This is indeed the season for hearing from successful thru-hikers, and we have another one joining us today. Jennifer Cole, or Indy 5, was looking for a great adventure and a bit of independence. She certainly found both on the Appalachian Trail.

She has been a stay-at-home-mother to five children over the years, and decided to hike the AT back in 2015, planning ahead ten years for the last of her children to graduate. True to her word, she hit the trail earlier this year and reached Katahdin at the end of September.

You can see more of Jennifer's on-trail photos on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jenniferwcole/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.whitlowcole

We also hear the second installment of my accountability blog, covering my preparation for my own hike on the AT in March next year. Writing this has focused and encouraged me more than I ever thought it could. I'm always happy to hear from any of you who have suggestions on how I could improve what I'm doing, so email me at [email protected] if you can help.

I used my hike last year on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting https://parentingmattersfl.org/eventer/hike-with-steve-empowering-parents-one-step-at-a-time/edate/2024-04-15/. I hope you want to support this critical mission.

Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXs There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out.

I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/

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