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

This week we have a serious overachiever on the show. Craig "Scatman" Fowler finished the Triple Crown of hiking and looked around to find something else.

In particular, he wanted to do something that nobody on earth had ever managed to complete. Once he had become the "One of Seven," his focus shifted to help people celebrate their own uniqueness.

If you'd like to learn more about Craig and his One of Seven Project, go to http://www.oneofsevenproject.com/

Mr President is just short of the Massachusetts border, staying in Bennington, VT. He shares an insight into some fellow SOBOs that had never occurred to me.

Fozzie is approaching the Smokies. As anybody who has ever done the AT, the Smokies have their own way of greeting you!

Thanks to this week's sponsor, Ever Green Adventure Foods. Find out more about them at https://evergreenadventurefoods.com/

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. Click here to donate to the show.

Any support is gratefully received.

Another terrific show today, with Barney "Scout" Mann sharing his story as a lifelong hiker, a Triple Crowner, and the Ultimate Trail Angel of the Pacific Crest Trail. He started his journey as a young lad in the High Sierra (picture below) and started his Triple Crown on the PCT–with his wife–on their 30th Wedding Anniversary.

Barney has written a book about that hike, weaving in the stories from not only he and his wife but also of other characters they hiked with. As you can see below, he's changed a bit over the years!!

Order Journeys North https://www.amazon.com/Journeys-North-Pacific-Crest-Trail/dp/1680513214

Visit Scout's Website https://barneyscoutmann.com/

Follow Scout on Instagram and Facebook https://www.instagram.com/journeys.north/

https://www.facebook.com/barneyscoutmann/

Also this week, Bill Tickner, or Mr. President, joins the show to talk about his SOBO hike that originally started back in 2019.

You can follow Bill's blog at https://www.wildernesseffect.com/

and find him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mrpresidenthikes/

And in Balancing on Blue, Fozzie hits Amicalola Falls and the start of his own thru-hike. An immediate problem is establishing his nationality! Get Fozzie's book at Amazon by clicking here

The sponsor for this week's show is Ever Green Adventure Foods. Check them out at https://evergreenadventurefoods.com/ Thanks guys; it means a lot.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button can be found on the Hiking Radio Network site at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-crisis/donate/

Any support is gratefully received.

Amber Heuisler, or Wheezy, came to my attention recently on Facebook. Her proud boast of walking 200 miles on the AT may not seem to be so much of a cause for celebration but, as she explains, in my view it is an achievement on a par with my thru-hike last year.

She is an inspiring young woman who has fought back in life and found that being on the trail is exactly where she wants to be. I hope others are as inspired as I was when I caught up with her in Damascus a few weeks ago.

You can keep up with Amber on the trail at her YouTube vlog https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=redeemed+wanderer

Bounce has found some peace once more, and he shares with Steve what the hike is doing for him.

Our new book, Balancing on Blue, by Keith Foskett, picks up with Keith flying over the Atlantic, then reflecting upon how he got to the AT. If you'd like to check out this and Keith's other books, just go to his Amazon author page at https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Foskett/e/B00A535AQ6?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1596666090&sr=8-1

Thanks to our sponsor for the past few weeks, Triple Crown Coffee. Not only do they make a great Cup of Joe, they give back to the trail with every sale. I hope that you want to support them as you choose what you drink on the trail. Check them out at https://triplecrowncoffee.com/

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button is on the Mighty Blue podcast page at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/

Any support is gratefully received.

This is a long show!!

First off, we have Lily Gelfars, a listener who wanted to express her opinion regarding hiking in 2020. She brings some personal experience to her views, having decided to abandon her own 2020 hike on the Camino de Santiago. With a background that includes a SOBO hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2017, she shares her story.

She also gave me permission to share her letter/email to me; I'm sure you'll see why I wanted her on the show. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kjIZWdJkpKWDkf02J7nUkYK8y9SUyih3OHB0JBcRfD0/edit

If you'd like to hear more from Lily, her blog is at https://alengthyinterlude.wordpress.com/ and she is on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tuliplaglitter/

Bounce is now moving extremely fast, having said that he intended to slow down. Find out why.

Despite the length of the show, I didn't want to miss bringing Erin Mackenzie's amazing encounter to you. Believe me, it is a tale that will make you appreciate that we share the trails with wild animals.

Finally today, Keith Foskett's "Balancing on Blue" is our new book, about Keith's own AT journey. This week, he introduces his cast of characters.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button is on the Mighty Blue podcast page at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/

Any support is gratefully received.

Brian Bell has shaped his life to enable him to spend as much time as he can in the outdoors. He looked for a local trail club to see if he could help, then volunteered more and more until he took responsibility as a trail overseer in Shenandoah National Park.

Continuing to give back to his local community, he has started a volunteer organization called Keep Virginia Cozy, putting together teams to spend some time in the outdoors and picking up litter that they find.

You can find out more about Brian and Keep Virginia Cozy with the links below.

His website: http://keepvirginiacozy.org/

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/keepvirginiacozy

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepvirginiacozy/

On MeetUp: http://www.meetup.com/keepvirginiacozy

Bounce has had a tough few days. After our chat, I found out a little more. This is the picture he posted on his Facebook page.

Grandma Gatewood has reached the end of the road and we hear of her final days. I don't know about you, but I will miss her!

Thanks go to Triple Crown Coffee for supporting the show. We hope that you try out their great coffee on your next hike. Find them at https://triplecrowncoffee.com/

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button is on the Mighty Blue podcast page at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/

Any support is gratefully received.

I met Molly Rhoads in 2019 when she was hiking with my buddy, Nate Stockton. The two of them were a well-suited odd couple. Nate has retired from the military and is in his 40s, while Molly looks like a 20-year-old. They acted like siblings and enhanced my hike whenever I ran into them, which was often.

Molly had a run-in with some small wildlife, though she never lost her sense of humor about that and, as far as I could see, about anything else.

She had previously done the Long Trail and, after a shaky start, found that she loved thru-hiking. The AT fired her passion, and she is currently hiking the Colorado Trail, with the PCT in her sights soon.

Bounce Da Hiker had been out of contact for a week, and it was only on Wednesday morning that I could get hold of him. He's right on the New Hampshire border, so let the fun and games begin!!

Grandma Gatewood has amazed us along the way and, now in her 70s, she continues her wanderlust with a THIRD Appalachian Trail hike.

We gratefully welcome to the show Triple Crown Coffee, our sponsor for the next four weeks. Find out more about them at https://triplecrowncoffee.com/

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button is on the Mighty Blue podcast page at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/

Your support is gratefully received.

We've got a really well-traveled guest on the show today. Chris Pirrello has led a somewhat nomadic lifestyle, with a fourteen-month trip around the world at the start of the 21st Century, followed by years of hiking most of the long trails of America, including the Triple Crown. He even took a job in Antarctica to chalk up his sixth continent.

He is a self-confessed foodie and loves excellent coffee, so it seems almost inevitable that he has ended up as the owner of Triple Crown Coffee, a company with a mission to give back to the three trails that make up the Triple Crown. Indeed, each roast is named after one of the trails.

If you want to learn more about Chris and his coffee, go to https://triplecrowncoffee.com/

With Kate now home, we're following Bounce Da Hiker. This week, Bounce has been putting in some very long days and had to take a double zero when his body told him he needed a rest.

Grandma Gatewood's fame, which had been growing while she was on the trail, gets even greater, as she appears alongside Groucho Marx on TV. If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button is on the Mighty Blue podcast page at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/

Any support is gratefully received.

We've got quite the show today, coming in at over 90 minutes. There's something for everybody, with Keith Foskett, one of the best writers on hiking, sharing his stories and hikes with wit and introspection. We'll be having his Balancing on Blue as our next book on the podcast, so it was great hearing about how he developed as both a hiker and writer.

If you want to learn more about Keith or buy some of his books, you can go to his website, https://www.keithfoskett.com/ where you'll find links to each book, his blog, some info on his hikes and a contact page.

You can also find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Keith-Foskett-Fozzie-270894196286427/

On Twitter at https://twitter.com/KeithFoskett

and on his Amazon Author page at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keith-Foskett/e/B00A535AQ6?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_5&qid=1592228832&sr=8-5

Phoenix has been struggling with her ankle recently and, when she texted me on Thursday, I was expecting the worst, though she was in great spirits. Find out what happened.

There are a few additional parts to the show this week, including an initiative by Bruce "RTK" Matson, so we hopped on the phone and were joined by Neville Harris of Woods Hole Hostel. Check out the Woods Hole website to learn more about Bruce's initiative. http://woodsholehostel.com/

And, for reasons that will become obvious, we get to meet Sean Campbell, or Bounce Da Hiker. Check out Bounce's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_bYx8ZiGBNPrJfu9eqY57A/videos

Finally, Grandma Gatewood does the unthinkable–and goes again!! What a woman!!

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button is on the Mighty Blue podcast page at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/

Any support is gratefully received.

Music for the "A Woman of a Certain Age" segment is by permission of Kate's friend, John Jensen. You can see and hear it in full on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlP7g7qivo4

Thanks, John.

This week, we have JC Van Etten, or Catmando. Not only did JC recently win our six-book giveaway, but he was also part of the very tight "tramily" that Togs and Lucky referred to a few weeks ago. I wanted to hear JC's side of the story and, as I'd anticipated, he brought his own slant to the journey that they all shared.

JC retired early from work and hopes to fill his retirement with further adventures, though the Appalachian Trail was the fulfillment of a dream many years in the making.

As part of this dream, JC raised money for a charity close to his heart, Paws of War. You can learn more about them at their website, https://pawsofwar.org/contact-florida-chapter

on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PawsofwarFlorida/

and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pawsofwarflorida/

Kate, or "Phoenix," has had a tough few days and is pushing on in the heat of Connecticut after a zero in Kent, CT. She's having to pull on all her reserves of grit and determination as she continues to recover from her ankle injury and the tough terrain.

Grandma Gatewood, after summiting Katahdin, had to deal with an inordinate amount of celebrity in the immediate aftermath. As she is going through this, a new plan is forming in her mind.....

In this week's show I also referred to the excellent discussion that Anna Huthmaker had on her latest podcast with El Miller and the issue of hiking while black. It is a thoughtful, insightful look at something I'd never truly considered. You can find it on https://traildamespodcast.libsyn.com/episode-57-el-miller-bear-spray

I also mentioned my own fundraiser for hikeforH2o, a charity that helps fund the construction and maintenance of wells in Africa, giving villages access to clean water for the first time. I'm currently 30 miles into my 45 miles-in-a-week challenge. You can still sponsor my effort at https://runsignup.com/MightyBlue

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button is on the Mighty Blue podcast page at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/

Any support is gratefully received.

Music for the "A Woman of a Certain Age" segment is by permission of Kate's friend, John Jensen. You can see and hear it in full on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlP7g7qivo4

Thanks, John.

I think that this is the longest show we've ever had!! Our main guests are Eric and Jessica Matos, or Toast and Jammz. They were introduced to me by Jester, from the Jester Section Hiker podcast and they have a strong hiking resume. We talk about both their hiking and their passion for leave no trace and sustainable use of wilderness places.

Toast shares a few stories about their first hike together as a couple and how, when they were on the John Muir Trail, an idea for their business came to them. They have an inspiring message and vision for a time that needs businesses like theirs.

If you'd like to learn more about Toast and Jammz (and, of course, Jelly Belly), check out https://evergreenadventurefoods.com/ and follow them on social media at https://www.instagram.com/evergreen_adventurefoods/

and https://www.facebook.com/evergreenadventurefoods

Phoenix, our Woman of a Certain Age, is dying to get out of New York. Her ankle still bothers her, but she's soldiering on. Late this evening (Wednesday, Jun 17) I heard from her as she passed 400 miles.

Cori Strathmeyer wanted to share news of a charity that is helping three African countries to get clean water. Hikers can help in this effort, either by signing up to walk yourself or sponsoring me as I take on a challenge. I highly commend this cause to you. Go to https://www.hikeforh2o.org/ to sign up.

Grandma Gatewood summits Katahdin and the writer, Ben Montgomery, wanted to follow in her footsteps. Listen as he follows in the path of this trail-blazing woman.

If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button is on the Mighty Blue podcast page at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/

Any support is gratefully received.

Music for the "A Woman of a Certain Age" segment is by permission of Kate's friend, John Jensen. You can see and hear it in full on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlP7g7qivo4

Thanks, John.