Rinker Buck

A quick scan of my reading list reveals my affinity for nonfiction by authors who are quirky, erudite, and steeped in the natural world, whether through agriculture, adventure, or another lifestyle; books like Gaining Ground: A Story of Farmers' Markets, Local Food, and Saving the Family Farm, The Shepherd's Life: A People's History of the Lake District, and Folks, This Ain't Normal: A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World are par for the course. It should show more come as no surprise, therefore, that Rinker Buck's account of his covered-wagon journey along the Oregon Trail hit all the right buttons for me.

This fellow is crazy. Let's get that straight right away. His answer to a mid-life slump is to buy a genuine covered wagon and a mule team and try to drive the Oregon Trail just like the pioneers did. His brother, who is even more eccentric and far less civilized, comes along for the trip, which adds a bit of family drama and a whole lot of profanity to the story. Intermixed with his account of their (mis)adventures, Buck provides all sorts of wonderful historical information about the trail and some of the people who traveled it. Although these segments are not always integrated as smoothly as they might be, the overall effect works well and the history and travelogue illuminate and enhance each other.

This book is funny, informative, and deeply absorbing. If you can listen to the audio, do so. Buck narrates his own story and, while I generally hate it when authors read their own work, it is perfect in this case. He's a great reader and the genuine feeling that comes through makes for a superb audio experience. If you choose to stick to the text version, don't worry. Buck writes so well and has such a great authorial presence, you'll feel like he's right there next to you telling you his story.

There's no way I'd take on a project like Buck's, but thanks to his storytelling skill and exhaustive research, I'm seriously considering taking my children on a car-bound version of this expedition. Anyone who can tempt me to spend more than a week in a car with three children has major inspirational power! show less

“Crazyass passion is the staple of life and persistence its nourishing force. Without them, you cannot cross the trail.”

“Seeing America slowly was, in a way, like eating slow food-I wasn't covering much ground in a single day, but I was digesting a lot more.”

Looking for the perfect end of the summer reading adventure? Boy, do I have a pick for you. Rinker Buck decides to ride the entire 2,000 mile Oregon Trail, in a covered wagon, pulled by mules. Something that has not been show more attempted in over a century. He takes along his shabby, profane but mechanically inclined brother, Nick and his Jack Russell terrier, Olive Oyl. (Nick reminded me of Bryson's friend Stephen Katz, from A Walk in the Woods. Just not as broad).
You would think traversing the trail in modern times, would be a tad easier but the Buck brothers encounter, the same problems that the original pioneers did: wicked storms, runaway mules, lack of water, various break-downs and intense desert heat.
Rinker also adds many historical elements to the narrative, that identifies with the Oregon Trail, making this an ambitious and informative read.
It is all told in robust prose, filled with humor and insightful observations about America now and then. The added bonus was how good the people were, across the country, supporting the brothers, on their journey, reminding us how caring and decent, Americans can be.

Come on! Take this ride. (In the comfort of your own home, of course). show less

Rinker Buck, on a whim, decided to travel the entire length of the Oregon trail in a covered wagon more than 100 years after the last pioneers to do so. Which may be slightly less crazy than it sounds: Buck's father was an antique wagon enthusiast who once took him and his siblings on a covered wagon trip through Pennsylvania, so it wasn't like the experience was entirely new to him. And his brother, who accompanied him, is an expert mechanic and horseman who inherited their dad's wagon show more obsession. So if anybody was going to make that trip in the modern era, they would seem to be the right guys for it. It's still at least a little crazy, though, which is something the author readily admits.

The book is part adventurous travelog, part memoir (complete with lots of personal musings about Buck's ambiguous feelings towards his father), and part history lesson. It also takes a variety of tones: snarky, self-deprecating, appreciative, informative, introspective, even inspiring (although not in a mushy sort of way). Somewhat surprisingly, it works on all these levels. Occasionally, Buck's airing of his emotional issues borders on over-sharing, but he never quite goes too far with it, and it does serve to bring a human element to the story. And I found the history surprisingly interesting, and the many new things I have learned about mules even more surprisingly interesting. show less

Rinker Buck and his brother Nick buy 3 mules and an authentic wagon and travel from Missouri to Oregon. Mr. Buck intersperses excellent history expositions with the narrative of the trip. I knew little of this history. (Several times Mr. Buck points out the difference between what actually happened and the sanitized compressed history we hear all the time). I found all of these historical interludes interesting but the section on mules, and George Washington and mules to be fascinating. My show more contact with mules has been limited to falling off one when I was a kid visiting my great aunt's farm. I'm surprised when I read other LT readers not caring about the mules! Wow. They were the best part of the book. That, and Rinker being the kind of guy who would take a bathrobe on a camping trip!

Mr. Buck writes in a conversational style that would be easy for a kid to understand but which is suitable for adults too. He pokes fun at himself as a truly fussy old bird, and writes lovingly of his larger-than-life brother.

This would be an excellent book to carry on a family vacation, especially a family car trip out west. It could be passed around for individual reading or even read out loud in the car. show less