Hiker Sessions

In this episode of Hiker Sessions, I sit down with Kevin Binkley, or "Barefoot" as he is known on the trail. Barefoot is a 6 year Army veteran and a 2025 participant in the Warrior Expeditions program. Kevin shares his journey of attempting the Appalachian Trail after a failed attempt 25 years ago. He discusses the challenges he has faced, including substance abuse and personal growth, a...

In this episode of "Hiker Sessions," we delve into the extraordinary journey of Howard Rizio, known on the trail as Wing It. Wingit's path from his lowest of lows to the highest point in Maine is a powerful story of resilience, hope, and self-realization. Join us as we explore his transformative experiences and the lessons learned along the way. I hope you enjoy the episode, and plea...

In this episode, I reconnected with Steelhead, who we lastsaw on episode 22 of Hiker Sessions season 1. At that time, he had made his way North almost 650 miles on the Appalachian trail. Steelhead is back to share his experiences from the rest of his adventure, all the way to Katahdin. We discuss the challenges he had with weight loss, the bonds he formed with hiking partners, the loneliness of hi...

I sit down with Natalie Nichols, aka "Glam Girl", and her father, Mark Bolduc, known as "Hunger Pain", as they recount their incredible 2025 northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. From the rocky terrain of Pennsylvania to the emotional summit at Katahdin, this father-daughter duo shares their experiences of overcoming challenges, embracing the beauty of nature, and stre...

In this episode of Hiker Sessions, I sat down to speak with Casey Huffman, trail name “Vegas” on the trail. He shareshis transformative journey through long-distance hiking… from his struggles with mental health and identity to the profound sense of community he quickly found on the Appalachian Trail and beyond, Vegas discusses the lessons learned and the bonds formed with fellow hikers. He also r...

In this episode of Hiker Sessions, I interview Nephew, a 2025 thru-hiker and author of 'Grandma Gatewood's Walk.' We discussed Nephew's journey on the Appalachian Trail, the challenges he faced, and the deep connections he formed with fellow hikers. The conversation also delves into the impact of Grandma Gatewood on the AT and the timeless themes of community, resilience, and perso...

Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of hiker sessions where we interview long distance hikers day hikers and everyone in between. This special end of season 1 show offers highlights from each of the 26 episodes that made-up our first season. I was recently on a day hike in Virginia with my good friend Bait-a-Bear, who I met on my 2024 Appalachian Trail through hike, and he helped me...

In this Season 1 conclusion I discuss what I will be up to over the next 5 months while I recharge and get ready for Season 2 of Hiker Sessions this Fall. #at2024 #at2025 #backpacking #atnobo2024 #atnobo2025 #thruhiking #atnobo @FarOutguides #hike #hiking @senchidesigns #originalmaine @TheTrek #ThruHiker #ATClassof2024 #ATClassof2025 #baxterstatepark #katahdin #mtwashington #senchidesigns @Hyperli...

Today’s guest has walked a long, winding trail—far longerthan just the Appalachian Trail. From the depths of addiction to the heights of redemption, his journey is one of grit, grace, and transformation. At his lowest, he lost nearly everything. But it was in those shadows that he found the light—discovering faith, purpose, and a calling to serve others. Now, you’ll find him parked alongside the A...

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of HikerSessions. Thank you for tuning in to the podcast. I believe you will find today's show particularly engaging. In this episode, we are joined by Don Bolduc, or as he isknown in the FarOut app, “Ranger Don”. Don is a seasoned law enforcement officer from Maine who served the public in various roles for 33 years such as Chief of Police, County...

In this episode of Hiker Sessions I was very excited and honored to be joined by Janice Clain, the newly elected President of the Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC). If I had to describe Janice in just a few words, I would say "she gets involved!" Janice grew up in Milo, Maine, about 30 miles from the 100 Mile Wilderness section of the Appalachian Trail. She holds degrees in world langu...

In this episode, I was accompanied by Dana Thurston. Dana began volunteering with the Maine Appalachian Trail Club in 1988. During his time volunteering on the AT, he encountered numerous inspiring stories from the many thru hikers he met along the trail. Reaching a pivotal moment in his life, Dana decided to embark on a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 1991, adopting the Trail name “Stryder”...

I first met Bait-A-Bear, or Bear as we would come to call him, at the one room school house trail magic in southern Virginia. I would go on to see him and his tramily of Busted, Huckleberry, and dog Wyatt many other times on my 2024 AT NOBO thru-hike. It always put a smile on my face when I would meet up with Bear, he always seemed so positive, carefree and cheerful. We had many great times along...

Alpine was yet another great acquaintance I was fortunate to make on my 2024 AT NOBO thru-hike. While I didn't hike with him for long, he was way to fast for me, I truly enjoyed his conversation and company. One of my most memorable mornings on the trail was when he and I, along with a few others, tented near Chestnut Knob Shelter (NOBO mile 570.1) just south of Burke's Garden Hostel. We a...

In this episode we were joined by Bruce Matson, or “RTK” as he is known on the trail. Bruce is an avid hiker with very positive energy and passion for anything he sets out to accomplish. Whether it’s running marathons, writing books, building a successful law practice, or finishing his 2018 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, Bruce has a competitive spirit that has served him well throughout his l...

"Quixote", or "Professor Milkshake" as he came to be called, was another one of my favorite people I met on the trail. I also know without a doubt he is another person that I will continue to communicate with the rest of my life. Forging relationships with people such as him is the part of the trail that I don't think many people give much thought about when they are planning for such a journey. I...

On this episode I was honored to be joined by Sean Gobin. Sean is a United States Marine Corps veteran who served 12 years as an Infantry Rifleman and Armor Officer. After returning home from 3 combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Sean thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2012. In 2013, Sean founded Warrior Expeditions and now serves as its Executive Director. Sean earned a Bachelor of Scien...

Pilgrim was probably the nicest person that I encountered on my 2024 AT NOBO thru-hike. He is one of those people that would give you his last ounce of water if you needed it, or the last snack in his backpack if he knew it would get you the miles that you needed to hike. I was fortunate to hike with Pilgrim through almost the entire state of Virginia and then met up with him again for a food drop...

In this episode I was joined by a special guest who I met inport Clinton, Pennsylvania right out in front of the town Post Office. She was dropping off another hiker and I asked her if she could shuttle me to the next town over Hamburg, PA, which was about 2 miles away. I had been craving Chinesefood, so she recommended the JA Buffet. It ended up being one of the best Chinese buffet restaurants I’...

Kimberly and Jarrod Hester, known on the trail as Hippie Chick and Poet, are the current owners of Shaw's Hiker Hostel in Monson, Maine, which is located about 2 miles from the Appalachian Trail. Together they thru-hiked the AT from Georgia to Maine in 2008. After working as schoolteachers for a few years they decided to change their lifestyle for the betterment of their family and purchased Shaw’...

Busted is another one of my favorite people I met on the trail. Not only was I proud of him for finishing the trail, but also gave him mad props for completing the half gallon ice cream challenge for breakfast, and then crushing miles the rest of the day! In our interview we discussed the sadness he felt after summiting, what advice he would give to aspiring thru-hikers, how he got interested in h...

Approximately a year before commencing my northbound Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike, my brother-in-law introduced me to the “Mighty Blue” podcast. Instantly captivated, I was drawn to Steve Adams' genuine enthusiasm and passion for the Appalachian Trail and its community. Since then, I have been a dedicated listener and fan, with the honor of being featured on his podcast multiple times. Steve A...

Dixon and her husband "Econoline", whose interview you can watch here: https://youtu.be/mfjD8Fwvy3Y completed the second leg of their Triple Crown goal when they summited Katahdin on September 8, 2024.In this interview we discuss her thoughts on an attempt to complete the Triple Crown achievement with a #thruhike of the CDT in 2026, what surprised her on their AT hike, and the origin of her trail...

In this episode I sit down with Huckleberry, a twice wounded in combat Marine who did 3 tours of duty in Iraq, worked in the oil fields of Texas, and hunted down poachers in Africa before deciding to attempt a #thruhike of the #appalachiantrail. We discuss what prompted him to hike the Appalachian Trail, the challenges of hiking with a dog, the strong relationships he forged while on the AT, and h...

In this interview, Solo discusses her fear being in unfamiliar hiking territory in the south, the strong relationships she made on trail, particularly with “Zeke” and his family, starting the trail with a set of intentions, her summit day, her depression post thru-hike, and her future hiking plans.