Tough Girl Podcast Jessica “Dixie” Mills - Thru hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) & the Continental Trail Divide (CDT) thereby completing the “triple crown” of hiking!
Feb 7, 2019
54:07
We first spoke with Jessica after she had successfully completed her thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2015. Since then Jessica has continued to share her backpacking and hiking advice though her website and hugely popular Youtube channel - Homemade Wanderlust (well worth checking out - over 150,000 subscribers!)
Jessica talks very openly about her dreams, doing what she loves, the challenges out on the trail as well as how she is funding her life. I am inspired by Dixie and what she has achieved and I know you will be as well. Enjoy this episode!
Show notes
- What does she prefer to be called?
- How Dixie would introduce herself
- Completing the recipe to be successful.. but not being happy
- Doing what she loves
- Listen to Jessica when she shares more about hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2015
- Getting back home after the Appalachian Trail
- Wanting to get hiking again
- Doing a wide variety of different jobs while growing her youtube channel
- 2017 and doing the Pacific Crest Trail - the why and the how
- Learning about the CDT
- The pressure she felt at the start of the PCT and feeling so nervous about the desert and the snow
- Gear changes and wanting to go lighter with her gear
- Getting use to dry camping
- Not being able to train before the PCT
- Dealing with the desert and the first 700 miles
- Filming on the PCT and trying to capture more of nature
- The moment that stands out on the trail and why the bad days make the best stories
- Loss of life on the trail
- Crossing rivers
- Navigation on the trail and using the Gut Hook App
- Appreciating the trail but also taking time out for a family graduation
- Getting to the end of the trail and what it felt like
- Patreon and how patrons have helped to change her life
- Wanting to get out on the CDT in 2018
- Heading north bound - 3,050 miles!
- Create your own adventure trail!
- The challenges of the CDT
- Food and nutrition on the trails
- Lessons learned on the CDT
- Taking risks doing thru hikes
- When things don’t go to plan
- Completing the triple crown and why it was surreal
- Life after a thru hike
- Future hikes and plans
- 2019 plans with her mum on the PCT
- Top tips for having a successful thru-hike
Social Media
Youtube @homemadewanderlust
Website - www.homemadewanderlust.com