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The Blissful Hiker descends Mount Pirongia on the Te Araroa in a driving rain on an infamously muddy, root-filled trail and works her way to Waitomo, shown generous Kiwi hospitality all along the way.

In this episode: 

1. Blissful joins eight Te Araroa hikers in a storm for the descent of  Mount Pirongia, the highest point in the Waikato region of New Zealand, happy to be sharing the difficulty of deep mud, a trail-as-river and slippery roots.
2. Trail angels invite her to use their shower and laundry, and – after asking nicely – invite four solo women to stay inside out of the elements.
3. The next day is wet and muddy across sheep pastures and bush, but when she gets lost, it leads to an easy crossing of the rain-swollen Moakurarua Stream.
4. The Hamilton Tomo Caving Club invite her to use their group hut facilities before she takes in the famous Waitomo Caves to see glowworms like constellations on the limestone walls. 
5. While she understands that generosity can be its own reward, that doesn't explain the tremendous kindness she's benefited from and she leaves a nice koha (or donation) for the trail angels she's met. 

MUSIC Introduccion y allegro by Carlos Guastavino, Suite Argentina by Horacio Salgán and Soliloquy by Bernard Rogers as played by Alison Young, flute.
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Two mountains bookend Blissful Hiker's walk of the Te Araroa in the Waikato Region of New Zealand's North Island – the Hakarimata Range and Mount Pirongia, and she discovers that a hiker is both spectator and participant. 

In this episode: 

1. Blissful walks over slippery roots and deep pools of mud to reach the Hakarimata Trig before running down hundreds of stairs.
2. It's an easy walk to Hamilton where Blissful meets Irene, her partner from the first days of the Te Araroa, then another easy walk to Whatawhata, where she uses up all the good weather and faces a big challenge in rain.
3. It's a long walk over farmland and up on the Kapamahunga Range, then on to the giant extinct volcano, Mount Pirongia. 
4. In a storm, friends from around the world await at the Pahautea Hut on the summit, and she learns that she "actuates" her hike - and life - in every decision she makes. 

MUSIC Introduccion y allegro by Carlos Guastavino as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano
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The Blissful Hiker is back on New Zealand's Te Araroa walking through the Waikato Region in the center of the North Island. She learns to face her fear – as well as ambivalence and irritation – and muscle through the bad parts so she can be open to surprise. 

In this episode: 

1. Blissful skips a trail detour and starts her hike in muddy wetlands and electric-fenced pastureland.
2. She arranges for a whole group to camp at Cathy's Pies and learns that whatever answers she's looking for on the trail, is likely already inside her. 
3. Her hiking friends share many of her same feelings about the trail and remind her this is all building "character." 
4. Once she moves past fear and gets her rhythm, she camps alone high up in the Hakarimata Range with an incredible sunset and a morepork (owl) for company. 

MUSIC: Introduccion y allegro by Carlos Guastavino as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano
available on iTunes

KULA CLOTH "pee rag"! Intentionally designed for all the places you ‘go,’ the Kula Cloth is one of the most important pieces of gear a women should have attached to her pack.
read review
order one for yourself

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The Blissful Hiker is back on New Zealand's Te Araroa thru-hike, "slackpacking" through Auckland then celebrating Thanksgiving with her Kiwi hosts, discovering she has a lot to be grateful for. 

In this episode: 

1. "Slackpacking" means hiking on a thru-hike with only what's needed for the day, leaving overnight gear at a friend's where the hiker sleeps. 
2. Blissful hikes in rain and sunshine through parks, up blown out volcanoes, into museums and along busy roads. 
3. She learns about another hiker dying on the trail and considers how easy it is to make a dumb decision, wondering if risking everything to come on this hike was a good one.
4. And at a Thanksgiving meal she realizes she feels gratitude for her decision, dumb or not. 

MUSIC: Introduccion y allegro by Carlos Guastavino as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano
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The Blissful Hiker learns that not knowing what comes next in our lives can be difficult to handle and nearly intolerable. The power is in choosing between accepting limited circumstances with grace.

In this episode: 

1. Blissful learns her arthritis has progressed the point where she'll need to have both hips replaced, but that doesn't stop her from hiking one more short thru-hike at peak autumn colors.
2. The Kekekabic is part of the North Country Trail and is the most remote and rugged trails in Minnesota running through boreal forest and the Boundary Waters. 
3. She takes two big falls, not hurting herself, but realizing her body is breaking down and gets "kekked" (lost) accidentally walking down two portages instead of on the main trail.  
4. Rain comes and goes the entire way, but crossing the incredible architecture of beaver dams, and witnessing a stunning moonrise make up for it.

MUSIC: Introduccion y allegro by Carlos Guastavino as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano
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The Blissful Hiker is reminded that backpacking is her favorite activity because she is at her most mindful and feels closest to the Goddess, a spirit guiding her to see the beauty in all things, even rain and leeches! 


In this episode:

1. Blissful wakes up on her final morning on the island at Lane Cove, the wind up and wonders if her plane will be delayed.
2. She crosses a narrow bridge with a bee hive below. 
3. A moose crashes through the forest when she arrives and a black fox leads her up to the ridge and fabulous views of Canada. 
4. The trail is easy going to Rock Harbor and eventually departs, seeing the humpy green backbone of the island rising right out of the big lake and so grateful for all she saw. 

MUSIC: Surveyors - Eagle Flies Away for horn and mixed media by Eric McIntyre(used by permission)

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The Blissful Hiker learns to recognize and savor joy, not so much that joy is fleeting, but to remember when times are tough, that joy will return. 

In this episode: 

1. Blissful forgets her water filter at the dock, but in finding it, she sees a stunning sunrise she might have missed. 
2. She wades slowly into Moskey Basin and is attacked by a swarm of leaches and learns the best way to go in the water is fast. 
3. Bothered by too much noise, she explores and comes upon two otters at the dock. 
4. The rain holds off for her to see a view of the entire spine of Isle Royale. 
5. Her final night she's serenaded by loons at secluded Lane Cove. 

MUSIC: Introduccion y allegro by Carlos Guastavino as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano
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The Blissful Hiker meets trail angels who share food, beer and good advice, learning to be flexible at times and not hold too tightly to plans, because sometimes that can lead to a dangerous situation.

In this episode: 

1. The trail is a Monty Python "Knights who say 'Ni.'" 
2. Blissful crosses huge beaver dams, one with a sinking plank she just has to test, dumping right into the murky water. 
3. At Todd Harbor, fisherman share dinner and laughs, looking out for her safety.
4. She meets trail angels at Todd Harbor.
5. Technical scuba divers arrive and give her good advice as the loons wail and beavers cannonball.

MUSIC: Surveyors - Eagle Flies Away for horn and mixed media by Eric McIntyre(used by permission)

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1. Write a review of The Pee Rag at Apple Podcasts
2. Take a screen shot of your review
3. post on Instagram or Facebook and tag @blissfulhiker

Deadline Monday, Sept. 28 at midnight!

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The Blissful Hiker continues her magical thru-hike of the very special island national park, Isle Royale. She discovers that the animal she would most want to be in another life is the busy beaver, a creature with the grit to swim fifteen miles to make this eden its home.

In this episode:

1. Feldtmann Tower is shrouded in mist and there are no views whatsoever, but other surprises await including thousands of spider webs glistening in tiny droplets of dew.
2. Seven Sandhill Cranes lift as one as Blissful arrives
3. She spends the her first night in one of the historic shelters built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and laughs at the historic graffiti. 
4. Her hike towards the Greenstone Ridge is a New Zealand flashback of mud and water, but soon heads high onto easy track.
5. The sky clears, but there are no views from the highest point, Mount Desor. 
6. At Lake Desor, Blissful enjoys loons and a private, sandy beach looking right to the sunset. 

MUSIC: Poema del Pastor Coya by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano
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The Blissful Hiker visits a very special island national park, Isle Royale, a boreal forest and Canadian Shield "balds" wonderland in the far Northwest corner of Lake Superior that moose and wolves call home. 


In this episode:

1. A weather delay sets Blissful up for a magical hike off her itinerary to Hugginin Bay.
2. Her hike takes her past an embarrassment of thimbleberries and blueberries. 
3. Some-thing(one) protects her from a hike-stopping injury.
4. She sees beaver, loons, red squirrels, a black fox and several moose, including one giant bull with a huge rack. 
5. She enjoys two beautiful sunsets on the Big Lake, including at enchanted Rainbow Cove, a beach of water-worn stones. 

MUSIC: Over Wild Solitude by Katherine Bergmanas played by the St. Olaf Norseman Band (used by permission)

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