Walking and Talking: An Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike

Join Glen and I on this special, rare episode of Walking and Talking! Glen is a an "engineer, entrepreneur, author, sought-after speaker, and dishwasher/philanthropist." In 1998 he founded Gossamer Gear. He's humble, funny, and dedicated.  *I apolgize for the poor audio quality on my mic. I've been out of the podcast game for awhile so I had my settings messed up. Thankfully, Glen is crisp and clear - he's more intersting to listen to anyway. Glen's  book Take Less. Do More: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity. Gratitude, and Curiosty from an Ultralight Backpacker is available on April 16th. Find it at the links below.  All profits on the book will be donated to the Pacific Crest Trail Association. https://bookshop.org/p/books/take-less-do-more-surprising-life-lessons-in-generosity-gratitude-and-curiosity-from-an-ultralight-backpacker-glen-van-peski/20974984   https://www.porchlightbooks.com/product/take-less.-do-more.-surprising-life-lessons-in-generosity-gratitude-and-curiosity-from-an-ultralig--glen-van-peski/isbn/9781637632895   https://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/book/9781637632895   https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/take-less-do-more-glen-van-peski/1144473893;jsessionid=1511F01807AFAF67447724E441D107B0.prodny_store01-atgap04   https://www.amazon.com/Take-Less-More-Surprising-Generosity/dp/1637632894   Visit Glen's website to learn more https://www.glenvanpeski.com/                

My friend is about to do something insane! Jacob is attempting to become the youngest person in HISTORY to ski solo to The South Pole.  Join us for this conversation about running 100s of miles through the mountains, living on a glacier, setting world records, planting trees in Austrialia, and much more!   DONATE TO THIS PROJECT! IndieGoGo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/traq-23/x/30565548#/   Venmo: @MyersJG1   CHECK OUT HIS BLOG!   My Website: www.ValhallaHikes.Com   FOLLOW THE SOCIALS! IG: @YoungestToPoleProject IG: @ClimateForce.360   LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UNITY BLAZE! https://www.blackfolkscamptoo.com/

Lightshow and I met two weeks into my thru-hike when the world was shutting down due to COVID. He completed the southern half of the AT last year. This year he plans to start at Katahdin and head south. He joins me this week to talk about his unique approach to hiking the trail, why you should take the blue-blazes, his time working at Standing Bear Farm, and so much more! Lots of love and lessons in this one.       Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every other Wednesday at Noon EST!     

Hey everyone! My mom, Mary Schlosser, joins me this week to reminisce about her experience with the AT in 2020. No intro or outro today. Audacity keeps crashing whenever I try to edit, so it’s all interview this time around. Join us for a conversation about putting on a brave face, learning lessons from the woods, eating cold oatmeal, apple cider festivals, and so much more!   If you’d like to listen to other episodes with Mary, check out episodes 1 & 8       Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every other Wednesday at Noon EST!     

On this one-year anniversary episode I’m joined again by Chase Bontemps (Shotgun). Shotgun is a 23 year-old West Virginia University grad who now works as a civil engineer in Washington DC. He’s one of my best friends from the trail and we hiked the northern half together. Today’s episode is a relaxed conversation in which we reflect on the one-year anniversary of our start dates. If you’d like to hear Shotgun’s backstory, I recommend first listening to episodes 11 and 19. If you’ve already heard those episodes, or if you just want to dive into this episode, welcome aboard!   **I was riddled with technical difficulties while recording and editing this episode. I tried my best to make everything sound as normal as possible   Thank you to everyone who has listened to the show over this past year! You all rock!    Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every other Wednesday at Noon EST!     

This week I’m joined by Scott “Hell Yeah Jesus” Hughes. He’s the host of his own podcast I Just Wanna Be Hiker Trash (link below). Scott was 1,400 miles into a sobo AT thruhike attempt in 2016 when he made the decision to get off trail for the year. He returned Katahdin in 2018 and set off again – this time successfully making it all the way to Springer Mountain. Anyone who hikes 3,500+ miles on the AT comes away with some great stories. Lucky for me, all those stories make for a great interview! Join us for a conversation about determination, crazy trail names, podcasting, lessons the trail teaches, and so much more!   Check out I Just Wanna Be Hiker Trash here https://ijustwannabehikertrash.com/   or on FaceBook https://m.facebook.com/justwannabehikertrashpod/     Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every other Wednesday at Noon EST!    

This week I step away from the normal interview format and instead bring you some recordings from the trail in early April 2020. I had stopped releasing podcasts at this point due to COVID. Hopefully this episode shines some light on the difficulty of the hike at that point and my thoughts as I debated whether or not to continue my hike.     Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every other Wednesday at Noon EST!    

This week we head to a different trail – Vermont’s Long Trail! This trail stretches 273 miles through Vermont from the Massachusetts border to Canada. Natalie Muskin joins me to recount her 2018 thru-hike and her experience the following summer as a backcountry caretaker! Join us for a conversation about the naturalness of hiking, persevering through injury, the assumptions people too often make when a woman hikes alone, everything coming full-circle, and so much more!       Learn more about Green Mountain Club Backcountry Caretakers! https://www.greenmountainclub.org/looking-back-50-years-how-the-caretaker-program-began/   Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every other Wednesday at Noon EST!  

This week I’m joined by Laura Bee, aka Neck Knife. She was living in California when she decided to come back home east for a 2020 AT flip-flop thruhike. She felt the trail was approachable and could fulfill nostalgic goals, as she grew up in New Hampshire. Join us for a conversation about how the AT can bring families closer together, encouraging women to thruhike alone, why the AT can be a great place for people with opposing viewpoints to have respectful conversation with each other, how moving slower can make you happier, and so much more!   Check out Laura’s great AT blog! https://www.tobeeaflipflop.com/   Follow her on Instagram: @laurabee0   Bonus episode once I reach 100 ratings and reviews on Apple Podcasts!    Happy 2021 Everyone!   Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every other Wednesday at Noon EST!  

This week, I’m joined by Phill Toomasian, aka Flamingo. He is a triple-crowner, having hiked the 2,650-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail in 2018 and the 2,200-mile-long Appalachian Trail and the 3,000-mile-long Continental Divide Trail in 2020. That’s over 7,000 miles of hiking on those trails alone! (about the distance from Denver to Hong Kong!) Phill partnered with the non-profit “Dressember” this year to raise money to fight human trafficking. Join us for a conversation about living your “real-life” no matter where you are or what you’re doing, following your faith to use your natural gifts to better the world, social media pressure during COVID-19 and the amplification of “cancel culture”, why the AT is the most difficult part of the triple-crown, a really neat pair of pink pants, and so much more!   Follow Flamingo on Instagram! @phillip.david.t   Become a donor to Phill’s Dressember fundraiser! https://dressember2020.funraise.org/fundraiser/phill-toomasian?fundraiserPrompt=1108924&fbclid=IwAR3rbpIFKSHxrpWrvb193JzMRtIIw-D5O4hNcbAaSZQXyfXItT5-KSgNgAU     Happy Holidays! I can’t believe this is already the last episode of 2020. I’m so appreciative of all of you who have been with me this year to share this journey with me :)        Connect with Walking and Talking!   All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every other Wednesday at Noon EST!      

This week I’m joined by Anthony Kaplon, known on the AT as Half-Baked. He might be able to compare COVID-era hiking to BC (before-COVID) hiking better than anyone else, as he flipflopped Harper’s Ferry to Springer in the Fall of 2019 and Harper’s Ferry to Katahdin this May thru August. Join us for a conversation about knowing exactly when the right time to thruhike is, spending two-and-a-half zero days at a music festival back when those were a thing, finding your genuine self as the AT breaks you down, time-warping on a foggy mountain, and so much more! Want more from Half-Baked? Instagram: @flopflipped_at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClVQz21H4P45tOvlNmleFZQ     Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every other Wednesday at Noon EST!      

This week I’m joined by Kevin Rocks, aka Goat. He is a farm-to-table chef who brought a wonderful food culture to the AT on his thruhike this year. Join us for a conversation about foraging, cooking, cultivating patience, slowing life down, and so much more!   Check out Goat's 5-star AT dinners on his Instagram: @rocks_chef   Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every Wednesday at Noon EST!    

This week I’m joined by Jacob Myers, aka Valhalla. He is an avid hiker and writer who decided to stop his thruhike 200 miles in this year due to COVID-19. Join us for a conversation about the importance of community, the value in sharing both sides of a story, insane training routines, escaping death in a surprise storm, hiking someone else’s hike, and much more! Follow Jacob’s blog on The Trek: https://thetrek.co/author/jacob-myers/ Check out his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ9NIz7SQeSJmCwrBULCI7w?view_as=subscriber     Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every Wednesday at Noon EST!  

This week, I’m joined by Ben Crawford. He is a 2018 thru-hiker who hiked the AT with his wife, Kami, and their 6 children (ages 2, 7, 11, 13, 15, & 16). Known as the Crawford Family, they hold the record for the largest family to complete an AT thruhike together. Ben is the author of the brand-new book “2,000 miles together: the story of the largest family to hike the appalachian trail”. Join us for a conversation about finding a balance between experience and safety, overcoming the “internet hate machine”, the process of converting a life-changing experience into a book, just being a normal family, and so much more! Want to hear more from Ben? Find his new book here: https://geni.us/2000MilesTogether   Follow his family’s YouTube vlog: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT2WgHiawhWgbahB0CNENkg   Follow on Instagram @fightfortogether   Visit the website: https://fightfortogether.com/     Connect with Walking and Talking! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every Wednesday at Noon EST!        

This week, I’m joined by 2020 thru-hiker Bobby Sanders, aka Lefty. I often refer to Lefty as the socialite of the AT, as so many hikers this year have a story of a memorable moment shared with him. In 1999, he suffered an electrical accident that resulted in the loss of his right arm, two fingers on his left hand, and damaged his left leg. The doctors were unsure if he would walk again. He has since run four marathons and thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. Join us today for a conversation about the importance of family, perseverance through injury, seeking faith on the AT, and so much more.      Find Lefty’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCshWGLiqN63IXuM9GefnvyQ     Connect with the show! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every Wednesday at Noon EST!      

A different type of episode this week! I take some time to look back at the state of Georgia, the “freshman year” state for a NOBO thru-hike hopeful. I hope you enjoy this shorter episode, and I plan on being back with a regular length episode with an interview next week.   Connect with the show! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every Wednesday at Noon EST!    

This week I’m joined by 2020 thruhiker Zach Tucker (FreeFall). He is a long-distance hiker, traveler, peakbagger, and AEA stage manager. Zach is one of the very first people I met on my journey. As you’ll hear, him and I took different approaches to handling the mid-thruhike COVID-19 outbreak. Join us for a conversation reflecting on thruhiking, exploring a possible calling as a hostel manager, seeking ways to make the AT experience reignite passion in a career, and so much more!  Find Zach’s website here http://bytarmacortrail.com   Connect with the show! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every Wednesday at Noon EST!

This week, I’m joined by podcaster and thru-hiker two times over Steve Adams! Steve, known by his trail name Mighty Blue, completed successful thruhikes in both 2014 and 2019. He started his podcast, “Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis” in the years between the hikes and podcasted from the trail during his second go of it.   Find Steve's show here  https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/   As a podcast host, I’m guessing Steve is pretty accustomed to leading an interview, but today we’re turning the tables and I get the opportunity to interview him.  Join us today for our conversation about Steve’s two thruhikes, how his podcast has grown, what it’s like to be known by some hikers he meets on trial, the future potential of becoming the CHO (Chief Hiking Officer) for Devils Backbone Brewing Company, and so much more!       I joined Steve as a guest on his show a few weeks ago. Find that show here https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/episode-235-ryan-schlosser-yearbook/              I had an awesome opportunity to be a guest on the Conservation Unfiltered podcast. Jason Crighton and I discuss the AT through the lens of conservation. Click here to listen now! https://www.conservewild.org/podcast/episode/258480d4/ep-61-thru-hiking-the-at-with-ryan-schlosser?fbclid=IwAR3gNpJH60npzFoetZTTJc-rCIl7xNhD3sxB75uTug9PP9Fv-_h9n2xPchg   Connect with the show! All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every Wednesday at Noon EST!  

Ricochet joins me on this week’s episode to recap his 2020 NOBO thru-hike, share his philosophy on remaining happy on the AT, and much more! Click here to visit Ricochet's YouTube cannel.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPKWVJ6MBq_rfIO69D_ZAlw?view_as=subscriber   I had an awesome opportunity to be a guest on the Conservation Unfiltered podcast. Jason Crighton and I discuss the AT through the lens of conservation. Click here to listen now! https://www.conservewild.org/podcast/episode/258480d4/ep-61-thru-hiking-the-at-with-ryan-schlosser?fbclid=IwAR3gNpJH60npzFoetZTTJc-rCIl7xNhD3sxB75uTug9PP9Fv-_h9n2xPchg     All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes every Wednesday at Noon EST!

Shotgun joins me this week for one of our first conversations since finishing the trail together!     All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod   New Episodes Wednesdays at Noon EST!

I'm joined this week by mother-daughter 2020 thru-hike duo Briana and Cambyr Sullivan. I first met these two at Mountain Crossings on the fourth day of my thru-hike. Like most people they met on trial, I was amazed to find out that Cambyr was only thirteen. Thirteen. I thought I was young out there at age twenty. Her and her mom packed up their lives and set out on the 2200-mile hike together. Spreading positivity and empowering girls, women, and pretty much everyone they met along the way, Kaleidoscope and Chickweed became a well-known duo. Long time listeners may remember an interview with the two that I shared all the way back on Episode 5 of this show. The three of us had just crossed into North Carolina, our first state border. A huge accomplishment in the moment, but it was just the beginning of our journey.   Since completing their thru-hike, Briana and Cambyr have had quite a few people reaching out to interview them. Even making appearances on Yahoo Life and the Drew Barrymore show. They’ve been called the “Face of the AT 2020”. Find the links below to check out their Yahoo Life and Drew Barrymore appearances, their blog, Briana’s Instagram, and most importantly the TED talk speaker nomination page. They’re hoping to one day give a TED Talk about their experience. If you enjoy today’s interview, I’d urge you to click that link and recommend them! Despite the newfound fame, when I met with Briana and Cambyr on zoom this past week to record our interview they’re still the same energetic and smiling family I met 40 miles into my hike. Please enjoy our conversation about creating happiness, finding your dreams again, empowering women, building relationships, and so much more.    Curious to hear more of Briana and Cambyr's story?   Drew Barrymore Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtN5vjn2wCU&app=desktop Yahoo Life: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/motherdaughter-duo-complete-appalachian-trail-during-the-pandemic-175706339.html Blog: Naturespirit.me Instagram: @brianamsully TED Talk Nomination: https://speaker-nominations.ted.com       Connect with Walking and Talking    All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod     Thanks for listening! New Episodes every Wednesday at Noon EST    

From March 21st to June 5th, I went radio silent with the podcast. COVID-19 had shut down the world, and I chose not to advertise the fact I continued hiking. During this time, Ellie Oberink and I hiked 1000 miles together. She joins me today for a conversation recapping and reliving our three months venturing from Georgia to Pennsylvania.      Thanks again to Steve for having me as a guest on “Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail”. Click the link below to listen https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/episode-235-ryan-schlosser-yearbook/       Connect with the show!   All Things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/   Links to Listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/   Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/   Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod  

Hard for me to comprehend that I've been back in society for almost six weeks! I had the opportunity to talk with Krispy on FaceTime this past Monday and I'm excited to share this interview he and I recorded. He just finished his NOBO thru-hike on September 5th. Tune-in to hear a recap of his journey! We discuss the important role your trail-family plays, what life is like on trail during COIVD-19, how the thru-hike experience differs averaging 20 miles per day versus 10, and much more! I made a guest appearance on Steve Adam's podcast "Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail" last week. Click the link below to check that out.  https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/episode-235-ryan-schlosser-yearbook/   All things Walking and Talking: https://ryanschlosser.com/ Links to listen: https://ryanschlosser.com/podcasts/ Contact: https://ryanschlosser.com/contact/ Donate: https://ryanschlosser.com/donate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod

It's been over a month since the last episode and a lot has happened. I summited Katahdin on August 7th, completing the AT. Afterwards, I enjoyed twelve days of vacation in Maine. Now, I'm adjusting back to off-trail life and preparing for the fall semester. Tune in to hear the recap of my last days on trail, my adjustment back to society, and three hiker interviews! Follow the show on Facebook: @walkingtalkingpod Check out the website: ryanschlosser.com 

Recorded as I hiked the last miles of New Hampshire.  Tune in to hear my recap of the White Mountains and my building anticipation of crossing the final state border into Maine! Listen, Donate, or Contact: www.ryanschlosser.com FaceBook and Instagram: @walkingtalkingpod

This episode discusses the unglamorous side of thru-hiking: fatigue; injury; frustration; and depression.

My journey to Katahdin is over 75% complete! I'm excited to venture through northeast mountains the rest of the journey.  Tune in to hear about southern Vermont and for an interview with Ellie. Facebook and Instagram: @walkingtalkingpod Donate or contact: www.ryanschlosser.com

It is beginning to feel like the final push to Katahdin as I make my way through southern New England.  After 1000 miles together, Shotgun and I finally sit down for an interview. Facebook and Instagram:  @walkingtalkingpod Donate, Contact, or learn more:  www.ryanschlosser.com

Today's episode recaps my time in NJ and NY, explains my trail-name, and I'm joined by Loren Naylor for an interview. Follow on Facebook and Instagram:  @walkingtalkingpod Contact or donate:  www.ryanschlosser.com

Enjoy these 4 interviews!  Hear from Rich and Laurel (aka The Vintage Hikers) when we were in the Great Smoky Mountains back in March.  Lefty joins me for a conversation at Weary Feet Hostel just past the 600 mile mark.  Uncle Jim, Ellie, and I sit down for an evening shelter conversation.  And finally, Hopeful and Careful join me to talk about the first few weeks of their flip-flop hike. Facebook and Instagram:  @walkingtalkingpod Contact or donate: www.ryanschlosser.com

Comeback episode. I've remained on the AT throughout the pandemic.  My Mom interviews me about why I remained on trail, what the experience has been like, and the importance of taking care of our mental health.

Made it through the Smokies yesterday!  I am enjoying a zero day at Standing Bear Farm Hikers’ Hostel in Tennessee – such a beautiful and welcoming place.  I hope you enjoy the poem “Be Brave” read by fellow AT hiker, Lightshow.  I will be taking a step back from future podcasts as I wrap my head around and deal with the situation at hand of the coronavirus.  Until next time… so thankful for you all and I wish you well!

In this less scripted and more off the cuff episode, I make my way towards the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!  One interview with an old friend and one with a duo of traveling nurses. Facebook and Instagram: @walkingtalkingpod Donate or Contact: ryanschlosser.com

Join me on this episode of walking the Appalachian Trail as I earn my first state line crossing, trail magic, and 100 mile marker along with my friend Ellie.

The first interviews of the show, and a double feature at that! Kyle "Bad Mash" is a triple crowner hiking the AT for a second time. Paul Strickland is hiking for sobriety. It's my pleasure to share their stories with you. Georgia has been wet and cold for the past days, but beautiful none the less. Have a question you'd like answered on the show? Ask away on the contact tab at ryanschlosser.com Follow the show on Facebook and Instagram @walkingtalkingpod If you want to be a hero and make a donation, you can do that on the donate tab at ryanschlosser.com      

Months of preparation and patience are over! Join me as I take my first of approximately five million steps on the AT. February 29th I departed from Amicalola Falls up the Approach Trail to the AT's southern terminus on Springer Mountain stopping to camp for the night at Stover Creek.  March 1st I spent my first full day on the trail, stopping to camp at Gooch Mountain Shelter.  March 2nd the rain came, and I took a relatively easy day making my way to camp at Lance Stream Camp. This episode includes snippets from the thru-hiker registration and orientation class that every thru-hiker takes part in right before they depart. As well as another poem reading by Steph. Have a question you'd like answered on the show? Head to the contact page on ryanschlosser.com to ask me. To get announcements when new episodes release and to see pictures from the trail - follow the show on Facebook and Instragram at @walkingtalkingpod

My last days in civilization!  It took a day to fly from NY to GA, but the walk home is going to take a bit longer. Matthew Ridgeway has been a friend for over a decade, he joins me for an interview covering some common questions people have about AT hiking.

In this pilot episode, I share my backstory that has lead me to become an Appalachian Trail thru-hike hopeful. My mom, Mary, joins me for an interview. It’s the start of an adventure! Follow on Facebook or Instagram: @walkingtalkingpod Check out the website: ryanschlosser.com