Balancing on Blue

By: Keith Foskett

Narrated by: Adam Stubbs

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

One man’s remarkable challenge. More than 2,000 miles of unforgiving wilderness. Can he escape the mundane to become a thru-hiker?

Shortlisted for Outdoor Book of the Year by The Great Outdoors magazine.

Keith Foskett’s dream of escape started with a single step. When the long-distance hiker chose to backpack all 2,180 miles of the Appalachian Trail, he left ordinary life behind for five months. Enduring an incredible test of physical and psychological strength, Foskett was pushed to his limits....

Accompanied by an array of eclectic characters - including a drug dealer, a world-champion juggler, and a sex-starved Minnesotan - he weaves a route through some of America's wildest landscapes and history and writes with insight, humor, and reflection. Attempting to keep his English sense of humor alive amid the bumps and bruises, can Foskett survive his journey of self-discovery to emerge victorious?

Shortlisted for The Great Outdoors magazine’s Outdoor Book of the Year, Foskett’s novel-like tale is as entertaining as it is insightful. Venture beyond the journal-entry style of most outdoor books and join the humorous hike of a lifetime.

Balancing on Blue is a superb stand-alone travel memoir. If you like living outside the box, escaping into the wild, and journeying deep into the unknown, then you’ll love Keith Foskett’s courageous trek.

Discover how this wilderness escape can change you, too.

©2016 Mr Keith Foskett (P)2020 Mr Keith Foskett

Critic reviews

"A highly anticipated Appalachian Trail memoir, and well worth the wait." (Daniel Neilson, The Great Outdoors Magazine)

"With thru-hiking gaining in popularity, many look to the Appalachian Trail to test out their trail legs, and discover why it holds the reputation it does. The wilds of this planet are serene, peaceful and offer the chance to break away from a normal existence. Keith’s wonderful perspective of the trail reflects this freedom." (Jennifer Pharr Davis, author and previous record holder for the fastest ever thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail).

"An entertaining and inspiring account of one of the world’s longest walks and the people who walk it. Keith is a perfect walking companion for the ups and downs of the trail – his easy and understated style kept me turning the pages. Essential reading for those contemplating their own big adventure." (David Lintern, Outdoor Enthusiast Magazine)

I'm in!

loved the narrator! couldn't stop listening....so sad when " we" finished ! inspiring, to say the least. I feel line I hiked it already....well almost...

Oddly written

First of all, having a narrator with a strong Australian accent threw off all references to the author being English, with a few "Crikeys" added by him really wrecking it.
The book starts with small stories of several (American) individuals who are hiking companions, as an introduction. All the little stories are in first person, with this awful Australian accent making it rather confusing who was the main character. I re-listened to the first chapter again and it made sense, but weird story structure. Overall it was a good story about the AT but terrible narrator.

Adventure

I listened to this book while commuting back and forth from work on my bike. It gave me inspiration and a yearning for adventure.

Listened to this book twice. Excellent read!

Listened to this book before, during, and after my almost 2000 mile long AT Hike in 2021. Did not quite go the distance due to storms. Can't wait to make another attempt. This book brought back many memories, as I stayed at lots of the places where Fozzie stayed. I liked the narrator's voice. Pace was just right.
Hope the author writes a book on the CDT!

Great AT thru-hiker account

I really enjoyed the book as an audible--enough so that I will buy a written copy. Very well told and engaging!

Inspiring

I listened to the first book, The Last Englishman, and immediately followed up with this one. Really enjoyed them both! (PS Fozzy, I can’t believe you drank the cranberry juice!)

Not enough on the trail and the AT experience

The author’s self described “semi anarchist” viewpoint on the world is front and center in this book. The author spends more time justifying his life decisions than he does on the AT experience. Also, I found the heavy accent of the narrator a distraction. With that said, there are some good insights on hiking the trail that can be found here, just not enough.

Another great adventure!

I'm planning a section hike of the AT soon and found this to be a great story - just like his others.

Great hike book

well written and fun to listen to. I enjoyed the story and found it easy to listen to - have always dreamed of doing the AT and this keeps me interested in the trail. easy listen and lots of fun to follow along with "fozzy"!

Felt like I was hiking the AT!

This book is very engaging. There is a lot of humor, and heartfelt parts, especially getting to know the author and his fellow hikers. I was fully immersed in the book and felt like I was on the trail. The narration is excellent. Highly recommend.