Francis Tapon

Last updated
Francis Tapon
Francis Tapon, head shot.jpg
Tapon in 2012
Born (1970-03-10) 10 March 1970 (age 54)
San Francisco, California, United States
OccupationAuthor, nomad, public speaker, life coach
NationalityAmerican, French and Chilean
Alma mater Amherst College (B.A.)
Harvard Business School (M.B.A.)
Notable worksHike Your Own Hike
The Hidden Europe
Website
francistapon.com

Francis Tapon (born March 10, 1970) is an author, global nomad, and public speaker. He has walked across the United States four times via its three major mountain ranges. He also walked across Spain twice. He was the first person to do a round-trip backpacking the Continental Divide Trail. In addition, he thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail southbound. He has traveled to over 100 countries of the world. [1] Lastly, he is the author of the self-help travelogue Hike Your Own Hike and the travel narrative The Hidden Europe: What Eastern Europeans Can Teach Us.[ citation needed ] He traveled to all 54 African countries from 2013 to 2018 and climbed to the highest point of 50 of those countries. [2] [3] In 2019, he was inducted into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame. [4]

Contents

Early life and career

Tapon's mother is from Chile and his father was from France. [5] Tapon was born in San Francisco, [6] [7] where he went to the French American International School until 10th grade, and then graduated from Lick-Wilmerding High School.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in Religion from Amherst College in 1992. [8] He worked in Latin America for Hitachi Data Systems. In 1997, he received his MBA from Harvard Business School. [9]

After Harvard, he co-founded a Silicon Valley robotic vision company that was covered by The New York Times. [10] [11] Later, he consulted for Microsoft for 18 months. In 2006, he became a full-time travel writer. [12]

Travels

Tapon in Slovenia, August 2010 Francis-Tapon-photo1.jpg
Tapon in Slovenia, August 2010

Below is a chronology of Tapon's most notable travel experiences, which inspired his two books.

In 2001, he hiked the Appalachian Trail. [13] In 2004, he visited all the countries in Eastern Europe. [14] In 2006, he backpacked the Pacific Crest Trail. [15]

In 2007, he became the first person to walk from Mexico to Canada and back to Mexico along the Continental Divide Trail. [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] This seven-month journey spanned over 5,600 miles. [21] Francis took the most circuitous, scenic, high, difficult route north and while returning south took the more expedient route on the way down. [22] He hiked ultralight since his pack, without food and water, weighed under 6 lbs (less than 3 kg). [23] [24] National Geographic listed Francis Tapon's round trip on the Continental Divide Trail among the most notable feats of 2007. [25] [26]

In 2009, he walked across Spain twice: once by traversing the Pyrenees from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, and then by hiking El Camino de Santiago. [27]

In 2008–2011, he visited over 40 European countries, including all the Eastern European ones. [28] [29] [30] He focused on finding Eastern European innovations. [31] [32] [33]

In 2012, he summed up his travels to date and shared his lessons in his TEDx talk entitled, "How and Why Travel Transforms You." It has over 100,000 views. [34]

In March 2013, he entered Morocco and began a five-year trip to all 54 African countries. He never left the African continent. Half way through his trip, he met and married a Cameroonian, Rejoice Tapon, who traveled 31 of African countries with him. [35] [36]

In October 2018, Tapon returned to a TEDx stage. He had just returned from 5.5 years of nonstop overland travel through all 54 African countries. Tapon shared a story about an African girl who was a "black sheep" in her society and what we can learn from it. [37]

He returned to the United States in 2018. He plans to write his third book based on the experience. He filmed extensively and has raised over $24,000 to produce a pilot TV episode by November 2014. [38] [39] Amazon.com and Lincoln Mercury selected him as the best example of someone who is fulfilling the dream of traveling the world. [40]

In January 2019, he was inducted in the California Outdoors Hall of Fame, which includes John Muir and Ansel Adams. [41]

Books

Tapon is the author of the WanderLearn Series, which is a series of books about his adventures. [42] He has written two books so far:

He also wrote two chapters in Hikers' Stories From the Appalachian Trail, edited by Kathryn Fulton, ISBN   978-0811712835 (2012) Stackpole Books. The chapters are entitled "The Final Stretch" and "A Thru-hiker's Motivation: Not Enlightenment, Just Ice Cream."

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appalachian Trail</span> Hiking trail going through fourteen US states

The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost 2,200 miles (3,540 km) between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy claims the Appalachian Trail to be the world's longest hiking-only trail. More than three million people hike segments of it each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiking</span> Walking as a hobby, sport, or leisure activity

A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hiking" is the preferred term in Canada and the United States; the term "walking" is used in these regions for shorter, particularly urban walks. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, the word "walking" describes all forms of walking, whether it is a walk in the park or backpacking in the Alps. The word hiking is also often used in the UK, along with rambling, hillwalking, and fell walking. The term bushwalking is endemic to Australia, having been adopted by the Sydney Bush Walkers Club in 1927. In New Zealand a long, vigorous walk or hike is called tramping. It is a popular activity with numerous hiking organizations worldwide, and studies suggest that all forms of walking have health benefits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Crest Trail</span> Long-distance hiking and equestrian trail in the western US

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie 100 to 150 miles east of the U.S. Pacific coast. The trail's southern terminus is next to the Mexico–United States border, just south of Campo, California, and its northern terminus is on the Canada–US border, upon which it continues unofficially to the Windy Joe Trail within Manning Park in British Columbia; it passes through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appalachian Mountain Club</span> Hiking club

Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the oldest outdoor group in the United States. Created in 1876 to explore and preserve the White Mountains in New Hampshire, it has expanded throughout the northeastern U.S., with 12 chapters stretching from Maine to Washington, D.C. The AMC's 90,000 members, its advocates, and supporters mix outdoor recreation, particularly hiking and backpacking, with environmental activism. Additional activities include cross-country skiing, whitewater and flatwater canoeing and kayaking, sea kayaking, sailing, rock climbing and bicycle riding. The Club has about 2,700 volunteers, who lead roughly 7,000 trips and activities per year. The organization publishes a number of books, guides, and trail maps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continental Divide Trail</span> Long-distance scenic trail in the western United States

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is a United States National Scenic Trail with a length measured by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition of 3,028 miles (4,873 km) between the U.S. border with Chihuahua, Mexico and the border with Alberta, Canada. Frequent route changes and a large number of alternate routes result in an actual hiking distance of 2,700 miles (4,300 km) to 3,150 miles (5,070 km). The CDT follows the Continental Divide of the Americas along the Rocky Mountains and traverses five U.S. states — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. In Montana near the Canadian border the trail crosses Triple Divide Pass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Muir Trail</span> Trail in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California

The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, passing through Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. It is named after John Muir, a naturalist.

<i>A Walk in the Woods</i> (book) 1998 travel book by Bill Bryson

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail is a 1998 travel book by the writer Bill Bryson, chronicling his attempt to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail during the spring and summer of 1996. For much of his journey, Bryson was accompanied by his friend Matt Angerer, who had previously appeared in Bryson's 1991 book Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backpacking (hiking)</span> Outdoor recreation of carrying gear on ones back, while hiking for more than a day

Backpacking is the outdoor recreation of carrying gear on one's back while hiking for more than a day. It is often an extended journey and may involve camping outdoors. In North America, tenting is common, where simple shelters and mountain huts, widely found in Europe, are rare. In New Zealand, hiking is called tramping, and tents are used alongside a nationwide network of huts. Hill walking is equivalent in Britain, though backpackers make use of a variety of accommodation, in addition to camping. Backpackers use simple huts in South Africa. Trekking and bushwalking are other words used to describe such multi-day trips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bay Area Ridge Trail</span> Trail circling the San Francisco Bay Area

The Bay Area Ridge Trail is a planned 550-mile (890 km) multi-use trail along the hill and mountain ridgelines surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area, in Northern California. As of May 2022, 400 miles (640 km) have been established. When complete, the trail will connect over seventy-five parks and open spaces. The trail is being designed to provide access for hikers, runners, mountain bicyclists, and equestrians. It will be accessible through trailheads near major population centers, but the trail will extend into more remote areas. The first trail section was dedicated on May 13, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thru-hiking</span> Style of hiking

Thru-hiking, or through-hiking, is the act of hiking an established long-distance trail end-to-end continuously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona Trail</span> US National Scenic Trail

The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a National Scenic Trail from Mexico to Utah that traverses the whole north–south length of the U.S. state of Arizona. The trail begins at the Coronado National Memorial near the US–Mexico border and moves north through parts of the Huachuca, Santa Rita, and Rincon Mountains. The trail continues through the Santa Catalina north of Tucson and the Mazatzal Mountains before ascending the Mogollon Rim north of Payson, and eventually leading to the higher elevations of Northern Arizona and the San Francisco Peaks. The trail then continues across the Coconino Plateau and in and out of the Grand Canyon. The Arizona Trail terminates near the Arizona–Utah border in the Kaibab Plateau region. The 800-mile (1,300 km) long Arizona Trail was completed on December 16, 2011. The trail is designed as a primitive trail for hiking, equestrians, mountain biking, and even cross country skiing, showcasing the wide variety of mountain ranges and ecosystems of Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blood Mountain</span> Mountain in Georgia, United States

Blood Mountain is the highest peak on the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail and the sixth-tallest mountain in Georgia, with an elevation of 4,458 feet (1,359 m). It is located on the border of Lumpkin County with Union County and is within the boundaries of the Chattahoochee National Forest and the Blood Mountain Wilderness. There are several waterfalls, hiking trails and other recreational areas in the vicinity. This mountain marks the southernmost range limit for many Northern and Appalachian species, especially for plant species.

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References

  1. ↑ Krasny, Michael. (December 28, 2011). "National radio interview". KQED, San Francisco Public Radio, NPR affiliate. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  2. ↑ Frank Mallicoat "KPIX CBS affiliate TV interview" Dec 18, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  3. ↑ Tom Stinstra "After Five Years and 10,000 miles in Africa" July 29, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  4. ↑ Stienstra, Tom (January 17, 2019). "California Outdoors Hall of Fame inductees changed landscape". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Huffington Post bio" Retrieved November 1, 2013
  6. ↑ "Francis Tapon's biography". Goodreads. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Interview on French American TV" skip to 0:50
  8. ↑ Lieber, Ben. Archived 2013-11-09 at the Wayback Machine "Amherst College Alumni Interview" retrieved November 2, 2013.
  9. ↑ Tapon, Francis (December 1, 2012) "The Billion Dollar Question". Harvard Business School Bulletin. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  10. ↑ Lewis, Michael (March 1, 1998). "The Little Creepy Crawlers Who Will Eat You In The Night". The New York Times. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  11. ↑ Stern, Rachel J. (April 23, 2012) "'The Hidden Europe' Comes to Los Gatos"] Patch.com. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  12. ↑ Stienstra, Tom. (February 24, 2008). "His life is a long, gratifying hike". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  13. ↑ Lanza, Michael. (November 2008) "American Classic: Hiking the Appalachian Trail". Backpacker Magazine. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  14. ↑ Tapon, Francis. (October 5, 2012) "Francis Tapon's TEDx Talk". TEDx Fillmore speech, San Francisco. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  15. ↑ Fulton, Kathryn. (2012) Hikers' Stories from the Appalachian Trail, Stackpole Books, page 159. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  16. ↑ Tilin, Andrew. (June 2008) "The Onion vs. Mr. Magoo – On your mark, get set ... hike. Inside a 5,600-mile footrace on the country's hardest trail.". Backpacker Magazine. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  17. ↑ M. Biggers, Ashley. (March 2008) "There & Back Again", New Mexico Magazine
  18. ↑ Bastone, Kelly (August 2008) "Taking the High Way: Thru-hiking the Continental Divide Trail," 5280, pp. 70–73. Denver magazine reports on Francis Tapon's first-ever yo-yo of the CDT.
  19. ↑ Wilt, Bernie. "PBP Episode 31 – CDT Yo-Yo". PracticalBackpacking.com. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  20. ↑ Reese, Janet. (19 June 2007). "5 questions for long-distance hiker Francis Tapon". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  21. ↑ Stienstra, Tom. (March 9, 2008). "Good time to take inventory on gear – and yourself". San Francisco Chronicle. . Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  22. ↑ Manning, John. (April 8, 2008) "Francis Tapon: The first person to yo-yo America’s wildest trail talks heating, eating and the philosophy of lightweight". TGO Magazine. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  23. ↑ Crooker, Carol. (September 12, 2007) "Podcast: Francis Tapon is Set to Complete a Backpacking First – a CDT Yo-Yo". Backpackinglight.com. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  24. ↑ Stienstra, Tom. (March 9, 2008) "Good time to take inventory on gear – and yourself". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Best of Adventure, Trends: New Leaf" National Geographic. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  26. ↑ Lineback, Neal. (October 1, 2013) "America's Hiking Trails" National Geographic: Geography in the News. Retrieved November 2, 2013
  27. ↑ Bassets, Marc. (August 17, 2012) "El Disidente" La Vanguardia in Spanish. Retrieved November 2, 2013
  28. ↑ Delevett, Peter. (May 19, 2012) "Social travel' start-ups help travelers gather friends" Page 2 of Los Angeles Times article. Retrieved November 2, 2013
  29. ↑ Steves, Rick. (August 17, 2013) "Bumpy Balkans" National Radio Show. Retrieved November 2, 2013
  30. ↑ Riddell, Joel. (August 2013)"Dining Around Interview" The interview starts at minute 17. NewsTalk 910, KKSF, San Francisco.
  31. ↑ Tapon, Francis. (January 1, 2012) "Eastern Europe: Innovation's hidden hub" Washington Post, page G4. Retrieved November 2. 2013.
  32. ↑ Kolawole, Emi. (January 1, 2012) "Europe, the credit downgrade and what it means for innovation" WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  33. ↑ Steves, Rick (August 18, 2012). "Program 297: Open Phones: Ask Rick; Francis Tapon Explores Eastern Europe". Rick Steves National Radio Show. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  34. ↑ 18-min TEDx video Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  35. ↑ How Francis Tapon proposed to Rejoice. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  36. ↑ Francis and Rejoice Tapon marriage Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  37. ↑ 18-min TEDx video "Bring Out Your Inner Black Sheep" Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  38. ↑ Steves, Rick (February 2, 2013). "Program 314: Travel Portraits; Artist's Safari; Africa 54". Rick Steves National Radio Show. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  39. ↑ Kickstarter Project: The Unseen Africa Retrieved May 26, 2014
  40. ↑ Amazon.com & Lincoln Mercury did a video profile of people who doing were doing 25 classic dreams Video excerpt of the 'My Dream' campaign Vimeo.com. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  41. ↑ "California Outdoors Hall of Fame inductees changed landscape" by Tom Steinstra, Jan. 17, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  42. ↑ Brotman, Barbara. (September 24, 2012) "Getting to know the world around us" Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
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