Off Trail

What is the Pacific Northwest Trail?

Today we sit down for a chat with co-hosts Magpie and Constantine, and well if you have been listening to our most recent episodes, you know how this begins... with an energy drink review!

The energy gets explosive with "C4", the one that we were too scared to try on the previous episode, but as we cant abide waste, we guzzle down this radioactive concoction of liquid Peach Mango drink, and once again test our hearts constitution to survive the episode. 

After a few sips, a few tangents, we dive into the basis of this episode, all things Pacific Northwest Trail. Just like the Peach Mango flavor in our mouths, we try and discern the flavor of this trail for you. A throwback as Constantine and Magpie hiked this back in 2019, it is time to put their memories to the test!

We chat elevation, camping, mileage, trail angels & trail devils. We break the discussion into states and resupply points, using the power of the energy drink and our foggy memories to try and accurately paint a picture of the PNT. We discuss bushwhacks, the Veg-O-Matic, permits, food carries, animal encounters, and the flavor of each town and section. We chat the "mystique" of the PNT and the reputation it has. 

We chat Glacier National Park, the loose definitions of what constitutes a town, alternates available, cheating if you do not take the official route of Bogachiel through Olympic National Park (not actually we just have many feelings about this piece of trail). We give a few shout outs to Horsepower who is out there stepping off the miles now and meeting all the wildlife and experiences the PNT has to offer. We chat finding a bushwhack where none have bushwhacked before! We chat bluffs, how not all beaches are created equal, and going for a unexpected swim deep in the ocean.

We wrap the show with our newly patented (not actually patented) Ramen Rating Review! 

The PNT gets a stellar average of 4.9 Ramens! 

Our highest rated ramen review yet. Magpie gave it a FULL Creamy Chicken ramen of 5 stars, while Constantine still believing no trail can be fully Creamy Chicken gave it a 4.9 rating. More accurately meaning you made a Creamy Chicken Ramen but added a tad bit too much water, and didn't get all the flavoring out of the package. 

FAVORTIE QUOTES:

"It slices, it dices, it is the Veg-O-Matic!" 

"Stay Cognizant TM."

"My favorite trail, perfect mix."

To learn more about who we are click the link below:

ElevenSkys.com

What is the Wonderland Trail?

Today we sit down and chat with Constantine and Magpie about all the wonders of the Wonderland Trail. No irony is needed nor sarcasm sassed when we indeed say it is wonderful. 

We begin the show by instantly diving into a tangent, but then of course we use the upmost elegance and smooth tones to begin the multi-minute transition away from pure power into permits. We discuss all things Wonderland Permits. The use of Recreation.Gov to book ahead of time, the chance of walk up permits, luck of the draw with certain campsites, a "secret" way to hike without permits (NOTE: it is NOT saying don't use a permit, instead it mentions how to create an intense itinerary to avoid the permitted campsites).

We discuss circles and how just because it is a circle does not mean it is easy. As the saying goes, "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice... well you aren't going to fool me again!" We shall not be fooled again, third time is the charm. Circles do not equate to easy.

We discuss how to define beauty when literally 80% of the entire hike is gorgeous. We discuss the obstacles of the Wonderland Trail, including the Mowich River, the steep elevation gain and descent daily, snow travel, river crossings, suspension bridges, and most importantly injury prevention. We dive deep into this thought line as Magpie called the hike Day 3, no longer being able to safely continue forward without causing serious injury. 

When hiking with a romantic partner, friend, hiking buddy, comrade, trail family, whoever you may be hiking with, it is important to have these types of conversation beforehand. The conversations of "What If?" 

Nothing is more important than the safety of those around you while hiking. It is an immense privilege to be able to share in the happiness, love and togetherness of a trail, and also a responsibility. When hiking with others make a plan, read the situation, and act accordingly. 

We chat rookie mistakes, disappearing socks, thermal persuasion, finger-hills not being hills, and the constant curse of having piping plover legs. We chat hamburger feet, bridges that are not bridges, marmot smooching, pika picking, and beaver cuddling. We discuss the difference of being in thru-hiking shape and just "regular shape." We chat all things HYOH (do not even like writing out the term much less saying it... but we find ourselves in this tangent and have to unpack our feelings and then quickly tangent away before our emotions overheat). 

On our ramen rating review scale this hike gets a 4.5 out of 5 ramens. A mix between Roast Chicken and Creamy Chicken. 

Most importantly we: "Study Xyscience while being Rowdy and talking to Yerbae."

Truly a wonderful trail, highly recommend the Wonderland Trail.

FAVORITE QUOTES:

"It is a privilege and responsibility when sharing the trail with others."

"French kiss a marmot." (DISCLAIMER: DO NOT!)

"The more we hike the less we know what we are doing."

"I looked at my wrist for the time again... still don't have a watch."

To learn more about who we are click the link below:

ElevenSkys.com

What is the Lost Coast Trail?

Today we sit down to discuss a short but sweet trail... and promptly go off the rails! 

Hosts Constantine and Magpie begin the show with an introduction to the stats of the Lost Coast Trail. A trail that spans 25.3~ miles along the King's Coast in Northern California, it covers surf, sand, mountains and bluffs...and that is just the terrain. It has sweeping views, tidal zones that must be traversed safely, wildlife swimming in the waves and tanning in the sand. All the joys of a long thru-hike can be found within its comfortable distance. 

After going over the access to the trailhead and the permitting process for the trail the conversation begins to take a turn. A turn for the better, or for the worse? Who is to say... what we can say however is that it indeed takes a sharp left, right, circular, perpendicular, pentagonal turn towards both our hosts internal mid-life crisis'. In what form do people in their late twenties have mid-life crisis, and what does that look like? Well, you are going to have to listen to find out, but we will tell you it involves backpacking "vs." thru-hiking, bandwidths of suffering, broken knees and lower backs, and more than a fair share of "Xyience"! 

Traversing back off an emotional tangent, our hosts begin discussing the intricacies of the trail. The play-by-play of miles, the tidal zones and where they are located, the flavor of the miles, camping locations, water sources, wildlife, weather patterns, travel to and from both terminus, amount of hikers and everything you need to know to hike and access the Lost Coast Trail.

We chat why Xyience is indeed better than science and how one could even argue one created the other, a real chicken and egg scenario. We chat big creeks, cuddly Elephant Seals (Disclaimer: DO NOT cuddle), mindset of hiking and thru-hiking, laundry and chickens, a vending machine that mysteriously dispenses dimes/nickels/ and even a dollar coin?! We chat the definition of pulling a "Classic Constantine", foot issues, rotten spaghetti (yes, literally rotten), and drinking from the fountains of youth we call Xyience (no, not literally but certainly figuratively). 

We wrap up the show with an impromptu Ramen Rating Review. Cementing the reason why our hosts are together as to their two lowest rated ramen and two highest rated ramen were the same! Those that rate ramen together... well probably are a tad malnourished and nutritionally deficient... but at least suck down salt packets with a grimace on their faces and a smile in their hearts. 

A very fun, weird, and perfectly unexpected turn of an episode. Seems apt for the flavor of where we are figuratively, literally (no not literally, but yes actually literally) and where we are spiritually, (yes spiritually, akin to those Elephant Seals along the Lost Coast Trail, cuddling, feeding our blubber reserves, and waddling our way forward through this metaphorical deep sand shores of life.)

Anyway... great trail, would recommend. 

FAVORITE QUOTES:

"Blubbery, cuddly, kissable, bundles of joy"

"Tastes like salty memories of soup"

"Depends how you define a Big Creek"

To learn more about who we are click the link below:

ElevenSkys.com

What is the Bigfoot Trail?

First thing is first, a massive thank you must be given to the Bigfoot Trail Alliance (the overseeing organization that created this trail and manages it), although there may be some colorful language used in this episode to describe portions of the trail, we want the Bigfoot Trail Alliance to know that we greatly appreciate and respect the massive amounts of work needed to maintain a trail like this and truly are grateful for the route creation and continued growth.  

Today we sit down and have a nice, long, "unbiased", slightly informational, mostly emotional, chat. 

Host Constantine is joined by Horsepower (first recurring guest on our show, so... commence "medal ceremony") as they are fresh off completing their thru-hike of the Bigfoot Trail. Completed on July 2nd, we catch up with them on July 3rd, so please forgive them if the emotions are still running high, well maybe not forgive.. but at least have context before the show begins. 

The Bigfoot Trail is a 358~ mile trail that spans from Ides Cove in Northern California to Crescent City a coastal town in Northern California. Along the way you traverse through multiple wilderness areas, touch the PCT or Pacific Crest Trail for a few miles, quickly dip a toe into Oregon  and then just as quickly come back to Northern California. It traverses through 32 different type of conifer trees per their website, and in general is a beautiful trail, brutal, but beautiful. 

Horsepower and Constantine sit down and give a synopsis of the 14 days it took to hike this trail. They begin at day 1, with sleeping in the fetal position, bushwhacking through thick thorns, the difference between THICC and THIQQ, and continue from there revealing stories shared, pain experienced, and beauty seen. 

We chat about Hayfork and its wonderful Mexican cuisine (seriously), we chat about good wounds vs. bad wounds and we chat the mysterious "RV Camp in the middle of the Trinity Wilderness. We talk about Horsepower's "Tent Juke" technique for mosquitoes, carrying 6 sets of clothes, a fun game we played called Rattlesnake Roulette, and how Constantine is an old man in... well an old man's body.

We chat about 1700 miles vs. 200 miles and the "worth" of a mile, we chat peanut butter and soda fueling techniques, we chat oozing and blistering legs, and we chat about Playing Basketball in Pelican Bay! (Training Day reference)

All jokes aside, this episode is meant to be informational as the Bigfoot Trail is still growing with its map data, trail conditions, and awareness, so we hoped to shine more light on a trail system that really is beautiful, and yes brutally difficult. 

We chat about the difference between the Big 3 trails and these smaller trails regarding their support, infrastructure, and trail maintenance. We chat about the "flavor" of the Bigfoot Trail and how everyday there will be some form of bushwhack and intense climbs, we talk about trail conditions and alternates, and we go over in detail the essence of what it means to hike the Bigfoot Trail. 

FAVORITE QUOTES:

"You usually always go up, its more punishing"

"I wasn't going to use that same F word..."

"Tone for trail: bushwhack, bears, a lot of climbing"

"Disclaimer for whole BFT: check your maps often."

"If your legs are oozing any type of liquid... go to a doctor."

To learn more about Horsepower check out the link below:

Instagram: @naturalhorsepower

To learn more about who we are click the link below:

ElevenSkys.com

ONE MORE TIME: THANK YOU BIGFOOT TRAIL!

We have the privilege today of speaking with the one and only, Impala!

Today we begin the show with some wonderful English idioms as we learn about Impala. We chat about being born in the UK and his father's influence on him as a travelling man. We dive deeper into the backstory of his relationship with his father, and how the artist's mind is one of wonder and wander.

We get sucked deep into a conversation around the UK's National Trails. We chat about the similarities and differences of hiking in the US Vs. hiking in the UK. We chat about "stealth camping" and the infrastructure of the trails in England and Scotland. We chat about the lengths of the UK's National Trails and the possibility of hiking all of them (if desired) in a single hiking season. 

We chat about Impala's route that he has called the "Mighty Blighty." A trail system that is still being officially created called the English Coast Path, with a special extra twist, as Impala hopes to connect all his footsteps, and the only way to do that is, continue across through Scotland to rejoin the English coast on the other side. We talk trail conditions, and the burden that flat miles can put on one's body. Sometimes surprisingly consistent days of flat terrain hurt the body more, than climbing and descending. We chat about how Impala navigates a yet to be completed trail, and how if the ocean remains on his left hand side, it should be fine! 

We chat about trail community and what one does when there are not many hikers around. We chat about Impala's first thru-hike on the Te Araroa and what seed was planted along this hike in his brain to continue to pursue hiking year after year. We talk about the connection and disconnection of living a nomadic life and we chat about how Impala manages his Off Trail time. We talk about the pros and cons of Instagram, we chat about being home while on trail, and we chat about never being bored in this lifestyle. 

We chat about being an "addict" for trail, we chat about mind games to hold onto sanity while hiking canals, we chat about becoming the most renowned and professional tiddlywinks player in the UK, we chat about bonds formed from only a few days of hiking together and the strength they can create, we chat about Meander, we chat about spirituality and being connected to the world around you, we chat about "doing miles, and making smiles", we chat about how saying hi to people can become a wonderfully entertaining and even enlightening game, and much more. 

Honestly, one of our favorite chats, as throughout this episode, you can really and truly feel who Impala is, and feel the kindness in his thoughts and words. 

Truly a wonderful chat with Impala, thank you for sharing some time and your story with us!

FAVORITE QUOTES:

"If I got my pack on, I know everything is going to be alright."

"When you spend more time outside, you become more in tune with everything."

"If everyone went backpacking the world would be a better place."

"I am a professional tiddlywinks player."

"I just became a complete addict [referring to hiking]"

To learn more about Impala click below:

Website: ImpalaOnTrail.com

Instagram: ImpalaOnTrail

YouTube: ImpalaOnTrail

To learn more about us click below:

Website: www.ElevenSkys.com

We have the privilege today of speaking with the one and only, Aaron of Backcountry Foodie!

Today we begin the show by learning a little bit about Aaron's background in nutrition and hiking and how it led her to create Backcountry Foodie. We learn about how the hiking nutrition on the market was not catered to individualistic output and calorie consumption while on trail and how she used her skills as a dietician to change this.

We chat about her love for food, and her love for high quality food that is right for your body. We dissect the pros and cons of a thru-hiking diet, and while it may fill up a hiker's stomach, it may not be giving the correct nutrients to the hiker's body. We chat about vitamin deficiency and the difference between a habitual mile stepper and someone who is choosing a thru-hike as a one time adventure. We learn that multiple years of a "thru-hikers diet" can lead to unwanted deficiency in the body, and begin to regret our doughnut consumption the hike before this chat...

We chat about the calorie density and nutrition in dehydrated food compared to regular food, and that it can lose up to 50% of its vitamins! We ask Aaron's recommendations on how to eat healthier and supplement a thru-hiking diet until making the fuller transition into healthier food choices.

We chat about the growth of Backcountry Foodie over the years, and how Aaron went from writing cookbooks, to nutritional coaching for hikers, to masterclasses in hiking nutrition, and how she has tied in all her experience with the above and more, to create a healthy choice for hikers. With over 209 recipes there is something for everyone. They even have a meal planning platform, which is an automated tool that can make a shopping list for you! Eating healthy has never been made so easy!

We chat about Aaron's hike of the PCT, OCT, and the Condor Trail and how every hike has given them the opportunity to continue to grow their knowledge of the human body and hiking. We learn how every hike is different, not just the miles done, but the terrain, the weather, the navigation, the bushwhacking, all play important roles in the food that should be eaten.

We chat about "stockpiling calories", we chat about not using soda or beer as a form of nutrition while in town, we chat about meal replacement drinks and how baby formula while nutritional requires a strong gut and an even stronger will to drink, we chat about how every resupply is different due to the trail and the needs of the body, we chat about 400lbs of food prep and dehydrating your own tuna, and we chat plastic mountaineering boots, to name a few. 

Truly a wonderful chat with Aaron from Backcountry Foodie, thank you for sharing some time and your story with us!

P:S: As a special treat, all our listeners can use the promo code: OFFTRAILPODCAST at BackcountryFoodie.com for a 20% discount!

FAVORITE QUOTES:

"Food is medicine."

"I don't like using thru-hiking as a weight loss program, if you are losing weight you are not fueling your body to peak performance."

"When hikers say they can't do it, I am going to challenge you again."

"You can eat healthy at the dollar store."

"I just want to help anyone that wants to feel better."

To learn more about Aaron and Backcountry Foodie click below:

Website: www.backcountryfoodie.com

YouTube: BackcountryFoodie

Instagram: @BackcountryFoodie

To learn more about us click below:

Website: www.ElevenSkys.com

We have the privilege today of speaking with the one and only, Pony!

Today we begin the show by wishing we had been recording the "pre-chat" portion with Pony beforehand. As you will find out as we get deeper into the episode, he is a fantastic storyteller and his thoughts and perspectives around hiking and the trail, are refreshing to say the least. 

We hop right into the show as Pony brings us through the evolution from Clay Bonneyman Evans to how he defined it as finding his "alter ego" of Pony. We chat about his introduction into the "thru-hiking world" and how it just clicked with his brain and how he operates. We dive into what this means, what does it mean when he says, "it works for my brain?"

Keep your hats on because we dive deep into the perspectives and outlooks on the massively popular (and directly massively unpopular with thru-hikers) books "Wild" and "A Walk in the Woods" by Cheryl Strayed and Bill Bryson. Once again, a truly refreshing take as we chat about the goals of these books, and why they are perceived so negatively by hikers, when in fact they are truly inspirational and great storytelling. 

We quickly avoid the hornets nest that is documenting your hike by video on trail, and lightly tread, but just for a moment, upon the thoughts and feelings around this growing activity. 

We chat about Pony and how writing is his process for understanding his journey. Not just his hiking journey's, but this journey through life. We talk about his process and how he remains in the moment on trail, while continuing to pursue his passion. We chat about his growth as a writer and author throughout the years. 

We go deep into the "Red-Lining" concept. A very deep dive as it is something both Pony and ourselves are passionate about. We chat about the dangers of being too much of a purist, and the growth of the trail community as it begins to tackle this very turbulent concept. We chat about how this concept can be utilized on some trails, while others it is not only impossible, but not even safe. It unravels from here, the threads of this thought continue for many minutes. 

We chat about hiking clean and the feelings it invokes in body and mind. We chat about the CDT and bear tub claws on the PCT. We chat about writing and the feeling of being a character in a story, we chat about being in a "snow globe world",  we chat about the "Blowdown, Snowdown, Hodown", we chat about connection and relationships off trail while being on trail, we chat about not receiving merit badges for suffering, we chat about his wife and my mother knowing each other in this small world we call thru-hiking (Hi Jodi and Sundance!) and we get wonderfully lost in Pony's gift for storytelling. To name a few.

Truly a wonderful chat with Pony, thank you for sharing some time and your story with us!

FAVORITE QUOTES:

"My brain is at its best when it is on trail"

"I have to write about it, because writing about it is who I am"

"Every footstep you take literally brings you into a new reality"

"The trail is a stage on which I as a human can be fully myself"

To learn more about Pony and read his books click below:

Website: www.claybonnymanevans.com

Email: [email protected]

To learn more about us click below:

Website: www.ElevenSkys.com

We have the privilege today of speaking with the one and only, Starburst! 

Today we begin the show or more accurately jump right into it! Skipping over our usual first open ended question that begins the show, Cal quickly lets us know who they are with some amazing stories and insights into the mind of a perpetual mile stepper. Cal is set to become the first (known) trans hiker to complete the Triple Crown and Great Western Loop. More importantly they are doing it for a reason, for themselves and for others. 

Being inspired from a hiker they met along the way named Sandman, Cal tells us the story of how they began to germinate the idea of connecting their footpath in a loop called the Great Western Loop. A 7,000+ mile trail system that combines the PCT, CDT, PNT and other pieces together. Yet, more importantly, we talk on what this means to them, not as a "physical goal" but instead what it means to them to stand up for what they believe in.

Cal tells us of the feeling of responsibility they feel as a trans/queer person to use the platform they have to help create more inclusion, acceptance, and awareness in the trail community. We unpack this feeling of responsibility and learn about its growth and how it has affected them along with the hikers their story touches. 

We chat about the Trevor Project, an organization that creates a home for LGBTQ youth and builds projects and community while spreading awareness. We chat about how Cal's hike is more than "just a hike" for themself, and is a way to give back to this community through a fundraiser, as well as to give back to the hiking trans/queer community.

Magpie and Cal compare and contrast the growth of the hiking community at large over the past few years from stories from both of their hikes and experiences. They talk about the change they have both seen, and talk about the continuation of finding a place of comfort and safety inside of the outdoors. 

We talk about the connection/disconnection pursuit of long distance hiking has on friends, family, and community back home. How do you stay in touch with a community when you are nomadic? How do you have the time? A question we ask every guest, and a question that never has just one answer. We talk about how there are only three reasons a healthy person should be urinating blood. A kidney stone, rigorous sex, or too much exercise, and how Cal's partner after a 50~ mile day is still trying to figure out which one it was...

We chat about Lil Buddha, we chat about the feeling of home while being on trail, we chat about the responsibilities of having a voice for change and using it, we chat about meeting a partner in this community, we chat about Instagram, and we chat about the "linear ladder" of pursuing goals and breaking this "perfectionist" mold. To name a few.

Truly a wonderful chat with Cal, as we wish them luck on many great adventures ahead! 

FAVORITE QUOTES:

"I lost my extended family not became I came out as trans...but because I came out as a thru-hiker!"

"Pursuing your dreams is professional development."

"Everyone knows queer/trans people, and if you don't think you do, you definitely do."

"When I am on trail, I am home and I feel like I return to who I am supposed to be."

To learn more about Cal and support the Trevor Project:

Instagram: @cal_hikes

Trevor Project: A Penny Per Mile by Cal Dobbs

To learn more about us click below:

Website: www.ElevenSkys.com

Who is Rowdy Energy? How did we #getsponsored by Rowdy Energy? What is Rowdy Energy?

These burning questions and more will probably...maybe...possibly...be answered in our Season 2 Opener!

Welcome to Season 2 of the Off Trail Podcast. In all seriousness, we have a fun episode for you all to introduce you to our new season.

With no guest this week, the co-hosts, Magpie and Constantine, sit down to share some stories with you.

There is much to cover in this episode, and all the sponsorships in the world from #RowdyEnergy would not be enough to power a laptop in a BLM campground with no electricity, so the energy is quick, frantic, and a tad bit rowdy as our co-hosts try to cover all the topics they wish to discuss before the power goes out.

The show begins with a quick chat about what the co-hosts have been up to recently such as the Hayduke Trail and Grand Enchantment Trail. More so routes than trail systems, we discuss the intricacies of what it means to hike a trail that is a route. You know how the saying goes... not all routes are trails, but all trails are routes, you know like the square and rectangle debate? 

We then digress as we talk about our new shows sponsors at #RowdyEnergy and the extreme gratitude, love, and appreciation we feel for being partnered with such an amazing product/team/organization/lifestyle. 

We chat about the future of this podcast moving forward into Season 2. We highlight the structure and concept of this show, and how while at its heart it will still remain the same, focusing on the how and the who, not the what, there will be more conversations and stories shared about companies of all sizes. Tying in an individuals stories and a companies fascinates us, and we hope it fascinates you too, as we hope to spread the stories behind the growth, evolution, and sacrifices it takes to pursue what you love. 

We chat about our new campaign, that is abbreviated as #DGAS, and are thrilled to announce it so repetitively and frequently that we ourselves may end up wanting to jump into incoming traffic. 

Again, we joke... well mostly, there are some statements that remain true, but this podcast is meant to be fun and informative and that is the way we always hope to keep it.

In all seriousness, we discuss fire closures, the "ending" of a "thru-hike", the Grand Enchantment Trail in detail, planning alternate routes and the difference between 1,000+ mile trails and smaller routes, NCT level humor, Magpie's comparison of Constantine to a famous artist and how his humor is art, and just like Monet and Rembrandt not fully appreciated in his time, and we talk about Jeannie and Kyle, the 8th and 9th people to hike the GET, and how amazingly lucky and blessed we were to meet them. Thank you. 

We end the show with a call out to all adventurers, hikers, backpackers, bikepackers, rafters, wanderers, dirtbags....any and all outdoorspeople, if you power this life with your body and mind, we want to share your story. 

Follow us over on Instagram @offtrailpodcast and send us an email [email protected]

To be inspired check out Kyle and Jeannie's links below:

Website: https://jeannieortiz.com/

Website: https://kyleparkercunningham.com/

Website: https://intentionallyconfusing.com/

To learn more about who we are click the link below:

Website: https://www.elevenskys.com/

Don't forget to leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts if you are enjoying the show! All weirdness not only welcome but appreciated!

We have the privilege of speaking with the one and only, Cookie Monster and Triple Crown Coffee!

Today we begin the show with an EPIC trail name story. By far one of the funniest and best stories we have heard in a long time, if you assume the name Cookie Monster comes from liking cookies, well you are not wrong, but there is so much more behind it!

We laugh our way into learning about Cookie Monster's 25+ years of adventure life. Beginning with his passion to explore overseas, and then transitioning to a passion in 2008 with his first thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, to revolving his life around the trail. Or more accurately adventure life, he has lived a very colorful and wonderful life full of variety and we dive into the thoughts and feelings behind it.

We dive into the similarities and "differences" between the international travel community and the trail community. We chat about his love and passion of the community that continues to make him the best version of himself. 

We chat about the ethos and daily life working for a company such as REI and Patagonia, and dive deeper into what these companies came to represent to Cookie Monster's experience. 

We chat about Triple Crown Coffee, and how the company was born from a thru-hiker, and then stayed within the community. We chat about Cookie Monster's passion combining with his work, and how he still finds joy within each. We chat about giving back as he put it " support the trails, one cup at a time." We chat about ethically sourcing coffee and maintaining the entire supply chain to make sure that every piece of the puzzle is equitable. 

We chat about trails, we chat about business, we chat about giving back, we chat about how every pound that Triple Crown Coffee sells, a $1 is donated back to the trail. 

Too many wonderful quotes to list, Cookie Monster has a very eloquent way of talking and framing thoughts, we really enjoyed his take on many of the subjects that continue to have us wondering. 

Truly a wonderful chat with Cookie Monster & Triple Crown Coffee, thanks again for sharing some of your story with us.

FAVORTIE QUOTES:

"Trail is a mirror, trail is a reflection, of the journey we have through life"

"The interesting thing about goals is they continually move, as soon as you "score" one goal, it becomes what's next?"

"Thru-hiking is such a gift and blessing in my life... I want to make sure these trails are protected into propriety"

To learn more about Triple Crown Coffee and get involved check out the link below:

Website: Triplecrowncoffee.com

Email: [email protected]

To learn more about who we are click the link below:

Website: https://www.elevenskys.com/

Don't forget to leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts if you are enjoying the show! All weirdness not only welcome but appreciated!