BirdShooter's Backpacking Blog & Podcast Series
In Episode 24, we satisfy a listener request for a show on backcountry basics. Recorded at a remote campsite on the Chattooga River, I speak with Therm Rider and The Camel about some of our rookie mistakes in the backcountry and smart things that we've done since our first ventures in to the wilderness. "Backcountry 101" is the first installment in this mini-series where we sit around the campfire and discuss the fundamentals of backpacking. In this episode, we talk about the … [Read more...]
Just found some vintage footy from this legend in the A.T. Thru-Hiking community. I saw him speak at Trail Days many years ago and actually purchased this 1993 Lynne Whelden "How To" video right before I hit the Trail … [Read more...]
Just read an article at Appalachian Trials on "9 Things A Former Thru-Hiker Wishes She Had Known Before Hitting The Trail". And what was on the list? My personal favorite....#7 Listen to music:" It will help keep you positive in the present as you hike and afterwards the music you listened to will become a time machine back to exact moments on the trail. You may not know the place or even the state but the song will bring back a perfectly rendered memory. "Many go in to the woods to … [Read more...]
In Episode 19, I speak with Thirty-Pack about his recent thru-hike on the 2,663 Pacific Crest Trail. This is the bonus material from the initial interview, so make sure you listen to Episode #20 first. In this bonus podcast, 30-Pack talks about his first day on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), trail romance, hiking with dogs, favorite trail towns, and interesting hitches. He finishes with some final thoughts on thru-hiking and how it has changed his life over the last two … [Read more...]
In Episode 17, Jester and I speak via phone about his 2013 DVD release "Embrace The Brutality" which documents his 3100 mile thru-hike on the Continental Divide Trail. In the podcast, Jester talks about his first backpacking trip, his high and low moments on the CDT, what it takes to hike, film, and produce a major film on the Trail, and a major hike that he has planned for Europe. Jester also offers some general advice to those that plan to hike the CDT and gives great insight … [Read more...]
In Episode 16, Glenn (aka The Helmet) and I do a live interview from his historic 1858 schoolhouse in Barton, Vermont. The topic is the 272 mile Long Trail which in 1930 was the first major long distance trail to be completed in the United States and it set the standard for the other major long distance hiking trails in America. In the podcast, The Helmet and I talk about the history and some mysterious events on the Long Trail. We also discuss interesting peaks … [Read more...]
In Episode 15, Mackie and I sit down to discuss a 65 day and 17,000 mile cross-country road trip that went down in the summer of 1996. On the journey, we hiked sections of the Appalachian, Continental, and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails and visited some treasured American wilderness including Isle Royal, Glacier, Mt. Ranier, Redwoods, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon National Park. In the podcast, Mackie talks about the adventure, some major mishaps, high and low moments from the … [Read more...]
Here's Glenn (aka The Helmet) in his blue Clemson shirt at the taping of Episode #16 of The Long Trail podcast in Barton, Vermont. Hopefully, the brook running below the deck didn't tank the audio. f His schoolhouse was built in 1858 and decommissioned in the 1960's. It still has the original chalk boards inside. Feeling adventureous? Ask him for a tour of the attic or the basement! The front yard is ripe for a pick-up football game which Glenn and my kids enjoyed … [Read more...]
Had a chance to record a podcast with Mackie recently for "The Ultimate Summer Roadtrip - Part Two". It's in the editing room right now and should be ready for release by the end of this week. In the meantime, check out "The Ultimate Summer Roadtrip - Part One" if you haven't already. It will get you primed for Part Two and recaps a cross-country hiking/backpacking trip I did with Snyder (aka The Ox) two years after my 1996 trip with Mackie (who is shown above at our interview in … [Read more...]
In Episode 14, Steve (aka The Ox) and I do an in-studio interview about a 38 day cross-country road trip that took place in the summer of 1998. We spent most of the tour in the western United States and Canada (Alberta and British Columbia) where we went backpacking and fishing in the Rockies, Cascades, and on the coast of the Pacific Northwest. In the podcast, The Ox talks about the high and low moments on our road trip, some favorite campsites in the backcountry, and breaking down on … [Read more...]
