The Real Hiking Viking & Lt. Cookoo Bird on Bikepacking Across Iceland, Patagonia, and the Ragbrai
Release Date: 10/28/2024
Graduating Army Ranger School and Thru-Hiking After 30+ Years in the Military with Jay "Meat Grinder" France (BPR #303)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Atheltic, we are joined by Jay “Meat Grinder” France. Meat Grinder is a thru-hiker, author, and 31-year veteran of the Air Force, having completed 10 deployments and graduated from Army Ranger School in the process. Jay details his military background, including some key similarities and differences relative to thru-hiking, how he used vlogging as a way to stay in touch with his sons on trail, and the hilarious blood nipple origin story of his trail name. Meat Grinder also recently served as a volunteer...
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Hiking with a Tote Bag, Ultramarathons in a Roundabout, and Creative Trail Shenanigans with Tate "Pyro" Dobson (BPR #302)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Tate Dobson, known on trail as Pyro. Tate is a certified wildcard. It’s not just that he’s hiked the PCT, AT, Long Trail, and Te Araroa, but how he’s done it, including hiking the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail spending $1,000 (alongside Quadzilla), hiking long stretches with carrying a Jansport pack, another stretch using tote bag, hiking the R2R2R eating only Motts Fruit snacks and the 100-Mile Wilderness consuming only maple syrup and a jar of peanut butter. He’s run a pair of...
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The Camino de Costa Rica with Maytal "Carrot Top" Agasi (BPR #301)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by Maytal Agasi, known on trail as Carrot Top. In this episode, we learn how a road trip in a mid-size SUV with her two brothers sparked Carrot Top’s entry into the world of thru-hiking. She shares how she benefitted massively from both solo and group thru-hikes. We chat about her time on the JMT, Colorado Trail, and PCT, and we take a deeper dive into her most recent trek on the Camino de Costa Rica, covering standout cultural elements, landscape highlights, the incredibly...
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Mike Clelland 2.0: Owls, UFOs, Alien Encounters, Hypnosis, and More (BPR #300)
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by author, backpacker, and our resident alien expert, Mike Clelland. We made an honest attempt to discuss ultralight backpacking during this one, and although we do touch on the subject some, the bulk of this conversation is dedicated to owls, aliens, and all things paranormal activity. Mike has become the preeminent expert of the interplay between owls and UFO citings, which may not sound like a thing, however Mike has accrued a lifetime of stories from folks who have experiences that say that...
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A 3,600 Mile Triathlon, International Kidnapping, and A Truck-Pulling Marathon with Justin True (BPR #299)
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Justin True. Justin's story is truly remarkable. From growing up in a home with intense physical and emotional abuse, to becoming a professional MMA fighter, to pulling a 1.5 vehicle for a full-marathon, to completing a 24hr Hero Crossfit WODathon, to being kidnapped in Egypt and deported for being accused of spying for the government, getting attacked by a shark, and most recently completing the "True Triathlon" a country wide endurance feat, including a 50-mile swim, 3,000-mile bike ride, and a 600-mile run. Given...
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Budget Backpacking Gear: Saving Money on Tents, Backpacks, Clothing for Thru-Hiking (BPR #298)
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by former guest, Trek writer, and certified gear nerd Alex “GPS” Brown. The focus of this one is how to save money on your backpacking kit. We break this one down category by category, sharing the best ways to cut costs, pinpointing which items aren’t worth pinching pennies on, offering specific product shoutouts, and discussing overall strategies to ensure more of your hiking budget goes toward your hike. Whether you're on a shoestring budget or just looking to save a few...
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Triple Crowning in Three Years, Ultralight Tips, and Cold Soaking with Austen McDaniel (BPR #297)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Austen McDaniel, known on trail as PI. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve been reading it off at the end of every episode for years, as Austen is one of our Chuck Norris Award-winning Patreon supporters. But in addition to being a longtime patron, Austen is also one hell of a backpacker, having completed the Triple Crown in three consecutive years. He approached his first thru-hike as prepared as anyone we’ve ever talked to, hitting the Appalachian Trail with a...
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10+ International Hikes and a Continuous Yo-Yo of the AT and Long Trail with Curtis Himstedt (BPR #296)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Curtis Himstedt, known on trail as Easily Forgotten. Easily Forgotten’s backpacking resume is bananas. A partial list of his adventures includes the Annapurna Circuit, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in Wales, the GR10, Tour du Mont Blanc, Yorkshire Dales High Way, South Downs Way, and Cotswold Way in England, the Triple Crown in the U.S., the Tahoe Rim Trail, and a continuous yo-yo of the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail between 2023-2024. Curtis takes us through these treks,...
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8 Tips for 2025 Appalachian Trail Hikers (BPR #295)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by LMNT, Chaunce and Badger are serving up tips for this year’s class of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. We’re covering everything from social dynamics and budgeting to mental prep, diet, why you should document your hike, some listener submission tips, and much more. We also give a rundown of advice from previous episodes in case you want to dig even deeper into getting ready for the Appalachian Trail. Whether you’re hitting the AT this year, planning for a future trek, or know someone who is, this episode...
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Dog Mushing, 20+ Years in the Navy, and the Triple Crown with Ben "Ginger Ballz" Vaughan (BPR #294)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by Ben Vaugh, known on trail as Ginger Ballz. Ben is a Navy veteran, accomplished thru-hiker, and currently works as a dog musher, a topic Chaunce and Badger had way too much fun diving into. Ginger Ballz takes us through his transition from the military to thru-hiking, why he recommends it to fellow service members, and the parallels between the two. He shares stories from his hikes of the Triple Crown trails, the Hayduke, Superior Hiking Trail, and Long Trail. We also get a...
info_outlineIn today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Jabba and Lt Cookoo for another BPR classic. This one, in expected fashion, is all over the map. We start by getting a brief update of what Cookoo has been up to since his last appearance on the show followed by a more detailed update from Jabba, primarily about a once-in-a-lifetime bikepacking trip through Iceland, a trip that nearly robbed his soul in the best and worst way possible. We then dive into a QA format, including the top advice they'd give to themselves before their first backpacking trip, their favorite treks that take one month or less, the best stories from the trails they've hiked together, the inevitable point at which they butt heads and much more.
The boys stick around for segments, which is also predictably weird. We provide our wiping techniques in alarming detail, the triple crown of things a dentist can say but not a gynecologist, and Viking gives Chaunce wedding advice.
Topo Athletic: Use code “THETREK15” at topoathletic.com.
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Interview with Jabba & Lt. Cookoo Bird
- Jabba's Instagram
- Cookoo's Instagram
- Backpacker Radio #194 | Bruce “Lt. Cookoo Bird” Lynn on the Sierra High Route, Wind River High Route, Hayduke, Biking Across the Country, and More
Time stamps & Questions
00:04:45 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon for exclusive bonus content, join us in Denver on December 7th and apply to be a 2025 blogger!
00:07:47 - Introducing Jabba & Lt. Cookoo Bird
00:09:30 - Is Jabba still sober?
00:11:35 - Zach & Jabba’s fantasy football punishments
00:14:50 - What adventures has Cookoo done in 2024?
00:18:50 - Cookoo’s self-arresting technique
00:20:15 - Cuckoo on the Teton Crest Trail
00:21:54 - Cookoo’s mountaineering
00:23:19 - What adventures has Jabba done in 2024?
00:28:20 - Why don’t comfier bike seats exist?
00:33:30 - Jabba hiking the other half of the CDT
00:39:01 - Jabba’s Ragbrai trip
00:47:20 - Jabba’s Iceland trip introduction
00:50:30 - Iceland route description
00:52:54 - Jabba’s (lack of) trip preparation
00:59:00 - How did you get your bike to Iceland?
01:00:00 - Iceland’s singletrack trail difficulty
01:04:00 - Jabba’s mindset while biking
01:06:15 - End of Day 1
01:08:55 - Day 2
01:12:38 - How much were you walking your bike versus riding your bike?
01:16:07 - Is it Type 2 fun?
01:19:45 - End of Day 2
01:24:20 - Discussion about hiking in sand
01:31:05 - Going back to get the AirPods
01:34:35 - Day 3
01:42:49 - What would you do differently if you did this trip again?
01:45:00 - Getting to the end location of Day 3
01:49:35 - Day 5
01:58:24 - End of Day 5
02:02:50 - Have you been in contact with Chris since the trip?
02:04:30 - What’s the best one month or shorter hike you’ve ever done?
02:13:31 - If you could go back in time to your first thru-hike, what would you do differently?
02:16:46 - How do you figure out footwear faster?
02:22:16 - What is your best story about the other story?
Segments
Trek Propaganda: “I Just Had To Skip So Many Miles”: How 2024 PCT Thru-Hikers Are Adapting to Fires and Trail Closures by James Townsend
QOTD: Does your butt stay on the toilet seat when you wipe?
Triple Crown of things a dentist can say, but not a gynecologist
Mail Bag
5 Star Review
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