May 17, 2018
Spencer Leebolt and Blaike Bateman have almost reached the halfway mark on the Appalachian Trail. Spencer is Blaike's stepfather and, although he had originally intended to hike the trail on his own, he took the opportunity to introduce Blaike to the trail for the adventure of his (early) lifetime. Blaike is just 14 years old.
Steve found them to be very much a team, with each having the other's back.
They have been videoing their journey, so you can keep up with them on YouTube at Batebolt Productions. If you'd like to see some of their pictures, head over to Instagram, where they are also at Batebolt Productions.
Kelly Anderson told Steve the things she would change were she ever to do the hike again in "If I Did It Again," while Blaise Vitale texted then told Steve his story about an unfortunate hitch-hike.
We hope that you take the opportunity to support our sponsor, Trailtopia, when you consider your next backpacking trip. Go to https://www.trailtopia.com/ to check out their wide variety of meals.