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Tim Mathis
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The Dirtbag's Guide to Life: Eternal Truth for Hiker Trash, Ski Bums, and Vagabonds Kindle Edition

by Tim Mathis (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
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Forget picket fences. Live your best life. Sleep in the dirt.


In the spirit of classics like Rolf Potts’ Vagabonding and Alain de Botton’s The Art of Travel, The Dirtbag’s Guide to Life is an indispensable resource for building your own life of adventure.

Both a celebration of an under-appreciated subculture and a practical how-to guide, the book explains how to make adventure your lifestyle, drawing on the example of “dirtbags” - people who’ve organized their lives around outdoor pursuits like climbing, thru-hiking, trail running and surfing on the lowest possible budget.


Asserting that a life of adventure should be accessible to everyone, Mathis distills the real world experiences of hundreds of the the most dedicated dirtbags to identify and address the key challenges to building the type of life you want, whether you're a weekend warrior or a professional explorer:

  • How to effectively manage your money to support your current aspirations while also planning for the future
  • How to make your career support your passion rather than acting as a barrier to doing what you want
  • Ways to incorporate important relationships into your journey
  • What to do with responsibilities you’ve accumulated
  • How to live intentionally and make your life meaningful through adventure
  • ...and much more.


Whether you aspire to quit your job to travel the world, plan to hike the Appalachian Trail, or just want to fit in a bit more mountain biking on the weekends, The Dirtbag’s Guide to Life is an essential, inspiring, and consistently entertaining resource.

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  1. Print length
    178 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    January 27, 2019
  5. File size
    2196 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"I see the "how on Earth do you make this happen?" question in various groups all the time. I'd love to just get this guide out there in response!"

- Heather "Anish" Anderson, 2019 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, and author of Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home

"Gosh I love your book! It resonates so much."

- Kathy Vaughan, Co-author of 98 Days of Wind: The Greatest Fail of Our Life

"If you're not a full-on dirtbag this book is for you. If you're interested in what it means to be a dirtbag, this book is for you. If you know someone that lives a weird dirty traveling lifestyle, but don't understand why, this book is for you. If you already are living like a dirtbag, this book is for you. If you have any sense of travel or adventure, you're going to get something out of this guide.

- Snuggles of Darwin on the Trail and The Snuggle Diaries

From the Author

Tim Mathis was raised by working-class parents in small-town Ohio, and has since spent years traveling extensively in North and South America, Oceania, Europe and Australia. He's thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and the Camino de Santiago, and with his wife Angel, he co-founded Boldly Went, a podcast and event series that collected stories from hundreds of outdoor adventurers and athletes. He's written for Trail Runner Magazine, The Intrepid Times, The Oru Kayak Blog, The Race to Alaska Podcast, and has been featured on The Art of Manliness Podcast. He is also the author of The Camino for the Rest of Us and I Hope I Was Wrong About Eternal Damnation: An Absolutely True Memoir.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07N6224MN
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boldly Went (January 27, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 27, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2196 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 178 pages
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Tim Mathis

Tim Mathis

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Hi I’m Tim. I’ve written three books and quite a few articles and stories.

I like to help people organize their lives around things like month-long hikes in Canada and six-week bus trips in Mexico.

I also enjoy partnering with cool people. I’ve written articles for Trail Runner Magazine, Grit City Magazine, The Trek, and The Intrepid Times among others. I’ve done interviews on a bunch of podcasts, including The Art of Manliness, The Hiker Podcast, Chapel Probation, The Travel Writing Podcast, and Hiker Trash Radio. A few years ago, I wrote scripts for the Race to Alaska podcast from the bottom of a sailboat traveling through the Inside Passage. My wife and I spent four years organizing storytelling events, teaching storytelling workshops, and creating our own podcast called Boldly Went.

I make most of my money as a psychiatric nurse. My personal interests include: walking around looking at things, maintaining a happy marriage, long-term travel, running, hiking, and trying not to get too worked up about things that don’t matter.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
344 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book provides useful tips and inspiration throughout. They also describe it as an easy read and great for adventurers of all types.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
Practical adviceAdventurersReadability
22 customers mention "Practical advice"22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book full of information, and praise it for being friendly, optimistic, and full of practical advice. They also say it gives a unique perspective to those who choose to not buy things and live.

"...readable and there are quite a few great ideas and good links to follow for further info about the hows and the whys. I appreciate the reasonable..." Read more

"...It's a delightful read that balances profound life lessons with a healthy dose of laughter." Read more

"...there was a touch more guidance in the save and do parts but its inspiring and reassuring we aren't lost, we aren't alone, and we are gonna be fine." Read more

"...This book really centered me and reminded me of my priorities. It is total inspiration for anyone that is on, or seeks to be on the path to freedom...." Read more

3 customers mention "Adventurers"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book great for adventurers of all types.

"...The author makes this adventurous lifestyle seem very achievable...." Read more

"A fantastic book for adventurers of all types!!..." Read more

"Great book for adventurers of all types!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and fast. They also say it supports ideas.

"...Even though it is a short read, the amount of (valuable) information inside more than validates the investment...." Read more

"This is an ok book, it’s written in a fun spirit and is an easy read...." Read more

"...Fun, fast read that supports ideas. I would recommend it to any outdoorsy person!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Nicholas Lafferty
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational and informative
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
When I finally decided to start trying to travel, I found it to be affordable if I strapped a tent and camped along the way, cooking my own food. The experiences so far have positively altered my life's course. This was one of those books that pops out at me because it was the right time to pick up on the knowledge it contains. Pretty sure the ideas in the description about financing this particular lifestyle are what influenced the purchase. The intuition was correct and this is an excellent book. It's very readable and there are quite a few great ideas and good links to follow for further info about the hows and the whys. I appreciate the reasonable philosophy and agree wholeheartedly. In a world drowning in distractions, this could be the buoy to reach for to help you up and out.
One person found this helpful
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Sean Lathrop
5.0 out of 5 stars Weekend Read
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
Speaks directly to the free-spirited soul in all of us. This book is not just a guide; it's a roadmap to embracing the unconventional, and it deserves every one of these five stars. The humor throughout the book is infectious. I found myself chuckling at the relatable anecdotes and nodding along with the "aha" moments. It's a delightful read that balances profound life lessons with a healthy dose of laughter.
4 people found this helpful
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B. Gillespie
5.0 out of 5 stars Review #251
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2022
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I’ve read this book several times and have recommended it to several other dirtbag friends, including my father who sold his house and bought a sailboat and sends us pictures of sunsets, stingrays, and other sailing adventures (I’m not sure he read it yet but he’s that kind of dude).
Tim gives a unique perspective to those of us who choose to not buy things and live in the suburbs, but to those that buy memories and live smaller to live bigger. It's eating PB&J to raft the Gauley opening weekend, hopping out to experience the rush of a bluebird pow day in Snowmass, having the gear to backpack Sedona and see things the day trails will never lead you to, sending it on a project in Joshua. Its a different pace of life and a different use of funds; experiences, memories, and adventure over what the "norm" is.
I wish there was a touch more guidance in the save and do parts but its inspiring and reassuring we aren't lost, we aren't alone, and we are gonna be fine.
12 people found this helpful
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J. Cassata
5.0 out of 5 stars Wild and free
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2019
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Oh, book. You get me. You really get me.

This book really centered me and reminded me of my priorities. It is total inspiration for anyone that is on, or seeks to be on the path to freedom. Great read for anyone that wants tips and guiding principles on how to free themselves from their societal expectation shackles.

There was one particular topic that I really wanted the dirt regarding. This topic was talked about within the context of the overall approach, but I really wanted to get into the nitty gritty on it. The great thing is, this book is loaded with additional resources. Thankfully, the very first link I selected under the resource list based on the article title brought me right to the level of detail I was looking for. So, all I'm saying, is if there's something super specific you're looking to dissect, if it's not right there on the page, the author made it super easy to access additional wisdom from a finely curated resource list, sourced from only the finest and most experienced dirtbags.

I really like so many points made in this book. I don't want to give too much away, but as the author points out, as fun as it sounds to drop everything on a whim and live without an income, it most likely takes time and careful planning. This book helps guide you in the right direction and motivate you to make decisions in line with your ideals. I was waning a little from that path, but this book puts my heart and brain back on track. Now's the time to work towards making my life what I want it to be, wild and free!
9 people found this helpful
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Wesley Angel
5.0 out of 5 stars Get it, share it, live it.
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2021
Verified Purchase
For folks stuck in life and wondering how to get an adventure or if it's even possible for them, this is the book to pick up, gorge on, and gain the know-how and confidence to start.

For folks who love to travel but unsure how to with poor circumstances or being broke, this is the book to glean the kind of wisdom that will repay you many times over and help you understand circumstances change and they are always passing.

The resources are enough for the price of this valuable tome. Even though it is a short read, the amount of (valuable) information inside more than validates the investment. It also prepares one for a great mindset to solve many problems getting an adventure started, or even simply living a life with more meaning and purpose to it. I'll be re-reading this one and buying copies to share.
5 people found this helpful
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Chris McMaster
2.0 out of 5 stars Great references, otherwise not worth the time or money
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is an ok book, it’s written in a fun spirit and is an easy read. If you feel like there’s no way that you can spend your life doing the things you really want because of your job this is the book for you. With that said if you understand three things already: save your money, work less, and do the things that you want to do, than there is no reason to read the book. The crux of the book is that anyone can live their ideal lifestyle, and if you want any detailed information about how to live the lifestyle check out one of many blogs/websites. If this book was a detailed distillation of information from these sources it would be well worth the money and time to read. Considering that it is more useful as a reference for money saving sites than for the information contained in it, I recommend following this books advice: save your valuable money and time and spend it doing something you really enjoy.
4 people found this helpful
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Jeff Lewis
3.0 out of 5 stars A book about Financial Independence disguised as a lifestyle book
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2020
Overall, the writing is engaging and thoughtful. The book would have benefited from more thorough editing (a 'sea shanty' is not a building, but a type of song, for example). The strength of the book is the first half which covers the financial aspects (both philosophical and nuts and bolts) of abandoning the 9-to-5 for a more passions-driven life. Some good references to other sources, such as "Your Money or Your Life". The second half of the book is looser, and while still entertaining, I found it repetitive and not that informative, frankly. Overall, I'm glad to have read this book and would recommend it.
4 people found this helpful
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