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

Another couple of 2020 Appalachian Trail thru-hikers this week, with Briana and Cambyr Sullivan, a mother and daughter duo who recently completed the trail. Significantly, Cambyr turned 14 on the trail and, as you'll hear, she has a remarkably mature view of the magic of the trail. One of the many wonderful things about their story is that their relationship shifted during the hike, with shared responsibilities and goals altering their familial dynamic. Their story is inspirational, so much so that the two of them appeared on the Drew Barrymore TV show the day after they spoke with me. Hopefully, I didn't ruin them for Drew!! Find out for yourself by clicking here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtN5vjn2wCU&app=desktop I highly recommend Briana's blog at https://naturespirit.me/AT/ and you can connect with her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brianamsully/ No Bill Tickner this week as we were unable to connect in time before I went away for a few days. Bill will be back next week. Keith Fosk

Bill Tickner, or Mr. President, is a hiker we've been following for some weeks now. When he wanted to respond to the points made by Sandi Marra from the ATC in last week's show, I realized that it was too good an opportunity to miss, so I turned our expected ten-minute catch up into a full interview about both the 2020 hiker's push back to the ATC and more of his hiking and life journey. You can find more about Bill's hiking stories at his blog, https://www.wildernesseffect.com Connect with him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bill.tickner or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mrpresidenthikes/ In the show, I referred to a hiker I met in 2014, No Pain. He has been missing for nearly a year, so I thought I'd share the poster below in the hope that somebody may recognize him and even know where he is. Please call the numbers on the poster if you know where he can be found. Instead of Bill in the middle part of this week's show, I caught up with Bounce, who is settling, for the time being, in R

This week, we have Sandi Marra on the show. Sandi is the President and CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and has had to make some tough decisions during the 2020 hiking season. With a longtime love of hiking and volunteerism, Sandi combined both to give most of her life to the Appalachian Trail and its hikers. I wanted to bring her on to the show to find out the thought processes behind the 2020 closures, and she responded with thoughtful and decisive answers. Typically, her choice of links to share with listeners is illuminating. If you want to find out more about the Conservancy, go to https://appalachiantrail.org/. If you want to help, either through volunteering with or joining the organization, go to https://appalachiantrail.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or https://donate.appalachiantrail.org/default.aspx?tsid=7709. Mr President is fast discovering the joys of Pennsylvania, delighted that he invested in a fresh pair of shoes before he hit the state. He met up with two old friends and even met a l

I was first contacted by today's guest, Ryan Schlosser, when he was preparing for his 2020 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail earlier this year. Ryan's mother is a friend of my friend and hiking partner, Pat Coate, or Tee Bird. Ryan's hike was a school project (imagine that!!) and he needed to record his progress. Pat thought I might be able to help him and a new podcaster was born. I listened to his early progress, then stopped getting updates. He went radio silent in response to the growing pandemic. Eventually, when things eased up a little, he was back online and still heading north. You can learn more about Ryan's story on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/walkingtalkingpod on his website at http://www.ryanschlosser.com/ and at "Walking and Talking: An Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike" wherever you find your podcasts. Bill Tickner is loving his southbound hike, and he is now through both Connecticut and New York, having savored the delis AND a drive-in movie. Fozzie is preparing to drive back to Trail D

We've got a guy this week who has spent his life hiking and giving back to both the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails. Dave Fleischman has spent time over the past 25 years maintaining both trails (mainly the PCT) and has a great insight into the logistics behind some of these extraordinary projects. He also arranged his work life to facilitate his passion and shares a story about the importance of watching your health on any trail. I'm sure you'll recognize where he is on our epic main photo and you should watch his video to give you an idea of his '93 PCT thru-hike. https://youtu.be/_iRufREILgM John Zaccone comes onto the show to talk to us about his popular–and rather addictive–app called Walk The Distance. Listen to John as he tells you how to get the app AND help the ATC. Mr President, Bill Tickner, introduces us to yet more serendipity and history of the trail. Follow up on this story by clicking this link to learn more about Ned Anderson and the beautiful Brae Burn Farm. https://en.wikipedia.org/

Today we have a comedian, a writer, and a podcaster, but, as you'll learn, she is also an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker. Sally Brooks has a compelling story that appealed to me the moment we started talking. She is funny, wry, and observant, all qualities that she probably needs for her day (or night) job of being a professional comedian AND as a podcaster.   You can check out the podcasting and Sally's comedy at http://dumblovepodcast.com http://sallybrookscomedy.com Mr. President is in CT and feeling the heat, while his cabin in California is going through much the same thing. Bill's pragmatic approach to that tense situation says a lot of good things about him. Fozzie has reached the Smokies, always a highlight in the thru-hiking adventure. Special thanks to Ever Green Adventure Foods for their wonderful support for the past three weeks. They have a great product and a wonderful business ethic that is all about protecting and giving back to the various long-distance hiking trails. Thanks, Toast and Jammz.

This week we have a serious overachiever on the show. Craig "Scatman" Fowler finished the Triple Crown of hiking and looked around to find something else. In particular, he wanted to do something that nobody on earth had ever managed to complete. Once he had become the "One of Seven," his focus shifted to help people celebrate their own uniqueness. If you'd like to learn more about Craig and his One of Seven Project, go to http://www.oneofsevenproject.com/ Mr President is just short of the Massachusetts border, staying in Bennington, VT. He shares an insight into some fellow SOBOs that had never occurred to me. Fozzie is approaching the Smokies. As anybody who has ever done the AT, the Smokies have their own way of greeting you! Thanks to this week's sponsor, Ever Green Adventure Foods. Find out more about them at https://evergreenadventurefoods.com/ If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. Click here to donate to t

Another terrific show today, with Barney "Scout" Mann sharing his story as a lifelong hiker, a Triple Crowner, and the Ultimate Trail Angel of the Pacific Crest Trail. He started his journey as a young lad in the High Sierra (picture below) and started his Triple Crown on the PCT–with his wife–on their 30th Wedding Anniversary. Barney has written a book about that hike, weaving in the stories from not only he and his wife but also of other characters they hiked with. As you can see below, he's changed a bit over the years!! Order Journeys North https://www.amazon.com/Journeys-North-Pacific-Crest-Trail/dp/1680513214 Visit Scout's Website https://barneyscoutmann.com/ Follow Scout on Instagram and Facebook https://www.instagram.com/journeys.north/ https://www.facebook.com/barneyscoutmann/ Also this week, Bill Tickner, or Mr. President, joins the show to talk about his SOBO hike that originally started back in 2019. You can follow Bill's blog at https://www.wildernesseffect.com/ and find him on Instagram at

Amber Heuisler, or Wheezy, came to my attention recently on Facebook. Her proud boast of walking 200 miles on the AT may not seem to be so much of a cause for celebration but, as she explains, in my view it is an achievement on a par with my thru-hike last year. She is an inspiring young woman who has fought back in life and found that being on the trail is exactly where she wants to be. I hope others are as inspired as I was when I caught up with her in Damascus a few weeks ago. You can keep up with Amber on the trail at her YouTube vlog https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=redeemed+wanderer Bounce has found some peace once more, and he shares with Steve what the hike is doing for him. Our new book, Balancing on Blue, by Keith Foskett, picks up with Keith flying over the Atlantic, then reflecting upon how he got to the AT. If you'd like to check out this and Keith's other books, just go to his Amazon author page at https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Foskett/e/B00A535AQ6?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=15

This is a long show!! First off, we have Lily Gelfars, a listener who wanted to express her opinion regarding hiking in 2020. She brings some personal experience to her views, having decided to abandon her own 2020 hike on the Camino de Santiago. With a background that includes a SOBO hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2017, she shares her story. She also gave me permission to share her letter/email to me; I'm sure you'll see why I wanted her on the show. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kjIZWdJkpKWDkf02J7nUkYK8y9SUyih3OHB0JBcRfD0/edit If you'd like to hear more from Lily, her blog is at https://alengthyinterlude.wordpress.com/ and she is on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tuliplaglitter/ Bounce is now moving extremely fast, having said that he intended to slow down. Find out why. Despite the length of the show, I didn't want to miss bringing Erin Mackenzie's amazing encounter to you. Believe me, it is a tale that will make you appreciate that we share the trails with wild animals. Finally today,

Brian Bell has shaped his life to enable him to spend as much time as he can in the outdoors. He looked for a local trail club to see if he could help, then volunteered more and more until he took responsibility as a trail overseer in Shenandoah National Park. Continuing to give back to his local community, he has started a volunteer organization called Keep Virginia Cozy, putting together teams to spend some time in the outdoors and picking up litter that they find.   You can find out more about Brian and Keep Virginia Cozy with the links below. His website: http://keepvirginiacozy.org/ On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/keepvirginiacozy On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepvirginiacozy/ On MeetUp: http://www.meetup.com/keepvirginiacozy Bounce has had a tough few days. After our chat, I found out a little more. This is the picture he posted on his Facebook page. Grandma Gatewood has reached the end of the road and we hear of her final days. I don't know about you, but I will miss her! Thanks go

I met Molly Rhoads in 2019 when she was hiking with my buddy, Nate Stockton. The two of them were a well-suited odd couple. Nate has retired from the military and is in his 40s, while Molly looks like a 20-year-old. They acted like siblings and enhanced my hike whenever I ran into them, which was often. Molly had a run-in with some small wildlife, though she never lost her sense of humor about that and, as far as I could see, about anything else. She had previously done the Long Trail and, after a shaky start, found that she loved thru-hiking. The AT fired her passion, and she is currently hiking the Colorado Trail, with the PCT in her sights soon. Bounce Da Hiker had been out of contact for a week, and it was only on Wednesday morning that I could get hold of him. He's right on the New Hampshire border, so let the fun and games begin!! Grandma Gatewood has amazed us along the way and, now in her 70s, she continues her wanderlust with a THIRD Appalachian Trail hike. We gratefully welcome to the show Tripl

We've got a really well-traveled guest on the show today. Chris Pirrello has led a somewhat nomadic lifestyle, with a fourteen-month trip around the world at the start of the 21st Century, followed by years of hiking most of the long trails of America, including the Triple Crown. He even took a job in Antarctica to chalk up his sixth continent. He is a self-confessed foodie and loves excellent coffee, so it seems almost inevitable that he has ended up as the owner of Triple Crown Coffee, a company with a mission to give back to the three trails that make up the Triple Crown. Indeed, each roast is named after one of the trails. If you want to learn more about Chris and his coffee, go to https://triplecrowncoffee.com/ With Kate now home, we're following Bounce Da Hiker. This week, Bounce has been putting in some very long days and had to take a double zero when his body told him he needed a rest. Grandma Gatewood's fame, which had been growing while she was on the trail, gets even greater, as she appears alo

We've got quite the show today, coming in at over 90 minutes. There's something for everybody, with Keith Foskett, one of the best writers on hiking, sharing his stories and hikes with wit and introspection. We'll be having his Balancing on Blue as our next book on the podcast, so it was great hearing about how he developed as both a hiker and writer. If you want to learn more about Keith or buy some of his books, you can go to his website, https://www.keithfoskett.com/ where you'll find links to each book, his blog, some info on his hikes and a contact page. You can also find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Keith-Foskett-Fozzie-270894196286427/ On Twitter at https://twitter.com/KeithFoskett and on his Amazon Author page at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keith-Foskett/e/B00A535AQ6?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_5&qid=1592228832&sr=8-5 Phoenix has been struggling with her ankle recently and, when she texted me on Thursday, I was expecting the worst, though she was in great spirits. Find out what happene

This week, we have JC Van Etten, or Catmando. Not only did JC recently win our six-book giveaway, but he was also part of the very tight "tramily" that Togs and Lucky referred to a few weeks ago. I wanted to hear JC's side of the story and, as I'd anticipated, he brought his own slant to the journey that they all shared. JC retired early from work and hopes to fill his retirement with further adventures, though the Appalachian Trail was the fulfillment of a dream many years in the making. As part of this dream, JC raised money for a charity close to his heart, Paws of War. You can learn more about them at their website, https://pawsofwar.org/contact-florida-chapter on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PawsofwarFlorida/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pawsofwarflorida/       Kate, or "Phoenix," has had a tough few days and is pushing on in the heat of Connecticut after a zero in Kent, CT. She's having to pull on all her reserves of grit and determination as she continues to recover from her

I think that this is the longest show we've ever had!! Our main guests are Eric and Jessica Matos, or Toast and Jammz. They were introduced to me by Jester, from the Jester Section Hiker podcast and they have a strong hiking resume. We talk about both their hiking and their passion for leave no trace and sustainable use of wilderness places. Toast shares a few stories about their first hike together as a couple and how, when they were on the John Muir Trail, an idea for their business came to them. They have an inspiring message and vision for a time that needs businesses like theirs. If you'd like to learn more about Toast and Jammz (and, of course, Jelly Belly), check out https://evergreenadventurefoods.com/ and follow them on social media at https://www.instagram.com/evergreen_adventurefoods/ and https://www.facebook.com/evergreenadventurefoods Phoenix, our Woman of a Certain Age, is dying to get out of New York. Her ankle still bothers her, but she's soldiering on. Late this evening (Wednesday, Jun 17)

It's an all-woman show today, with Marissa Neel, the Executioner, as our main guest. She has a very funny, brutally honest YouTube channel, and is exactly the same person in our conversation. Marissa shares plenty of witty insights and a stoic determination to get to the end. The story of her last night camping on the AT is a visceral example of what it can be like out there. I could relate on so many levels. Her YouTube channel is not to be missed, so click here. https://www.youtube.com/user/mkneel2/videos Kate is now moving through New Jersey and past the 300-mile mark. The ankle still hurts, but she continues to push north. Below, she is with her current hiking partner, Luna, at the top of Culver Tower. I mention the open position at the Devil's Backbone Brewery as Chief Hiking Officer in my comments in the show. If you'd like to apply, check it out at this link. https://www.dbbrewingcompany.com/cho/ Finally, Grandma Gatewood reaches Baxter State Park. If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio N

Carolyn Walker and Gordon Yhap are now thru-hikers. When you hear their story, you may well wonder "How did they do it?" This conversation should shake up any pre-conceived ideas you may have about what it takes to hike the trail successfully. Gordon and Carolyn are an inspiration. Carolyn kept an online journal while on the trail, so if you'd like to follow along with their hike, click here. http://mytripjournal.com/carolynwalker .  She also did a guest post in the Trek once she finished https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trail/not-hiking-harder-than-hiking/ Kate Stillwell is still pushing north in our "Woman of a Certain Age" segment and has made it out of the dreaded state of PA. We also have the second part of Chapter 14 from Grandma Gatewood's Walk If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. The donate button is on the Mighty Blue podcast page at https://mightyblueontheat.com/the-podcast/ Any support is gratefully recei

We're not so focused on the AT this week, with Luke "Strider" Jordan taking on some of the wilder American trails. His first thru-hike was the 4600 mile North Country Trail, and he became the Earl Schaffer of the Great Plains Trail when he completed the very first thru-hike of that new trail. On the way, he learned what worked and what didn't. He shares some fascinating insights in his conversation with Steve You can connect with Strider and find out more about these trails at the following links. Strider's NCT Hike website: http://stridernct.com/Home_Page.php   Strider's Travel Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StriderNCT/   Strider's Book "Thru And Back Again...", available on amazon https://www.amazon.com/Thru-Back-Again-Journey-Country/dp/0692880909   For information about the North Country Trail visit: https://northcountrytrail.org/   For information about the Great Plains Trail visit:  https://www.greatplainstrail.org/   Kate Stillwell, or Phoenix, has stopped in town for the first time, mainly to

This week's guests met as members of the Class of 2019–my year, even though we never met–and they have been together pretty much ever since. Natalie and Grady both left a little earlier than I did and had a terrific tramily. It was Catmando, one of their tramily and a listener to the show, who pointed me in their direction. Natalie and Grady's story brings out the diversity of opportunity on the trail and each reflects upon how lucky they were not only to meet one another but that they chose 2019 and not 2020 for their trip. Natalie has a beautiful AT video which she did entirely in verse, so check that out here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyh80NSnma8&t=206s Kate Stillwell, in defiance of ATC directives, keeps moving forward and is already over 100 miles into her hike. We caught up on Tuesday. After chatting with Kate, I received an email from ATC who clarified their continued guidance about trail closures. I read this email on the show for the benefit of listeners. Finally, Grandma Gatewood's o