Long days, miles of trails ahead, the sound of your shoes pounding the dirt and nothing but you and the thoughts in your head. These are some of the images author Tim Hauserman evokes in his recently published book, “Going it Alone, Ramblings and Reflections from the Trail.” Hauserman, a solo backpacker, has logged many miles, a lot of them in the Sierra. His book illuminates what it is like to go it alone on the trail with humor, pop culture references and more humor. Through rainstorms, fear of heights and bears and dealing with people partying in nearby tents, Hauserman offers readers a realistic view of the realities of hiking alone. His well-kept journals helped him shape his book
“When I went on longer trips, I kept a journal. When you’re by yourself, thinking, you kind of pour yourself out on the page. I basically wrote a book about loneliness while I was alone,” he says.
Hauserman’s epic journeys have taken him deep into Desolation Wilderness, along the John Muir Trail and around the Tahoe Rim Trail. He had to resort to drinking dank water inhabited with listless fish on a trail in Minnesota. The self-deprecating Hauserman takes the reader with him as he hikes to places many people might never experience. He’s weathered saddle sores on his hips, exhaustion, thunderstorms and waking up to things that go bump in the night. He faced his fears and explored loneliness in ways many of us have not.
“When I went on longer trips, I kept a journal. When you’re by yourself, thinking, you kind of pour yourself out on the page. I basically wrote a book about loneliness while I was alone.” –Tim Hauserman
“I always wanted to be that guy that can do the whole PCT [Pacific Crest Trail]. I look at people who do Iron Man and break speed records and want to be like that. But it’s that realization that you have your own limitations and need to do what makes sense for you. It takes a while to figure that out,” says Hauserman.
The longest solo hike Hauserman completed is the Tahoe Rim Trail. He wrote the quintessential trail guide aptly named “The Tahoe Rim Trail: The Official Guide for Hikers, Mountain Bikers, and Equestrians.” He had hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail in sections but never completed the trail in one go. Hauserman, who grew up in Tahoe City, began his hike from his backyard and completed the 165-mile trek in two weeks.
Backpacking is not for the faint of heart. There are real concerns and dangers. Long days, variable temperatures and issues with gear can make or break a backpacking trip. While hiking long distances, the mind can spin: How much longer do I have to go? My pack is heavy. My shoulders hurt. My feet are killing me. Will I ever get to my destination?
When asked about how one deals with nagging thoughts that many backpackers experience, Hauserman answers: “One of the advantages to longer distance hiking is that at some point you find yourself cruising along and notice that you’ve been rocking along for miles and really not thinking about much. And then you just get tired. It takes a little bit to get to that point sometimes.”
For people new to backpacking, he says: “Do some research. Don’t just jump on a trail. Read about it. Really find out about it. Make sure you have the right equipment and understand what you’re getting into. Enjoy the journey. It’s not about the end game.”
For the novice backpacker looking for a place to hike, he suggests Desolation Wilderness: “The key is to go midweek. Don’t go on a weekend. The offseason is better than July or August.”
“The greatest lesson is learning how to understand your own limitations. Appreciate nature. Don’t be focused on the goal, focus on the process. Look around at the trees and learn about what’s right in front of you,” says Hauserman, who is also an avid biker and skate skier.
“Going It Alone” is part memoir, part travel book, part treatise on writing and a deep reflection of what it is to truly be alone. I found myself laughing out loud at Hauserman’s antics on the trail and the predicaments he found himself in. He is the author of “The Tahoe Rim Trail,” “Gertrude’s Tahoe Adventures in Time,” “Cross-Country Skiing in the Sierra Nevada” and “Monsters in The Woods: Backpacking With Children.” He is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to Tahoe Weekly. | timhauserman.com
