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 Crisis
Episode #280 - Vince and Monica Strawbridge (Strawbridge Treks)
Today is the first of four shorter shows, with just one main interview and a few words of commentary from me. With a bit of luck, I'll be out on the John Muir…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #279 - Gretchen Pardon (Braids)
We return to the world of YouTube this week, with another interview of a woman who successfully thru-hiked the trail and recorded her experiences along the…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #278 - Jessica Mills (Dixie) and MarDe Brooks
This week, let's welcome a newly minted thru-hiking couple to the show. Jessica Mills (Dixie) and her partner, MarDe Brooks, recently completed the Florida…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #277 - Michael Sisemore (Sy)
This week, our guest is Michael Sisemore, better known as Sy. As many people do, Michael hiked the Appalachian Trail when he was at a real crossroads in his…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #276 - Steve Nota (Dingo)
This week on the show, we go back to the 'normal" format, with me, Mighty Blue, at the microphone. Ryan is passing back the show having successfully steered it…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #275 - Lisa Speas (Conundrum)
Lisa Speas or "Conundrum" has been long-distance backpacking for many years traversing a variety of trails, the longest of which being the Appalachian Trail…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #274 - Kera Passante and Bill Welch (Sunny and Always)
We've got a couple of overachievers on the show today. Kera and Bill decided that an Appalachian Trail thru-hike wasn't sufficient to scratch their adventure…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #273 - M.J. Eberhart (Nimblewill Nomad)
On a beautiful day in the Grayson Highlands, Ryan hikes and sits down with Nimblewill Nomad for a follow-up interview from the last time they spoke on the…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #272 - Jamey Mossengren (Big Red)
While you listen to this, our guest today, Jamey Mossengren, is out on the Pacific Crest Trail with his buddies, The Minnesota Hikings. Jamey and I talk about…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #271 - Steve Adams (Mighty Blue) at Trail Days
It was Trail Days in Damascus this past weekend, and Ryan took to opportunity to chat with Steve about the event itself, his books, and his upcoming plans for…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #270 - Jim Harrison
Jim Harrison serves as the Director of Outdoor Programs at Emory and Henry College, where he created and oversees the Semester-A-Trail program. The only one of…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #269 - Will Campbell (Guano Man) on Trail Electronics
Will Campbell "Guano Man" joins the show this week as the first "subject matter expert" to discuss electronics and technology on the trail. With his electrical…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #268 - Lisa and Gordon Simmons (The Hostel Around the Bend)
Lisa and Gordon Simmons are the proud owners of Hostel Around the Bend in Hiawassee, Georgia. The hostel is just half a mile from Dick's Creek Gap (AT Mile…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #267 - Sarah Jane Hatfield (Pringles)
For my show this month, I've returned to the Class of 2019 and a woman I met quite early on. Sarah Jane Hatfield was an outwardly confident hiker, with a…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #266 - NC Trail Interviews (Nimblewill Nomad and more!!!)
The show this week features interviews from four hikers who Ryan was able to meet with at Rock Gap in North Carolina, mile 105.8 on the Appalachian Trail. All…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #265 - Zach Hoopes (Relish)
Originally from Virginia, Zach Hoops has gone all-in with long-distance and ultralight backpacking. After discovering his love for hiking and honing his craft…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #264 - Cass Bridges (Nova)
Cass Bridges hails from North Georgia and spent a few seasons working at the historic Mountain Crossings before taking on a thru-hike attempt of her own in…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #263 - Zach Nagy (Just Awesome)
Zach Nagy was introduced to hiking and car camping as a kid but a life in the rock business–working with Joan Jett–took him down another path until he met a…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #262 - Rue Mckenrick
Self-described "Complete Nature Boy," Rue McKenrick is today's guest. He takes us on a journey around the American Perimeter Trail. It was Rue's vision that…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #261 - Ray Kroebl (Sparky)
I hadn't noticed how many of my fellow members of the Class of 2019 I'd had on the show until I spoke with Ray Kroebl, or Sparky. Ray is Swiss and, while we…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #260 - Juliana Chauncey (Chaunce)
It's one of our longest ever shows today, with three guests and my book reading. First up, Juliana Chauncey, a fellow member of the Class of 2019, and a fellow…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #259 - Brittany Briley (Mooney)
Brittany Briley's smile lit up the trail in 2019, and we first met at Woods Hole Hostel. A nurse by training, she felt that the time was right to take a break…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #258 - Joseph Barnett (Subway Gramps)
Joseph Barnett had quite the adventure hiking the Appalachian Trail during the latter half of 2019 and the first half of 2020. He faced a bunch of problems…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #257 - Dan Gosmeyer (Shoeless)
We have another of my Class of 2019 brothers on the show today. I met Dan Gosmeyer pretty early on the trail and recall his quiet determination but, with a…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #256 - Caroll Coyne (Cheer)
Today's guest is another whose thru-hike was the Pacific Crest Trail, yet Caroll Coyne has lessons–and solutions–that are universal to all long-distance…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #255 - Erik Russell (Lars)
We have a couple of interesting topics on the show this week. Our first guest, Erik Russell, wrote to me to convey a notable if somewhat jarring, incident that…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #254 - Tina Tempest (Chunky)
It's lovely to interview somebody you've met and spent time with before. So I was delighted when Tina Tempest agreed to come on the show and share what…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #253 - Reid Marshall and Marina Santiago (Wombat and Brown-Eyed Girl)
This week, we feature a couple who met on the trail in 2019 and have been a couple ever since. Reid Marshall and Marina Santiago are, however, locationally…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #252 - Mike Current (Energizer)
We normally focus on the Appalachian Trail, but this week, we're moving across the country to share the hike of Mike Current on the Pacific Crest Trail. Mike's…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #251 - Steve Yale (Walmart 2021)
We're back to our three-segment show this week, with Steve Yale, or Walmart 2021, as our principal guest. Steve got his name when he first hiked the AT in…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #250 - Trevor Hendry (Bear)
It's a shorter show today, though I think the content is as compelling as ever. This week's guest is Trevor Hendry, or Bear. Trevor's 2020 thru-hike presented…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #249 - Matthew Norman (Odie)
We've got an old friend on the show today. Matthew "Odie" Norman is one of those good people of the trail. He lives it, he breathes it, and he shares it, with…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #248 - Larry Knight (McGyver)
This week, Larry Knight shares his Appalachian Trail thru-hike story. It was never really a bucket list item for Larry but, as often happened, a confluence of…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #247 - Stephanie Logan Hall (Puffin)
Another really full show this week, with four segments. First up, there is a recently minted thru-hiker, Stephanie Logan Hall, who completed her SOBO hike on…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #246 - Matthew Emerson (Prada G)
We have a story today of a young man who walked away from a life of extreme poverty to find himself (literally) on the Appalachian Trail. Matthew Emerson's…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #245 - Alan Carpenter
Another full show today, with Alan Carpenter taking up long-distance hiking in his 60s and still going today, well into his 70s. Alan's story is a testimony to…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #244 - Julia Sheehan (Rocket)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #243 - Dan Schoenthal (Tremor)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #242 - Jillian and Logan Ivey (The Purple People)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #241 - Rob Landry (Fly by Night)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #240 - Woods Hole Hostel Retreat
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #239 - Pat Stith (Lucky)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #238 - Briana and Cambyr Sullivan (Chickweed and Kaleidoscope)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #237 - Bill Tickner (Mr President)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #236 - Sandi Marra (President and CEO of the ATC)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #235 - Ryan Schlosser (YearBook)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #234 - Dave Fleischman (J.I.F.)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #233 - Sally Brooks (Not Yet)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #232 - Craig Fowler (Scatman)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #231 - Barney Mann (Scout)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #230 - Amber Heuisler (Wheezy)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #229 - Lily Gelfars
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #228 - Brian Bell (Brother Bear)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #227 - Molly Rhoads (Shark Tooth)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #226 - Chris Pirrello (Cookie Monster)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #225 - Keith Foskett (Fozzie)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #224 - JC Van Etten (Catmando)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #223 - Eric and Jessica Matos (Toast and Jammz)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #222 - Marissa Neel (The Executioner)
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…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #221 - Carolyn Walker and Gordon Yhap (Lucky 59 and Pepperpot)
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…