Episode #196 - Andrew Haverstick (Gandalf)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Release Date: 12/12/2019
Episode #426 - South West Coast Path (Days 15-17)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
I’m into my third week on the trail and still spending most nights indoors. The first two weeks were always going to be that way, with John, then Richard and Wendy as part of my hike, yet the weather has intervened in this third week. Hopefully, the weather is about to turn and I’ll be able to camp outside a bit more. I’m using my hike in the UK on the South West Coast Path to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I’ve been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by...
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Episode #425 - South West Coast Path (Days 11-14)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
I’m using my hike in the UK on the South West Coast Path to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I’ve been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting . And, maybe, you’ll get a personal picture of me thanking you with your name etched in the sand during my hike. I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don’t forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at There, you’ll find all...
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Episode #424 - South West Coast Path (Days 8-10)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
The last three days have tested me yet again, though I’m pretty much on schedule. A schoolboy error on my part led to a very low energy day, though meeting dear friends at the end of the day more than made up for it. I’m using my hike in the UK on the South West Coast Path to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I’ve been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting . And, maybe, you’ll get a personal picture of me thanking you with your name etched in the...
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Episode #423 - South West Coast Path (Days 4-7)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
The first week has been unexpected, exciting, and even a little scary. I’m now 80 miles into the hike and just starting to feel that I’m finding my way. John has returned home, as originally planned, and the tenor of the hike has shifted as I’m on my own. I’ve been overwhelmed by the beauty of this hike, I’ve been surprised by the difficulty, and I start week two excited by the prospect of the time I’ll be spending with dear friends later in the week. I’m using my hike in the UK on the South West Coast Path to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting...
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Episode #422 - South West Coast Path (Days 1-3)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
The first three days of my South West Coast Path hike are in the books. Unfortunately, my notes weren’t in the books! I somehow lost them, so this first podcast is a little thin on detail, though full of my heart. I hope you enjoy it. I’m using my hike in the UK on the South West Coast Path to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I’ve been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting . And, maybe, you’ll get a personal picture of me thanking you with...
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Episode #421 - Briana DeSanctis
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Today’s guest has recently completed a truly epic journey. Briana DeSanctis set out to hike the American Discovery Trail in January 2022. 6,800 miles later, having taken in all the seasons–twice–Briana finished her personal odyssey in February this year, becoming the first solo woman to do so. Having thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail almost a decade ago, Briana considered that it wasn’t enough for her, so she set her sights on this epic hike and worked to accumulate the funds she needed. On the way, she discovered that no woman had completed this hike, so the impetus to become the...
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Episode #420 - Clay Bonnyman Evans (Pony on the Cape Wrath Trail)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
We have an old friend on the show today. Clay Bonnyman Evans completed his AT thru-hike back in 2015, yet his latest hike is the intriguing Cape Wrath Trail. Clay shares his experience in his own inimitable style, even adding an unscheduled walk after the hike from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Because, well, why not? Clay is a contributor to the Trek, and you can follow his blog here He has added further links to illustrate some of the topics he brings up in our conversation to further aid you should you wish to follow this epic route. Also on the show today, the Dude, Brandon Jacob, shares...
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Episode #419 - Sarah Denison Williams
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
A few weeks ago, I met today’s guest, Sarah Denison Williams, at the Appalachian Trail Club of Florida, and was so impressed by her presentation that I invited her on to the show. But it turned out that Sarah had so much more to share than the confines of her presentation that we expanded our recording to cover it all. Sarah shares the work done by the Conservation Foundation here in South West Florida, but also speaks to the local and national implications of that work and other trusts around the country. Additionally, she tells us the seven wilderness survival priorities that she...
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Episode #418 - George Steffanos
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
We have an old friend back on the show today, though it’s the first time I’ve met him! He is George Steffanos, writer of the hugely entertaining blog, now book, Then the Hail Came. I read the book over about 18 months and was constantly gripped by both his recall and his descriptions of the trail. Also, it was 40 years ago that George headed out on the AT, and he shares plans for a future hike in 2025. You can buy the book at Amazon at , while you can learn more about George at . He’s also fairly lively on social media. You can follow him on Twitter (X) at , on Facebook at , and on...
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Episode #417 - Bern Leibensperger (Yardsale)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Bern Leibensperger discovered the Appalachian Trail when her daughter expressed an interest in section hiking the trail several years ago. Since then, the two of them have racked up over 1,000 miles and, in an attempt to integrate further into our community, Bern and her husband Glen opened a hostel for hikers in PA. We discuss what it is that hikers need and Bern shares her own insights from her hiking. She’s also a fierce proponent of the Hike for Mental Health organization, helping out whenever she can with that awesome mission. You can find Bern and the Lookout Hostel on Facebook at ...
info_outlineWhen Andrew Haverstick reached out to me recently telling me that he had a story to share, I called and listened to his story. Our subsequent conversation turned into one of the most poignant interviews on the show so far.
In 2018, when he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, he did so with an unfolding situation back home that was doubtless causing him stress. That said, Andrew's calmness in our conversation and his actions on the trail were all based around that unfolding situation. Listen to Steve and Andrew as they discuss Andrew's hike.
If you'd like to follow Andrew on his adventures, you can find him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ahaverstick13/ and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg6eYbh5TShtPBmuiiIdxcQ
With no hostel owner to talk with this week, I took the chance to speak with Anna Huthmaker, of the Trail Dames Podcast. She told me of the development of the podcast and her plans for the future. You can catch up with the show at https://hikingradionetwork.com/the-trail-dames-podcast/
It is particularly apposite to do so in the next week or so as Anna gives you gift ideas for the hiker in your life.
Our sponsor, Terri Kidder, a Young Living Essential Oils Independent Distributor, has an offer for listeners. Just text "HIKER" to 937-848-1630 and you'll receive a response telling you how to get the Young Living Basic Hiker Pack for you or the hiker in your life.
Finally, in Paul Stutzman's Hiking Through, Paul passes the halfway mark and encounters a ferocious storm.