Nov 6, 2025

We’ve got a family of three on the show today, with Mike, Molli, and Kayla McCarthy sharing their own hiking story. I met Molli and Kayla on my 2014 thru-hike, and found them to be charming company. Mike had started with them but had to get off trail due to an injury, supporting them the rest of the way.

For Kayla,...

Oct 30, 2025

Lisa Laidlow came to the trail when she became an empty-nester. She had always been an outdoor girl–often along with her father–yet it was only fairly recently that she returned to hiking and discovered the idea of a thru-hike.

As a black woman on the trail, she was embraced by hikers, though had a few...

Oct 23, 2025

James Dalberto, or Nomad, joins the podcast today. James has been an RV'er for the past few years, earning a living as a “starving artist” (his words) all over the country. This year, he decided to mix it up a bit and headed out onto the Appalachian Trail for a thru-hike.

On the way, he fell back in love with the...

Oct 16, 2025

Very limited notes this month, mainly because I'm away and rushing to get this out on Wednesday evening!!

It was an honor to be chosen to present the Saturday evening keynote speech at ALDHA last weekend. I picked my own guests–and subjects–and the event was not only well-attended but also well-received.

First up...

Oct 9, 2025

We meet an unusual hiker this week. Ken Posner has been a long-distance runner and hiker over the years, yet he has gradually morphed into a barefoot runner and hiker. Ken and I discuss this–to me–bizarre footwear choice, and he makes a compelling case for the advantages of barefoot walking.

Ken has also taken on...