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

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 and they have a strong hiking resume. We talk about both their hiking and their passion for leave no trace and sustainable use of wilderness places. Toast shares a few stories about their first hike togeth...

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. Marissa shares plenty of witty insights and a stoic determination to get to the end. The story of her last night camping on the AT is a visceral example of what it can be like out there. I could relate on so...

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 about what it takes to hike the trail successfully. Gordon and Carolyn are an inspiration. Carolyn kept an online journal while on the trail, so if you'd like to follow along with their hike, click here. http...

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 Earl Schaffer of the Great Plains Trail when he completed the very first thru-hike of that new trail. On the way, he learned what worked and what didn't. He shares some fascinating insights in his conversatio...

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. Natalie and Grady both left a little earlier than I did and had a terrific tramily. It was Catmando, one of their tramily and a listener to the show, who pointed me in their direction. Natalie and Grady's story brings out the diversity of opportunity on the t...

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 continents and, in 2018, the Appalachian Trail. His story has moments of sadness, disaster, and triumph, all of which he drew on during his hike. A paramedic, Bobby has been working during this crisis, and his...

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 wasn't the primary reason that we have Sarah as a guest. She has photographed and written about all the AT shelters in a beautiful book that evokes all the memories we share at those often rundown places. You...

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 Appalachian Trail in sections is a blessing in itself. A cancer diagnosis has not slowed down this self-confessed adventurer and, while he regrets that he has to stay off the trail during the current crisis, he is...

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. Paul Curtin hiked the AT in 2015 with his son, Kyle, and now gives back to the trail through his work with the Carolina Mountain Club. Paul and Steve talk about Paul's hike and the very important lessons th...

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 somewhat tortuous, with a nasty accident as a young man and an addiction to pain killers messing up much of his early life. James is an inspiring example to all who believe that they can't hike the Appalachia...

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, both online and on-trail through blog posts, podcast interviews, and guided hiking and backpacking trips in and around New York City. She and her dad, Michael "LongTime" Goodwin, thru-hiked the Appalachian...

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. He also plans to get back on the trail in 2022, his 10-year trailiversary. He took over 2,000 photos (carrying a DSLR camera) and shared them with friends and, most particularly with his mother. Prior to her death, he celebrated the trai...

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 trail this year but, with the Corona Virus now threatening to overrun most of us, she has had to accept that this year won't be possible for her. Cari's calm presence on the show may well reassure others as...

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. First, we have Aaron and BG Turner, two men ready for the adventure of their life, yet torn with doubt over the advisability of the hike. This situation is changing so quickly that I thought it was important to not only hear fro...

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 happened after he stepped off the trail. Like his books, Paul is funny, perceptive, and occasionally serious. If you'd like to learn more about Paul or buy some of his books, you can visit his website at http://...

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 Appalachian Trail story about her trek in 2015. She was very intentional about how she came to the trail, writing a thesis about Appalachian Trail thru-hiking as a spiritual experience and volunteering for the ATC....

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 years and has been a backpacker for nearly as long. After having a mid-life crisis in 2016, Aaron began long-distance backpacking on her 40th birthday by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. She has since launched h...

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. Steve and Brant have a wide-ranging conversation about hiking on the trail with a dog, along with a discussion on gear and a few of Brant's stories about his years of hiking on the AT. You can catch up with...

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 speaker about the trail, as well as a growing recognition as a writer. His new book, The Unlikely Thru-Hiker , is now available at his website and on Amazon. You can connect with Derick in a variety of ways. W...

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 2016. He has done several other trails and recently broke the Fastest Known Time (FKT) for the Superior Hiking Trail. As Rory stresses, he's not superhuman; he's just a very determined guy with a plan. He and Ste...

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 entirely unexpected direction, but it revealed Neville to be a true AT character, flaws and all. You can learn more about the hostel by visiting http://woodsholehostel.com/ Neville's photos by Lisa VonLuehrte. Fin...

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 than that. Her knowledge of all things trail shines through here, with her many positions within the AT community contributing, particularly to the trail in her own community. Image courtesy of Jeff Yardis....

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 going for something really special. Listen to how it all unfolded, with not only his epic hike but also several personal events that deeply affected him. Craig has a YouTube channel that you can visit to le...

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 Trigger and me in supporting roles. Cushy displays an empathetic nature, showing concern for everybody she met on the trail–often to Trigger's and my mock annoyance!! She is ever curious and willing to strike up...

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 something completely out of her comfort zone. Eschewing the Appalachian and other long-distance trails, Kimberly went for the lesser-known Mountains To Sea Trail. This proved to be the perfect segue between her pr...