The journey continues! Out of Baxter State Park and into the 100 Mile Wilderness!

This is a great day, fording streams, meeting new people, and there’s ice cream!

Follow the written journal here: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/680461

See the photos from this entry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musehikes

Questions, feedback or just want to say Hi! [email protected]

Please visit our sponsors!

Summit Ready Apparel https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

In today's episode, I sit down with my very first hiking partner—my daughter Haley, trail name "Wayfinder."

Haley was right by my side from day one, navigating everything from the climb up Mount Katahdin through the grueling logs and bogs of the Hundred Mile Wilderness. Tune in to hear a high-level recap of June 2025 entirely from her perspective, tracking the highs, the hurdles, and what the experience of stepping onto the Appalachian Trail was truly like for her.

Check out Haley’s trailjournal!: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/680287

See the photos from this entry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musehikes

Questions, feedback or just want to say Hi! [email protected]

Please visit our sponsors!

Summit Ready Apparel https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Days don’t get much better than this one! Mount Katahdin is a truly spectacular place, and the perfect spot to start an epic adventure.

No journeys to different places or times in this episode - we are fully on Katahdin, on June 5th. At the beginning.

Follow the written journal here: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/680459

See the photos from this entry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musehikes

Questions, feedback or just want to say Hi! [email protected]

Please visit our sponsors!

Summit Ready Apparel https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Listen in and follow me around the Trail Days festival this past weekend! It was truly amazing to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones and relive the trail life for a few days.

In this episode, we take a break from the 2025 narrative to explore my first Trail Days after the thru-hike.

See the photos from this entry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musehikes

Questions, feedback or just want to say Hi! [email protected]

Please visit our sponsors!

Summit Ready Apparel https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Our first interview episode! Recorded in February 2026 during Ratatouille’s post-trail cross-country road trip, we sit down at my kitchen table to reflect on the grueling early days of our respective 2025 adventures. Join us as we dive into the highlights (and hurdles) of hiking through Maine and the beginning of New Hampshire. 

Follow the written journal here: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/680304

See the photos from this entry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musehikes

Questions, feedback or just want to say Hi! [email protected]

Please visit our sponsors!

Summit Ready Apparel https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

What does life look like after a 2,000-mile journey? In today’s episode, we look past the finish line while navigating the final weeks of preparation. We dive into April and May journal entries, marking the last major milestones before the mountains: Joe’s final day of work and Haley’s college graduation. The approach to the trail is officially here!

Follow the written journal here: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/678992

See the photos from this entry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musehikes

Questions, feedback or just want to say Hi! [email protected]

Please visit our sponsors!

Summit Ready Apparel https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Today’s episode is our first replay episode in this four-week retooling stretch.

This week on the podcast, we are revisiting the foundations of the journey, re-airing Episodes 1, 3, and 6 to cover the first two weeks of the trek and lead back into that first riverside interview with Ratatouille.

In this debut episode, we make some introductions—I introduce myself, what I’m trying to do with this podcast, and give a high-level view of the 2,190-mile southbound journey I took in 2025. This is where the story all began, unfolding exactly as it was recorded in real time through my online trail journal.

Follow the written journal here:  https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/677895

See the photos from this entry on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/musehikes

Questions, feedback or just want to say Hi!  [email protected]

Please visit our sponsors!

Summit Ready Apparel  https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill  https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

In this episode, we enjoy a restful and well-deserved zero day in Monson. Tune in to find out what our very first zero day in town was like, and hear a little bit more about the town beyond the property lines of the hostel!

Important Note: This is our final new episode before a planned 4-week mid-summer break. Don't worry, the hike isn't over, and your feed won't be empty! Over the next four weeks, we will be airing special replay episodes of some favorite moments so far. We will be back with brand-new episodes on Monday, July 27th. Use this time to revisit the early days of the trail, and we'll see you back on the journey soon!

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/680786

See the photos from this day on the trail: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

Today we leave the Hundred Mile Wilderness and begin our stay at Shaw’s Hiker Hostel in Monson, Maine!

In this episode, Muse paints a picture of what it’s like to rest your feet at Shaw’s, from the layout of the buildings on property to the various services, vibe, and culture that make this hostel a legendary stop on the Appalachian Trail.  Tune in to learn more. 

Read the original written journal entry: https://trailjournals.com/journal/entry/680747

See the photos from this day on the trail: @musehikes on Instagram

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ

As we left our heroes (Muse and Wayfinder 🙂) on the verge of entering the awesome trail town of Monson, Maine, let’s break from the story again for another great interview!

On the show today are none other than the owners of the legendary Shaw’s Hiker Hostel in Monson - Hippie Chick and Poet!  We get to hear their wisdom on hiking, uncover the backstory of their AT journey, and take a backstage look at what it takes to support so many thru-hikers. 

Check out Shaw’s Hiker Hostel online:  http://www.shawshikerhostel.com

Follow Muse on Instagram: @musehikes

Say hello, share feedback, or ask a question: [email protected]

Summit Ready Apparel: https://summit-ready-apparel.printify.me/

Walk Up Hill: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Up-Hill-Bounce-Hiker/dp/B0F3G44MJJ