Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis Steve Adams

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 https://parentingmattersfl.org/eventer/hike-with-steve-empowering-parents-one-step-at-a-time/edate/2024-04-15/. 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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXsThere, 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. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/
If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com.
If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.
You can also support our shows by visiting our online "Merch" store. Check it out at https://hrntradingpost.com/ , or click on the store button on our network website at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com.
If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

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 first woman doubly motivated her.

She worked as a journalist throughout the hike, and you can see her column here. https://dailybulldog.com/author/briana-desanctis/. You can find out more about Briana through her social media links on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/rockygoeshiking and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brianadesanctis/, while her website, http://www.brianadesanctis.com/ , will give you even more about her.

After Briana, I share a short journal entry from a fun group hike of the Virginia Triple Crown, which I used as a shakedown for my upcoming hike in the UK. It was also a chance to catch up with fellow team members of Team 6 from my TSX Challenge hike in 2022. A couple of other friends joined us, and we had a blast.
   
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 Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. 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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXs 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. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/
If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.
You can also support our shows by visiting our online "Merch" store. Check it out at https://hrntradingpost.com/ , or click on the store button on our network website at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

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 https://thetrek.co/the-cape-wrath-trail-the-wild-wonderful-230-mile-at-of-the-uk/

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.
https://tinyurl.com/5873eesn
https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk/
https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/

Also on the show today, the Dude, Brandon Jacob, shares news of what he hopes to become an annual “Dudefest” at Trent’s Grocery on June 1. If you’d like to attend or help out with the event, text the Dude on 713-443-8311. You can also email him at brandon@contractorscfo.com (don’t forget the “s”), though text is his preferred means of communication.
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
Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. 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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXs 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. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/
If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.
You can also support our shows by visiting our online "Merch" store. Check it out at https://hrntradingpost.com/ , or click on the store button on our network website at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

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 presented to us at the Florida ATC, and we’ll all get a good refresher on that. You can find out more about the subjects that Sarah brings to the show by these various links. https://landtrustalliance.org/land-trusts
https://soloschools.com/
https://www.byronkernssurvival.com/
https://www.thefolcfarm.com/remote-medical
https://www.conservationfoundation.com/get-involved/celebrating-20-years/
https://www.conservationfoundation.com/join-us/donate/

In our occasional series on other hikes, Lisa Rana brings us the three or four day Tri State Hike, a 25-mile loop taking in parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. You can check out her daily progress on the hike via her vlog:
Day 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9df-AEVMNw
Day 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVWTgYtmelU
Day 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q1q4lIDqJY

I hope we’re able to introduce other, shorter trails to offer something for everybody in the future.
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 https://parentingmattersfl.org/eventer/hike-with-steve-empowering-parents-one-step-at-a-time/edate/2024-04-15/. 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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXs 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. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/
If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.
You can also support our shows by visiting our online "Merch" store. Check it out at https://hrntradingpost.com/ , or click on the store button on our network website at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

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 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6, while you can learn more about George at https://www.georgesteffanos.com/. He’s also fairly lively on social media. You can follow him on Twitter (X) at https://twitter.com/GSteffanos , on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084450877622 , and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ges8853/ , all sites where you can gaze at some of his fabulous trail pictures.

We start the Hike With Steve Challenge this week, by catching up with Katie Becker, Chief Executive for Parenting Matters, on whose board I’ve been proud to serve for over a decade. You’ll learn about the work that Parenting Matters does, as well as the exciting partnership with The Flanzer Trust that will double your support. Check it out at https://parentingmattersfl.org/eventer/hike-with-steve-empowering-parents-one-step-at-a-time/edate/2024-04-15/.
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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXs 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. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/
If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.
You can also support our shows by visiting our online "Merch" store. Check it out at https://hrntradingpost.com/ , or click on the store button on our network website at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.

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. https://www.hikeformentalhealth.org/

You can find Bern and the Lookout Hostel on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100083102450360&name=xhp_nt__fb__action__open_user , and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thelookouthostel?igsh=dGRoaHBhaWJvdWE2&utm_source=qr.

My friend, Nate Stockton, introduces me to the Collegiate Loop, which is very remote and looks awesome. Check out the map–and Nate–below.

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXs 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. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/
If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.
You can also support our shows by visiting our online "Merch" store. Check it out at https://hrntradingpost.com/ , or click on the store button on our network website at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com .
If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.