Backpacker Radio

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Mackenzie Fresquez. Today's interview focuses on neurodivergence in the outdoors, as Mackenzie has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. We get Mackenzie's experience with how this has interfaced with her long-distance backpacking trips- including a NOBO LASH on the PCT in 2021, what unique challenges someone with ADS faces in the context of a large on-trail community, and what advice she has to offer others with ASD who aspire to get into backpacking. We wrap the show with a packed array of segments, including some tips for UL backpacking with a baby, the triple crown of best drunks, a couple of very juicy stupidest things of the week, a new cinnamon court submission, and more! Enlightened Equipment: Use code “TREKPOD10” for 10% off Enlightened Equipment’s Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “TAKELESSTREKMORE” for 15% off at gossamergear.com. Casio: Shop at casio.com/us/watches.  Organifi: Use code “BACKPACKER” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. [divider] Interview with Mackenzie Fresquez Mackenzie's Instagram Embrace Autism - Assessments Time stamps & Questions 00:04:26 - QOTD: How long are dog’s memories? 00:11:32 - Reminders: Monthly Patreon Q&A episodes! Become a Patreon supporter! 00:14:44 - Introducing Mackenzie 00:15:19 - Tell us some nature trivia! 00:17:28 - Give us your backpacking resume. 00:19:33 - What made you want to start the PCT after leaving the CT? 00:20:20 - Introduce us to the topic of neurodivergence. 00:21:19 - Why do you think there is a lot of attention about neurodivergence content on social media right now? 00:22:10 - What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? 00:25:45 - What made you go from masking your symptoms to seeking a diagnosis? 00:28:00 - Discussion about insurance coverage for autism assessments 00:29:10 - What was the tipping point to answers and how has the diagnosis helped? 00:31:12 - Do you consider your diagnosis a benefit or hindrance for backpacking? 00:35:30 - What do you know now that you wish you’d known before starting your hikes? 00:36:36 - Discussion about social situations on trail 00:40:02 - DId your symptoms manifest in any additional ways? 00:41:36 - What separates general social anxiety from ASD? 00:42:15 - How did you prepare for the PCT? 00:44:56 - Will you prepare for future backpacking trips differently? 00:45:52 - Which backpacking routine is your favorite? 00:46:36 - Do you have a superpower? 00:47:40 - How was the response to your facebook posts? 00:51:00 - Discussion about self-diagnosis versus clinician diagnosis 00:52:33 - Why is being able to label something important? 00:53:55 - What was the negative bi-product of faking extraversion? 00:54:40 - What else do you recommend for someone considering their symptoms? 00:56:33 - Why are GI issues common in people with ASD? 00:58:22 - Discussion about “curing” autism 01:00:35 - Did you have a lot of social discomfort on the PCT? 01:02:05 - Thank you! SEGMENTS Stupid Thing of the Week Trek Propaganda Ultralight Backpacking With a Baby by Sunney Mahalak Mom Gross or Not Gross Cinnamon Court Triple Crown of best drunks Mail Bag 5 Star Review Listener Voicemail [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy “Trigger” Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

This is a sneak peak into a new monthly Q&A episode we'll be running, available exclusively on Patreon. You can get a taste for what these episodes might look like moving forward, or if you want to get in on the fun now, head on over to patreon.com/backpackerradio.  You can get access to these shows for as little as $5 per month. This one covers Chaunce and Badger's thoughts on cooking in your tent vestibule, the pros and cons of sharing your thru-hike on social media, comparing the Timberline Trail vs. the Tahoe Rim Trail, whether the ATC should recognize 2020 Appalachian Trail thru-hikes, integrating into the hiking world, and more.  Become a Backpacker Radio Patreon supporter!  We are nothing without our wonderful listeners and supporters. Your financial support enables us to improve the audio quality of the show (equipment is expensive!), travel to interview guests, and encourages us to continue recording new episodes! Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy “Trigger” Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.  

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Ethan Greene, who is the Director at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. We of course dive deep on everything related to snow safety in the backcountry including some basic tips people need to be safe during avalanche season, the most common mistakes people make in the backcountry related to avalanche safety, what to do if you're caught in an avalanche, and much more. We wrap the show with a new backcountry meal critic (mac and cheese edition!), we go over some of the details from the first article from our 2022 AT thru-hiker survey, we do a triple crown of our top backpacking predictions for the new year, a glorious listener poop story, and more. Casio: Shop at casio.com/us/watches. Organifi: Use code “BACKPACKER” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Gossamer Gear: Use code “TAKELESSTREKMORE” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Enlightened Equipment: Use code “TREKPOD10” for 10% off Enlightened Equipment’s Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Ethan Greene Colorado Avalanche Information Center AVALANCHE.ORG Time stamps & Questions 00:04:51 - QOTD: What hopes do you have for 2023? 00:10:57 - Reminder 1: Subscribe to the Trek’s newsletter to stay tuned for the Badger sponsorship 00:11:47 - Reminder 2 & 3: Apply to blog for the Trek and shop our shorts! 00:12:36 - Introducing Ethan  00:13:20 - Tell us about your background in outdoor sports 00:14:01 - Have you always had a fascination with snow in particular? 00:15:47 - Can you tell us about ski joring in Leadville? 00:17:28 - Have you lived in the Rockies your entire life? 00:19:00 - How do you go from knowing you like snow to getting a doctorate in snow? 00:22:08 - Is there a rough estimate of how many people in the world have PhDs in snow? 00:23:33 - How have winters in the Rockies changed over the past 30 or 50 years? 00:24:54 - When are avalanches at the greatest risk for happening? 00:25:52 - If you’re a backpacker, what are the safety basics of avalanches? 00:29:37 - What is the data about who gets trapped by avalanches? 00:31:08 - What resources do you recommend people look at? 00:33:10 - True or false: if you’re covered by snow, spit to see which way is up 00:35:03 - What steps should you take if you’re in an avalanche? 00:37:45 - Describe what movement through the snow is best 00:39:38 - Is a certain type of activity more likely to trigger an avalanche than others? 00:43:30 - What are some standout moments from your childhood or career? 00:45:28 - Have you ever been in an avalanche? 00:48:55 - Are there any myths about avalanches that aren’t accurate? 00:49:37 - How common are avalanches that haven’t been forecasted? 00:50:45 - What area is notorious for frequent avalanches? 00:53:12 - Do the icier conditions in New England change the avalanche likelihood? 00:54:12 - Does the direction of the mountain face impact the avalanche likelihood? 00:56:07 - Can you talk at all about dangerous snow features like cornices and crevasses? 00:58:37 - What conditions made 2019 such a big avalanche year? 01:01:15 - What kind of manpower goes into cleaning up avalanche debris? 01:04:04 - Should we consider avalanches when skiing and snowboarding at big resorts? 01:05:29 - If someone is interested in getting into the avalanche field, what’s a good path for them? 01:08:48 - Do you feel a profound sense of boredom in the summer? 01:10:29 - What is some avalanche lingo the commoner wouldn’t understand? 01:12:02 - Is there any question we didn’t ask that we should have? SEGMENTS Backcountry Meal Critics: Backpacker’s Pantry Trek Propaganda The 2022 AT Thru-Hiker Survey: General Information by Kate Richard Mail Bag Triple Crown of predictions for 2023 5 Star Reviews [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy “Trigger” Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined yet again by our resident yeti, Jabba aka The Real Hiking Viking aka The Hiking Viking Liking Biking. Jabba gives us the full rundown on his recent 5,000 mile bikepacking trip on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and The Western Wildlands Route. We learn how this journey came to form due to a pair of injuries early on in the year, how bikepacking compares to thru-hiking in Jabba's eyes, legs, and heart, the biggest pros and cons of bikepacking vs. thru-hiking, a story of how Tom bunked up with a 73 year old thru-hiker for a few nights, and much more. This goes without saying anytime Jabba is on the show, but this one is wild, and doubly so today as the team was fighting a round of nasty hangovers inspired by Palooza weekend. We wrap the show with a triple crown of the worst jobs to be hungover for, we pin Mara vs. Rachel in a new game show to test their knowledge of Backpacker Radio history, people chug raw eggs, and more. Gossamer Gear: Use code “BACKPACKERRADIO” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  Casio: Shop at casio.com/us/watches. Enlightened Equipment: Use code “ULTRALIGHT10” for 10% off Enlightened Equipment’s Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. [divider] Interview with Jabba, the Real Hiking Viking Jabba's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:04:19 - QOTD: Did you lose any bets recently? 00:12:37 - QOTD 2: Did you have a designated popcorn/vomit bowl? 00:15:45 - Introducing Jabba, kind of 00:16:42 - Tell us about how you started your adventures in 2022. 00:18:29 - What was your injury at the start of the CDT? 00:19:18 - Jabba’s motel room bunkmate 00:24:04 - Was biking originally part of the plan? 00:27:57 - Where was the fun part of bike packing? 00:28:43 - What are your personal pros and cons of bike packing? 00:32:24 - Tell us about your bike and fixing equipment. 00:36:15 - Can you describe what a tubeless tire is? 00:38:36 - Story about the first two days of biking 00:41:19 - Would you describe your brand partnerships as a net negative or positive? 00:44:50 - Discussion about biking technique 00:47:35 - Discussion about overuse injuries and healing 00:49:35 - Do you have future hiking plans? 00:53:28 - Tell us about your Patagonia trip in 2023. 00:56:50 - Biking vs hiking: big mile days 01:00:45 - Discussion about making biking comfortable 01:05:15 - Quadzilla’s quads 01:05:57 - What did you add or upgrade during the trip for comfort or hygiene? 01:09:01 - Story about Eureka 01:12:09 - Tell us about the 9 day stretch when you weren’t alone. 01:15:38 - Biking vs hiking: being solo or with others 01:17:15 - Describe the Western Wildlands Route 01:23:29 - Did you veer off the route? 01:25:20 - Any other standout days or moments? 01:29:30 - Biking vs hiking: adrenaline rushes 01:32:38 - Biking vs hiking: budget and costs 01:34:31 - Fuck Marry Kill: thru-hiking, bike packing, college football 01:36:58 - What was your worst injury from the trip? 01:41:00 - Did you wear clip in shoes? 01:43:47 - Would you recommend thru-hiking or bikepacking to someone more? SEGMENTS Triple Crown of worst jobs to show up to hungover Trivia: Mara vs. Rachel Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Christopher Marshburn, Dayne, Greg McDaniel, Kristina Diaz, Matt Soukup, Mike Poisel, Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Sawyer Products, and Tracy “Trigger” Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Dcnerdlet, Jacob Northrup, Jeff LaFranier, Keith Dobie Jr, Liz Seger, and Peter.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Joshua and Amber Niven. Joshua and Amber are the co-authors of "Discovering the Appalachian Trail: A Guide to the Trail’s Greatest Hikes." Appropriately, we chat all about the AT including some fun historical facts, their favorite day hikes, the most underrated spots on the trail, the hardest hikes on the trail, and much more. We wrap the show with a triple crown of things we're NOT looking forward to this holiday season, a preview of some QA episodes we're putting together, 10 things someone ought to know before hiking the CDT, and more! RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Organifi: Use code “BACKPACKER” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code “ULTRALIGHT10” for 10% off Enlightened Equipment’s Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “TAKELESSTREKMORE” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  [divider] Interview with Amber & Joshua Niven Amber's AT Day Hikes Trek Post Amber's Website Joshua's Website Discovering the AT Book Website Get the book at REI Asheville Fine Art Printing Time stamps & Questions 00:04:58 - QOTD: What things baffle you about the opposite sex? 00:16:27 - Reminders: Patreon Q&A video episodes will be coming out in 2023 00:17:37 - Introducing Amber & Joshua Niven  00:18:20 - How long was Joshua in Germany? 00:19:40 - When did Zach and Joshua first meet? 00:20:19 - How did Amber and Joshua meet? 00:22:26 - Tell us about the printing shed and business. 00:24:19 - What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever printed? 00:25:37 - Where in the journey did hiking the AT happen? 00:28:20 - Was it hard to get off trail? 00:30:30 - Tell us about your old log cabin and building a new one. 00:33:02 - Discussion about kids and parenting 00:35:36 - What is The Thru Project? 00:38:14 - Discussion about how the Thru Project transformed into the book 00:40:46 - What are some wheelchair accessible hikes along the AT? 00:43:50 - Joshua’s ‘what not to do on trail’ story 00:48:20 - Did you two ever butt heads in the process of writing the book? 00:50:10 - What would you say is the most underrated day hike along the AT? 00:55:35 - Give us a second underrated day hike! 00:57:26 - What do you mean by secret camping? 00:59:40 - What are some really difficult day hikes? 01:03:43 - What are some easier day hikes? 01:04:55 - What’s a good hike for stargazing? 01:07:07 - Tell us some interesting history facts about the AT. 01:11:55 - How much did you travel to write the book? 01:14:00 - Legend about Frog Town 01:14:52 - Discussion about hiking with kids 01:17:40 - Are you still able to appreciate nature while hiking with kids? 01:19:32 - Fuck Marry Kill: McAfee Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, and Grayson Highlands 01:21:00 - Discussion about the trail in Virginia 01:22:56 - The history of Tinker Cliffs 01:23:43 - Fuck Marry Kill: New Jersey, Vermont, and Pennsylvania 01:29:00 - Duncannon stories 01:33:41 - What camera setup are you using? 01:35:50 - What are your best photography tips for thru-hikers? 01:39:23 - Do you still do your own photography? 01:40:32 - What are your favorite yoga poses and breathing techniques for hikers? 01:44:10 - Where can people get the book and follow you? SEGMENTS MG Check-In Stupid Thing of the Week Trek Propaganda 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Hiking the CDT by Jenn Wall Triple Crown of things we’re NOT looking forward to this holiday season Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Greg Mac, Tracy “Trigger” Fawns, Mike Poisel, Kristina Diaz, and Dayne. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Niki Choo. Niki, alongside her partner, recently completed an expedition across Canada from ocean to ocean (Pacific Ocean in Alaska to the Arctic circle) via canoe. We learn quite a bit about what goes into this style of adventure, as this is our first interview foray into extended paddle adventures, including the challenges of canoeing upstream, through waterways with limited and sometimes inaccurate intel, doing so in such remote country, and much more. Whether you're interested in paddle adventure sports or not, we think you'll get a kick out of Niki's insane stories from this adventure. We wrap the show with a preview of the 2023 Badger Sponsorship, a triple crown of hikes not on our bucket list, we have a couple of listener voicemails, including a Chaunce pat on the back for her improved comfort with poop talk, and more! RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Good To-Go: Use code “BF30” for 30% off at goodto-go.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code “ULTRALIGHT10” for 10% off Enlightened Equipment’s Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “TAKELESSTREKMORE” for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Niki Choo Niki's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:04:45 - QOTD: Do you feel like you’re doing something incredibly naughty when you venture into the bakery section of the grocery store? 00:10:01 - Reminders: Badger Sponsorship launches on January 30, 2023 - subscribe to our newsletter! 00:11:12 - Introducing Niki 00:11:49 - How does someone get into whitewater kayaking at 14 years old? 00:13:38 - Tell us more about your background growing up. 00:15:50 - What makes Whistler such a special destination? 00:17:50 - Give us the basic plan of your trip and discussion about leaving Niki’s dog behind. 00:22:17 - How did you move if you didn’t ski? 00:23:42 - What were the weather windows and the mileage you did?  00:25:20 - Were you the first ones to do this trip? 00:27:48 - What was the inspiration for the trip? 00:30:25 - Did you have experience doing pioneering trips like this before? 00:31:42 - Discussion about the length of days in the Arctic and sleeping in the light 00:33:30 - Discussion about wildlife 00:36:00 - Tell us about your gear and canoe modifications. 00:39:38 - What would you do if your canoe breaks? 00:42:53 - How did you go about finding emergency contacts in small towns? 00:45:35 - What is the culture like where you were? 00:51:37 - Tell us about the upstream section and returning to Dawson. 00:56:16 - What were some of the high consequence moves you had to make? 01:05:46 - How do you portage a 1,000 pound boat? 01:07:45 - Discussion about muskeg 01:10:24 - How did you ultimately get out of that situation? 01:11:22 - What did the route look like from there forward? 01:12:40 - Discussion about upstream paddling 01:17:50 - What did your diet look like on this adventure? 01:20:37 - What were some of your treat-yourself meals? 01:22:30 - Did you send a lump of coal to the person who gave you bad beta? 01:23:56 - Tell us about the scariest night of the trip. 01:33:04 - How well did you sleep that night? 01:35:17 - What were the redeeming qualities of the trip? 01:38:54 - How did your relationship fare during the stressful parts of the trip? 01:41:40 - The proposal story! 01:44:55 - Tell us about your startup. 01:47:48 - Do you have any ambitions to bring it back sometime in the future? 01:49:28 - Tell us about pingos and the effects of climate change you saw on your trip. 01:51:07 - Discussion about human behavior and helping the environment 01:54:17 - Any parting words? SEGMENTS MG Check-In Stupid Thing of the Week Trek Propaganda 10 Reasons why the AT is Better than the PCT by Eloise Robbins Triple Crown of hikes NOT on our bucket list Listener Voicemails (and leave us your own!) Mail Bag 5 Star Reviews [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Jason Snailer, Greg Mac,  Tracy “Trigger” Fawns, Mike Poisel, and Kristina Diaz. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Leonard Adkins.  Leonard is a backpacking legend and author of more than twenty books, including several guide books, a book about the flora, fauna, and geology on the the Appalachian Trail, and his most title, "All About the Appalachian Trail" the first and only book for children grades 4-8.  We go in depth on Leonard's backpacking history, which includes more than 20,000 miles dating back to the early 80s.  We learn what it was like to be one of the first to hike the Pacific Northwest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and the first (alongside his wife) to hike the Allegheny Trail.  We learn some fun facts about the plants along the AT.  And we get the ultimate endorsement for this interview from Leonard himself, who says, "I enjoyed that more than I was expecting.”  We were flattered. We wrap the show with the worst all-time Christmas songs, the triple crown of baked goods, a new stupid thing of the week, and more. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Organifi: Use code “BACKPACKER” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code “ULTRALIGHT10” for 10% off Enlightened Equipment’s Stock Revelation Quilt or Torrid Jacket at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “TAKELESSTREKMORE” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  [divider] Interview with Leonard Adkins Leonard's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:15 - QOTD: What is the all-time worst Christmas song? 00:13:52 - Reminders: Hiker Meetup, Saturday December 10! 00:17:08 - Reminders: apply to blog in 2023, shop the Trek’s new shorts and hats! 00:18:34 - Introducing Leonard 00:19:19 - What’s your origin story? 00:22:56 - How popular was the trail in 1980? 00:26:18 - How was the trail or route different in 1980? 00:29:14 - Did you hike the trail to research for your books or did your books result from hiking? 00:31:55 - How much time did you spend on your first book? 00:33:33 - Tell us more about hiking the AT in 1980. 00:37:50 - If you could backpack the AT today or in the 80’s again, which would you pick? 00:40:11 - Do you remember your original backpacking gear? 00:44:29 - Tell us about the Allegheny Trail. 00:50:42 - How long do you think it would take the average thru-hiker to complete? 00:54:30 - What was the Pacific Northwest Trail like in 1983? 00:57:54 - How did you know about these trails to hike them before they were completed? 01:00:22 - How did you plan your hikes without guide books or maps? 01:03:30 - Discussion about hiking the Continental Divide Trail in 1987 01:05:26 - How many maps did you carry on the CDT and how did you get them? 01:07:37 - What does your navigation setup look like today? 01:10:05 - What shorter trail stands out from the ones we haven’t talked about yet? 01:11:54 - Would you describe your hiking experience as Type I or Type II fun? 01:12:50 - What was your most challenging day of backpacking? 01:14:58 - What percent of your time is spent hiking, researching, and writing books? 01:16:21 - If you could hike one of your international trails again, which would it be? 01:21:39 - Did you re-hike sections of the trail to write your books? 01:25:37 - What’s your favorite story about nature that’s in your books? 01:27:44 - What’s your favorite story about the animals you researched? 01:29:43 - Tell us more about your educational and professional background. 01:32:08 - What are the best overnight hikes on the AT? 01:34:06 - Are the ponies in Grayson Highlands wild or feral? 01:35:41 - Tell us about your wife getting struck by lightning. 01:40:14 - Was the pain localized to her foot? 01:42:00 - Laurie’s perspective on the story 01:42:55 - What was the inspiration for writing a book for kids? 01:45:42 - What feedback have you gotten on the book? 01:47:50 - Do you have a larger mission for writing books? 01:48:53 - Where can people follow you and get your books? SEGMENTS MG Check-In Trek Propaganda 5 Stupid Light Gear Choices That Take Ultralight Too Far by Alex Brown aka GPS Stupid Thing of the Week Triple Crown of baked goods Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Jason Snailer, Greg Mac,  Tracy “Trigger” Fawns, Mike Poisel, and Kristina Diaz. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by our long lost former intern turned Production Assistant who ABANDONED the podcast to go for a silly little hike, called thru-hiking the CDT, Elise "SOS" Ott alongside her fiancé, Josh "Kid" Gribble.  This is a Sunday morning interview, which of course means mimosas are involved, setting the mood perfectly to learn all about Elise and Josh's adventures on the CDT. We chat in depth about their epic proposal (spoiler alert), the highs and lows of their trek, we get a thorough primer of fly fishing, especially in the context of backpacking, and much more. It goes without saying, but this is a fun conversation amongst pals and if you disagree you are wrong. We wrap the show with a triple crown of spices, our top food buzzwords, and some details of the Holiday Hiker Meetup Extravaganza that we're hosting on December 10th in Golden (head to our Instagram to get the full deets). RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Organifi: Use code “backpacker” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code “trekit20” for a 2 day head start to 20% off and free shipping on November 3 and November 17 at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “takelesstrekmore” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  [divider] Interview with Elise & Josh Elise's Instagram Elise's Youtube Josh's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:24 - QOTD: What are your food buzzwords? 00:14:28 - Reminders: Hiker Meetup, Saturday December 10! 00:15:34 - More Reminders: Badger Sponsorship launching in January - sign up for The Trek’s newsletter! 00:16:20 - Introducing Elise & Josh 00:17:08 - The engagement story 00:19:00 - The engagement story actually starts 00:31:16 - How did Josh get the ring size? 00:33:02 - Discussion about trail runners 00:35:22 - Who’s taking whose last name? 00:37:20 - What is Zach’s wedding advice? 00:40:14 - What are your honeymoon ideas? 00:43:37 - Elise’s trail resume & BPR resume 00:46:41 - Josh’s trail resume 00:47:35 - Josh’s trail name story 00:51:44 - Tell us about fly-fishing on the CDT. 00:55:28 - What are the appropriate questions to ask people who fish? 00:58:27 - Tell us about the rod you used. 00:59:21 - Tell us about backcountry fishing gear. 01:02:09 - What’s the difference between fly fishing and regular fishing? 01:07:50 - Floating versus sinking bait 01:10:01 - What’s the appeal of fishing? 01:13:25 - Are there certain fish that are notorious? 01:15:44 - Do you have any universal backcountry fishing truths? 01:16:44 - Tell us about bait and flies. 01:21:40 - How do you gut and cook a fish in the backcountry? 01:28:03 - Do different types of trout taste different? 01:30:12 - Tell us about the fires in New Mexico. 01:44:42 - Tell us about the National Forest fire closure and getting to Colorado. 01:47:50 - Tell us about hiking through the snow in the San Juans. 01:55:12 - Did you ever consider skipping the snow section? 01:57:02 - Did you seriously consider quitting the trail? 01:58:33 - Discussion about cow/grizzly closure in Glacier 01:59:20 - Quadzilla’s quads 02:00:46 - Discussion about grizzlies on the CDT 02:07:43 - What thoughts about gear did you take away from the trail? 02:14:19 - How does the CDT compare to the PCT and AT? 02:15:49 - Josh, what are the best and worst things about hiking with Elise? 02:17:45 - Elise, what are the best and worst things about hiking with Josh? 02:19:30 - Can you give us some impromptu trail related vows? 02:20:49 - How did your pre-trail anxieties live up to your expectations? SEGMENTS Triple Crown of spices 5 Star Reviews [divider] Check out our sound guy @paulyboyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Jason Snailer, Greg Mac,  Tracy “Trigger” Fawns, Mike Poisel, and Kristina Diaz. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Kevin Conley. Kevin is a thru-hiker, wildland firefighter, and the author of Above the Ashes, a memoir about battling mental illness during a 3,500 mile bike ride from California to Florida with his dog. Kevin shares the history of his troubled upbringing- and how this eventually lead to his discovering the Appalachian Trail, and consequently his infatuation with thru-hiking. Kevin goes in-depth about the life of a wildland firefighter, how his crippling panic attacks nearly lead to his demise, and his spirit of giving back and bettering the community around him. This is a really deep, honest, and at times dark conversation- and we'd like to offer a trigger warning to listeners that the following interview touches on talks of suicide. We wrap the show with a chat about whether rain pants are necessary for backpacking, the triple crown of fast food breakfasts, if weekend warriors are allowed to use limited AT campsites, an update from MG, and more. RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Organifi: Use code “backpacker” for 20% off at organifi.com/backpacker. Enlightened Equipment: Use code “trekit20” for a 2 day head start to 20% off and free shipping on November 3 and November 17 at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “takelesstrekmore” for 15% off at gossamergear.com.  [divider] Interview with Kevin Conley Kevin's Website Kevin's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:05:18 - QOTD: Would you rather live in the Avatar, Jurassic Park, or Avengers universes? 00:07:20 - Reminders: Hiker Meetup, Saturday December 10! 00:07:53 - Introducing Kevin 00:09:09 - Tell us about your origin story and first thru-hike. 00:14:58 - What about wilderness therapy didn’t work for you?  00:17:56 - How did you go from that experience to the AT? 00:19:27 - What sort of trouble did you get into as a kid? 00:20:30 - Discussion about high school background 00:22:46 - Walk us through the early days of starting on the AT. 00:25:10 - Tell us your trail name origin story. 00:27:15 - When did you feel like you hit your groove on the AT? 00:28:17 - Did you ever think you may not finish the trail? 00:28:55 - Tell us about getting bit by a black widow. 00:30:40 - Tell us about fracturing your foot twice. 00:32:08 - Tell us about getting and treating Lyme disease. 00:37:05 - At what point during the hike did you know you would hike another trail? 00:41:34 - Do you feel like the hike helped you process your grandfather’s death? 00:44:37 - Tell us about starting the PCT. 00:46:32 - Do you feel like you processed your grandmother’s death better due to spending more quality time with her? 00:48:08 - How was the PCT experience different from the AT? 00:50:05 - Tell us your PCT love story. 00:51:25 - Why didn’t your relationship continue? 00:53:54 - Discussion about Burgers and Love 00:55:10 - Were the burgers the start of your charitable endeavors? 00:57:17 - How much money have you raised on your hikes and bike tours? 00:58:18 - Give us more of the background on Backcountry Ninjas. 01:02:07 - Talk us through the evolution of your relationships with your parents. 01:03:53 - Tell us about hiking the John Muir Trail four times. 01:05:52 - How did you meet Hawaii? 01:07:01 - Tell us about how you got started bike touring. 01:10:42 - If you had to pick bike touring or hiking from now on, which would you pick? 01:12:28 - Why did you bike south from Canada? 01:13:12 - How did you get into firefighting? 01:16:17 - What do you have to do to get the job or during training? 01:18:20 - Do a lot of people back out once they get onto a Hotshot crew? 01:20:09 - How does the toughest day of firefighting compare to the toughest day of thru-hiking? 01:22:09 - What other days have stood out to you from firefighting? 01:27:07 - How do you go back to doing your job after a near death experience? 01:29:05 - Did you follow a specific training program or did you have to pass a test to join? 01:31:57 - Zach & Chaunce kill time 01:33:39 - What firefighting tasks did you favor? 01:39:51 - Can you say “I’m a Hotshot burn boss taking care of a dinner plate”? 01:41:10 - Tell us about the mental illness you were dealing with before your bike trip. 01:47:00 - *Begin trigger warning* 01:54:30 - *End trigger warning* 01:55:30 - Story about the man in the well 01:56:30 - Discussion about the bike trip. 01:59:57 - Was there a trigger to the panic attacks? 02:04:10 - What do you see as your path out of the panic attacks? 02:08:54 - Bison facts and gratitude 02:13:33 - Can you speak to changes you’ve seen in firefighters talking about mental health? 02:16:00 - *Begin trigger warning* 02:20:19 - *End trigger warning* 02:20:19 - Did you ever tell your dad about hearing his voice? 02:22:07 - Tell us about the book, Above the Ashes. 02:24:42 - Any other parting messages you want to share? SEGMENTS MG Check-In Trek Propaganda Do You Really Need Rain Pants for Backpacking? by Rachel Shoemaker I’ve Thru-Hiked Over 8,700 Miles. This Is the Gear I Brought on My 99-Day CDT Thru-Hike by Joseph Gonzalez Triple Crown of fast food breakfasts Backcountry Meal Critics: Heather’s Choice Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @headnodculture. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Jason Snailer, Greg Mac,  Tracy “Trigger” Fawns, Mike Poisel, and Kristina Diaz. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by friend of the podcast, renaissance woman, and Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Teresa Martinez. Teresa feeds us prickly pear margaritas and shares some of the key achievements of the CDT since our last chat, including the recent National Monument designation of Camp Hale in which she got to meet President Biden. We get the full story of her interaction with the POTUS, including some well-earned water works, she reflects on what work has gone into growing the CDTC into thriving organization that it is today, what challenges and opportunities lie ahead, the process of turning trail towns into gateway communities, how climate change is impacting the thru-hikability of the trail, and much more. Teresa is the best and this conversation offers a very clear reminder of why this is true. We wrap the show with some new segments! We introduce backcountry meal critics, where Chaunce and I sample new dehydrated meals and offer our reviews. We also introduce "Stupid Thing of the Week", which likely needs no explanation. We check in with some former guests of the podcast. And we get another update from MG! RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com. Good To-Go: Use code “BF30” for 30% off at goodto-go.com. Enlightened Equipment: Use code “trekit20” for a 2 day head start to 20% off and free shipping on November 3 and November 17 at enlightenedequipment.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “takelesstrekmore” for 15% off at gossamergear.com. [divider] Interview with Teresa Martinez CDTC Website Time stamps & Questions 00:05:04 - QOTD: How was Mexico? 00:12:53 - Reminders: apply to blog for the Trek, check out our new stretch shorts, apply to be the Trek’s Youtube personality, Hiker Trash Meetup December 10! 00:17:53 - Introducing Teresa 00:22:38 - What does the 10 year anniversary of the CDTC feel like? 00:24:31 - Tell us about meeting the President. 00:29:39 - How have your fears for the organization changed? 00:25:47 - What are some of the things you’re doing that could be considered risky? 00:39:48 - Are there certain organizations you’re modeling the CDTC after? 00:44:11 - What elements of your ATC work did you bring to the CDTC versus improve upon? 00:52:31 - Tell us about the Camp Hale designation. 00:59:00 - What are the primary benefits of it becoming a National Monument? 01:04:29 - What would you consider some of the other major accomplishments of the CDTC? 01:08:19 - Do CDT purists get mad when signs are added? 01:13:40 - What’s your take on mapping and navigation? 01:18:28 - How did the Imbibe the Divide events go? 01:20:23 - What is your favorite pie flavor in Pie Town? 01:24:45 - How much of building a trail community happens organically versus planned? 01:29:47 - Is community fostering getting easier with people migrating into the mountain west? 01:34:48 - How has the percentage of completed trail increased since we last spoke? 01:38:09 - What does it take to galvanize communities to maintain remote sections of the trail? 01:41:55 - Tell us about the 10 for 10 Themes and October’s theme of hunting. 01:46:20 - Tell us about climate change impacts to the CDT. 01:49:00 - What’s your take on the future of thru-hiking? 01:52:45 - Tell us about the floods. 01:56:02 - Does water used to put out a fire ever cause flooding? 01:57:17 - Fuck Marry Kill: snow, fire, flood 01:58:33 - If we wanted to open a hiker hostel for CDT hikers in Colorado, what areas or towns would you recommend? 02:00:11 - Would the CDTC consider making a “trail alert” social media page for current trail status? 02:01:30 - Is it better to NOBO or SOBO? 02:02:25 - Does the CDTC have any professional full time trail crews? 02:03:33 - Any parting messages? SEGMENTS MG Check-In Backcountry Meal Critics: Packit Gourmet Trek Propaganda Tips for Flying With Your Backpack from A Flight Attendant by Sarah Lesiecki Stupid Thing of the Week Previous Guest Voicemails (leave us a voicemail!) Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @headnodculture. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Patrick Cianciolo, Paul Packman Sealy, Matt Soukup, Jason Snailer, Greg Mac,  Tracy “Trigger” Fawns, Mike Poisel, and Kristina Diaz. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Liz Seger, Cynthia Voth, Emily Brown, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven.