John Sheirer
Loop Year: 365 Days on the Trail
by John Sheirer
Reader's Guide
by Michaela Mullarkey and John Sheirer
1. In the introduction to Loop Year: 365 Days on the Trail, John Sheirer reflects on why a goal such as hiking the Appalachian Trail or climbing Mt. Everest isn't realistic given his day-to-day responsibilities. He chooses instead to hike the same nature trail every day for year. Are there any similarities or parallels between a grand outdoor endeavor (such as a 2,000-mile hike or scaling a mounting peak) and the author's effort? In what ways are the two choices similar? Do they require any of the same behaviors or attitudes? In what way are they different?
2. Before reading Loop Year, what did you expect to happen during the author's year on the trail? Why? Did you think he would achieve his goal to walk the same trail daily for a year? What difficulties did you expect? What did you think he would take away from the project?
3. Once you began reading, what surprised you about the events in the book or the way the author wrote about those events?
4. Would you be able to walk the same trail every day for a year? Would you want to take on a challenge like this? Why or why not? In what ways would you expect to benefit from such an endeavor? What aspect of this project would be most challenging to you?
5. If you could choose to preserve a parcel of land in your community in the same way the Northern Connecticut Land Trust has, what would you choose and why?
6. During his year hiking the trail, the author embarks on another journey as well: his emerging relationship with Betsy. In what ways does the development of this relationship parallel his writing/hiking project? Did the account of the developing relations add or detract from the book?
7. People have different walking styles when outdoors. Some plow down a trail energetically, others are more reflective and meditative, whereas others might prefer to abandon the trail entirely and "bushwhack." How would you describe the author's walking style? Your style?
8. One constant on the trail is dogs. Describe what makes dogs such favorable hiking companions. Alternately, what are the responsibilities or challenges dog owners should be aware of when hiking in a preserved area?
9. Over the year, the author encounters many other people on the trail. How do people use and experience this land trust property in different ways? Is any one activity more legitimate than another? Why or why not?
10. Loop Year touches on several environmental themes. For example, on page 191, the author notes that, "…President Bush insists on keeping the United States out of the Kyoto Accord, and Rush Limbaugh still tells his poor, misinformed listeners that global warming is something made up by 'Eco-Nazis.' Or was it 'Eco-terrorist' or 'Eco-nuts'? Limbaugh is such an expert at name-calling that I guess he figures it cancels out his disconnection to reality." Why do some people believe that global warming is a crazy concept created by the environmental movement? What forces are at play in creating this point of view? Is it true? Why or why not? How would you respond to someone who holds a view about global warming different from your own?
11. Discuss what work is required to preserve and maintain an area such as McCann's.
12. The author mentions early in the book that he will be undergoing several "life transitions" during the coming year, the most prominent of which seems to be his transition into middle age. Do you agree with the author that middle age begins at age 45? What exactly does it mean to be "middle aged"?
13. On page 182, the author laments that he has trouble describing the book he is writing, noting that he needs to be able to say that it's about more than "stuff and things." How would you tell the author to describe the book?
14. Some of the daily entries are narratives that tell a straightforward story of an event that happened on the trail. Others reflect on the author's experiences away from the trail. Still others are almost like poems, and some are even semi-fictionalized, humorous parodies. How does this mixing of styles affect the way a reader progresses through the book?
15. Which daily entries in Loop Year speak to you the most? Why?
16. Loop Year is composed of many separate entries that may not seem to lead directly from one tot he next. Can you describe an overall plot to the book, a narrative flow that characterizes the unfolding of events from the first hike to the last?
17. How does the author's plan to write entries that are exactly 365 words long relate to hiking the same trail every day? Does this writing strategy add anything to the book, or does it just seem strange? Could you find anything enjoyable about editing your own writing to meet a specific word count?
18. Each day includes headings with information such as the time the author hiked, the temperature, and the weather conditions. How does this information add to your appreciation of the author's experiences on the trail?
19. John Sheirer's accounts of several days on the trail seem to focus on the negative aspects of this project. Did you expect more negative days? Fewer? Would you describe Loop Year as optimistic or pessimistic?
20. Many of the entries in the book focus on the author's health, especially injuries and illnesses. Why does the author's focus so much on his health during this project? How do people in general connect their feelings about their own health with their overall life experiences?
21. Two hundred and forty five days into the hike (p. 176), the author states, "I've never seen a person of color on this trail." What suggestions would you give the Land Trust to build diversity among those who use and maintain the property?
22. The psychological concept of "obsessive-compulsive disorder" (OCD) surfaces many times in the book. What aspect of OCD does the author show during his hiking project?
23. John Sheirer encountered many characters while hiking the trail, some only once, some several times. What characters stand out as the most interesting? Why?
24. Jerry, Bruce, Hector, and Ginny are all committed to the work of the Northern Connecticut Land Trust, yet their personalities seem dissimilar. Based on your reading so far, compare and contrast two or more of these individuals.
25. Commitment to the environment takes many different forms and spans a spectrum of environmental beliefs and values. Environmentalists favor different approaches to protecting the Earth. Some popular approaches are: eco-feminism, preservation, conservation, environmental justice, anthropocentrism, environmental pragmatism, and deep ecology. How would you characterize the author's environmental approach? (Note: The reader may want to research the terms above to inform the answer and develop discussion.)
26. The author occasionally reflects on the potential publication of Loop Year, pointing out that the book might have trouble attracting a publisher. What about the book makes it difficult to publish? In the book's acknowledgements, the author thanks the publisher for taking a chance on an "oddball" book. What makes this book different from other popular memoirs being published today?
27. The book seems to have three different endings: the last day of the hiking project, the day after the hiking project ends, and an epilogue that takes place more than a year later. Why would the author have three endings?
28. If you hiked the trail with John Sheirer at any point during the year, what questions would you ask him about this project?
29. In a brief phrase or single sentence, describe what your think John Sheirer learned from his year on the trail? Then expand that phrase or sentence into a more detailed paragraph or two.
30. What did you learn from John Sheirer's year on the trail?
by John Sheirer
Reader's Guide
by Michaela Mullarkey and John Sheirer
1. In the introduction to Loop Year: 365 Days on the Trail, John Sheirer reflects on why a goal such as hiking the Appalachian Trail or climbing Mt. Everest isn't realistic given his day-to-day responsibilities. He chooses instead to hike the same nature trail every day for year. Are there any similarities or parallels between a grand outdoor endeavor (such as a 2,000-mile hike or scaling a mounting peak) and the author's effort? In what ways are the two choices similar? Do they require any of the same behaviors or attitudes? In what way are they different?
2. Before reading Loop Year, what did you expect to happen during the author's year on the trail? Why? Did you think he would achieve his goal to walk the same trail daily for a year? What difficulties did you expect? What did you think he would take away from the project?
3. Once you began reading, what surprised you about the events in the book or the way the author wrote about those events?
4. Would you be able to walk the same trail every day for a year? Would you want to take on a challenge like this? Why or why not? In what ways would you expect to benefit from such an endeavor? What aspect of this project would be most challenging to you?
5. If you could choose to preserve a parcel of land in your community in the same way the Northern Connecticut Land Trust has, what would you choose and why?
6. During his year hiking the trail, the author embarks on another journey as well: his emerging relationship with Betsy. In what ways does the development of this relationship parallel his writing/hiking project? Did the account of the developing relations add or detract from the book?
7. People have different walking styles when outdoors. Some plow down a trail energetically, others are more reflective and meditative, whereas others might prefer to abandon the trail entirely and "bushwhack." How would you describe the author's walking style? Your style?
8. One constant on the trail is dogs. Describe what makes dogs such favorable hiking companions. Alternately, what are the responsibilities or challenges dog owners should be aware of when hiking in a preserved area?
9. Over the year, the author encounters many other people on the trail. How do people use and experience this land trust property in different ways? Is any one activity more legitimate than another? Why or why not?
10. Loop Year touches on several environmental themes. For example, on page 191, the author notes that, "…President Bush insists on keeping the United States out of the Kyoto Accord, and Rush Limbaugh still tells his poor, misinformed listeners that global warming is something made up by 'Eco-Nazis.' Or was it 'Eco-terrorist' or 'Eco-nuts'? Limbaugh is such an expert at name-calling that I guess he figures it cancels out his disconnection to reality." Why do some people believe that global warming is a crazy concept created by the environmental movement? What forces are at play in creating this point of view? Is it true? Why or why not? How would you respond to someone who holds a view about global warming different from your own?
11. Discuss what work is required to preserve and maintain an area such as McCann's.
12. The author mentions early in the book that he will be undergoing several "life transitions" during the coming year, the most prominent of which seems to be his transition into middle age. Do you agree with the author that middle age begins at age 45? What exactly does it mean to be "middle aged"?
13. On page 182, the author laments that he has trouble describing the book he is writing, noting that he needs to be able to say that it's about more than "stuff and things." How would you tell the author to describe the book?
14. Some of the daily entries are narratives that tell a straightforward story of an event that happened on the trail. Others reflect on the author's experiences away from the trail. Still others are almost like poems, and some are even semi-fictionalized, humorous parodies. How does this mixing of styles affect the way a reader progresses through the book?
15. Which daily entries in Loop Year speak to you the most? Why?
16. Loop Year is composed of many separate entries that may not seem to lead directly from one tot he next. Can you describe an overall plot to the book, a narrative flow that characterizes the unfolding of events from the first hike to the last?
17. How does the author's plan to write entries that are exactly 365 words long relate to hiking the same trail every day? Does this writing strategy add anything to the book, or does it just seem strange? Could you find anything enjoyable about editing your own writing to meet a specific word count?
18. Each day includes headings with information such as the time the author hiked, the temperature, and the weather conditions. How does this information add to your appreciation of the author's experiences on the trail?
19. John Sheirer's accounts of several days on the trail seem to focus on the negative aspects of this project. Did you expect more negative days? Fewer? Would you describe Loop Year as optimistic or pessimistic?
20. Many of the entries in the book focus on the author's health, especially injuries and illnesses. Why does the author's focus so much on his health during this project? How do people in general connect their feelings about their own health with their overall life experiences?
21. Two hundred and forty five days into the hike (p. 176), the author states, "I've never seen a person of color on this trail." What suggestions would you give the Land Trust to build diversity among those who use and maintain the property?
22. The psychological concept of "obsessive-compulsive disorder" (OCD) surfaces many times in the book. What aspect of OCD does the author show during his hiking project?
23. John Sheirer encountered many characters while hiking the trail, some only once, some several times. What characters stand out as the most interesting? Why?
24. Jerry, Bruce, Hector, and Ginny are all committed to the work of the Northern Connecticut Land Trust, yet their personalities seem dissimilar. Based on your reading so far, compare and contrast two or more of these individuals.
25. Commitment to the environment takes many different forms and spans a spectrum of environmental beliefs and values. Environmentalists favor different approaches to protecting the Earth. Some popular approaches are: eco-feminism, preservation, conservation, environmental justice, anthropocentrism, environmental pragmatism, and deep ecology. How would you characterize the author's environmental approach? (Note: The reader may want to research the terms above to inform the answer and develop discussion.)
26. The author occasionally reflects on the potential publication of Loop Year, pointing out that the book might have trouble attracting a publisher. What about the book makes it difficult to publish? In the book's acknowledgements, the author thanks the publisher for taking a chance on an "oddball" book. What makes this book different from other popular memoirs being published today?
27. The book seems to have three different endings: the last day of the hiking project, the day after the hiking project ends, and an epilogue that takes place more than a year later. Why would the author have three endings?
28. If you hiked the trail with John Sheirer at any point during the year, what questions would you ask him about this project?
29. In a brief phrase or single sentence, describe what your think John Sheirer learned from his year on the trail? Then expand that phrase or sentence into a more detailed paragraph or two.
30. What did you learn from John Sheirer's year on the trail?
Copyright . John Sheirer. All rights reserved.
