Show notes
In the first episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Dr. Alan Carpenter and Heather Balogh Rochfort. Carpenter is the author of Choose Better, Live Better, and a veteran long distance hiker and cyclist. Carpenter has over 11,000 trail miles logged, most of them hiked in his 60s, and now 70s. He's completed the John Muir trail and the Colorado trail twice, as well as the PCT, AT, and Continental Divide trail. Heather Balogh Rochfort is the author of Backpacking 101 and the blog Just a Colorado Gal. Balogh Rochfort spent the first 20 years of her life as a ballerina, and discovered her love of the outdoors as a college student at the University of Colorado- Boulder.
Blissful Hiker covers how to transition from day hiker to backpacker, from preparing mentally and physically, learning about gear and building camaraderie, and how to get over beginners' perfectionism.
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00:01:30 - Welcome to Walking Distance!
Interview with Dr. Alan Carpenter
03:30 - Carpenter's introduction to backpacking and hiking was his boy scout troop as a child.
05:30 - What inspired you to start your first solo backpacking trip on the John Muir trail?
07:25 - As a beginner backpacker, how did you find out what gear worked for you?
09:25 - Another one of the struggles of beginning backpacking is bolstering confidence. How did you mentally prepare?
11:30 - You've written a book about healthy living. Many beginning backpackers are concerned about being in shape in order to hike. What's your opinion on that, and did you have a routine when you were beginning?
12:57 - A lot of fears about backpacking become our reasons for backpacking. Did you have discoveries about how backpacking adds to your life?
15:10 - There's sometimes a sense of perfectionism when we're starting out. Any thoughts on getting information to beginners or what they need to know?
Interview with Heather Balogh Rochfort
20:00 - Heather Balogh Rochfort literally wrote the book on beginner backpacking!
20:15 - Heather's background was as a ballerina dancer, until she went to college in Colorado and went on her first backpacking trip.
21:40 - How do I know what I really need to bring?
24:00 - Is there a place where you can borrow or rent gear cheaply? How do you finance your gear while starting out?
25:50 - There's a feeling that you have to have it totally dialed in, even for veteran backpackers. But try to enjoy the process of figuring out backpacking rather than focusing on making sure your first trip goes perfectly.
27:00 - What should I do to keep safe as a woman backpacking solo? And what should I say to people telling me that I shouldn't go?
28:10 - Anyone starting out should learn how to use a map and compass, and bring them on the trail.
30:00 - It matters where you choose to go on your first trip, and how far you go.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE About Dr. Alan Carpenter
Backpacker Radio w/ Dr. Alan Carpenter
Dr. Alan Carpenter's notes
Just a Colorado Gal: Heather Balogh Rochfort
Backpacking 101 by Heather Balogh Rochfort
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