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PODCAST

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

An overweight, 61-year-old retiree, with zero hiking experience, decided to hike the entire 2,185.3 mile length of the Appalachian Trail in 2014. What could possibly go wrong? As his brother, Mike, commented, "It"s a bit like taking up boxing and fighting Mike Tyson in your first bout." Join Steve and his guests as they discuss all aspects of the trail, from gear to Lyme Disease, then back to trail magic and injury.

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All Episodes

01:13:37

Episode #401 - Emily Johnson (Cobweb Rose)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/11/23

Another newly minted thru-hiker from the Class of 23 joins us this week. Emily Johnson turned to backpacking when she met a guy who would become her hiking mentor. She found escape in the woods from her stressful job as a young nurse during Covid. Emily pushed through the horrendous variety of weather that thru-hikers encountered this year, making it to Katahdin in exactly six months. You can follow Emily at her various social media channels. On Facebook at

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01:10:38

Episode #400 - Chris Marshburn (Roll Tide)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/11/16

For our 400th show today, I have Chris Marshburn, or Roll Tide, as my guest. Chris is a phenomenal steward for the trail, having been a Caretaker in New England and, this year, the sole Ridgerunner on the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies. His generosity of spirit, along with his curious nature, shines through in our conversation; indeed, it was during our recording that I decided he’d be the perfect guest to celebrate this episode milestone. You can see Chris’s awesome photos on Instagram at

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01:44:48

Episode #399 - Beth Bakke Stenehjem & Frank Levine...

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/11/09

Today, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the completion of my Camino Francés hike in 2018, I’ve invited two friends to the show to share their Caminos this year. Beth Bakke Stenjhem went for her second Camino Francés earlier this year with some friends. It wasn’t entirely plain sailing, with some nasty injuries along the way. Also today, Frank Levine and his family took on the Portuguese Camino, from Lisbon to Santiago. His story has solidified my plans for the same hike next year, though Dana

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01:04:02

Episode #398 - Kyle O'Grady (Narnar)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/11/02

Our guest this week is the host of the popular YouTube channel, Kyle Hates Hiking. Kyle O’Grady did his AT thru-hike in 2018, then started his channel a year later. He’s funny, irreverent, and wryly observant. I even tried out something new in our interview. I hope you like it. You can follow Kyle on several platforms. Of course, there’s his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@KyleHatesHiking, but you can also follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kylehateshiking/ and hear

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01:15:58

Episode #397 - Aron Goss (OG)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/10/26

Aron Goss did his thru-hike this year. It was about as perfect as a hike could be, with his family supporting him every step of the way, and climbing Katahdin with him at the end. On the way, he engaged with his fellow hikers, gaining an appreciation of the community and enjoying his interactions with younger hikers he met. You can follow his progress on his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Zm4PKcsysvdb2l-nWWIrA and on his Instagram page at

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01:12:49

Episode #396 - Ed Riggs (Phys Ed)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/10/19

We have Ed Riggs on the show today. Ed hiked the AT in 2013 and had to face some severe health issues on the way. In fact, he had to leave the trail and come back the following year to get it completed. He also faced the dilemma many of us encounter while we’re out there; keeping the family comfortable with what we’re doing, without scaring the living daylights out of them! Ed is inspirational and worth checking out on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOicX70mHbdQbG5pGqqkepw

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01:25:34

Episode #395 - Chris Casado (Commissioner)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/10/12

We have a returning guest this week. Chris Casado was the guy who was able to help me overcome the difficulties I was having with altitude out West, by getting me, in a guided hike, to the top of Mt Whitney. It remains one of my proudest moments. I wanted to catch up with Chris to get his perspective of our hike and the many others he’s involved with. He’s an interesting character who gives a lot of himself in the service of others. You can find out more about TSX and the other hikes at their

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01:25:56

Episode #394 - Drexel Swanson (Prepper)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/10/05

Drexel Swanson, or Prepper, is our guest today. Drexel was a member of the Class of 23, and his story is an epic tale of resilience and a refusal to take no for an answer. What happened to him was, at times, truly stressful–even life endangering–yet he pushed on through with a grim determination. I’ve seen pictures of the damage to his foot that he talks about in the show and, trust me with this, it isn’t something you really want to see over your breakfast. But Drexel has a YouTube channel where–I

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01:24:58

Episode #393 - Laura Howe (Moonpants)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/09/28

We have a newly minted Appalachian Trail thru-hiker as our main guest on the show today. Laura Howe, or Moonpants, took on the trail with gusto. Near the end, she had a terrifying river crossing that eventually necessitated an SOS call. She made it, but had an up-close look at how things can go quickly wrong. Her can-do attitude shines through our conversation and, despite her untimely premature exit, she was able to get back on and finish the hike. You can follow Laura through Instagram at

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01:25:24

Episode #392 - Lee Lovelace (Hooker Tush)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/09/21

Lee Lovelace and I met at Trail Days this year in the author’s tent. My books are about my AT thru-hike, while Lee’s book, Sawyer’s Run, is a novel about the AT. We both share an abiding passion for the trail and I wanted Lee to come on the show to tell his story of resilience. Much of his novel is based upon real events, while plenty is made up; you decide what to believe!! Most importantly, when we spoke, he was healthy again. you can check out a few links form Lee, including his author website

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01:38:17

Episode #391 - Suzanne Roberts

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/09/14

Suzanne Roberts is our guest today. She shares a thoughtful, female perspective on long-distance hiking, using her 1993 JMT hike as a backdrop. The concept of a different experience from men to women had never occurred to me, but I was intrigued to hear her story. She is releasing an Anniversary edition of her book about her JMT hike, and you can find it in the links she sent me below. Almost Somewhere

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01:49:13

Episode #390 - Earl Porter (A.Ham)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/09/07

In our last episode before the 9/11 Anniversary, Earl “Chico” Porter shares his inspirational story, and mission, to help veterans contemplating suicide. Part of this was to take on a winter SOBO hike of the Appalachian Trail, starting on the 20th Anniversary in 2021. You’ll hear how Earl fared, as well as his deeper message, which will resonate with most of us. Earl has supplied me with several links, including his Blog:

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01:40:56

Episode #389 - Stephen Cole (Sweat Bucket)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/08/31

Steve Cole joins us on the show today. He was a guest on the podcast about two years ago, telling us about his first big hike; Le Tour du Mont Blanc. Since then, he’s hardly stopped hiking. Today, we talk about his Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2021, as well as some of his other adventures. Steve shared his Facebook details, where he posted most of his thru-hike pictures. You can find it at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.cole.3388 And for those of you who consistently fail to score the JMT

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01:40:32

Episode #388 - Greg Johnson (Midwatch) and Betsy...

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/08/24

This week, we hear from one of the leaders of the Summit Project and the mother from a Gold Star Family about what the project means to them. This remarkable effort honors the fallen from Maine in an outdoor setting that is truly inspirational. If you’d like to learn more about the project, and maybe even sign up for one of their events, check out the links below. https://thesummitproject.org https://thesummitproject.org/heroes-hundred-welcome/ https://thesummitproject.org/tsp-at-anp/

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01:22:51

Episode #387 - Kathie Brennan

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/08/17

Kathie Brennan is our guest today. She is President of the Ozark Trail Association, putting in hours of trail maintenance not only on her beloved trail, but also on the Appalachian Trail. She provides us with a sharp insight into trail work, with modern practices and even talks about leaf blowing for instant gratification! Find out more about the Ozark Trail at their website http://ozarktrail.com There’s also a useful trip planner at https://www.ozarktrail.com/planner/ Two of our Class of 23

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01:34:24

Episode #386 - Steve Vilsack (Wye Knot)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/08/10

Steve Vilsack joins us on the show today. He refuses to see limitations that would prevent many others from even attempting the Appalachian Trail. He is legally blind, he fell too many times to count, and he got to the end by sheer strength of character. His story is an affirmation of the human spirit that will inspire many of us to not look at what we can’t do, rather what we can do. You can follow Steve on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092445351138 and

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01:39:37

Episode #385 - Adrienne Washney (Mother Hen)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/08/03

One of our listeners introduced me to Adrienne Washney, who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2022. She incorporated her shakedown hikes into the thru-hike, by taking the first few weeks in weekend hikes and gradually adjusting or refining her set up. When she was ready to go it alone, she’d sorted out the kinks. Adrienne had quite the adventure, even leaving the trail with about 80 miles to go to Katahdin to attend her son’s wedding; she even had a momentary pause over that! Always thoughtful

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01:31:39

Episode #384 - Kristy Burns and Annette Dumbell (The...

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/07/27

Some of the most recognizable hikers from the Class of 2019, The Wander Women, join us today. At least, two of them do. Kristy Burns and Annette Dumbell are two women in search of adventure, using their retirement time to travel, hike, bike, and canoe. They share their stories with Steve as they reminisce their adventurous life. These are two women who are clear-eyed and intentional about choosing how to spend their time. You can join in their adventures by following them on social media. On

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01:47:07

Episode #383 - Dan Nobles (Wandering Monk)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/07/20

Our guest today, Dan Nobles, was a Colonel in the Army, working out of the Pentagon, when he quit and went to Seminary School. I think I’ve rarely heard of such a drastic change of scenery. Vowing never to hike again after he left the military, his brother coaxed him back into it and he found the solace on the trail that he needed. Dan has some fascinating takes on many topics in this interview and, as the Wandering Monk, he has an informative YouTube channel that visits lesser-known trails. You

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01:16:26

Episode #382 - Nancy East

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate... ·

2023/07/13

On today’s show, we have Nancy East, a retired veterinarian who is also an avid and accomplished hiker. Nancy is the perfect person to talk about dogs on the trail from a vet’s perspective. As somebody who know’s literally zero on the subject, I turned to my good buddy, ChaptGPT, to help me out with my questions that seemed to cover the subject pretty well. You can find more about Nancy’s rich hiking life and hiking achievements by visiting her website at https://www.hopeandfeathertravels.com/ We

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