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 #399 - Beth Bakke Stenehjem & Frank Levine (Dos Caminos)
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #398 - Kyle O'Grady (Narnar)
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #397 - Aron Goss (OG)
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #396 - Ed Riggs (Phys Ed)
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #395 - Chris Casado (Commissioner)
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #394 - Drexel Swanson (Prepper)
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #393 - Laura Howe (Moonpants)
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #392 - Lee Lovelace (Hooker Tush)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #391 - Suzanne Roberts
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #390 - Earl Porter (A.Ham)
In our last episode before the 9/11 Anniversary, Earl "Chico" Porter shares his inspirational story, and mission, to help veterans contemplating suicide. Part…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #389 - Stephen Cole (Sweat Bucket)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #388 - Greg Johnson (Midwatch) and Betsy Hutchins
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #387 - Kathie Brennan
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #386 - Steve Vilsack (Wye Knot)
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #385 - Adrienne Washney (Mother Hen)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #384 - Kristy Burns and Annette Dumbell (The Wander Women)
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…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #383 - Dan Nobles (Wandering Monk)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #382 - Nancy East
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #381 - Kevin Kinne
Today, we hear from a man who really loves the AT. Kevin Kinne and I have been communicating since 2017, and he maintains part of the AT near Great Barrington…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #380 - Samantha Sharkey (Lemon Drop)
We're back to our usual format this week, with our main guest, three catch up interviews with our Mighty Blue Class of 2023 and the next chapter of George…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #379 - Jillian Hitt (Buckets)
This is an unusual show for us. Our guest, Jillian Hitt, who attempted a thru-hike in 2018, isn't on the show, though three important people in her life are on…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #378 - The Mighty Blue Class of '23 Update
This week is all about the members of the Mighty Blue Class of 2023. We've never had the opportunity to track them down all at the same time, so I thought this…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #377 - Spencer McKay (Warpzilla)
Our guest today, Spencer McKay, completed his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2007. The poignant reason he went on the trail at that time is told in his…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #376 - Mark Beno (Papa Dump)
Mark and David Beno, a father and son hiking team, took on the Appalachian Trail in 2022. Mark shares their story in this week's show. The two of them chose to…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #375 - Al Marriott (Lookout)
We have a shorter show than usual today, as I'm away hiking. There is still a great interview and the next segment of the book "Then the Hail Came." Al…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #374 - Kelly Jaworski (Birdie)
Kelly Jaworski hiked the AT in 2021 with a former guest of the show, Stuart (Puppy Love) Phelps. I reached out to her when I saw her epic summit photo on…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #373 - Jana Giles & David Nelson (Ducky & Gravy)
We have a young couple as our guests this week; Jana Giles and David Nelson, otherwise known as Ducky and Gravy. They have known each other for some time but…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #372 - Patch Leonard (Cold Brew)
We have Patch Leonard as our guest today. Patch is the son of Emily Leonard–a previous guest on the show–and he tells us of his own Appalachian Trail thru-hike…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #371 - Zach Cross
Zach Cross is starting his NOBO thru-hike from Springer on May 1. That he is even attempting this hike is something of a miracle. Three years ago, as Covid hit…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #370 - Jim LePage (Grey Ghost)
Jim LePage is a man who spends a lot of time outdoors. He hiked the AT in 2018, having thought about it for years. The proverbial window of opportunity…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #369 - Bob Delaney (Jon's Dad)
We leave the AT behind today for a trip to Sweden and the Kungsleden, a trail that I'd never heard of before. Bob Delaney, or Jon's Dad, has a history with…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #368 - Kenneth Pararo (Moron)
Kenneth Pararo is our guest today. He reached out to me, sending me a link to his podcast, and I entirely misjudged him. When I eventually spoke with Kenneth…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #367 - Rachel Hadley-Leonard
Rachel Hadley-Leonard is our guest today. I heard about Rachel walking the South West Coast Path in England from one of our previous guests and wanted to know…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #366 - Matt Hengst (Masochist)
Matthew Hengst, or Masochist, is today's guest. He is one of those guys who has managed to parlay his passion for hiking into pretty much a full-time gig. He's…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #365 - Mike (Blaze Dog) and Marla Hansen (Shows Up)
Our guests today are a husband and wife couple who worked out their own way to share the Appalachian Trail experience, even though only one of them walked the…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #364 - Mel Vogel
We have a true one-of-a-kind story today. Mel Vogel set out to hike the Trans Canada Trail in June 2017. Even when part of the trail was closed for…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #363 - Charlie Janssen (Kansas Express)
When Charlie Janssen was just ten miles into his Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2012, he wondered what it would be like to complete a Calendar Year Triple…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #362 - Leah Harman (Twig)
Leah Harman, or Twig, is our guest today. She is a self-confessed nomad, concentrating in the past few years on backpacking her way through many trails, both…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #361 - Casey Beeman (Freedom Pouch)
I found this week's guest by reading an article he'd written about Post-Trail Depression. I know some people scoff at this concept, but it is real, and Casey…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #360 - Emet Baker (Quickbeam)
Emet Baker, or Quickbeam is our guest today. He was able to complete his first year college finals before heading out on trail last year, with a mission to…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #359 - Toby Busch (Stovetop)
Our guest this week is Toby Busch, a young man who lives out of his Ford Connect and records his life adventures on YouTube. Last year, he fulfilled a…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #358 - Amanda Wylie (Two Braids)
Amanda Wylie is an independent, strong young woman from Queens, NY. She hiked the Appalachian Trail last year and, despite loving the impact it had upon her…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #357 - John Jordan (Morning Glory)
Today, we hear from one of the unsung heroes of our hiking world. He's not a thru-hiker–though his son did one–but he's a member of the Board of ALDHA, the…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #356 - Julia Widmar (Stretcher)
We have one of our younger newly minted thru-hikers today. Julia Widmar was only 20 when she hit the trail last year, though she had learned so much in the…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #355 - Nick Gagnon (Chezwick)
Nick Gagnon is an elite level hiker. He completed the Great Western Loop in 2022 in under 200 days, a remarkable achievement in that the loop is just shy of…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #354 - Billy Arthur (Backwards)
Our guest today, Billy Arthur, or Backwards, met and fell in love with another hiker on the AT this year. Billy had wanted to get on the trail since his…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #353 - Jason Tompkins (Out and About)
Jason Tompkins is our guest today, with his stories about a new long-distance trail; The Carolinian. It's new because he named it, then hiked it this year. Yet…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #352 - Brittany Rosendahl (Hot Hands)
We're sticking with the Class of 2022 hikers once more, with Brittany Rosendahl–one of my Facebook friends–sharing the story of her hike and what brought her…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #351 - Samuel Crisp (Shaker)
This week, our guest, Samuel Crisp, is another of the Class of 2022 thru-hikers. His mature approach to the trail, his understanding and treatment of his…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #350 - Frank Dutman (Heineken)
Today, we have a visitor from the Netherlands. Frank Dutman first heard about the trail in some unrelated research back in the late 90s. Since then, he's…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #349 - Lauren Adamczak (Airbag)
Today's guest, Lauren Adamczak, described herself as "the quiet 30-year-old that never spoke up in groups, often looked down at the ground in public, and…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #348 - Stuart Phelps (Puppy Love)
Stuart Phelps, or Puppy Love, is our guest this week. Stuart had set himself a goal to thru-hike the trail when he turned 50, yet, as often happens, the window…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #347 - Syd Sayward (Bug)
Today's show features a recently successful thru-hiker, and the first of our Mighty Blue Class of 2023. Syd Sayward has wanted to complete the AT since, as a…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #346 - Mike Current (Energizer)
Today's guest was a guest on the show at the beginning of 2021, sharing his stories about his PCT thru-hike. He never expected to go again–even though his wife…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #345 - Tonya Lonsbury (Monarch)
Today's guest recently completed her AT thru-hike and, joyous as she is, she and Steve get into a conversation that celebrates the joy, but also delves into…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #344 - Kristi McLeod Fondren (HQtie)
Dr Kristi McLeod Fondren joins us today to bring an academic's view on hiking. Kristi hiked the PCT over the last couple of years and has combined that love of…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #343 - Andy Hood
Today's guest, Andy Hood, isn't a hiker. He's a runner, but the story of his recent journey parallels that of many long-distance hikers. It is his backstory…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #342 - Hunter Rud (Hunter)
We have another recent thru-hiker today. He is Hunter Rud and, when you hear his story, the Appalachian Trail wasn't on his radar until very recently. But…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #341 - Julieann Hartley (Squirt)
Julieann Hartley is today's guest. She hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2015 and transformed her life. She articulates this so beautifully in our conversation…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #340 - TSX Challenge (Part 2)
This week, we have the second and concluding part of my recent 75 mile TSX Challenge hike in California, taking in Mt Whitney as its main highlight. As many of…