On Trails by Robert Moor

Summary (Amazon): From a talent who’s been compared to Annie Dillard, Edward Abbey, David Quammen, and Jared Diamond, On Trails is a wondrous exploration of how trails help us understand the world—from invisible ant trails to hiking paths that span continents, from interstate highways to the Internet.

While thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Robert Moor began to wonder about the paths that lie beneath our feet: How do they form? Why do some improve over time while others fade? What makes us follow or strike off on our own? Over the course of seven years, Moor traveled the globe, exploring trails of all kinds, from the miniscule to the massive. He learned the tricks of master trail-builders, hunted down long-lost Cherokee trails, and traced the origins of our road networks and the Internet. In each chapter, Moor interweaves his adventures with findings from science, history, philosophy, and nature writing.

Throughout, Moor reveals how this single topic—the oft-overlooked trail—sheds new light on a wealth of age-old questions: How does order emerge out of chaos? How did animals first crawl forth from the seas and spread across continents? How has humanity’s relationship with nature and technology shaped world around us? And, ultimately, how does each of us pick a path through life?

Reviews:

a. Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/books/on-trails-where-how-and-why-the-earths-creatures-wander/

b. Kirkus Review: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/robert-moor/on-trails/

Author's Website: https://www.robertmoor.com/

Videos:

1. The Urban Monk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NjJyjjwXb0

2. Conversation with Author: https://vimeo.com/185092716

Famous Trails and Walks:
A. 10 Famous Trails in the World: https://www.wildjunket.com/most-famous-walking-trails-in-the-world/
1. Appalachian Trail: https://appalachiantrail.org/
2. Camino de Santiago: http://santiago-compostela.net/
3. John Muir Trail: https://johnmuirtrail.org/
4. Shikoku Pilgrimage, Japan: https://www.japan.travel/en/japan-heritage/shikoku-henro/
5. Pacific Crest Trail: https://www.pcta.org/

B. Six of the Best Trails in the US: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/oct/02/us-national-trails-wilderness-walking-scenic-favourites-hiking
1. Lewis and Clark National Historical Trail: https://www.nps.gov/lecl/index.htm
2. Continental Divide Trail: https://continentaldividetrail.org/

C. Historical Walks of the World: https://www.wanderlust.co.uk/content/historical-walks-of-the-world/

D. The Most Unique Walks in the World: https://www.bootsnall.com/articles/8-of-the-most-unique-walking-paths-in-the-world.html

E. Virtual Hikes:
1. AT: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/virtually-hike-the-appalachian-trail
2. US Hikes: https://www.buzzfeed.com/laurenkeary/virtual-hikes-visit-national-parks-online-quarantine
3. World Hikes: https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/virtual-walking-trails-around-the-world

Discussion Questions from the San Miguel Big Read Group:
1. https://sanmiguelliterarysala.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2017-San-Miguel-Big-Read-Discussion-Questions.pdf

Discussion Questions: (Heidi will be leading the discussion)

1. Have you done some hiking? What recognizable trails or paths have you hiked? Have you hiked the AT in part or as a thru-hiker? If not, have you wanted to and why?

2. The author states in the Epilogue, that “from our first breath, there is a vast array of structures already in place – “spiritual paths, career paths, philosophical paths, artistic paths, paths to wellness, paths to virtue. . . How do we know which paths to choose?” How would you describe your life? Has it been a trail or a path? Hilly, meandering, straight, curvy, swampy, easy, moderate, challenging, etc. ?

3. The author also states, that “the tricky part is that while we are editing our trails, our trails are editing us.” In what ways have you experienced this?

4. In the discussion of the eons-old division between plant and animal life, Moor points to research that suggests that it is movement alone that began to differentiate the earliest organism on earth into plants and animals. What are your thoughts about this?

5. Moor spends a good deal of time in the book discussing animal behavior, especially their trail-making abilities. He cites the pheromones of the ant, sheep hierarchy, and the memory and ability to express grief of the elephant. Discuss your view about animals and their behaviors.

6. The author discusses the 3 oldest forms of cross-species communication, including watching, herding and hunting and that trails provide a portal into the minds of other animals. (page 94) What method have you used and discuss animal paths and trails, that you may have followed.

7. The term for “place-listing” is topogeny and is basically a list of names that “pull the mind across the landscape”. What would your list look like describing going from say Doylestown to Philadelphia? (Page 182-185)

(Precambrian period - Earth Chronicles)