We've not spoken for over a week and Jessica has moved into Wyoming. With another desert to contend with, she is getting help with her hydration from truckers as they pass her by.

She has also had a few wildlife encounters, one of the great joys of long-distance hiking. Yet she is getting ready for the prospect of grizzlies further north. Quite how she'll do when she tries to spray them with bear spray isn't something that she has quite worked out. I'm sure, though, that when the time comes she'll just take it in her stride.   

Another catch up on the trail, with Jessica taking a break and having cell service. This time, we didn't lose her towards the end as we did last time. We ranged from coffee pots to guns and even got in another thunderstorm story.

Listener, Joe Hirsch even planted the thought of the 4600-mile North Country Trail in her mind, but it seems that she has her sights set on hiking in other countries.

This week, we were able to catch up when Jessica was actually hiking on the trail. She had a signal and, particularly because I wanted to know about her electrical storm experience, I immediately got on the phone. Then, once she had told her story, the interview took an unexpected turn..... 

It's been a few days since we spoke and Jessica is now almost due west of Denver. We learn about these small towns and what she does when she gets into town, as well as how much solitude she has been experiencing. We also learn about one of the very favorite parts of hiking for her. It wasn't what I was expecting.

Finally, we hear of her future hiking plans and dreams.

We last night when Jessica was in town. Rogue was catching her and expected to get to town soon after we spoke. They will be hiking out together today. We had a long, wide-ranging conversation–both recorded and not recorded–that produced the best episode so far. We really hope that you enjoy it. 

Once again, we had to wait until Jessica was in town for our chat, so I caught up with her in Walmart, of all places. She is currently separated from both Perk and Rogue, though expects Rogue to catch her soon.

We talk about healthy trail food–something of an oxymoron on a long-distance trail–hiking at elevation, and she even serves up a dollop of trail magic to us.

Happily, Jessica is back smiling once more and in Colorado. She's had to take another alternate route because of fires but is still, as she says, "connecting her footsteps."

This week, she reflects upon the tough past few weeks and looks forward to meeting all sorts of wildlife further north.

Please remember to send me questions you may have for her to [email protected] and I'll be happy to put them to her. 

While she was expecting to be able to get straight back into her hike, Dixie has found this week to be tough. Whether it is the elevation or the antibiotics still in her system, she has struggled and felt quite down.

She is about to hit the San Juans in Colorado, so she'll need to bounce back as soon as she can. 

With Dixie's stay at home reaching two weeks, Steve spoke with her this morning to establish when she might be back on the trail. The timing could not have been better. Not only was she in New Mexico, but she was about to hit the trail once more.

However, as always, Dixie wanted to fill in a few details of what had been a very difficult–and painful–return home to Alabama. 

While she was hoping to be back on the trail by this time, Dixie's journey has been interrupted by an extended stay at home due to a medical situation. She's happy to be there but itching to get back. When we hear from her next, she will be.