How Through-Hiking Shaped His Mental Control

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we're joined by Jeff Vonvai, known on trail as Long Strides. This conversation will put life's problems into perspective—because for the past seven years, Long Strides has been thru-hiking with stage 4 colon cancer, despite being given just a 3–6 month prognosis. Jeff shares what it's like to balance intense rounds of chemo and surgery between hikes, the challenges of rebuilding his trail legs each time he returns to the trail, and how cancer has transformed his outlook on life—saying he's happier now than he was before his diagnosis. Be ready to feel inspired.

We wrap the show with the news that the Continental Divide Trail's southern terminus now requires U.S. citizenship and an Army-issued permit, how to hike the Colorado Trail on less than $800, what crime Chaunce committed to wind up in prison, and the triple crown of things that make us cringe.

LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek.

Gossamer Gear: Check out the Type II collection at gossamergear.com.

Ka'Chava: Get 10% off at kachava.com/backpacker.

[divider]

Interview with Jeff "Long Strides" Vonvai

• Jeff's Instagram
• Jeff's Youtube

Time stamps & Questions

00:05:00 - Reminders: Take the AT Thru-Hiker Survey, apply to blog for the Trek, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon!

00:07:15 - Introducing Long Strides

00:09:41 - How did you go from Arizona to thru-hiking?

00:12:10 - Describe what it was like to get your diagnosis

00:19:50 - How do you maintain your mindset?

00:22:10 - What do your doctors think about your thru-hiking?

00:24:50 - When does poop start smelling like poop?

00:28:21 - What is the main goal of the surgery?

00:30:25 - Walk us through the timespan between surgery and your next hike

00:34:00 - Tell us about starting the AT a couple weeks after finishing chemo

00:37:25 - Did things get easier after that internal dialogue?

00:40:10 - Is it possible hiking makes anything worse?

00:41:45 - Discussion about hiking the PCT and getting surgery before the CDT

00:45:00 - Are you sharing things with your tramilies?

00:48:35 - Do you have any practices you maintain while hiking?

00:51:20 - How has your mindset changed since your diagnosis

00:53:05 - Discussion about going between the PCT and CDT

00:55:45 - Why did you decide to go southbound on the CDT?

00:56:55 - What's the buzz on the trail with the southern terminus?

01:02:04 - How has the CDT compared to the other two for you?

01:09:30 - Fuck Marry Kill: AT, PCT, CDT

01:11:30 - Discussion about Long Strides' future plans

01:15:35 - Have people met up with you along the trails?

01:16:30 - Tell us about seeing moose

01:18:02 - Are you looking forward to New Mexico?

01:18:55 - What do you have planned between 2025 and 2028?

01:21:05 - Do you have any advice for someone who's gotten a recent diagnosis?

01:23:05 - Stay Salty Question: What's your hottest take in the world of backpacking or the outdoors?

01:25:10 - How'd you get your trail name?

Segments

Trek Propaganda: CDT Hikers: US Citizenship, Army Permit Now Required to Access Southern Terminus by Katie Jackson

QOTD: If I got arrested, what crime would you assume I committed?

Crisis Thing of the Week

Triple Crown of things that make you cringe

Mail Bag

5 Star Review

[divider]

Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee.

Sign up for the Trek's newsletter

Leave us a voicemail!

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play.

Advertise on Backpacker Radio

Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram.

Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube.

Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.

Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years.

A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bryan Alsop, Carl Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jason Kiser, Krystyn Bell, Matt from Gilbert, AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, SPAM, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns

A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Luke Netjes, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, and Spencer Hinson.