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

We have another of the newly minted Class of 2021 thru-hikers today. Kyle Stranagan, or Huck Finn, was just as inexperienced as I was when he started his own AT thru-hike last year. Yet, a combination of grit, luck, and determination saw him at the top of the brown sign at Katahdin just a couple of months ago.

Kyle is clearly still processing what happened to him and he shares what he's discovered so far.

You can see Kyle's hike unfold on his YouTube channel, as he is now uploading his videos every few days. Check them out here. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5tMuoFsO66BZ5UfE8xq4Mg

You can also see Kyle's Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/adventures_with_huck_finn/

Our newest member of the Class of 2022 is Joanne Birditt. Joanne has a refreshingly candid and relaxed attitude towards her upcoming hike, expecting to finish but not putting herself under pressure to do so. It's an attitude that should serve her well.

Our book, Passin' Thru, by Winton Porter nears its conclusion today, with just a few more chapters to go. This week, we learn much more about the Samsonite Twins.

Fell free to contact me with your suggestion for the next book I should read on the podcast. Email me at [email protected] and make your choice.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.

If you'd like to take advantage of Steve's Trail Days book offer (all three of his printed hiking books for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above. THIS OFFER EXPIRES 12/31/2021

A few weeks ago, one of our recent guests, Shannon Shaver, connected me to today's guest, Reta Walton. Reta has wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail since she was 13, but, as often happens, life got in the way. This year, now retired, Reta took on her dream.

She is an avid hiker, and the AT was everything she'd hoped it would be, even though she caught hypothermia on the way! Her passion and emotions come through vividly in this conversation, and I'm sure you'll find her inspiring.

You can connect with Reta at Facebook,at https://www.facebook.com/reta.walton.9

at Instagram, at https://www.instagram.com/retawalton/ and on YouTube, at https://www.youtube.com/c/RetaWalton

Barry Hill is this week's new member of the Class of 2022. You've already met Barry once on the show but, like Reta, his passion for his upcoming adventure comes across intensely.

Finally, Winton Porter's Passin' Thru takes up one of Reta's themes; hypothermia.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing to us at PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.

If you'd like to take advantage of Steve's Trail Days book offer (all three of his printed hiking books for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

THIS OFFER WILL BE GONE AFTER CHRISTMAS

This week is our 300th episode, and we're doing something a little different, including minimal show notes!!

Every guest we've had in the past has shared their impressions, their stories, and the lessons they've learned. For this special show, I've put together nine short conversations with people who've been on the show or who I've hiked with. I was asking for just one lesson they've picked up from the trail. Their different takes were illuminating.

The conversations are with Tee Bird and Lighterknot, from my 2014 hike.

Pony, who joined me on the podcast and on my 2019 thru-hike.

Dixie, who I podcasted with as she took on the CDT in 2018, and who has become a friend of mine over the years.

Then, there are my podcast colleagues on the network; Anna, Jester, and Courtney.

Finally, we'll talk with my two hiking partners from 2019, Trigger and Cushy.

When they've had their say, I give you a few thoughts of my own. I hope you enjoy this very different show.

Shannon Finn became Joy this year. I followed her on Facebook and appreciated her visceral writing, where she rarely held back if she had something to say, which was often!

We've often remarked at the life-changing nature of a long-distance hike, and Joy has experienced this change in compelling ways. Not only did she lose weight through her hiking, she also found out who she was meant to be. Her story is inspiring.

You can follow Joy on Facebook and Instagram at https://www.facebook.com/shannon.finn.33

https://www.instagram.com/alotofshannonigans/

Our second Class of 2022 member is Sarah Fox, who is going to Flip Flop from Harpers Ferry, taking her dog Marshall with her for part of the journey. Sarah's knowledge of dogs in the outdoors is extensive, as you can see at https://adventureswithmydogs.com/

We'll catch up with Sarah again as she prepares to head out.

We also heard from Paul Collins, or Skunkape. Paul is one of the organizers of the Hangcon Gathering, in Florida this coming January. Jester and I will be attending, so I invited Paul to come on and fill us in on a few details. You can learn more at https://hangcon.com/

In Winton Porter's Passin' Thru, I resume Chapter 15 where I left off last time, with Winton lying in an exhausted heap at the top of Blood Mountain, having attempted his fastest run up there.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.

If you'd like to take advantage of Steve's Trail Days book offer (all three of his printed hiking books for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above. THIS OFFER ENDS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

This week's guest, Gail Muller, is another of those unlikely adventurers, whose story is a breathless tale of triumph against a debilitating illness and chronic pain. Gail reveled in the "normal" cuts, scrapes, bumps, and bruises of the Appalachian Trail, precisely because they weren't the chronic pain she'd been experiencing for 15 years.

Returning home and basically housebound because of Covid, Gail wrote an inspiring tale about her journey to and on the trail. It is a love letter to the healing power of the wild outdoors and an incredible testament to the strength of the human spirit.

You can follow Gail in multiple places, listed below, as well as buy her book, "Unlost" on Amazon.

For American residents, go to https://www.amazon.com/Unlost-journey-self-discovery-healing-outdoors-ebook/dp/B094Y95W4B/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=unlost&qid=1637782248&sr=8-1

For our British friends, go to https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlost-journey-self-discovery-healing-outdoors/dp/1909770671/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=unlost+gail+muller&qid=1632942605&sr=8-1.

Gail's links:

Website and blog: https://gailmuller.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegailmuller and https://www.facebook.com/groups/260115428930125/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegailmuller/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GailMuller

This week's middle section starts a new season of aspiring thru-hikers. Each week, we'll chat with somebody who has chosen 2022 as the year that they will put their life on hold and head to that winding footpath along America's Appalachian Mountains. We'll meet them over the next few months, then follow them–in whichever direction they are heading–and hopefully meet them again at the end of their 2200-mile journey. This week's guest is Chuck Hayes, who is planning an extremely early start!

Finally, we have the first part of Chapter 15 in Winton Porter's "Passin Thru," where Winton feels the power of an earthquake before trying to set a personal best in a run up Blood Mountain.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing to us at PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.

If you'd like to take advantage of Steve's Trail Days book offer (all three of his printed hiking books for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

Tom Sherry has been on a bit of a tear regarding long-distance hiking over the past few years. His hiking bio is growing quickly, and I took the opportunity to catch up with him after he breezed through the Appalachian Trail this year in 99 days.

He even had time to attempt a revival of a meme within his family. The "Phoon" is a pose he used in all the best places!!

Tom has some great advice to share with others, particularly with those planning their 2022 thru-hikes. He talks about gear, saving ounces, and what hiking does for him.

You can check out some of Tom's hikes over at his Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/heavyteva/

Since Julie "Jester" Gayheart and I returned from our aborted attempt on the John Muir Trail, we've not really talked about it. This week, in our ad hoc "Middle section" of the show, we had that conversation. You may be surprised at what we say.

Finally today, Winton Porter and his buddy, Billy, help a young man chart a different course when they help him deal with a snake.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.

If you'd like to take advantage of Steve's Trail Days book offer (all three of his printed hiking books for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

This week's guest is another of those intrepid female hikers who follow their passion and find out what the world has in store for them. Lisa Parker has had a varied career, from teaching to the New York fashion scene before finally finding her own passion.

She had started the Appalachian Trail in 2020 but got off the trail after more than 300 miles because of the Covid outbreak. She wanted the "full experience" and went back to Amicolola Falls to start from the beginning in 2021.

If you'd like to follow more of Lisa's adventures, check out her YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcV21r0lsuRsBdSW_H5zHNg/featured

We also introduce you to our newest podcaster on the network. Courtney Miller chats with Steve about her new show, which is coming to the network. It is Hiking Unfiltered and episodes will be available every first and third Monday of the month. Check out Courtney's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HikingUnfiltered and make sure you check out her show when you're on our website, https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/

Finally today, Winton Porter hosts a big, boozy party at Mountain Crossings. Things go pretty much as you might expect!!

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing to us at PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.

If you'd like to take advantage of Steve's Trail Days book offer (all three of his printed hiking books for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

When I went out to hike the AT in 2014, I met a breed of woman I'd hardly known existed. These were strong-willed, fiercely independent young women, many of who were vastly more impressive than a lot of the men I met out there. It has been a theme of the trail for this past decade. Women are hitting the AT, and other trails, with little or no backpacking experience and proving to be more than equal to the task.

Rebecca Brackbill turned out to be one of those women this year. She turned up in 2020 with few overnights under her belt, yet, as you listen to her, you'll hear a steely determination to succeed, even though she considered quitting while in Shenandoah, of all places!

Rebecca developed a habit of getting her picture taken doing a backbend at various spots on the trail, including one in front of the Katahdin sign, one on Mt Washington's cog railway, and even one on the top of Odie's bus!

If you'd like to connect with Rebecca or follow her adventures, check her out on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brackbill421/

With no Katie to catch up with this week, I brought back a friend of the show, JC Van Etten, or Catmando, to tell us about his observations on forming a tramily on the PCT after his epic experience with his tramily on the AT.

Winton Porter's Passin' Though brings real life drama to Mountain Crossings, with a mystery boot.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.

If you'd like to take advantage of Steve's Trail Days book offer (all three of his printed hiking books for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

We have another section hiker on the show this week. I recently saw Sarah Ellison's awesome summit picture at the top of Katahdin, joyously capturing the end of a 16-year odyssey that started when, as a cop, she spoke to a young man camped behind a store in Roan Mountain.

The whole concept of being a "thru-hiker" was alien to Sarah, yet the thought of hiking this trail never left her, and she made progress year after year.

Along the way, she was able to cope with the grief of losing her mother, then formed a bond with a young hiker named Moose. I'm grateful to Moose's widow for allowing us to discuss this part of the journey. His picture is below.

Sarah has hiked on and off with dogs, one of which is featured in her YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/user/sheepdog0059

Katie's seven and a half month hike came to an end this week, as she decided to wait until next year to complete the AT. We discuss all aspects of her trip in a longer than usual conversation.

Winton Porter's Passin' Thru has served up a number of fascinating characters, though none more so than Minnesota Smith, who we get to meet in this week's reading.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing to us at PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.

Our shows come together each week with a kind of serendipitous whimsey. This week's guests, Emanuel and Karen Bravo, wrote to me to share how they had prepared for the Sierras and eventual climbing of Mt Whitney.

Emanuel wanted to encourage me to go again and told me exactly how he did it and suggested I could be successful if I adopted his approach. I was intrigued, and invited both Emanuel and Karen on the show to share their story.

As you'll hear, they are an adventurous couple, with Emanuel coming up with the crazy ideas and Karen making them work! The perfect hiking couple!

If you'd like to see more of their journey, they have a YouTube movie that is in Spanish, but the spectacular scenery speaks for itself. Check that out at https://youtu.be/sTQqP0SXahc

You can also follow them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ema_el_astronauta/

Katie is near the end of her AT journey–for this year. She's been out there for over seven months and feels that it is time to come home. The trail will still be there next year, and we're going to follow her all the way to the end.

Winton Porter's Passin Thru' provides an emotional, touching conversation between Winton and a lady he names "Lorac."

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing to us at PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.