Pratt Takes The Plunge

It's probably not a good idea for 50+ year old guys that weigh as much as we do to rope swing in to the Chattooga River, but Pratt is the first to get the courage and holds on long enough to clear the shallow area. … [Read more...]

Episode 93: Ocean To Lake Trail

In Episode 93, John Phillips joins the show to talk about the Ocean To Lake Trail in Central Florida. This 61.4 mile spur of the Florida Trail starts at Lake Okeechobee and heads due east to Hobe Sound Beach where it ends at the Atlantic Ocean. In the show, John tells us what it’s like hiking all day in ankle deep water, about finding rest areas and campsites in the swamp, and how he frequently encountered wildlife on his hike – including poisonous snakes, stealthy alligators, and over 50 … [Read more...]

Episode 92: Florida Trail (Suwannee River)

In Episode 92, the Camel joins me in the studio to discuss the Suwannee River section of the Florida Trail which we hiked this winter. If you are not familiar with the Suwannee, it is a 246 mile river that begins in the Okefenokee Swamp in South Georgia and ends at the Gulf of Mexico in the northern panhandle of Florida. On our trip, we backpacked ~34 miles moving downstream and east to west on the Suwannee - from the town of White Springs to Gibson County Park. This section of the … [Read more...]

Episode 91B: Boyz In The Wood

In Episode 91B, Matt from the "Boyz In The Wood" tells us about his 1994 northbound thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail in a limited N2Backpacking bonus edition. This is the fifth release in a special series to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our hike, and it was recorded at Trail Days on May 13, 1995 in Damascus, Virginia. Matt hiked with partner Derek as the "Boyz In Wood" in '94, and in this bonus episode we flashback to the mid-90's to speak with Matt about the trip. The interview was … [Read more...]

Episode 90: Party Foul!

In Episode 90, we are in the mountains near Hays, North Carolina to discuss "party fouls" or bad hiker etiquette on the trail. In the show, we discuss some of the bad behavior that was frequently mentioned in online articles, posts, and videos. We comment if we've been guilty of it, witnessed it, or agree that it IS indeed bad hiking etiquette. We also suggest what you SHOULD do on the trail and close the podcast with some gear fails that can ruin your day. This is a special interview, … [Read more...]

The Jolly Roger

Birdshooter-Country Club-The Camel

Two of my backpacking friends had milestone birthdays in 2021, and we had grand plans to celebrate on distant mountains in the western U.S.  But after numerous attempts to synchronize schedules, we settled on a road trip to The Camel's mountain house near Hays, N.C. to celebrate his 60th.  Here we are pulling into his driveway after a long drive from Atlanta. The Camel had neighbors over when we arrived.  So we had a few beverages with them and enjoyed the sunset from the back … [Read more...]

Episode 89: Stuffsack

In Episode 89, we flashback to 1995 for an interview with StuffSack about his thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail the previous year. StuffSack and I stayed in contact after our summer together and were able to connect for this interview when he visited Charlotte, N.C. about four months after we completed our thru-hike. In the interview, StuffSack talks about his first week on the Appalachian Trail, good and bad days, hitchhiking, and his most favorite State on the Trail. This interview is 1 … [Read more...]