“Paul’s Boots” Documentary is Available and it Is Glorious

You’re likely familiar with the Paul’s Boots story by now.  If you’re not, Mary Beth summarized it quite well:

“Recently, a heartbroken woman contacted the Dirtbag Diaries with a story about a man who waited just a little bit too long to chase a dream. Paul remained indefinitely stuck in the quicksand of responsibility. Entwined in rat race of obligations, he put off his aspirations to care for struggling loved ones. When tragedy struck, Paul’s life was snuffed out too soon, leaving his dream of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail incomplete.

Crushed by Paul’s unfinished ending, his wife contemplated ways she could bring his story to a close. M’Lynn, had one last request for her beloved husband. She wanted to see Paul’s boots, dirt-caked and heavy on the Appalachian Trail.”

Over the course of several months, the crew at Duct Tape Then Beer (the parent company of Dirtbag Diaries, in conjunction with REI.com, sought out a handful of AT hikers to make good on Paul’s unfulfilled dream of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail.  You may recognize a few of these hikers, including our buddy The Real Hiking Viking and a 2015 Appalachian Trials Blogger Daddy Long Legs (formerly known as Noodle, he fell short in his quest last year, decided to give it another go this year, and crushed it). As the Duct Tape Than Beer folks put it, “Think of this as a non-linear Olympic torch relay. We had three sets of boots and, throughout the summer, they were all on the trail at different points. Together, the boots and those that carried them, covered the length of the Appalachian Trail. 2,189 miles.”

Today the full documentary was released and included below.  Prepare to be inspired- and maybe grab the tissues.

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Comments 4

  • Linda Vance : Oct 11th

    Watched it yesterday and totally loved it. And yeah, I had to grab a tissue (okay, a roll of toilet paper, but all the same) a couple of times.

    Reply
  • Veronica : Oct 12th

    Beautiful story!!! I love it and i’m looking forward to thru hike the AT next year….. can’t wait to meet such a great community and live the experience on my own

    Reply
  • Bill K : Oct 13th

    My wife and I met one of the “Boot Carriers ” at Cable Gap Shelter early May of this year – her name was Grace . She was finishing her leg at Fontana Dam , we saw her there and helped with some pictures she wanted taken with the Boots and Fontana Pond . She told us the story of Paul . Quite a man , who put others before self . A rare thing today . He is an inspiration . What a Legacy !!

    “Hydro”

    Reply
  • George Turner : Oct 26th

    I cried like a baby!

    Reply

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