▁to ▁Mexico ▁along ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁Div ide ▁Tra il . ▁This ▁seven - month ▁journey ▁sp anned ▁over ▁ 5 , 6 0 0 ▁miles . ▁Francis ▁took ▁the ▁most ▁circuit ous , ▁scen ic , ▁high , ▁difficult ▁route ▁north ▁and ▁while ▁returning ▁south ▁took ▁the ▁more ▁exped ient ▁route ▁on ▁the ▁way ▁down . ▁He ▁h ik ed ▁ul tr al ight ▁since ▁his ▁pack , ▁without ▁food ▁and ▁water , ▁we ighed ▁under ▁ 6   l bs ▁( less ▁than ▁ 3   kg ). ▁National ▁Geographic ▁listed ▁Francis ▁T ap on ' s ▁round ▁trip ▁on ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁Div ide ▁Tra il ▁among ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁notable ▁fe ats ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁he ▁walked ▁across ▁Spain ▁twice : ▁once ▁by ▁travers ing ▁the ▁Py ren ees ▁from ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea ▁to ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean , ▁and ▁then ▁by ▁h ik ing ▁El ▁Cam ino ▁de ▁Santiago . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 2 0 1 1 , ▁he ▁visited ▁over ▁ 4 0 ▁European ▁countries , ▁including ▁all ▁the ▁Eastern ▁European ▁ones . ▁He ▁focused ▁on ▁finding ▁Eastern ▁European ▁innov ations . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁he ▁sum med ▁up ▁his ▁travel s ▁to ▁date ▁and ▁shared ▁his ▁less ons ▁in ▁his ▁T ED x ▁talk ▁entitled , ▁" How ▁and ▁Why ▁Tra vel ▁Trans forms ▁You ." ▁It ▁has ▁over ▁ 1 0