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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

01:13:32

Episode #244 - Julia Sheehan (Rocket)

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

2020/11/12

It's a slightly shorter show this week, with Laura Sheehan, or Rocket, as our principal guest. Julia was a member of my last AT class; the Class of 2019. We never met on the trail, but I was made aware of the popularity of her YouTube videos. She is a very self-aware hiker, acknowledging the changes she saw in herself, having sold everything to uproot her life and hit the AT in 2019. Like many hikers, she learned to live with less and now uses her YouTube channel to record further adventures and

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01:36:01

Episode #243 - Dan Schoenthal (Tremor)

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

2020/11/05

This week's guest, Dan Schoenthal, is an unlikely thru-hiker. He suffers from Parkinson's Disease and, as you'll learn, he has pushed through this impediment, getting an impressive start on the 2200-mile journey. I spoke with Dan a few weeks ago, and he mentioned a fund-raising effort he was making in conjunction with his hike. That particular fundraiser has now ended, but if you know somebody stricken by the condition and would like to help, here is a link to the Parkinson's Foundation, where

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01:37:54

Episode #242 - Jillian and Logan Ivey (The Purple...

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

2020/10/29

Anybody who shared the trail with me last year must have heard of the Purple People. They seemed to be ubiquitous, turning up night after night at hostels, shelters, and homes to play their own music to lighten everybody's lives. The fact that they wore and carried everything in a vibrant lilac color didn't exactly allow them to blend into the crowd. These are two people with a distinct sound, a memorable appearance, and a giving nature. When I was able to interview them for the show, their

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01:41:01

Episode #241 - Rob Landry (Fly by Night)

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

2020/10/22

I first met Rob Landry (virtually) when he reached out partway through his 2020 thru-hike attempt. He was thinking about writing the book of hiking during a pandemic and wanted a little publishing advice. So it delighted me to hear from him when he finished his 2020 hike and I invited him on the show. The finish, however, wasn't what I expected, and nor will you. If you'd like to see more of Rob's hike, check out his Instagram account at https://instagram.com/flybynighthike Leanna Joyner is the

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01:59:16

Episode #240 - Woods Hole Hostel Retreat

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

2020/10/15

We've got a bit of a departure from our normal set up today. Instead of a particular hiker, I've got a disparate collection of characters who attended our inaugural Woods Hole Retreat a couple of weekends ago. I've tried to recapture the event by chatting with nearly all the participants and hope that you'll enjoy this one-off change. We covered a four-day weekend, starting with a short hike into Dismal Falls from the Weary Feet Hostel. At the Falls, we camped overnight and shared some tips on

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01:20:53

Episode #239 - Pat Stith (Lucky)

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

2020/10/08

We have another of our vintage hikers on the show today. Pat Stith didn't get started with his hiking until he was in his early 60s, yet he's certainly made up for lost time in the interim. Now 78, Pat goes through his various adventures with Steve, including his Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2015 when he was into his 70s. Pat loves the people he meets even more than the hiking and mentions friendships that have survived the trail with far younger hikers. His blog, at http://patstith.com/ is full

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01:15:44

Episode #238 - Briana and Cambyr Sullivan (Chickweed...

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

2020/10/01

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

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01:16:00

Episode #237 - Bill Tickner (Mr President)

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

2020/09/24

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

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01:23:32

Episode #236 - Sandi Marra (President and CEO of the...

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

2020/09/17

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

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01:18:44

Episode #235 - Ryan Schlosser (YearBook)

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

2020/09/10

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

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01:35:45

Episode #234 - Dave Fleischman (J.I.F.)

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

2020/09/03

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

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01:25:16

Episode #233 - Sally Brooks (Not Yet)

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

2020/08/27

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

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01:32:37

Episode #232 - Craig Fowler (Scatman)

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

2020/08/20

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

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01:27:30

Episode #231 - Barney Mann (Scout)

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

2020/08/13

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

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01:06:25

Episode #230 - Amber Heuisler (Wheezy)

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

2020/08/06

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

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01:45:53

Episode #229 - Lily Gelfars

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

2020/07/30

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.

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01:24:14

Episode #228 - Brian Bell (Brother Bear)

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

2020/07/23

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

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01:07:29

Episode #227 - Molly Rhoads (Shark Tooth)

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

2020/07/16

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

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01:05:27

Episode #226 - Chris Pirrello (Cookie Monster)

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

2020/07/09

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

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01:31:19

Episode #225 - Keith Foskett (Fozzie)

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

2020/07/02

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

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