Van Peski

In this personal journey, ultra-light backpacker and sought-after speaker Glen Van Peski shares the life lessons he has learned through years of lightening his pack and helping others.

Adventures provide the richness and texture to a life well lived. So remain open. Keep saying yes to life’s opportunities.

Glen Van Peski helped revolutionize backpacking by creating ultralight equipment, which allows people to take less so they can do more in the wilderness. During decades of championing ultralight backpacking, Glen became aware that ＂take less, do more＂ is more than just a hiking slogan. As he reduced his pack weight, he realized that the lessons learned applied to all areas of life. Now he wants to share the lessons he learned to help others live full and vibrant lives--lives characterized by purpose, meaning, and joy.

In this book, you will discover transformative life lessons, which may go against the grain of popular thought but have been proven to change lives for the better. You’ll learn that:

• Often the best strategy for achieving goals comes from subtracting rather than adding.
• When your first instinct is generosity, the long-term dividends will be greater than if you strive to gain your own advantage.
• Revising the stories you tell yourself about situations will reframe your life and increase gratitude.
• By investing creatively in relationships, you will generate more joy in your life.
• Making friends with failure will cause you to grow and improve.

Glen Van Peski, founder of Gossamer Gear, is known by the trail name ＂Legend＂ for his legendary contributions to the backpacking community. A native Californian, Van Peski grew up in the western outdoors, and when his oldest son joined Scouts, he led the Troop’s backpacking program. Through those experiences, he became intrigued by lightweight backpacking. He started sewing his own gear and eventually started his own company, manufacturing ultralight backpacking equipment. Glen and his company have been featured in Backpacker, Outside, and National Geographic Adventure magazines, and the New York Times.

Van Peski is an internationally sought-after speaker known for his inspiring, humorous, information-packed presentations. He has hiked most of the Pacific Crest Trail, has wandered the backcountry in Japan and Europe, and bike-packed on the Great Divide. He lives in Bend, Oregon, with Francie, his wife of over forty years, and is the father to two grown sons.