Backpacker Radio #30 | Gummy Bear on Being a Gay, Plus-Sized Hiker, PCT 2019 PSA, and Things to Freak Out About Before a Thru-Hike
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we are joined by Gummy Bear, a 2018 PCT hiker and all around awesome dude. We do a deep dive on his experience of being a gay and plus size hiker in the trail community. We chat some about his upcoming Arizona Trail hike. Chaunce and I deliver the PCT class of 2019 a warning for what they can expect to see in the Sierra this year and why you might want to consider hiking southbound. We do a triple crown of things to freak out about before leaving for a thru-hike. Basically we touch on all the reasons why you should never leave your house (not actually). This is a meaty show, so find a comfortable place to sit, lay, or meander down the trail.
Subjects discussed in today's show include:
- Recorded at Wayfinder in Denver, CO
- Use Code "Trek10" at Greenbelly.co to save 10% off your order.
- Sawyer Micro
- Sawyer Micro vs. Sawyer Squeeze Video
- The Sierra is snowy
- Chaunce's PCT 2017 Video
- As It Happens
- Start interview with Evan Haut aka Gummy Bear
- Trail name origin
- What drew you to hike the PCT - love of travel, liked camping better than partying aspects of festivals he had been going to
- Gay pride bandana attached to pack - important to have it on there after talking to other hikers in town who were hesitant/uncomfortable being open - prior to flag, felt like only gay person on trail, post flag, had a lot of people opening up and talking to him about it - 'was nice to know they had someone they could talk to about it'
- Discouragement and doubt around ability to be successful based on his weight - people becoming more supportive once he reached KM bc they stopped doubting as much
- Hard to find clothing for his size (3XL)
- Columbia and New Balance do good jobs of accommodating big/tall people
- Highest mile day: 24
- How he trained - day hiking, this year: 3-4hrs a day at the gym (quit job and just training now)
- Section hike of the PCT - what's done and what's left
- Water carries for a slower/heavier hiker: how much he carried, obstacles, having to skip sections due to inability to carry enough water
- Deciding to be a section hiker, and feelings around that
- Clothing carried
- Things he would've changed if he could re-prep for PCT
- Start in trail runners, doing the trail sooner - wouldn't have had the motivation to train the way he needed to do it bc he wouldn't have known what he was signing up for
- Fitness vs budget - one of the biggest downfalls yo hiking slow
- Vegan on trail apart from beef jerky
- Section hikers were less arrogant, but didn't realize that until Washington
- Reasons why other hikers ask about start dates
- Theory on why he had worse reactions as an overweight hiker than a gay hiker
- The different ways long distance hiking takes a toll on your body when you're overweight
- AZT as prep for PCT
- Quick overview of the Arizona Trail
- Ways the hiking community can be more accepting to section hikers / plus sized hikers / gay hikers
- Use code "TREK5" to save 5% at zpacks.com
- Triple crown of things to freak out about before leaving for a thru-hike
- Mailbag
- Pacific Crest Trail Resupply Guide by Maggie Wallace
- Check out Trail Correspondents!
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Intro music via.