Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! Though many of us eat more so out of pleasure, schedule, routine or the like, a hiker’s relationship to food evolves during the course of a thru-hike and it’s an interesting change to take note of. Wherever you fall in the dietary spectrum it’s somewhat unlikely that you will have the same relationship with food pre and post trail.  Food is important and it becomes a vital part of your hiking strategy out of necessity, which is obvious on its face: you need to eat, but when your white hot furnace of a metabolism is glowing for 8, 10, or 12 hours a day, the importance of eating takes on a new form.  So, let’s hear what our correspondents have to report about what role food has played for them on their hikes. Sure to be mouth watering. And, if you’re listening at home, make sure to have a drink handy as it will be a requirement to take a sip everytime someone mentions a ramen bomb. Let’s get into it. Listen here: In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. Abbigale (Abby) Evans Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. Aly Pagano Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Iris Hartshorn A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. David Firari David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. Derek Witteman Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. Eddie Arriola Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. Elke Pabst Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com.   Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   Summer Midyett Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.   FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Click here for more about the Book of Moron Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here.

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! Though many of us eat more so out of pleasure, schedule, routine or the like, a hiker’s relationship to food evolves during the course of a thru-hike and it’s an interesting change to take note of. Wherever you fall in the dietary spectrum it’s somewhat unlikely that you will have the same relationship with food pre and post trail.  Food is important and it becomes a vital part of your hiking strategy out of necessity, which is obvious on its face: you need to eat, but when your white hot furnace of a metabolism is glowing for 8, 10, or 12 hours a day, the importance of eating takes on a new form.  So, let’s hear what our correspondents have to report about what role food has played for them on their hikes. Sure to be mouth watering. And, if you’re listening at home, make sure to have a drink handy as it will be a requirement to take a sip everytime someone mentions a ramen bomb. Let’s get into it. Listen here: In today's episode we hear from: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbeyturnbull/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Turnbull</a> Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbigator53/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbigale (Abby) Evans</a> Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/appalachianadventurista/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aly Pagano</a> Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AlaskanPanther" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Iris Hartshorn</a> A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefully.its.david/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Firari</a> David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Barkleycharles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Witteman</a> Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/singingsabre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eddie Arriola</a> Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keks_schoko/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elke Pabst</a> Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jakelandgraf/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jake Landgraf</a> Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at <a href="https://www.whereisjakeat.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whereisjakeat.com</a>.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1wantsreality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Garcia</a> Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/summermidyett/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summer Midyett</a> Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. Click here for more about the <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book of Moron</a> Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>.

S4 Episode #9 | Trail Diet

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! Today we're talking about the physical adjustment our correspondents have endured on trail.  When it comes to staying on trail, you have to listen to your body. You ignore its cries and protests at your peril. If there’s one piece of advice I can give with respect to acclimating to the physical demands of thru hiking, it’s to tend to things THE MOMENT they arise. If you feel a small itch on the back of your heel, pull over and investigate. If your cookset is digging into your back, take your pack off and reorient it, and so on.  With the attrition rate of any thru hike being what it is, anything you can do to stop problems before they arise will incrementally increase your odds of arriving at your intended terminus. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. Abbigale (Abby) Evans Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. Aly Pagano Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Iris Hartshorn A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. David Firari David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. Derek Witteman Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. Eddie Arriola Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. Elke Pabst Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com.   Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   Summer Midyett Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.   FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Click here for more about the Book of Moron Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here.

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! Today we're talking about the physical adjustment our correspondents have endured on trail.  When it comes to staying on trail, you have to listen to your body. You ignore its cries and protests at your peril. If there’s one piece of advice I can give with respect to acclimating to the physical demands of thru hiking, it’s to tend to things THE MOMENT they arise. If you feel a small itch on the back of your heel, pull over and investigate. If your cookset is digging into your back, take your pack off and reorient it, and so on.  With the attrition rate of any thru hike being what it is, anything you can do to stop problems before they arise will incrementally increase your odds of arriving at your intended terminus. In today's episode we hear from: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbeyturnbull/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Turnbull</a> Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbigator53/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbigale (Abby) Evans</a> Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/appalachianadventurista/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aly Pagano</a> Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AlaskanPanther" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Iris Hartshorn</a> A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefully.its.david/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Firari</a> David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Barkleycharles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Witteman</a> Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/singingsabre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eddie Arriola</a> Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keks_schoko/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elke Pabst</a> Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jakelandgraf/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jake Landgraf</a> Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at <a href="https://www.whereisjakeat.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whereisjakeat.com</a>.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1wantsreality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Garcia</a> Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/summermidyett/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summer Midyett</a> Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. Click here for more about the <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book of Moron</a> Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>.

S4 Episode #8 | The Physical Adjustment

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! Today we’re looking at another wildcard edition of the show.  In case you don’t know, wildcard episodes give our correspondents free reign to talk about whatever they’d like.  So strap in for some wholesome rambling regarding this, that, and the other! Let's get into it.  In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. Abbigale (Abby) Evans Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. Aly Pagano Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Iris Hartshorn A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. David Firari David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. Derek Witteman Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. Eddie Arriola Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com.   Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   Summer Midyett Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.   FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Click here for more about the Book of Moron Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here.

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! Today we’re looking at another wildcard edition of the show.  In case you don’t know, wildcard episodes give our correspondents free reign to talk about whatever they’d like.  So strap in for some wholesome rambling regarding this, that, and the other! Let's get into it.  In today's episode we hear from: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbeyturnbull/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Turnbull</a> Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbigator53/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbigale (Abby) Evans</a> Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/appalachianadventurista/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aly Pagano</a> Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AlaskanPanther" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Iris Hartshorn</a> A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefully.its.david/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Firari</a> David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Barkleycharles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Witteman</a> Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/singingsabre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eddie Arriola</a> Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jakelandgraf/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jake Landgraf</a> Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at <a href="https://www.whereisjakeat.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whereisjakeat.com</a>.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1wantsreality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Garcia</a> Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/summermidyett/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summer Midyett</a> Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. Click here for more about the <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book of Moron</a> Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>.

S4 Episode #7 | Wildcard 2

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is episode 6: the social experience. This episode isn't just about the "tramily" most hikers will invariably and organically find themselves a part of - it’s about the trail angels, the people who give you rides to town, the clerks at the grocery stores, the attendants at gas stations and so on.  When you’re on trail, you’re on a mission and its gravity is palpable. People see you with your pack and assign you a special special status. It feels like being an important member of a close knit community. Life on trail is edifying, nourishing, validating, and to be honest, a little addicting.  Today we hear about how our correspondents are getting along with those they’ve met on trail in addition to the wider world enveloping them and though this episode does sadly see us saying goodbye to another contributor, all the stories contained within have a similar undertone of conscious appreciation of how the presence of those sharing in this rarefied experience we call thru hiking is one of the most enriching parts of the entire endeavor.  In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. Abbigale (Abby) Evans Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. Aly Pagano Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Iris Hartshorn A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. David Firari David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. Derek Witteman Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. Eddie Arriola Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. Elke Pabst Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.   Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com.   Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   Summer Midyett Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.   FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Click here for more about the Book of Moron Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here.

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is episode 6: the social experience. This episode isn't just about the "tramily" most hikers will invariably and organically find themselves a part of - it’s about the trail angels, the people who give you rides to town, the clerks at the grocery stores, the attendants at gas stations and so on.  When you’re on trail, you’re on a mission and its gravity is palpable. People see you with your pack and assign you a special special status. It feels like being an important member of a close knit community. Life on trail is edifying, nourishing, validating, and to be honest, a little addicting.  Today we hear about how our correspondents are getting along with those they’ve met on trail in addition to the wider world enveloping them and though this episode does sadly see us saying goodbye to another contributor, all the stories contained within have a similar undertone of conscious appreciation of how the presence of those sharing in this rarefied experience we call thru hiking is one of the most enriching parts of the entire endeavor.  In today's episode we hear from: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbeyturnbull/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Turnbull</a> Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbigator53/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbigale (Abby) Evans</a> Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/appalachianadventurista/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aly Pagano</a> Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AlaskanPanther" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Iris Hartshorn</a> A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefully.its.david/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Firari</a> David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Barkleycharles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Witteman</a> Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/singingsabre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eddie Arriola</a> Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keks_schoko/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elke Pabst</a> Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anorangepeel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Russo Miller</a> Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jakelandgraf/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jake Landgraf</a> Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at <a href="https://www.whereisjakeat.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whereisjakeat.com</a>.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1wantsreality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Garcia</a> Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/summermidyett/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summer Midyett</a> Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. Click here for more about the <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book of Moron</a> Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>.

S4 Episode #6 | The Social Experience

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is episode 5: expectations vs. reality.  Picture in your mind’s eye, an ideal version of time spent in nature. It’s likely not raining and warm but not hot. Perhaps the perfect cooling breeze supportively buffets your face while you climb a challenging but not impossible ascent.  You may find yourself surrounded by lush, green foliage, peeking out from which you spot rare and beautiful wildlife, that is so unafraid of your presence as to be practically posing for you as you snap a magnificent photo… If only everyday could be like this…  Though trail life is a certain kind of escape it is definitely not a wholesale entrance into a fantasy reality free from the doldrums and discomforts of everyday life. And while it’s easy to romanticize thoughts of living in the woods for an extended period of time, as the days become weeks become months, one is quickly disabused of these flights of fancy.  In this episode our correspondents place their preconceived notions about life on trail up against their lived experiences. The sharp contrast here provides a certain type of clarity painting a clear picture of what a very long walk in the woods actually involves...  In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. Abbigale (Abby) Evans Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. Aly Pagano Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Iris Hartshorn A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. David Firari David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. Derek Witteman Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. Eddie Arriola Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. Elke Pabst Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022. Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com. Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer Midyett Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.  FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Click here for more about the Book of Moron Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here.

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is episode 5: expectations vs. reality.  Picture in your mind’s eye, an ideal version of time spent in nature. It’s likely not raining and warm but not hot. Perhaps the perfect cooling breeze supportively buffets your face while you climb a challenging but not impossible ascent.  You may find yourself surrounded by lush, green foliage, peeking out from which you spot rare and beautiful wildlife, that is so unafraid of your presence as to be practically posing for you as you snap a magnificent photo… If only everyday could be like this…  Though trail life is a certain kind of escape it is definitely not a wholesale entrance into a fantasy reality free from the doldrums and discomforts of everyday life. And while it’s easy to romanticize thoughts of living in the woods for an extended period of time, as the days become weeks become months, one is quickly disabused of these flights of fancy.  In this episode our correspondents place their preconceived notions about life on trail up against their lived experiences. The sharp contrast here provides a certain type of clarity painting a clear picture of what a very long walk in the woods actually involves...  In today's episode we hear from: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbeyturnbull/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Turnbull</a> Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbigator53/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbigale (Abby) Evans</a> Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/appalachianadventurista/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aly Pagano</a> Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AlaskanPanther" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Iris Hartshorn</a> A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefully.its.david/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Firari</a> David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Barkleycharles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Witteman</a> Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/singingsabre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eddie Arriola</a> Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keks_schoko/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elke Pabst</a> Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anorangepeel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Russo Miller</a> Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jakelandgraf/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jake Landgraf</a> Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at <a href="https://www.whereisjakeat.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whereisjakeat.com</a>. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1wantsreality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Garcia</a> Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/summermidyett/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summer Midyett</a> Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. Click <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> for more about the <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book of Moron</a> Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>.

S4 Episode #5 | Expectations Vs. Reality

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! I am your host moron. This is episode 4 of Trail Correspondents - the first wild card edition, wherein each of our contributors get to relay whatever is on their mind. This episode is a fun exposé highlighting everyone’s unique taste and what they individually bring to the table: it’s a narrative potluck, y’all.   Let’s get into it!  In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. Abbigale (Abby) Evans Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. Aly Pagano Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Iris Hartshorn A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. David Firari David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. Derek Witteman Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. Eddie Arriola Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. Elke Pabst Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.   Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com.   Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   Summer Midyett Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.   FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Click here for more about the Book of Moron Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here.

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! I am your host moron. This is episode 4 of Trail Correspondents - the first wild card edition, wherein each of our contributors get to relay whatever is on their mind. This episode is a fun exposé highlighting everyone’s unique taste and what they individually bring to the table: it’s a narrative potluck, y’all.   Let’s get into it!  In today's episode we hear from: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbeyturnbull/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Turnbull</a> Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbigator53/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbigale (Abby) Evans</a> Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/appalachianadventurista/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aly Pagano</a> Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AlaskanPanther" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Iris Hartshorn</a> A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefully.its.david/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Firari</a> David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Barkleycharles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Witteman</a> Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/singingsabre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eddie Arriola</a> Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keks_schoko/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elke Pabst</a> Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anorangepeel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Russo Miller</a> Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jakelandgraf/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jake Landgraf</a> Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at <a href="https://www.whereisjakeat.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whereisjakeat.com</a>.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1wantsreality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Garcia</a> Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/summermidyett/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summer Midyett</a> Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. Click here for more about the <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book of Moron</a> Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>.

S4 Episode #4 | Wildcard 1

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for: hitting the trail. While 11 members of this group have boots on the ground and are headed in their chosen direction toward their trail’s terminus, today we also hear from one correspondent who has yet to depart along with another who, after a harrowing first day, has made the difficult decision to get off trail.  Each trail presents its own difficulties and challenges and simply showing up on the first day is certainly a herculean feat in and of itself.  So, let’s learn about how our correspondents are acclimating to trail life as we hear first-hand about their first days and nights.  In the words of Samuel Jackson, “hold onto your butts.”  To save 15% on CTUG gear head to chickentrampergear.com and use code “TREK15” at checkout. This code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. Abbigale (Abby) Evans Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. Aly Pagano Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Iris Hartshorn A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. Angelique "Perky"Krohn Angelique (she/her) is a children’s librarian, artist, and semi-professional dungeon master, currently residing with her partner and their cat in New Jersey. She thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018, and has been dreaming about hiking the Continental Divide Trail ever since. She is especially looking forward to exploring the different landscapes along the CDT and learning more about the plants and animals that call them home. It is rumored she might finally break the world record for “World’s Dirtiest Pair of Glasses” along this trek. David Firari David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. Derek Witteman Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. Eddie Arriola Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. Elke Pabst Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.   Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com.   Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   Summer Midyett Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.  Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Click here for more about the Book of Moron Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. Sign up for our newsletter Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here. And remember that you can still save 15% on CTUG gear by heading to chickentrampergear.com and using the code “TREK15” at checkout. Once again, this code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags.

Welcome back to Trail Correspondents! This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for: hitting the trail. While 11 members of this group have boots on the ground and are headed in their chosen direction toward their trail’s terminus, today we also hear from one correspondent who has yet to depart along with another who, after a harrowing first day, has made the difficult decision to get off trail.  Each trail presents its own difficulties and challenges and simply showing up on the first day is certainly a herculean feat in and of itself.  So, let’s learn about how our correspondents are acclimating to trail life as we hear first-hand about their first days and nights.  In the words of Samuel Jackson, “hold onto your butts.”  To save 15% on CTUG gear head to <a href="http://chickentrampergear.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">chickentrampergear.com</a> and use code “TREK15” at checkout. This code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. In today's episode we hear from: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbeyturnbull/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Turnbull</a> Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbigator53/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbigale (Abby) Evans</a> Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/appalachianadventurista/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aly Pagano</a> Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AlaskanPanther" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Iris Hartshorn</a> A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hikingperks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Angelique "Perky"Krohn</a> Angelique (she/her) is a children’s librarian, artist, and semi-professional dungeon master, currently residing with her partner and their cat in New Jersey. She thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018, and has been dreaming about hiking the Continental Divide Trail ever since. She is especially looking forward to exploring the different landscapes along the CDT and learning more about the plants and animals that call them home. It is rumored she might finally break the world record for “World’s Dirtiest Pair of Glasses” along this trek. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefully.its.david/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Firari</a> David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Barkleycharles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Witteman</a> Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/singingsabre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eddie Arriola</a> Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keks_schoko/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elke Pabst</a> Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anorangepeel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Russo Miller</a> Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jakelandgraf/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jake Landgraf</a> Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at <a href="https://www.whereisjakeat.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whereisjakeat.com</a>.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1wantsreality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Garcia</a> Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/summermidyett/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summer Midyett</a> Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. Click here for more about the <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book of Moron</a> Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>. And remember that you can still save 15% on CTUG gear by heading to <a href="http://chickentrampergear.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">chickentrampergear.com</a> and using the code “TREK15” at checkout. Once again, this code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags.

S4 Episode #3 | First Night On Trail

It’s said that proper preparation prevents poor performance. That being so, though there is a high level of inescapable serendipity and general chaos that has to be accepted and even embraced during a thru-hike, equally important is the forethought that goes into this kind of endurance endeavor.  Preparation is individualized and personal. In the world of trail tropes, it's also often said that one packs their fears and in a similar vein, the way in which one plans for a multi-month backpacking trip illuminates their own value system and areas of focus.     Now, let’s hear from our 13 correspondents about what they’ve done in order to structure their hikes. From physical training, to mental gymnastics, on-trail logistics and even simply jumping into the deep end with eyes closed, this episode highlights this cohorts pre-trail considerations. Let’s get into it.  ---------------- To save 15% on CTUG gear head to chickentrampergear.com and use code “TREK15” at checkout. This code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. ---------------- In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. Abbigale (Abby) Evans Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. Aly Pagano Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Iris Hartshorn A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. Angelique "Perky"Krohn Angelique (she/her) is a children’s librarian, artist, and semi-professional dungeon master, currently residing with her partner and their cat in New Jersey. She thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018, and has been dreaming about hiking the Continental Divide Trail ever since. She is especially looking forward to exploring the different landscapes along the CDT and learning more about the plants and animals that call them home. It is rumored she might finally break the world record for “World’s Dirtiest Pair of Glasses” along this trek. David Firari David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. Derek Witteman Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. Eddie Arriola Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. Elke Pabst Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.  Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com.  Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. Summer Midyett Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.  FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER ---------------- Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Click here for more about the Book of Moron ---------------- Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. ---------------- INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. ---------------- Sign up for our newsletter ---------------- Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here. ---------------- And remember that you can still save 15% on CTUG gear by heading to chickentrampergear.com and using the code “TREK15” at checkout. Once again, this code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags.

It’s said that proper preparation prevents poor performance. That being so, though there is a high level of inescapable serendipity and general chaos that has to be accepted and even embraced during a thru-hike, equally important is the forethought that goes into this kind of endurance endeavor.  Preparation is individualized and personal. In the world of trail tropes, it's also often said that one packs their fears and in a similar vein, the way in which one plans for a multi-month backpacking trip illuminates their own value system and areas of focus.     Now, let’s hear from our 13 correspondents about what they’ve done in order to structure their hikes. From physical training, to mental gymnastics, on-trail logistics and even simply jumping into the deep end with eyes closed, this episode highlights this cohorts pre-trail considerations. Let’s get into it.  ---------------- To save 15% on CTUG gear head to <a href="http://chickentrampergear.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">chickentrampergear.com</a> and use code “TREK15” at checkout. This code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. ---------------- In today's episode we hear from: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbeyturnbull/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Turnbull</a> Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbigator53/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbigale (Abby) Evans</a> Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/appalachianadventurista/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aly Pagano</a> Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AlaskanPanther" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Iris Hartshorn</a> A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hikingperks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Angelique "Perky"Krohn</a> Angelique (she/her) is a children’s librarian, artist, and semi-professional dungeon master, currently residing with her partner and their cat in New Jersey. She thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018, and has been dreaming about hiking the Continental Divide Trail ever since. She is especially looking forward to exploring the different landscapes along the CDT and learning more about the plants and animals that call them home. It is rumored she might finally break the world record for “World’s Dirtiest Pair of Glasses” along this trek. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefully.its.david/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Firari</a> David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Barkleycharles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Witteman</a> Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/singingsabre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eddie Arriola</a> Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keks_schoko/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elke Pabst</a> Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anorangepeel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Russo Miller</a> Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.  <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jakelandgraf/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jake Landgraf</a> Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at <a href="https://www.whereisjakeat.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whereisjakeat.com</a>.  <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1wantsreality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Garcia</a> Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/summermidyett/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summer Midyett</a> Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> ---------------- Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. Click <a href="https://bookofmoron.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> for more about the <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book of Moron</a> ---------------- Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. ---------------- INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. ---------------- <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter</a> ---------------- <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>. ---------------- And remember that you can still save 15% on CTUG gear by heading to <a href="http://chickentrampergear.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">chickentrampergear.com</a> and using the code “TREK15” at checkout. Once again, this code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags.

S4 Episode #2 | Thru-Hike Preparation

Hello and welcome back to the much anticipated, 4th season of Trail Correspondents! This season features a great group of hopeful hiker who will be sharing their journeys with us all. Beyond just getting to know this new batch of folks, there is also the passing of the host-torch from Zach "Badger" Davis to Kenneth "Moron" Pararo. We get a quick update on this change of guard, hear a bit from Moron about how and why he's taken the reigns and then dive into introductions from our correspondents. This season promises to be a true return to form as we follow our 13 contributors through all aspects of what it takes to tackle a multi-month thru hike. So, strap in as we get to know our 2023 hikers - it's going to be a wild ride! To save 15% on CTUG gear head to chickentrampergear.com and use code “TREK15” at checkout. This code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. In today's episode we hear from: Abbey Turnbull Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. Abbigale (Abby) Evans Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. Aly Pagano Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Iris Hartshorn A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. Angelique "Perky"Krohn Angelique (she/her) is a children’s librarian, artist, and semi-professional dungeon master, currently residing with her partner and their cat in New Jersey. She thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018, and has been dreaming about hiking the Continental Divide Trail ever since. She is especially looking forward to exploring the different landscapes along the CDT and learning more about the plants and animals that call them home. It is rumored she might finally break the world record for “World’s Dirtiest Pair of Glasses” along this trek. David Firari David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. Derek Witteman Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. Eddie Arriola Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. Elke Pabst Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. Emily Russo Miller Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.   Jake Landgraf Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at whereisjakeat.com.   Mary Garcia Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   Summer Midyett Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.[divider]   FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. Click here for more about the Book of Moron Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.  Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on  Stitcher and  Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. sign up for our newsletterGive us feedback on Trail Correspondents here. And, one final mention, that you can save 15% on CTUG gear by heading to chickentrampergear.com and using the code “TREK15” at checkout. Once again, this code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags.

Hello and welcome back to the much anticipated, 4th season of Trail Correspondents! This season features a great group of hopeful hiker who will be sharing their journeys with us all. Beyond just getting to know this new batch of folks, there is also the passing of the host-torch from Zach "Badger" Davis to Kenneth "Moron" Pararo. We get a quick update on this change of guard, hear a bit from Moron about how and why he's taken the reigns and then dive into introductions from our correspondents. This season promises to be a true return to form as we follow our 13 contributors through all aspects of what it takes to tackle a multi-month thru hike. So, strap in as we get to know our 2023 hikers - it's going to be a wild ride! To save 15% on CTUG gear head to <a href="http://chickentrampergear.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">chickentrampergear.com</a> and use code “TREK15” at checkout. This code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags. In today's episode we hear from: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbeyturnbull/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbey Turnbull</a> Harking from the South Coast of the UK, Abbey, aged 26, is swapping the rolling hills of the South Downs for the mountains of the Pacific Crest. A thru-hike of the JMT last year confirmed what she thought to be true – hiking from Mexico to Canada was her destiny for 2023. Loves good food and wine, Taylor Swift, American hospitality, and mountain vistas. Hates steep downhill slopes, her own unfortunate susceptibility to altitude sickness, and oatmeal. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbigator53/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Abbigale (Abby) Evans</a> Abby Evans (she/they) has a hankering to shave their head and hike the AT and now they will get to do both! They will be fulfilling their vagabond-dirtbag-poet dreams and aspire to one day become a creative writing professor. They’ll be listening to seventies folk music and reflecting on their life as they wander through all the states they grew up in: they were born in Maryland, grew up in New Jersey and went to college at Virginia Tech. Abby is excited for this Bildungsroman and hopes to celebrate their 23rd birthday (August 24) near Maine. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/appalachianadventurista/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aly Pagano</a> Aly is local to the southern Appalachians in western North Carolina. She has spent her life hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, and farming; she aspires to increase her own knowledge and awareness of traditional Appalachian folk medicine, music, and skills as in an effort to live harmoniously with the mountains around her. With a degree in Ecology, Aly focuses on seasonal changes, flora, and fauna while hiking the Appalachian Trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AlaskanPanther" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Iris Hartshorn</a> A queer Alaskan, Iris, aka Panther, strives to build adventure into their life. The last years have been filled with world travel, skiing, packrafting, hiking, backpacking, vanlife, and epic trips across Alaska. This year’s highlight is to walk from Mexico to Canada. Or, at least, just to keep walking somewhere. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hikingperks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Angelique "Perky"Krohn</a> Angelique (she/her) is a children’s librarian, artist, and semi-professional dungeon master, currently residing with her partner and their cat in New Jersey. She thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018, and has been dreaming about hiking the Continental Divide Trail ever since. She is especially looking forward to exploring the different landscapes along the CDT and learning more about the plants and animals that call them home. It is rumored she might finally break the world record for “World’s Dirtiest Pair of Glasses” along this trek. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefully.its.david/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Firari</a> David “Good Soup” is excited to be sharing their northbound Appalachian Trail with you! This is their first ever backpacking trip and they hope all the reading and shakedown hikes they did pay off. In addition to being a novice backpacker, Good Soup is also managing a schedule of recurring medical treatments back home in Wisconsin in order to make this trip happen. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Barkleycharles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Derek Witteman</a> Derek is a 37 years young Northern California native, presently thriving in San Antonio, Texas. In no particular order he is a physician, veteran, hiker, nerd, and jokester. In his free time he enjoys taking selfies with wildlife, and thinking of spirit animals the represent his current mood. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/singingsabre/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eddie Arriola</a> Eddie is a travel PTA, physical therapist assistant, who’s been dreaming of the PCT for four years. In his spare time he enjoys photography, karaoke, and has other eclectic hobbies. He’s originally from southern Arizona, Tucson, and is excited to get back to his primary partner and dogs after the trail. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keks_schoko/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elke Pabst</a> Elke comes from Germany and wants to thruhike the AT with her dog Tilli. It is her first stay in the USA und doesn t hiking before. She has 3 nearly grown up sons and a husband who take care of everything while she is hiking with her 9 year old dog Tilli. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/anorangepeel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Russo Miller</a> Dreaming of being on trail is Emily’s favorite pastime. A 37-year-old journalist from Juneau, Alaska, she risked it all a few years ago (left her job, sold all her belongings and moved to the Lower 48) in pursuit of something new and beautiful. She found it in thru-hiking and hasn’t looked back since. You may know her as “Bear Spray Girl” from her LASH on the AT in 2021, or “Legs” from her PCT thru in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jakelandgraf/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jake Landgraf</a> Jake is currently on the AT attempting his first thru-hike. A proud Wisconsin resident, he enjoys beer, the outdoors, and the Green Bay Packers. On trail, Jake is known as “Radioface” and is obsessed with cosmic brownies. Follow Jake on his own, daily podcast at <a href="https://www.whereisjakeat.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">whereisjakeat.com</a>.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/no1wantsreality/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mary Garcia</a> Mary is a boring woman who likes to make various things, especially her hiking gear. She also has problems completing a thru hike. She did half the PCT in 2017 and a month on the CDT in 2022.   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/summermidyett/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summer Midyett</a> Summer has had an adventurous spirit since she was young, having spent her most of her childhood traveling around the world with her family. She’s been dreaming of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2020, when she moved to Oregon and fell in love with the mountains of the PNW. While it’s certainly shaping up to be an interesting year for the PCT, she’s excited to see whatever the trail has in store.[divider] <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. Click here for more about the <a href="http://bookofmoron.podbean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Book of Moron</a> Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)! <a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/forcedn/trailcorrespondents/Trail_Correspondents_S4_Episode1.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Download this episode here</a>. Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>. And, one final mention, that you can save 15% on CTUG gear by heading to <a href="http://chickentrampergear.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">chickentrampergear.com</a> and using the code “TREK15” at checkout. Once again, this code applies to all their gear excluding backpacks and camera bags.

S4 Episode #1 | Introducing the Class of 2023

Today marks the final episode of our third season. At the beginning of this year, before embarking on their SOBO thru-hikes, I asked our Correspondents to interview themselves. Specifically, their future selves. We wanted a way to demonstrate the metamorphosis a hiker goes through during their journey- or perhaps lack thereof. This was our listeners' favorite episode last year, and I have no doubt that the response will be the same this time around. Here it is.  FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's episode we hear from:  Jeff "Link" Podmayer Lara Waltrous Henri "Rooster" de la Vega Brittany Wolter  [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.  Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this episode here. Find us on  Stitcher and  Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt; sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney. Follow him on Instagram @dzitneyaudio. Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here.

Today marks the final episode of our third season. At the beginning of this year, before embarking on their SOBO thru-hikes, I asked our Correspondents to interview themselves. Specifically, their future selves. We wanted a way to demonstrate the metamorphosis a hiker goes through during their journey- or perhaps lack thereof. This was our listeners' favorite episode last year, and I have no doubt that the response will be the same this time around. Here it is. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. In today's episode we hear from: <ul> <li>Jeff "Link" Podmayer</li> <li>Lara Waltrous</li> <li>Henri "Rooster" de la Vega</li> <li>Brittany Wolter</li> </ul> [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise, or praise for Trail Correspondents? Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)! <a href="http://chtbl.com/track/8D135/traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/Trail_Correspondents_Episode_24.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Download this episode here</a>. Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of <a href="https://www.dzaudio.xyz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Zitney</a>. Follow him on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dzitneyaudio/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">@dzitneyaudio</a>. <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAxzOznS2DTGCyBmjdaqoJp4QlF7byb2lu_bEUHvIUiKzC6A/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Give us feedback on Trail Correspondents here</a>.

S3 Episode #15 | An Interview With Your Pre-Trail Self

Trail Correspondents is a teleportation machine to the trail- in audio form.  Every other week, a select handful of thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and the American Discovery Trail, give us a glimpse into the world of long distance backpacking. Through their eyes and vocal cords, we learn all about the highs, lows, and nitty gritty details that go into a half-year, cross-country trek. Trail Correspondents is the next best thing to being on trail yourself.

I’m here, training for the AT in India, and this has been a godsend of stories and information that will help in my thru-hike attempt starting in April 2020. I’m putting together gear lists on my phone as I listen to The Trek’s correspondents doing the same and reviewing their’s. Meal planning while listening to them talk about Hiker Hunger. I do my training hikes, strength training, or eating a meal and enjoy listening and taking notes and just investing myself in the stories. Thank you for this!

Binging before my first thru-hike attempt

The way you pronounce “Appalachian”, it’s bad, so bad.

You’re saying it wrong

Trail Correspondents is a teleportation machine to the trail- in audio form. Every other week, a select handful of thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and the American Discovery Trail, give us a glimpse into the world of long distance backpacking. Through their eyes and vocal cords, we learn all about the highs, lows, and nitty gritty details that go into a half-year, cross-country trek. Trail Correspondents is the next best thing to being on trail yourself.

Trail Correspondents

We're back!  After a few month-long hiatus, Trail Correspondents presented by The Trek is storming back into your world like a phoenix rising from the ashes. As you likely already know, last year the Trail Correspondents series ran through The Trek's flagship podcast,  Backpacker Radio.  Due to the popularity of this series, we deemed it worthy of its own home, i.e. this podcast. So.... What is Trail Correspondents? Last year, we showcased roughly a dozen thru-hikers taking on Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail.  Every other week, we'd feature their updates from the trail centered around a particular subject or theme.  Through their eyes and vocal cords, we got a glimpse into the minds, hearts, and souls of those who take on a half year backpacking trip. This year, by and large, it's going to be more of the same.  The primary difference for this year's show, is the hikers that we're featuring.  More specifically, the theme for this season of Trail Correspondents was to  Feature primarily first time thru-hikers.  We made this decision as it's hard to replicate the excitement of your first cross-country trek, and this enthusiasm is palpable.  And, Feature a greater diversity of voice.  This season, we've got hikers ranging in age from 22 to 66.  We've got hikers who are chasing their dream, and others who are eager to escape unsavory realities on the home front. Most of our correspondents are from the US, though we're also happy to be featuring those with Canadian, Mexican, and Indian descent.  Our crew includes someone hiking with their spouse, someone hiking with their life partner, and a brother / sister duo.  Really the only qualities this group has in common is their storytelling ability (which you are soon to learn, is captivating) and an intense desire to make 2019 a landmark year. You can find our Correspondents bios, headshots, and Instagram profiles (for most) below. This is the first episode, where you will meet our Pacific Crest Trail hikers, and Lucas, who's hiking the American Discover Trail from Iowa to California.   American Discovery Trail Lucas Woolfolk  Bio: Lucas is a long time lover of the outdoors, but last year decided to take that passion to a new level. In 2018, he decided to embark on the American Discovery Trail which spans across the USA from coast to coast. He made it roughly 1,500 miles as far as the end of his home-state of Iowa, but plans to finish the remaining 2,700+ miles to the California coast in 2019. Before the venture, Lucas was suffering from depression and creative block as an artist and set out to re-spark his passions and discover the USA one step at a time. | Follow Lucas on Instagram | Appalachian Trail Nancy Alexander  Bio: Nancy will be 66 years young when she starts her journey on the AT. Recently retired, widowed, mom of two amazing daughters, grandmother, road cyclist, adventurer, and lover of wild flowers and wild places. She backpacked 240 miles of the AT in 2017, but that wasn't enough, so she's back for more. A lot more... Frozen  Bio: Frozen has 5 years of backpacking experience with his biggest trip covering a 240 mile section of the Superior Hiking Trail. He has worked in IT at the same job for 14 years and needs a life change. After his Uncle had an unfortunate hunting accident that left him paralyzed below the waist, Frozen decided that his thru hike couldn't wait until retirement, and is setting out to hike from Georgia to Maine. | Follow Frozen on Instagram | Missy Baatz  Bio: Dog lover, nature addict, crystal enthusiast. She has decided to trade in the corporate 9 to 5 for the adventure lifestyle to include the collection of experiences over material possessions. When not hiking she and her husband tour the country in their DIY camper van. Their one true happy place is in the mountains and hiking the Appalachian Trail is a dream come true. | Follow Missy on Instagram | Melissa Glass  Bio: Melissa will be thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in March of 2019 and it will be her first long distance hike. She currently resides in Delaware where she bartends while wistfully thinking about wide open spaces. You will always see her wearing her Buff and a pair of sunglasses. Melissa hopes that you enjoy following her and the other Trail Correspondent's journeys this season! | Follow Melissa on Instagram | Kenneth Pararo  Bio: Kenneth is a 29 year old Atlantan. Prior to deciding to hike the AT, he spent most of his free time biking; however, a 1-week stint on the AT in March of 2018 awakened a new interest in the hardships and challenge presented by backpacking. He's submitted his resignation at the tech company he's worked at since graduating college and is ready to hit the trail again in late March of 2019 to finish what he started. | Follow Kenneth on Instagram | Katharine Rudzitis  Bio: Katharine is a born and bred Manhattanite who enjoys exploring and the outdoors. She grew up wandering and adventuring, but she found herself spending less and less time outside, replacing the wild with (equally wonderful) trips to other cities. The Appalachian Trail has been a lifelong dream, and she decided that 2019 would be the year to give it a try. (Plus, she loves a good, challenging goal). | Follow Katharine on Instagram | Travis  Bio: Travis is a naturally curious, freedom seeking Tennessee native. While preparing for his NOBO hike, he's fallen in love with trail running and creating gear spreadsheets. The AT will be his first solo thru-hike, and he's secretly hoping to catch long trail fever. | Follow Travis on Instagram |   Continental Divide Trail Sara Dhooma  Bio: Sara Dhooma’s trailname of “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” perfectly describes this fearless, globe-trotting adventurer. She has travel backpacked in 75+ countries, and strives to trek the most epic landscapes on earth. After a life-threatening pulmonary embolism, she left her office job in August 2017 to complete her hiking bucket list. After a warm-up on the Israel National Trail this winter, Sara will take a big step towards the Triple Crown with a NOBO thru-hike Continental Divide Trail. | Follow Sara on Instagram | Dosu  Bio: Dosu (pronounced "dough-sew") Kinuta looks like a bum but lives like a king. If you have ever wanted to quit your career and go backpacking he would tell you to do it. If you thought that living wild and free in your 30s was for people with trust funds he will show you it's not. If you need that encouragement then listen. | Follow Dosu on Instagram | Pacific Crest Trail  Eric Dernbach Bio: Eric grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado and is the little brother to fellow trail correspondent, Alison. He studied architecture and design at Kansas State University and upon graduating moved to practice architecture in Austin, Texas. He has been working there for the previous 4 years, but the itch to get on the trail has been growing ever since. His curiosity of the outdoors has led him to take on a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike with his sister Alison in 2019. | Follow Eric on Instagram | Karthikeya Nadendla  Bio: When Karthikeya was young, he wanted to be a Scientist, later a doctor and instead became an IT Engineer. As soon as he began Hiking, Mountaineering, Rock climbing his experiences multiplied followed by a perspective change and he no longer strived to be something. So, he shifted his focus on adventures rather than designations and is leaving on a journey thru PCT with a goal to obtain maximum experience from life. | Follow Karthikeya on Instagram | Angie Kane  Bio: Angie is a woman from Michigan who loves theatre, music &amp; movement, and the outdoors! She is ripping herself from her "everyday life" to go on this incredible adventure and couldn't be more excited (and terrified) about it. :) She is most excited to allow the time to experience new things and new people... and to see what she sees. | Follow Angie on Instagram | Zack Munsell  Bio: Zack Munsell is outgoing and thrives to keep the people around him comfortable, confident, and most importantly in laughing. Though he's a rookie outdoorsman, having only gotten into overnight backpacking this past summer, he's confident his strong will and personality will be defining factors that enable him to complete his thru-hike. Zack is in a little over his head, and is compensating by being a little out of his mind. | Follow Zack on Instagram | Jazmín Ortega  Bio: Born in Los Angeles and raised in Mexico, Jazmin started out as a newspaper reporter and now works in state government, fueling her outdoor adventures in marathon running and hiking with a healthy dose of street tacos. Her SoCal-based indoor pursuits include reading, writing and painting. After section hiking the PCT for four years, she's jumping feet first into her first thru hike. | Follow Jazmín on Instagram | Sarah Herman  Bio: Before embarking on homeless trail life, Sarah lived in the Philadelphia suburbs with her partner. She worked as a travel consultant for five years, and was an avid rock climber. She enjoys music, chocolate, Broadway, more chocolate, and being outside. She's heard candy bars abound on the PCT, and is as ready as she'll ever be for this adventure. | Follow Sarah on Instagram | Alison Dernbach  Bio: Alison is from Colorado but has recently lived in California and New Mexico. She is still trying to figure out what to do with her life, but working at a nonprofit and helping land conservation projects seems to be the direction things are going. Her love of coffee, beer, and mountains knows no bounds. | Follow Alison on Instagram | Laura Stewart  Bio: Laura, a 39-year-old physical therapist from Victoria BC Canada, “hated hiking” until her early 30s. After a friend insisted she just shut up and try it, Laura realized that hiking is actually just walking, usually in beautiful surroundings. Although late to the party, Laura has since has fallen in love with hiking and backpacking, exploring the many world-renowned trails near her home on Vancouver Island, as well as in the Canadian Rockies, the European Alps, and the US. The PCT in 2019 will be her first backpacking trip longer than 2 weeks. | Follow Laura on Instagram | Julie Klazynski  Bio: Julie is a high school math teacher from Columbia, IL. She loves hiking and camping with her husband, coaching high school soccer, cooking, collecting National Park stamps, and having a few beers with her awesome friends and family. Today's show is brought to you by Granite Gear.  Trail Correspondents can score a 20% discount off any purchase at GraniteGear.com by using "TREK20" at checkout.  Get on it.  Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.  Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this podcast one and two.  Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek.  &lt;  sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross. 

We're back!  After a few month-long hiatus, Trail Correspondents presented by The Trek is storming back into your world like a phoenix rising from the ashes. As you likely already know, last year the Trail Correspondents series ran through The Trek's flagship podcast, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/backpacker-radio/id1339028551?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Backpacker Radio</a>.  Due to the popularity of this series, we deemed it worthy of its own home, i.e. this podcast. So.... What is Trail Correspondents? Last year, we showcased roughly a dozen thru-hikers taking on Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail.  Every other week, we'd feature their updates from the trail centered around a particular subject or theme.  Through their eyes and vocal cords, we got a glimpse into the minds, hearts, and souls of those who take on a half year backpacking trip. This year, by and large, it's going to be more of the same.  The primary difference for this year's show, is the hikers that we're featuring.  More specifically, the theme for this season of Trail Correspondents was to <ol> <li>Feature primarily first time thru-hikers.  We made this decision as it's hard to replicate the excitement of your first cross-country trek, and this enthusiasm is palpable.  And,</li> <li>Feature a greater diversity of voice.  This season, we've got hikers ranging in age from 22 to 66.  We've got hikers who are chasing their dream, and others who are eager to escape unsavory realities on the home front. Most of our correspondents are from the US, though we're also happy to be featuring those with Canadian, Mexican, and Indian descent.  Our crew includes someone hiking with their spouse, someone hiking with their life partner, and a brother / sister duo.</li> </ol> Really the only qualities this group has in common is their storytelling ability (which you are soon to learn, is captivating) and an intense desire to make 2019 a landmark year. You can find our Correspondents bios, headshots, and Instagram profiles (for most) below. This is the first episode, where you will meet our Pacific Crest Trail hikers, and Lucas, who's hiking the American Discover Trail from Iowa to California.   American Discovery Trail Lucas Woolfolk <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/03140009/IMG_3922-Lucas-Woolfolk.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Lucas is a long time lover of the outdoors, but last year decided to take that passion to a new level. In 2018, he decided to embark on the American Discovery Trail which spans across the USA from coast to coast. He made it roughly 1,500 miles as far as the end of his home-state of Iowa, but plans to finish the remaining 2,700+ miles to the California coast in 2019. Before the venture, Lucas was suffering from depression and creative block as an artist and set out to re-spark his passions and discover the USA one step at a time. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrailartist/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Lucas on Instagram</a> | Appalachian Trail Nancy Alexander <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/03140630/Nancy-Alexander-Nancy-Alexander.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Nancy will be 66 years young when she starts her journey on the AT. Recently retired, widowed, mom of two amazing daughters, grandmother, road cyclist, adventurer, and lover of wild flowers and wild places. She backpacked 240 miles of the AT in 2017, but that wasn't enough, so she's back for more. A lot more... Frozen <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/03141012/me-Frozen.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Frozen has 5 years of backpacking experience with his biggest trip covering a 240 mile section of the Superior Hiking Trail. He has worked in IT at the same job for 14 years and needs a life change. After his Uncle had an unfortunate hunting accident that left him paralyzed below the waist, Frozen decided that his thru hike couldn't wait until retirement, and is setting out to hike from Georgia to Maine. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/FrozensOutdoorAdventures/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Frozen on Instagram</a> | Missy Baatz <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/03194446/HeadShot-Jon-Baatz.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Dog lover, nature addict, crystal enthusiast. She has decided to trade in the corporate 9 to 5 for the adventure lifestyle to include the collection of experiences over material possessions. When not hiking she and her husband tour the country in their DIY camper van. Their one true happy place is in the mountains and hiking the Appalachian Trail is a dream come true. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/travelingoutsidethebaatz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Missy on Instagram</a> | Melissa Glass <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/03195010/melissaTCpic-Melissa-Glass.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Melissa will be thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in March of 2019 and it will be her first long distance hike. She currently resides in Delaware where she bartends while wistfully thinking about wide open spaces. You will always see her wearing her Buff and a pair of sunglasses. Melissa hopes that you enjoy following her and the other Trail Correspondent's journeys this season! | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/themelissaglass/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Melissa on Instagram</a> | Kenneth Pararo <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05221203/kenneth.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Kenneth is a 29 year old Atlantan. Prior to deciding to hike the AT, he spent most of his free time biking; however, a 1-week stint on the AT in March of 2018 awakened a new interest in the hardships and challenge presented by backpacking. He's submitted his resignation at the tech company he's worked at since graduating college and is ready to hit the trail again in late March of 2019 to finish what he started. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kenneth_pararo/?hl=af" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Kenneth on Instagram</a> | Katharine Rudzitis <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05060031/A80E7F5F-5BAD-423E-AC03-417739414871-Katharine-Rudzitis-1.jpeg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Katharine is a born and bred Manhattanite who enjoys exploring and the outdoors. She grew up wandering and adventuring, but she found herself spending less and less time outside, replacing the wild with (equally wonderful) trips to other cities. The Appalachian Trail has been a lifelong dream, and she decided that 2019 would be the year to give it a try. (Plus, she loves a good, challenging goal). | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katharinerudzitis/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Katharine on Instagram</a> | Travis <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05223410/Capture.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Travis is a naturally curious, freedom seeking Tennessee native. While preparing for his NOBO hike, he's fallen in love with trail running and creating gear spreadsheets. The AT will be his first solo thru-hike, and he's secretly hoping to catch long trail fever. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/northboundtravis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Travis on Instagram</a> |   Continental Divide Trail Sara Dhooma <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/03200440/IMG_1244-Sara-Dhooma.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Sara Dhooma’s trailname of “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” perfectly describes this fearless, globe-trotting adventurer. She has travel backpacked in 75+ countries, and strives to trek the most epic landscapes on earth. After a life-threatening pulmonary embolism, she left her office job in August 2017 to complete her hiking bucket list. After a warm-up on the Israel National Trail this winter, Sara will take a big step towards the Triple Crown with a NOBO thru-hike Continental Divide Trail. | <a href="http://www.instagram.com/scifi_sara" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Sara on Instagram</a> | Dosu <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05054222/Dosu-Kinuta.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Dosu (pronounced "dough-sew") Kinuta looks like a bum but lives like a king. If you have ever wanted to quit your career and go backpacking he would tell you to do it. If you thought that living wild and free in your 30s was for people with trust funds he will show you it's not. If you need that encouragement then listen. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedosukinuta/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Dosu on Instagram</a> | Pacific Crest Trail <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05054258/head-shot-pct-Eric-D.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Eric Dernbach Bio: Eric grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado and is the little brother to fellow trail correspondent, Alison. He studied architecture and design at Kansas State University and upon graduating moved to practice architecture in Austin, Texas. He has been working there for the previous 4 years, but the itch to get on the trail has been growing ever since. His curiosity of the outdoors has led him to take on a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike with his sister Alison in 2019. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eric_august_d/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Eric on Instagram</a> | Karthikeya Nadendla <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05054440/Karthik-Headshot-KarNadendla.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: When Karthikeya was young, he wanted to be a Scientist, later a doctor and instead became an IT Engineer. As soon as he began Hiking, Mountaineering, Rock climbing his experiences multiplied followed by a perspective change and he no longer strived to be something. So, he shifted his focus on adventures rather than designations and is leaving on a journey thru PCT with a goal to obtain maximum experience from life. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/karnadendla" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Karthikeya on Instagram</a> | Angie Kane <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05054626/Uhngie-Angie-Kane.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Angie is a woman from Michigan who loves theatre, music &amp; movement, and the outdoors! She is ripping herself from her "everyday life" to go on this incredible adventure and couldn't be more excited (and terrified) about it. :) She is most excited to allow the time to experience new things and new people... and to see what she sees. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/angiekaneferrante/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Angie on Instagram</a> | Zack Munsell <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05220642/zack-hiker-profile.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Zack Munsell is outgoing and thrives to keep the people around him comfortable, confident, and most importantly in laughing. Though he's a rookie outdoorsman, having only gotten into overnight backpacking this past summer, he's confident his strong will and personality will be defining factors that enable him to complete his thru-hike. Zack is in a little over his head, and is compensating by being a little out of his mind. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ponythumbs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Zack on Instagram</a> | Jazmín Ortega <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05054827/IMG_7-Jazmin-Ortega.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Born in Los Angeles and raised in Mexico, Jazmin started out as a newspaper reporter and now works in state government, fueling her outdoor adventures in marathon running and hiking with a healthy dose of street tacos. Her SoCal-based indoor pursuits include reading, writing and painting. After section hiking the PCT for four years, she's jumping feet first into her first thru hike. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jazminoutdoors/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Jazmín on Instagram</a> | Sarah Herman <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05055227/IMG_3606-Sarah-Herman_v2.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Before embarking on homeless trail life, Sarah lived in the Philadelphia suburbs with her partner. She worked as a travel consultant for five years, and was an avid rock climber. She enjoys music, chocolate, Broadway, more chocolate, and being outside. She's heard candy bars abound on the PCT, and is as ready as she'll ever be for this adventure. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/uphilladventure/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Sarah on Instagram</a> | Alison Dernbach <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05055428/Copy-of-IMG_20171015_121431602-Alison-Dernbach.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Alison is from Colorado but has recently lived in California and New Mexico. She is still trying to figure out what to do with her life, but working at a nonprofit and helping land conservation projects seems to be the direction things are going. Her love of coffee, beer, and mountains knows no bounds. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alidernbach/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Alison on Instagram</a> | Laura Stewart <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05055542/D7A43EB6-5F24-4F60-B64C-90F641DF0BBB-Laura-Stewart.jpeg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Laura, a 39-year-old physical therapist from Victoria BC Canada, “hated hiking” until her early 30s. After a friend insisted she just shut up and try it, Laura realized that hiking is actually just walking, usually in beautiful surroundings. Although late to the party, Laura has since has fallen in love with hiking and backpacking, exploring the many world-renowned trails near her home on Vancouver Island, as well as in the Canadian Rockies, the European Alps, and the US. The PCT in 2019 will be her first backpacking trip longer than 2 weeks. | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurahiking/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Follow Laura on Instagram</a> | Julie Klazynski <a href="https://photos.thetrek.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/05055655/JulieKlazynski-Julie-Klazynski.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>Bio: Julie is a high school math teacher from Columbia, IL. She loves hiking and camping with her husband, coaching high school soccer, cooking, collecting National Park stamps, and having a few beers with her awesome friends and family. Today's show is brought to you by Granite Gear.  Trail Correspondents can score a 20% discount off any purchase at <a href="https://granitegear.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GraniteGear.com</a> by using "TREK20" at checkout.  Get on it.  Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&amp;ti=220479&amp;pw=151515" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Download this podcast one and two.  Find us on Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>.  &lt; <a href="http://appalachiantrials.us1.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=7c9afdd0a6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

#1 | Introductions (Part 1)

Preparing for a thru-hike can be a maddening experience.  When it comes to overhauling your life to spend upwards of a half year, on foot, in the backcountry, where does one even begin to make sure they're crossing all of their ts and dotting all their i's prior to stepping foot on trail.  That is precisely the subject of today's episode. So- how are our hikers going about this process?  Let's find out.  First you'll hear from our Appalachian Trail hikers, follwed by our Pacific Crest Trail Hikers, Continental Divide Trail hikers, and Lucas, our American Discovery Trail Correspodent.  Enjoy.  FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Learn more about Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials.  In today's show, we hear from:   Nancy Alexander Frozen Missy Baatz Melissa Glass Kenneth Pararo Katharine Rudzitis Travis Laura Stewart Sarah Herman Karthikeya Nadendla Zack Munsell Julie Klazynski Jazmin Ortega Liam Purtle Eric Dernbach Alison Dernbach Angie Kane Sara Dhooma Dosu Lucas Woolfolk  Today's show is brought to you by Granite Gear.  Trail Correspondents can score a 20% discount off any purchase at GraniteGear.com by using "TREK20" at checkout.  Get on it. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.  Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! You can also find us on  Download podcast episode one and  episode two.  Find us on  Stitcher and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt; sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

Preparing for a thru-hike can be a maddening experience.  When it comes to overhauling your life to spend upwards of a half year, on foot, in the backcountry, where does one even begin to make sure they're crossing all of their ts and dotting all their i's prior to stepping foot on trail.  That is precisely the subject of today's episode. So- how are our hikers going about this process?  Let's find out.  First you'll hear from our Appalachian Trail hikers, follwed by our Pacific Crest Trail Hikers, Continental Divide Trail hikers, and Lucas, our American Discovery Trail Correspodent.  Enjoy. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Learn more about <a href="https://amzn.to/2TZr4Am" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2EkFHIS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>.  In today's show, we hear from:  <ul> <li>Nancy Alexander</li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/FrozensOutdoorAdventures/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Frozen</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/travelingoutsidethebaatz/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Missy Baatz</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/themelissaglass/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Melissa Glass</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kenneth_pararo/?hl=af" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kenneth Pararo</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/katharinerudzitis/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Katharine Rudzitis</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/northboundtravis/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Travis</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurahiking/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Laura Stewart</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/uphilladventure/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sarah Herman</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/karnadendla/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Karthikeya Nadendla</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ponythumbs/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Zack Munsell</a></li> <li>Julie Klazynski</li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jazminoutdoors/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Jazmin Ortega</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/50shadesofpale/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Liam Purtle</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/eric_august_d/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Eric Dernbach</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alidernbach/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Alison Dernbach</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/angiekaneferrante/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Angie Kane</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifi_sara/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sara Dhooma</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedosukinuta/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Dosu</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrailartist/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Lucas Woolfolk</a></li> </ul> Today's show is brought to you by Granite Gear.  Trail Correspondents can score a 20% discount off any purchase at <a href="https://granitegear.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GraniteGear.com</a> by using "TREK20" at checkout.  Get on it. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)! You can also find us on  Download podcast <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/TC_Episode_2.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">episode one</a> and <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/TC_S2_Episode_2_REAL.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> episode two</a>.  Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN6eRJjoZVCk18ycrvfmtog" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Pauly Boy Shallcross</a>.

#3 | Thru-Hike Preparation

Grab a seat next to the rocking chair because today's show will feature some stories from the backcountry. We instructed our hikers to share a standout tale from their journey. It can be a highlight, lowlight, or something in between. The submissions are a delightful mix. We hear about one of our AT hikers who completed the 4-state challenge, one of our correspondents who played a part in rescuing a lost hiker, and another correspondent who had to use their SOS to save another hiker. Murphy's law.   FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. In today's show, we hear from:   Frozen Katharine Missy and Jon Kenneth Nancy Sarah Zack Jazmin Karthikeya Julie Eric and Alison (our brother sister duo) Angie Dosu  [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. Check out The Trek's store.  Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!   Download this episode here. Find us on  Stitcher and  Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt; sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

Grab a seat next to the rocking chair because today's show will feature some stories from the backcountry. We instructed our hikers to share a standout tale from their journey. It can be a highlight, lowlight, or something in between. The submissions are a delightful mix. We hear about one of our AT hikers who completed the 4-state challenge, one of our correspondents who played a part in rescuing a lost hiker, and another correspondent who had to use their SOS to save another hiker. Murphy's law.  <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. In today's show, we hear from:  <ul> <li>Frozen</li> <li>Katharine</li> <li>Missy and Jon</li> <li>Kenneth</li> <li>Nancy</li> <li>Sarah</li> <li>Zack</li> <li>Jazmin</li> <li>Karthikeya</li> <li>Julie</li> <li>Eric and Alison (our brother sister duo)</li> <li>Angie</li> <li>Dosu</li> </ul> [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. Check out <a href="http://thetrek.co/store" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek's store</a>. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)!   <a href="https://chtbl.com/track/8D135/traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/TC_17_FINAL.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Download this episode here</a>. Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN6eRJjoZVCk18ycrvfmtog" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pauly Boy Shallcross</a>.

#18 | Stories from the Trail

Gear. For some people it's their favorite topic in the world, for others, it results in a shoulder shrug and an eye roll. But whether you love or hate gear talk, there's no way around it: what you carry on your back, plays a big role in how much you enjoy your hike. More precisely, getting it wrong the first time, can be emotionally and financially draining. -Check out the full list of what our hikers changed in the show notes below- Today our hikers share what they've sent home, what they've upgraded- really an overall glimpse into their gear systems thus far.  FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Get a 10% discount off at northxnorth.co by using code "TREK10". In today's show, we hear from:  PCT HIKERS  Karthikeya Nadendla  Sent home Big Agnes Air Pillow, but is considering retrying on trail, or trying Sea to Summit Pillow Started with New Balance Summit Unknowns, swapped out for for Altra Timps after heel pain   Laura Stewart  Sent home cook set cup accessory Forwarded the larger snow basket option for trekking poles Dropped Patagonia long-sleeve button-up in favor of long-sleeve sun shirt Removed netting from Outdoor Research skort and paired with men's boxer briefs Added sun gloves Sent home Injinji toe socks liner and is using a single layer Darn Tough sock Considering adding a sun umbrella   Julie Klazynski  Switched Sawyer Micro for a Sawyer Squeeze Planning to send home: mug, stove, mace, extraneous toiletries (lotion, shampoo, conditioner)   Liam Purtle  Sent ahead microspikes Bought larger size shoe (went from 10.5 to 12)   Eric Dernbach &amp; Alison Dernbach  Upgraded to Altras with wider fit Sent home: mug, extra pair of long underwear, pack cover, first aid kit, book   Angie Kane  Swapped out hiking shorts in favor of hiking pants for sun protection Upgraded to Sawyer Mini from Sawyer Micro Added Injinji liners Sent home shorts, sleeping pants Received from home: yoga shorts with pockets, cheap leggings (to replace sleeping pants)    Check out our suggested PCT Gear List. CDT HIKERS  Sara Dhooma  Added Six Moon Designs Sun Umbrella Ordered cuben fiber food bag   Dosu  Sent home: long underwear bottoms Bounced forward: solar panel    [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.   Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!   Download this episode here. Find us on  Stitcher and  Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt; sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

Gear. For some people it's their favorite topic in the world, for others, it results in a shoulder shrug and an eye roll. But whether you love or hate gear talk, there's no way around it: what you carry on your back, plays a big role in how much you enjoy your hike. More precisely, getting it wrong the first time, can be emotionally and financially draining. -Check out the full list of what our hikers changed in the show notes below- Today our hikers share what they've sent home, what they've upgraded- really an overall glimpse into their gear systems thus far. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Get a 10% discount off at <a href="https://www.northxnorth.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">northxnorth.co</a> by using code "TREK10". In today's show, we hear from:  PCT HIKERS <ul> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/karnadendla/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Karthikeya Nadendla</a> <ul> <li>Sent home <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F149866%2Fbig-agnes-axl-air-pillow" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Big Agnes Air Pillow</a>, but is considering retrying on trail, or trying Sea to Summit Pillow</li> <li>Started with New Balance Summit Unknowns, swapped out for for <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F146671%2Faltra-timp-15-trail-running-shoes-mens" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Altra Timps</a> after heel pain</li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurahiking/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Laura Stewart</a> <ul> <li>Sent home cook set cup accessory</li> <li>Forwarded the larger snow basket option for trekking poles</li> <li>Dropped Patagonia long-sleeve button-up in favor of long-sleeve sun shirt</li> <li>Removed netting from Outdoor Research skort and paired with men's boxer briefs</li> <li>Added <a href="https://amzn.to/2F4iz1e" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">sun gloves</a></li> <li>Sent home Injinji toe socks liner and is using a single layer <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F150141%2Fdarn-tough-vertex-ultralight-cushion-quarter-socks-womens" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Darn Tough sock</a></li> <li>Considering adding a <a href="https://www.gossamergear.com/products/liteflex-hiking-chrome-umbrella?rfsn=2017538.0cd2c9" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">sun umbrella</a></li> </ul> </li> <li>Julie Klazynski <ul> <li>Switched Sawyer Micro for a <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F103050%2Fsawyer-squeeze-water-filter-system" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sawyer Squeeze</a></li> <li>Planning to send home: mug, stove, mace, extraneous toiletries (lotion, shampoo, conditioner)</li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/50shadesofpale/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Liam Purtle</a> <ul> <li>Sent ahead <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F890608%2Fkahtoola-microspikes-traction-system" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">microspikes</a></li> <li>Bought larger size shoe (went from 10.5 to 12)</li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/eric_august_d/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Eric Dernbach</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alidernbach/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Alison Dernbach</a> <ul> <li>Upgraded to <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fsearch.html%3Fq%3Daltra%26ir%3Dq%253Aaltra%26r%3Dcategory%253Afootwear" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Altras</a> with wider fit</li> <li>Sent home: mug, extra pair of long underwear, pack cover, first aid kit, book</li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/angiekaneferrante/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Angie Kane</a> <ul> <li>Swapped out hiking shorts in favor of hiking pants for sun protection</li> <li>Upgraded to <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F890900%2Fsawyer-mini-water-filter" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sawyer Mini</a> from Sawyer Micro</li> <li>Added <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F881305%2Finjinji-liner-crew-socks" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Injinji liners</a></li> <li>Sent home shorts, sleeping pants</li> <li>Received from home: yoga shorts with pockets, cheap leggings (to replace sleeping pants)</li> </ul> </li> </ul> Check out our <a href="https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail-thru-hike-gear-list/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">suggested PCT Gear List</a>. CDT HIKERS <ul> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifi_sara/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sara Dhooma</a> <ul> <li>Added <a href="https://amzn.to/2F6ocw9" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Six Moon Designs Sun Umbrella</a></li> <li>Ordered cuben fiber food bag</li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedosukinuta/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Dosu</a> <ul> <li>Sent home: long underwear bottoms</li> <li>Bounced forward: solar panel</li> </ul> </li> </ul> [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.co/product-category/hats/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)!   <a href="https://chtbl.com/track/8D135/traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/TC_episode_10_final.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Download this episode here</a>. Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN6eRJjoZVCk18ycrvfmtog" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pauly Boy Shallcross</a>.

#11 | Thru-Hiking Gear: Regrets, Upgrades, and Best Advice (Group 2)

To prepare for a thru-hike is to spend months reading blog posts, watching videos, and following social media accounts trying to absorb as much information for your forthcoming journey as possible.  But even the most type A person can't completely envision what lies ahead on the trail- and thank god for that. That is precisely the premise of today's show.  Today our hikers let us in on how the journey has deviated from their expectations. Today's updates come from the same hikers you heard in the previous episode.  We're going to continue segmenting our hikers this way, grouped by embark date, rather than trail, to limit the delay of these recordings as much as possible.  This means you'll be getting updates from both the AT and PCT, and hearing from Frozen, Katharine, Missy, Kenneth, Melissa, Nancy, Sarah, Zack and Jazmin. Enjoy.  FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Get a 10% discount off Hyperlite Mountain Gear's  Windrider and  Southwest by using code "TREK10" at  hyperlitemountaingear.com. In today's show, we hear from:   Nancy Alexander Frozen Missy Baatz Melissa Glass Kenneth Pararo Katharine Rudzitis Sarah Herman Zack Munsell Jazmin Ortega  Today's show is brought to you by  Hyperlite Mountain Gear, manufacturers of quality Backpacks, Tents, Tarps, and accessories, made in Biddeford, ME. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.    Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!   Download this episode here. Find us on  Stitcher and  Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt; sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

To prepare for a thru-hike is to spend months reading blog posts, watching videos, and following social media accounts trying to absorb as much information for your forthcoming journey as possible.  But even the most type A person can't completely envision what lies ahead on the trail- and thank god for that. That is precisely the premise of today's show.  Today our hikers let us in on how the journey has deviated from their expectations. Today's updates come from the same hikers you heard in the previous episode.  We're going to continue segmenting our hikers this way, grouped by embark date, rather than trail, to limit the delay of these recordings as much as possible.  This means you'll be getting updates from both the AT and PCT, and hearing from Frozen, Katharine, Missy, Kenneth, Melissa, Nancy, Sarah, Zack and Jazmin. Enjoy. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Get a 10% discount off Hyperlite Mountain Gear's <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=47cd1998-e608-4548-aa0f-3d33e964ad3a&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hyperlitemountaingear.com%2Fcollections%2Fpacks%2Fproducts%2F3400-windrider" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Windrider</a> and <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=47cd1998-e608-4548-aa0f-3d33e964ad3a&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hyperlitemountaingear.com%2Fcollections%2Fpacks%2Fproducts%2F3400-southwest" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Southwest</a> by using code "TREK10" at <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=47cd1998-e608-4548-aa0f-3d33e964ad3a&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hyperlitemountaingear.com%2F" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> hyperlitemountaingear.com</a>. In today's show, we hear from:  <ul> <li>Nancy Alexander</li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/FrozensOutdoorAdventures/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Frozen</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/travelingoutsidethebaatz/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Missy Baatz</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/themelissaglass/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Melissa Glass</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kenneth_pararo/?hl=af" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kenneth Pararo</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/katharinerudzitis/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Katharine Rudzitis</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/uphilladventure/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sarah Herman</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ponythumbs/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Zack Munsell</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jazminoutdoors/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Jazmin Ortega</a></li> </ul> Today's show is brought to you by <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=47cd1998-e608-4548-aa0f-3d33e964ad3a&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hyperlitemountaingear.com%2F" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Hyperlite Mountain Gear</a>, manufacturers of quality Backpacks, Tents, Tarps, and accessories, made in Biddeford, ME. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.co/store/hats/trek-mcafee-knob-illustrated-technical-trucker-hat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)!   <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/Trail_Correspondents_EPISODE_5_FINAL.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download this episode here</a>. Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN6eRJjoZVCk18ycrvfmtog" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Pauly Boy Shallcross</a>.

#6 | Expectations vs. Reality (Group 1)

Although a half year backpacking trip is a physical grind, this is not the most challenging part of a thru-hike.  Apologies for sounding like a broken record, but as you might likely guess, this title belongs to the psychological side of this journey. Our hikers chime in on whether they agree with this sentiment, what coping mechanisms they use to overcome their challenges, how the challenges have evolved over the course of the hike, and what advice they would offer to their pre-trail selves on how to better handle these hurdles. As a bit of a spoiler, one of our hikers will greatly corroborate how difficult the mental side of this journey is, as she is no longer on trail, and cites this as the key reason.  Listen through to hear her entry. Her honest take is full of valuable insights for those considering a thru-hike. In today's show we hear from Frozen, Katharine, Missy, Kenneth, Nancy, Sarah H, Jazmin, Karthikeya, Laura, Julie, Eric and Alison (our brother sister duo), Dosu, and Sara D.  Here it is.  Enjoy.    FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out Appalachian Trials and Pacific Crest Trials. [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.     Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!   Download this episode here. Find us on  Stitcher and  Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt; sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

Although a half year backpacking trip is a physical grind, this is not the most challenging part of a thru-hike.  Apologies for sounding like a broken record, but as you might likely guess, this title belongs to the psychological side of this journey. Our hikers chime in on whether they agree with this sentiment, what coping mechanisms they use to overcome their challenges, how the challenges have evolved over the course of the hike, and what advice they would offer to their pre-trail selves on how to better handle these hurdles. As a bit of a spoiler, one of our hikers will greatly corroborate how difficult the mental side of this journey is, as she is no longer on trail, and cites this as the key reason.  Listen through to hear her entry. Her honest take is full of valuable insights for those considering a thru-hike. In today's show we hear from Frozen, Katharine, Missy, Kenneth, Nancy, Sarah H, Jazmin, Karthikeya, Laura, Julie, Eric and Alison (our brother sister duo), Dosu, and Sara D.  Here it is.  Enjoy. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://amzn.to/2LOSd8u" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Appalachian Trials</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2SPUJfr" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pacific Crest Trials</a>. [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.co/store/hats/trek-mcafee-knob-illustrated-technical-trucker-hat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a> <a href="https://thetrek.co/store/t-shirts/trek-retro-sunrise-tees-tanks/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)!   <a href="https://chtbl.com/track/8D135/traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/TC_episode_18_final.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Download this episode here</a>. Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN6eRJjoZVCk18ycrvfmtog" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pauly Boy Shallcross</a>.

#19 | The Mental Grind

Food. It's is a subject of endless fascination to just about everyone. Even the most experienced hikers stand room for improvement with their backcountry menus. Rarely do I go a long stint on trail without picking up some sort of tip for how to enhance my hiker fare. This episode will be appealing to those who want to improve their on trail culinary skills or who are simply curious about what a hiker eats, what the vaunted hiker hunger is all about, and how tastes evolve over the course of a thru-hike.  FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Get a 10% discount off at northxnorth.co by using code "TREK10". In today's show, we hear from:   Frozen Katharine Rudzitis  Amazing Grass Green Powder   Missy Baatz Kenneth Pararo Melissa Glass Nancy Alexander Sarah Herman Zack Munsell Jazmin Ortega  Related reading: My PCT Thru-Hike Diet &amp; 3 Ingredient Backpacking Meals [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.    Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!   Download this episode here. Find us on  Stitcher and  Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt; sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

Food. It's is a subject of endless fascination to just about everyone. Even the most experienced hikers stand room for improvement with their backcountry menus. Rarely do I go a long stint on trail without picking up some sort of tip for how to enhance my hiker fare. This episode will be appealing to those who want to improve their on trail culinary skills or who are simply curious about what a hiker eats, what the vaunted hiker hunger is all about, and how tastes evolve over the course of a thru-hike. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Get a 10% discount off at <a href="https://www.northxnorth.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">northxnorth.co</a> by using code "TREK10". In today's show, we hear from:  <ul> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/FrozensOutdoorAdventures/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Frozen</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/katharinerudzitis/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Katharine Rudzitis</a> <ul> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2LAyZ5T" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Amazing Grass Green Powder</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/travelingoutsidethebaatz/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Missy Baatz</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kenneth_pararo/?hl=af" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kenneth Pararo</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/themelissaglass/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Melissa Glass</a></li> <li>Nancy Alexander</li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/uphilladventure/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sarah Herman</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ponythumbs/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Zack Munsell</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jazminoutdoors/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Jazmin Ortega</a></li> </ul> Related reading: <a href="https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail/pct-thru-hike-diet-nutrition-plan/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">My PCT Thru-Hike Diet</a> &amp; <a href="https://thetrek.co/three-ingredient-backpacking-meals/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">3 Ingredient Backpacking Meals</a> [divider] Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Trail Correspondents?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.co/store/hats/trek-mcafee-knob-illustrated-technical-trucker-hat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)!   <a href="https://chtbl.com/track/8D135/traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/TC_Episode_8_Final.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download this episode here</a>. Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN6eRJjoZVCk18ycrvfmtog" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pauly Boy Shallcross</a>.

#12 | The Thru-Hiker Diet: Favorite Meals, Snacks, and Philosophy (Group 1)

This is episode two, part two, season two.  If you've listened to  Backpacker Radio, you might be making assumptions about the subject of today's show.  But, lucky you, this one is not poo-themed.     Instead, we're going to meet the remainder of this season's trail correspondents.  Today's show will introduce you to our Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail hikers.     In the interest of not repeating myself, I will quickly highlight our thinking in those we brought on for this year's show.  First, we wanted to feature primarily first time thru-hikers, as it's my belief that the during your first long distance trek, the highs are higher, and the lows are lower.  We wanted the emotion to jump through your headphones and/or speaker and into your soul.  Two, we wanted to feature a greater diversity of voice, to represent more communities, as the trail demographics tend to be rather homogenized.  We want to encourage as many people as possible to discover the magic of the backcountry- in a sustainable way.    Find our Trail Correspondents Hiker Bios, Photos, and Instagram here. Today's show is brought to you by Granite Gear.  Trail Correspondents can score a 20% discount off any purchase at GraniteGear.com by using "TREK20" at checkout.  Get on it. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt;  sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

This is episode two, part two, season two.  If you've listened to <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/backpacker-radio/id1339028551?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Backpacker Radio</a>, you might be making assumptions about the subject of today's show.  But, lucky you, this one is not poo-themed.     Instead, we're going to meet the remainder of this season's trail correspondents.  Today's show will introduce you to our Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail hikers.     In the interest of not repeating myself, I will quickly highlight our thinking in those we brought on for this year's show.  First, we wanted to feature primarily first time thru-hikers, as it's my belief that the during your first long distance trek, the highs are higher, and the lows are lower.  We wanted the emotion to jump through your headphones and/or speaker and into your soul.  Two, we wanted to feature a greater diversity of voice, to represent more communities, as the trail demographics tend to be rather homogenized.  We want to encourage as many people as possible to discover the magic of the backcountry- in a sustainable way.  <a href="https://thetrek.co/trail-correspondents-episode-1-2-introductions" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Find our Trail Correspondents Hiker Bios, Photos, and Instagram here</a>. Today's show is brought to you by Granite Gear.  Trail Correspondents can score a 20% discount off any purchase at <a href="https://granitegear.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GraniteGear.com</a> by using "TREK20" at checkout.  Get on it. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="http://appalachiantrials.us1.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=7c9afdd0a6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

#2 | Introductions (Part 2)

It's the subject which most aspiring thru-hikers dedicate the most time, energy, and money toward.  Yes, let's talk gear. We get an early look into our how our crew's backpacking gear is treating them. They share what they've sent home (if anything), if they've added anything new, if they have any regrets- really just an overall shakedown, a few weeks into their treks. This is a subject of deep passion to many of our listeners, so grab your pens and notepads, and get ready to scribble down some notes, because here comes some advice from those who've walked some of the walk. Check out The Trek's YouTube Channel.  Leave us a review on iTunes.   In today's show, we hear from:   Frozen  Prefers Altra Lone Peak 3.5 over Lone Peak 4.0   Katharine Rudzitis  Loves her Big Agnes tent and Osprey pack Switched from AWOL Guide to Guthook App Recommends ear plugs   Missy Baatz  Switched from hammock to tent- Big Agnes Tiger Wall 3 NeoAir XTherm and NeoAir Xlite Osprey Atmos 65L and Zpacks Arc Haul   Kenneth Pararo  Sawyer Micro   Melissa Glass  Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider REI Quarter Dome 1 Enlightened Equipment Quit NeoAir Xlite Hasn't used rain pants as of recording   Nancy Alexander  Sent home Hennessy Hammock rain fly, upgraded to larger fly Altra Lone Peak 4.0 have worn down quickly, but too comfortable to change   Sarah Herman  Superior Wilderness Designs Long Haul 50 REI Half Dome 2 Xero Sandals   Zack Munsell  Traded to a newer model of Brooks Cascadias and added insoles to overcome foot issues Added Microspikes Zpacks Duplex and Zpacks Arc Blast   Jazmin Ortega  Sony A6000 Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 NeoAir XTherm      [divider] Check out our recommended  Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Gear List Check out our recommended  Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hiker Gear List Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.    Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!   Download this episode here. Find us on  Stitcher and  Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt; sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

It's the subject which most aspiring thru-hikers dedicate the most time, energy, and money toward.  Yes, let's talk gear. We get an early look into our how our crew's backpacking gear is treating them. They share what they've sent home (if anything), if they've added anything new, if they have any regrets- really just an overall shakedown, a few weeks into their treks. This is a subject of deep passion to many of our listeners, so grab your pens and notepads, and get ready to scribble down some notes, because here comes some advice from those who've walked some of the walk. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeLEFccX95XG45Xm7o5TBqA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Check out The Trek's YouTube Channel</a>. <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Leave us a review on iTunes</a>. <ul> <li> In today's show, we hear from:  <ul> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/FrozensOutdoorAdventures/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Frozen</a> <ul> <li>Prefers <a href="https://amzn.to/2WhHYyn" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Altra Lone Peak 3.5</a> over Lone Peak 4.0</li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/katharinerudzitis/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Katharine Rudzitis</a> <ul> <li>Loves her <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fb%2Fbig-agnes%2Fc%2Ftents" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Big Agnes tent</a> and <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fsearch.html%3Fq%3Dosprey%2Bbackpacks%26ir%3Dq%253Aosprey%2Bbackpacks%26r%3Dcategory%253Acamping-and-hiking%253Bgender%253AWomen%2527s%253Bgear-capacity-l%253A36%2520to%252050" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Osprey pack</a></li> <li>Switched from AWOL Guide to <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/guthook-guides-hike-offline/id605447532?mt=8" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Guthook App</a></li> <li>Recommends <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F749323%2Feagle-creek-travel-ear-plug-set" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">ear plugs</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/travelingoutsidethebaatz/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Missy Baatz</a> <ul> <li>Switched from hammock to tent- <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F128991%2Fbig-agnes-tiger-wall-ul3-tent" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Big Agnes Tiger Wall 3</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F881575%2Ftherm-a-rest-neoair-xtherm-sleeping-pad" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">NeoAir XTherm</a> and <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F881574%2Ftherm-a-rest-neoair-xlite-sleeping-pad" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">NeoAir Xlite</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F134072%2Fosprey-atmos-ag-65-pack-mens" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Osprey Atmos 65L</a> and <a href="https://zpacks.com/products/arc-haul-backpack" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Zpacks Arc Haul</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kenneth_pararo/?hl=af" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kenneth Pararo</a> <ul> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2QhHgM7" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sawyer Micro</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/themelissaglass/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Melissa Glass</a> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=47cd1998-e608-4548-aa0f-3d33e964ad3a&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hyperlitemountaingear.com%2Fproducts%2F2400-windrider" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F110817%2Frei-co-op-quarter-dome-1-tent" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">REI Quarter Dome 1</a></li> <li><a href="https://enlightenedequipment.com/quilts/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Enlightened Equipment Quit</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F881574%2Ftherm-a-rest-neoair-xlite-sleeping-pad" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">NeoAir Xlite</a></li> <li>Hasn't used rain pants as of recording</li> </ul> </li> <li>Nancy Alexander <ul> <li>Sent home Hennessy Hammock rain fly, upgraded to larger fly</li> <li><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F134977%2Faltra-lone-peak-4-trail-running-shoes-mens" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Altra Lone Peak 4.0</a> have worn down quickly, but too comfortable to change</li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/uphilladventure/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sarah Herman</a> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.swdbackpacks.com/product-page/50Lbackpack" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Superior Wilderness Designs Long Haul 50</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.rei.com/product/128692/rei-co-op-half-dome-2-plus-tent" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">REI Half Dome 2</a></li> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2JTQAVf" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Xero Sandals</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ponythumbs/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Zack Munsell</a> <ul> <li>Traded to a newer model of <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F134775%2Fbrooks-cascadia-13-trail-running-shoes-mens" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Brooks Cascadias</a> and added insoles to overcome foot issues</li> <li>Added <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F890608%2Fkahtoola-microspikes-traction-system" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Microspikes</a></li> <li><a href="https://zpacks.com/products/duplex-tent" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Zpacks Duplex</a> and <a href="https://zpacks.com/products/arc-blast-backpack" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Zpacks Arc Blast</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jazminoutdoors/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Jazmin Ortega</a> <ul> <li><a href="https://amzn.to/2QhWgcX" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sony A6000</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F110206%2Fbig-agnes-copper-spur-hv-ul-1-tent" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=e295c418-295a-447c-b265-734e25f82503&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F881575%2Ftherm-a-rest-neoair-xtherm-sleeping-pad" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">NeoAir XTherm</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> [divider] Check out our recommended <a href="https://thetrek.co/thru-hiker-resources/appalachian-trail-thru-hiker-gear-list/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Gear List</a> Check out our recommended <a href="https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail-thru-hike-gear-list/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hiker Gear List</a> Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.co/store/hats/trek-mcafee-knob-illustrated-technical-trucker-hat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)!   <a href="https://chtbl.com/track/8D135/traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/TC_Episode_6.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download this episode here</a>. Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN6eRJjoZVCk18ycrvfmtog" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Pauly Boy Shallcross</a>.

#8 | Thru-Hiking Gear: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why (Group 1)

A few weeks ago, I touched base with our correspondents to see what subjects they wanted to discuss before taking off for their hikes. As you may imagine, their responses were all over the map, as they are soon to be. Given they were due to hit the trail soon and their emotions were likely hitting a fever pitch, I gave them free rein to talk about whatever subjects were most top of mind for them. Today's show is our first wild card episode for season 2. The most prominent theme you will discern from today's show is the sacrifices our hikers had to make to pull their thru-hikes together.  As you can imagine, taking a half year off to walk is no simple task. We also hear about- the thing they've been too afraid to talk about publicly, that they'll be disclosing for the first time on this show. Their outlook on society at large and how thats influenced their desire to thru-hike. Finances. Other people's reactions. Life on the home front, and more. This show covers a lot of ground and elicits some raw emotion, and this is why it's a perfect peak into the mind of someone who's leaving one world behind and about to enter into another. Here it is. Enjoy.  FIND US ON ITUNES |  FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY |  FIND US ON STITCHER Check out  Maggie's review of the Dirigo 2 from Hyperlite Mountain Gear. In today's show, we hear from:   Nancy Alexander Frozen Missy Baatz Melissa Glass Kenneth Pararo Katharine Rudzitis Travis Laura Stewart Sarah Herman Karthikeya Nadendla Zack Munsell Julie Klazynski Jazmin Ortega Liam Purtle Eric Dernbach Alison Dernbach Angie Kane Sara Dhooma Dosu Lucas Woolfolk  [divider] Today's show is brought to you by  Hyperlite Mountain Gear, manufacturers of quality Backpacks, Tents, Tarps, and accessories, made in Biddeford, Maine.   Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to podcast@thetrek.co.   Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!   Download this episode here. Find us on  Stitcher and  Google Play. INSTAGRAM: Follow Trail Correspondents, The Trek, and Badger. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to The Trek. FACEBOOK: Follow Trail Correspondents and The Trek. &lt; sign up for our newsletter &gt; Editing and music courtesy of Pauly Boy Shallcross.

A few weeks ago, I touched base with our correspondents to see what subjects they wanted to discuss before taking off for their hikes. As you may imagine, their responses were all over the map, as they are soon to be. Given they were due to hit the trail soon and their emotions were likely hitting a fever pitch, I gave them free rein to talk about whatever subjects were most top of mind for them. Today's show is our first wild card episode for season 2. The most prominent theme you will discern from today's show is the sacrifices our hikers had to make to pull their thru-hikes together.  As you can imagine, taking a half year off to walk is no simple task. We also hear about- the thing they've been too afraid to talk about publicly, that they'll be disclosing for the first time on this show. Their outlook on society at large and how thats influenced their desire to thru-hike. Finances. Other people's reactions. Life on the home front, and more. This show covers a lot of ground and elicits some raw emotion, and this is why it's a perfect peak into the mind of someone who's leaving one world behind and about to enter into another. Here it is. Enjoy. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON ITUNES</a> | <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON GOOGLE PLAY</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> FIND US ON STITCHER</a> Check out <a href="https://thetrek.co/first-look-at-the-dirigo-2-hyperlite-mountain-gears-new-28-ounce-shelter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Maggie's review of the Dirigo 2</a> from <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=47cd1998-e608-4548-aa0f-3d33e964ad3a&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hyperlitemountaingear.com%2F" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Hyperlite Mountain Gear</a>. In today's show, we hear from:  <ul> <li>Nancy Alexander</li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/FrozensOutdoorAdventures/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Frozen</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/travelingoutsidethebaatz/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Missy Baatz</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/themelissaglass/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Melissa Glass</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kenneth_pararo/?hl=af" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kenneth Pararo</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/katharinerudzitis/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Katharine Rudzitis</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/northboundtravis/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Travis</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/laurahiking/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Laura Stewart</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/uphilladventure/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sarah Herman</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/karnadendla/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Karthikeya Nadendla</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ponythumbs/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Zack Munsell</a></li> <li>Julie Klazynski</li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jazminoutdoors/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Jazmin Ortega</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/50shadesofpale/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Liam Purtle</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/eric_august_d/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Eric Dernbach</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alidernbach/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Alison Dernbach</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/angiekaneferrante/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Angie Kane</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/scifi_sara/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Sara Dhooma</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedosukinuta/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Dosu</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrailartist/?hl=en" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Lucas Woolfolk</a></li> </ul> [divider] Today's show is brought to you by <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=47cd1998-e608-4548-aa0f-3d33e964ad3a&amp;website_id=34cea90b-01ac-4a2b-8c6f-965026e68282&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hyperlitemountaingear.com%2F" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Hyperlite Mountain Gear</a>, manufacturers of quality Backpacks, Tents, Tarps, and accessories, made in Biddeford, Maine. Have any praise, questions, praise, comments, praise or praise for Backpacker Radio?  Reach out to <a href="mailto:podcast@thetrek.co">podcast@thetrek.co</a>. <a href="https://thetrek.co/product-category/stickers/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-correspondents/id1451863637?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes</a> (and please leave us a review)!   <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/trailcorrespondents/Trail_Correspondents_Episode_3.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download this episode here</a>. Find us on <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/backpacker-radio-by-the-trek/trail-correspondents?refid=stpr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Stitcher</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Iefwacyvrp53eqvhtydgqnj6iba" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Google Play</a>. INSTAGRAM: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thetrek.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/zrdavis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Badger</a>. YOUTUBE: Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/apptrials" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek.</a> FACEBOOK: Follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trailcorrespondents/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trail Correspondents</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thetrek.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trek</a>. &lt; <a href="https://thetrek.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a390119c39d0193a621329ae5&amp;id=e17c3c8d7e" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">sign up for our newsletter</a> &gt; Editing and music courtesy of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN6eRJjoZVCk18ycrvfmtog" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Pauly Boy Shallcross</a>.

#4 | Wildcard I (Sacrifices Made to Thru-Hike)

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