In Episode 94, Brian Anderson (aka "The Tick Terminator") joins the show to educate us on your biggest danger in the backcountry - TICKS!!! In the podcast, we discuss the tick lifecycle, when and where they are most likely to find you, how to prevent ticks, and what to do if one embeds in your skin. This discussion hit home for me personally since I was infected by and recovered from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. After two days in the hospital, a home healthcare nurse came to my … [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...]
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...]
Episode 88: A Look Back (And Forward)
In Episode 88, we break from the typical format to take a look back at 10 years of podcasting. The N2Backpacking podcast launched a decade ago this Spring, so Therm Rider joins me in the studio to talk about some of the original podcasters, the evolution of backpacking shows these last ten years, and the origins of the N2Backpacking podcast. We also discuss our favorite episodes and play a few clips from them. A decade goes by pretty fast, so Therm Rider and I close the podcast … [Read more...]
Episode 87: 10th Anniversary Show
In Episode 87, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the show by speaking with Glenn (Helmet) & Susan (Doughgirl) who were in the inaugural N2Backpacking podcast - recorded just over 10 years ago. We last spoke with them in April 2011 when they detailed their thru-hike of the John Muir Trail, but they are here tonight to update us on their adventures this last decade - including caring for their 3 kids, visiting the National Parks, and raising an outdoor family. We also have time to … [Read more...]
Episode 86: Trust The Trail
In Episode 86, I welcome fellow podcasters Scott and Ariane to the show. They are the hosts of the popular backpacking podcast “Trust The Trail”, and despite living within 15 minutes of each other these last few years in metro-Atlanta, we chat long distance from their retrofitted 1976 Airstream camper in Arizona. In the podcast, Scott and Ariane discuss life on the road, their backpacking show, how they met, and their life as backcountry guides. This podcast is simulcast on both our … [Read more...]
Episode 85: The Arizona Trail
In Episode 85, "The Man Who Hiked It All" is back on the podcast to tell us about one of his favorite long distance trails - The AZT. The Arizona Trail is a nearly 800 mile path that runs from Mexico to Utah and Bart Smith thru-hiked it all in 2009 - the year that it was first designated as a National Scenic Trail. In the show, Bart tells us about his walk through the lowlands of the Sonoran Desert, his climbs to the sky islands of the San Francisco Peaks, and his traverse of the … [Read more...]