Podcasts about Appalachian Trail

In this episode, I'm joined by Christine Reed, author of Alone in Wonderland, for a conversation about sobriety, grief, independence, and the healing power of the outdoors. Christine shares how hiking the Appalachian Trail after losing her mother changed the direction of her life, why she decided alcohol was no longer serving her, and how becoming alcohol-free created space for a bigger and more intentional life. We also talk about solo adventure, van life, living with POTS, and what it means to trust your body while continuing to challenge yourself.

With record amounts of rainfall this week in Massachusetts, Nuke and I decided to wait it out during a zero day in Lee. Once we got back on trail the following day, we had to cope with swollen stream crossings that soaked us, as well as paths that became streams. During all of this I managed to fall a couple of time, of course. Along the way, I chatted with Nat Geo, Dash, and the wonderful Renée. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

In this episode, Jeremiah Stringer and JK discuss bear activity updates along the Appalachian Trail, creative and humorous bear deterrent ideas, and share personal stories about neighbors, HOA regulations, and hiking injuries. They also send heartfelt prayers to Danny Warnock after his son's passing.

It's been another week of concern over my recent falls, but also one where I've had to manage my hike more proactively. I had a zero day in an attempt to reset and, by and large, I'm happy with how the past few days have gone. Along the way, I had a good conversation with a hiker's mother, Ann who, like all mothers, was concerned for her daughter's safety on trail. In addition, I met Cait, or Fester, who is out here in a transition time in her life, enjoying the awesome hiking community. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

Creativity isn't reserved for artists. It's something we use every day to solve problems, adapt to change, and discover new possibilities.   That becomes especially important in Chapter X. Retirement reimagines how we spend our time, where we find fulfillment, and what comes next.   Today I'm speaking with James Walters, photographer, podcaster, and author. He shares why curiosity is at the heart of creativity, why success and fulfillment aren't always the same thing, and how a shift in perspective can open the door to new possibilities.   We cover:   Why James sees creativity as problem-solving in disguise   Why imposter syndrome doesn't retire when you do What it means to rebel against inherited definitions of success Two brothers who waited until their 70s to hike the Appalachian Trail together 3 phases of retirement James has seen in the people he interviews   -- Resources A Joyful Rebellion  

Only twenty people have finished the Barkley Marathons in forty years. John Kelly has finished it twice. But between those two finishes, he quit from first place after two loops because he already knew what the remaining sixty hours would cost, and it did not seem worth it.   Joe De Sena sits down with John, an ultra runner who has covered 260 miles through January storms on the Pennine Way, chased the Appalachian Trail speed record for 1,900 miles before injury stopped him 300 miles short, and built an altitude chamber in his home office to fix the one weakness his body refused to train away.   They break down the difference between short-race decay and ultra-distance recovery cycles, why the sunk-cost fallacy can actually keep you alive past mile eighty, and how Kelly applied the resilience he built through running when Hurricane Helene destroyed his community.   Things You Will Learn: The difference between short-race decay and ultra-distance low points and why confusing them causes most DNFs. Why the runner who quit from first place at the hardest race on earth came back and finished it two more times. A three-part framework for pushing through collapse: zoom out, zoom in, and treat the low point as the lesson. Tools & Frameworks Covered: Zoom Out / Zoom In: When you hit a low, zoom out to remember everything you invested and why quitting now would waste it. Then zoom in to the next step, the next hill, the next aid station. Toggle between the two as needed. Voluntary Artificial Adversity: Deliberately choose controlled suffering in training and racing so that when real adversity arrives, the resilience muscle is already trained. Reframe the Goal After First Success: Once you have proven you can finish, shift the motivation from "Can I do this?" to "How much can I learn about myself?"   If this episode moved you, do not just listen. Do something about it. Sign up. Show up. Do the work. Spartan.com. No more excuses.   Chapters: 0:00 Intro: John Kelly is running from an altitude chamber in his office 0:50 Finishing Barkley twice and how long he has been running 1:17 How fast can you still run a mile at 140 pounds 1:43 Nutrition changes as an aging ultra runner 2:07 The difference between training for a marathon and training for a hundred miler 2:21 Short-race decay vs. ultra-distance low points 3:48 David Horton's advice: it does not always get worse 4:12 Growing up in rural East Tennessee with no running culture 5:01 The kid who wanted to be a great explorer 6:06 Why mountains look different at running pace than at highway speed 7:21 The Barkley Marathons: 120 miles, 70,000 feet of elevation, 20 finishers in 40 years 9:08 The Appalachian Trail speed record attempt 10:09 Why the investment before the race determines grit inside the race 11:47 Four strategies for getting through the worst moments in a hundred miler 14:00 Quitting from first place at Barkley 14:27 Shifting from "Can I finish?" to "What can I learn about myself?" 15:15 Western States 100 and the shift back to speed 16:16 The Spine Race in January: why the worst conditions strip you to your core 17:02 The altitude chamber: an 8x8x8 cube simulating 14,000 feet 17:54 Why altitude resilience is DNA and adaptation, not just fitness 19:48 Three lessons from a man who runs unreasonable distances 20:05 Do not underestimate yourself 21:00 Voluntary artificial adversity: training the resilience muscle before you need it 22:07 Hurricane Helene destroyed his community and ultra running prepared him 23:06 Alex Honnold on missing a flight: perspective as a survival skill John Kelly is one of the most respected ultrarunners in the world, known for mastering the brutal Barkley Marathons while balancing life as a Tech Co-founder, machine learning expert, and father of four. In 2024, he became only the second person ever to finish Barkley three times, proving elite performance doesn't require a full-time athlete lifestyle. John approaches endurance like an engineering problem, using data, systems, and relentless experimentation to push beyond human limits. His story blends resilience, failure, discipline, and the pursuit of impossible challenges.   Connect to John: Website: https://randomforestrunner.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randomforestrunner/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RandomForestRunner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyjw

With the rocks finding new ways to hurt me, I'm falling a little too often for comfort. I'm now into Massachusetts, so I know that the rocks will only grow more vicious as I head north. I need to work out what's happening before I hurt myself really badly. Along the way, I had conversations with some fellow travelers. First, I met Brian, or B. Then, I ran into two indomitable young women, Moose and Princess, out on their own epic adventure. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

Jay Neilson, from Belton, Missouri, disappeared on the Appalachian Trail on June 25, 2026. 

In this episode, the hosts reflect on lessons from the most recent Man vs. Wild Expedition and the Appalachian Trail, exploring how hardship, community, and lived experience shape character in ways that theory alone cannot. The conversation moves from physical suffering to spiritual formation, arguing that long suffering builds patience, courage, and a stronger identity rooted in the Father. Key Themes Doing vs. Knowing  — There's a major difference between talking about hard things and actually enduring them. Long Suffering Builds Character  — Pain, discomfort, and difficulty are framed as part of growth, not something to avoid at all costs. Community Matters  — Hard things become transformative when they're faced together with others. Identity Under Pressure  — The episode connects the wilderness, temptation, and modern conflict to the challenge of staying secure in who God says we are. Intellectualism vs. Relationship  — The hosts argue that head knowledge alone can't replace experiential knowledge of God. Hope and Joy  — Suffering is not the end goal; it produces endurance, growth, and ultimately joy. Highlights Why the Appalachian Trail revealed more than just physical limits How suffering exposes and dismantles false confidence The difference between intellectual arguments and lived truth Jesus' wilderness temptation as a model for identity, patience, and resisting shortcuts Why “gotcha” arguments often reveal insecurity rather than genuine pursuit of truth How long suffering can produce hope, joy, and spiritual maturity Takeaway Growth doesn't happen by avoiding discomfort. It happens when people choose to walk through hard things with patience, honesty, and confidence in God's fathering presence. The episode closes with a reminder that hope is powerful—and that long suffering is part of becoming who you're meant to be. Chapters 00:00 — Opening: Lessons from the expedition 05:10 — Doing vs. talking: theory and lived experience 13:07 — Why suffering reveals what really changes us 20:46 — Pain, intellectualism, and the breakdown of false confidence 31:03 — Jesus in the wilderness: identity, temptation, and validation 37:21 — How to respond to attacks, bait, and pressure 44:48 — Relationship over argument: why knowing God matters most 52:10 — Insecurity, gotcha questions, and the urge to drag others down 58:02 — Long suffering, patience, and the joy on the other side 68:09 — Closing thoughts: patience in a stunted culture

This week is a little different.We catch up on everything happening in the trail running world, from Greybeard's incredible Appalachian Trail attempt and the latest Pacific Crest Trail FKT chase to Josh Kerr's mile world record, Hardrock discussion, and why America's public lands matter so much.Then we shift gears into something I've wanted to share for a while: my favorite hitchhiking stories from my month in Europe. From tiny Corsican villages and mountain roads to unexpected breakfasts with strangers, language barriers, and rides that could have gone horribly wrong (but thankfully didn't), these are some of the funniest and most memorable moments from the trip.Hope you enjoy this more laid-back episode.Support our Sponsors: Sawyer: https://sawyerdirect.net/Janji (code: Freeoutside): https://snp.link/a0bfb726CS Coffee: CSinstant.coffeeGarage Grown Gear: https://snp.link/db1ba8abSubscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.comSupport this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutsideBuy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSFEmail me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.comWatch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outsideWebsite: www.Freeoutside.comInstagram: thefreeoutsidefacebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside#Trailrunning #Runningnews #Outdoors #Outdooradventure

I'm into Connecticut now, with the terrain a little more benign than the past few weeks. Added to this, I'm on a bit of a slackpacking run with my friend, Dr Lynne, so my progress is good. i wasn't able to snag any other thru-hikers these past few days for interviews, though Lynne and I chatted about something I'd asked about last week. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

Cliff and Chris return from their 80 mile hike through the Andes Mountains reaching elevations of 17,000 feet.  Hear about the highs and lows of their 8 day trek, Chris's sickness, and witnessing a trail runner nearly losing his life.  Chris and Cliff begin the next leg of their 60 mile challenge on the Appalachian Trail in NY on 7/21/26 in order to raise support and awareness for the Christ is the Answer Rescue Mission and Transformation Life CenterWatch us on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/KQynog-eIJo#joerogan #podcast #mensministry #christianliving #biblestudy #cussing #charliekirk #joerogan #jasonwhitlock #fearless #menshealth #christianliving #vincevaughn #timtebow #christianmotivation #churchmemes #mensministry #promiskeepers #timtebow #patrickbetdavid #charliekirk #menshealth

Garrett and Isabelle Heydt of Solstice Beef Company join Amy Fewell to share how their love of outdoor education, community, and real food grew into a thriving regenerative farm in Central Virginia—and why they eventually had to simplify it.At their busiest, the Heydts were raising 3,200 broiler chickens, 50 pigs, 200 turkeys, and 40 beef cattle in a single season, all while raising young children. Then a succession of family health emergencies, backlogged orders, and one late-night breaking point forced them to ask a difficult question:Is the farm working for our family, or are we working for the farm?Garrett and Isabelle explain why they narrowed their operation to beef, made the painful decision to leave a multigenerational family farm, and began managing cattle across leased land. They also share how they have redefined success around faith, family culture, community, and stewardship rather than endless growth.Isabelle opens up about her personal experience with rheumatoid arthritis, the elimination diet and lifestyle changes she credits with changing her health, and the connection she sees between healthy soil and a healthy gut. She also introduces Paced Healing and her four-module program, The Sovereign Step, which uses lessons from her Appalachian Trail thru-hike to help people approach major lifestyle changes one step at a time.In this episode we talk about:How Garrett and Isabelle went from climbing and outdoor education to farmingStarting a farm with broiler chickens on 12 acresWhat happened when they tried to offer every product to every customerThe family emergency that exposed their breaking pointWhy simplifying did not mean quittingLeaving a multigenerational farm without abandoning their agricultural callingRaising cattle and regenerating soil on leased landThe difference between a circle of influence and a circle of concernRedefining success for a farm familyIsabelle's personal rheumatoid arthritis and elimination-diet journeyThe soil-gut connection and moving away from fear-based wellnessWhy difficult choices can create the greatest opportunitiesChoosing to see God's plan as an opportunity rather than a burdenResources Mentioned:Solstice Beef Company:https://solsticebeef.com/Paced Healing:www.pacedhealing.com⁠Follow Homesteaders Of America Online:Instagram ⁠@homesteadersofamerica⁠Facebook ⁠  / homesteadersofamerica⁠  Website ⁠https://homesteadersofamerica.com⁠Follow Garrett & Isabelle Online:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/solsticebeefco/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/solsticebeef/Podcast Sponsors:Nutrimill: https://nutrimill.com/

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with Rand R. Tinnerman, Esquire, who hiked the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail at 72 and explains how age, discipline, and faith can coexist in one brutal, beautiful journey. We also get real about elder respect, recovery from alcoholism, and the quiet moments in nature that can rebuild a person from the inside out.• why respect for elders matters and what “grace” looks like in daily life • what it takes to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in your 70s • training habits, pace, and why mountains rewrite your expectations • trail culture, odd encounters, and the community you meet out there • spiritual experiences on the trail, including pain relief and deep peace • Vietnam, trauma, and the long road to sobriety • the 12-step framework and building trust in a higher power • surviving storms, handling wildlife risks, and laughing through discomfort Get his book, okay? Get his book. If you give it a five star, give a good reason why it is a five-star. Just leave it at Apple Podcasts a review, and give some feedback in the YouTube commentsFollow Rand Timmerman athttps://www.randtimmerman.com/Support the showFollow your host atYouTube and Rumble for video contenthttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUxk1oJBVw-IAZTqChH70aghttps://rumble.com/c/c-4236474Facebook to receive updateshttps://www.facebook.com/EliasEllusion/LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasmarty/Some free goodiesFree website to help you and me https://thefreewebsiteguys.com/?js=15632463New Paperhttps://thenewpaper.co/refer?r=srom1o9c4glPodMatchhttps://podmatch.com/?ref=1626371560148x762843240939879000

Smoke from Canada and heat have conspired to test me this week, though it was the smoke that was likely more dangerous. That said, another state, New Tork, will be in the rear view mirror by this Tuesday. Along the way, I interviewed Bobo and Timberdoodle, as well as Jack, who is definitely looking for a trail name of his own. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

It's been another steamy few days that have fully exhausted me. Miles have become harder due to my tiredness, not the terrain. I'm hoping a change in the weather will revive me once more. Along the way, I chatted with Mom, Opera, and son Sedimentary, or Sed. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.  

Every life has a story—but some stories refuse to fit into a single chapter. In this deeply personal conversation, Jeff Gould sits down with Stephen Jelinek, a veteran, entrepreneur, long-distance adventurer, and man of unwavering faith whose life has been marked by extraordinary highs and devastating lows. Stephen shares stories of serving in a nuclear missile wing during the Cold War, hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, kayaking the length of the Mississippi River, ministering to the homeless, surviving divorce and depression, and facing the unimaginable loss of his son to murder. Through it all, he explains how faith has shaped his response to suffering and inspired his vision for “Highway Heaven,” an ambitious plan to provide purpose, work, and hope for people experiencing homelessness. Topics include: • Growing up under the influence of a remarkable grandfather • Military service during the Cold War • Depression, divorce, and rebuilding a life • Living alongside the homeless and what most people never see • Hiking the Appalachian Trail and kayaking the Mississippi River • Forgiving the man who murdered his son • The vision behind Highway Heaven • Faith, purpose, resilience, and redemption Whether you agree with every conclusion or not, this conversation offers an honest look at loss, forgiveness, perseverance, and the power of holding onto hope when life takes unexpected turns. If this story resonates with you, please like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who might need encouragement today. A Veteran's Last Request (Casket Building Video) https://youtu.be/5pb5eTkL13M?si=en-D0ODezJs3lb3T Alan Graham https://mlf.org/alan-graham/ #JeffGould #AmericasStoryteller #Faith #Forgiveness #Homelessness #AppalachianTrail #MississippiRiver #Veteran #Inspiration #LifeStory #Hope #Redemption #Purpose #Christianity ____ Learn all about America's Storyteller on his website: https://www.ilikethatstory.com

50 Legends from the Appalachian TrailBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

MORE Appalachian Trail CREEPY LegendsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

This week has given me several days of slackpacking, with generous listeners helping me out so freely. I couldn't have been more humbled to have been helped in this way. Along the way, I ran into a friend from 2019, Robbie, as well as his hiking partner, Starr. Also, one of my slackpacking friends, Steve, shared the story of his AT attempt a couple of years ago. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

 Students from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster won a national manufacturing competition, bringing home the grand prize of $100,000.Big Boy generated some big numbers for the Scranton area during its two-week stay at the Steamtown National Historic Site. As part of America's 250th birthday, there's a renewed interest in the Declaration of Independence. Philadelphia has more versions of the Declaration of Independence on display than any other city.Six projects across Cumberland County are receiving more than $750,000 in grant funding. Many of the recipients are using the money to improve or host sporting events.Former Pennsylvania State Senator Shirley Kitchen, who died last weekend, is being remembered as a tireless advocate for her district in North Philadelphia.Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday to remember Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Michael Pahira Jr, who was struck and killed by a tractor trailer along I-81 in Schuylkill County on July 1st. In Lancaster County, a 19-year-old man was killed when he lost control of his electric unicycle and was struck and killed by a tractor trailer on Route 322 Wednesday morning.The National Weather Service confirms a tornado touched down in Perry County, this past Sunday evening, July 5th.The York County Commissioners have issued a disaster declaration following severe storms over the July 4th weekend.The Penn State Extension now has a toll-free hotline that provides the latest ag news. Callers can hear updates on the latest crop production, weather outlook, and disease and pest management issues facing crop producers in the state. Lawmakers in the state House have overwhelmingly approved a bill to provide opportunities for hunter-trapper education in Pennsylvania schools. The bill calls for the Pennsylvania Game Commission to develop the program for students in grades 6 through 12. Saturday is the start of the 40th annual ChambersFest in Chambersburg, Franklin County. The event started as a way to commemorate the town's historic rebuilding in 1864.And now it's time for our weekly segment called The Bright Spot. Every Friday, I'll share a positive news story that may have gotten lost amid this week's news cycle.  Today's bright spot is this: It's that time of the year, when hikers attempting thru-hikes on the Appalachian Trail, are passing through Pennsylvania. Luzerne County native Hunter Lacomis is one of them. He was inspired by his uncles to take the trek through 14 states along the East Coast. It's been one year since public media's federal funding was revoked. Thanks to our community, we're still here for you and looking toward the future. Join the thousands of members who are building a stronger WITF. Go to  www.witf.org/givenow. And thank you. 

Welcome to episode 228! This week, we're joined by author and Appalachian Trail thru-hiker Jeff “Bluey” Lewis to talk about his upcoming book, MidLifeHikeThis. Jeff shares stories from his journey on the AT, gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the book, and discusses what inspired him to trade everyday life for an unforgettable adventure on the trail. We also dive into several recent search and rescue incidents and discuss a frightening encounter in the Hudson Valley where a dog was attacked by a bear.  Make sure to subscribe on your favorite platform, share the show, donate if you feel like it… or just keep tuning in. I'm just grateful you're here. And as always... VOLUNTEER!!!!Links for the Podcast: https://linktr.ee/ISLCatskillsPodcast, Donate a coffee to support the show! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ITLCatskills, Like to be a sponsor or monthly supporter of the show? Go here! - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ITLCatskills/membershipThanks to the sponsors of the show: Outdoor chronicles photography - https://www.outdoorchroniclesphotography.com/, Trailbound Project - https://www.trailboundproject.com/, Camp Catskill - https://campcatskill.co/, Another Summit - https://www.guardianrevival.org/programs/another-summitLinks: MidLifeHikeThis, Outdoor76, The Creative Act, Die With Zero by Bill Perkins, Hoka Speed Goats, Peak Refuel, Far Out and High StickersVolunteer Opportunities: Trailhead stewards for 3500 Club -https://www.catskill3500club.org/trailhead-stewardship, Catskills Trail Crew - https://www.nynjtc.org/trailcrew/catskills-trail-crew, NYNJTC Volunteering - https://www.nynjtc.org/catskills, Catskill Center - https://catskillcenter.org/, Catskill Mountain Club - https://catskillmountainclub.org/about-us/, Catskill Mountainkeeper - https://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org/ Post Hike Brews and Bites - Botabox Wine, Hudson North,#AT #thruhike #midlifehikethis #catskillmountains #hudsonvalley #hudsonvalleyhiking #NYC #history #husdonvalley #hikingNY #kaaterskill #bluehole #catskillhiking #visitcatskills #catskillstrails #catskillmountains #3500 #catskills #catskillpark #catskillshiker #catskillmountainsnewyork #hiking #catskill3500club #catskill3500 #hikethecatskills #hikehudson

After the heat of last week, the temperatures have fallen and rain is starting to wash out the air. I've continued to put in the miles, including another 20-mile day that enabled me to get out of Pennsylvania. As a wise man once said, Pennsylvania sucks, but the people are great. Along the way, I managed to interview an incredibly shy Marley Joy, who headed up a group of wonderful Amish women to give us trail magic at the Lookout Hostel. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

Rand Timmerman is the author of "A Spiritual Passage," a book about hiking the Appalachian Trail with his brother, both in their seventies. He also a Vietnam Veteran with the Marines, a lawyer, and a recovering alcoholic. Through his work, he hopes to inspire people with physical, mental, and spiritual difficulties to achieve their dreams and goals and live a happy and fulfilled life.  We talk about Vietnam, Mormons, losing faith in God during the war, polio, why he signed up for Vietnam, becoming a JAG officer and developing a leagal career, how Vietnam changed his view of life and death, losing his wife to alcoholism, preparing for the Appalachian Trail, the Smokey Mountains, bear encounters, hiking the trail, leapfrogging with two cars, maps or no maps, grief, alcoholism and being on suicide watch, PTSD, falling out of a helicopter,  dealing with the PTSD, getting sober and AA, surviving a severe storm on a ridge in a tent, meeting a Samurai on the trail, naked people on the trail, helping others get sober, and more.

Dangers of the Appalachian TrailBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

Our sweltering weather hit us hard this week, with a couple of days above 100°. Despite the searing heat, I've been able to maintain my mileage goals. The rocks have slowed me, though Pennsylvania hasn't been as bad as I recalled-fortunately!! Along the way, I chatted with Tig (Travis is good) about his thru-hike, as well as Bern, or Yardsale from the wonderful Lookout Hostel. Unfortunately, I forgot to take Bern's picture. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.    

Relive Trail Days or just live vicariously through Paladin's adventures. We chat about the essentials - the woods, THRU-r Village, what it's like attending for the first time and the joy of the hiker parade. There's lots of stories about his tramily and hikers he ran into while in Damascus. Paladin's trail magic is a special thing and represents the best of our hiking community. Follow Paladin on InstagramCheck out THUR-r https://thru-r.com/Support the showConnect with Hike:Instagram: @thehikepodcast Facebook: @thehikepodcastEmail: hikepodcast@gmail.com 

Maine – Where the Appalachian Trail Ends... and Something Else BeginsThe Appalachian Trail ends in Maine—but for many hikers, the stories begin there.In this episode of LURK, we travel into the most remote section of the Appalachian Trail, where ancient mountains, endless forests, and miles of wilderness have given rise to legends that refuse to die.We'll explore:The eerie isolation of the Hundred-Mile WildernessThe ancient Wabanaki legend of Pamola, the powerful guardian spirit of Mount KatahdinThe unsettling folklore surrounding Gulf Hagas, known as the "Grand Canyon of Maine"Mysterious lights, unexplained voices, and the feeling of being watched in one of America's wildest landscapesWhy many experienced hikers say Maine isn't just physically demanding—it's spiritually unsettlingWhether you're fascinated by paranormal encounters, Appalachian folklore, or the mysteries hidden in America's last great wilderness, this episode ventures into one of the most haunting stretches of trail you'll ever hear about.Have your own haunted hiking story or unexplained encounter?Share your story at lurkpodcast.com. Your experience might appear in a future episode!

We're facing a tough week or two of excessive heat, with this week the fiercest so far. With temperatures up in the late 90s and early 100s, I have to take this seriously. I've had to curtail my mileage but I still hope to walk sufficent miles to keep up my average. This week, I caught up with a young lady named Zoo as well as the owner of the Stay at Swatara hostel, Eric. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

In this episode we welcome Appalachian Trail trail angel Mike "Pinnacle" DiCello who goes into life as a trail angel, his personal stories from hiker interactions, how he got into trail angeling, and more! Trail angels are an integral part of the thru-hiking community, and we were honored to have Mike on as a guest to spotlight the important and selfless work they do.In this episode, Mike goes into:1. His favorite & worst moments from trail angeling2. "Speed friendships" and the trifecta of how to have a great day on trail3. Tips for hikers and trail angels alike - & more!Follow along with Mike:⁠⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mick32/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.dicelloApplicable Links:Schar Snack CakesLaura's Trail Angel Q&A (Episode 99)Ghost's Trail Angel Q&A (Episode 109)Did you love this episode? If so, please help fellow hikers find the show by following, rating, and reviewing the podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!Connect With Us:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join The Trail Family⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THRU-r Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THRU-r Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THRU-r TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THRU-r Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THRU-r Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠THRU-r Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cheer's YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cheer's Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Episode Music: "Communicator" by Reed Mathis

#235 - The woods “understood her” before she could understand herself, and Alison Monda's story makes that feel less like poetry and more like a practical roadmap. She's a full-time firefighter, a search and rescue volunteer, a musician, a longtime hiker, and someone who finally got an ADHD diagnosis that explained decades of feeling scattered, intense, and constantly in motion. When we sit down to talk, it turns into an honest look at what it means to build a life around adventure while also trying to build a brain that feels steady. Alison doesn't dodge the hard chapters. She talks about teen addiction, entering rehab at 19, and how sobriety forced her to relearn fun, connection, and self-respect. From there, hiking becomes more than a passion. It becomes outdoor therapy, a mental health reset, and one of the only places her mind reliably drops into a flow state. We get into solo backpacking, why it can feel freeing and terrifying, and how she thinks about safety as a woman alone on trail. We also go deep on real backcountry moments: a bear encounter that spikes the fear meter, the difference between wildlife risk and news-cycle myths, and the rare but real “creepy human” situations that change how you camp. Along the way, Alison shares practical advice for getting started, including the 10 essentials, offline GPS tools like Gaia GPS and CalTopo, and when an SOS device like a Garmin inReach makes sense. Plus, we talk community on the Appalachian Trail, big-mile dreams like the PCT, and her memoir Fearless. If you like stories about hiking for mental health, ADHD and resilience, addiction recovery, and the kind of adventure that's messy in the moment but meaningful later, you'll feel at home here. Subscribe to The Human Adventure, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a quick rating or review so more people can find the show.To follow along with Alison check her out on Instagram @get_the_f_outside. You can also get a copy of her book, Fearless, on Amazon.To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod.Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjakeXploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure. 

"We don't grow spiritually when everything's going good. When we're blind and we're wondering what the future is gonna — that's when we're in that pain, that emotional pain and anxiety. It's when we grow spiritually." Rand Timmerman grew up in poverty, survived Vietnam, built a 40-year legal career, fought alcoholism into his 60s, and got sober through AA. At 72, four years into his sobriety, he set out to hike the Appalachian Trail — 2,200 miles, 600 mountains, half a million feet of elevation change — alongside his grieving younger brother. What happened on that trail changed his understanding of God, of suffering, and of what it actually means to be grateful. He describes standing alone on a mountain above the Hudson River at daybreak, raptors circling, New York City just visible on the horizon, not a single sign of human life — and feeling, for the first time, that his higher power was as large as the universe itself. That expansion stayed with him. The following year, he went blind on Christmas Eve. He was alone in a home with alcohol in it for two months. He never once thought about a drink. Raymond presses Rand on the question most listeners will be asking: why does it seem to take so much pain to get there? Rand's answer is honest and oddly comforting. The hard times are not in the way. They are the way. Learn more and connect: A Spiritual Passage by Rand Timmerman — available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com Resources mentioned: A Spiritual Passage by Rand Timmerman — memoir of the Appalachian Trail hike, grief, sobriety, and faith Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) 12-step program — https://www.aa.org The Appalachian Trail Conservancy — https://www.appalachiantrail.org Respark Your Life Podcast — https://www.resparkyourlife.com Raymond Aaron — https://www.aaron.com Raymond Aaron has shared his vision and wisdom on radio and television programs for over 40 years. He is the author of over 100 books, including Branding Small Business For Dummies, Double Your Income Doing What You Love, Canadian best-seller Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul, and he co-authored the New York Times best-seller Chicken Soup for the Parent's Soul. Raymond's latest, co-authored book is The AI Millionaire's Path: Discover How ChatGPT-Written Books Become Bestsellers and How They Can Make You a Millionaire Author! https://www.aaron.com

A whiskey episode, the non-format format where we catch up, work the live chat, and let it fly. Ted spots a pair of Canadair Super Scoopers fighting fires over Utah and IDs them on ADS-B in about ten seconds. Brian preps a 4:30 a.m. departure for West Texas to end-around a brutal heat dome, Tango 82 for a couple nights, then Marfa. Ted lays out the fatigue math of flying high for smoother air and better fuel burn, and when the oxygen comes out.We read an invite to Ed-Air, a Part 137 ag operation in Southern Indiana with a pilot house, six beds, and an 80-year-old founder. Ben recounts his annual five-mile hike up to the Len Foote Hike Inn near Springer Mountain and the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, 19 miles over a weekend that doubles as Oshkosh training. Version two of the website is live at midlifepilotpodcast.com, with the Midlife Pilot Tape Machine and a VU meter that actually works, so go yell into it. Plus the long road to turning Nashville's Super Charlie into a Bachelorette Bravo, a Challenger pilot caught on the wrong frequency, the grace controllers extend to student pilots, bush wheels on a Cessna 140, and a shout-out to everyone with a checkride coming up. Don't scud run, people.Mentioned on the show:Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadair_CL-415T82 airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/t82I20 Ed-Air Inc. airport: https://edairinc.com/location.htmlI20 info: https://www.airnav.com/airport/I20Len Foote Hike Inn: https://hike-inn.com/Springer Mountain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springer_MountainGita's Calm Cockpit Podcast: https://calmcockpit.com/Capt'n Todd's "portapilot" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR2HrQGf454www.midlifepilotpodcast.com

It's important to stay on the path. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” - Psalm 119:105 (NKJV)

The miles continue to pile up, with a twenty-mile day this week. It's true that the terrain is particularly conducive to twenty-mile plus days, yet I've been surprised at the speed at which I've been able to get back into the hike. I was only able to get one interview with other hikers these past few days; my old friend Bounce Da Hiker, who I met on my 2019 thru-hike. It was terrific to catch up with him. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.  

https://slasrpodcast.com/     Welcome to episode 237 of the sounds like a search and rescue podcast. This week, Stomp joins us as we catch up with our friend Dave for an update on his Appalachian trail adventures. Plus a close call on franconia ridge Friday night - two separate groups faced cold conditions, rain and hypothermia coming down Greenleaf and old bridal trails. Plus recent hikes - Nick hikes Osceolas via East pond loop and included bushwhacks out to middle and west Osceolo, Mike takes a 17 mile Pemi River Traverse from Lincoln Woods out to Ethan Pond, all this plus notable hike of the week, dad jokes and more, im mike, im nick and im stomp - lets get started.  Check out Lori's YouTube Channel - Lori Goes Hiking  Topics Welcome back Stomp, Intros - Dave, Lori, Liz Stomp Deep Dive  Franconia Ridge Rescues from Friday June 19th Fee increases in NH Car Racing on MT. Washington Bear Safety Bike Week Dad Jokes Pop Culture Recent Hike - Nick on the Osceolas  Recent Hike - Mike on a Pemi River Traverse  Welcome Dave, Lori and Liz - Reflections on AT thru hike Georgia to PA and looking ahead to New England   Show Notes Apple Podcast link for 5 star reviews SLASR Merchandise SLASR LinkTree SLASR's BUYMEACOFFEE Order Hike Safe Card  48 Peaks website  Nick's Instagram Rescuee apologizes for triggering an intense Rescue on Mt. Lafayette. F&G article F&G propose fee increases but governor not onboard Car racing comes to Auto Road this August Unprotected Poultry and Birdfeeders Continue to Cause Human–Bear Conflicts in New Hampshire 103rd Motorcycle Weeks wraps up with lowered attendance, safety concerns     Sponsors, Friends  and Partners Rek' lis Brewing Company Wild Raven Endurance Coaching burgeonoutdoor.com 48 Peaks - Alzheimer's Association Mount Washington Higher Summits Forecast Hiking Buddies  Vaucluse - Sweat less. Explore more. – Vaucluse Gear Fieldstone Kombucha CS Instant Coffee The Mountain Wanderer

Episode 74: Carrying a Language Home with Gil Jackson Episode Description What does it mean to be so connected to a place that even your name carries it? Gil Jackson, known by the Cherokee name Dohi, meaning outside or outdoors, was born in Robbinsville, North Carolina in 1951 and today lives on 30 acres just 200 yards from the spot where he came into the world. He is a fluent Cherokee speaker, one of roughly 130 left, an elder of the Snowbird community, and an educator who has taught at Stanford, UNC Asheville, and Duke. In 2014, he thru-hiked all 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail, walking in part to honor his ancestors on the Trail of Tears. In this conversation, Gil takes Josh inside a tight-knit upbringing built on Gadugi, the Cherokee construct of community, where neighbors came together to cut wood, harvest crops, and care for anyone in need. He explains why family kept him rooted in Western North Carolina even when opportunity called him elsewhere, how a community school preserved the language while the wider world pushed assimilation, and why Cherokee is considered one of the ten hardest languages in the world. They also talk about why Gil keeps walking. From a 48-mile day in the Great Smoky Mountains to the ladder-strewn West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, his adventures are less about conquering anything and more about seeing the creator's creation. Most of all, this is a story about a race against time: preserving a language, the knowledge of medicinal plants, and the sacred sites that risk being lost before the next generation can carry them forward. Episode Highlights • 00:00 A name that means outdoors, and a home built 200 yards from where he was born • 02:00 The Cherokee tradition of burying the umbilical cord to connect a child to the land • 05:00 Why family kept him rooted in Western North Carolina despite chances to leave • 06:00 Growing up in 1950s Snowbird: one gravel road, one light bulb per room, no TV • 08:00 Gadugi explained: the community coming together to help in times of need • 13:00 An aunt's middle-class home, new clothes, and the family that raised him • 21:00 Selling moss for 25 cents a pound to buy a guitar he still owns • 22:00 A community school that taught English while protecting the Cherokee language • 24:00 Only about 130 fluent speakers left, and losing two and a half each month • 27:00 What makes Cherokee one of the ten hardest languages in the world • 29:00 Degrees in education, administration, and planning, and leading a language immersion school • 33:00 How Cherokee end-of-life traditions have changed over a lifetime • 35:00 Finding the therapeutic in streams, trees, and birdsong • 39:00 Why he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2014 to honor the Trail of Tears • 43:00 The brutal West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, with 100 ladders and 10 hours for six miles • 45:00 A tense night cooking near foraging bears in Virginia • 46:00 A trail family of five speaking four languages, all wanting to learn Cherokee • 53:00 Losing the knowledge of edible and medicinal plants, and the sacred sites that hold the stories • 57:00 Rapid-fire: Gvgeyu (I love you), favorite sunrises, beloved teachers, and the White Mountains About Gil Jackson Gil Jackson (Dohi) is a fluent Cherokee speaker, elder of the Snowbird community in Robbinsville, North Carolina, and a lifelong educator who has taught at Stanford, UNC Asheville, and Duke and served as principal of a Cherokee language immersion school. He remains committed to preserving the Cherokee language, traditional plant knowledge, and the region's sacred sites, and is an avid long-distance hiker who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2014. Connect with the On Adventure Podcast Hosted by Josh Self, financial advisor and everyday explorer. • Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major streaming platforms • Follow on Instagram for short-form clips and behind-the-scenes content • Connect on Facebook: On Adventure Podcast with Josh Self • Connect on LinkedIn: Josh Self • If this episode resonated with you, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it

I've been upping the mileage this week and am back to the levels I was achieving prior to my shin splints. I know, I need to be careful, but it is clear that I don't lose my "legs" during my enforced stoppage. This week, I ran into several new faces as well as some old faces. I interviewed Dennis the shuttle driver, Paddle and Lucky Charms after their successful Four State Challenge, and Nuke, who just started his flip flop a week ago from Harper's Ferry. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

After spending six months backpacking on the Appalachian Trail (AT), reaching the end felt like a joyous celebration. But there was a sadness lurking just around the corner. Reaching the end meant saying goodbye to the truly unique community of people on the trail, and it also meant the end of a routine focused on extreme exercise and exploring new places.Post-trail depression is a common topic of conversation amongst thru-hikers on the AT - most hikers understand that the transition back into the real world can be challenging. But depression probably isn't the right word for what most thru-hikers experience when their journey comes to an end - it's more akin to grief or sadness. But for some, trail's end can lead to real, clinical depression. That was the case for one of the members of my trail family, Chop Chop.Chop Chop's reason for embarking upon a thru-hike of the AT was drastically different from my own. I had been dreaming of hiking the Appalachian Trail since I was a kid - I spend years planning the trip. For Chop Chop, the AT was a lifeline. It was his last resort - the only thing that he thought might help when he found himself lost in a deep depression.Despite our differences, Chop Chop and I connected immediately when we met on the trail. We first met in Virginia, and our paths criss-crossed regularly until Vermont, when we connected with a few additional hikers and formed an impromptu trail family. The time that we spend on the trail together was largely joyous and celebratory. But as I got to know Chop Chop a bit more, he started to open up about his struggles with anxiety and depression.These conversations continued after we completed our hike. Chop Chop was one of the most vocal fans of my Common Land podcast series, and we began talking about sharing his story in an episode of the show.It's been a slow and intentional process - we recorded our first interview over a year ago - but we're both extremely proud of what we've put together. Chop Chop's primary goal in sharing his story is to inspire others who may be struggling to get outside, go for a hike, and find their own safe space in nature.-Matt Podolsky Get full access to Earth to Humans Podcast's Substack at earthtohumanspodcast.substack.com/subscribe

A listener recently asked, “Has the entire surface of earth at some point or another been covered in poop?” Turns out, there are some questions that even we can't answer.  In this installment of our regular mailbag segment, the Outside/Inbox, we do our best to take on your zany inquiries, or find experts who can. Here are this week's questions: Why was there a sudden spike in “dangerous carbon monoxide levels” during a snowstorm in New Hampshire? Is there any official recognition for hiking the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail? Why are live scorpions allowed in the mail? Why do kids (and adults) chant “Do it! Do it! Do it!” and other chants? Do all predators have forward-facing eyes? Featuring Kathleen Simmons, Carlos Santibanez-Lopez, and Barb Lake. Produced by Felix Poon, Marina Henke, and Nate Hegyi. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're chatting about a cult along the Appalachian Trail and a deadly gender reveal party. Have a wacky story of your very own?Please email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠unitedstatesofmurder@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You may now join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buy us a cocktail⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Be sure to subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and leave a review.

At last, I'm back on trail, choosing Harper's Ferry as my start point to launch my hike to get to Katahdin before October. These first few days back on trail have been testing, as I knew they would be, but I've been pleasantly surprised at how well my body has switched back into hike mode, given the three weeks I've been back home. This week, I only managed to interview one other hiker, Breadcrumbs, who gave me an insightful conversation. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

The RV industry is chasing the wrong generation. While manufacturers court 30-somethings with outdoor TVs and influencer campaigns, the buyers who are actually writing checks right now look nothing like the people in the ads.Last week I sat around a campfire in Hocking Hills, Ohio with 88 members of our RVCommunity. I asked how many had bought a new RV in the past year. Eleven hands went up. A 12th would have, but he was out on a six-mile hike. He was turning 70.That tells you everything the sales charts do not.In this episode we dig into who is really driving the RV market right now, what experienced RVers actually want that manufacturers keep missing, the quiet but alarming shift happening in our national parks, and a dramatic rescue on the Appalachian Trail that is a reminder of exactly why preparation matters out there.Read the companion blog post on RVing in the second half of life at RVLifestyle.com - link below.Here is the complete episode, start to finish.THE RV PODCAST - MONDAY NEWS EDITION Episode Air Date: Monday, June 23, 2026 - 6:00 AM Approx. Running Time: 25 Minutes Host: Mike WendlandTHE LAST GENERATION THAT KNOWS HOW TO TRAVEL ...and why the RV industry keeps ignoring themOPENLast week I was sitting around a campfire in Hocking Hills, Ohio, with about 50 members of our RVCommunity.com.I asked a simple question: how many of you have bought a brand new RV in the last year?Eleven hands went up. A 12th would have, but he was out on a six-mile sunset hike - and he was turning 70 that summer.This was happening while the RV industry is posting some of the worst wholesale shipment numbers in over a decade.Which raises a question the people running this industry ought to be asking themselves: who exactly are they building RVs for?Because I can tell you who is actually buying them. And they look nothing like the people in the ads.OPENINGGood morning and welcome to the RV Podcast Monday News Edition. I'm Mike Wendland.Eighteen Emmy Awards. Thirty-plus years covering everything from wars to the White House to consumer affairs. And for the past 15 years, living the RV lifestyle myself with my wife Jennifer in every type of rig you can imagine, coast to coast, all 48 contiguous states.Today's show is a little different. Instead of leading with a breaking story, I want to start with something I witnessed firsthand that I believe tells you more about the real state of the RV market than any press release you will read this year.And if you want to go deeper after you listen, I have been writing about this topic at RVLifestyle.com for the past several weeks. We have been exploring what it means to RV in the second half of life - the freedom, the community, the mindset, and yes, the ways the industry keeps getting it wrong. There is a link in the show notes. I think you will recognize yourself in it.Here is what is happening on the road. And here is what the industry is getting wrong. Let's get into it.LEAD STORY: THE LAST GENERATION THAT KNOWS HOW TO TRAVELThe RV industry is having a rough year. A really rough year. And the numbers tell the story fast, so let me give them to you and move on, because the real story is not the numbers. The real story is who is still out there buying and camping while those numbers grind downward.Wholesale shipments are down more than 13 percent through the first four months of 2026. Retail sales off 14 to 15 percent from last year. The industry's own forecast, just revised downward again this month, now projects this as one of the worst years for new RV sales in over a decade.So who is still buying?Here is what I can tell you from 15 years in this world and from what I saw last week in Hocking Hills. The people who are still writing checks for new RVs, right now, in the worst market in a decade, are the people the industry seems most determined to pretend do not exist.Baby Boomers. Older Gen Xers. People who grew up reading paper maps. Making reservations by phone. Talking to strangers when they got lost. Fixing things with their hands. Navigating real uncertainty with nothing but experience and nerve.According to industry research, Americans 50 and older remain the primary customer segment for RVs. Many are retirees fulfilling long-held travel dreams, and that population is still growing as the tail end of the baby boom ages into retirement. These are people with home equity, disposable income, and something even more valuable: the time and the confidence to actually use what they buy.And yet when you look at the ads. When you watch the Go RVing campaigns. When you walk the floor of any major RV show and look at the marketing materials stacked at the booths. You see toned and trendy 30-year-olds doing yoga on the roof of a Class B. You see influencers with ring lights and perfect hair. What you do not see is the 68-year-old retired engineer who just dropped $95,000 on a new fifth wheel and is headed to Alaska.That is a real blind spot. And I think it is costing the industry real money.Here is what I saw at our Hocking Hills rally. Eighty-eight people, ranging from their 50s into their 80s. Riding bikes and e-bikes and scooters. Hiking up and down some of the most spectacular terrain in the Midwest. One of our members, a retired RV technician, got under a fellow member's trailer and repacked the wheel bearings on the spot. Another couple spent an afternoon giving scooter lessons to anyone who wanted to learn.Nobody was stuck. Nobody was panicking. When something broke, someone fixed it. When someone needed help, someone helped them. These are people who grew up problem-solving before there was an app for it. And they brought every one of those skills out here.I asked how many had bought a new RV in the past year. Eleven hands went up. Twelve if you count the man who was out on a six-mile hike at 70 years old.This is happening while the industry chases 33-year-olds with solar panels and TikTok aesthetics.I am not saying younger buyers are not important. They are the future and we need them. But the marketing case being made inside RV boardrooms right now, that the 50-plus buyer is yesterday's news, is demonstrably wrong. And in a market this soft, you cannot afford to ignore your most reliable customer.I wrote about this at length over at RVLifestyle.com. It is part of an ongoing series we have been running on RVing in the second half of life. The link is in the show notes. If today's lead story speaks to you, that post will too.STORY 2: WHO IS ACTUALLY DRIVING THE MARKETThe demographic picture of who owns and buys RVs is more complicated than the ads suggest, and it is worth understanding.The median age of RV owners has come down in recent years. Younger buyers were absolutely part of the pandemic surge. Millennials and Gen Z now represent roughly 22 percent of RV owners - the same share as Baby Boomers - which tells you something about how quickly the demographics shifted during COVID.But here is what the industry sometimes misses in that data. Younger buyers came in during a period of historically low interest rates, flush pandemic savings, and work-from-home flexibility. Those conditions no longer exist. The buyers who are proving most resilient in this market are the ones who are not dependent on 7 percent financing to make the purchase work.Industry analyst Earl Hunter Jr., founder of The Unity Folks, put it bluntly in a recent trade publication outlook piece. He said the biggest trend in the RV industry right now is, simply, lack of growth. And that the industry has not figured out why emerging demographics and nontraditional consumers have little to no interest in the RV lifestyle.That is a real problem worth solving. But while the industry works on reaching new audiences, there is a generation of experienced, well-capitalized, deeply motivated buyers out on the road right now who built this market and are still carrying it. They deserve a little more respect than a supporting role in someone else's marketing story.STORY 3: WHAT EXPERIENCED RVers ACTUALLY WANT - AND WHAT MANUFACTURERS KEEP MISSINGI want to tell you one more thing from Hocking Hills, because I think it reveals something important about the disconnect between what the industry is building and what experienced RVers actually need.During our campfire conversation, I asked people what features they most use in their current rigs. What do they love. What they would change.Nobody mentioned outdoor TVs. Not one person. This is notable because outdoor entertainment has been one of the most aggressively marketed RV features of the last several years. Manufacturers have been loading up rigs with outdoor TVs, outdoor kitchens, outdoor speakers. The assumption is that RVers want to recreate the suburban living room experience outside.Our members were out hiking six miles. They were packed into a campfire circle talking to each other. They were fixing each other's trailers. The last thing they wanted was a television.What did they talk about wanting? Better towing stability. Improved service networks. Simpler systems that do not require a software update to turn on the hot water. Quality that lasts. And dealers who actually know the products they are selling.These are people with decades of RV miles behind them. They know exactly what they need and exactly what they do not. When you have that kind of experience, you stop being impressed by features and start being impressed by reliability.The industry could learn a lot by listening more carefully to the people who have been doing this the longest....

Anyone headed on a summer vacation or away on a work trip needs to listen to this episode. Hosts Sarah Bowen Shea and Amanda Loudin, plus two other frequent travelers (a triathlete and an ultrarunner/flight attendant!), share advice and anecdotes about exercising while away from familiar stomping grounds. Details include:-been-there, done-that advice on making smart hotel choices-packing pointers-the best apps to get the lay of the land + plan running routes-how to make sure recovery is part of your time away-encouragement to jump into a “destination” raceBefore the host duo transitions to telling tales about their on-the-go workouts around 14:00, Amanda shares about a 41-mile Appalachian Trail hiking event she completed recently.Watch on YouTubeFeisty Fest: Join us from September 18-20, 2026 - https://feisty.co/events/feisty-fest/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themotherrunner/Momentous: Use code AMR for up to 35% off your first order at https://www.livemomentous.com/Currex: Use code AMR15 for 15% off at https://currex.com/Tifosi Optics: Use code FEISTY2026 for 20% off at https://tifosioptics.com/

In 2022, I set out to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. In addition to all of my necessary backpacking gear, I also carried small audio recorders and a suite of microphones that I could use to capture the sounds of the trail and document my journey.I spend six months hiking the entire length of this iconic trail, something that I had been dreaming about for almost 20 years. For most of the hike, I was joined by my mom, who was 65 years old at the time. The two of us had the adventure of a lifetime, and I captured some amazing moments with my audio recorder.It took me three full years to piece together the story of our long hike. The podcast series that resulted did more than just document my journey - I also captured expert interviews exploring the history of the trail and the conservation issues that it faces. What resulted was a 12-part radio documentary series, produced in partnership with New Hampshire Public Radio, which first aired in the summer of 2025. All 12 of the half-hour episodes are now available via the Common Land podcast feed.But for the past year or so I've been working on a 13th episode - an epilogue to the series. This final episode will drop next week, and it explores a particularly important topic - how mental health is intertwined with long distance hiking. I explore this idea through the perspective of one of my close friends who I met on the trail, Kevin Remillard, AKA Chop Chop.Chop Chop's story is both fascinating and inspiring. But my hope is that it will also be instructive. I believe that long distance hiking can teach us about ourselves, illuminating the path towards a happier life. For Chop Chop, this idea serves as a guiding light, and both of us are eager to share this story with the wider world.But for now, enjoy episode one of Common Land's second season. If you want to know what comes next, just head over to our podcast feed for the series, or click here to check out the show's website and see pics from the trail.-Matt Podolsky Get full access to Earth to Humans Podcast's Substack at earthtohumanspodcast.substack.com/subscribe

https://slasrpodcast.com/         Welcome to Episode 235 of the Sounds Like a Search and Rescue Podcast. This week we welcome back friend of the show Liz Fay. Liz recently spent time on the Appalachian Trail visiting our favorite thru hiker Daveshitsinthewoods, she's working her way through the Monadnock 50 Finest, tackling trail maintenance projects, chasing the New Hampshire 500 Highest, and we'll find out what other adventures she has planned for the summer. Plus, we'll talk about a strange new hiking trend called quadrobics, get another update from Dave as he makes his way through Pennsylvania on the Appalachian Trail, discuss the ongoing closure at Lincoln Woods, explore whether the White Mountains are really part of the Appalachians, look at a growing human waste problem on Colorado's Blue Lakes Trail, a grizzly attack survivor in Glacier National Park, and the death of Yellowstone's last working payphone. We'll also review the Osprey Poco LT child carrier, celebrate the opening of the AMC High Mountain Huts for the season, talk about Mike's hike on Jennings and Sandwich Dome, Nick's adventures on Hancock and Madison, highlight some incredible listener hikes including Liz Fay's East Osceola and Hale Brook Trail maintenance project, dive into recent search and rescue news, and take a look back at one of the greatest albums of the 1970s, Breakfast in America by Supertramp. Join the SLASR Podcast 48 Peaks Team on June 13 to hike Mount Adams Stomp's new Mustache Wax Instagram Page   Topics Recording issue - missing episode Welcome Liz Planning for Alzheimer's 48 Peaks Hike this weekend  Only Fans Hiking Influencer on the PCT Quadrobics Update on Dave Shits AT Journey Recycled Percussion guys at it again Trail and Hut updates  Are the White Mountains part of the Appalachian Mountains?  People pooping too much on trail Grizzly Attack Payphones and how phones worked in the before internet days.  Recent Hikes - Jennings Peak, Sandwich Dome, Hancocks, Madison and Blue Hills Guest of the week - Liz Fay Recent SAR News Show Notes Apple Podcast link for 5 star reviews SLASR Merchandise SLASR LinkTree SLASR's BUYMEACOFFEE Order Hike Safe Card 48 Peaks website Nick's Instagram Viral OnlyFans star rescued off Mt. Whitney (from Knobbie) Background Article Reddit Discussion 'quadrobics' gaining popularity in the hiking world Justin from Recycled Percussion tackles a new challenge White Mountain National Forest | Lincoln Woods Trail Closure AMC High Mountain Huts are all open for the season Byyoursideoutfitters the Whites are not part of the Appalachian Mountains Colorado's Blue Lakes Trail Has a Massive Human Waste Problem Hiker survives grizzly attack, Glacier NP The last working payphone in Yellowstone is dead.  Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier Monadnock 50 finest list Injured Hiker Rescued on the Lonesome Lake Trail in Lincoln - 5/21 Overdue Hiker - 5/26 Injured Hiker Airlifted from Bondcliff Trail - 5/28 Injured Hiker Rescued on the Old Bridle Path in Franconia - 5/29 Missing Person - 6/1 Massachusetts Man Assisted off Falling Waters Trail - 6/4 Sponsors, Friends  and Partners Rek' lis Brewing Company Wild Raven Endurance Coaching burgeonoutdoor.com 48 Peaks - Alzheimer's Association Mount Washington Higher Summits Forecast Hiking Buddies  Vaucluse - Sweat less. Explore more. – Vaucluse Gear Fieldstone Kombucha CS Instant Coffee The Mountain Wanderer   

Today, Greg Fisher takes us back to the Appalachian Trail in the 1960s, when he and two other 16-year-olds took a 17-day hike on the trail in New Hampshire, taking in the awesome Franconia Ridge along the way.                                                                   For Greg, that led to a more than 50 year love of the trail that continues to this day. He shares his stories with Steve as he looks back on that long history, returning to it earlier this year when he reunited with his hiking buddy, Doc, for the first time in over 20 years.                                       Also today, Steve catches up with Elizabeth Thompson from the Hike the Good Hike cohort, as she gives her definition of hiking success that resonates with Steve. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

This episode includes narrations of true creepy encounters submitted by normal folks just like yourself. Today you'll experience horrifying stories about the Appalachian Trail & Small Towns.HAVE A STORY TO SUBMIT?LetsReadSubmissions@gmail.comFOLLOW ME ON -►YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/letsreadofficial► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/letsread.official/♫ Music & Cover art: INEKThttps://www.youtube.com/@inektToday's episode is sponsored by:- Quince- Omaha Steaks - Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code READ at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. 

As I did before when I finished the Appalachian Trail in 2019, I got a friend of mine, Glenn Hebert, from the Horse Radio Network, to debrief me following my decision to leave the trail last Thursday. It never feels good to report upon something which you've been unable to complete but, as you'll hear, I have a plan!!                                 My disappointment at not finishing what I set out to do has been tempered somewhat; first, because I was able to complete 5,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail, and second, because there is a way forward for me and my hike. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. Come on the show! If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at Hiking Radio Network . Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.  

Derick Lugo's first hike was the Appalachian Trail. By the time he finished six months later, he was transformed. As Mr. Fabulous, Derick has inspired audiences all over the country to get outdoors and put one foot in front of the other.  Get a signed copy of A Fabulous Thru-Hike or The Unlikely Thru-Hiker at Derick's shop. Support comes from Kuat Racks  Oboz  Darn Tough  Free shipping on any order with code DIRTBAG Ka'Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order.  Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today.