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

Latest Episodes:

Episode #140 - Appalachian Trail (Days 24 to 28) Mar 25, 2019

Show notes

This is the Smokies Part II episode. With five days the cover the mileage may seem unimpressive. However, within those five days, there are two "nearos" and a "zero."

This has been a pretty brutal few days with snow, bone-jarring cold, warmth, slush, and a seemingly endless climb down out of these iconic mountains.

In retrospect, I think that, while I'm glad they are over, the Smokies will stay in my mind long after the snow has melted and I'm pushing my way through Virginia.

Episode #139 - Appalachian Trail (Days 20 to 23) Mar 21, 2019

Show notes

It's Smokies Week on the show and plenty of uphills on the way to Clingmans Dome. I became part of, and lost, my first tramily, and loved my time with them.

I also met the very sweet Little Foot (follow her YouTube channel "Hike with Little Foot") and the enormously positive Posi (@MattBurnsFat on Facebook and Instagram).

I even hiked with Ryan Hopkins and his buddy Chris. Ryan is the man putting this show out every week. It was great to meet up with both of them.

Now, I'm alone again and getting out of the Smokies in a couple of days. Max Patch and Hot Springs are upcoming highlights.

Episode #138 - Appalachian Trail (Days Seventeen to Nineteen) Mar 17, 2019

Show notes

Another few days with varying fortunes. The week started disastrously with the loss of a vital piece of equipment. The views continued to make the heart fly and the Smoky Mountain got closer and closer.

Along the way, the humanity of hikers was on full display, especially one night in a very full shelter (Picture thanks to Ashley "Boomer" Enders). These are the evenings to relish and the ones that will stick in my mind long after the hike is over.

Now, after my longest day, I'm set to tackle the Smokies from Sunday and hope to report back after I reach Newfound Gap. Bring 'em on.

Episode #137 - Appalachian Trail (Days Fourteen to Sixteen) Mar 14, 2019

Show notes

Another three-day stint between stops in town took Steve from Franklin to Nantahala Outdoor Center. Before he even left Franklin, however, he started with one of the finest breakfasts that he has ever had. Listen to what he had.

Another view, this time with Rowemer in the foreground, was taken from about 5,000 feet elevation.

The rain has stayed away and an opportunity to catch a perfect sunrise came just north of Cold Spring Shelter. While the picture doesn't do justice to the moment, you can see how a dry day can paint such gorgeous pictures in the sky.

Episode #136 - Appalachian Trail (Days Ten to Thirteen) Mar 11, 2019

Show notes

The trail has been testing this past four days. Steve left Dick's Creek Gap last Thursday morning and has now reached Franklin NC after three nights in the woods. 48 hours of rain and not enough food has been testing but he has managed to push through.

He is already learning how different his two journeys are going to be, with new challenges making him manage his clothing a little differently to last time.

He has met a few families along the trail and two of them share their stories this week.

Episode #135 - Appalachian Trail (Days Seven to Nine) Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

It has been an emotional three days for Steve as he faced up to his first real adversity. He knew it would happen, he was even expecting it, yet his emotional reaction took even Steve by surprise. It just reinforced his belief that the Trail impacts us all in different and often unexpected ways.

He has now reached Dick's Creek Gap, at Mile 69.2, and has zeroed to reassess his pack and to restore his slightly bruised ego. He'll be back at it tomorrow (Thursday).

Episode #134 - Appalachian Trail (Days Four to Six) Mar 03, 2019

Show notes

Now six days in, Steve is getting into something of a rhythm. His toes are hurting a little, though nothing too serious.

He is constantly on the lookout for individual stories but only includes one today because he lost touch with his next intended "victims" in the bad weather today.

With frigid weather in the forecast, he will be planning the next few days to carefully consider his options.

Episode #133 - Appalachian Trail (Days One to Three) Mar 01, 2019

Show notes

Steve is on his way and trying to adjust to his new lifestyle. So far, he has kept to the schedule he gave himself and finished day three in Suches.

It has brought back memories from his first thru-hike, with a bunch of new characters already emerging. He is listening to other people's stories and is starting to bring them to the show. There is also a magical moment when a young woman plays the violin at the top of a mountain as the mist and cloud swirl around her.

Don't forget to follow along twice a week as Steve podcasts from the trail.

If you want to support the production of this and other Hiking Radio Network shows, please donate via PayPal at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/.

Just scroll down the page on your phone to find the PayPal button or look at the top of the side panel if you're on a laptop, desktop or some tablets.

Episode #132 - Megan Dolman (Giggles) and Mark Bychowski (Pepperjack) Feb 21, 2019

Show notes

When Megan (from the UK) and Mark (an American) started their respective hikes on March 5, 2018, neither could have imagined how their lives were about to change. They met that first day–Megan was the very first person who Mark met on the trail–and started hiking together the following morning. Their meeting and the unfolding of their hike reflects the serendipity of the Appalachian Trail and they summited together five months later.

When they had finished, Mark put together this short video of their hike at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAHFsEhANt0 while Megan blogged about their journey at https://megdolmanat2018.wordpress.com/

Bruce Matson came on the show to share news of his successful fundraising efforts on behalf of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and shared some news of his upcoming book to add more funds to the ATC.

If you'd like to see more of Bruce's hike and efforts, go to http://www.rtkchallenge.com/ and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgs4kgtMJPGslFSwHkgkesQ/featured.

This is the last show in its current form and, from next week, I'll be on the AT. If you'd like to follow along, why not check out these sites. I'm on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HikingRN/, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hikingradionetwork/, and YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpTCOIGPxoau_6aGohYpUPg/videos

For now, though, I'd like to leave with our young couple who found love on the Appalachian Trail; Megan and Mark.

Episode #131 - Suzanne Dixon (Irish Fire) Feb 14, 2019

Show notes

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is THE critical component in a healthy trail for hikers, both now and for the future. Suzanne Dixon is the President and CEO of the ATC and in this week's show, she tells us about the exciting new initiative that the ATC has recently launched.

Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail is lucky to have the first media interview about this initiative, called The Wild East. The poster below will give you some of the flavor of the Wild East and there is a new website specifically about the project.

https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.org/

Suzanne has worked in conservation for much of her working life and is a passionate advocate of both the ATC and this initiative. Listen to her as she tells us about the Wild East and learn how you can assist in preserving the trail for future generations. Then, to find out more about how you can help, visit www.appalachiantrail.org

Lisa Rana tells us about her recent journey on the strenuous Grafton Loop Trail. If you'd like to see more of this trail, check out the two videos that Lisa has linked us to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvvO-xOQLFw&t=6s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiaTo8lVeN8&t=678s

Finally, we have reached the last few chapters of The Year We Seized the Day, by Elizabeth Best and Colin Bowles. I hope that you enjoyed hearing me and my lovely niece Laura over the past few months. When I return from this year's attempt on the Appalachian Trail I'll be reading Paul Stutzman's great book–a personal favorite of mine–Hiking Through: One Man's Journey to Peace and Freedom on the Appalachian Trail.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

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

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected