Hiking Thru

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JESS RAECHELLE aka FROSTY Feb 24, 2021

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Frosty, known off trail as Jess Raechelle, spent 6 years dreaming and planning about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail before she got her 2020 permit. And then, well, 2020 happened but she scrambled and found herself at the southern terminus on March 18th. And it was all going fine until she hit Northern California and "Elliot" pushed her off trail, but that's a story I'll let her tell you. So in this episode, we talk about how the people she hiked with changed her, notes in the sand, hating Lucifer, and of course the Elliot of it all.

PAUL BARACH aka SNAKE EYES Feb 17, 2021

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Snake Eyes, known off trail as Paul Barach, has hiked a few trails in his day but the Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail is where it all started. A 750 mile trail visiting 88 temples, it encircles Shikoku Island in Japan and follows the travels of Kukai, an 8th century Shingon Buddhist monk. In his book “Fighting Monks and Burning Mountains”, Paul tells the story of his 2010 pilgrimage. After reading his book, the Shikoku Trail is definitely on my bucket list!! In this episode, we talk about the struggle to “Be Here Now”, not defining your journey while you’re still on it, the weight of history, and Kit Kat’s.

** Trigger warning: during the conversation, we talk about the suicide of Paul’s friend during his hike. **

CSABA WINTERS aka DIGNITY Feb 10, 2021

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Dignity, known off trail as Csaba Winters, took quite the twisted trail on his journey from Mexico to Canada. In 2019, he found himself at the southern terminus of the PCT really only expecting to hike for a short time, cause he had quit every other similar adventure. But one day turned into two turned into a week then a month and even after dislocating his shoulder, he continued North. In this episode, we talk about his "whatever it takes" trail to finish the hike, going through the Sierras alone, the challenges of hiking under a visa time limit, and how he discovered the Pacific Crest Trail in the first place.

NHANDI SINGLETON aka SEA LION Feb 03, 2021

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Sea Lion, known off trail as Nhandi Singleton, had a serious case of imposter syndrome when she hit the PCT in 2018. Coming from a background with limited hiking, it took hundreds of miles for her to feel like she belonged. In this episode, we unpack that and talk about being a minority on trail, body image and how the trail can mess with your head, becoming a risk-esque taker, and that one rainy day.

CHRISTINE REED aka LADY UNICORN Jan 27, 2021

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Lady Unicorn, known off trail as Christine Reed, in her new book "Alone in Wonderland" explores the longer journey we're all on when we come to thru hiking. In 2014, she started the Appalachian Trail only to be pulled off trail by the death of her mother. Four years later, she hit the Wonderland Trail, hiking back into herself. In this episode, we talk about her new book, about the inner conflict she battled while on the Appalachian Trail, her changing relationship with her body as she has fallen more and more in love with the hiker life, and the reciprocity of accepting help.

MEREDITH JOHNSON aka ELEVEN Jan 20, 2021

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Eleven, known off trail as Meredith Johnson, hit the PCT in 2019 chasing her experiences from the Appalachian Trail.
But they are very different trails, so she struggled for much of the hike with whether or not she wanted to be there.
In this episode, we explore the challenge of chasing past experiences, finding a balance between independence and community, her changing relationship to fear, and deli blazing.

ANDRE & LIAN DE JEL aka MORNINGSTAR & COOKIE MONSTER Jan 13, 2021

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Cookie Monster & Morningstar, known off trail as Lian & Andre De Jel, have covered a lot of miles in their 30+ years of hiking. But even with all those miles on their legs, the Pacific Crest Trail tested them. In their new book "Six Months with Three Pair of Undies" they tell the story of that adventure. In this episode, we dig into the book, of course talking about those 3 pair of undies, the yin and yang of hiking as a couple, how heatstroke led them to hike differently in the desert and the importance of hearing aids in rattlesnake country.

CHRIS PHILLIPS aka MISCHIEF Jan 06, 2021

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Mischief, known off trail as Chris Phillips, in November of 2018 slipped on some ice and fell getting water while hiking the AT. He woke up with severe frostbite. Its been quite the journey to find his way back to the trails that he loves. In this episode, we talk about 2018 and the repercussions from that one moment, finding peace with his new normal, Dragon Tooth Mountain and not letting the dream die.

MIKE PAPADATOS aka KICKSTAND Dec 23, 2020

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Kickstand, known off trail as Mike Papadatos, needed something to shake up his life. So of course, he decided to do a thru hike. But not just any thru hike - A Calendar Year Triple Crown. On January 31, 2018 he started at Springer Mountain and the rest as they say is history. In this episode, we talk about those that came before, the planning and logistics, struggles with feeling like a failure, finally finishing a trail...and a few Breaking Bad moments in New Mexico.

BECCA BERGSTROM aka LITTLE SKITTLE Dec 16, 2020

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Little Skittle, known off trail as Becca Bergstrom, after one overnight camping trip tackled the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019. Launching herself into the thru hiking life and following up with the Oregon Coast Trail and Timberline Trails this year... and a few miles on the Continental Divide Trail before everything came to a halt. In this episode, we talk about hiking with her Ride or Die Chicks (Darth Jader & PCP), working through loss and grief during the Oregon challenge, bear encounters, and a few rookie moves.

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