This week, I'm interviewing Ron Tipton, a man who has spent his entire adult life in conservation and the environment. He hiked the trail in 1978, yet it isn't his hike that we're going to discuss in any detail. When Ron completed his thru-hike, he had already determined that this was a life and a career that he wanted to pursue. He has spent more than 40 years of his career as an advocate for public land preservation and national park protection. He became the President and CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in 2013. Visit the ATC's website, www.appalachiantrail.org. It is full of great information about the trail and I confess that it was a great education for me. I read the strategic plan and really understood the rationale behind it. Ron and his team at the ATC are simply planning for the future of OUR trail. For that, we should all be eternally grateful. You can email them at [email protected], or call them on 304-535-6331. You can even find Ron on LinkedIn. In case you were wondering, the handsome young dude with the wild beard below is young Ron. Jessa's backpack woes continued this week, with the resolution to her problem waistband still elusive. She seems to face these problems with a smile and a shrug. Hopefully, she'll get the matter resolved in Damascus. If you'd like to see what an utter ARSE I made of myself at Laurel Falls, click here. Be warned, it isn't pretty. I appear after about 11 seconds. The falls are pretty though, aren't they? If you like what we're producing for you on the show, please consider supporting us at www.patreon.com/mightyblue. I'm planning on adding a couple of new shows after my hiking this year, so any help with this is much appreciated.