Shows / Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
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.
Episodes
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #591 - Days 196-198 Appalachian Trail 2026
I don't believe I give in to hyperbole that often, but these last three days have been the most dramatic of my entire thru-hike. Two separate visits to the…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #590 - Days 192-195 Appalachian Trail 2026
Nate and Amanda have gone home and I'm now hiking with Nuke again, as well as Lizard King. It is great to be in a small tramily as the hike draws to a close…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #589 - Days 189-191 Appalachian Trail 2026
We're closing in on the end of this somewhat circuitous hike, with less than ten days and just over 100 miles to go. Many times, this has felt a fool's errand…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #588 - Days 185-188 Appalachian Trail 2026
With less than 200 miles to go, Nate and I were joined by my friend, Amanda Aguilard, forming our southbound tramily for three days. We got cold but loved the…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #587 - Days 182-184 Appalachian Trail 2026
Virginia is providing us with spectacularly beautiful views and leaf-peeping, as well as some of the wettest and hottest days of this trip. Along with that…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #586 - Days 178-181 Appalachian Trail 2026
These past four days have been spent hiking with Nate, and in the last couple of days, we have been blessed by our personal trail angel, Katie Westling. We're…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #585 - Days 175-177 Appalachian Trail 2026
I'm now in a tramily of two, having been joined by my buddy, Nate for a few weeks. We're in Shenandoah and loving the smooth ride the trail gives us, not to…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #584 - Days 171-174 Appalachian Trail 2026
Sorry for the delay in getting this out to you. Suffice it to say that I've had one or two technical issues!! I'm nearly a week into the SOBO part of my…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #583 - Days 168-170 Appalachian Trail 2026
There is a bit of everything in today's show, with an epic Katahdin day, a dicey travel day, and my first day heading south, out of Harper's Ferry. Along the…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #582 - Days 164-167 Appalachian Trail 2026
The 100 Mile Wilderness and the impending weather changed our plans several times this week. So, instead of taking nine days to get through it, we pushed on…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #581 - Days 161-163 Appalachian Trail 2026
It's been a long time coming, with cell service almost non-existent in the 100 Mile Wilderness, but I'm at last able to bring you Thursday's podcast. This…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #580 - Days 157-160 Appalachian Trail 2026
We've reached Shaw's in Monson, AND done the first 30 miles of the 100 Mile Wilderness. Maine continues to impress us, with stiff climbs and stunning views. It…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #579 - Days 154-156 Appalachian Trail 2026
The three days from Sunday saw a nearo, a zero, and a near 15-miler. All part of the magic of an Appalachian Trail thru-hike. But I'm currently in Monson and…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #578 - Days 150-153 Appalachian Trail 2026
We lost one of our tramily this week, as Nuke pushed forward to achieve his summit several days before us in order to honor a friend back home. With much of…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #577 - Days 147-149 Appalachian Trail 2026
After our Slackpack Palooza into Rangely, we resumed our full packs for the three day hike to Stratton. It had been wonderful to have been so cosseted by our…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #576 - Days 143-146 Appalachian Trail 2026
A four day slackpack Palooza!! Staying with friends for four nights and having them slackpacking you is a treat, and that is exactly what we've been doing for…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #575 - Days 139-142 Appalachian Trail 2026
We're into Maine now and if we thought we'd left our difficult days in the past, we were sorely mistaken. My ass has continued to be kicked and The Mahoosuc…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #574 - Days 136-138 Appalachian Trail 2026
The miles have been cut back drastically, yet we are on the verge of leaving New Hampshire behind and entering Maine. It has been both glorious and difficult…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #573 - Days 133-135 Appalachian Trail 2026
New Hampshire has taken its toll on our weekly mileage, but the beauty and difficulty of the trail up here is staggering in both regards. My memory is also…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #572 - Days 129-132 Appalachian Trail 2026
New Hampshire has been doing New Hampshire things, like kicking my butt, giving me spectacular daily views, and providing Nuke and me with some of the best…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #571 - Days 126-128 Appalachian Trail 2026
We're not only pushing through New Hampshire, but we've reached the spot where the rubber meets the road; namely, Mt Moosilauke, the first of the 4000-footers…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #570 - Days 122-125 Appalachian Trail 2026
We're at last in New Hampshire, and the drama is ramping up, with longer, higher, and more intense climbs. From previous experience, I know that I've only done…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #569 - Days 119-121 Appalachian Trail 2026
A very short episode today, with just three days to report and no interviews. Such are the problems of reporting from a trail with limited WiFi opportunities!!…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #568 - Days 115-118 Appalachian Trail 2026
Vermont has been an unexpected pleasure. I don't recall it giving me such great hiking last time, and that, along with new and old friends, has made this last…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #567 - Days 112-114 Appalachian Trail 2026
We're in damp Vermont right now, with the mud and water making things a touch more tricky. The trail continues to be challenging, with the sure knowledge that…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #566 - Days 108-111 Appalachian Trail 2026
With record amounts of rainfall this week in Massachusetts, Nuke and I decided to wait it out during a zero day in Lee. Once we got back on trail the following…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #565 - Days 105-107 Appalachian Trail 2026
It's been another week of concern over my recent falls, but also one where I've had to manage my hike more proactively. I had a zero day in an attempt to reset…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #564 - Days 101-104 Appalachian Trail 2026
With the rocks finding new ways to hurt me, I'm falling a little too often for comfort. I'm now into Massachusetts, so I know that the rocks will only grow…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #563 - Days 98-100 Appalachian Trail 2026
I'm into Connecticut now, with the terrain a little more benign than the past few weeks. Added to this, I'm on a bit of a slackpacking run with my friend, Dr…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #562 - Days 94-97 Appalachian Trail 2026
Smoke from Canada and heat have conspired to test me this week, though it was the smoke that was likely more dangerous. That said, another state, New Tork…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #561 - Days 91-93 Appalachian Trail 2026
It's been another steamy few days that have fully exhausted me. Miles have become harder due to my tiredness, not the terrain. I'm hoping a change in the…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #560 - Days 87-90 Appalachian Trail 2026
This week has given me several days of slackpacking, with generous listeners helping me out so freely. I couldn't have been more humbled to have been helped in…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #559 - Days 84-86 Appalachian Trail 2026
After the heat of last week, the temperatures have fallen and rain is starting to wash out the air. I've continued to put in the miles, including another…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #558 - Days 80-83 Appalachian Trail 2026
Our sweltering weather hit us hard this week, with a couple of days above 100°. Despite the searing heat, I've been able to maintain my mileage goals. The…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #557 - Day 77-79 Appalachian Trail 2026
We're facing a tough week or two of excessive heat, with this week the fiercest so far. With temperatures up in the late 90s and early 100s, I have to take…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #556 - Days 73-76 Appalachian Trail 2026
The miles continue to pile up, with a twenty-mile day this week. It's true that the terrain is particularly conducive to twenty-mile plus days, yet I've been…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #555 - Days 70-72 Appalachian Trail 2026
I've been upping the mileage this week and am back to the levels I was achieving prior to my shin splints. I know, I need to be careful, but it is clear that I…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #554 - Days 66-69 Appalachian Trail 2026
At last, I'm back on trail, choosing Harper's Ferry as my start point to launch my hike to get to Katahdin before October. These first few days back on trail…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #553 - Back to the trail and lessons learned
This is a bit of a transition episode for the podcast. I wanted to talk about going back to the trail this week, but there isn't a great deal to say about it…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #552 - Greg Fisher (Dolphin)
Today, Greg Fisher takes us back to the Appalachian Trail in the 1960s, when he and two other 16-year-olds took a 17-day hike on the trail in New Hampshire…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #551 - Steve Adams (Mighty Blue) - A.T. 2026 debrief
As I did before when I finished the Appalachian Trail in 2019, I got a friend of mine, Glenn Hebert, from the Horse Radio Network, to debrief me following my…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #550 - Days 63-65 Appalachian Trail 2026
A whole bunch of zeroes as I try to recover from the recent injury to my leg. I've been patient and rested my leg, but the arrival of new Oboz shoes to…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #549 - Days 59-62 Appalachian Trail 2026
A bit of a critical week to recap today, with an injury that landed me in the Emergency Room in Pearisburg. I'm currently off trail but working on getting back…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #548 - Days 56-58 Appalachian Trail 2026
I've reached the quarterway point of the Application Trail, and am getting dark thoughts about the weather in the next few months. It is already unseasonably…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #547 - Days 52-55 Appalachian Trail 2026
A bit of a break for me this time. It is mid May, and that means Trail Days in Damascus. Dave Santi and his buddies picked me up from about 60 trail miles…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #546 - Days 49-51 Appalachian Trail 2026
This week, I had my first experience of substantial rain, with the hike out of Damascus. This took us through a 20 mile detour which turned out to be very…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #545 - Days 45-48 Appalachian Trail 2026
Early seven weeks in and a weakness is appearing. My feet are starting to get to me everyday, with my boots clearly too small and my toes all getting bruised…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #544 - Days 42-44 Appalachian Trail 2026
These last three days started with the vast, glittering openness of the balds in the Roan Highlands, then sent me back into the forest for a night camping by…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #543 - Days 38-41 Appalachian Trail 2026
Miraculously, the weather continues to cooperate as yet another four days pass without a minute walking in the rain! I'm in the Roan Highlands and coping well…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #542 - Days 35-37 Appalachian Trail 2026
I'm starting to manage aspects of my hike in a way I hadn't done so before now. Everything seems to have its own place, and each thing that arises during the…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #541 - Days 31-34 Appalachian Trail 2026
Into month two with the miles increasing, I'm truly living in the woods now. Life seems to have become more feral, and the simplicity of my life agrees with my…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #540 - Days 28-30 Appalachian Trail 2026
Dana came to visit me for a zero day this week. The Smokies are over and a record I hoped to beat while I was there remains intact!! Even with a relaxing zero…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #539 - Days 24-27 Appalachian Trail 2026
The Smokies are all but done, with glorious weather all the way with just one day to go. I think I was more concerned about them than I should have been, but…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #538 - Days 21-23 Appalachian Trail 2026
Into the Smokies this week for what feels like the end of the beginning. Cell service has been spotty at best, so getting this done a few hours late seems like…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #537 - Days 17-20 Appalachian Trail 2026
The three days from NOC to Fontana Dam were my toughest section so far. I made it, but the difficulty shook my confidence a bit. The walk down into NOC was a…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #536 - Days 14-16 Appalachian Trail 2026
Into the third week on trail and my first zero day, spent in Franklin, NC. The weather remains atypically unusual, with sun and great hiking conditions leading…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #535 - Days 10-13 Appalachian Trail 2026
Nearly two weeks in and I feel I'm hiking stronger than ever. These past four days were testing but I think I came through most of the tests. the feeling of…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #534 - Days 7-9 on the Appalachian Trail
Now a week into the hike, I've gotten into my stride and my body is holding up under the pressure. Already, the "feel" of the trail is as welcoming as it was…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #533 - Days 3-6 on the Appalachian Trail
I'm back on trail and getting back into the swing of things. This episode tracks days 3 to 6 after my return to the AT. I'm telling my story, along with those…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #532 - Days 1-2 Appalachian Trail 2026
This short episode brings everybody up to date with how I got to the trail, then, how I left it, followed by my plans to get back to it. I never do anything…