Hiking the Calendar Year Triple Crown, Crashing a Motorcycle, and Cycling the Southern Tier Bicycle Route with Carson "Anita" Oliver
Release Date: 12/23/2024
The Rise and Fall of GoLite and Balancing Federal Budgets with Demetri "Coup" Coupounas
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Demetri Coupounas, aka Coup, the founder of GoLite and MyTrail Company. Coup might just be the most interesting man in the world. This conversation takes us through his incredible journey, from his work balancing the federal budget in the '80s and '90s to becoming the first person to complete unsupported hikes of the Colorado Trail and the Long Trail, and how he stumbled upon the once underground world of ultralight backpacking. We also dive into the history of GoLite, from its role...
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Making Gear for People with Boobs with Symbiosis Gear Founder Sarah Berkeley
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Sarah “Mellow” Berkeley, founder of Symbiosis Gear, a pack-making company designed specifically for people with boobs. Sarah shares insights into her unique upbringing in a small log cabin in rural Colorado, her adventures on the Long Trail, PCT, Colorado Trail, and half of the CDT, and her journey to creating a backpack tailored for primarily women. We dive into the inspiration behind her patented S-shaped shoulder strap, the challenges of starting a business with no prior...
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Thru-Hiking with 50-Year-Old Gear with Jared "Snackbox" Champion
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Jared “Snackbox” Champion. Snackbox is s a hiker, father, and Youtuber who, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Colorado Trail, hiked it almost exclusively with 50 year old gear. We talk about the process of sourcing this gear, the hardest items to acquire, the least backpacker-friendly items of the bunch, which gear hasn’t advanced as much, and how his appreciation for gear has changed in light of this experience. Jared also shares the story of bonding with his...
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Triple Crowning as a Family of 6, Parenting Teenagers on Trail, and Life Lessons with Vince & Georgie Strawbridge
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Vince and Georgie Strawbridge, one-third of the six-person thru-hiking family. We last caught up with the Strawbridges in early 2020, when they were freshly off their hike of the PCT. Since, they’ve conquered both the CDT and the AT, completing the Triple Crown as a full family. We dive into the high and lowlights of these treks from the perspectives of Vince (dad) and Georgie (the youngest in the family). They share insights on navigating the CDT during COVID,...
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Backpacker Radio LIVE with Kyle Hates Hiking: A New Trail Mystery, Shaving Jabba's Beard, and Kyle's Reddit Haters
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined yet again by Kyle O’Grady of Kyle Hates Hiking for our 2nd live podcast, recorded at the Skylark Lounge in Denver. This episode is action-packed. We kick off the episode by shaving Viking’s beard. The beard shaving is the ultimate entertainment, we encourage you to check this one out on YouTube. Kyle then shares an exclusive trail mystery about a local Colorado man who disappeared while pursuing another man who also vanished under mysterious circumstances. We also talk shop about...
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Thru-Hiking, Running an AT Hostel, and Living in a 300 Sq Ft Alaskan Cabin with Patrice & Justin La Vigne
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, we’re joined by Patrice and Justin La Vigne. Over the past decade-plus, Patrice and Justin have traded their corporate grind for, in their words, “a life less ordinary.” From their first thru-hike of the AT in 2011 (drink), to managing a hostel, embarking on multiple van tours to spread the thru-hiking gospel, thru-hiking the TA in New Zealand, and now living in a 300-square-foot cabin on the outskirts of Denali National Park in Alaska—they’ve done it all. We dive into how they restructured their lives around...
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Hiking the Calendar Year Triple Crown, Crashing a Motorcycle, and Cycling the Southern Tier Bicycle Route with Carson "Anita" Oliver
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, we are joined by Carson Oliver, known on trail as Anita. Carson is an accomplished thru-hiker, cyclist, and adventurer. Following up his 2019 PCT thru-hike, Carson completed the Calendar Year Triple Crown in 2023. We of course learn all about this remarkable trek, his circuitous route to make it happen, highlights and lowlights from each trail, and much more. Carson also shares some personal stories, including the tragic loss of his father, who was murdered, and how this has shaped his perspective on life. We wrap the show with...
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Birds 101 with Alison Kondler: Bird Calls, Birding Tips, Bird Feeders, Myths, and More
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, we’re joined by Alison Kondler, an Audubon Master Birder—or as we like to call it, a certified bird guru. Alison wows us with her eerily accurate bird calls and shares her immense birding knowledge. We chat about the rarest birds you can spot in Colorado, the best apps for bird identification, why the American Ornithological Society (AOS) is renaming North American birds that are named after people, how to squirrel-proof your bird feeder, tips for turning your yard into a borderline bird sanctuary, and she finally settles the...
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Madison "Peg Leg" Blagden on the Eastern Continental Trail and the Pros and Cons of Trail Fame
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Madison Blagden, known on trail as Peg Leg. Peg Leg is a thru-hiking powerhouse and a Trek blogging all-star. Over the past 1.5 years, Madison has logged 8,600 miles while cranking out nearly 300 blogs, documenting almost every single day of her journeys on the Eastern Continental Trail and the CDT. Peg Leg dives deep into her epic ECT adventure, including how she became just the second woman to complete the entire trail. We get into the nitty-gritty of the International AT, dealing with creepy fellas in Florida,...
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Andrew Skurka 5.0: Smartphone Satellite Messaging, Assessing Skill Level for Guided Trips, and Being Childfree
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek we are joined once again by our pal and backpacking legend, Andrew Skurka. We cover a host of new subjects including the future of dedicated satellite communicators with smartphones introducing satellite texting capabilities, what he foresees for the fate of rain gear in light of the move away from PFAS, how the first season of guiding trips went in Yellowstone, his favorite backpacking destinations in each of the lower 48s four time zones, and he gives Chaunce a live, in-person questionnaire to match her with the appropriate...
info_outlineIn today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, we are joined by Carson Oliver, known on trail as Anita. Carson is an accomplished thru-hiker, cyclist, and adventurer. Following up his 2019 PCT thru-hike, Carson completed the Calendar Year Triple Crown in 2023. We of course learn all about this remarkable trek, his circuitous route to make it happen, highlights and lowlights from each trail, and much more. Carson also shares some personal stories, including the tragic loss of his father, who was murdered, and how this has shaped his perspective on life.
We wrap the show with news of the oldest woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail and a clarification of what it means to thru-hike the AT, and things we wish were holiday traditions, and the triple crown of cringy holiday moments.
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Interview with Carson Oliver
Time stamps & Questions
00:03:30 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and apply to be a 2025 blogger OR vlogger!
00:06:05 - Introducing Carson
00:08:45 - How would you describe yourself?
00:10:22 - Where did you grow up?
00:14:27 - Where do you suspect your sense of adventure came from?
00:16:15 - Did you ride motorbikes in Vietnam?
00:18:20 - Did you find the north to south journey to be dangerous?
00:20:40 - How did your father’s death influence your future adventures?
00:24:38 - How did the PCT interface with processing your grief?
00:26:00 - Tell us about hitting a deer at 75 miles per hour
00:31:20 - Were you afraid to get back on a bike after the accident?
00:36:36 - Tell us about getting your hiking gear in Vietnam
00:40:30 - What’d you get rid of during your hike?
00:41:12 - What was it like to hike through the Sierra during a high snow year?
00:45:00 - Was it hard to split your group in the Sierras?
00:47:40 - Were you happy or sad to reach the end of the snow?
00:49:30 - Tell us about biking across the country
00:53:00 - Were you nervous to mountain bike after the deer accident?
00:55:40 - How do you assess the risk level of mountain biking vs motorcycles?
00:57:22 - How long did your ride take and what route did you take?
01:01:20 - How did your biking experience compare to the PCT?
01:03:00 - Why’d you stop being vegan?
01:04:02 - What was the inspiration for the Calendar Year Triple Crown?
01:07:35 - When and where did you start the trail?
01:13:00 - Was leaving Vermont the first time Type 1 or Type 2 fun?
01:15:45 - Were you stressed out going through the Whites?
01:18:18 - Tell us about being on Franconia Ridge
01:22:40 - Did you sleep in the huts in the Whites?
01:23:30 - How did southern Maine compare to the Whites?
01:25:30 - How was completing the AT and moving to the next trail?
01:30:30 - Did you hike southbound on the CDT and PCT?
01:33:30 - What stories standout from the CDT?
01:35:50 - Did you use your umbrella more for rain or sun?
01:38:00 - Did you ever get the doldrums during your CYTC?
01:40:45 - Any good poop stories?
01:43:35 - What was it like hiking north on the PCT?
01:44:52 - Were you relieved to complete the Sierras?
01:48:15 - What was the highlight of your year?
01:51:05 - Do you have any advice for someone interested in the CYTC?
01:53:40 - Fuck Marry Kill: PCT, CDT, AT and backpacking, motorbiking, and mountain biking
01:55:15 - Kumo Question: What is your favorite historical period and why?
Segments
Trek Propaganda: Linda “Nana” Vanderloop Just Became the Oldest Woman To Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail by Kelly Floro
QOTD: What do you wish was a holiday tradition?
Triple Crown of cringy holiday moments
Mail Bag
5 Star Review
[divider]
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