camino. She convinced me to take a huge risk. She showed me sometimes the best things in life come when we tread outside our comfort zone.

I hope I continue to find comfort in being uncomfortable the rest of my life.