BirdShooter's Backpacking Blog & Podcast Series
In Episode 44, we delve in to The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly - our best and worst experiences from the Trail. Recorded live in the Black Hills of South Dakota, I sit "lantern-side" in the backcountry with long-time hiking friends BeerRun, The Camel, Therm Rider, and the Weasel. Each signed up to accompany me on a quest to complete 50 hikes in 50 States - which ended this month near the defunct goldmines of Lake Sheridan in the Black Hills National Forest. We only scratch the … [Read more...]
In Episode 43, we talk about the hammock!!! Marc Bohman joins us live from the Teton Hammock Company in Idaho Falls, ID to provide some tips and tricks for sleeping "between the trees". We also discuss some common misconceptions of the hammock and what you can do to be more comfortable in the wilderness. So ground dwellers (aka tent campers) make the jump, and learn the advantages of taking a hammock in to the backcountry. And if you have your sites set on a trip to the … [Read more...]
In Episode 42, we discuss a March 2017 article that appeared in Outside Magazine titled "The 40 Most Significant Tools & Toys Ever Designed". In honor of the magazine's 40th anniversary, the editors choose 40 products that "stood out for their sheer inventiveness" and their general impact on the outdoor community. Tonight we sit fireside on the South Carolina side of the Chattooga River and debate the merits of some items on the list. Our group rarely reaches a consensus on … [Read more...]
In Episode 41, we revisit Trail Days in Damascus, Virginia on March 13, 1995. The town has hosted the biggest event on the Appalachian Trail for over 30 years and most of these interviews were recorded live at the annual festival. If you have ever wondered what it was like to thru-hike the A.T. in the early 90's - now is your chance. The podcast is a remix of interviews that I did with ten hikers that were on the Trail in 1994. Yes there were far fewer backpackers on the … [Read more...]
In Episode 40, The Camel and I continue the discussion on hiking news from 2016 in a show recorded right before our annual Klondike hike on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Forewarning, we talk felonies, guns, and politics - subjects that get The Camel particularly fired up. So listen in, and we'll brace ourselves for the feedback! 'Cause we talk arson, kidnapping, self-defense, and about the political leadership of our country. And if that … [Read more...]
In Episode 39, Therm Rider and I do a live winter show from the Yavapai Lodge at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. After a day hiking on the Arizona and Rim Trails, we kick back a cold one and discuss some of the major hiking news events of 2016. In the show, Therm Rider and I recap and debate some of the U.S. news events that were heavily publicized in the outdoor community last year - including epic fails with drones, lost lives from selfies, and wildlife issues and encounters. … [Read more...]
In Episode 38, Theo and Bee give us all a New Years gift and tell us about their adventures on the 273 mile (440 km) Kungsleden Trail in northern Sweden. The couple has lived out of their VW van for the last three years, but took time off from their travels to hike the Kungsleden in the fall of 2015 and release the film Distant North a year later. Back home in the UK (and from a recently purchased boat), Theo and Bee speak to the logistics of a Kungsleden thru-hike, the arctic weather … [Read more...]
In Episode 37, we continue the conversation with 30 Pack. During the second hour of our interview, we discuss his summer rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon, the resulting hallucinations, ultra-marathons, and working with troubled teens in Utah. 30 lived out of his car for 2 1/2 years and tells us some of the craziest things that happened to him during this time - including hiking with the Navajo and hearing and seeing ghosts on the trail in Arizona. You might recall 30 Pack from … [Read more...]
In Episode 36, 30 Pack is back!!! And he gives us an update on his wanderlust and travels over the last 2 1/2 years - including his post-PCT adventures with Outburst and their exploration of the wild canyons, hot springs and numerous Trails of the western U.S. 30 Pack then settles briefly in Seattle where he runs his first marathon and is attacked while raising money and helping the homeless on the streets of the City. You might recall 30 Pack from Episode 13 (where we discuss his … [Read more...]
In Episode 35, we discuss the most influential hikers and backpackers of all time as we sit by a campfire in North Georgia on an autumn night with coyotes running wild in the background. First, a shout out to the trail conferences, clubs, maintainers, ridge-runners, trail angels, and financial benefactors to Trail - because you are collectively more important than any individual for your contributions. But tonight we review some of the names that came up the most frequently in hiking … [Read more...]
