This week, Dan talks to Mark Larabee of the Pacific Crest Trail Association about raising funds through the PCTA's annual appropriations request to Congress.  Dan and Mark discuss the PCTA's fundraising efforts and all the work done to protect the PCT. Intro music by Kyle Gervais and Dominic Lavoie.

Blisters are unavoidable on a long hike....or are they??  This week, Dan talks about how frequently hikers get blisters, what causes them, and shares 10 time-tested tips for prevention.

On this week's show, Dan talks about at the top three foods long distance hikers crave the most, and the differences in cravings between men and women.

Dan is back to kick off a series of episodes featuring short interviews with a trail agency or clubs in all 50 states.  Missouri is the inaugural state in the series, so this week Dan sits down with Abi Jackson from the Ozark Trail Association. Download Episode

This week, Dan reviews the top 5 things that thru-hikers said they carried in their packs most of the way, but in looking back on their hikes, thought they could have done without.  What's necessary and what's not?

Boredom isn't a fun thing to experience on a long trail.  Nor is it an exciting title for a podcast!  Nearly 30% of long distance hikers cope with boredom at some point.  This week, Dan talks about what you can do to avoid being bored on your next hike.

Not enough sleep and a long day's drive has Dan getting through this episode thanks to coffee!  He shares a few tips for packing coffee on the trail in a way that's lightweight, tasty, and cost-effective. Download Episode

Dan picks up the topic of footwear once again.  This time he talks about what hikers who were unhappy with their footwear had the most to be unhappy about.  Listen this week for a few solid tips on buying footwear for long distance hiking.

Footwear choice is one of many important decisions to be made when preparing for a long distance hike.  This week, Dan talks about boots vs. trail runners and whether one style is actually better suited for long distance hiking.

This week, Dan goes over some important tips for how to physically prepare for a long distance hike, and how this is different than physical preparation for other sports.