Podcasts about pacific coast trail

(Replay) There aren't many stories as compelling and inspirational as the one of Aspen Matis. On her second night of college, she was raped by another freshman in her dorm and the college did nothing to protect her. Her perpetrator was found innocent and she was expected to go about her education with him living on the floor directly above her. Then, in an act of personal salvation, Aspen hiked the Pacific Coast Trail from Mexico to Canada. On this episode, Sarah and Aspen discuss the 2,650-mile, life-changing journey, Aspen's novels Girl in the Woods and Your Blue is Not My Blue, and 15 king size PayDay candy bars

In this episode, outdoor adventurers Tim Beissinger and Renee Miller, known as the “Thruhikers,” dive into their transformative journey from academia to the trail. They share stories of how they re-prioritized their lives to pursue hiking, including Renee's incredible achievement of completing the Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail in a record 14 days and Tim's memorable solo hike around the Tahoe Rim Trail. Along the way, they reflect on the mental and physical challenges of such feats, the unexpected influence they've had on others, and how hiking opened new doors in both their personal and professional lives. Tim and Renee emphasize that making room for big goals sometimes means stepping away from traditional career paths and taking the leap into the unknown. They also talk about the concept of "the trail provides," explaining how nature often teaches lessons of resourcefulness, teamwork, and resilience. They encourage listeners to follow their own paths, embrace unconventional choices, and make time for passions that may not fit the mould of societal expectations. With practical tips on overcoming challenges and advice for those seeking balance between their goals and careers, they offer an inspiring call to action for anyone feeling stuck in a routine. Listeners can follow their journey on social media and dive deeper into their insights with their new book, *A Guide to Life on the Trail*.About Tim Beissinger and Renee MillerRenee Miller and Tim Beissinger, @thruhikers, love going on outdoor adventures by foot, bike, canoe, or any other non-motorized transport. In 2021, they thruhiked the Continental Divide Trail: 3,000 miles from Mexico to Canada. They have also thruhiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada and hiked approximately 1,000 miles around Germany. They have backpacked all over the USA, bike toured in Europe and South America, and have both completed an Ironman. They love to cook and eat. They live in Mountain View, California.And then a more recent update is that Renee recently achieved an impressive feat by completing a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail across Oregon in just 14 days and 14 hours—shattering the previous record by 1.5 days, all while contending with record-breaking temperatures!Resources discussed in this episode:Thruhikers: A Guide to Life on the Trail--Contact Tim Sweet | Team Work Excellence: WebsiteLinkedIn: Tim SweetInstagramLinkedin: Team Work ExcellenceContact Tim Beissinger and Renee Miller | Thruhikers: Website: Thruhikers.coInstagram: @ThruhikersYouTube: ThruhikersEmail: contact@thruhikers.coTikTok: @ThruhikersLinkedin: TimBeissinger--Transcript:Tim Beissinger: 00:01It's compelling to want to mimic the path that's worked for others, but everybody's individual, and it can be more powerful to follow the path that makes sense for yourself. That's one thing that that I think can be a fear for folks when they're thinking, what do they do next? And they want to do the right thing instead of wanting to do what makes the most sense for them. Renee Miller: 00:20If you want to take a break from your job and hike for six months, if that's right for you and that's what you want to do, just do it, and the trail will provide. Life will provide and you'll be a better person and learn a lot and have a great story to tell because of it. Tim Sweet 00:35I'd like to ask you some questions. Do you consider yourself the kind of person that gets things done? Are you able to take a vision and transform that into action? Are you able to align others towards that vision and get them moving to create something truly remarkable? If any of these describe you, then you, my friend, are a leader, and this show is all about and all for you. I'm Tim Sweet, and I'd like to welcome you to Episode 42 of the Sweet on Leadership podcast. Well, welcome back to Sweet on Leadership today. We're going to explore exploration. We're going to talk to two explorers about the journeys that they're taking and the journeys that all of us are able to take, what's open to us. And sometimes, you know, we may have these things at our fingertips, and we don't actually realize that we can pick them up and enjoy them. And I'm really happy to welcome Renee Miller and Tim Beissinger. They're a dynamic couple that are known on social media as the Thruhikers, and when I think of people that are just gripping and ripping it, that are just living life to the fullest, I can't help but have your faces come into my mind. So thank you so much Tim and Renee for joining me here today. Tim Beissinger 01:52Thank you. It's great to be here.  Renee Miller 01:54Yea, Thank you.  Tim Sweet 01:56For those of you that don't know Tim and Renee and we're going to give you ways that you can follow them, because it's exciting. They have conquered some of the most challenging wilderness trails in the world, from the Pacific Crest Trail to the Continental Divide Trail, and most recently, Renee, you smashed the record for the Oregon section of the PCT the Pacific Coast Trail in just 14 days and 14 hours. So congratulations for that. Not to be outdone, Tim then answered with his own solo event around the Tahoe Rim Trail. So, you know, it's so much fun to watch you guys do this.  Tim Beissinger 02:31Just to interrupt for a second, I was outdone. I just walked in a circle around a lake at a normal amount of time. Renee set a record. So I was outdone. No question there. Tim Sweet 02:41And when we talk about Renee that accomplishment, I mean that was, as you said, unsupported. And I was watching one of your posts the other day. You were sharing these stats, which I thought were just amazing. You had started with, was it a 38 pound pack, and it ended up being 12 pounds at the end of it, and you were pulling in these major hours, like, well over or what was it? 180 hours walked, and, you know, pulling in these major distances. So talk to us just a little bit about that. What's the size of something like that for you. Renee Miller 03:12Yeah. I mean, it was probably one of the hardest things I've done, both physically and mentally. A lot of fun though, at the same time. Tim Sweet 03:19Yeah, I found you when you were originally setting out on the transcontinental. And I remember that first episode where you were filtering water out of a cattle trough, and it was gross. And I was like, oh, man, these are my type of people. And I can imagine when we look at how many people have followed you since then, 2.1 million on TikTok, 364,000 on Instagram, 868,000 on YouTube. You are a major part of people's weeks. They take a moment to live vicariously through you and be inspired by you. And so much of it is just again, it's like this different relationship with the world in front of us. Does it feel strange to have that reputation and that meaning in people's lives? Tim Beissinger 04:10Yeah, it does, really. It all started because we like to be outdoors, exploring, and our first thruhike was the Pacific Crest Trail. That's 2650 miles. We didn't make videos, we didn't document it. We just loved it, so we wanted to do it again. And we were playing around with videos, and people started watching, and that's been exciting, but also it is… it is strange to know that we're influencing how people approach the outdoors and what folks goals are out there, and we sort of ended up with the voice of authority that we've never quite set out to have, but hopefully we're doing an okay job of it. Tim Sweet 04:49What's it like for you, Renee, when you bring this into your regular life, into your day job, Renee Miller 04:54Tim is more of an extrovert. I'm more of an introvert. So you know, starting out, it was more of a challenge for me to put myself out there, but through Tim's encouragement and through the responses we got saying that we are inspiring people to get outside, to live healthier. It's been pretty rewarding. Tim Sweet 05:15That's awesome. We have a tradition here, where, before we get into the meat of our conversation, I bomb a random question at you from from our previous guest, and this one comes from Erin Ashbacher. So Erin's question was and she didn't know who I was going to be lobbying this at. At the time when you have those big things in life, those big projects, or those big goals, and they're sitting in some shelf getting dusty somewhere. For yourselves, how do you take those big, gnarly goals off the shelf, and actually, you know, starting on them. What's your process? That was her question. How do you handle big stuff, big goals? Tim Beissinger 05:56Yeah, so the way we've done it in the past is we make room for them, and I'll give an example. But if the big goal is big enough that it needs to push something else out of the way, we push it out of the way. The example is our first through hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Renee really wanted to do that trail, and I was a new a professor. Renee was an engineer, and we felt like, I felt like there wasn't room to tackle that big project, that big goal of doing the PCT, it was something to put off until we retired. And Renee was persistent and said, No, we're only going to get slower and weaker and like now's the right time to do a hike like this. So why would we wait until we're struggling with health when we're retiring, instead of doing it now when we're 30? And so we quit our jobs. We made room, we took that off the shelf, we put some other stuff on the shelves, which were these jobs that were going quite well, and we tackled the PCT. And I think for me, that was a really hard leap of faith to say, wow, I've got my career going just the way I want it, but it's not going to be the priority right now, but we can figure that out later. And it worked, you know, we did that hike, we came back. We both sort of didn't even hit a speed bump in our career trajectories. And so it was a big learning that we could make room to take something off the shelf and do it without it slowing us down. Tim Sweet 07:29And if you'd cave to that fear, that idea that it would derail your careers, it would have been a risk that you were mitigating. That wasn't actually a risk. And by the way, you said hike. But how many days was that, quote, unquote, hike?  Renee Miller 07:46Four and a half months. Tim Sweet 07:48Yeah. There you go. Tim Beissinger 07:49Yeah. So for that one, we quit our jobs entirely. And you know, my PhD advisor found out that I quit my job as a professor and told me, this was career suicide. What are you doing? He was wrong. It was not career suicide. After the trail, I got a better job as a better professor at a better university, and so it was fine to do that, and we would have missed the opportunity. And like you say, it wasn't a risk, and Renee had the same sort of job situation, Renee Miller 08:18Yeah, yep, I was able to get a job after our you know, a job is a job, and a career is long term. And we've both had successful, very successful careers, even though we've had to quit a job here or there. Tim Sweet 08:34Yea, I mean, Tim was saying that, and that you were the driving force behind that. So before it was clear to Tim, or before you went in on faith, Tim, what was that vision that just made it a must do. That was the path of least resistance for you.  Renee Miller 08:54Yeah, I think it was wanting to tackle something unknown. You know, I don't like to follow the normal path of that society tells me to follow. That's kind of always been a trait that I've had, and I think it was a big adventure, a big unknown adventure. And, you know, I loved the outdoors, and thought, Why? Why not? Tim Sweet 09:19If I was to ask you, in your mind at that point, if you can, if you can, cast back to that, what was the risk of not doing it? Had you not done it, what would have likely happened that would be the source of regret, or, like, where do you think you would have been if you had not done it? Renee Miller 09:37I don't know where. Yeah, that is a good question. It has definitely changed our lives. And so, yeah, I mean maybe still just living a normal life, yeah. Tim Sweet 09:47So it'd be stuck in the mundane, that average existence, yeah. And we talk about, you know, what's average for everybody? May not, you know, help us be who we truly need to be in the moment. So you've done these amazing things. Tell me a little bit about what some of the most memorable times on the trail have been for you, as you've gone out and tackled these various challenges put in front of yourself. Tim Beissinger 10:12Oh gosh. I mean, the dangerous times are always memorable. Those are embarrassing too, because there have been a few times we've gotten ourselves into into trouble. We've never been injured out there, but, but we've come close. So, you know, one time, we were trying to cross the Olympic Peninsula, and there was a lot of snow, and we were walking for miles on a really steep slope on the side of snow and ice, and I slipped and fell, and a tree caught me and I partially dislocated my shoulder. It does that. It's a skateboarding accident from when I was young. So, so anyway, it was okay, but I smashed into this tree, and Renee was watching, for all she knew, I was dead, and my shoulder was kind of dislocated, so for all I knew, I was terribly injured, and turned out we were fine. But that's memorable, because it's embarrassing. We shouldn't have done that. We ended up turning around and going back and finding a different route, much safer route, around those mountains. Had the snow not been there, it would have been great. But that's one thing that stands out for me, for sure. Renee Miller 11:21And I think another thing is just the people you meet, you think you're going into a wilderness experience, but you always bump into other people out there hiking, and there's a lot of cool, interesting people out hiking or in the trails along the way that you never would have had the experience to interact with had you not done a trip like this. Tim Beissinger 11:44Anybody who's spending four months on a long hike is likely to have an interesting background that got them there. And so we've had some really great conversations and met some really good friends out there on the trail.  Tim Sweet 11:57I remember you did a post that was, tell who's the thruhiker by what tent they use. And I remember watching that and being like, I got it mostly right, but I was thinking, you know, somebody has a tent that has a generator and blows up or something. It's like, you know, cool. So, at this point, we find that this is a big part of your life. You are having new opportunities and new aspects of your ability to impact and influence people open up. So you've done these amazing things. You've set goals for yourself, you've made big life changes in order to make them possible, and you've made that space for them, as you talked about you're both professionals, and you're influencing and leading other people. What would be a more commonplace example of where you see a person's inability to make space for something get in their way.  Tim Beissinger 12:55I think jobs as people are picking their career path, it's really tempting to want to do the right thing. So I was an academic for a long time before I've now switched over to industry, but in the academic world, it's really set. If you want to be a professor, first you do a PhD, then you do a postdoc, then you might do another postdoc, then, if you're lucky, you get a job as the professor. And it doesn't have to go that way. You could go from PhD to a company, to a postdoc to a professor, or PhD to a, you know, whatever, to straight to a postdoc, and then switch over to industry and build some chops there and come back and professor or or maybe be a professor for a little bit and decide to switch over. I think people have a fear of getting off of that PhD postdoc Professor path, because all of the examples they look to are doing exactly that, and it's compelling to want to mimic the path that's worked for others, but everybody's individual, and it can be more powerful to follow the path that makes sense for yourself. That's one thing that that I think can be a fear for folks when they're thinking, what do they do next? And they want to do the right thing instead of wanting to do what makes the most sense for them.  Tim Sweet 14:11Renee, how would you add on to that? Renee Miller 14:13You get so caught up into your daily lives and the tasks that you you know, you go to work and have to get all these tasks done and come home and have responsibilities at home, but yeah, you kind of forget about yourself. And you know what about that professional engineering license that would be really good for my career? Oh, I don't have time for that, because I'm busy working and, yeah, just talking with people and reminding them to prioritize themselves and their resumes, and it'll probably be good for their company as well to get those certifications. Yeah.  Tim Beissinger 14:52I've witnessed that from Renee. She, as a young engineer, was always making time for a professional society that really had no bearing on your day to day job, but it was so big for networking and meeting folks. Renee Miller 15:09And staying current on your industry. Yeah, yeah. Tim Sweet 15:13So many of the people that listen are engineers or stem folks. You know, it's a huge part of my practice, working with engineers and geologists and, you know, scientists, chemists, etc, often when I help them move through things, not to make this about me, but we can lean on their engineering jobs, you know, because you can design and engineer the life you want, and the outcome is always, or usually, a product of, well, what's the design? And I use this video, if you may have seen it. It's probably 15, maybe 20 years old now, but a group from MIT had designed a bike with square wheels that could roll as long as the road was a series of ARCs right, the same distance as a side. Now, it wasn't a terribly flexible system, right? But often people, they try to mould themselves to the road, rather than molding the road to themselves. It's such an inefficient way to live, in a sense, because then you end up shaving off the corners, shaving off those sharp bits that make you special and that make you particularly effective, in order to conform, and we have to often realize that we have the ability to change those things. We have things we can leverage and choices we can make. Sorry, to dive into my stuff, but,Tim Beissinger 16:44No, yeah, it's a great way to put it. Tim Sweet 16:40Yeah. So the next thing that I would ask you is, when a person tells you they can't do something, what might be a typical response that you would use to open them up to the possibilities that could be in front of them? Tim Beissinger 16:52Oh, gosh. I've got a lot of experience training graduate students. So that's a typical encounter, is I don't know how to do this, or tell me how to do this. I can't do it. I have a very practical answer. This isn't quite philosophical, but it's just practical. What I always tell them is, you know how to use Google, and the answers are out there. You can figure it out. And I think that attitude of being resourceful and figuring things out is huge. I'm going to get personal. I hope that's okay. When I was a child, my dad had brain cancer, and I had four siblings, so there were five of us total. My mom spent a lot of time taking care of my dad. It was a great upbringing, but it meant I didn't get quite as much attention as I might have if I was an only child and had two fully functional parents. That taught me how to be a little more resourceful. It meant if I wanted to solve a problem, I couldn't just ask my parents to do it. I might do it myself. Or if I wanted to get validation at a school sports outing, it didn't necessarily come from the traditional my parents sitting there on the audience with a tape recorder filming every single event. And that was a good thing that really instilled this attitude of independence and resourcefulness, and I think it's helped me be the person I am today. So, that is what I try to teach my graduate students. Is Google it, ask people questions about how to do things, try and fail. We do a lot of coding in my field. So like, you can write code if it doesn't work, erase it, write it again, and keep doing that 100 times.  Tim Sweet 18:29What is that again? So everybody is… quantitative geneticist. Is that right?  Tim Beissinger 18:32Yeah, that's what I am, a quantitative geneticist. Yeah. There you go. So, so that's my my standard advice when people feel like they can't do something, is they can. They might just have to learn the base.  Tim Sweet 18:43So if confidence isn't in your DNA, you would say confidence isn't in your DNA yet.Tim Beissinger 18:48I'd say, Google it.  Tim Sweet 18:49We're going to code it in there and Google it. There you go. So Renee, would you have any experiences when you have people that come to you feeling stuck or feeling like they can't?  Renee Miller 19:03In addition to what Tim said, I think teamwork is a huge thing, and don't feel like you're stuck by yourself trying to figure it out. Get help and talk with the people around you. And more brains are better than one at solving problems 100% Tim Sweet 19:22I'm going to call an audible here and talk a little bit about one of your episodes that I really liked when you were doing the Tahoe Rim Trail, you shared that you were having some issues with feet problems and that you were breaking your own rules. I heard you say Renee usually kept you on the straight and narrow when you were hiking together, and so the two of you formed that kind of partnership where you know you're thinking about different things, and that teamwork was felt literally by you on that trip. Like here's something that I may not think about in the moment, but Renee keeps me honest. Tim Beissinger 20:10Yeah, yeah, I don't think I used that phrase the straight and narrow. I did something, but I didn't say that. Tim Sweet 20:06No, you didn't say it that way. Sorry. I am paraphrasing, but Tim Beissinger 20:08But really close just keeps me on the straight and narrows, but, but no, that's absolutely true. When we're hiking together, we know, here I'm talking in the “we.” Because together, we know that doing too many miles too soon is a recipe for injury, and honestly, it's not so much of a we it's really Renee reminding us that over and over again. And so there I was doing a solo hike. We almost always hiked together, but I did the Tahoe Rim Trail alone, without the wisdom of Renee, and I injured myself right away. It was four days in, and I had a busted Shin, and had to take five days off, and so that was a reminder that we're we're better together than alone. I probably offer some stuff to our joint partnership, also when we're out on a hike. Renee Miller 21:00Yes, definitely.Tim Beissinger 21:01The wisdom part is definitely coming from Renee. Tim Sweet 21:04Well, let's hit the other side, then Renee. What does Tim offer?  Renee Miller 21:06Well, he's a good cook, so I definitely eat better when he's around. Tim Beissinger 21:15So you keep you keep it nourished, and keep the color in your cheeks, in a sense. Renee Miller 21:19Yep, yep. But yeah, I think we're really good as a team, and he definitely likes to push us. You know, sometimes I come up with these crazy ideas, but Tim helps make sure we follow through with these crazy ideas and so it's a really a cool team that we have together, and it's good to do it on our own, and work on all sides of ourselves as well. And remember what our strengths and weaknesses.  Tim Sweet 21:49I think that comes through in so many of your posts. So I think that that's a great thing that people can expect to take away if they were to follow you, as we sort of wrap up here. I guess what I would say is this is we talk about all of these things, and I can't do your accomplishments and the amount of effort you put into these things justice. I can't in this amount of time, I really would encourage people to look out for you and follow you. But when you think to the people that are listening here, and many of them are are engaged with us, because we bring such unique people like yourselves onto it, what's that point that you want them to leave with today. What is that wish that you have for them? Tim Beissinger 22:34I think, it's a phrase. The phrase is the trail provides, and that's a lesson that you learn on a long hike, which is when you really need something, you get it from the trail. There's direct examples we have of of needing a cell phone cable that we forgot to bring, and that exact cell phone cable was just lying on the road. But the more important ones are the indirect examples, like when that I mentioned earlier, I fell down the mountain and hit a tree while the trail provided an alternate route around that mountain. It was there. There was a mapped bike path that we were able to walk instead. It wasn't what we had been aiming for, but it was provided by the trail. Or there's been times that we're running low on water, and a water source that we hadn't expected based on our maps showed up and it was in excess. There's tons of examples like that, and then they come back to life. And in normal life, when you're opening your mind to not just following one direct, clear path, but letting your life provide opportunities, you can follow those opportunities and have a lot of fun with them. An example from our life is our videos that we make. We never planned on being large internet influencers. We just happened to post some videos that got a lot of views, and then we ran with it, and it's been a really fun, really fulfilling project that we do. Life provides, the trail provides, I think that's a really important lesson that I've learned, and hopefully others can learn it too. Tim Sweet 24:09Yeah, just open yourself up to all of those doors that are in front of you and be observant. Okay, great. Renee. Renee Miller 24:16Just expanding on that. Don't be afraid to follow your own path if you know you don't have to follow what society tells you if you want to, you know, take a break from your job and hike for six months. If that's right for you, and that's what you want to do, just do it, and the trail will provide, life will provide and you'll be a better person and learn a lot and have a great story to tell because of it.  Tim Sweet 24:46It's really interesting when you think about that, when we follow the path that might be traditional or laid out in front of us, whether that is the career arc of a professor or whether that is putting your job on hold to try something adventurous, the standard path that's in front of us is not there by accident. But part of that is it's not built on individual experiences. It's built on sort of the common experience. And if we know anything about looking at the averages of groups, it tends to trend towards the lowest common denominator. It tends to trend towards the path that's been the safest for the most amount of people, which means for half the population, that could actually be curtailing your potential. Gallup recently came out with a figure that said 10% of the population actually have the makeup, personality, skills, work style, expression of genius, all of these things to be leaders. And I think it's actually a heck of a lot lower than that, because there's many people that aren't given the opportunity to lead. Could be socioeconomic, it could be gender, it could be any myriad of other things, race or whatnot, that kept them out of that. So it's somewhere between 4% and 6% I would say typically, is what, where you get these natural died in the wool leaders, and I define that by it's people that are willing to take risks, especially when it comes to owning other people's results, and would potentially damage themselves, but never do it anyway else, because that's how they're built. I think for those people, your words are going to ring like a clarion call in the wilderness. All right, thank you so much for taking the time to join me. We're going to do just a couple of little wrap up exercises. The first is, I would like you to ponder on a question that you'd like to ask the next guest in line, and I will bring that up at the beginning of the interview. Tim Beissinger 26:54 Well, I do have a question. We talked at the beginning about how to take things off the shelf, and my advice was, make room for them, take them off and push something else out. And so my question for the next guest is, if you have to do that, if you need to clear up room in your schedule, what is one thing that you're doing that you would or want to get out that you want to stop doing. We all have too many things to do and not enough time. So what would you cut? And it doesn't have to be like, Oh, I'd stop tying my shoes. It doesn't have to be that specific, but maybe just some idea about what you'd get rid of, if you could get rid of anything without consequences. Tim Sweet 27:42Yeah, do you know where your easy cut is? Well, I've enjoyed following you for the last it's got to be two years. It feels like easily, because it was covid when you started, right?  Tim Beissinger 27:53Yeah, if you were watching us filter from cow troughs, it's been three years, three years. Tim Sweet 27:57Oh my gosh, time flies. I think people are going to be really interested in your in your story, and you've got so much to teach in such a wonderful way. Where can people find you? Where would you like them to look for you? Tim Beissinger 28:09For folks who are wanting to get outdoors more, we have a brand new book out through hikers, A Guide to Life on the trail, and our goal with that book was to make trips more enjoyable. So we took everything we've learned from 10,000 plus we haven't added it up in a while, but maybe 12 or 13,000 miles of exploring the outdoors, all of our learnings to have the most enjoyable trips that we can have, and put them in a book, along with a bunch of backpacking recipes for dehydrated food. So so that's one great place for people to look for us. Renee Miller 28:41Otherwise, we're at through hikers on Tiktok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, awesome. Tim Sweet 28:48We're going to put all of that information in the shownotes. As people engage with you. What type of energy are you really excited to bring to your channel next? Renee Miller 28:58We love being outdoors, and all of our stuff is about hiking and the outdoors, and it's positive educational content about how to be safe and enjoy yourself in the outdoors and food and cooking. Tim Sweet 29:14And food and cooking right on. So, I want to say a big thank you for making this happen. I know that it was a bit of a route to get here, but you're not opposed to that. You guys set long routes all the time. So yeah, Tim Beissinger 29:26Thank you for having us. It's been really a lot of fun to talk about all this stuff. It's not the usual podcast, or not the usual podcast for us at least. Which is all about what's the most dangerous animal you've seen, which those are good too. But this was a fun exploration of other topics.  Tim Sweet 29:44It's podcasts like yours that helps people lead more enriched lives and inspires people by showing them look what's possible. And why not, you know? And it's just a matter of going to Google, in a sense, figuring it out, watching shows like yours, to get some tips, and then just, you know, getting on the trail. And I really appreciate that coming from you guys. You know for myself, getting back into hiking, it's a real source of energy and inspiration. So thank you. Tim Beissinger 30:17Thank you. Renee Miller 30:18Thank you. Tim Sweet 30:21Thank you so much for listening to Sweet on Leadership. If you found today's podcast valuable, consider visiting our website and signing up for the companion newsletter. You can find the link in the show notes. If, like us, you think it's important to bring new ideas and skills into the practice of leadership, please give us a positive rating and review on Apple podcasts. This helps us spread the word to other committed leaders, and you can spread the word, too, by sharing this with your friends, teams, and colleagues. Thanks again for listening, and be sure to tune in in two weeks' time for another episode of Sweet on Leadership. In the meantime, I'm your host, Tim Sweet, encouraging you to keep on leading.

In this week's episode, both of our storytellers share their experiences with grief and how they chose to say farewell to their dearly departed. Part 1: When Sanjana Murthy misses her grandfather's funeral, she struggles with the lack of closure. Part 2: Paul Barach impulsively decides to walk the Pacific Coast Trail to escape the grief of his girlfriend's suicide. This story does include mentions of suicide. In case you'd find them helpful, now or at any point in the future, we have some resources available on our website. New York City based Research Coordinator Sanjana Murthy is thrilled to be here. Her lab's work at Mount Sinai (Dept of Psychiatry, Center for Advanced Circuit Therapeutics) identifies neurophysiological biomarkers to improve treatment for depression. She holds a B.S. in Brain and Behavioral Sciences from Purdue University, where she curated shows for the TEDxPurdueU stage.  Paul Barach is a writer, storyteller, and thru-hiker from Seattle, Washington. A 2013 Moth GrandSlam runner up, his stories have been featured on Risk, Out There, and other podcasts. Paul has also been a featured guest on Deviate with Rolf Potts, Backpacker Radio, Zero to Travel, and Armchair Explorer. Paul has hiked the Shikoku Pilgrimage, Colorado Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail among others, bicycled the Trans-America Trail, and most recently completed the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. He is the author of the travel memoir "Fighting Monks and Burning Mountains: Misadventures on a Buddhist Pilgrimage" and is currently working on a memoir about the Pacific Crest Trail, as well as a comedic novel about a vampire hunter who's sick of his job. Paul currently lives in Tacoma with his wife Michelle and their dog Izzy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Chmielewski catches up with David Cheezem as his legs tire at the intersection of the Pacific Coast Trail.

Pacific Coast Trail Disappearances and Tragedies!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

Send us a Text Message.Never imagine yourself hiking the Appalachian Trail, The Pacific Coast Trail, or The Salt Path? Great! Nicola Ross is an environmentalist, National Magazine Award–winning journalist, and the bestselling author of six Loops & Lattes hiking guides, with over 50,000 copies in print. She lives with her partner in Caledon, Ontario. Her latest book, 40 Days and 40 Hikes: Loving the Bruce Trail One Loop at a time is now available. Nicola reminds us that there are many beautiful options in nature that don't require excessive time and resources.  Support the Show.Have comments or questions for us? Interested in sharing your story on Aging Well? Please send your information and questions to Hugh via email at willowwaycreations@gmail.com or through any of our social media links on our website, findingbeautyinthegray.com. We'd love to hear from you and appreciate your feedback. Leaving feedback on your podcast host site (Apple, Spotify, etc.) is the single most important and effective way for us to stay viable and to continue to bring you great stories and helpful resources. And if you are enjoying the show and getting value from our topics and guests, we would most welcome your financial support. Producing a quality resource does require appreciable financial investment. Thank you!

In August 2020, marathon and ultra-distance trail runner Emily Halnon set out on an FKT (fastest known time). The goal: cover the 460 miles of the Pacific Coast Trail that traverses Oregon, from south to north, faster than any other human yet recorded. The purpose: to honor her mother, Andrea Halnon, who had been her inspiration and her biggest supporter. Emily Halnon is also a writer, and this episode is being released on the publication day of her first book, To the Gorge: Running, Grief, and Resilience on 460 Miles of the Pacific Coast Trail. In January 2020, Emily's mother, Andrea, died of a rare, aggressive form of uterine cancer after a tragically short but fierce fight against the disease. Up to the end, Andrea had lived much as she always had: big, bold, and brave. For Emily, to honor her mother's passing and to process the deep grief that followed, she felt moved to do the same. Emily had first been inspired to go after athletic goals that took her out of her comfort zone by her mother. She'd begun running road marathons and then, seeking ever more challenging adventures, moved on to trail ultras, including several 100-milers. But the pursuit of truly pushing her limits had languished a bit prior to 2020. So, setting her sights on a goal that would undoubtedly take her to the edge, in her mother's honor, felt exactly right. The first thing that came to Emily's mind was running across Oregon, a place she'd settled in several years earlier and fallen in love with. For its jaw dropping beauty and the terrific trail running community she'd become a part of. This is the story of Emily Halnon's running journey, the pivotal role her mother played in that journey, the totally epic, multi-day trail record that Emily went after in her mother's honor, and how that FKT helped her process the overwhelming grief of losing her mother. At its heart, this story is about one woman's path to rediscovering how to live a beautiful life after a devastating loss. This episode is big, it's emotional, it's intense, and it is ultimately triumphant. Keep Up with Emily Halnon Instagram: @emilysweats Website: emilyhalnon.com Emily Halnon's book, To the Gorge: emilyhalnon.com/book Music Credits Cormac O'Regan, of Playtoh Music by Grand_Project from Pixabay Lidérc Bell, via Pixabay Rockot, via Pixabay penguinmusic, via Pixabay SergePavkinMusic, via Pixabay Coma-Media, via Pixabay RoyaltyFreeMusic, via Pixabay Ways to Connect and Engage with Women's Running Stories Instagram: @womensrunningstories Instagram: @over50sub20_5k_project Facebook: facebook.com/WomensRunningStories Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/444164966663627 Website: womensrunningstories.com Email host Cherie: clouiseturner@gmail.com Women's Running Stories is a proud member of the Evergreen network: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pacific Coast Trail Disappearances and TragediesJoin Steve Stockton as he discusses Pacific Coast Trail Disappearances and Tragedies!

Pacific Coast Trail Disappearances and TragediesJoin Steve Stockton as he discusses Pacific Coast Trail Disappearances and TragediesLet us know your thoughts in the comments down below!

Pacific Coast Trail Disappearances and TragediesJoin Steve Stockton as he discusses Pacific Coast Trail Disappearances and TragediesLet us know your thoughts in the comments down below!

Recorded Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Book talk begins at 31:30 Our Summer Tops KAL has begun and goes until to June 1, 2024.  It needs to be an adult-sized top that you consider to be appropriate for use in the summer, and we will leave the parameters of that to you!  Come chat with us about summer tops on our KAL thread, and check out our Summer Tops bundle for pattern ideas! Virtual Knitting Group via Zoom Events Tracie and Barb will  NoCKRs - April 25-28, 2024 at the St Francis Retreat Center in San Juan Bautista, CA Fiber Frolic - June 1 at the Soul Food Farm outside Vacaville, CA   KNITTING Barb Finished: Bankhead Hat #27 by Susie Gourley Velvet Pullover by Claudia Quintinella, using Serendipidye Kings Mountain Fingering in the Piccadilly colorway, Invictus Yarn Adventure in the Don't Look  Under the Lilacs, Invictus Yarns Master of My Feet in the Adagio colorway, AND Knit Picks Palette in the Aster and Bluebells colorway. 2 Knitted Knockers   Tracie finished: 2 Soap Sacks by Haley Waxberg in Knockers yarn (And the bar shampoo and conditioner Tracie can be purchased at https://viori.com/) Beginner's Rainbow Rabbit by Claire Garland in sparkly periwinkle Tahki Linguine for Lauren's 12th birthday Jen by Josée Paquin in Marianated Yarns Scrumptious HT in Sea of Glass and Indigo Bunting, Laneras Barefoot in Coral and Invictus Yarns Unconquerable Sole BFL in the Powerful colorway 1 Knitted Knocker   If you would like to make Knitted Knockers, here is some useful info -   From the Knitted Knockers.org website: “Knitted Knockers are special handmade breast prostheses for women who have had breast cancer and undergone mastectomy or lumpectomy. Traditional breast prosthetics can be hot, heavy and sticky. They typically require special bras or camisoles with pockets and can't be worn for weeks after surgery. Knitted Knockers are soft, comfortable, beautiful and when placed in a regular bra they take the shape and feel of a real breast. They are adjustable, washable and can even be worn while swimming. Our special volunteer knitters provide these FREE to those requesting them” Please visit the Knitted Knockers website, Knitted Knockers Homepage for all the information that you need.   This webpage is especially helpful for information on approved yarns and color information: Yarns and colors Very Important: Please note that neutral colors are preferred.  If you want, you can use bright colors on the bottom of your knocker, but the top of it needs to be in a neutral color.  Patterns: So many choices!  Please go to this section to pick and download your (free) pattern: Knitted Knockers Patterns.  Hint:  The Bottoms Up Knocker for Double Point Needles pattern works great with magic loop too…and has the easiest “start” to your knocker! Barb working on: Cheeky Cables Socks  by Mary Lukas using Universal Yarns Zesty Sock in the Pearl colorway CAPROCK tee by Yamagata using Araucania Ollagua Knitted Knockers   Barb has cast on: Pinnacles Beanie by Nancy Bates, from the Knitting the National Parks by Nancy Bates, using a kit Rock It Tee #2 by Tanis Lavallee, using Knit Picks Lindy Chain, in the colors Clarity, Rouge, and U Blue   Frogged:  Colourwheel DK 1 Ball Scarf by Sirdar, using a Sirdar Colourwheel in the Follow the Rainbow Colorway   Tracie cast on: Pixie Dust by Dani Sunshine in Berroco Vintage Handpaints in light blue/pale green/purple 1 Knitted Knocker   She continues to work on: Fresh Favorite Tee by Christen Clement Designs in Queen City Yarn Coleman in the Maple colorway Fiddly Bits Cowl by Jana Pihota using fingering scraps   BOOKS Look What You Made me Do: Confronting Heartbreak & Harassment in Big Law by Erin Gordon - 4 stars The Loyal Wife by Natalie Barelli - 3 stars Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Coast Trail by Andrea Lankford - 5 stars The Secret Place (Dublin Murder Squad, #5) - 4 stars Patient Care: Death and Life in the Emergency Room, by Paul Seward - 4 stars   Tracie read: The River's Edge (Jackman & Evans #10) by Joy Ellis - 2.5 stars for someone not familiar with the series Ill Wind (Anna Pigeon #3) by Nevada Barr - 3 1/2 stars - takes a while to get going How Lucky by Will Leitch - 3 stars.  Wanted to like it more!  But got frustrated with situation and too worried for main character American Girl by Wendy Walker - 3 stars.  Have not thought about it since I finished it Tunnel Vision: A True Story of Multiple Murder and Justice in Chaos at America's Biggest Marine Base by N.P. Simpson - 4.5 stars The Island of Lost Girls by Alex Marwood - 4 stars Her Last Move by John Marrs - 2 stars

This was a special episode for Kirsten as she got to talk to her book coach, Bob Welch. If you follow her book journey, she often mentions Bob, an amazing coach and partner who took everything that she threw at him and condensed it down and made each story stronger. Bob and Kirsten were so excited to talk to each other that Bob jumped in before she even introduced him! It's a true partnership. As Kirsten states in the podcast, “you're the poster child for exactly what I want to do, which is it's to be an athlete for life. The fact that you took Seven Summer (And a Few Bummers) to do the Pacific Coast Trail in your 60s, right?” Bob and Kirsten talk about how humility, perseverance and flexibility (hello Covid!) were the right combination to get Raising Empowered Athletes finished. BOB WELCH is the author of more than two dozen books, including "The Wizard of Foz," Track & Field Writers of America's 2019 Book of the Year, and "American Nightingale," an Oregon Book Award finalist and featured on ABC's "Good Morning America." As a columnist for "The Register-Guard" in Eugene, Oregon, Welch twice won the National Society of Newspaper Columnist's "Best Writing" award. He's also a winner of the Seattle Times C.B. Blethen Award for Distinguished Feature Writing. Welch is a former adjunct professor at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication, and founder of the Beachside Writers Workshop in Yachats, Oregon. As a speaker, Welch has keynoted conferences across America. A storyteller by nature, Welch mines much of his speaking fodder from his books and the nearly 2,000 columns he wrote for The Register-Guard, Oregon's second-largest newspaper. Articles of Welch's have been published in more than a dozen books, including seven in the popular “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series. In addition, he has had articles published in such magazines as "Sports Illustrated," "Los Angeles Times," "Reader's Digest," and "Runner's World." He and his wife, Sally, live in Eugene. SHOW NOTES: https://bobwelchwriter.substack.com/ bobwelch23@gmail.com https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Summers-Few-Bummers-Welch/dp/B0CDK8SMHC https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Empowered-Athletes-Parenting-Resilient/dp/1637272812 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kirsten-jones0/support

Two Years After the Dixie Fire, Towns That Relied on Pacific Crest Trail Hikers Are Still Struggling Two years ago, the Dixie Fire nearly wiped the Pacific Crest Trail off the map. With a lot of work, the trail has mostly been repaired. But sections of the PCT remain inaccessible, and for the first time in history, doing a continuous hike of the trail from beginning to end is almost impossible. It's a huge blow to rural towns along the trail, which rely on the hikers and trail tourism to survive. Reporter Dana Cronin ventured out into a tiny town called Belden, to see how people are doing after the fire. Fresno's New Gordita Shop is an Homage to Mom's Cooking Americans may be more familiar with tacos, but in the northern regions of Mexico, gorditas are a more popular kind of street food. And for Lizett Lopez, a Fresno native who recently moved back to the Central Valley during the pandemic, gorditas are closely tied to her identity, her culture and heritage – and now, her mother. As part of our Flavor Profile series, Reporter Olivia Zhao brings us the bittersweet story behind Lucy's Gorditas, the latest addition to Fresno's Mexican food scene. The Coolest Place on Earth: The Public Library We're sharing an excerpt of the latest episode of KQED's Rightnowish featuring Fairfield's Mychal Threets. Threets is a superstar librarian, who readily professes the importance of childhood literacy, library access, and mental health. Because of that, he's amassed a social media following that rivals your favorite artists and entertainers.

Would you know what to do if you got lost in the woods while birdwatching or hiking? Today we speak with Cathy Tarr, founder and executive director of the Fowler-O'Sullivan Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping families find loved ones who have gone missing in the wild. Cathy gives some very good advice on how NOT to get lost, along with tips for survival in case you do. For more information, go to the Fowler-O'Sullivan Foundation at: https://fofound.org or call 1-877-467-3363. For more info on the book, Trail Of The Lost by Andrea Lankford go to: https://tinyurl.com/3fzbc27k. For more info on Ambiguous Loss go to: https://tinyurl.com/4z8vz7n. Lost Person Behavior Handbook at https://tinyurl.com/yhyjpatb. Pacific Coast Trail forums: https://www.pcta.org/community/join-the-conversation/ including PCT Class of 2024 -- The Yogi Group -- Planning, Info and ZOOMS Facebook page and the PCT Class of 2024 Facebook page. Garmin Satellite Communicator at: https://tinyurl.com/4vjurwuj. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured birds, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Access the BIRD HUGGER Newsletter here: www.birdhuggerpodcast.com. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

Alexander James is a new-to-me author whose debut novel, The Woodkin, was released earlier this summer. He is also a chef hailing from the Pacific Northwest, the setting for this wilderness survival horror story, centered around Josh Mallory, a man whose dueling trauma threads begin to unravel as his get away from it all trek along the Pacific Coast Trail attracts unexpected guests. The Woodkin. It's a fun read with delicious writerly morsels, perfect for a night under the stars. He can be found at: www.drunkscribe.com

Lace Up and Run is proudly sponsored by:Titan Nutrition - use code "pushyourlimits" at checkout to save 10% & free shippingRegister for the Life;Story 5K for Suicide Prevention:centerstonelifestory.orgerin.camfield@centerstone.orgWelcome to the Lace Up and Run Podcast. We believe in a fun and active lifestyle with a primary focus on running and hiking. There is a supply of bourbon in the podcast studio so there is pretty much a guarantee there might be some of Kentucky's finest consumed during the show.Episode 31:Ultra Runner and Dentist Karel Sabbe shatters the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT) Fastest Known Time (FKT) by 5 days! 2,652 miles in 46 days, 12 hours, and 50 minutes. Despite record snowpack and extreme heat conditions, Sabbe adds to his FKT record along with the Appalachian Trail he set in 2018. #PushYourLimits Contact Lace Up and RunWebsite: runtosucceedsports.comFacebook: @RTSOutfittersMarion & @RTSOutfittersPaducahOur Facebook Run Group: RTS RunnersInstagram: @RTSOutfittersEmail: LaceUpandRunPodcast@gmail.comConsider leaving us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcastsThanks for listening!Lace em' up and get after it!

If the recent podcast episodes about walking didn't inspire you to take a walk this episode might. My guest and her husband decided one day to go for a walk. Ninety-eight days later they're still married, possibly more fit and have things to share about what it was like to learn to adjust and adapt along the way.  If camping isn't your thing, you'll like this too as its an inspiring way for a non-backpacker to consider an adventure.  Guest: KATHY ELKIND is a writer, long-distance walker, and speaker who shares her love of walking adventures. Along with her husband, Elkind has walked the GR5, the Andalusian Coast-to-Coast Walk in Southern Spain, and parts of the Cammino Materano in Italy. She lives with her husband and walking partner in the Mad River Valley of Vermont. To Walk It Is to See It is her first memoir. In 2018, Kathy Elkind and her husband decided to take a grown-up “gap year” in Europe and walk the 1,400-mile Grande Randonnée Cinq (GR5) across The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. At 57, Kathy has chosen comfort over hardship: Unlike the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Coast Trail, the GR5 winds from village to village instead of campsite to campsite. She and Jim get to indulge in warm beds and delicious regional food every night and croissants in the mornings. The GR5 is not all comfort. Walking day after day for ninety-eight days bring sickness, accommodation struggles, language barriers, and storm-shrouded mountains in the Alps. Meanwhile, Kathy finds herself reflecting on difficult topics—primarily, her struggles with dyslexia, overeating, and shame. But she also finds that the walking becomes a moving meditation and the beauty of the landscape heals; she begins to discover her own wise strength; and as the days unfold, she comes to the gratifying realization that a long marriage is like a long trail: there are ups and downs and it takes hard work to keep going, but the beauty along the way is staggering. Written with raw honesty and compassion, and rich with dazzling scenery, To Walk It Is To See It will inspire you to lace up your walking shoes and discover your own path. Questions We Answer in This Episode:  What made you decide to take on such a daunting adventure, despite being in what you describe as the “last third of your life?"  Why do you suggest older adults should consider taking a gap year? What things did your long journey bring into focus?  How did you adjust when needed or did you find reasons to change plans?  . What became important for your personal definition of eating well while on vacation (some would not call walking 1400 miles a vacation)? You open the book with a scene standing in a river naked, and many women would find the idea of standing in broad daylight even with their partner of 27 years, naked, a little precarious or embarrassing. How did the 1400-mile walk change your body esteem, if it did, or were you always so confident? I sincerely hope you've taken a walk while you listened to this one.  Connect with Kathy Elkind: Website: https://www.kathyelkind.com/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/KathyElkindauthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/kathyelkind/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kathyelkind6282 Resource:  Hot Not Bothered: http://flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge Flippingfifty Protein:  https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein Never Be the Same - Marc Leblanc  Other Episodes You Might Like:  21 Answers to Walking Questions: https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-tips- Benefits of Walking: https://www.flippingfifty.com/Walking Tips  

In this episode, Martin speaks with author Kathy Elkind about her newly releasedmemoir, To Walk It Is To See It: 1 Couple, 98 Days, 1400 Miles on Europe's GR5.About the author: Kathy Elkind is a long-distance walker, writer, and speaker. Along with her husband she has walked the GR5, the Anda­lusian Coast to Coast Walk in Southern Spain, and parts of the Cammino Mater­ano in Italy. She can be reached at www.kathyelkind.com. Kathy lives in the Mad River Valley of Vermont.  TO WALK IT IS TO SEE IT is her first book.DESCRIPTION:In 2018, Kathy Elkind and her husband decided to take a grown-up “gap year” in Europe and walk the 1,400-mile Grande Randonnée Cinq (GR5) across The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France.At fifty-seven, Kathy has chosen comfort over hardship: Unlike the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Coast Trail, the GR5 winds from village to village instead of campsite to campsite. She and Jim get to indulge in warm beds and delicious regional food every night and croissants in the mornings. The GR5 is not all comfort. Walking day after day for ninety-eight days bring sickness, accommodation struggles, language barriers, and storm-shrouded mountains in the Alps. Meanwhile, Kathy finds herself reflecting on difficult topics; primarily, her struggles with dyslexia, overeating, and shame. She discovers her own wise strength; and as the days unfold, she comes to the gratifying realization that a long marriage is like a long trail: there are ups and downs and it takes hard work to keep going, but the beauty along the way is staggering.Written with raw honesty and compassion, and rich with dazzling scenery, To Walk It Is To See It will inspire you to lace up your walking shoes and discover your own path.Avalon Publicity & Business Services Increasing the Digital Footprint of Content Creators via Modern Publicity and Social Media ServicesSupport the showGet outside, have fun and be safe!Martin Armitage, Host of the Papa Bear Hikes Podcasthttps://www.papabearhikes.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/papa-bear-hikes/id1541491746https://www.instagram.com/papabearhikes01/

Episode Summary Carrot and Margaret talk about all things hiking, including thru-hiking and ultralight hiking. They talk about how to choose the right gear for the right purposes and how to minimize the impacts of long distance hiking on your body. They go through the complications of bringing dogs on long hikes and how to stay safer around grizzly bears. They also spend a good deal of time critiquing The Last of Us while developing a theory on how to hybridize many hiking strategies to develop the ultimate form of apocalypse travel. Guest Info Carrot Quinn (she/they) is an author, thru-hiker and hiking coach. She is the author of Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart and The Sunset Route. Carrot has a new speculative fiction novel coming out later this year, hopefully. Carrot is also an avid blogger and you can find them at www.carrotquinn.com or on Instagram @carrotquinn and Twitter @CarrotQuinn Host Info Margaret can be found on twitter @magpiekilljoy or instagram at @margaretkilljoy. Publisher Info This show is published by Strangers in A Tangled Wilderness. We can be found at www.tangledwilderness.org, or on Twitter @TangledWild and Instagram @Tangled_Wilderness. You can support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Transcript Live Like the World is Dying: Carrot on Hiking Margaret 00:15 Hello, and welcome to Live Like the World is Dying, your podcast for what feels like the end times. I'm your host, Margaret Killjoy. And this week we are talking about walking and how to do it, the legs, the one in front of the other, etc. And in order to do so, we're going to be talking to an expert walker, or hiker, I suppose might be a better way of phrasing it, Carrot Quinn. And so we're going to be talking to her about all this stuff. Carrot writes a bunch of books about hiking and does a bunch of hiking. And so I'm really excited, because this has been on my mind a lot. But first, we are a proud member of the Channel Zero network of anarchists podcasts. And here's a jingle from another show on the network. Margaret 01:55 Okay, we're back. So Carrot, if you could introduce yourself with your name, your pronouns. And then I guess kind of like your background in hiking, thru-hiking, that kind of stuff. Carrot 02:07 My name is Carrot Quinn, and my pronouns are she or they and I got into long distance hiking in 2013. And long distance hiking is different from other kinds of backpacking, because you're just out for longer, I guess. And usually also, you're on trails that have a really specific weather window, which means that you need to hike more miles per day than you would on a more leisurely backpacking trip in order to finish in a certain weather window, or because the water sources are farther apart. So, you need to hike a certain mile per a day to get to the water sources, which means that you end up using different gear, because when you're out for that long and hiking that many miles, it's a lot more strain on your joints. And so, in order to be able to do it, you need to have lighter gear that puts less strain on your joints, or else you get overuse injuries. And you also wear different shoes. So, there's this whole different kind of way of walking in the wilderness, which I got into because I'd always backpacked with a heavy backpack, and I was always in pain. And then I discovered this style, and I wasn't in pain anymore. And I was like, "Oh my God, if I do this, I can just like live outside and sleep on the ground every night and I won't be in pain." So than I got really into it. And I hiked the PCT in 2013. Margaret 03:19 What's the PCT? Carrot 03:19 The Pacific Crest Trail, which is 2,650 or 60 miles depending on how you count. It takes five months to hike. I got really obsessed with it for a while. So, I've hiked 11,000 miles. I've hiked from Mexico to Canada three times. And I've also walked across Utah, and Arizona, and done a bunch of other shorter hikes. And I've hiked finished trails where there's like a path on the ground that you walk, like the Pacific Crest Trail, and I've hiked trails where there's not a path on the ground, and you're just navigating through canyons and washes and stuff. And then I've also made my own routes, which is where you look at the maps and figure out where you can walk and then you follow the path that you created. Margaret 03:20 I was gonna say that's wild, but I guess that's literally the point. That it's wild. Okay, and then you've written about this too, right? Carrot 04:13 Yeah, so I have a writing career more or less, most years I make my living as a writer. And I was able to build that by writing about long distance hiking, because it's a pretty popular niche. I've been writing my whole life. I always wanted to be a writer, and in my 20s I wrote zines and then I started blogging in 2008. And then I started long distance hiking in 2013. And so every one of these hikes I've ever done, all 11,000 miles I've hiked, I've written a blog post every single day. And so that's how I built my writing career because then people started reading those and people love reading about long distance hiking, you know, because it's hard to get time off work. It's hard to get the gear. It's hard to access, and so people being able to read that from the comfort of their home is like really nice. And so then I wrote a book about my first long distance hike, which is called "Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart." And that book is great, because I made so many bad choices. So, it's like a very good story. Because you know, the best stories come from when you're like completely brand new at something. Margaret 05:21 Yeah. Carrot 05:21 And everything goes like horribly awry. Those are like the best stories. So, I wrote that book. And then my second book was actually a memoir about growing up in Alaska and my years riding freight trains. And that came out in 2021. Margaret 05:37 What's that one called? Carrot 05:43 And it's kind of sad. It's not like the happiest, but whatever. But then, I just finished a speculative fiction novel about this young person that is fleeing this destabilizing city and riding her bike across the country trying to get to Nevada. So, I'm editing that right now. Margaret 05:57 Oh my god, is that out yet? Can I read it? Carrot 05:59 No. Margaret 05:59 Fuck. Carrot 05:59 I hope it'll come out someday. I don't know what the title is, either, but, I'm editing it right now. And, if I self publish, hopefully I can get it out by the end of the year. And I'm leaning towards self publishing. So, we'll see. Hopefully, it'll be out sooner rather than later. Margaret 06:16 Okay. Well, let's talk about that off camera. I think a lot about publishing speculative fiction, and I do it sometimes. Carrot 06:26 Yeah, you write speculative fiction too. Margaret 06:28 Yeah. Carrot 06:29 We could just talk about that for hours and hours. Margaret 06:33 I mean, I also like talking about that. Can I out us to the audience about how we know each? Is that...you seem pretty public about that. Carrot 06:41 Yeah, totally. Margaret 06:41 Yeah, I first met Carrot--actually, I don't remember if it's where we first met--but, we lived together in a squat in the South Bronx in 2004. And so, I've been following Carrot's career from afar since then being like, "Oh, shit, fuck yeah, another crust punk who became a writer." Carrot 07:00 And I've also been following Margaret's career and like hearing little updates about her life over the years and being like, "Oh, that's where Margaret is, that's what Margaret's doing. Oh, it's super cool." Margaret 07:10 Yeah. Yeah. I'm really excited to have you on to talk about this. And, I admit one of the reasons I'm really excited to have you on about this--because there's a couple reasons--one is because this topic is really interesting to me and has been for a while, you know, during say, the last presidential election when there was a decent chance of a fascist coup, and there was, you know, an attempt at one, myself and a lot of other people probably had to sit there and think, "What would be involved if I had to go on foot a long way to get away from here?" Right? And I think that that kind of thing is probably on a lot of people's minds, especially on a state by state basis right now, as a lot of states become increasingly unwelcoming and things. And of course, at the moment, people are allowed to leave states by cars and stuff, but whatever, we'll get to that. But, the other reason I'm interested in is because I've recently gotten more into hiking, and I've been obsessively watching YouTube videos of thru-hikers, and mostly these people really annoy me, but the stuff is really interesting. And, your name gets mentioned a lot in the sort of pantheon of thru-hiking writers as the person that everyone's like, "Well, I'm no Carrot Quinn," or whatever. So, I just think that's really cool. That's probably why I'm excited to talk to you. So, what is involved--and this is a very broad question, but what is involved in deciding that you want to go on a very long hike? Carrot 08:42 What is involved? Well, so, I really love this intersection of topics that we're talking about because those are the two things that occupy my brain all the time is overland travel by foot, and near future societal collapse. So yeah. Margaret 08:58 Yeah, you're writing a book about that. Carrot 08:59 Yeah. And, in the novel I just wrote, she starts out on her bike, but the bike breaks, and then she's just on foot. And, one thing I love while thinking about this stuff is like--for example, have you seen The Last of Us? Margaret 09:12 Yeah. Carrot 09:13 So they're on a long overland journey, a lot of it is on foot. And there are all these plot holes in my opinion because there are things about the way they're traveling on foot that just aren't realistic. Like their footwear is uncomfortable. They never drink water. None of their gear is waterproof. They're not properly dressed for the weather. So, I think that's really.... Margaret 09:29 Yeah, they have these tiny packs, but not not in an ultralight way. Carrot 09:33 They're tiny backpacks. They're just these bottomless pits of whatever they need. Somehow they have batteries, which like, you wouldn't have batteries. So, something I'm also really fascinated about, like thinking about near future collapse, is how we're going to be living in this hybrid time where we'll have all these materials available to us that are from this society where things are mass produced, but we'll be in a society where things are no longer are going to be mass produced. So, we'll be sort of like transitioning over the course of decades, from having access to certain materials to not having access to any of those materials. And that's like really interesting to me. And The Last of Us is set 20 years after collapse, so a lot of the stuff they have access in the show I don't think they would have anymore. Margaret 10:19 They a little bit talk about it where like, "Oh, the gasoline isn't quite as good. We have to stop all the time to siphon," but then they're just kind of like, "And then we just drive," you know? Carrot 10:28 Yeah, but like the batteries, you know, for their flashlights, they just...But yes, that's really interesting to me, thinking about for example, like a long journey. Like right now, the only reason I can long distance hike is because I have all this really high tech gear because you know, 30 years ago, to do a trail, like the Pacific Crest Trail, all of the gear was super heavy. So, you had to be sort of this like elite athlete in a way. Like just anybody couldn't do it because everything was so heavy, it was really hard on your body, like it was brutal. And now, because of this like really high tech gear we have, our packs are much lighter, and we just wear trail runners, and so it's much more accessible. And so, that's the only reason I can do it physically. And the only reason I enjoy it. Like, I wouldn't enjoy it otherwise. And so, it's interesting to think about, like, you know, in the future what people would use. But, to answer your question, if you wanted to do like, you know, where we are precollapse, if you wanted to go on a long hike--you know, the thing is that one of the things that's hardest for people is getting the time off. I like trails that are more than a month long, because walking long distances is our special secret human superpower. Like, no other animal can walk long distances the way we can. Like, people think that that's how we evolved from apes is we started like walking our prey to death, because a lot of animals… Margaret 11:50 Yeah, persistence hunters! Carrot 11:49 Yeah, a lot of animals sprint and then they sleep and they sprint and they sleep. But, we can just like zombie forward like endlessly, like just fucking zombie until our prey just like collapses with exhaustion. It takes--but a lot of us like the way we live, we don't spend a lot of time walking every day. And so, it takes time to sort of unlock that ability and get our tendons--that's like the biggest thing--like, our joints used to it. And so, if you were going to do a trail, like the PCT for example, that's like a five month trail, you would start out really slow, like say doing like 15 miles a day. You know, you would train beforehand so that you could do 15 miles a day. And then you would start doing that. And then, if you started feeling any pain in your joints, you would take days off, or pull way back. And then after about a month your joints get used to it, and that like superpower is unlocked. I've seen this happen so many times, because so many people the PCT is their first trail and they start right off the couch and they're not athletes--you don't have to be an athlete, like I'm not an athlete, I'm just a regular person--and as long as you don't get injured, or have some sort of illness you can unlock this superpower. And then, it's like, it doesn't hurt anymore. And you can just walk, and walk, and walk and it's really cool. So, that's why I recommend doing a trail that's more than a month, because it takes a month for the pain to go away and to feel like you've unlocked that superpower that I think all humans have, you know, barring injury or illness. And so, if you hike like a five month trail or three months trail then you have a month of discomfort, but then you have several months where you get to exist in this really cool body. But, it's hard to get the time off. So, a lot of people who long distance hike work seasonally or they'll you know, do the kind of work where you can--like in tech or as an engineer, as a nurse or whatever--where you can work for a period of time, like a couple of years and then quit, and then go back to work. The biggest demographics on a long trail are people just out of college and retired people, because those are the two people who have the easiest time finding that chunk of time. Margaret 12:30 That makes a lot of sense to me. I've always kind of wanted to do this, and it's never quite been a high enough priority. And this brings me to not the most important question, but my main question about it. I know that you can't thru-hike any of the existing like triple crown, meaning Pacific Coast Trail, Appalachian Trail, and whatever the third one is...Continental Divide Trail? What's the third one? Carrot 14:12 Yeah, yeah. Margaret 14:13 I know you can't bring a dog with you on those three because they go through National parks. But what do you do about dogs? I mean, like because in my mind my dog has way more energy than me, but I'm realizing that my dog has way more energy than me not necessarily in the sustained persistence hunter way that you're talking about. Carrot 14:31 Exactly. Margaret 14:32 So, I'm curious what is a limit of--I mean, obviously every dog is gonna be different and things like that-- but can you thru-hike with a dog if you're going way slower and you're not doing the seasonal running thing? You're just like....yeah, somewhere there's a question in there. Carrot 14:52 Yeah, totally. So you can. People do bring their dogs on the long trails. You kind of need a support person, so you can hand off your dog before you go through the no dog sections, and then get your dog back. It's considered cruel to bring a dog on a five month hike, because the way they exercise is so different than the way that we exercise. Margaret 15:11 Right. Carrot 15:11 They go really hard. And then they need more rest than we do. Like in Alaska, they have the Iditarod, which is this big sled dog race. And, it just happened. It just finished, and it's 1000 miles long. And the person who just won did it in eight days. So, his dogs ran over 100 miles a day. And so, these dogs trained really hard. And that is like the pinnacle of what they can do. So they could go really far, but they still can't necessarily go 20 miles a day, everyday for five months. And so, it's actually really rare for someone to thru-hike with a dog. You can do it, but it goes against their natural kind of the way their energy is throughout the day. Margaret 15:48 Right. Carrot 15:49 And so, one reason it's discouraged is because it's really hard to know, if your dog is too hot, it's hard to know if your dog is tired. Like a lot of dogs will follow their person, you know, to the point of injury, you know, because they just want to stay with you. So, people do it. But, it's rare. It's not natural for them. Like, we can do it and thrive. And they just kind of are low key suffering and maybe about to break. It's hard to tell. Margaret 16:28 Yeah, no, and so I guess I'm kind of curious. There's like two scenarios I imagine. One is because there's no one I can leave my dog with for a long period of time. So, I just sort of assume I will not be thru-hiking anytime soon, right? Because, you know, there's a creature I'm responsible for, and no one else is currently responsible for that creature. But I'm like, is there a sense of like you don't want to take your dogs on a month long hike? Do you want to take your dogs on a two week hike? Do you want to take your dogs only...Like, my dog loves going on day hikes with me. And from when I was like, you know, an oogle, a crusty traveler, like a lot of the dogs that I was around--I mean, obviously, not all of them--some of them were treated very badly. But, many of the dogs were very happy in that they got to be with their person all day and they were always like exercising and stuff. But, that wasn't like we're walking 20 miles today. That's often like we're walking five miles today, we're, you know, hitchhiking. We're doing all these other things. I'm just wondering if you have a sense of 1) The limit in terms of like the now, and then 2) If there's a sense of what you would think for if your protagonist escaping the apocalypse has a dog like, what are ways to work around that? Like I could imagine...like, if I had to leave, right, do I get a dog backpack? It's about 45 pounds. I would be sad. But like, if you know, if I'm not hiking for fun and I'm hiking for "I gotta get somewhere," right? Carrot 17:58 Yeah. So, people hiking the long distance trails, there's like a standard sort of blanket mileage that varies, but people generally say like 20 miles a day is kind of the standard. And so, over the course of like a month, three months, five months different dog breeds are different, but depending on your dog that could be too much for your dog. Like, your dog might need more rest days. But like, maybe your dog could do 20 miles a day for three days, but then they would need a day or two off, you know? Margaret 18:27 Right. Carrot 18:27 And so what you would have to do is instead of being tied to the weather window of the trail, you would be tied to how your dog is doing. So, you would just have to really be in touch with all your dog's signs, like does your dog...Like, know how to tell if your dog is too hot, if your dog's feet hurt, all these different things, and then you would just have to adjust your travel based on your dog. So, you just wouldn't...you wouldn't necessarily be able to hike the PCT in the five month window. And you would end up if you were in an arid area you would end up carrying more water. Because if you go slower than it's farther between water sources because the West is so dry. So, you would carry more water. But yeah, you would just plan the hike much differently. And it would be your own journey with your dog. Margaret 19:13 Yeah. Okay. Yeah, no, I realized...I pretty quickly disabused myself of the notion that I was going to be hiking the Appalachian Trail, or PCT, or anything anytime soon. Secretly, this podcast is me just asking people for advice about my own life and problems and then hoping it's universally usable in some ways. But that makes sense to me. And then it does seem like, you know, everything I'm reading about, what you're talking about, like hiking with lighter packs and all of that, and how it has all these advantages in being able to go further and be more sustainable and all of these things. And it does seem like a lot of the choices that people would have to make in different survival scenarios might counteract that, because if I'm talking about like...Okay, if I was hiking through the desert with the dog, I need way more water, which means I'm carrying a heavier pack and then also if I'm out longer I might need a different level of survival equipment. It seems like it would kind of escalate pack weight very quickly? Carrot 20:07 Yeah. But, I think that the sort of minimalism that one learns--like, it's the sort of strategic minimalism that you learn when you do a five month hike because all you have to think about every day is like what you're carrying and how heavy it feels and so you get really good at like...Just, it's like strategy. And so I think that would carry over, where even if you, you know, didn't have all these high tech materials, were in the desert, had a dog, like all these different things, your pack will still end up lighter than if you didn't use this sort of really fun strategic thing that I'm sure you've encountered on YouTube. Margaret 20:44 Yeah, yeah. No, go ahead. Sorry. Carrot 20:47 Yeah, yeah. But, it would be heavier. But then you would just work around that. Like, if your pack is heavier you don't go as many miles a day because it's harder on your joints. And you just, you know, you just work around that too. Like, last fall was my second season hunting in Alaska tagging along on my friends hunts, and I've never had to carry a pack as heavy as I do hunting. And that's been like a whole new learning curve being like, Okay, this is a 60 pound pack. Like, I can only go this many miles. You know, I have to really be careful like all these different things. Margaret 21:21 Yeah. Yeah, that is the thing that I because I, you know, I come from this background of like failed train hopping and regular hitchhiking. And like, these long distance walks and things like that, but not hiking. And I would need what I need to sleep and all of these things. And so, you know, we used to kind of make fun of ultralight hikers, who are like, you know, shaving off every ounce of what they could And it's like, well, I knew Pogo Dave who traveled with a big metal Pogo stick or whatever, right? And, you know, walked across the country pushing a shopping cart and shit. But then you just realize how different these setups are, and what their goals are is so completely different. And so yeah, I don't know quite how to phrase it, but I'm so interested in the difference between the 60 pound hunting pack and the 9.8 pound, you know, backpacking pack or whatever. And i did, I ran across these people. And I My first thought was like, "Well, fuck that. Just like carry what you need. Whatever," you know. And then slowly, when you see the people who are like less annoying about it, you're like, "Oh, I think I get it. I think I understand why they're doing this," you know? Carrot 21:21 Yeah, it's about injury prevention not being in pain and knowing what your goal is. So, if your goal is to finish a five month trail hiking 12 hours a day for five months, your chance of injury is really high. So, the lighter your pack is, to an extent, you know, the lighter your pack is the lower your chance of injury, and the less pain you'll be in. So, it actually really increases your enjoyment. The only caveat being--the rules I tell people because I do long distance hiking coaching and I do these like guided trips where I help people like make their gear lists and stuff--the rules...Here are the rules: you need to be warm, well fed, comfortable enough at night to sleep well, and be prepared for all the different weather you're gonna encounter at that season in that area. And as long as your gear fits those rules you meet those guidelines. Like, the lighter your pack is the more fun you're gonna have. Margaret 23:28 Yeah, it makes sense to me. I just have so many questions about ultralight stuff. It's just so fascinating to me. It seems like one of the things where people go without, to me, what seems like emergency equipment. Like, because I think about...it seems like I'm watching people--and I expect them wrong, that's why I'm presenting this to you is because you have a lot of experience with this and have tried different types of hiking--but it's like, if there's something that I keep around just in case, right, in case something terrible happens or whatever that I don't use it on a daily basis, and so it starts becoming one of those things that you could imagine getting rid of. And then you're like, "But when you need it, you need it." And so it seems like that is what I worry about when people talk about barely having first aid kits and shit like that, you know, or the kind of gear that if like the weather gets a lot worse unexpectedly--because it seems to me that if you have this very minimalist setup that works for most days but then it doesn't work for like the sudden really bad weather days--It doesn't seem like it's a good enough piece of gear. But, maybe that is being taken into consideration and I'm just being annoyed at people or like retro actively defending the fact that I used to carry this ridiculously heavy bag and I injured my chest with it once when I was like 28. I don't know. Carrot 24:48 Yeah, that's the thing is if your pack is too heavy it will injure you, and that will ruin your hike. So, it doesn't matter what emergency preparedness stuff you're carrying, like the emergency is that you ruined your hike and you have to get off trail and your hike is ruined. So, the thing is things are knowable. Like the world is knowable. Like when you go to drive your car you know what's likely to go wrong. And you know what would be a freak accident that you're not going to prepare for, like the stuff you have in your car. Like my car burns oil, so I carry oil. I carry coolant just because my car is old. I carry jumper cables. It's winter, so I carry a sleeping bag, you know, because I'm in Alaska, and I have an old car. These are the things that are likely to go wrong. I don't carry anything for if I get struck by lightning because there's not--I mean, if I lived like in the high mountains in Colorado in July, I would have to consider lightning--but in Alaska it's all central [uninterpretable word], so you don't think about lightning. I don't carry anything for shark attacks. I carry bear spray for a bear. But so, it's just knowing what's likely to happen versus freak accidents that don't make sense to be prepared for. So, people might not carry a generic first aid kit, but they do carry supplies for all of the medical problems that actually happen regularly. Like I don't carry just some generic first aid kit from REI because I don't know what to do if I break my leg. If I break my leg like I need a helicopter, you know? But that would be a real freak accident. That's extremely unlikely to happen. But, what does happen and what can end your hike and does end people's hike a lot are infected blisters, sprained ankles, and things like that. And I carry stuff, and I have treated stuff that like multiple times. And, I always have what I need. Or, like gear failures. Like I carry dental floss with a needle inside, which I learned from riding trails. And that's come in handy. So, I always have...and then things for chafe because chafe happens a lot and can be really painful. So, that can get you off trail. So, people actually, they might not have like, they might not have something for like a trauma wound, which would be like...I don't even know what a trauma wound...I don't even know what I'm saying. But like...or a puncture wound. But, that would be like a real freak accident. But they do have, in my experience, people do have stuff for the things that actually happen, and the same with the weather. Because, the weather in every spot on earth for whatever season you have to be there is knowable. You can research it, you can know what the trends are. Even with climate change, you can know what's likely to happen. You can talk to other hikers. Every long distance trail every year has a Facebook group. And people as they're hiking, will post on that Facebook group. So you can know like, "Oh, I'm climbing to 9000 feet tomorrow. And these people ahead of me say there's ice. I should have microspikes." Or like, "There's a storm coming in, and the people ahead of me say that the river is really swollen and it's gonna be hard to cross so I should like take a day off and wait for the river to go down." So, it's just..it's instead of carrying a bunch of stuff and having no idea where you are or what's happening, and just having all this stuff you just do your research. And like long distance hikers obsessively research when they're on trail because that's all you have to think about all the time. So, as long as--I mean, you can be reckless and not have any of that stuff--but then that will affect your chances of actually finishing, which is what everyone wants to do. Because, you want to have this like fun, full immersion experience. So generally, in my experience, people are prepared even though they don't have like generic first aid kits. Margaret 28:13 No, that makes sense. I think I have a like defensive maximalism, you know? It's not a maximal...Well, I mean, I guess it depends what you're trying to do. Like, it's not a like I'm going hiking and I need a folding saw, you know? Although if I'm gonna go live in the woods for a while, I want a folding saw, but like, you know, it's a very different goal, right? So I guess I wonder... Carrot 28:39 Okay, can I say one more thing? Margaret 28:40 Yeah, yeah, please. Carrot 28:41 They say that you pack your fears. And, so say you're afraid of getting hurt on trail. So you're like, I should bring all this extra stuff. That extra weight will hurt you. So, that's the irony. So that's like the irony in all of it. And the thing is, a lot of people start long distance hiking that way because that's kind of the way we all learned about the outdoors because we're an urban...Humans are urban. Like, humans in the US are urban. We're not little feral creatures that live in the woods. We don't have these like intimate relationships with like what the wind is doing, or like when the poppies are blooming, you know? And so we go out there and we don't have any idea what the fuck is going on or where we are. And so we want to pack our fears. And then as soon as you start a long distance hike every ounce you're carrying hurts. And so all day, every day, all you have to think about is sort of--as you're being like punished for carrying all your fears--all you have to think about is like, "What do I actually need?" And so that's really common for people to start with really heavy packs and then really quickly they're like, "Okay, I know what I really need and what I don't need." And you also start to learn what you as an individual need on trail because everyone is different. Everyone has like a different sort of comfort zone. So, it's a process because we're not...We're urban. We're like, we don't know what the fuck is going on in nature. Margaret 30:06 Well, I think a lot of the outdoorsy type folks will also over pack, but kind of in a different way. But it's more of the like...it's not thru-hiking. It's the like bushcraft version. It's the like, I'm gonna go build up a cabin version, you know? Which, I think is overkill for most people. Like most people, when they're imagining like disaster scenarios and the escape from disaster scenarios you don't need to go build a log cabin in the woods. You need to like get to a state where they're not trying to kill you for being trans or whatever. And it is a different thing. So, I guess I take back my own caveat. Carrot 30:42 Yeah, I think long distance hikers love to make fun of bushcrafters and probably bushcrafters love to make fun of ultralight backpackers. You know, I was thinking about bushcraft the other day, because I was skiing--or I was trying to ski, because I'm learning so I don't really know what I'm doing--and I was just looking at my gear and looking at my friend's gear and I was like, "Everything we have right now is because of plastic. Like literally everything." And then I was like, "What would this even be like if we didn't have plastic?" I was like, "We'd be wearing like wool, and leather, and like animal skins, and everything would be made out of wood." And then I started thinking about bushcraft. And I was like, "That's kind of what it is." Bushcraft is like outdoor stuff without synthetic materials in a way. Margaret 31:23 Yeah. Carrot 31:24 Which is like an interesting way to think about it, which is really different. It's really different. And so, if your gear is just heavier, there's just different things you can do. It's like just a whole different kind of thing. Margaret 31:35 Yeah, I really. No, that's such a fascinating way of thinking about the difference between bushcraft and hiking and then like...You know, I think it's funny because it's like, if someone decides that they're like, "I'm gonna get into outdoors walking stuff." There's all of these different cultures and ways of looking at it. And you have the bushcraft version and you have the ultralight hiking version and then you have like--traditional backpacking seems like sort of the weird in between--and then you also have the tactical version, where it's like, "This is how you get into enemy territory with like, you know, when you're stuck carrying like 30 pounds of ammunition." or wherever the fuck. And it's like, it's so interesting to me how it breaks down even to different like shelter types, right, like the bushcrafters like--although it does go full circle. I would say that bushcrafters and ultralight hikers are both the ones who are like "A tarp is all I need," or whatever, versus traditional backpacking where you're like, "I want a fucking tent." You know? Carrot Yeah, it's really interesting, our different relationships with nature in this year of our Lord, 2023 in the US. Margaret 32:41 Yeah. And there's ways that people have to think about kind of all of them if they're trying to prepare. Although I can see how you can get lost over preparing in thinking about every single possible thing that could go wrong. If you're traveling in a vehicle, it's a little bit easier to do that. Right? It's a little bit easier to be prepared for every possible contingency or whatever. Carrot 33:02 Can I tell you an interesting story? Margaret 33:04 Yeah. Carrot 33:04 I love thinking about this stuff. So, we we live in a time in human history where we're very urban, the most urban we've ever been, and so a lot of people don't spend much time outdoors at all, which, you know, is like they just can't. Like, they don't have access or there's so many different reasons. And, the people who do spend time outdoors, access it through these really different channels that almost aren't communicating with each other. Margaret Yeeeeah. Carrot 33:31 But, the tactical hunter versus the ultralight backpacker, and it's really interesting, because they've developed outdoors cultures that are so different. Like, in Alaska, for example, there are a lot of grizzly bears, which grizzly bears are dangerous, but they're also very knowable. So, you can kind of get to know grizzly bear culture and then you can do sort of like best practices and your chances of being attacked by a bear become extremely low. And so, depending on what you're doing, different people have ideas about what those best practices are. Margaret 34:04 Bear spray versus 10 millimeter? Carrot 34:07 I mean, bear spray works better. Margaret 34:09 Yeah, no, I know. Yeah. Carrot 34:12 But, for example, a few years ago, I was going on a four day backpacking trip in the Brooks range with some of my friends from Anchorage. And the Brooks range is in the Arctic. It's really remote and ironically, the Grizzlies are much less dangerous up there because the area we were going has no salmon. So, there are much fewer Grizzlies. There are just way fewer Grizzlies. And also, we're north of treeline, so there's no tree cover. And when Grizzlies are dangerous...if you see a grizzly from a distance, and it knows what you are, if it can smell you, it will run away like so fast. But, if you surprise a grizzly at close range, they feel like they have to like defend their honor and that's when they attack. It's like okay, they think it's like a challenge. They're like, "Now I must fight you!" Margaret 34:58 Understandable. Carrot 34:58 So, you want to avoid brush and trees in areas where there are grizzlies like as much as you can, avoid brush and trees. So, the Arctic is north of treeline. So it's a really safe place because there are fewer Grizzlies. And if you see one, it's like really far away and the two of you can just give each other a wide berth, because they're actually very scared. So, I was going on a trip with my friends, who are all from Anchorage, which is actually a very dangerous place because there are tons of grizzlies and like once a year someone dies. But, my friends were like, "Oh my gosh, we're going to the Arctic. What are we gonna do about the Grizzlies?" And I was like "You guys, like it's actually safer there. There's fewer bears." And they're like "We should bring Ursacks," which are these like Kevlar bags that the grizzlies can't bite through. It's like a bear can, but lighter. They're great. They're like, "We should bring Ursacks and we should line Ursacks with the scent proof plastic bags and we should put the Ursacks really far from our camp." And I was like, "We can do all that. But actually, it's like safer there than where we live." Like, hiking the Arctic is safer than going on a day hike in Anchorage, like 20 times safer. And, and I was like, "You guys go on day hikes all the time." Anyway, we went and we were all like super careful. Like, you know, when we set up camp, we would go cook like on a hill over there. And then we would put our food in our Ursack, and we could go put it on a hill over there. And then our tents would be here. And it would be like, you know, we would be up wind of where we cooked and like all these different things. And I was like, "Okay, great, you know, that's fine." And then a few weeks later, I went on a moose hunting trip with my friend Birch, who his whole way of knowing the outdoors is hunting, which is also really common in Alaska. And there were five of us and we were hiking eight miles into this drainage through Willow Brush with pack rafts and then we were going to get the moose and we were gonna pack raft out. So we got in and he got the moose. And we processed it. And you know, we were covered in blood. The pack rafts were covered in blood. Like, everything was covered in blood. And, we had these huge pieces of moose in cotton game bags that were soaked in blood like piled our pack rafts. We got we got to camp...Oh, no one has bear spray. I'm the only one with bear spray. You know? They have rifles. But, what good is a rifle gonna to do when you're in your sleeping bag? You know what I mean? Margaret 34:58 Yeah, totally. Carrot 35:29 Like that's when the bear could come for your blood or whatever. And, we get to camp and we like take these huge pieces of moose and lay them out on the gravel bar just overnight out in the open. And we all have our tent set up. And I was like, "Hey, Birch, do you ever use an Ursack?" And he was like, "What's an Ursack?" And, our moose hunt was in an area with way more Grizzlies. And there was brush everywhere and we saw like three grizzlies. And it was just so funny, because they weren't concerned at all. And, I think part of it is that guns give people this like false sense of confidence around bears, even though with bears like things happen really fast and you need something you can grab really fast. If you need to be like a sharpshooter, it's not very accessible, like you need something that anyone can use and another part of it....Go ahead. Margaret 38:07 Also, if you shoot a bear--I'm not speaking from experience, I'm speaking from reading about this-there's been a bunch of studies that shooting bears is not a particularly effective way of stopping bears in the short term and pepper spray or bear spray is very effective. Like, even if a bear is charging and I manage to shoot it that doesn't mean I'm safe. Carrot 38:25 Yeah, you have to have a certain gun. I don't know that much about guns. You have to have a certain gun and you shoot it in a certain place. So, the odds of all that happening like extremely fast...Whereas bear spray, you spray them in there. [makes a shrieking sound like a bear that's been maced] "It's burning!" You know, and then they run away. Margaret 38:41 Have you had to do that? Have you ever sprayed a bear? Carrot 38:43 No. Margaret 38:44 Okay. Carrot 38:45 But, I've been around a lot of bears, but I haven't yet had to spray one. Margaret 38:49 I'm glad. I'm just curious. Anyway, I interrupted you twice. Please continue. Carrot 38:55 Yeah. So, his conceptualization of what the danger was...Oh! That's the other thing. So, I think part of the reason hunters don't--this is my theory--I think part of the reason hunters don't think about bears is because the guns give them this false sense of confidence, even though bears do sometimes attack hunters. The other thing is bears have bear culture. Like, in different areas, bears learn different things and pass that knowledge on to their cubs. Like, some places, if you do a bear hang, the bear doesn't know what it is. And it can't get it. Other places, bears are really good at getting bear hangs, you know? And, I think that bears know when hunting season is and they know what hunters smell like. That's my theory. Margaret 39:40 And they're like, "I'm staying the fuck away from them. They all have guns." [inflected as a question] Carrot 39:43 I don't know if that's true, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was true. And that that's one reason that hunters don't have to take the same precautions. Margaret 39:50 I mean, it's sort of interesting because guns are notorious for a false sense of security. But, in this case it's like, even though it's sort of a false sense of security, it's not the right way to handle a bear, but maybe that kind of like confidence of walking through the woods with a group of people and doing your thing, maybe that's a better way to live. Like... [trailing off laughing] Carrot 40:18 There's also...so when an animal is a predator, it moves differently walking than when an animal is a prey animal, and hunters move the way predators move, and hikers tend to move, I don't know, all sorts of ways, but hunters move the way predators move. And so that could be something that communicates to the bear that these are hunters. And to be more scared, I don't know. Margaret 40:35 No, that's so interesting. I'm really fascinated by these different ways of interacting with the forest. Because, it's like, you know, I live rurally. But, it doesn't actually...it provides me access to nature in that, I can walk out my door, and there's a lot more trees than houses. I can see one house, and I can see 10,000 trees, you know? But, there's also just like private land everywhere. So, I actually can't go hiking out my door. I'm as far away from hiking here as as if I lived in a--not a big city, but a medium city. You know, when I want a good scenic five mile hike, I drive an hour. It's not as many miles, because rural roads take you forever to get anywhere. But, it's just such a different way of interacting with... And then, all like folks around here are a lot more likely to drive down with ATVs, and go like ATVing and shit like that rather than specifically go hiking. But, they are still people who are interacting with the woods constantly. And so, in my mind, I feel like I'm trying to find...I'm on this quest to find out which like culture's way of interacting with the wild and specifically around gear honestly, is the best for the preparedness person. And this is obviously going to be completely different depending on what your fucking threat model is, where you live, what your goals are. But, I think I'm subconsciously doing it. I'm trying to be like, "Do I want to be like a hunter? Do I want to be like a tactical bro? Do I want to be like an ultralight hiker? Do I want to be like an oogle? Like, you know, which method? Carrot 42:16 So, I have a lot of thoughts about what you just said. I think this would be my strategy, which may be the path I'm taking. Margaret 42:22 That is the goal of me asking you things, is to find your strategy. Carrot 42:25 Yeah. Because I also believe--well I don't know if this is exactly what you believe--but I think that all supply chains and infrastructure, and grids, and things are going to collapse in the next few decades. Margaret 42:39 Yeah...[On a] long enough timeline: Yeah. Carrot 42:42 I think if one learns the strategy of ultralight backpacking, which relies heavily on really high tech gear--that is currently being manufactured using these intensive processes that rely on supply chains and things--if one learns ultralight backpacking and hunting sort of strategy and gear, and like bushcraft, I think between those three skill sets, one would have the best chance of creating this like hybrid model for like, say, if you needed to walk across the country. Like in The Last of Us in their walk across the country--so, their world is like 20 years post collapse of supply chains manufacturing, like all those different things--I don't think they're carrying the right gear. So, knowing what they more or less, like guessing what they had access to, some changes I would have made is: They're wearing like leather boots. I think Ellie's wearing...What are they called? Margaret 43:45 Maybe Chucks? But I can't remember? Carrot 43:47 Yeah, Chuck Taylors. Margaret 43:49 I think. I can't remember. Yeah. Carrot 43:51 Like, if they have access to shoes, obviously, which maybe is unrealistic, but in the show, they have access to shoes. I would get some running shoes, or trail runners. And then, their backpacks are made of looks like heavy canvas. And, I would get a backpack made of a lighter weight material. And then I would line it with something like a trash bag to make it waterproof. Because, that's what I do now. I just carry a trash bag folded up, and I use that. And then, they weren't filtering their water. And also, all of their layers seemed to be cotton, which eventually, you know, in the future, we'll get to a point where we'll just have like natural materials again. But, if you still have access to a cotton like denim jacket, you can probably still find synthetic layers which are much smarter when it's cold and wet. So, I would have them wearing synthetic layers if they could. Margaret 44:46 That makes a lot of sense to me. Okay, but I've read--again, I expect I'm wrong and I'm running things past you for this reason--I've read that one of the reasons that people wear trail runners, but they sort of expect them to not last, necessarily even a full thru-hike, as compared to like hiking boots, which are expected to last like multiple thru-hikes. Am I wrong about a durability difference between these types of shoes? Carrot 45:15 You're right. So, the trade off is with hiking boots, they last a long time, but they turn your feet to hamburger if you're walking very far day after day. So, in The Last of Us they were walking. I mean, just like guessing by like how far they walk, they were walking all day, every day, day after day. So, in that circumstance, the hiking boots would last, but they would destroy your feet and maybe keep you from being able to continue on your journey. So, I guess the question would be...Like, the way I long distance hike right now, I change my trail runners every 400 miles because that's when the cushion gets more compact. And so, they don't provide as much cushion. So, I'll get more foot pain. But, if I was in a situation where I didn't have access to a lot of trail runners, I would just wear them for longer. And then,...I guess it would be a question of, can you eventually get to a point where your feet have adjusted to leather boots so that you can do that many miles day after day? Because, in traditional backpacking, people just didn't do as many miles day after day. Or, there's also you know, there's a lot of different... Margaret 46:26 Maybe they're only going eight miles a day? Carrot 46:29 But they went really far. I don't remember, but... Margaret 46:32 I think that's movie magic. Carrot 46:34 But, they went from the East Coast to Wyoming so... Margaret 46:37 I think they break down and they get most of the way out in car and then they break down. Anyway. Sorry. Please continue. Carrot 46:43 Yeah, maybe they were taking lots of breaks. Okay, so there is an alternative, I think, in this scenario. So, in Mexico, there are people, indigenous people, who are long distance runners and long distance walkers. I don't know if it's more than one tribe, or...I don't know. But, that book Born to Run talks about these people a lot. Margaret 47:04 The barefoot... Carrot 47:04 But yeah. So, they make sandals out of old tires. And, that's what they wear. Because sandals...So, the thing about hiking 20 miles a day, day after day, is it's less like backpacking, more like running a marathon. So, you want to think "Would I run a marathon in this?" because whatever you're wearing will rub you to death. So, boots will rub you to death. So, say trail runners aren't accessible, if you made sandals out of old tires, those are so minimalist that they might not rub you to death the way boots would, but you would be able to make new pairs and they would last a long time. So, actually, people in Mexico have maybe figured it out. Like, that might be the answer is sandals made out of tires. Margaret 47:47 I consciously believe you. But, I've been wearing boots my entire life. And in my mind, they're like...I mean, in my head, the compromises that I used to wear lace up steel toed boots and now I wear like tactical boots with a zipper down the side that are like, mostly mesh, and stuff. And in my mind, I'm like, these are clearly the perfect boots. These are clearly the best boots for every situation, how could they possibly be bad? But, I accept that you have the experience and you're probably right. My brain won't accept it. Carrot Would you want to a run a marathon in them? Margaret 48:26 I don't have the lung capacity to run. I have never been able to. So, I can't. That is a meaningless thing for me, right? Because, I've never been able to run. I mean, I can run, right? But, I like I lose....I can't imagine. But, I don't know. I mean, I used to just...whatever, I used to just be an idiot and kind of an asshole. And so I would just be like, "Oh, whatever. Like why are people complaining? Just toughen up. Just wear steel toed shoes all the time." Whatever. Bullshit. And, I'm no longer on that page. But, in my mind, I'm like... [makes grumpy noises and trails off] Carrot 49:01 Yeah, so I have two more thoughts about footwear. One is..so the reason backpackers used to always wear boots is because their gear was so heavy. So, when I go hunting--I actually had to buy my first pair of hiking boots, because if I'm carrying a 60 pound pack--you know how we occasionally roll our ankles when we walk and it's not a big deal? It doesn't really sprain your ankle really. But, if you're carrying a 60 pound pack, it's like much more likely to sprain your ankle. So, that's the point of boots. So, when I'm hunting, I only walk eight miles a day and it still hurts my feet, because the boots really hurt my feet. But, it keeps me from worrying about spraining my ankle if I roll it. Whereas, with the backpacking gear that exists now, it's not as heavy, so you can roll your ankle without spraining it, so you can wear trail runners. So, in this scenario, if your pack was really heavy, you probably would want to wear boots and then you would just compromise on how many miles per day you could walk, and your feet would be in pain. Margaret 49:56 That makes sense. Carrot 49:57 And then my other thought...but, hopefully in this scenario, you would be able to create this sort of hybrid kit with all your knowledge of like hunting, bushcrafting, and ultralight backpacking and the materials, we still have access to that your pack, maybe your pack wouldn't be crazy heavy. And, then my other thought is: So, in Mexico, there are people who run long distances who create these sandals out of old tires, which is a resource that will be around for a bit. And then in North America, or like further north North America where it's colder, traditionally, people had footwear that they made that they could walk long distances in that also was warmer, like things like moccasins and different...more like, flexible comfy footwear that also wasn't a boot. So, I think even if you didn't have access to trail runners, I don't think the only option would be boots for their durability. I think you could make like some sort of show. Yeah, that's my theory. Margaret 50:54 No, no, no, this is really interesting. Because, I'm like, imagining like the ultimate setup, in my mind, would be like, nonshiny materials, because in my head, I've heard it referred to as like, outdoors gear being either like tactical or technical, and sort of an aesthetic difference in a lot of ways. Like, everyone's wearing fleece, but some people are wearing camo fleece, and some people are wearing, you know, bright colored fleece or whatever, right? Except for me. I'm walking around in a fucking hoodie. And, this is...I'm slightly smarter than that. That's not true, the last time we went hiking, I was just in my Carhart coat over a hoodie. But, it also wasn't long distance. So, it doesn't really matter. Carrot 51:39 I mean, if you know there's not going to be cold rain, you probably won't get hypothermia. Margaret 51:45 Yeah. Yeah. So ,if you, I guess you're already north. If you had to leave on foot, you would be going for sort of a hybrid setup? I guess if it depends on the situation. Now, I'm already answering for you in my head. Never mind. Carrot 51:45 Yeah, let's say I had to walk into Canada, for example, which it would be really easy to sneak...I'm not allowed in Canada. But, it would be really easy to sneak...Because, there's one protest in particular on my record that they don't like from 2003. And then, there's all the like misdemeanor train stuff for my 20s. But, that's old enough that they don't they don't care about it. But, they really don't like this protest thing So, they just don't let me in. But, it would be really easy to sneak into Canada at the Alaska-Canada-border. So, let's say that's what I wanted to do. Well, the thing about Alaska is, there are a lot of really big rivers to cross. So, you would have to consider that like, would you either carry a pack raft, which would add weight, like between the pack raft, and the paddle, and like a PFD, you know, that would add like 10-15 pounds. Margaret 52:16 What's that? What's a PFD? A personal flotation device? Carrot 52:54 Yeah, just like a life jacket. Yeah. Or, would you, you know, just build a raft every time you got to a massive river and just case by case basis troubleshoot trying to cross these rivers. So, and then another consideration would be, so wherever you are, if you decide to go on a long journey, like where you are, for example, you'd want to know how the plant communities change at different elevations. That would help you plan your route. Like, if you were like, "At this one elevation, there's this really thorny brush that's impossible to get through and really terrible." And so, as you were passing through that elevation, you want to find like a road, or a trail, or something that goes through it as you're making your route. And then, if you were like, "Well, at this elevation, it's like this open forest, it's really nice." So then, you would plan your route as much as you could through the landscape that was easier walking. Or, you would be like, "There's these old roads." Like, Alaska doesn't have many roads, but like other places have a lot of old logging roads and mining roads. So, like finding those, you know, and then planning your route. And then, for me, it's pretty rainy in the summer, so, I guess I'd want to have a rain jacket, and rain pants, and trash bags to keep all my stuff dry, and good synthetic layers that were warm, even when they were wet. If I have a down sleeping bag, I'd want to make sure to have like really good trash bag waterproofing system for my sleeping bag in my backpack so it would stay dry. And then, as far as like, fuel goes, I guess it depends on what's available, maybe backbreaking fuel isn't available. Maybe I'm just making fires. And, the challenge would just be drying out if it happens to just rain for two months straight, like figuring out when I can dry out, which maybe it would be a matter of like making fires if the rain never stops. So, staying dry to prevent hypothermia would probably be like the biggest challenge, and then getting over these big rivers. And then for food, if backpacking food wasn't available, I have no idea how i would survive. I think, Okay, this is what I would do. I would have...Let's say that things have collapsed to the point where no one is regulating hunting. So, for example, like, as an Alaskan resident, even though I'm an Alaskan resident, like, I can't hunt seal. The only people who can hunt seal and whale are like, people in native communities in really specific areas. And so, I can't hunt seal, but realistically, if one is to live off the land in Alaska, you're gonna get most of your calories from fat from sea mammals. So, I would need to have figured that out in advance. Like, I would need like seal oil, and berries and dried salmon and dried meat, but I would need a lot of fat to get most of my calories from because there aren't any carbs up here that you can eat. Yeah. I think that would be my strategy. Margaret 55:58 Okay. Okay. That all make sense to me. Yeah, in my mind, because where I live is like, if I had to walk to Canada, I would be skirting back and forth across roads. On the other hand, maybe all the bridges across all the rivers is exactly where they would like, you know, the militias would be laying ambushes or whatever, you know. So actually, maybe all that stuff, but it never even occurred to me that there's something called a packraft until today. It's a neat concept. Carrot 56:27 You could bring a pool floatie. Margaret 56:29 Yeah, yeah, totally. Carrot 56:30 Just raid a CVS or a Walgreens. Margaret 56:35 I'm planning...I'm saving up to buy a freeze dryer. This is my like wingnut prepper thing that I really want. They're like, they started about $2,500 for home ones. And then, I can just give everyone backpacking food forever. Carrot 56:54 Cool. Margaret 56:55 But, it would work better if I was combining with, you know, honestly, if you're in a city and around people who dumpster dive, that's where a freeze dryer shines. Take your free food and preserve it forever. Or, if you garden a lot, or grow a lot of food. Okay, well. There's so much I want to talk to you about, but I think we're kind of running down on time. Carrot 57:18 We've almost figured it out. Margaret 57:19 I know. It's a combo of all of the...You have to multiclass between ultralight and hunter and then you're pretty much good. And with a little bit of bushcrafter, which I feel like the hunter is a little bit close to. Go ahead. Carrot 57:34 There's definitely a lot of skills I don't have that would be useful in this scenario. Like, I can't snare a rabbit. That would be really useful. I guess I would want to be hunting, but like, I don't know if I would have enough bullets or like, what kind of gun or like...Would I have like a bow and arrow? I don't know enough about hunting to know what kind of hunting I would be doing, or if I would just be carrying enough seal oil and dried moose meat to make the whole journey. So, I don't know. I don't know about that bit. Margaret 58:06 Yeah, no, I basically have already decided that my veganism lasts until it's like me or the animal. You know? And I actually believe very strongly in that...Like, I actually don't think there's anything ethically wrong with hunting at all. I just have no personal interest in an eating it. But...For anyone who's listening is wondering why vegan says that, in this case, I believe that you're not raising the animal in captivity, it lives free, whatever, people eat things, that's fine. This is the thing we get the most angry people writing about is whenever we talk about either veganism or nonveganism, people get really upset about, and vegans always hate me because I'm like a self hating vegan or whatever, because I'm like, I don't think there's anything ethically wrong with eating meat. Anyway, I just avoid thinking about all that stuff, which doesn't work because then I can't just be like, magically after the apocalypse, I like...I'm a decent shot. So at least I have that. Right? But, I don't know, fucking how to stalk, or dress, or cook. You know? But I'll just magically learn it in a survival situation. That's always the best time to learn. [Said very sarcastically] Carrot 59:19 Yeah, they say that people learn fastest when you're like a little bit stressed out. So also, you live in an area where you can grow a lot of foods. So, like you wouldn't be as reliant. In Alaska, you can't grow grains. You can't grow beans, like you can't. Traditionally, people lived off animal fat for most of their calories. Margaret 59:41 Totally. Carrot 59:43 I think it would sort of like quickly revert to that like, "Okay, we have a lot of fish." But, where you are, it would make sense to like grow a lot of like grain and stuff and that would be really good food to have. Margaret 59:56 Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna have so many freeze dried potatoes. A fucking entire basement full of freeze dried potatoes. What could go wrong? Well, is there anything? Last last thoughts? Or you know, do you want to talk about, you want to advertise your books again? Or, talk about the stuff that you run or where people can find you? Carrot 1:00:16 Sure. I'll I'll talk about this. Can I talk about this book, this novel I've been working on? Margaret 1:00:21 Yeah. Carrot 1:00:23 So I think... Margaret 1:00:25 But don't spoil it. Carrot 1:00:25 Okay, well, no spoilers. It's been really fun to think about, like everything we've been talking about, like if someone is on this long journey, like what would they have access to? What would still be around? How would they survive? So, that's kind of what I try to do. And, I kind of skip over the dark collapsing bits to get to the long journey part, because I think that's what's like fun and interesting. And, I think it gives me a sense of hope to try to be like, okay, what, what will things actually look like? This is one reason I love The Last of Us so much, too, is because you got to see how they like imagine like, oh, what would be left in a mall? Like a shut down mall. What stores would have been raided? What would still be left? Like, what materials would people have access to? And so, I think that's really fun. And, she does have a little dog. She has a chihuahua, that rides in her bike pannier, and nothing bad ever happens to the Chihuahua. Margaret 1:00:39 That's good. Carrot 1:00:49 Nothing bad ever happens to the dog. So, that's great. [The transcriber does not know if Carrot is being earnest or not and has not seen The Last of Us to discern whether this is a sarcastic statement or not] And, I think some people I think, maybe think thinking about this stuff is kind of dark, but I find it really comforting. Margaret 1:01:32 I agree. It's, yeah. Yeah, there's so many reasons. Carrot 1:01:39 I also, you know, I've read too, that in a survival situation, at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what skills we have. What matters is like our ability to organize with other people, beca

Brendan finds the perfect Not Lost Chat guest in author Cheryl Strayed, who not only wrote the bestselling travel memoir “Wild,” but is also a renowned advice columnist. First, they talk about Strayed's epic trek up the Pacific Coast Trail after losing her mother to cancer, divorcing her husband, and quitting hard drugs. And then Brendan smoothly pivots the conversation to advice, talking about Strayed's bestselling book of essays “Tiny Beautiful Things” and then getting her to answer listeners' travel questions about everything from what books to read to what shoes to wear on the road.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with mindset coach and avid ultra runner Danielle Snyder. Danielle opens up about her introduction to running to cope with her mom's sickness, and how it led her down a negative path of an eating disorder and unhealthy relationship with movement. We discuss how recovery is a long-term process that requires doing the mental work to challenge disordered mindsets.  Danielle is a phenomenal trail and ultra runner and she shares one of her biggest accomplishments, setting the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Oregon Pacific Coast Trail (PCT) over 9 days! Motivated to test her limits, we talk about how to push your body in healthy ways and celebrate your own achievements. Danielle gives listeners her top tips for fueling workouts and ultra running events. We hear how Danielle helps athletes train their minds at Inner Drive Wellness, focusing on improving self-talk and resiliency. Follow Danielle on Instagram @diellesmells and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition  Find Danielle's business Inner Drive Wellness at https://www.innerdrivewellness.com/  Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation?  Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only! THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY: Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders. Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp  Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order In this episode we talk about: 3:00 Danielle's athletic journey and eating disorder struggles  8:30 Finding a healthy relationship with running and food; from road to trail running 10:00 Stepping away from sport for health and recovery  11:45 Eating disorder recovery as a long-term process  15:30 Longevity in sports and coping with challenges 22:00 The ebb and flow of mental health and athletics 24:15 Danielle as a trail and ultra marathon runner 25:30 Achieving a Fastest Known Time (FKT) running the Pacific Coast Trail 32:00 Pushing your body in a healthy way  33:30 Being proud of yourself  36:30 Learning to fuel and respect hunger cues 45:30 Nutrition is part of the training: tips for fueling workouts 48:15 Danielle's program Inner Drive Wellness supporting athletes' mental health  55:00 End of the podcast questions

 Matt has been in Monterey working remotely while his partner completed her Graduate Degree at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Soon they will be off on a new adventure in La Jolla and I just had to get him on the podcast! Very much a product of the Midwest by way of Chicago, Illinois,  he is very much grateful of his upbringing that encompasses both Greek and American culture, which is very much his father's doing. Matt remembers his father's love of the United States and his appreciation for the opportunities available here. His father fled Greece in the 1960s and immigrated to the United States, worked hard to provide Matt the opportunity to pursue his dream of being a journalist. Matt watched All the President's Men in the 8th grade, he knew he wanted to be a political journalist. A graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, IA, Matt worked just as hard as his father. Trying to get his foot in the door working minimum wage internships, writing for The National Journal and The Atlantic, and eventually making his way to Capital Hill. He spent about 10 years in Washington D.C. After years in political journalism, he had an opportunity to veer away from Washington and tour the country interviewing the working class; how the economy at the time was affecting their lives. Covering stories of the working-class citizens brought him back to his roots, and he truly enjoyed telling their stories. After the 2016 election Matt was fried. An avid hiker, Matt and his co-worker hiked the Pacific Coast Trail. Starting in April 2017 and completing the hike in September 2017. From Trail Angels helping the two along the way, to the challenges with nature, the experience has left a lasting and humbling impression.I hope you enjoy this podcast! Originally recorded September 21, 2022 

 Episode 235 (Season 7, Episode 3) Fill Your Cup Get ready—this episode is a three-tear one! Yes, that's not a typo. The Boom Team gets together to elaborate on how to find joy in real estate, and fall apart into tears on three separate occasions! Thankfully, those tears were all humor-induced and the Team is holding strong. Although, they would appreciate a “GoFundMe” drive to help raise funds for the elaborate vacations they're all hoping to take.  In short, get ready to learn how to find joy and fill your cup, along with best practices for an emergency plane landing. We also hear Producer Christian's new jingle and get an introduction to Little Timmy! Fasten your seatbelt, sit back, and enjoy the flight!   SHOW NOTES Todd's suffering from a “groinal” strain. Not sure what that is. [1:24] “20 Truths and 10 Lies” coming soon! [2:53] “Ask Terry” what are pressures for an online producer? [4:07] Megan sets the stage with tapestries [6:40] Todd's a believer in multiple oxygen masks in case of emergency [8:36] The Team debunks the myths around loss of cabin pressure [9:42] First way to fill your cup:  Spend time with your family and friends [11:31] Second way to fill your cup:  Hobbies [13:39] Third way to fill your cup:  Travel [15:09] Producer Christian presents the all new—and perhaps the greatest—jingle yet! [19:18] The Boom Dating Game:  Who is the best cook? [20:03] Christian struggles to understand a basic question, as usual [23:43] Fourth way to fill your cup:  Journal [25:21] Fifth way to fill your cup:  Take some time off [27:22] Little Timmy is a real snooze fest! [28:13]   SHOW LINKS Groin Pull Symptoms and Treatments:  https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/groin-pull What happens to your body when a plane loses cabin pressure: https://www.popsci.com/what-happens-to-your-body-when-plane-loses-pressure/ Guide to Hiking the Pacific Coast Trail:  https://www.pcta.org/take-a-hike/ Jeopardy Horror Story:  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jeopardy-contestant-tells-the-worst-and-longest-story-ever_n_5b56fcf6e4b00e8c8eb7463a Could this be Little Timmy?  https://www.amazon.com/Little-Timmy-Took-My-Truck/dp/1733173846 For the Hobby-Challenged, here's a list of hobbies:  https://hobbyhelp.com/inspiration/list-of-hobbies/#:~:text=A%3A%20If%20you%20find%20yourself%20bored%20with%20too,a%20coloring%20book%209%20Learning%20some%20magic%20tricks   BOOM LINKS Email: info@boomrealestatepodcast.com Web: www.boomrealestatepodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boomrealestatepodcast Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt1P-rEDZ1h2UYT20EN4mYQ 30-Day Jumpstart: www.Boom30.com Coronavirus Playbook:  www.BoomPlaybook.com

Welcome to Episode 50 of the  Eat for Endurance Podcast! Today we have a real legend in the endurance world - Dr. David Horton. You may already know of “Horty” if you are well versed in your ultra running history, or if you happen to have run one of the many many races he has directed. Or maybe you've heard of something called “Horton miles,” one his signature quotes, like “It never always gets worse,” or read about him in Scott Jurek's book, “North.” If not, David is a Professor of Health Sciences at Liberty University, the Race Director of Hellgate 100k and Promiseland 50k, and an accomplished ultra runner (now ultra endurance cyclist after knee replacement surgery). He started ultra running in the late 1970s, and since then has competed in over 160 ultras with 40 wins, including in the iconic JFK 50 and Hardrock 100 mile runs. David also is one of 15 finishers of the infamous Barkleys Marathon. He set speed records on the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Coast Trail, and ran one of the fastest times across America. He has spread his passion for running and endurance sports to so many of his students and other athletes over his 43 years of teaching, and I give him credit for inspiring me to enter my first 50 miler (JFK 50) right after we met back in 2015.We had a very impromptu but great conversation that spanned a variety of topics - nutrition of course being first and foremost but we got into plenty of other stuff that I think you'll enjoy. He has a wonderful sense of humor, is known for speaking his mind, and was really fun to have on the show. So without further ado, please enjoy my conversation with ultrarunner, professor, and Race Director, Dr. David Horton.Links & Resources:David Horton, Liberty University   Follow on FacebookOther Announcements: Please show your support by leaving a rating and/or review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen)  Music Credit: Joseph McDadeHave nutrition questions, a guest or topic request, or any other feedback? Email me - eatforendurance@gmail.com.Disclaimer – all information provided is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is in no way meant to replace individual medical and nutrition recommendationsSupport the show

Here's your morning news: Simi Valley man indicted over threats to Supreme Court justice; Private security guards in L.A. demand safer working conditions; New poll reports dissatisfaction with LAPD; Pacific Coast Trail hiking family update; California Fish and Game Commission considering classifying western Joshua tree as endangered species; Water officials say major cuts needed next year. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people. Support the show: https://laist.com

In this week's new episode I sit down with Jarred Aslett on break from his hike of the Pacific Coast Trail and I am excited we got to talk! Jarred's literal journey the past two years losing over 200 pounds and learning about the person he wants to be is inspiring and truly relatable, even if you have no intention of taking a 2600 mile hike!  Connect with Jarred on IG at @jaycrushesit! https://www.instagram.com/jaycrushesit/  Connect with him on TikTok at @jaycrushesit! https://www.tiktok.com/@jaycrushesit  And check out his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/Jaycrushesit  Fat Guy Forum PATREON is here! Click this link to see how YOU can support this show and help Gormy keep bringing you the stories of these amazing men: https://www.patreon.com/Gormygoesketo  Interested in working with Gormy on Accountability & Goal Setting, Ketogenic Nutrition or more? Get more info at https://www.theketoroad.com/coach-mike You can also find Gormy on IG at @gormygoesketo, Twitter at @gormygoesketo and you can email the show at TheFatGuyForum@gmail.com! Join me at KetoCon 2022 in Austin, Texas on July 8th to the 10th! Save on a 3-Day Ticket with code GORMY10! https://www.ketocon.org/ketocon-2022/attendees/tickets-available-now/ You can support us and save money yourself by using code GORMY to get 15% your order at Redmond Real Salt(https://shop.redmond.life/?afmc=GORMY) NEW! Code GORMYGOESKETO will save on your purchase of all Kettle & Fire products at https://glnk.io/v153/gormygoesketo These are great products I use every day!! Check them out! Don't forget to give us a rating and review on iTunes or whatever platform you use!! Thank you and be sure to amaze yourself today!

This year's Cocodona 250 was absolutely epic. With a stacked field of some of the best runners in the nation, there was no doubt it was going to be an incredible display of endurance over the course of 250 miles. And today's guest is the guy who came out on top to win the race in less than 60 hours! Today, we're chatting with Joe McConaughy, best known as “The Stringbean” in the ultrarunning community. Joe is not only an accomplished ultrarunner, but also an accomplished thru-hiker/fastpacker who has amassed FKTs on the Arizona Trail, Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Coast Trail and more. On top of an amazing ultrarunning career, Joe also runs his own coaching business to help other aspiring runners to accomplish their biggest goals. In this episode, Joe discusses his entire journey through Cocodona 250, the strategies he used to help him get through the low points in the race, and how he capitalized on his lead in the race to secure the sub-60 hour effort. Stringbean's website: https://thestringbean.co/ Stringbean's coaching options: https://thestringbean.co/coaching/ Follow Stringbean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestring.bean/ Check out Brooks Running: https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us Watch Stringbean's Appalachian Trail documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCy7ASKYLto

My guests and I go over their preparations for their upcoming hike down the Pacific Coast Trail. We also couldn't help ourselves talking about fishing. Another great discussion I am sure you will enjoy!

David Horton is a 5-time finisher and won the first two Hardrock 100 races.  He has competed in over 160 ultras with 40 wins. He is one of 14 finishers of the iconic Barkleys Marathon.  But wait, he has also set speed records on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Coast Trail and one of the fastest transcontinental runs.  David is a Professor of Health Sciences at Liberty University where he shares his passion for endurance sports with its students and encourages them to aspire to more. In this episode David shares some of his philosophies and passion for trail running. David also directs the Hellgate 100k. Listen to our first interview with David back in 2014 at the Hardrock 100

There aren't many stories as compelling and inspirational as the one of Aspen Matis. On her second night of college, she was raped by another freshman in her dorm and the college did nothing to protect her. Her perpetrator was found innocent and she was expected to go about her education with him living on the floor directly above her. Then, in an act of personal salvation, Aspen hiked the Pacific Coast Trail from Mexico to Canada. On this episode, Sarah and Aspen discuss the 2,650-mile, life-changing journey, Aspen's novels Girl in the Woods and Your Blue is Not My Blue, and 15 king size PayDay candy bars

Today on the show I have Skyler Baker.  Skyer loves to camp and hike.  His latest project was completing the famous Pacific Coast Trail.  This 2,650 trail from the Mexican Border to Canada was his daily life for a few months and he loved most of it.  I had a great time having him on the show to live vicariously through him as he told me stories of the highs and lows that are inevitable on a trip of this magnitude.  So sit back, relax and enjoy listening to what life is like on the trail with Skyler Baker.

Yay – Nathan is back! In this episode we follow up with some explanation behind the claims Steve made in the previous episode about how the Bible is not as “inerrant” as we think, although we just scratch the surface. Unfortunately, Steve breaks the rule of only one heresy per episode. Nathan's wife is home! She completed the Pacific Coast Trail! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Crest_Trail) Her Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hcat_23/) Book club coming up - Faith After Doubt by Brian McLaren (https://amzn.to/39lxbIw) Steve's TikTok- @heystevemartin (https://www.tiktok.com/@heystevemartin) James Dobson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dobson) Book: Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Kobes Du Mez (https://amzn.to/3guco9Y) Podcast: The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill (https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/rise-and-fall-of-mars-hill/) Episode 32: Dissonance (https://www.followingthefire.com/32) Biblical Inerrancy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_inerrancy) Some sources on Steve's crazy claims: (There are many more than these, but these are all a good start/summary of the topic. Also, there are obviously many opinions on these things, so please search out and read multiple sides of the arguments) “1 & 2 Timothy and Titus not written by Paul” - link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorship_of_the_Pauline_epistles#Pastoral_epistles) “The God of the Israelites was initially named “El” and it became “Jahweh” later in history” - link (https://www.worldhistory.org/Yahweh/) “The Bible never tells us that homosexual relationships are wrong” - start with this book (https://amzn.to/3Fx1r1N) “The book of Revelation almost didn't make it into the Bible at all” - link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation#Canonical_history) “Job was not a real person” - Book (https://amzn.to/2YBplZw) “Isaiah was written by multiple authors in different eras” - link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Isaiah#Composition) “The Bible is so ancient in some places that we have no idea how to translate it” - link (http://nephicode.blogspot.com/2010/05/problems-in-translating-ancient-hebrew.html) “It's doubtful that Abraham was a real person” - link (https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/abraham/) “Moses didn't write the Pentateuch” - link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosaic_authorship) “John was not written by John” - link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorship_of_the_Johannine_works) Textual Criticism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textual_criticism) Chiasmus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiasmus) Pseudepigrapha (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudepigrapha) Parable of the Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10%3A25-37&version=NRSV) Parable of the Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11-32 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015%3A11-32&version=NRSV) Parable of Lazarus - Luke 16:19-31 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16%3A19-31&version=NRSV) Henotheism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henotheism) Canaanite god “El” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_(deity)) JHWH (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh) Deuteronomy 32:8-9 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%2A+Deuteronomy+32%3A8-9&version=NRSV) “The truth shall set you free” - John 8:31-32 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A31-32&version=NRSV)

Will Barkan is an accomplished ultrarunner from San Francisco, CA who is legally blind. He was diagnosed with Stargartd’s disease at age 10 and has had progressive vision loss since then. He has been legally blind since high school, but has not let his disability limit his lifestyle. In addition to completing the Pacific Coast Trail in four months, he has completed the Boston Marathon, Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Run 100, Lake Sonoma 50, Sean O-Brien 100K and many many more races. He runs with a guide, and has not let his anatomical vision loss limit his vision for what he can accomplish in racing and in life. In this episode we talk about:the unique challenges of running with vision loss in urban vs. trail environmentswhat it’s like to run with a guide the hazards of fallinghow Will has developed resiliency for running and for life within the contexts of his disability. Resources we discussed in the episode:Favourite Mantra: Work hard, have fun, be safe; Take good care of your team, they'll take good care of youFavourite Place to Run: Desolation Wilderness in Tahoe BasinBucket List Run: Infinitus 500k Favourite Book: North by Scott & Jenny JurekPost-Run Indulgence: Beer and lunch (tacos)

I'm glad to have Brian Hoover back as a guest on Trail Talk!Last time we talked about his adventures as a trail runner, van living, and his hike of the Pacific Coast Trail last year. At that time, he was planning a kayak adventure of the entire Mississippi River.I followed his adventure through his Facebook posts, and am excited that he has agreed to join me again to talk about his adventure.He also has his next adventure planned!  

Barney Scout Mann- Author of- Journey's North; The Pacific Coast Trail- An extraordinary adventure where people's Political Opinions take a back seat to nature.

Burdened by PTSD and physical hurdles after a stint in Iraq, Will Robinson’s home in New Orleans had become an unbearable prison. Desperate to survive, Will takes his life into his own hands, deciding to hike the Pacific Coast Trail with no experience and little gear. Listen to this amazing story from the first African American man to complete hiking’s triple crown.

Please go to https://tantrapunk.com for more info!

https://tantrapunk.com/mindfulness-nature-immersion-and-the-pacific-crest-trail-with-jessica-moon-tpp241/

Topics include: OUR FIRST INTERVIEW with LEAH, a hiker of the Pacific Coast Trail, dirty socks, ICE AXES, pack weights, bLaCk BeArS and RaTtLeSnAkEs, FB groups, leukotype, PEEING and POOPING on the trail, Mount Whitney, trail names, trail ANGELS, and MORE!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/baconphat?alert=2)

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Tiny Beautiful Things,” based on the book by Cheryl Strayed, at San Francisco Playhouse through March 7, 2020. Text of review: The writer Cheryl Strayed hit the best-seller charts in 2012 with her memoir, Wild, the story of a trek she took over the length of the Pacific Coast Trail in 1995. It was her second book. Her first, Torch, a novel had been published six years earlier to good reviews and little national notice. But it was in 2010, struggling as a free lance writer, that she was offered the job – not really a job because there was no pay involved – to take over an advice column, Dear Sugar, for the Rumpus on-line literary magazine, which she then wrote for two years. Those columns were collected in the book, Tiny Beautiful Things, which has been adapted by Nia Vardalos into a theatre piece now at San Francisco Playhouse through March 7th directed by Bill English. After a brief opening in which Cheryl gets the gig, the rest of the play consists of questions from the Rumpus audience, and Cheryl's extended autobiographical responses, which almost serve as parables to the conundrums she's been presented with. Some questions are short, with brief answers, and some are longer, and deal with weighty issues like grief suicide, sexual abuse, not to mention, of course, queries involving relationships. Without a through line, a plot, or really, any characters other than Cheryl Strayed, there's very little forward movement to the story, if there's even a story. Thus it's up to the actors, the director, and the design of a production to keep things moving, and most of the way, San Francisco Playhouse does just that. Susi Damilano as Cheryl does her part, in a warm and witty performance that often transcends material that could easily become mawkish or sentimental. She is ably assisted by Mark Anderson Phillips, Kina Kantor and Jomar Tagatec as all her interlocutors – who switch gender, age and character in the blink of an eye. Constant movement by all four actors inside a busy high-tech space gives the audience a roving eye, absolutely necessary when the text itself only consists of questions and answers. It helps, of course, that Cheryl Strayed is such a good writer, and that the stories of her life, and how she responds to her Rumpus readers, are of themselves both interesting and profound. She's no advice expert, she has no training, and even admits that maybe, some of her advice is wrong. But Tiny Beautiful Things is never less than honest, and even though the play starts to lag just past the one hour mark, it's still a lovely and often moving night in the theatre. Tiny Beautiful Things, adapted by Nia Vardalos from the book by Cheryl Strayed, directed by Bill English, plays at San Francisco Playhouse through March 7. For more information, go to sfplayhouse.org. I'm Richard Wolinsky on Bay Area theater for KPFA.     The post Review: Tiny Beautiful Things, at SF Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

Sam Lillie solo hiked over 2,600 miles all the way from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. We talk about the trials and tribulations of that hike & how he started & currently runs his company Vinder, a marketplace where you can buy, sell and trade, local produce.Vinder: https://www.vinder.comSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/34arvxjDPJWZRtlpSJZ3x6?si=7_o2z3TtSUawpqHRZBbPewApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/establishing-your-empire/id1491945829Welcome to the Establishing Your Empire show. A podcast that inspires entrepreneurs, creatives and future business owners to pursue their passions, grow their organizations and build their empire. My name is Daran Herrman and creatively I’m best known for my photography. But business wise my claim to fame is growing a company from $15K per month in online sales to breaking the one million dollar a month barrier. And I’m sitting down with interesting people to talk about their process, the lessons they learned and how they have Established their Empire’s.

Backcountry Rookies Podcast Episode #34- Chad talks with Jessie Greger, creator of Next Mile Meals, a lightweight, low carb, keto diet backcountry meal company. Jessie discusses the conception of Next Mile and how hiking 2600 miles on the Pacific Coast Trail trail tested and fine tuned these meals into what they are today. Each meal is made with fresh ingredients, the taste proves it, Next Mile Meals are delicious! Jessie also discusses what the company has planned for the future and how you can order their products. Check out Next Mile Meals for a delicious backcountry dinner. Also, check out the website for a great list of Keto foods you can buy at the grocery store for backpacking. You can find Next Mile Meals at the locations listed below. Jessie Greger Next Mile Meals https://www.nextmilemeals.com Instagram - @nextmilemeals Facebook - Next Mile Meals Chad Ryker Backcountry Rookies Website - https://backcountryrookies.com Instagram - @backcountryrookies - https://www.instagram.com/backcountryrookies/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/backcountryrookie/ Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/643573739348245/learning_content/ Elk101 University of Elk Hunting Save 20% by using the code Rookies https://www.elk101.com/product/university-of-elk-hunting-online-course/

Backcountry Rookies Podcast Episode #34- Chad talks with Jessie Greger, creator of Next Mile Meals, a lightweight, low carb, keto diet backcountry meal company. Jessie discusses the conception of Next Mile and how hiking 2600 miles on the Pacific Coast Trail trail tested and fine tuned these meals into what they are today. Each meal is made with fresh ingredients, the taste proves it, Next Mile Meals are delicious! Jessie also discusses what the company has planned for the future and how you can order their products. Check out Next Mile Meals for a delicious backcountry dinner. Also, check out the website for a great list of Keto foods you can buy at the grocery store for backpacking. You can find Next Mile Meals at the locations listed below. Jessie Greger Next Mile Meals https://www.nextmilemeals.com Instagram - @nextmilemeals Facebook - Next Mile Meals Chad Ryker Backcountry Rookies Website - https://backcountryrookies.com Instagram - @backcountryrookies - https://www.instagram.com/backcountryrookies/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/backcountryrookie/ Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/643573739348245/learning_content/ Elk101 University of Elk Hunting Save 20% by using the code Rookies https://www.elk101.com/product/university-of-elk-hunting-online-course/

A woman accidentally points a gun at Jim Beyer in a rough biker bar in the 1970s of Missoula when she tries to defend herself against a brutal attack from another guy in the bar. Jim Beyer has ridden motorcycles in Missoula for over 40 years. He says “I used to be cool, now I am  cliche”. Caroline Caldwell is a shepherd in The Falkland Islands when she is invited on a debauchery filled Christmas celebration that lasts for days. Riding her horse through town and drinking excessively with the locals, she didn’t tell Mom about this one until after it happened. Raised in the midwest, Caroline Caldwell headed up to Maine for college and never looked back. After graduation she was granted a Watson Fellowship, which allowed her to travel to the far ends of the earth to work on sheep and cattle ranches in remote places and extreme environments. After her return to the states, she continued ranching and traveling stateside, until she found her perfect fit with Oxbow Cattle Company in Missoula, and is happy to call Montana home. Heidi West grew up in Germany and watched the Berlin Wall come down. She shares her story about the after-effects of the wall falling and how that forced her and her family to flee Germany. In 2009, after a long drive from Stillwater, Oklahoma, Heidi West found home in Missoula’s Northside neighborhood. She raises food and a family, turns pots at the Clay Studio of Missoula, and is immersed in an extensive reinvention of the family’s 1900 house. Heidi develops permanently affordable housing with the North Missoula Community Development Corporation and also holds elected office as Ward 1 City Council Representative. Heidi has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Studio Art with minors in German and Horticulture as well as a Master of Science in Plant and Soil Science, all from Oklahoma State University. Brad Lane happens on a funk music festival while he is hiking the Pacific Coast Trail. Brad Lane recently moved to Missoula from Iowa. He has had residencies in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and the Cascades of Washington. He moved to Montana because he wanted to live in the Rockies. His career in freelance writing made Missoula seem like the right place. You can find more of Brad’s work and other adventures at BradLaneWriting.com.

Pit Stops for Kids with Amy Hagstrom Whitley http://www.PitStopForKids.com Hiking the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT) with Amy and Nate Hagstrom Whitley Thank you for watching our video. GET EMAIL UPDATES on our website: http://www.DaddyBlogger.com LIKE us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/daddyblogger SUBSCRIBE to us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/tokyoricky FOLLOW us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tokyoricky

This week the topics are all huge in scale and importance. They start with a discussion of Superman on the 80th anniversary of Action Comics #1. Each of them discusses their favorite Superman stories and versions of Superman. They then discuss a plan by the producers of Westworld to stop people from spoiling the second season of the show. Then they tackle the Avengers Infinity War. They discuss who they think will live and who may die in this epic battle that will be the culmination of the MCU as we know it. Finally Ron talks about his cousin who has decided to hike the 2650-mile Pacific Coast Trail from Mexico to Canada. All three hosts marvel at the scale of the challenge.

Welcome to Episode 5! In today's episode, we are chatting with Amy Buglione. Amy is part of the Skout Backcountry team and is a wilderness adventure seeker, nutrition, doula, health enthusiast. We sat down to chat with Amy about living authentically and her journey to getting there. She shares with us her story about taking leaps and why welcoming new opportunities, experiences, and perspectives can change your life. Show NotesIntroTaking risks and getting out of your comfort zone 3:00Abundance and vulnerability 6:00Taking the biggest risk to hike the Pacific Coast Trail 9:20Starting a Food Cart business and knowing when it was time to talk away 11:19Journaling to help find your passions 14:50Your A Badass 22:00Journaling and Amy's method 28:00The Five Minute Journal 36:00MentionedInstagram: @AmyBuglioneSkout Backcountry - use promo code 'valerie17' for a delicious discount on your order!You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero Your Hosts:Valerie Fidan, @valeriefidanCarolynn Koznarsky, @__carolynn__Podcast Created by: Valerie FidanPodcast Hosted by: Valerie Fidan and Carolynn KoznarskyRecorded in Portland, OREditing & Mixing by: Valerie FidanTheme music by: HimProduction

Welcome to the Love Your Story podcast. I’m Lori Lee, and I’m excited for our future together of telling stories, evaluating our own stories, and lifting ourselves and others to greater places because of our control over our stories. This podcast is about empowerment and giving you, the listener, ideas to work with in making your stories work for you. Power serves you best when you know how to use it. Today, episode 23, I want to introduce you to Marvin Cassler. I found Marvin sitting at a booth representing the Pacific Coast Trail – also known as the PCT. This trail starts at the Mexican border and climbs straight up the US to the Canadian border. Endurance. Perseverance. Perspective. These are at the heart of every Pacific Crest Trail journey. It’s a place where people discover not only the trail, but what they have inside themselves. And, as it turns out, Marvin has not only hiked 1025 miles of this trail, but he’s also hiked 3200 miles of the Continental Divide Trail, 800 miles of the Arizon Trail, and 500 miles of the Colorado trail. He calls himself a section hiker and today he’s with us to talk about the very purposeful creation of the exact life he wants to live. Hi Marvin…. So you are known by a lot of names: Marvin Assler, Mr. Cassler by your 3rd graders (Oh ya, he’s a third-grade teacher too), Maverik is your hiking name, and KoKo – why so many names? Listen to the podcast for the rest of this interview… If you’d like to get in touch with Marvin Cassler you can find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassler Go to www.loveyourstorypodcast.com and share your thoughts and stories.

A woman is horrified to discover her new boyfriend's disgusting habit. This habit truly is one of the most revolting things we've ever heard, and you do know that we've heard a LOT, right? You'll have to listen to find out what it is. A woman and her husband want to take the plunge and have a three-way with a woman. But there are some logistics to work out. How do they find a girl, and do they have to get a babysitter for the night? Dan chats with Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild, and co-host of the (rival) Dear Sugar podcast about sex on the Pacific Coast Trail. Hear the sad, sad story of a sad, sad dancer-girl who is in love with a man who won't dance with her, and won't fuck her either. 206-302-2064 Today's Lovecast is brought to you by MeUndies.com: High quality, super-comfortable, good looking undies. Get 20% off your first order when you go to MeUndies.com/Savage. This episode is also brought to you by AdamandEve.com Get 50% off just about any item, plus free shipping when you enter offer code "Savage". This episode is also brought to you by Ring, the app-based home security system. For a limited time, get $150 off a Ring of Security Kit" by going to www.ring.com/savage.

A woman is horrified to discover her new boyfriend's disgusting habit. This habit truly is one of the most revolting things we've ever heard, and you do know that we've heard a LOT, right? You'll have to listen to find out what it is. A woman and her husband want to take the plunge and have a three-way with a woman. But there are some logistics to work out. How do they find a girl, and do they have to get a babysitter for the night? Dan chats with Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild, and co-host of the (rival) Dear Sugar podcast about sex on the Pacific Coast Trail. Hear the sad, sad story of a sad, sad dancer-girl who is in love with a man who won't dance with her, and won't fuck her either. 206-302-2064 Today's Lovecast is brought to you by MeUndies.com: High quality, super-comfortable, good looking undies. Get 20% off your first order when you go to MeUndies.com/Savage. This episode is also brought to you by AdamandEve.com Get 50% off just about any item, plus free shipping when you enter offer code "Savage". This episode is also brought to you by Ring, the app-based home security system. For a limited time, get $150 off a Ring of Security Kit" by going to www.ring.com/savage.

Hosts: Tom Hering & Mike Mathews Today's Stories: NFL Playoffs leading to Super Bowl, Pacific Coast Trail, 10 Financial Mistakes Rich People Never Make, and more…. For additional show notes, visit BoomerMale.com. Download or subscribe to this show at BoomerMale.com, the podcast for men 50

Hosts: Tom Hering & Mike Mathews Today's Stories: NFL Playoffs leading to Super Bowl, Pacific Coast Trail, 10 Financial Mistakes Rich People Never Make, and more…. For additional show notes, visit BoomerMale.com. Download or subscribe to this show at BoomerMale.com, the podcast for men 50

Do you have a favorite book you return to over and over again? James does, and today the author of that book joins him on The James Altucher Show. Many of you know James does a Twitter Q&A every Thursday. But what you probably didn't know is that before he jumps online he rereads one book... He turns to Sugar for inspiration. Sugar is the fictional character in Cheryl Strayed's book, Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar. Cheryl Strayed has had a rough life: sexual abuse, divorce, past drug abuse, and her mother's death. All this pushed her to do something radical with her life. She decided to take a hike. Not your everyday hike; she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Coast Trail from the Mojave Desert through California, Oregon, and Washington - and she did it alone. The hike finally healed her, and she turned it into her NY Times bestselling memoir, Wild. The book was then turned into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon. Oprah loved the book so much she restarted her book club just to highlight it. Cheryl's new book Brave Enough was just released in October. James asks her, "Why a book of quotes?" As Cheryl says in the introduction of her book... "I've always been a quote collector... From the comic to the profound, the simple to the complex, the sorrowful to the ecstatic, the inspiring to the stern, whenever I need consolation or encouragement, a clear-eyed perspective or a swift kick in the pants - which is often - quotes are what I turn to. They've been tacked to the walls of every home I've made. I've written them down in my journals and kept them on files in my computer. I've scribbled them on the back of ripped-open envelopes and drawn them across stretches of sand." Now that they've met, James is almost sorry, as he'll not be able to steal from her so easily going forward.   Resources and Links: Cheryl Strayed Website Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed Wild by Cheryl Strayed and Wild (the movie) starring Reese Witherspoon Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed Torch by Cheryl Strayed Dear Sugar podcast Oprah's 2015 Book Club ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn

Do you have a favorite book you return to over and over again? James does, and today the author of that book joins him on The James Altucher Show. Many of you know James does a Twitter Q&A every Thursday. But what you probably didn't know is that before he jumps online he rereads one book... He turns to Sugar for inspiration. Sugar is the fictional character in Cheryl Strayed's book, Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar. Cheryl Strayed has had a rough life: sexual abuse, divorce, past drug abuse, and her mother's death. All this pushed her to do something radical with her life. She decided to take a hike. Not your everyday hike; she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Coast Trail from the Mojave Desert through California, Oregon, and Washington – and she did it alone. The hike finally healed her, and she turned it into her NY Times bestselling memoir, Wild. The book was then turned into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon. Oprah loved the book so much she restarted her book club just to highlight it. Cheryl's new book Brave Enough was just released in October. James asks her, "Why a book of quotes?" As Cheryl says in the introduction of her book... "I've always been a quote collector... From the comic to the profound, the simple to the complex, the sorrowful to the ecstatic, the inspiring to the stern, whenever I need consolation or encouragement, a clear-eyed perspective or a swift kick in the pants – which is often – quotes are what I turn to. They've been tacked to the walls of every home I've made. I've written them down in my journals and kept them on files in my computer. I've scribbled them on the back of ripped-open envelopes and drawn them across stretches of sand." Now that they've met, James is almost sorry, as he'll not be able to steal from her so easily going forward. Resources and Links: Cheryl Strayed Website Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed Wild by Cheryl Strayed and Wild (the movie) starring Reese Witherspoon Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed Torch by Cheryl Strayed Dear Sugar podcast Oprah's 2015 Book Club See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Build Your Utopia!  Happy Friday everyone!  Today Josh and Ben discuss this past week's show with Tony DiLorenzo of One Extraordinary Marriage.  Make sure you listen to Episode 44 or this show will spoil some of the stuff we talked about. How do you come back from the loss of a child?  We think Tony and Alisa handled it in the most positive, productive way possible.  Now we just need to get her on the show and hear her side of the story.  Someone take a note and get her on the calendar. Josh and Ben get sidetracked (big surprise there) and spend some time talking about movies.  Please let us know how you feel about the Andrew Garfield / Spider-Man situation.  And also Heath Ledger's performance in The Dark Knight The Amazing Spider-Man on Amazon andiTunes The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on Amazon and iTunes The Dark Knight on Amazon and iTunes Josh and Ben also talk about Tony's acheivement in hiking the Pacific Coast Trail.  It is a massive distance and our hosts talk about how you can take such a huge undertaking and break it down into smaller and smaller parts so that it becomes something manageable.  It's a tip for success. Josh and Ben also talk about Tony starting Parkour and we learn how Josh has even thought about trying that himself.  We also learn how Josh practices Muay Thai.  (It may not be as crazy sounding as the title lets on...) As always, a special thank you to The Strand for our intro and outro music!

In a Movie Date first, Rafer and Kristen review three films starring and co-starring women. "Wild," starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, is based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir about walking over 1000 miles on the Pacific Coast Trail. "Life Partners" stars Leighton Meester and Gillian Jacobs as two best friends, one gay and the other straight, grappling wiht growing up and finding love. And "She's Beautiful When She's Angry" is a documentary that looks at the achievements of Marilyn Webb, Rita Mae Brown, Fran Beal, and other women involved in the American feminist movement during the 1960s and 1970s. There's also Movie Therapy this week, administered to a listener who's about to go through some major life changes, as well as some listener mail and fun music. And, as always, there's trivia! 

When you are hiking for 2000 miles, you might think you would be the farthest thing away from technology, but Becky Cohen is here to explain otherwise. A Pacific Coast Trail veteran, she will discuss some different ways that technology can augment your normal pack.

By popular demand, we take a brief aside into fantasy to talk with one the more sinister figures associated with the Winter Holidays: The Krampus. Then we get a bit more serious as we welcome one of the co-hosts of the popular podcast The Bigfoot Show, documentarian and comedian, Scott Herriott. Scott has made several films about walking the Pacific Coast Trail and about his personal quest to find Bigfoot—and the people he’s met in that search. This MonsterTalk interview includes a detailed recounting of his own brush with what he believes may have been a Sasquatch. READ episode notes