Podcasts by Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis

Episode #403 - Lynne Savino (Caboose) from 2023-12-07T08:00

We’ve got our favorite doctor on the show today. Lynne Savino shares with us her recent backpacking medical adventure that she was a part of, taking in the Virginia Triple...

Episode #402 - Dan Klaiber (Rockhopper) from 2023-11-30T08:00

Dan Klaiber is our guest this week and, while he had been planning a PCT thru-hike, Covid threw a wrench in the works and he had to look elsewhere. What he came up with wa...

Episode #401 - Emily Johnson (Cobweb Rose) from 2023-11-23T08:00

Another newly minted thru-hiker from the Class of 23 joins us this week. Emily Johnson turned to backpacking when she met a guy who would become her hiking mentor. She fou...

Episode #400 - Chris Marshburn (Roll Tide) from 2023-11-16T08:00

For our 400th show today, I have Chris Marshburn, or Roll Tide, as my guest. Chris is a phenomenal steward for the trail, having been a Caretaker in New England and, this ...

Episode #399 - Beth Bakke Stenehjem&Frank Levine (Dos Caminos) from 2023-11-09T08:00

Today, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the completion of my Camino Francés hike in 2018, I’ve invited two friends to the show to share their Caminos this year. Beth ...

Episode #398 - Kyle O'Grady (Narnar) from 2023-11-02T07:00

Our guest this week is the host of the popular YouTube channel, Kyle Hates Hiking. Kyle O’Grady did his AT thru-hike in 2018, then started his channel a year later. He’s f...

Episode #397 - Aron Goss (OG) from 2023-10-26T07:00

Aron Goss did his thru-hike this year. It was about as perfect as a hike could be, with his family supporting him every step of the way, and climbing Katahdin with him at ...

Episode #396 - Ed Riggs (Phys Ed) from 2023-10-19T07:00

We have Ed Riggs on the show today. Ed hiked the AT in 2013 and had to face some severe health issues on the way. In fact, he had to leave the trail and come back the following year t...

Episode #395 - Chris Casado (Commissioner) from 2023-10-12T07:00

We have a returning guest this week. Chris Casado was the guy who was able to help me overcome the difficulties I was having with altitude out West, by getting me, in a guided hike, t...

Episode #394 - Drexel Swanson (Prepper) from 2023-10-05T07:00

Drexel Swanson, or Prepper, is our guest today. Drexel was a member of the Class of 23, and his story is an epic tale of resilience and a refusal to take no for an answer. What happen...

Episode #393 - Laura Howe (Moonpants) from 2023-09-28T07:00

We have a newly minted Appalachian Trail thru-hiker as our main guest on the show today. Laura Howe, or Moonpants, took on the trail with gusto. Near the end, she had a terrifying riv...

Episode #392 - Lee Lovelace (Hooker Tush) from 2023-09-21T07:00

Lee Lovelace and I met at Trail Days this year in the author’s tent. My books are about my AT thru-hike, while Lee’s book, Sawyer’s Run, is a novel about the AT. We both share an abid...

Episode #391 - Suzanne Roberts from 2023-09-14T07:00

Suzanne Roberts is our guest today. She shares a thoughtful, female perspective on long-distance hiking, using her 1993 JMT hike as a backdrop. The concept of a different experience f...

Episode #390 - Earl Porter (A.Ham) from 2023-09-07T07:00

In our last episode before the 9/11 Anniversary, Earl “Chico” Porter shares his inspirational story, and mission, to help veterans contemplating suicide. Part of this was to take on a...

Episode #389 - Stephen Cole (Sweat Bucket) from 2023-08-31T07:00

Steve Cole joins us on the show today. He was a guest on the podcast about two years ago, telling us about his first big hike; Le Tour du Mont Blanc. Since then, he’s hardly stopped h...

Episode #388 - Greg Johnson (Midwatch) and Betsy Hutchins from 2023-08-24T07:00

This week, we hear from one of the leaders of the Summit Project and the mother from a Gold Star Family about what the project means to them. This remarkable effort honors the fallen ...

Episode #387 - Kathie Brennan from 2023-08-17T07:00

Kathie Brennan is our guest today. She is President of the Ozark Trail Association, putting in hours of trail maintenance not only on her beloved trail, but also on the Appalachian Tr...

Episode #386 - Steve Vilsack (Wye Knot) from 2023-08-10T07:00

Steve Vilsack joins us on the show today. He refuses to see limitations that would prevent many others from even attempting the Appalachian Trail. He is legally blind, he fell too man...

Episode #385 - Adrienne Washney (Mother Hen) from 2023-08-03T07:00

One of our listeners introduced me to Adrienne Washney, who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2022. She incorporated her shakedown hikes into the thru-hike, by taking the first few ...

Episode #384 - Kristy Burns and Annette Dumbell (The Wander Women) from 2023-07-27T07:00

Some of the most recognizable hikers from the Class of 2019, The Wander Women, join us today. At least, two of them do. Kristy Burns and Annette Dumbell are two women in search of adv...

Episode #383 - Dan Nobles (Wandering Monk) from 2023-07-20T07:00

Our guest today, Dan Nobles, was a Colonel in the Army, working out of the Pentagon, when he quit and went to Seminary School. I think I’ve rarely heard of such a drastic change of sc...

Episode #382 - Nancy East from 2023-07-13T07:00

On today’s show, we have Nancy East, a retired veterinarian who is also an avid and accomplished hiker. Nancy is the perfect person to talk about dogs on the trail from a vet’s perspe...

Episode #381 - Kevin Kinne from 2023-07-06T07:00

Today, we hear from a man who really loves the AT. Kevin Kinne and I have been communicating since 2017, and he maintains part of the AT near Great Barrington. He also provides trail ...

Episode #380 - Samantha Sharkey (Lemon Drop) from 2023-06-29T07:00

We’re back to our usual format this week, with our main guest, three catch up interviews with our Mighty Blue Class of 2023 and the next chapter of George Steffanos’s “Then the Hail C...

Episode #379 - Jillian Hitt (Buckets) from 2023-06-22T07:00

This is an unusual show for us. Our guest, Jillian Hitt, who attempted a thru-hike in 2018, isn’t on the show, though three important people in her life are on to share her story.

Episode #378 - The Mighty Blue Class of '23 Update from 2023-06-15T07:00

This week is all about the members of the Mighty Blue Class of 2023. We’ve never had the opportunity to track them down all at the same time, so I thought this week, in the middle of ...

Episode #377 - Spencer McKay (Warpzilla) from 2023-06-08T07:00

Our guest today, Spencer McKay, completed his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2007. The poignant reason he went on the trail at that time is told in his conversation with Steve ...

Episode #376 - Mark Beno (Papa Dump) from 2023-06-01T07:00

Mark and David Beno, a father and son hiking team, took on the Appalachian Trail in 2022. Mark shares their story in this week’s show. The two of them chose to flip flop, choosing an ...

Episode #375 - Al Marriott (Lookout) from 2023-05-25T07:00

We have a shorter show than usual today, as I’m away hiking. There is still a great interview and the next segment of the book “Then the Hail Came.”

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Episode #374 - Kelly Jaworski (Birdie) from 2023-05-18T07:00

Kelly Jaworski hiked the AT in 2021 with a former guest of the show, Stuart (Puppy Love) Phelps. I reached out to her when I saw her epic summit photo on Facebook. She returned my inv...

Episode #373 - Jana Giles&David Nelson (Ducky&Gravy) from 2023-05-11T07:00

We have a young couple as our guests this week; Jana Giles and David Nelson, otherwise known as Ducky and Gravy. They have known each other for some time but, in planning to go on an ...

Episode #372 - Patch Leonard (Cold Brew) from 2023-05-04T07:00

We have Patch Leonard as our guest today. Patch is the son of Emily Leonard–a previous guest on the show–and he tells us of his own Appalachian Trail thru-hike last year.

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Episode #371 - Zach Cross from 2023-04-27T07:00

Zach Cross is starting his NOBO thru-hike from Springer on May 1. That he is even attempting this hike is something of a miracle. Three years ago, as Covid hit us, Zach weighed about ...

Episode #370 - Jim LePage (Grey Ghost) from 2023-04-20T07:00

Jim LePage is a man who spends a lot of time outdoors. He hiked the AT in 2018, having thought about it for years. The proverbial window of opportunity eventually opened, and he climb...

Episode #369 - Bob Delaney (Jon's Dad) from 2023-04-13T07:00

We leave the AT behind today for a trip to Sweden and the Kungsleden, a trail that I’d never heard of before. Bob Delaney, or Jon’s Dad, has a history with Sweden and returned there t...

Episode #368 - Kenneth Pararo (Moron) from 2023-04-06T07:00

Kenneth Pararo is our guest today. He reached out to me, sending me a link to his podcast, and I entirely misjudged him. When I eventually spoke with Kenneth, he was articulate, thoug...

Episode #367 - Rachel Hadley-Leonard from 2023-03-30T07:00

Rachel Hadley-Leonard is our guest today. I heard about Rachel walking the South West Coast Path in England from one of our previous guests and wanted to know more about her hike. She...

Episode #366 - Matt Hengst (Masochist) from 2023-03-23T07:00

Matthew Hengst, or Masochist, is today’s guest. He is one of those guys who has managed to parlay his passion for hiking into pretty much a full-time gig. He’s got an extensive outdoo...

Episode #365 - Mike (Blaze Dog) and Marla Hansen (Shows Up) from 2023-03-16T07:00

Our guests today are a husband and wife couple who worked out their own way to share the Appalachian Trail experience, even though only one of them walked the full 2200 miles. Mike an...

Episode #364 - Mel Vogel from 2023-03-09T08:00

We have a true one-of-a-kind story today. Mel Vogel set out to hike the Trans Canada Trail in June 2017. Even when part of the trail was closed for recreational use during Covid, Mel ...

Episode #363 - Charlie Janssen (Kansas Express) from 2023-03-02T08:00

When Charlie Janssen was just ten miles into his Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2012, he wondered what it would be like to complete a Calendar Year Triple Crown. He found out in 2022,...

Episode #362 - Leah Harman (Twig) from 2023-02-23T08:00

Leah Harman, or Twig, is our guest today. She is a self-confessed nomad, concentrating in the past few years on backpacking her way through many trails, both in the US and abroad.

Episode #361 - Casey Beeman (Freedom Pouch) from 2023-02-16T08:00

I found this week’s guest by reading an article he’d written about Post-Trail Depression. I know some people scoff at this concept, but it is real, and Casey Beeman articulates it bea...

Episode #360 - Emet Baker (Quickbeam) from 2023-02-09T08:00

Emet Baker, or Quickbeam is our guest today. He was able to complete his first year college finals before heading out on trail last year, with a mission to accomplish and complete the trail befo...

Episode #359 - Toby Busch (Stovetop) from 2023-02-02T08:00

Our guest this week is Toby Busch, a young man who lives out of his Ford Connect and records his life adventures on YouTube. Last year, he fulfilled a long-held dream and moved out of his van an...

Episode #358 - Amanda Wylie (Two Braids) from 2023-01-26T08:00

Amanda Wylie is an independent, strong young woman from Queens, NY. She hiked the Appalachian Trail last year and, despite loving the impact it had upon her, she had to address a few issues on h...

Episode #357 - John Jordan (Morning Glory) from 2023-01-19T08:00

Today, we hear from one of the unsung heroes of our hiking world. He's not a thru-hiker–though his son did one–but he's a member of the Board of ALDHA, the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Assoc...

Episode #356 - Julia Widmar (Stretcher) from 2023-01-12T08:00

We have one of our younger newly minted thru-hikers today. Julia Widmar was only 20 when she hit the trail last year, though she had learned so much in the previous five years as she looked forw...

Episode #355 - Nick Gagnon (Chezwick) from 2023-01-05T08:00

Nick Gagnon is an elite level hiker. He completed the Great Western Loop in 2022 in under 200 days, a remarkable achievement in that the loop is just shy of 7,000 miles. Virtually by definition,...

Episode #354 - Billy Arthur (Backwards) from 2022-12-29T08:00

Our guest today, Billy Arthur, or Backwards, met and fell in love with another hiker on the AT this year. Billy had wanted to get on the trail since his scouting days, yet he left it until his l...

Episode #353 - Jason Tompkins (Out and About) from 2022-12-22T08:00

Jason Tompkins is our guest today, with his stories about a new long-distance trail; The Carolinian. It's new because he named it, then hiked it this year. Yet that isn't all of Jason's story. H...

Episode #352 - Brittany Rosendahl (Hot Hands) from 2022-12-15T08:00

We're sticking with the Class of 2022 hikers once more, with Brittany Rosendahl–one of my Facebook friends–sharing the story of her hike and what brought her to the trail. She's lived a demandin...

Episode #351 - Samuel Crisp (Shaker) from 2022-12-08T08:00

This week, our guest, Samuel Crisp, is another of the Class of 2022 thru-hikers. His mature approach to the trail, his understanding and treatment of his injuries, and his intentional reflection...

Episode #350 - Frank Dutman (Heineken) from 2022-12-01T08:00

Today, we have a visitor from the Netherlands. Frank Dutman first heard about the trail in some unrelated research back in the late 90s. Since then, he's immersed himself in further research, an...

Episode #349 - Lauren Adamczak (Airbag) from 2022-11-24T08:00

Today's guest, Lauren Adamczak, described herself as "the quiet 30-year-old that never spoke up in groups, often looked down at the ground in public, and wouldn’t dare leave the house in mismatc...

Episode #348 - Stuart Phelps (Puppy Love) from 2022-11-17T08:00

Stuart Phelps, or Puppy Love, is our guest this week. Stuart had set himself a goal to thru-hike the trail when he turned 50, yet, as often happens, the window opened a little earlier and he set...

Episode #347 - Syd Sayward (Bug) from 2022-11-10T08:00

Today's show features a recently successful thru-hiker, and the first of our Mighty Blue Class of 2023. Syd Sayward has wanted to complete the AT since, as a 15-year-old, her athletics coach too...

Episode #346 - Mike Current (Energizer) from 2022-11-03T07:00

Today's guest was a guest on the show at the beginning of 2021, sharing his stories about his PCT thru-hike. He never expected to go again–even though his wife always knew that he would–but ther...

Episode #345 - Tonya Lonsbury (Monarch) from 2022-10-27T07:00

Today's guest recently completed her AT thru-hike and, joyous as she is, she and Steve get into a conversation that celebrates the joy, but also delves into some of the more difficult, but ultim...

Episode #344 - Kristi McLeod Fondren (HQtie) from 2022-10-20T07:00

Dr Kristi McLeod Fondren joins us today to bring an academic's view on hiking. Kristi hiked the PCT over the last couple of years and has combined that love of the outdoors with her work as a Pr...

Episode #343 - Andy Hood from 2022-10-13T07:00

Today's guest, Andy Hood, isn't a hiker. He's a runner, but the story of his recent journey parallels that of many long-distance hikers. It is his backstory that attracted my attention, as well ...

Episode #342 - Hunter Rud (Hunter) from 2022-10-06T07:00

We have another recent thru-hiker today. He is Hunter Rud and, when you hear his story, the Appalachian Trail wasn't on his radar until very recently. But, like many others before him, he became...

Episode #341 - Julieann Hartley (Squirt) from 2022-09-29T07:00

Julieann Hartley is today's guest. She hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2015 and transformed her life. She articulates this so beautifully in our conversation, and you may be a little confused abo...

Episode #340 - TSX Challenge (Part 2) from 2022-09-22T07:00

This week, we have the second and concluding part of my recent 75 mile TSX Challenge hike in California, taking in Mt Whitney as its main highlight.

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Episode #339 - TSX Challenge (Part 1) from 2022-09-15T07:00

As many of you know, I recently fulfilled a long-held ambition to climb Mt Whitney. While I was out on this group-led hike, I could reflect upon what it is to hike in such a wilderness and, on m...

Episode #338 - Clay Bonnyman-Evans (Pony) from 2022-09-08T07:00

Our guest today is Clay Bonnyman-Evans, a friend of the show and a previous guest from our early days. Clay came onto the show in 2017 to talk about his 2016 Appalachian Trail thru-hike. Since t...

Episode #318 - Traci Galyon (Reroute) from 2022-04-14T07:00

Our guest this week is Traci Galyon, or Reroute. Traci's evolution from irregular hiker to thru-hiker is interesting, in that it was her husband Don who was originally intending to hit the AT. I...

Episode #317 - Ken and Allie Dravis (The Praise Team) from 2022-04-07T07:00

Today's guests were known as the Praise Team on the trail, with the purpose of "spreading cheer" on the trail.

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Episode #316 - Ken Good (PTL) from 2022-03-31T07:00

Ken Good is today's guest. Ken took the name PTL (or Praise the Lord) on the Appalachian Trail. If you followed Ken's YouTube channel–Bestill on the Trail–you'll know exactly why!!

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Episode #315 - J. Robert Harris (JR) from 2022-03-24T07:00

We have a wonderful story on the show today. J Robert Harris grew up in New York during the 1960s. His folks realized that the New York streets were no place for a young black man. JR was sent t...

Episode #314 - Bonita Curtner (Mother Goose) from 2022-03-17T07:00

I was introduced to Bonita Curtner, otherwise known as Mother Goose, by a listener. Bonita is something of an overachiever when it comes to racking up hiking miles. She is closing in on 50,000 m...

Episode #313 - Hope Westall (Everest) from 2022-03-10T08:00

Hope Westall is today's guest. Hope is the owner of Alt Route Meals, yet it is her hiking and her traveling that made me want to interview her on the show. But the meals are now a part of Hope's...

Episode #312 - Shepard Smith (Soundscape) from 2022-03-03T08:00

Shep Smith, or Soundscape, had a particular mission when he was on the Appalachian Trail. As a former oceanographer, Shep chose to map the sounds of the trail. He shares a few insights today, al...

Episode #311 - Lee Brackman (General Lee) from 2022-02-24T08:00

I have a wonderful reunion this week, with Lee Brackman, General Lee, from my Class of 2019. Lee and I ran into each other in Virginia and hiked around each other for a few days. Despite that br...

Episode #310 - Kelly Hays (9 Lives) from 2022-02-17T08:00

This week, another intrepid young woman shares her story with us. Kelly Hays, who has developed quite a following on YouTube, hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2021, yet hers was no ordinary hike.<...

Episode #309 - Grant Breidenbach (Detour) from 2022-02-10T08:00

Grant Breidenbach is our guest this week. Grant hiked the John Muir Trail in 2021, his longest backpacking trip to date. But, as you'll hear, his preparation and knowledge base is impressive fro...

Episode #308 - Will Henry (Teaberry) from 2022-02-03T08:00

This week, we have four guests on the show, with Will Henry leading the way. Will tells us about his 1994 Appalachian Trail thru-hike. He also talks about meeting Bill Irwin, the blind hiker who...

Episode #307 - Annmarie Noonan (Vista Seeker) from 2022-01-27T08:00

My guest today is Annmarie Noonan. Annmarie wrote to me recently to tell me about her passion for hiking the Appalachian Trail.

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Episode #306 - Steve Barbour (Trail Dust) from 2022-01-20T08:00

Steve Barbour is the Executive Director of the Sheltowee Trace Association, and our guest this week. Steve hiked the Appalachian Trail in the mid-2000s, and has nearly completed a second section...

Episode #305 - Garrett Tandy (Jive Turkey) from 2022-01-13T08:00

Garrett Tandy is this week's guest, a 2021 flip flopper who finished at Delaware Water Gap in October 2021. He has fresh memories that he shares in a wide-ranging conversation.

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Episode #304 - Michael Dunford (Honeybun) from 2022-01-06T08:00

My guests normally get on the show through listener suggestions, but this week, I found Michael Dunford on Facebook. He received a remarkable letter from a grateful father, and it was Mike's rea...

Episode #303 - Sarah Robison (Serendipity) from 2021-12-30T08:00

Our guest today is Sarah Robison. As you'll hear, she is very reflective about the hike and how it came about, articulating clearly some of her thought processes along the way. Sarah has changed...

Episode #302 - Kyle Stranagan (Huck Finn) from 2021-12-23T08:00

We have another of the newly minted Class of 2021 thru-hikers today. Kyle Stranagan, or Huck Finn, was just as inexperienced as I was when he started his own AT thru-hike last year. Yet, a combi...

Episode #301 - Reta Walton (Fire Goddess) from 2021-12-16T08:00

A few weeks ago, one of our recent guests, Shannon Shaver, connected me to today's guest, Reta Walton. Reta has wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail since she was 13, but, as often happens, life...

Episode #300 - Life Lessons From the Trail from 2021-12-09T08:00

This week is our 300th episode, and we're doing something a little different, including minimal show notes!!

Every guest we've had in the past has shared their impressions, their stories,...

Episode #299 - Shannon Finn (Joy) from 2021-12-02T08:00

Shannon Finn became Joy this year. I followed her on Facebook and appreciated her visceral writing, where she rarely held back if she had something to say, which was often!

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Episode #298 - Gail Muller (Hot Mess Express) from 2021-11-25T08:00

This week's guest, Gail Muller, is another of those unlikely adventurers, whose story is a breathless tale of triumph against a debilitating illness and chronic pain. Gail reveled in the "normal...

Episode #297 - Tom Sherry (Stellar) from 2021-11-18T08:00

Tom Sherry has been on a bit of a tear regarding long-distance hiking over the past few years. His hiking bio is growing quickly, and I took the opportunity to catch up with him after he breezed...

Episode #296 - Lisa P Parker (Tex) from 2021-11-11T08:00

This week's guest is another of those intrepid female hikers who follow their passion and find out what the world has in store for them. Lisa Parker has had a varied career, from teaching to the...

Episode #295 - Rebecca Brackbill (Savage) from 2021-11-04T07:00

When I went out to hike the AT in 2014, I met a breed of woman I'd hardly known existed. These were strong-willed, fiercely independent young women, many of who were vastly more impressive than ...

Episode #294 - Sarah J. Ellison (Sheepdog) from 2021-10-28T07:00

We have another section hiker on the show this week. I recently saw Sarah Ellison's awesome summit picture at the top of Katahdin, joyously capturing the end of a 16-year odyssey that started wh...

Episode #293 - Emanuel&Karen Bravo (Ema el Astronauta&Hungry Marmot) from 2021-10-21T07:00

Our shows come together each week with a kind of serendipitous whimsey. This week's guests, Emanuel and Karen Bravo, wrote to me to share how they had prepared for the Sierras and eventual climb...

Episode #292 - Lord Thomas Bouissaguet (Lord Tom) from 2021-10-14T07:00

You're going to love the story that today's guest is going to tell you. Lord Thomas Bouissaguet is part of a group of French visionaries whose ambition is to bring to reality nothing less than a...

Episode #291 - Shannon Shaver (Feather Blue) from 2021-10-07T07:00

I recently saw a bunch of hikers finish under a banner headline of "Warrior Expeditions," and I was drawn to a black and white summit picture of today's guest, Shannon Shaver.

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Episode #290 - Deb Taylor and Danny Mooney (Sundial and FIIK) from 2021-09-30T07:00

We have a husband and wife section-hiking team on the show today. Deb Taylor and Danny Mooney have done Iron Man races, Triathlons, and Marathons for years, yet Covid cemented and grew a new lov...

Episode #289 - Chris Casado (The Commissioner) from 2021-09-23T07:00

Chris Casado was lucky enough to be taken on a hiking trip in the Sierras at the age of 14 by a teacher who became a good friend. Fast forward 25 or so years, and Chris and his teacher are offer...

Episode #288 - Christian Foster (Bear) from 2021-09-16T07:00

We rarely feature A.T. Southbounders on the show, but this week's guest is halfway through his SOBO hike of the Appalachian Trail. Christian Foster, or Bear, is an insightful young man, gaining ...

Episode #287 - Person Irresponsible (P.I.) from 2021-09-09T07:00

For the Mighty Blue show, it's a bit of a first today. Our guest is Person Irresponsible, or PI, and she is as unlikely a hiker as you've ever met. Yet, with grit and determination–and the fact ...

Episode #286 - Eric Patterson (Wild) from 2021-09-02T07:00

In the show this week, we have one of those guys who has wanted to do the Appalachian Trail for pretty much his entire life. That kinship with the trail and the forest began when he got lost on ...

Episode #285 - Daniel Winsor (Beta) from 2021-08-26T07:00

Today's guest, Daniel Winsor, will make you wonder for his sanity, then marvel at his tenacity. He decided that a hike through the Sierras in snow would be a challenge not to be missed, so set h...

Episode #284 - Josh, Cassie&Harvey Sutton (Hot Hands, Straps, and Little Man) from 2021-08-19T07:00

Another stellar story for you all this week. Josh and Cassie Sutton started a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail back in the middle of January 2021. Apart from the early start, that wouldn't hav...

Episode #283 - Jesse Cody (The Boston Mule) from 2021-08-12T07:00

Jesse Cody had never hiked until he read Bill Bryson's book, "A Walk in the Woods." Something within the book spoke to him, and he saw a thru-hike as a way forward from some of his men...

Episode #282 - Randi Silverman (Founder of the Youth Mental Health Project) from 2021-08-05T07:00

This week's guest is Randi Silverman, the founder of the youth Mental Health Project. I think I can do no better than to replicate the notes that Randi sent me when I asked her about t...

Episode #281 - Richie Holbrook (Walks With Donor) from 2021-07-29T07:00

About ten years ago, you would never have guessed that Richie Holbrook would be taking on the Appalachian Trail. He was in a wheelchair, on oxygen, and with a hopeless pair of lungs. A transplan...

Episode #280 - Vince and Monica Strawbridge (Strawbridge Treks) from 2021-07-22T07:00

Today is the first of four shorter shows, with just one main interview and a few words of commentary from me. With a bit of luck, I'll be out on the John Muir Trail as you're listening to me and...

Episode #279 - Gretchen Pardon (Braids) from 2021-07-15T07:00

We return to the world of YouTube this week, with another interview of a woman who successfully thru-hiked the trail and recorded her experiences along the way. Gretchen Pardon shared her joys, ...

Episode #278 - Jessica Mills (Dixie) and MarDe Brooks from 2021-07-08T07:00

This week, let's welcome a newly minted thru-hiking couple to the show. Jessica Mills (Dixie) and her partner, MarDe Brooks, recently completed the Florida Trail, wading through swamps, bugs, ga...

Episode #277 - Michael Sisemore (Sy) from 2021-07-01T07:00

This week, our guest is Michael Sisemore, better known as Sy. As many people do, Michael hiked the Appalachian Trail when he was at a real crossroads in his life. He had no idea what he'd be doi...

Episode #276 - Steve Nota (Dingo) from 2021-06-24T07:00

This week on the show, we go back to the 'normal" format, with me, Mighty Blue, at the microphone. Ryan is passing back the show having successfully steered it for the past three months. I am et...

Episode #275 - Lisa Speas (Conundrum) from 2021-06-17T07:00

Lisa Speas or "Conundrum" has been long-distance backpacking for many years traversing a variety of trails, the longest of which being the Appalachian Trail. Her AT journey was anything but typi...

Episode #274 - Kera Passante and Bill Welch (Sunny and Always) from 2021-06-10T07:00

We've got a couple of overachievers on the show today. Kera and Bill decided that an Appalachian Trail thru-hike wasn't sufficient to scratch their adventure itch, so they went straight from the...

Episode #273 - M.J. Eberhart (Nimblewill Nomad) from 2021-06-03T07:00

On a beautiful day in the Grayson Highlands, Ryan hikes and sits down with Nimblewill Nomad for a follow-up interview from the last time they spoke on the trail.

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Episode #272 - Jamey Mossengren (Big Red) from 2021-05-27T07:00

While you listen to this, our guest today, Jamey Mossengren, is out on the Pacific Crest Trail with his buddies, The Minnesota Hikings. Jamey and I talk about his 2019 thru-hike of the Appalachi...

Episode #271 - Steve Adams (Mighty Blue) at Trail Days from 2021-05-20T07:00

It was Trail Days in Damascus this past weekend, and Ryan took to opportunity to chat with Steve about the event itself, his books, and his upcoming plans for the JMT.

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Episode #270 - Jim Harrison from 2021-05-13T07:00

Jim Harrison serves as the Director of Outdoor Programs at Emory and Henry College, where he created and oversees the Semester-A-Trail program. The only one of its kind in the country, this prog...

Episode #269 - Will Campbell (Guano Man) on Trail Electronics from 2021-05-06T07:00

Will Campbell "Guano Man" joins the show this week as the first "subject matter expert" to discuss electronics and technology on the trail. With his electrical engineering background, we discuss...

Episode #268 - Lisa and Gordon Simmons (The Hostel Around the Bend) from 2021-04-29T07:00

Lisa and Gordon Simmons are the proud owners of Hostel Around the Bend in Hiawassee, Georgia. The hostel is just half a mile from Dick's Creek Gap (AT Mile 69.2) and this is their first season f...

Episode #267 - Sarah Jane Hatfield (Pringles) from 2021-04-22T07:00

For my show this month, I've returned to the Class of 2019 and a woman I met quite early on. Sarah Jane Hatfield was an outwardly confident hiker, with a YouTube channel and blog for a local new...

Episode #266 - NC Trail Interviews (Nimblewill Nomad and more!!!) from 2021-04-15T07:00

The show this week features interviews from four hikers who Ryan was able to meet with at Rock Gap in North Carolina, mile 105.8 on the Appalachian Trail. All four interviews offer different per...

Episode #265 - Zach Hoopes (Relish) from 2021-04-08T07:00

Originally from Virginia, Zach Hoops has gone all-in with long-distance and ultralight backpacking. After discovering his love for hiking and honing his craft on sections of the AT, he went on t...

Episode #264 - Cass Bridges (Nova) from 2021-04-01T07:00

Cass Bridges hails from North Georgia and spent a few seasons working at the historic Mountain Crossings before taking on a thru-hike attempt of her own in 2020.

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Episode #263 - Zach Nagy (Just Awesome) from 2021-03-25T07:00

Zach Nagy was introduced to hiking and car camping as a kid but a life in the rock business–working with Joan Jett–took him down another path until he met a woman from CT who reintroduced him to...

Episode #262 - Rue Mckenrick from 2021-03-18T07:00

Self-described "Complete Nature Boy," Rue McKenrick is today's guest. He takes us on a journey around the American Perimeter Trail. It was Rue's vision that spawned the idea and he is the one wh...

Episode #261 - Ray Kroebl (Sparky) from 2021-03-11T08:00

I hadn't noticed how many of my fellow members of the Class of 2019 I'd had on the show until I spoke with Ray Kroebl, or Sparky. Ray is Swiss and, while we never met on the trail, we did hike j...

Episode #260 - Juliana Chauncey (Chaunce) from 2021-03-04T08:00

It's one of our longest ever shows today, with three guests and my book reading. First up, Juliana Chauncey, a fellow member of the Class of 2019, and a fellow podcaster (with Zach Davis on Back...

Episode #259 - Brittany Briley (Mooney) from 2021-02-25T08:00

Brittany Briley's smile lit up the trail in 2019, and we first met at Woods Hole Hostel. A nurse by training, she felt that the time was right to take a break in her early 30s and hiked the Appa...

Episode #258 - Joseph Barnett (Subway Gramps) from 2021-02-18T08:00

Joseph Barnett had quite the adventure hiking the Appalachian Trail during the latter half of 2019 and the first half of 2020. He faced a bunch of problems, took days off regularly to explore th...

Episode #257 - Dan Gosmeyer (Shoeless) from 2021-02-11T08:00

We have another of my Class of 2019 brothers on the show today. I met Dan Gosmeyer pretty early on the trail and recall his quiet determination but, with a tiny hiking budget, I had doubts he'd ...

Episode #256 - Caroll Coyne (Cheer) from 2021-02-04T08:00

Today's guest is another whose thru-hike was the Pacific Crest Trail, yet Caroll Coyne has lessons–and solutions–that are universal to all long-distance trails. In her early 30s, she quit a well...

Episode #255 - Erik Russell (Lars) from 2021-01-28T08:00

We have a couple of interesting topics on the show this week. Our first guest, Erik Russell, wrote to me to convey a notable if somewhat jarring, incident that he witnessed while hiking the AT i...

Episode #254 - Tina Tempest (Chunky) from 2021-01-21T08:00

It's lovely to interview somebody you've met and spent time with before. So I was delighted when Tina Tempest agreed to come on the show and share what happened during her 2009 SOBO hike of the ...

Episode #253 - Reid Marshall and Marina Santiago (Wombat and Brown-Eyed Girl) from 2021-01-14T08:00

This week, we feature a couple who met on the trail in 2019 and have been a couple ever since. Reid Marshall and Marina Santiago are, however, locationally challenged, as Reid is in Australia an...

Episode #252 - Mike Current (Energizer) from 2021-01-07T08:00

We normally focus on the Appalachian Trail, but this week, we're moving across the country to share the hike of Mike Current on the Pacific Crest Trail. Mike's YouTube channel provides a thought...

Episode #251 - Steve Yale (Walmart 2021) from 2020-12-31T08:00

We're back to our three-segment show this week, with Steve Yale, or Walmart 2021, as our principal guest. Steve got his name when he first hiked the AT in pretty much all-Walmart gear. He has si...

Episode #250 - Trevor Hendry (Bear) from 2020-12-24T08:00

It's a shorter show today, though I think the content is as compelling as ever. This week's guest is Trevor Hendry, or Bear. Trevor's 2020 thru-hike presented him (and his fellow hikers) with un...

Episode #249 - Matthew Norman (Odie) from 2020-12-17T08:00

We've got an old friend on the show today. Matthew "Odie" Norman is one of those good people of the trail. He lives it, he breathes it, and he shares it, with his Hiker Yearbook that reconnects ...

Episode #248 - Larry Knight (McGyver) from 2020-12-10T08:00

This week, Larry Knight shares his Appalachian Trail thru-hike story. It was never really a bucket list item for Larry but, as often happened, a confluence of events culminated in Larry finding ...

Episode #247 - Stephanie Logan Hall (Puffin) from 2020-12-03T08:00

Another really full show this week, with four segments. First up, there is a recently minted thru-hiker, Stephanie Logan Hall, who completed her SOBO hike on November 19. I was particularly keen...

Episode #246 - Matthew Emerson (Prada G) from 2020-11-26T11:21:38

We have a story today of a young man who walked away from a life of extreme poverty to find himself (literally) on the Appalachian Trail. Matthew Emerson's story is now a book, and his visceral ...

Episode #245 - Alan Carpenter from 2020-11-19T08:00

Another full show today, with Alan Carpenter taking up long-distance hiking in his 60s and still going today, well into his 70s.

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Episode #244 - Julia Sheehan (Rocket) from 2020-11-12T08:00

It's a slightly shorter show this week, with Laura Sheehan, or Rocket, as our principal guest. Julia was a member of my last AT class; the Class of 2019. We never met on the trail, but I was mad...

Episode #243 - Dan Schoenthal (Tremor) from 2020-11-05T08:00

This week's guest, Dan Schoenthal, is an unlikely thru-hiker. He suffers from Parkinson's Disease and, as you'll learn, he has pushed through this impediment, getting an impressive start on the ...

Episode #242 - Jillian and Logan Ivey (The Purple People) from 2020-10-29T07:00

Anybody who shared the trail with me last year must have heard of the Purple People. They seemed to be ubiquitous, turning up night after night at hostels, shelters, and homes to play their own ...

Episode #241 - Rob Landry (Fly by Night) from 2020-10-22T07:00

I first met Rob Landry (virtually) when he reached out partway through his 2020 thru-hike attempt. He was thinking about writing the book of hiking during a pandemic and wanted a little publishi...

Episode #240 - Woods Hole Hostel Retreat from 2020-10-15T07:00

We've got a bit of a departure from our normal set up today. Instead of a particular hiker, I've got a disparate collection of characters who attended our inaugural Woods Hole Retreat a couple o...

Episode #239 - Pat Stith (Lucky) from 2020-10-08T07:00

We have another of our vintage hikers on the show today. Pat Stith didn't get started with his hiking until he was in his early 60s, yet he's certainly made up for lost time in the interim. Now ...

Episode #238 - Briana and Cambyr Sullivan (Chickweed and Kaleidoscope) from 2020-10-01T07:00

Another couple of 2020 Appalachian Trail thru-hikers this week, with Briana and Cambyr Sullivan, a mother and daughter duo who recently completed the trail. Significantly, Cambyr turned 14 on th...

Episode #237 - Bill Tickner (Mr President) from 2020-09-24T07:00

Bill Tickner, or Mr. President, is a hiker we've been following for some weeks now. When he wanted to respond to the points made by Sandi Marra from the ATC in last week's show, I realized that ...

Episode #236 - Sandi Marra (President and CEO of the ATC) from 2020-09-17T07:00

This week, we have Sandi Marra on the show. Sandi is the President and CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and has had to make some tough decisions during the 2020 hiking season. With a lon...

Episode #235 - Ryan Schlosser (YearBook) from 2020-09-10T07:00

I was first contacted by today's guest, Ryan Schlosser, when he was preparing for his 2020 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail earlier this year. Ryan's mother is a friend of my friend and hiking...

Episode #234 - Dave Fleischman (J.I.F.) from 2020-09-03T07:00

We've got a guy this week who has spent his life hiking and giving back to both the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails. Dave Fleischman has spent time over the past 25 years maintaining both t...

Episode #233 - Sally Brooks (Not Yet) from 2020-08-27T07:00

Today we have a comedian, a writer, and a podcaster, but, as you'll learn, she is also an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker. Sally Brooks has a compelling story that appealed to me the moment we star...

Episode #232 - Craig Fowler (Scatman) from 2020-08-20T07:00

This week we have a serious overachiever on the show. Craig "Scatman" Fowler finished the Triple Crown of hiking and looked around to find something else.

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Episode #231 - Barney Mann (Scout) from 2020-08-13T07:00

Another terrific show today, with Barney "Scout" Mann sharing his story as a lifelong hiker, a Triple Crowner, and the Ultimate Trail Angel of the Pacific Crest Trail. He started his journey as ...

Episode #230 - Amber Heuisler (Wheezy) from 2020-08-06T07:00

Amber Heuisler, or Wheezy, came to my attention recently on Facebook. Her proud boast of walking 200 miles on the AT may not seem to be so much of a cause for celebration but, as she explains, i...

Episode #229 - Lily Gelfars from 2020-07-30T07:00

This is a long show!!

First off, we have Lily Gelfars, a listener who wanted to express her opinion regarding hiking in 2020. She brings some personal experience to her views, having deci...

Episode #228 - Brian Bell (Brother Bear) from 2020-07-23T07:00

Brian Bell has shaped his life to enable him to spend as much time as he can in the outdoors. He looked for a local trail club to see if he could help, then volunteered more and more until he to...

Episode #227 - Molly Rhoads (Shark Tooth) from 2020-07-16T07:00

I met Molly Rhoads in 2019 when she was hiking with my buddy, Nate Stockton. The two of them were a well-suited odd couple. Nate has retired from the military and is in his 40s, while Molly look...

Episode #226 - Chris Pirrello (Cookie Monster) from 2020-07-09T07:00

We've got a really well-traveled guest on the show today. Chris Pirrello has led a somewhat nomadic lifestyle, with a fourteen-month trip around the world at the start of the 21st Century, follo...

Episode #225 - Keith Foskett (Fozzie) from 2020-07-02T07:00

We've got quite the show today, coming in at over 90 minutes. There's something for everybody, with Keith Foskett, one of the best writers on hiking, sharing his stories and hikes with wit and i...

Episode #224 - JC Van Etten (Catmando) from 2020-06-25T07:00

This week, we have JC Van Etten, or Catmando. Not only did JC recently win our six-book giveaway, but he was also part of the very tight "tramily" that Togs and Lucky referred to a few weeks ago...

Episode #223 - Eric and Jessica Matos (Toast and Jammz) from 2020-06-18T07:00

I think that this is the longest show we've ever had!! Our main guests are Eric and Jessica Matos, or Toast and Jammz. They were introduced to me by Jester, from the Jester Section Hiker podcast...

Episode #222 - Marissa Neel (The Executioner) from 2020-06-11T07:00

It's an all-woman show today, with Marissa Neel, the Executioner, as our main guest. She has a very funny, brutally honest YouTube channel, and is exactly the same person in our conversation. Listen

Episode #221 - Carolyn Walker and Gordon Yhap (Lucky 59 and Pepperpot) from 2020-06-04T07:00

Carolyn Walker and Gordon Yhap are now thru-hikers. When you hear their story, you may well wonder "How did they do it?" This conversation should shake up any pre-conceived ideas you may have ab...

Episode #220 - Luke Jordan (Strider) from 2020-05-28T07:00

We're not so focused on the AT this week, with Luke "Strider" Jordan taking on some of the wilder American trails. His first thru-hike was the 4600 mile North Country Trail, and he became the Ea...

Episode #219 - Natalie Wood and Grady Thompson (Togs and Lucky) from 2020-05-21T07:00

This week's guests met as members of the Class of 2019–my year, even though we never met–and they have been together pretty much ever since.

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Episode #218 - Bobby O'Donnell (Handyman) from 2020-05-14T07:00

We've got another terrific show today, with Bobby O'Donnell, a listener, providing our main conversation. Bobby and I discuss a pivotal moment in his life that led him to marathons on seven cont...

Episode #217 - Sarah Jones Decker (Harvest) from 2020-05-07T07:00

This week, we have a book theme in the show, with a giveaway of six signed books. The principal guest is Sarah Jones Decker, or Harvest, who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2008, but that wa...

Episode #216 - Steve Ortiz (Survivor) from 2020-04-30T07:00

This week, our guest is a listener who is also a LASHer, a long-ass section hiker. His name is Steve Ortiz or Survivor. His trail name gives away that the mere fact that he is hiking the Appalac...

Episode #215 - Paul Curtin (Magnum) from 2020-04-23T07:00

With the trails now quieter than they've probably ever been at this time of year, it seems appropriate somehow that we should have a trail maintainer AND thru-hiker as our main guest this week. ...

Episode #214 - James Brinkman (Snickers) from 2020-04-16T07:00

Today we meet James Brinkman or Snickers. James, like me, was a member of the Class of 2019. Indeed, we met and had dinner in Erwin TN on our respective hikes. James' journey to the trail was so...

Episode #213 - Melissa Goodwin (Click) from 2020-04-09T07:00

Our main guest today is Melissa “Click!” Goodwin, a licensed outdoor guide and photographer. She is the founder of Girl Gotta Hike, which connects women with nature, confidence, and camaraderie,...

Episode #212 - Paul Collins (Skunkape) from 2020-04-02T07:00

Plenty to get your teeth into today. Our main guest is Paul "Skunkape" Collins, a man who took on the Appalachian Trail in 2012 and has missed it every day since.

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Episode #211 - Cari Pattison (Sprout) from 2020-03-26T07:00

We have another pastor on the show today. Cari Pattison is a member of the Class of 2019 (as am I) and she tells the story of her hike as it unfolded last year. She had planned a return to the t...

Episode #210 - Aaron and BG Turner PLUS Heather "Brave" Sloan from 2020-03-19T07:00

This is a special show that takes in the Corona Virus and its implications for hikers, as well as a father and son pair of pastors preparing to hike the Appalachian Trail.

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Episode #209 - Paul Stutzman (Apostle) from 2020-03-12T07:00

This week, now that we've finished reading his book Hiking Through, Paul Stutzman shares with us his hiking and personal journeys. We've learned about his AT trip and I wanted to know what happe...

Episode #208 - Chloë de Camara (Vulture) from 2020-03-05T08:00

We first met Chloë de Camara a few weeks ago on the show, informing us about the critical Leave No Trace principles and, in a follow-up conversation, it was clear that Chloë had her own Appalach...

Episode #207 - Aaron Owens Mayhew (Sling) from 2020-02-27T08:00

Aaron Owens Mayhew, MS, RDN, CD is a registered dietitian, ultralight long-distance backpacker, and backpacking food cookbook author. Aaron has worked in the field of nutrition for nineteen year...

Episode #206 - Brant Bazner (Brant and Garvey) from 2020-02-20T08:00

Our guest today, Brant Bazner, lives in the iconic trail town of Damascus. He moved there to be near the trail and has now been hiking on the AT for several years, mainly with his dog, Garvey. Listen

Episode #205 - Derick Lugo (Mr Fabulous) from 2020-02-13T08:00

It's a fabulous show this week, not least because we have Mr. Fabulous, or Derick Lugo, as the main guest. Derick hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2012 and has earned himself a reputation as a spe...

Episode #204 - Rory Anderson (Bigfoot) from 2020-02-06T08:00

A packed show this week, with about 90 minutes of goodness!!

Rory Anderson, or Bigfoot, is this week's main guest. Rory is an accomplished hiker, having completed the Appalachian Trail in...

Episode #203 - Neville Harris of Woods Hole Hostel from 2020-01-30T08:00

We're almost at the end of my series on hostels, so Neville Harris, the owner of my favorite hostel on the trail, Woods Hole, was a great person to chat with. The interview took me in an entirel...

Episode #202 - Silvia Cassano (Momma Sil) from 2020-01-23T08:00

This interview with Silvia Cassano was recorded nearly a year ago, but I've only just recovered it. Silvia is a "Trail Angel" referred to by a previous guest, yet she has so much more to offer t...

Episode #201 - Craig Mains (Hawk) from 2020-01-16T08:00

Another great show today, with a guy who is clearly in love with hiking and particularly the Appalachian Trail. Craig "Hawk" Mains has been this way before but, with his THIRD thru-hike, he was ...

Episode #200 - Sara Spittel (Cushy Life) from 2020-01-09T08:00

I've met many extraordinary women on the trail but few who have left as deep an impression as Sara Spittel, or Cushy Life. Cushy was the Queen Bee of our little tramily in 2019, with both Trigge...

Episode #199 - Kimberly Brookshire (Legs) from 2020-01-02T08:00

While we normally focus on Appalachian Trail thru-hikers, Kimberly Brookshire's story was too good to miss. She had spent the early part of her career in fashion and wanted to experience somethi...

Episode #198 - Willow Bolton (Angel) from 2019-12-26T08:00

With all the problems that one may encounter on the Appalachian Trail, Willow Bolton decided that highlighting her disability (something that she refers to as a blessing) would be a good way to ...

Episode #197 - Dave Braunlich (Seventy) from 2019-12-19T08:00

Dave Braunlich gave himself a tough task when he considered hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2019. He needed to fit in the trail AND keep his job. For this reason, his daily mileage had to be mor...

Episode #196 - Andrew Haverstick (Gandalf) from 2019-12-12T08:00

When Andrew Haverstick reached out to me recently telling me that he had a story to share, I called and listened to his story. Our subsequent conversation turned into one of the most poignant in...

Episode #195 - Colleen and Julianne Davis (Peaches and Woodstock) from 2019-12-05T08:00

I met Peaches and Woodstock in Maine when I was heading north earlier this year. They are listeners to the show and Julianne introduced herself, asking me to say hi to her Mom, Colleen, who was ...

Episode #194 - Jessie Crawford (Supergirl) from 2019-11-28T08:00

When Jessie Crawford had a drink with Stylez, a friend of mine from the Class of 2014, they discussed post-trail life and "how weird the transition is." When she got into contact I knew that she...

Episode #193 - Rob and Gavin Duncan (Waffle and Hawkeye) from 2019-11-21T08:00

I first heard of Rob and Gavin on the trail when Rob's wife, Beth, wrote to me in May to tell me about their journey. The family had been listening to the podcast for some time as they prepared ...

Episode #192 - Jess Jordan (Yalla) from 2019-11-14T08:00

When we met Yalla on our thru-hike earlier this year, Trigger and I were immediately drawn to her as a person but it was her name that stuck with us for the rest of our journey.

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Episode #191 - Darrell and Alicia Brimberry (Next Step and Which Way) from 2019-11-07T08:00

When Darrell and Alicia set out to hike the AT in 2018 they assumed that they would hike the whole way together. It didn't work out that way and, as a result, they have different perspectives of...

Episode #190 - Sahada Buckley and Luke Runels (Cloud and Leaf) from 2019-10-31T07:00

We've had a variety of guests on the show over the past three years but I'm pretty confident that no guest (or guests) has ever been as laid back about their journey as Sahada Buckley and Luke R...

Episode #189 - Julie Obear and Barry King (Boston and Cubby) from 2019-10-24T07:00

Boston and Cubby have been long-distance hiking for nearly 15 years, having started with the Appalachian Trail in 2005. During that time they have completed the Triple Crown, climbed Mt Kilimanj...

Episode #188 - Dianne Seger (Lady Di) from 2019-10-17T07:00

Lady Di was part of one of my earlier "tramilies." We spent quite a bit of time together around Fontana Dam and the Smokies but were separated after that. She was yet another example of a fierce...

Episode #187 - Jason Elwood (Bamboo) from 2019-10-10T07:00

I met Jason and his friends in 2014. They were on the trail helping other hikers while achieving their own hiking goals at the same time. I don't believe that I quite understood how much their j...

Episode #186 - Tammy and Curt Fackler (Lolli and Pop) from 2019-10-03T07:00

With an empty nest, sufficient money, and plenty of time on their hands, Curt and Tammy Fackler decided to drastically downsize. They sold their home and gave away most of their belongings befor...

Episode #185 - Mike Colburn (Bassman) from 2019-09-26T07:00

Mike Colburn started his years-long section thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail during the last century. While he never intended to complete the trail in sections, it wasn't until the earlier yea...

Episode #184 - Olivia Miller Bakke (Mama Lion) from 2019-09-19T07:00

When you finish the Appalachian Trail, your mind is in a bit of a whirl. You can't fully articulate your thoughts and, really, those thoughts mature over time. I wanted to capture the thoughts o...

Episode #183 - Bob Curran (Trigger) from 2019-09-12T07:00

When I met Bob Curran in the Grayson Highlands, I could never have imagined that he and I would end up at the top of Mt Katahdin together, some 1700 miles later. We came together by accident and...

Episode #182 - Appalachian Trail (Debrief) from 2019-09-05T07:00

• Now that I've returned to Florida and had a week off from the podcast, I felt ready to answer a few questions from listeners. There turned out to be so many of them that I had a good frien...
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Episode #181 - Appalachian Trail (Day 179) from 2019-08-24T08:08:03

I wanted to share my last day on the trail with you all. The sound is often distorted through wind and even our paces. That said, I hope you gather from the show my enthusiasm and del...

Episode #180 - Appalachian Trail (Days 175 to 178) from 2019-08-23T06:16:43

With the worst mountains in the 100 Mile Wilderness begins us, Trigger and I had to put in some long days to meet our goal of summiting Katahdin by Friday.

The rocks...

Episode #179 - Appalachian Trail (Days 172 to 174) from 2019-08-22T06:45:07

Given how lucky we’ve been with the weather so far, I suppose it was only inevitable that the 100 Mile Wilderness gave us four straight days of rain.

Rocks and roots...

Episode #178 - Appalachian Trail (Days 168 to 171) from 2019-08-16T01:07:07

We’ve covered a lot of ground to get here and are now in Monson, ready to hit the 100 Mile Wilderness.

The path here hasn’t always been straight (or even northbound)...

Episode #177 - Appalachian Trail (Days 164 to 167) from 2019-08-13T07:00

Slackpacking the tougher mountains has been a feature of these past four days.

With the Saddlebacks, the Crocker’s, then the stunningly beautiful Bigelows, we’ve bee...

Episode #176 - Appalachian Trail (Days 161 to 163) from 2019-08-12T01:54:44

It’s been a while (again).  We’re making progress but the miles are taking their toll and I’m often too tired at the end of the day to reco...

Episode #175 - Appalachian Trail (Days 158 to 160) from 2019-08-06T18:59:55

My first, faltering days back from illness led me to Mahoosuc Notch on Day 3. To be frank, I think that I should have stayed another day or two with Gary and Cathy as I clearly wasn’t...

Episode #174 - Appalachian Trail (Days 153 to 157) from 2019-08-02T07:00

In a marked contrast to yesterday’s show, this one is a little bit of a doom and gloom episode, with those earlier doubts all coming back to haunt me as I come down with an infection....

Episode #173 - Appalachian Trail (Days 149 to 152) from 2019-08-01T18:10:54

With four days of glorious weather forecast, we couldn’t wait to get stuck into Franconia Ridge and the Presidential Range, highlighted by summiting Mt Washington.

W...

Episode #172 - Appalachian Trail (Days 146 to 148) from 2019-07-24T07:00

With Cushy back in the fold, we’re finding more ways to do this hike. Having done Moosilauke, we had to fill in our ten-mile gap AFTER the British Open. We worked it out.

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Episode #171 - Appalachian Trail (Days 143 to 145) from 2019-07-23T19:45:43

We’re in New Hampshire and starting to put together our highlight reel. We’ve also run into an old friend and teamed up again.

The trail has already lived up to expe...

Episode #170 - Appalachian Trail (Days 137 to 142) from 2019-07-17T20:42:26

Trigger and I have been separated and are now reunited. I definitely hike better with him!

Vermont has been great training for our upcoming adventures in the Whites ...

Episode #169 - Appalachian Trail (Days 131 to 136) from 2019-07-11T21:56

Vermont has provided us with mud, mozzies, and views from the top of mountains.

We’ve been hiking for 20 straight days and I took the decision to take a zero, splitt...

Episode #168 - Appalachian Trail (Days 127 to 130) from 2019-07-06T01:04:27

We’ve had visitors this week. One had a shirt for me while Trigger’s boys drove 16 hours to hike seven miles with us.

The heat in New England has been stifling and c...

Episode #167 - Appalachian Trail (Days 123 to 126) from 2019-07-02T03:10:27

Still pushing on and now into Massachusetts and past 1550 miles.

We’re managing our reduced mileage and taking several breaks during the day is helping us conserve o...

Episode #166 - Appalachian Trail (Days 120 to 122) from 2019-06-28T12:05:15

With two-thirds of the trail under our feet, the humidity and heat has cranked up to shorten our days. We still aim to finish in the last week of August, but we can see a tougher prof...

Episode #165 - Appalachian Trail (Days 115 to 119) from 2019-06-25T03:52:07

I had a brief day of doubt this week as my body appeared to rebel about the miles I was doing. I soon got over it but even wondered if Lyme Disease was a possibility.

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Episode #164 - Appalachian Trail (Days 112 to 114) from 2019-06-20T20:31:36

We’ve been incredibly lucky with our management of rain so far but, as with all things, this, too, shall end.

The rain is upon us and making the New York rocks slick...

Episode #163 - Appalachian Trail (Days 109 to 111) from 2019-06-17T00:08:22

Old friends reunited and new friends met. The trail continues to provide us with serendipitous moments that are the real Trail Magic.

Sharing the trail with Trigger,...

Episode #162 - Appalachian Trail (Days 106 to 108) from 2019-06-16T02:56:37

Pennsylvania has claimed another couple of victims; Trigger and I are VERY glad that it is over.

Our feet and shoes have suffered from the sharpness of the rocks and...

Episode #161 - Appalachian Trail (Days 103 to 105) from 2019-06-10T21:20:26

Rocks, rocks, and more rocks have made our days tougher but, somewhat perversely, longer and further.

We’re taking a zero right now but have racked up an average of ...

Episode #160 - Appalachian Trail (Days 101 to 102) from 2019-06-08T02:20:54

Just two days today, with a 35-mile hike into the precipitous descent into Port Clinton.

Trigger and I are still together and, as you can see, he has reached for his...

Episode #159 - Appalachian Trail (Days 97 to 100) from 2019-06-05T23:17:51

We’ve had a productive few days, including the longest day I’ve ever done on the AT.

Trigger and I are currently a 2-person “tramily” as Cushy and Dodger Dog are a d...

Episode #158 - Appalachian Trail (Days 94 to 96) from 2019-06-01T22:14:27

With the tramily now down to two of us, Trigger and I have made steady progress in Pennsylvania. The Mason Dixon Line, the halfway point, and the 1100 mile marker were all passed in q...

Episode #157 - Appalachian Trail (Days 91 to 93) from 2019-05-30T10:49:20

The past three days have taken us through Maryland to the edge of Pennsylvania. It didn’t turn out to be the easy state I’d remembered.

We were honored to have the c...

Episode #156 - Appalachian Trail (Days 87 to 90) from 2019-05-26T20:44:51

We’ve made it to Harpers Ferry, the traditional halfway point. I’m tired, sore, and feel accomplished.

The tramily is starting to break up, a natural progression as ...

Episode #155 - Appalachian Trail (Days 84 to 86) from 2019-05-26T18:35:39

We’ve finished with Shenandoah National Park. It turned out to be a great place that we all thoroughly enjoyed.

With Ugh leaving for Trail Days, our little group has...

Episode #154 - Appalachian Trail (Days 78 to 83) from 2019-05-20T00:57:09

It has been a wonderful six days with the Shenandoah National Park as the backdrop.

I’ve been gobsmacked (wonderful English expression) by the kindness of others, wi...

Episode #153 - Appalachian Trail (Days 74 to 77) from 2019-05-15T02:38:25

Four days of SOBO and NOBO hiking, with RTK joining us for a couple of very wet, quite testing days.

We learn about the attacks and the trail has become a sadder pla...

Episode #152 - Appalachian Trail (RTK interviews Mighty Blue) from 2019-05-14T21:31:14

Bruce Matson (RTK) asks Mighty Blue listeners’ questions, with subjects ranging from interesting characters, food, a comparison between his two AT hikes to lessons learned.

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Episode #151 - Appalachian Trail (Days 68 to 73) from 2019-05-10T02:50:38

The forest is greening up rapidly. Our team is still together but issues are arising. Not between the four of us but in our own physical frailties that this hike examines.

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Episode #150 - Appalachian Trail (Days 65 to 67) from 2019-05-04T19:43:12

It has been an epic few days, with the Virginia Triple Crown of Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs now behind us.

Once more, new and old friends have sha...

Episode #149 - Appalachian Trail (Days 60 to 64) from 2019-05-01T21:18:05

A week with a new Tramily. It has been fun to hike with Ugh, Cushy Life, and Trigger for the past few days. I’ve been upping my miles to keep up with them but they’ve kept me honest a...

Episode #148 - Appalachian Trail (Days 56 to 59) from 2019-04-25T22:44:46

Every night in the woods this time. After publishing the last show at Chestnut Knob Shelter I’ve made it the 55 miles to Woods Hole Hostel.

Characters are becoming f...

Episode #147 - Appalachian Trail (Days 52 to 55) from 2019-04-22T14:57:02

I’ve spent the past four days hiking with my Buddy, Clay Bonnyman Evans. I trimmed back the mileage but have continued to feel better and better as I hiked.

We even ...

Episode #146 - Appalachian Trail (Days 47 to 51) from 2019-04-19T00:39:17

Three hard hiking days out of Damascus proved the perfect antidote to two days lying on my bed watching sport on TV. I was lucky enough to address some students studying the Appalachi...

Episode #145 - Appalachian Trail (Days 43 to 46) from 2019-04-13T00:24:05

It’s been an exhausting few days and my body is telling me to rest. I’m taking a double zero in Damascus, though I’m still getting in some good mileage days. I’ve visited a couple of ...

Episode #144 - Appalachian Trail (Days 40 to 42) from 2019-04-09T00:49:55

Another diverse few days, with tiredness, bailouts, glorious views, wonderful people, and poignant stories filling my days.

From a sun-filled Carvers Gap I crossed t...

Episode #143 - Appalachian Trail (Days 36 to 39) from 2019-04-06T12:09:46

More miles and experiences under his belt, Steve is planning ahead to ensure that he extracts the best parts of his hike when the weather is cooperating.

He has met ...

Episode #142 - Appalachian Trail (Days 32 to 35) from 2019-04-01T23:15:57

Another great few days, with weather extremes influencing the hike. Eventually, Steve learned–yet again–the importance of hiking your own hike.

He has put in some fa...

Episode #141 - Appalachian Trail (Days 29 to 31) from 2019-03-28T23:36:14

A short few days and a cloudy Max Patch. Getting the mileage up to 14s and 15s but still feeling tired, either through lack of sleep, lack of food, or both.

Now in b...

Episode #140 - Appalachian Trail (Days 24 to 28) from 2019-03-25T20:12:01

This is the Smokies Part II episode. With five days the cover the mileage may seem unimpressive. However, within those five days, there are two “nearos” and a “zero.”

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Episode #139 - Appalachian Trail (Days 20 to 23) from 2019-03-21T12:28:31

It’s Smokies Week on the show and plenty of uphills on the way to Clingmans Dome. I became part of, and lost, my first tramily, and loved my time with them.

I also m...

Episode #138 - Appalachian Trail (Days Seventeen to Nineteen) from 2019-03-17T02:35:05

Another few days with varying fortunes. The week started disastrously with the loss of a vital piece of equipment. The views continued to make the heart fly and the Smoky Mountain got...

Episode #137 - Appalachian Trail (Days Fourteen to Sixteen) from 2019-03-14T05:15:15

Another three-day stint between stops in town took Steve from Franklin to Nantahala Outdoor Center. Before he even left Franklin, however, he started with one of the finest breakfasts...

Episode #136 - Appalachian Trail (Days Ten to Thirteen) from 2019-03-11T05:17:29

The trail has been testing this past four days. Steve left Dick’s Creek Gap last Thursday morning and has now reached Franklin NC after three nights in the woods. 48 hours of rain and...

Episode #135 - Appalachian Trail (Days Seven to Nine) from 2019-03-07T01:54:18

It has been an emotional three days for Steve as he faced up to his first real adversity. He knew it would happen, he was even expecting it, yet his emotional reaction took even Steve...

Episode #134 - Appalachian Trail (Days Four to Six) from 2019-03-03T23:41:41

Now six days in, Steve is getting into something of a rhythm. His toes are hurting a little, though nothing too serious.

He is constantly on the lookout for individu...

Episode #133 - Appalachian Trail (Days One to Three) from 2019-03-01T12:00

Steve is on his way and trying to adjust to his new lifestyle. So far, he has kept to the schedule he gave himself and finished day three in Suches.

It has brought b...

Episode #132 - Megan Dolman (Giggles) and Mark Bychowski (Pepperjack) from 2019-02-21T08:00

When Megan (from the UK) and Mark (an American) started their respective hikes on March 5, 2018, neither could have imagined how their lives were about to change. They met that first day–Megan w...

Episode #131 - Suzanne Dixon (Irish Fire) from 2019-02-14T08:00

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is THE critical component in a healthy trail for hikers, both now and for the future. Suzanne Dixon is the President and CEO of the ATC and in this w...

Episode #130 - Paul Maguire (Irish Paul) from 2019-02-07T08:00

As soon as I started speaking with Paul Maguire I knew we'd get on well. He has that cheeky Irish lilt to his voice with a smile just under the surface, ready to make an appearance at a moment's...

Episode #129 - Lea Ann Hogan and Lotta Anvret from 2019-01-31T08:00

Another two members of the Mighty Blue Class of 2019 this week. Lea Ann Hogan and Lotta Anvret have given to others all their lives. They are a nurse and a special needs teacher respectively and...

Episode #128 - Tyler Lau (The Prodigy) from 2019-01-24T08:00

The awesome Tyler Lau is a man on a mission. Not only has he completed a Calendar Year Triple Crown, but he is also working for more diversity on the trails of America. An Asian American, he vol...

Episode #127 - Randy Forest (PT) from 2019-01-17T08:06:46

When Randy Forrest reached out to me so that he could tell his own story of hiking the Appalachian Trail as a member of the Class of 2018, I knew straight away that I'd found a man changed by th...

Episode #126 - Dawanna Blue (Sally Forth) from 2019-01-10T08:00

Dawanna Blue is a self-confessed high-maintenance hiker. She is a member of the Class of 2018 and her hike was five years in the making. Having arrived at the trail, she soon discovered that she...

Episode #125 - Dan Harris (Scars) from 2019-01-03T08:00

Dan Harris spent many years in the CIA, little suspecting that he'd one day use those problem-solving skills to take on a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. He has battled cancer and stood at S...

Episode #124 - Greg Behrens (GBolt) from 2018-12-27T08:00

One of our sister shows on the Hiking Radio Network, Returning to Katahdin, featured Bruce Matson's successful attempt to fulfill his 44-year dream of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Greg Beh...

Episode #123 - Jessie Greger (Pipes) from 2018-12-20T08:00

Choosing what to eat on the trail normally ends in Snickers, ramen noodles, or pasta and rice sides. While these certainly give you instant energy, the long- and even some of the short-term effe...

Episode #122 - Michael Duncan (Crispy) from 2018-12-13T08:00

Michael Duncan completed his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2017. Since the time he touched the brown sign on the top of Katahdin, the sadness of that moment has never left him. By that, ...

Episode #121 - Dave Paumen (CBiscuit) from 2018-12-06T08:00

I interviewed Dave Paumen at 5:30 in the morning as he was about to enter the 100 Mile Wilderness. I was struck by his calm intelligence and his story. A Vietnam Veteran, he had demonstrated a c...

Episode #120 - Nate Stockton (Turd Ferguson) from 2018-11-29T08:00

As I'll be hiking the AT myself in 2019, I won't be able to follow one hiker as closely as I did with Jessa in 2017 and Bruce this year in the Returning to Katahdin podcast. So, in an effort to ...

Episode #119 - Darwin from 2018-11-22T08:00

Darwin is a relatively new thru-hiker, having hit and completed the Appalachian Trail in 2015. Yet his YouTube channel is hugely popular, with over 135,000 subscribers at the time of writing. Hi...

Episode #118 - Stephanie Lorenze (Sunshine) from 2018-11-15T10:02:11

For many people, hiking the Appalachian Trail is the culmination of a lifelong dream. There may be issues that they don't want to face, they may be grieving the loss of somebody. For many, the t...

Episode #117 - Camino De Santiago (Days Thirty-one to Thirty-three) from 2018-11-12T08:00

With just two days and about 32 miles left, Steve and Emma just had to contend with the torrential rain to get to Santiago. 

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Episode #116 - Camino De Santiago (Days Twenty-eight to Thirty) from 2018-11-08T08:00

It’s been a tough few days since Steve found out that he’d miscalculated the miles per day required to finish by this Friday. Emma and Steve have stepped up their mileage to make up for the mist...

Episode #115 - Camino De Santiago (Days Twenty-four to Twenty-seven) from 2018-11-05T08:00

With almost 400 miles to their credit, Emma and Steve can hardly believe the luck they’ve had with the weather. Even where it has snowed there still seems to be a pristine path for them both.  Listen

Episode #114 - Camino De Santiago (Days Twenty-one to Twenty-three) from 2018-11-01T07:00

With Steve and Emma now firmly choosing to hike and stay at hotels as opposed to auberges, the hunt for bargains is on. Luckily, Steve is ready for the task!

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Episode #113 - Camino De Santiago (Days Seventeen to Twenty) from 2018-10-29T07:00