Episode #506 - Sandra Katerina Schmelzer Alvarez (Peaches)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Release Date: 09/11/2025
Episode #506 - Sandra Katerina Schmelzer Alvarez (Peaches)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Sandra Katerina Schmelzer Alvarez, or Peaches, completed her Appalachian Trail thru-hike last month. She is a single mother who managed her autistic son’s reaction to her hike by preparing him for a year before she left. The hike allowed her to see herself as not just a mother, embracing the hiking community and returning home to her son, Nico, with a new perspective on life and motherhood. You can follow Sandra and see plenty of her thru-hike photographs on Facebook at . Additionally, check out the MeetUp she referred to for backpacking trips and tuition at . Beth and Andrew are...
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Episode #505 - Roxanne Strine (Idiot Runner)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Roxanne Strine completed her Appalachian Trail thru-hike just a few weeks ago, at the sprightly young age of 70. She proved her mettle after her original plans fell through at the last minute, deciding to modify those plans and just go for it. On the way, Roxanne discovered an inner strength that she always knew was there, from her time in her 30s as a professional kickboxer!! Failure was truly not an option for Roxanne, even after getting lost in Maine and having to push the alarm button on her Garmin InReach. She worked out what worked for her and stuck with that plan until the end. Her...
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Episode #504 - Darrell Eck (Old Stag)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Darrell Eck, or Old Stag, is this week’s main guest. Darrell retired as a teacher in 2022 and fulfilled his dream of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. He had kept a picture of the AT behind him in his classroom, so the completion must have been sweet indeed. On the way, Darrell helped rescue a woman lost on trail leading her out when she had found herself turned around. He also discovered the precise height of a tree branch when he walked into it!! Surprisingly, Darrell hasn’t set foot back on any trail since he finished, though I know our conversation sparked a renewed interest, so...
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Episode #503 - Mike Wetherhold (Push)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Mike Wetherhold, who was in the running to be part of the Mighty Blue Class of 2025, is our guest today. Mike went ahead and started the Appalachian Trail at the end of February, and finished mid-July. As you’ll hear, he is a resilient kind of guy. Mike also had a serious purpose to his hike, raising a considerable sum for ALS research in honor of his Uncle Jay, who died from the disease. He felt Uncle Jay’s presence throughout his hike. If this resonates with you, please support his efforts at this link. You can also follow along with Mike’s hike through his Instagram account at Two...
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Episode #502 - Mike Innes (Bobcat)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Our guest today is Mike Innes, or Bobcat, who hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2007, just before the explosion of technological marvels that help hikers these days. It was also the era when lightweight gear was about to become an obsession, so it was interesting to speak with Mike about his experience. Mike hiked with his dog, Romeo, for part of the way, and Romeo even acquired the delicious trail name of Swamp Monster. You can follow Mike on Instagram at , and on his YouTube channel at Our Class of 2025 are nearing Katahdin, with Dave just about to enter the 100 Mile Wilderness, so he is...
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Episode #501 - Madison Boehm (Rescue)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
This interview was four years in the making, with Maddie Boehm our main guest, four years after we first made contact. It was worth the wait, as Maddie talks about her somewhat tricky start with backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. She was badly under-prepared for what she would face, but her resilience and her ability to learn from her mistakes were what pushed her through. Along the way, she discovered something within her that had eluded her for much of her life. Maddie talks about plus-size girls, hoping that her own stories will inspire others who may doubt that they have it within...
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Episode #500 - Jessica Hawkins (Dixie)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Welcome to episode 500 of the Mighty Blue podcast, with Jessica Hawkins, or Dixie, as our main guest. Jessica has been a guest several times before, but in this conversation, we focus on recent life events and her hiking within a family structure. As ever, Jessica is engaging and gives nuanced answers to questions, exposing her own vulnerabilities while remaining a solid source of wisdom about hiking. You can follow Jessica in several ways, primarily via her YouTube channel at , but also on Facebook at , on Instagram at , and on X at . Also today, Andrew and Beth continue their Trail...
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Episode #499 - Charlie Rogers (Pilgrim)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Our 499th episode features Charlie Rogers, a fellow member of the AT Class of 2019, and an all-round good guy who gives back to the trail as a trail maintainer and shuttle driver. Charlie and I never met, but I would have enjoyed his gentle wit had we met. When he had completed his bucket list item, Charlie took on the role of caretaker at Stanimals Hostel in Glasgow, then moved full time into the area. He still returns to the north from time to time to hike in the White Mountains. Beth and Andrew are about to hit 1500 miles on trail, a landmark moment for everyone, though Andrew appears to...
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Episode #498 - Brigid Bell (Purple Haze)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Brigid Bell set out on a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail just two years ago, and had the most extraordinary encounter in the Smokies. That she lived to tell the tale–and continued her thru-hike–is testament to her resilience and the calmness she gained as a 911 dispatcher. Brigid not only flourished on the trail, but she also grew a deep love for the community she found there, and wanted to give back, eventually finding her way into hostel ownership, at the excellent Weary Feet Hostel. You can check out more of Brigid’s story by reading the excellent Trek interview that initially...
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Episode #497 - Jim & Sarah Klepzig (Rocky Root & Social Cutie)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Our guests today are Jim and Sarah Klepzig, a couple who lost their 22-year-old son, Tristan, in a terrible car accident five years ago. Tristan is on the left in the picture below, taken just two weeks prior to his accident. How they responded to this tragedy, turning to hiking as a way to heal, has been inspiring and helped the two of them navigate the world after their son. They carry keyrings to commemorate Tristan on their hikes up the Appalachian Trail and other trails. Tristan was a big fan of cinnamon rolls, so the family instigated “Run 4 The Rolls,” a 5k fun run in...
info_outlineSandra Katerina Schmelzer Alvarez, or Peaches, completed her Appalachian Trail thru-hike last month. She is a single mother who managed her autistic son’s reaction to her hike by preparing him for a year before she left.
The hike allowed her to see herself as not just a mother, embracing the hiking community and returning home to her son, Nico, with a new perspective on life and motherhood.
You can follow Sandra and see plenty of her thru-hike photographs on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/share/1B7SHgqvAN/?mibextid=wwXIfr. Additionally, check out the MeetUp she referred to for backpacking trips and tuition at Beginner Backpacking Clinic – Max Patch to Roaring Fork Shelter - BP 101, Sat, Sep 20, 2025, 9:00 AM | Meetup.
Beth and Andrew are closing in on Katahdin but, as you can see below, they don’t get wonderful views everyday. They are down to the last 150 miles, relishing each moment.
I used my hike last year on the South West Coast Path in the UK 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 Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. 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 Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer There, you’ll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out.
I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I’m sure several of you say, “I could do that. I’ve got an awesome story to tell.” You’re the person we need to hear from. If you’d like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I’ll be in touch. Come on the show!
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