Overview

A compelling account of one man’s journey across hundreds of miles of Virginia wilderness and a moving testament to the optimistic spirit of America, Walk Ride Paddle provides an unseen glimpse into a life outside. In 2019, Tim Kaine—Virginia senator and former Democratic vice presidential candidate—commemorated both his sixtieth birthday and his twenty-fifth year in public office by undertaking a three-part journey across the Virginia landscape as he hiked, cycled, and canoed across the state. His chronicle became an organic reflection of the extraordinary events occurring across America during that time, including two impeachment trials, a global pandemic, growing racial protests, the January 6 attack on the Capitol, and more. During weekends and in Senate recess weeks, Kaine—over a period of several years—hiked the 559 miles of the Appalachian Trail that cross Virginia from Harpers Ferry to the Tennessee border; biked 321 miles along the crest of the Virginia Blue Ridge on the beautiful parkways built during the Great Depression to create jobs and give everyday people on the East Coast an accessible place to vacation; and canoed the entire James River—348 miles from its headwaters in the Allegheny Mountains to its entrance into the Chesapeake Bay. Along the way, Kaine reflected on the events that have shaped both his life and the world around him, sharing his deep love for the natural world and the importance of preserving it for future generations in a fascinating memoir that blends adventure, reflection, and political insight. With immediacy and honesty, Kaine pulls back the curtain to reveal his inner thoughts during such monumental times. Kaine’s storytelling gift and wise observations offer a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a seasoned politician and outdoor enthusiast. Walk Ride Paddle is a captivating memoir of one man’s physical journey through the Virginia wilderness—but it is also a unique and ultimately optimistic perspective on these pivotal moments in history, offering inspiration, wisdom, and hope.

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9781400339457

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Reviews

'In Walk Ride Paddle, Tim Kaine, channeling his inner Bill Bryson, takes us on a magical journey of discovery as he drills down to things that really matter. Kaine meticulously chronicles every step, along with the larger bonds and the small moments that bring us together as a people. In Walk Ride Paddle, you will join a good man who has devoted his entire adult life to public service, as he humbly treks across Virginia on a quest to find the best in himself and in all of us. Read this book and walk, ride, and paddle right along with him. We will all be better for it.' * DAVID BALDACCI, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Edge * 'Move over, Henry Thoreau, and make way for Walk Ride Paddle, Tim Kaine's fascinating account of his yearslong, 1,228-mile journey hiking, cycling, and canoeing across Virginia's natural landscape. It's not only a love letter to the commonwealth he has served for over twenty-five years and to the family and friends who have supported him along the way, but a deeply personal story about taking account of his own life as he turned sixty. Filled with personal reflections on everything from his strong religious faith to his dislike of wolf spiders to COVID's impact on his health to our nation's dysfunctional politics, this book offers readers lessons for our own lives by traveling with Tim as he challenges himself through exploring his outer and inner worlds, offering much-needed hope for our future.' * HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON * 'Quick, name a United States senator who can backpack the Appalachian Trail and sleep on the ground in a downpour, canoe through many miles of wilderness on the James River, and bike his way from one end of Virginia to the other. Tim Kaine has done all three while writing a beautiful and moving reflection on leadership, faith, and aging well.' * BETH MACY, New York Times bestselling author of Dopesick * 'Walk Ride Paddle is a field guide for the soul. Join Tim Kaine as he hikes the Appalachian Trail, cycles through the Blue Ridge Mountains, and canoes Virginia's mighty James River to find purpose, meaning, and clarity. Tim shares the challenges and joy of renewing the spirit as he moves through the natural world, and you will too. Thoughtful, winning, and wise, this book is a celebration of all it means to be human, where movement, heart, and thought itself combine to make us God's work of art. I will return to this glorious book in the years to come to shore up my soul.' * ADRIANA TRIGIANI, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Left Undone *

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