Episode #546 - Days 49-51 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Release Date: 05/14/2026
Episode #548 - Days 56-58 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
I've reached the quarterway point of the Application Trail, and am getting dark thoughts about the weather in the next few months. It is already unseasonably warm, so June through August should be pretty alarming when they arrive. i now have a plan of completing 86 miles per week that would get me to Katahdin by the very end September. It means I'll have to up my game a bit, but I feel that now is the time. Along the way these past few days, I managed to record Dave Santi about plans for an Over the Hill Gang reunion on a long trail. Also, I bumped into Twister and Beef when they were giving...
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Episode #547 - Days 52-55 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
A bit of a break for me this time. It is mid May, and that means Trail Days in Damascus. Dave Santi and his buddies picked me up from about 60 trail miles north of Damascus and brought me back to their Airbnb. What a treat! So I was able to rest for much of the three days of the event AND buy some replacement shows. We'll see how much benefit I get from both of these things in the next couple of days. along the way, I recorded conversations with Jeff Davis, a new hostel owner, and Ben Steere, or Big Red, a fellow hiker. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to...
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Episode #546 - Days 49-51 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
This week, I had my first experience of substantial rain, with the hike out of Damascus. This took us through a 20 mile detour which turned out to be very benign, compared with the previous detour several miles back. Along the way, I spoke with Alan Roberts, or Wizard, who was hiking with his 15-year-old son, Blood Foot. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for...
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Episode #545 - Days 45-48 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Early seven weeks in and a weakness is appearing. My feet are starting to get to me everyday, with my boots clearly too small and my toes all getting bruised as a result. I hope to be able to resolve the issue with a new pair of size 15s by Trail Days, next week. My days are getting into the 16 mile realm, with two consecutive days at that mark. Along the way I interviewed Loretta and Morgan Dewey, as well as Kyla Wing. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to and click...
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Episode #544 - Days 42-44 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
These last three days started with the vast, glittering openness of the balds in the Roan Highlands, then sent me back into the forest for a night camping by myself and a new hostel discovery. This is such a diverse trail. Also, I was lucky enough to run into Uncle Fuzzy and Nono, each a new character to discover and I enjoyed their company. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to...
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Episode #543 - Days 38-41 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Miraculously, the weather continues to cooperate as yet another four days pass without a minute walking in the rain! I'm in the Roan Highlands and coping well with both uphills and downhills; long may my body cooperate on this trail. This week, I also managed to talk with Carl, or Fresh, who experienced some of the serendipity on the trail to find his hiking partner. If you're interested in learning more about Carl, check out his website at wherethehelliscarl.com. Also this week, we meet a guy I've been looking to interview for some weeks since I met him. His name is Ryan Creel, or Grizzly, a...
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Episode #542 - Days 35-37 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
I'm starting to manage aspects of my hike in a way I hadn't done so before now. Everything seems to have its own place, and each thing that arises during the day is another piece of the hike to be managed. My pace is starting to increase, as is my mileage. I'm also being reintroduced the wonders of the South; the balds. At the same time, I'm beginning to see startling evidence of the destruction wrought by Helene two years ago. It is staggering to see. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my...
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Episode #541 - Days 31-34 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Into month two with the miles increasing, I'm truly living in the woods now. Life seems to have become more feral, and the simplicity of my life agrees with my temperament right now. My loneliness seems to have gone away as I'm spending more time with others, and this week we hear from Bright Spot and Wolf, who I met along the way. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to and click on the follow button. I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise...
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Episode #540 - Days 28-30 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Dana came to visit me for a zero day this week. The Smokies are over and a record I hoped to beat while I was there remains intact!! Even with a relaxing zero with my love, I still had to prepare for my return to the trail the following day, so there is always plenty to do; even on zeroes. i managed to record Dana's reaction to seeing me as well as a conversation I had with a young German couple I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to and click on the follow button. I...
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Episode #539 - Days 24-27 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
The Smokies are all but done, with glorious weather all the way with just one day to go. I think I was more concerned about them than I should have been, but it has been a pure pleasure to be hiking above the clouds at 5-6,000 feet all day long. This recap covers last Wednesday thru Saturday, when I navigated the perils of Newfound Gap, needing to get to Gatlinburg, yet stay in Cherokee. Happily it all worked out. Along the way, I chatted with a ridge runner, Houdini, who shared a few tips with me. It's been a great four days. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd...
info_outlineThis week, I had my first experience of substantial rain, with the hike out of Damascus. This took us through a 20 mile detour which turned out to be very benign, compared with the previous detour several miles back.
Along the way, I spoke with Alan Roberts, or Wizard, who was hiking with his 15-year-old son, Blood Foot.
I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button.
I used my hike in 2024 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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