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 #160 - Appalachian Trail (Days 101 to 102)
Just two days today, with a 35-mile hike into the precipitous descent into Port Clinton. Trigger and I are still together and, as you can see, he has reached…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #159 - Appalachian Trail (Days 97 to 100)
We've had a productive few days, including the longest day I've ever done on the AT. Trigger and I are currently a 2-person "tramily" as Cushy and Dodger Dog…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #158 - Appalachian Trail (Days 94 to 96)
With the tramily now down to two of us, Trigger and I have made steady progress in Pennsylvania. The Mason Dixon Line, the halfway point, and the 1100 mile…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #157 - Appalachian Trail (Days 91 to 93)
The past three days have taken us through Maryland to the edge of Pennsylvania. It didn't turn out to be the easy state I'd remembered. We were honored to have…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #156 - Appalachian Trail (Days 87 to 90)
We've made it to Harpers Ferry, the traditional halfway point. I'm tired, sore, and feel accomplished. The tramily is starting to break up, a natural…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #155 - Appalachian Trail (Days 84 to 86)
We've finished with Shenandoah National Park. It turned out to be a great place that we all thoroughly enjoyed. With Ugh leaving for Trail Days, our little…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #154 - Appalachian Trail (Days 78 to 83)
It has been a wonderful six days with the Shenandoah National Park as the backdrop. I've been gobsmacked (wonderful English expression) by the kindness of…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #153 - Appalachian Trail (Days 74 to 77)
Four days of SOBO and NOBO hiking, with RTK joining us for a couple of very wet, quite testing days. We learn about the attacks and the trail has become a…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #152 - Appalachian Trail (RTK interviews Mighty Blue)
Bruce Matson (RTK) asks Mighty Blue listeners' questions, with subjects ranging from interesting characters, food, a comparison between his two AT hikes to…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #151 - Appalachian Trail (Days 68 to 73)
The forest is greening up rapidly. Our team is still together but issues are arising. Not between the four of us but in our own physical frailties that this…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #150 - Appalachian Trail (Days 65 to 67)
It has been an epic few days, with the Virginia Triple Crown of Dragon's Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs now behind us. Once more, new and old friends…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #149 - Appalachian Trail (Days 60 to 64)
A week with a new Tramily. It has been fun to hike with Ugh, Cushy Life, and Trigger for the past few days. I've been upping my miles to keep up with them but…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #148 - Appalachian Trail (Days 56 to 59)
Every night in the woods this time. After publishing the last show at Chestnut Knob Shelter I've made it the 55 miles to Woods Hole Hostel. Characters are…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #147 - Appalachian Trail (Days 52 to 55)
I've spent the past four days hiking with my Buddy, Clay Bonnyman Evans. I trimmed back the mileage but have continued to feel better and better as I hiked. We…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #146 - Appalachian Trail (Days 47 to 51)
Three hard hiking days out of Damascus proved the perfect antidote to two days lying on my bed watching sport on TV. I was lucky enough to address some…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #145 - Appalachian Trail (Days 43 to 46)
It's been an exhausting few days and my body is telling me to rest. I'm taking a double zero in Damascus, though I'm still getting in some good mileage days…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #144 - Appalachian Trail (Days 40 to 42)
Another diverse few days, with tiredness, bailouts, glorious views, wonderful people, and poignant stories filling my days. From a sun-filled Carvers Gap I…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #143 - Appalachian Trail (Days 36 to 39)
More miles and experiences under his belt, Steve is planning ahead to ensure that he extracts the best parts of his hike when the weather is cooperating. He…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #142 - Appalachian Trail (Days 32 to 35)
Another great few days, with weather extremes influencing the hike. Eventually, Steve learned–yet again–the importance of hiking your own hike. He has put in…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #141 - Appalachian Trail (Days 29 to 31)
A short few days and a cloudy Max Patch. Getting the mileage up to 14s and 15s but still feeling tired, either through lack of sleep, lack of food, or both…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #140 - Appalachian Trail (Days 24 to 28)
This is the Smokies Part II episode. With five days the cover the mileage may seem unimpressive. However, within those five days, there are two "nearos" and a…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #139 - Appalachian Trail (Days 20 to 23)
It's Smokies Week on the show and plenty of uphills on the way to Clingmans Dome. I became part of, and lost, my first tramily, and loved my time with them. I…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #138 - Appalachian Trail (Days Seventeen to Nineteen)
Another few days with varying fortunes. The week started disastrously with the loss of a vital piece of equipment. The views continued to make the heart fly…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #137 - Appalachian Trail (Days Fourteen to Sixteen)
Another three-day stint between stops in town took Steve from Franklin to Nantahala Outdoor Center. Before he even left Franklin, however, he started with one…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #136 - Appalachian Trail (Days Ten to Thirteen)
The trail has been testing this past four days. Steve left Dick's Creek Gap last Thursday morning and has now reached Franklin NC after three nights in the…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #135 - Appalachian Trail (Days Seven to Nine)
It has been an emotional three days for Steve as he faced up to his first real adversity. He knew it would happen, he was even expecting it, yet his emotional…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #134 - Appalachian Trail (Days Four to Six)
Now six days in, Steve is getting into something of a rhythm. His toes are hurting a little, though nothing too serious. He is constantly on the lookout for…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #133 - Appalachian Trail (Days One to Three)
Steve is on his way and trying to adjust to his new lifestyle. So far, he has kept to the schedule he gave himself and finished day three in Suches. It has…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #132 - Megan Dolman (Giggles) and Mark Bychowski (Pepperjack)
When Megan (from the UK) and Mark (an American) started their respective hikes on March 5, 2018, neither could have imagined how their lives were about to…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #131 - Suzanne Dixon (Irish Fire)
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is THE critical component in a healthy trail for hikers, both now and for the future. Suzanne Dixon is the President and CEO…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #130 - Paul Maguire (Irish Paul)
As soon as I started speaking with Paul Maguire I knew we'd get on well. He has that cheeky Irish lilt to his voice with a smile just under the surface, ready…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #129 - Lea Ann Hogan and Lotta Anvret
Another two members of the Mighty Blue Class of 2019 this week. Lea Ann Hogan and Lotta Anvret have given to others all their lives. They are a nurse and a…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #128 - Tyler Lau (The Prodigy)
The awesome Tyler Lau is a man on a mission. Not only has he completed a Calendar Year Triple Crown, but he is also working for more diversity on the trails of…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #127 - Randy Forest (PT)
When Randy Forrest reached out to me so that he could tell his own story of hiking the Appalachian Trail as a member of the Class of 2018, I knew straight away…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #126 - Dawanna Blue (Sally Forth)
Dawanna Blue is a self-confessed high-maintenance hiker. She is a member of the Class of 2018 and her hike was five years in the making. Having arrived at the…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #125 - Dan Harris (Scars)
Dan Harris spent many years in the CIA, little suspecting that he'd one day use those problem-solving skills to take on a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #124 - Greg Behrens (GBolt)
One of our sister shows on the Hiking Radio Network, Returning to Katahdin, featured Bruce Matson's successful attempt to fulfill his 44-year dream of…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #123 - Jessie Greger (Pipes)
Choosing what to eat on the trail normally ends in Snickers, ramen noodles, or pasta and rice sides. While these certainly give you instant energy, the long-…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #122 - Michael Duncan (Crispy)
Michael Duncan completed his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2017. Since the time he touched the brown sign on the top of Katahdin, the sadness of that…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #121 - Dave Paumen (CBiscuit)
I interviewed Dave Paumen at 5:30 in the morning as he was about to enter the 100 Mile Wilderness. I was struck by his calm intelligence and his story. A…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #120 - Nate Stockton (Turd Ferguson)
As I'll be hiking the AT myself in 2019, I won't be able to follow one hiker as closely as I did with Jessa in 2017 and Bruce this year in the Returning to…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #119 - Darwin
Darwin is a relatively new thru-hiker, having hit and completed the Appalachian Trail in 2015. Yet his YouTube channel is hugely popular, with over 135,000…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #118 - Stephanie Lorenze (Sunshine)
For many people, hiking the Appalachian Trail is the culmination of a lifelong dream. There may be issues that they don't want to face, they may be grieving…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #117 - Camino De Santiago (Days Thirty-one to Thirty-three)
With just two days and about 32 miles left, Steve and Emma just had to contend with the torrential rain to get to Santiago. While the journey proved to be a…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #116 - Camino De Santiago (Days Twenty-eight to Thirty)
It's been a tough few days since Steve found out that he'd miscalculated the miles per day required to finish by this Friday. Emma and Steve have stepped up…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #115 - Camino De Santiago (Days Twenty-four to Twenty-seven)
With almost 400 miles to their credit, Emma and Steve can hardly believe the luck they've had with the weather. Even where it has snowed there still seems to…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #114 - Camino De Santiago (Days Twenty-one to Twenty-three)
With Steve and Emma now firmly choosing to hike and stay at hotels as opposed to auberges, the hunt for bargains is on. Luckily, Steve is ready for the task!…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #113 - Camino De Santiago (Days Seventeen to Twenty)
The injuries continue but the Meseta is nearly done. Now, with less than 200 miles to go, there is snow on the horizon. We've had beautiful sunrises, spooky…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #112 - Camino De Santiago (Days Fourteen to Sixteen)
With about 50 miles for the past three days, Steve and Emma have been making their way through the Meseta, finding gems like the town of Hontanas and its…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #111 - Camino De Santiago (Days Ten to Thirteen)
With a need to up their mileage, Steve has set a target of 15.45 miles a day to get to Santiago. They take regular breaks for coffee and beer on the way and…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #110 - Camino De Santiago (Days Seven to Nine)
This week, Emma gets stuck in an elevator, a red squirrel gets way too close for comfort and Steve continues his transformation into Old Father Time. All the…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #109 - Camino De Santiago (Days Two to Six)
Our two intrepid adventurers have been on the trail for six days and have fallen a day behind schedule. They have sustained injuries, aches, and pains but…
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life CrisisEpisode #108 - Camino De Santiago (Days One and Two)
This is something of an experimental podcast. We're trying out several ways of doing this so the sound won't be perfect but it should be listenable. Steve is…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #107 - Deanna McGregor (Mary Poppins)
This is a kind of crossover episode that keeps many of the "usual" parts of the Mighty Blue show but incorporates and transitions us over to the Camino show…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #106 - Tenny Ostrem and Claire Wernstedt-Lynch (Aspen and Eleven)
For Claire and Tenny, hiking the CDT had been an ambition but they soon decided that they needed to do something else. Between the two of them, they hatched a…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #105 - Cindy Ross
As a writer, Cindy Ross must be feeling fulfilled. She has published seven books about hiking and educating in the outdoors. However, it is as a hiker that she…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #104 - Ben, Kami, Dove, Seven, Eden, Memory, Filia, and Ranier Crawford
The story of the Crawfords has been one of the most prominent Appalachian Trail stories of the year. Their seemingly quixotic adventure didn't seem in the…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #103 - Jennifer Pharr Davis (Odyssa)
Jennifer Pharr Davis is a woman on a mission. She wants to get people into the outdoors and, not only does she want to do it, she actually gets it done. Her…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #102 - Will Ransom (Bear Spray or Ever Changing)
I met Will Ransom at Trail Day in 2017 and was impressed by the bond that he shared with his dog, Rhetta. I'd hoped to interview him for the show but lost his…
- Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Episode #101 - Pat Coate (Tee Bird)
For the second week, I'm reminiscing with the two people I was closest to on the trail. Last week, Ken Hall closed out the first 100, so the NEXT 100 shows…