Hiking Thru Life

In this episode, we talk with Britany Freeman who is an adventurer, traveler, and advocate for leaving our lands better than we found them.  She started the nonprofit The 11th Essential with the goal in mind to make stewardship a priority on every adventure.  Most outdoor adventurers have heard of the 10 essentials.  Brittany is introducing the 11th essential to people: adding a tra...

In this episode, we talk with Ashley Sondergaard who is the founder of Wedded Wellness.  Although not directly tied to outdoor inspiration, we connected with Ashley because of the mindful way of life she practices and promotes that is equally as important as getting outdoors.  It’s especially important to be mindful within the “new normal” we are navigating with COVID-19.  As you en...

In this episode, we talk with Erin Egan who is the host of the Hiking Thru podcast.  She started the podcast as a way to share experiences from other thru-hikers with an end goal of her own thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail.  Erin's plan was to set out for her thru-hike of the PCT on April 4th.  However, the world has changed with the recent COVID-19 pandemic which has affected m...

In this episode, we talk with Phill Monson an advocate for cleaning up our lands, founder of Adventure Responsibly, and most recently author of the children’s book Nigel The Litter Hunter. Phil shares his background about how the principal for Leave It Better was taught to him at a young age. He also shares some of the most significant moments that encouraged him to advocate for our lands further....

With the world facing the current COVID-19 pandemic, this podcast is a must listen and may bring you a fresh perspective.  In this episode, we talk with Pilar Gerasimo an award-winning health journalist and best known for her work as the founding editor of Experience Life magazine. She also co-hosts a top-rated podcast called The Living Experiment.  We dive into her new book, The Healthy...

In this episode, we talk with Victoria Livschitz one of the founders of Right On Trek.  Victoria is a lifelong entrepreneur which means work has always been at the forefront of her lifestyle and there really wasn’t much balance to work and life.  When she was introduced to the world of hiking and the outdoors a few years ago, everything changed.  Suddenly her weekends became focused...

In this episode, we talk with a father-daughter team, Ashley and Dan Bredumus. They live off the grid on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Family owned and operated, Birchwood Wilderness Camp, has been in the Bredumus family since 1958. We talk about what it’s like to attend camp, work at camp, and work together as family members. Campers gain a meaningful experience each summ...

In this episode, we talk with Kyce Bello. We dive into her story of moving to New Mexico at age 10, how she started to connect with the natural world through literature to better understand the land and its rich history,  and where it has led her to today. Her background of being a certified clinical herbalist also ties into her story and writing. Kyce writes poetry to connect with the natura...

In this episode, we talk with Ruth Wikoff-Jones. Ruth is a person who discovered backpacking later in life. Her story is an important reminder that getting into the outdoors at any stage in life is possible! Ruth has fully embraced the lifestyle as a solo backpacker, but also as a leader in the hiking community. We dive into how she first got involved in backpacking when she volunteered to be an a...

In this episode, we talk with Hannah Eaton.  After years of experience leading wilderness retreats and working in various therapy settings, it was time to dive into her passion.  She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the founder of Sequoia Immersions based in Seattle, WA.  We discuss what brought her two passions together to create Sequoia Immersions. The company has m...

In this episode, we talk with Tom Gable who is working on his PhD at the University of Minnesota and Project Lead for the Voyageurs Wolf Project.  The Voyageurs Wolf Project is a wildlife research collaboration between Voyageurs National Park in northern MN and the University of Minnesota.  Tom discusses this research project, what led him to design the project, and some fun facts learne...

In this episode, we talk with Kim Dinan who is an author, traveler, blogger, wife, and mother of two. Kim is the author of The Yellow Envelope , a travel memoir about her world travels with her husband.  She had a 9 to 5 job, a house, and a good life in Oregon, but something deep down wasn’t being fulfilled. We discuss the meaning behind the book, world travel experiences, lessoned learned wh...

In this episode, we talk with Alex Messenger. Alex is an author, photographer, and outdoor enthusiast who lives in Duluth, MN. We talk about his 600-mile canoe trip through Canada the summer before his senior year of high school. It was a trip that would be life-changing in an instant. On day 29 of his trip, he was mauled by a grizzly bear. We dive deep into the trip, the day of the attack, and ho...

In this episode, we talk with two long-time trail volunteers about the North Country Trail (NCT). The trails are a place many of us have grown to love. Have you ever thought of the work that goes into creating and maintaining a long-distance trail?  We are joined by Matt Davis who is the North Country Trail Regional Trail Coordinator for ND, MN, and WI. We are also joined by Zach who is a hik...

In this episode, we talk to Mel and Tony, otherwise known as Hippie and the Tech. For the past 2 years, they have lived an “untraditional” lifestyle in an RV full time with their 2 daughters, cat, and dog. We dive deep into why they decided to sell their home and almost everything in it and cover the many details that it takes to go down this path. They are passionate about sharing their knowledge...

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Amanda Haeg, founder of Cadence Chiropractic. Her story starts with a background in playing sports, a bachelor’s degree in athletic training, and a passion for motion and preventative care.  After a hip injury from football, she found herself on a path that would lead her to what her career is today.  We talk about the journey into her practice, Cadence...

In this episode, we wrap up the year of 2019 by reflecting back on all that has happened with Hiking Thru Life.  We've expanded from more than just a blog about our trips.  Hiking Thru Life has become more of a lifestyle for us and we hope to inspire others to live a more meaningful life.  Some of 2019's highlights for us were turning Hiking Thru Life into an LLC, starting this podc...

In this episode, we talk with Sara and Josh of Veggie Vegabonds. They are adventure seekers with a lifestyle dedicated to being vegan. Josh and Sara, both originally from the UK, are traveling across the continent of Europe by bike. Their current location is France but they have an end goal of India. They gave up plane travel in 2018 in an effort to raise awareness of pollution. We talk about thei...

In this episode, we talk with John and Terry Binkele who have been lifelong outdoor enthusiasts.  They decided that they were going to Trek all of the nation’s National Parks.  While trekking all of the nation’s parks they came to realize they wanted to educate and inspire others to visit the parks. Along with their son Charlie, who is a game designer, the family came together to create...

In this episode, we talk with Jodi. Hiking and backpacking was a big part of Jodi’s life before becoming a mom. She and her husband went on a handful of backpacking trips around the US and worldwide. They had the adventure bug and explored places that are probably on a lot of people’s bucket lists. She knew that she wanted to incorporate hiking into her life when she became a mom. When some unexpe...

In this episode, we wanted to take some time to update people on where this podcast is going as we continue to find our bearings in the podcasting world.  This podcast has turned into a collection of people and their stories.  It has been amazing to be able to meet such amazing people and help spread the story of their journey.  We have some awesome guests lined up as well.  We...

In this episode, we interview Devon the Nature Guy.  Devon is a naturalist who has a diverse background from podcasting to teaching high school science to leading preschoolers around copperheads on nature hikes in Texas.  Devon is the host of The Wild Life Podcast, a science podcast with a focus on all things nature and wildlife. We dug into how his background as a naturalist has opened...

In this episode, we interview Liz of Prairie Smoke Threads.  Her love for the outdoors has been expressed through a handful of different outdoor jobs and as recreational use in her free time. Liz creates jewelry from beach glass found along Lake Superior and named her knitting work after different places on the North Shore of MN. The story about her small business, Prairie Smoke Threads, is b...

In this episode, we talk with Elsa, founder of EcoElsa. A Minnesota naturalist who has worked in environmental education for over 4 years, Elsa has a mission to connect people with nature by teaching anything outdoors. She is working to make the outdoors accessible for all people. She shows this mission in many ways such as her website, providing educational resources, YouTube videos, and free hik...

In this episode, we interview Travis and Lindsay of Tenderfoot Learning Lab. They hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018 raising awareness and money for Tenderfoot's mission. While thru-hiking, they had the positive attitude that they were never going to give up! When they got back home they began work on Tenderfoot's mission. They have a mission to give students a "semester abroad" opportunity immer...