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

Episode #543 - Days 38-41 Appalachian Trail 2026

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Miraculously, the weather continues to cooperate as yet another four days pass without a minute walking in the rain! I'm in the Roan Highlands and cop...

Episode #542 - Days 35-37 Appalachian Trail 2026

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I'm starting to manage aspects of my hike in a way I hadn't done so before now. Everything seems to have its own place, and each thing that arises dur...

Episode #541 - Days 31-34 Appalachian Trail 2026

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Into month two with the miles increasing, I'm truly living in the woods now. Life seems to have become more feral, and the simplicity of my life agree...

Episode #540 - Days 28-30 Appalachian Trail 2026

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dana came to visit me for a zero day this week. The Smokies are over and a record I hoped to beat while I was there remains intact!! Even with a relax...

Episode #539 - Days 24-27 Appalachian Trail 2026

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Smokies are all but done, with glorious weather all the way with just one day to go. I think I was more concerned about them than I should have be...

Episode #538 - Days 21-23 Appalachian Trail 2026

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Into the Smokies this week for what feels like the end of the beginning. Cell service has been spotty at best, so getting this done a few hours late s...

Episode #537 - Days 17-20 Appalachian Trail 2026

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The three days from NOC to Fontana Dam were my toughest section so far. I made it, but the difficulty shook my confidence a bit.  The walk down into ...

Episode #536 - Days 14-16 Appalachian Trail 2026

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Into the third week on trail and my first zero day, spent in Franklin, NC. The weather remains atypically unusual, with sun and great hiking condition...

Episode #535 - Days 10-13 Appalachian Trail 2026

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly two weeks in and I feel I'm hiking stronger than ever. These past four days were testing but I think I came through most of the tests. the feel...

Episode #534 - Days 7-9 on the Appalachian Trail

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Now a week into the hike, I've gotten into my stride and my body is holding up under the pressure. Already, the "feel" of the trail is as welcoming as...

Episode #535 - Days 3-6 on the Appalachian Trail

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I'm back on trail and getting back into the swing of things. This episode tracks days 3 to 6 after my return to the AT. I'm telling my story, along wi...

Episode #532 - Days 1-2 Appalachian Trail 2026

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This short episode brings everybody up to date with how I got to the trail, then, how I left it, followed by my plans to get back to it. I never do an...

Episode #531 - Crystal Crowder and William Nelson (Mosey and Sourpatch)

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We have a husband and wife hiking duo on the show today. Mosey and Sourpatch hiked the Appalachian Trail last year, needing to get it done before Sour...

Episode #530 - Tim Bennett (Porkie)

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Bennett, or Porkie is today's guest. Tom had an epic adventure on the Long Trail in Vermont, sharing with us the family connection he has to the t...

Episode #529 - Michael Neiman (Sharkbait)

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Neiman, who, along with Bruce Matson, brought us Platinum Blazing to the trail, is our guest this week. Michael thru-hiked the Appalachian Tra...

Episode #528 - Rob Diamond (Dog Tag)

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We welcome Rob Diamond to the show today. I met Rob in 2024 in Hot Springs, when we went and tried to help out after Hurricane Helene. Rob told me the...

Episode #527 - Savannah Schuring (Snazzy Cat)

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Savannah Schuring, or Snazzy Cat, took on an Appalachian Trail thru-hike–which she completed in a remarkable three months–as her graduate thesis. ...

Episode #526 - Erin Tuveson (Bookie) from Rambling Roots Hostel

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we meet an AT thru-hiker from the Class of 2015 who went on to buy and run a hostel near the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Erin Tuveson, or Bookie,...

Episode #525 - Tony Roddy (Silverback)

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Tony Roddy joins the podcast. Tony walked across America in 2015, vowing to do one of the long-distance American trails ten years later. Hi...

Episode #524 - Todd Sears (Nor'Easter)

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We meet a member of the Class of 2012 this week, who happens also to be a member of this years class of 2026. In fact, Todd Sears is starting the day ...

Episode #523 - Michelle Michaud (Fyrfly)

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Michelle Michaud is our guest today. She has completed the Appalachian Trail three times, having been on trail every year since the late 90s.      ...

Episode #522 - Dr Rob Scanlon

01 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We welcome Dr Rob Scanlon to the podcast today to talk about five essential skills that hikers need to learn to avoid becoming a depressing statistic ...

Episode #521 - James Kinch (Firewalker)

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The self-deprecating James Kinch is on the show today, claiming the title of the "Fattest Known Time" on the Appalachian Trail, having twice thru-hike...

Episode #520 - Ellen Langford (Adventurine)

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ellen Langford, or Adventurine, joins us today. Ellen is a professional artist who had dreamed of hiking the Appalachian Trail for several years befor...

Episode #519 - Jesse Cody & Mike Rose (Hike the Good Hike)

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We meet Jesse Cody and Mike Rose today, and hear about their non-profit, Hike the Good Hike, an organization committed to enhance mental wellness thro...

Episode #518 - Emily Manzon (Tic Tac)

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Emily Manzon, or Tic Tac, is our guest this week. Emily was looking for an epic way to celebrate her 40th birthday this year, so the Appalachian Trail...

Episode #517 - Tom Margaria (Father Tom)

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Margaria, a retired FDNY firefighter, set out on January 1st from Key West to hike the 5700 mile Eastern Continental Trail. On the way, Tom met up...

Episode #516 - Galloway Johnson (Clementine)

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We meet a young New Hampshire guy today who had never hiked in New Hampshire prior to his Appalachian Trail thru-hike this year. Galloway Johnson had ...

Episode #515 - Jennifer Cole (Indy 5)

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is indeed the season for hearing from successful thru-hikers, and we have another one joining us today. Jennifer Cole, or Indy 5, was looking for...

Episode #514 - Mike, Molli, and Kayla McCarthy (Blue Pére, Bad Camel, and Popeye)

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We've got a family of three on the show today, with Mike, Molli, and Kayla McCarthy sharing their own hiking story. I met Molli and Kayla on my 2014 t...

Episode #513 - Lisa Laidlow (High Viz)

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lisa Laidlow came to the trail when she became an empty-nester. She had always been an outdoor girl–often along with her father–yet it was only fa...

Episode #512 - James Dalberto (Nomad)

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

James Dalberto, or Nomad, joins the podcast today. James has been an RV'er for the past few years, earning a living as a "starving artist" (his words)...

Episode #511 - The ALDHA Gathering - October 2025

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Very limited notes this month, mainly because I'm away and rushing to get this out on Wednesday evening!! It was an honor to be chosen to present the ...

Episode #510 - Ken Posner (Barefoot Ken)

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We meet an unusual hiker this week. Ken Posner has been a long-distance runner and hiker over the years, yet he has gradually morphed into a barefoot ...

Episode #509 - Chrissy and Ady Schubert

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chrissy Schubert and her daughter Ady will be attempting a 250-mile section of the Appalachian Trail next year. No big deal, you may think. Think agai...

Episode #508 - Woods Hole Weekend 2025

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we have a little change of pace. I attended the Woods Hole weekend last week as a presenter, and I came away with friendships, more knowled...

Episode #507 - Glenn Sweitzer (Wanderer)

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Glenn Sweitzer, designer and filmmaker, is our guest today. Glenn's fascinating back story takes in working with Disney, designing artwork for Tim McG...

Episode #506 - Sandra Katerina Schmelzer Alvarez (Peaches)

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sandra Katerina Schmelzer Alvarez, or Peaches, completed her Appalachian Trail thru-hike last month. She is a single mother who managed her autistic s...

Episode #505 - Roxanne Strine (Idiot Runner)

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Roxanne Strine completed her Appalachian Trail thru-hike just a few weeks ago, at the sprightly young age of 70. She proved her mettle after her origi...

Episode #504 - Darrell Eck (Old Stag)

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Darrell Eck, or Old Stag, is this week's main guest. Darrell retired as a teacher in 2022 and fulfilled his dream of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail...

Episode #503 - Mike Wetherhold (Push)

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Wetherhold, who was in the running to be part of the Mighty Blue Class of 2025, is our guest today. Mike went ahead and started the Appalachian T...

Episode #502 - Mike Innes (Bobcat)

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Mike Innes, or Bobcat, who hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2007, just before the explosion of technological marvels that help hikers...

Episode #501 - Madison Boehm (Rescue)

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This interview was four years in the making, with Maddie Boehm our main guest, four years after we first made contact. It was worth the wait, as Maddi...

Episode #500 - Jessica Hawkins (Dixie)

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to episode 500 of the Mighty Blue podcast, with Jessica Hawkins, or Dixie, as our main guest. Jessica has been a guest several times before, b...

Episode #499 - Charlie Rogers (Pilgrim)

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our 499th episode features Charlie Rogers, a fellow member of the AT Class of 2019, and an all-round good guy who gives back to the trail as a trail m...

Episode #498 - Brigid Bell (Purple Haze)

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Brigid Bell set out on a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail just two years ago, and had the most extraordinary encounter in the Smokies. That she live...

Episode #497 - Jim & Sarah Klepzig (Rocky Root & Social Cutie)

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our guests today are Jim and Sarah Klepzig, a couple who lost their 22-year-old son, Tristan, in a terrible car accident five years ago. Tristan is on...

Episode #496 - Charles Bruce (Tracker)

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We meet Charles Bruce, or Tracker, this week. Charles is a member of the Appalachian Trail Class of 2022, and he fulfilled a long-held bucket list ite...

Episode #495 - Dr Lynne Savino (Older hikers on trail)

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is an old friend of the show; Dr Lynne Savino. Lynne always has an interesting take on medical issues related to hiking, and this week...

Episode #494 - The End and Epilogue on the Camino de Santiago

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is it; the final days on my Camino trip in Spain. We cover the final four days, as well as interviews with Dave, plus Beth and Andrew from the Ap...

Episode #493 - Days 29-31 on the Camino de Santiago

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Almost there, with the trail now full of people since Sarria. I should be finished this weekend.  Also, Dave is well past the 1200 mile mark and feel...

Episode #492 - Days 25-28 on the Camino de Santiago

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're closing in on the end and I'm not sure Im ready to be done. We're back into the mountains and views are opening up all around us.  Beth and And...

Episode #491 - Days 22-24 on the Camino de Santiago

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I'm back in the rhythm and within a couple of weeks from the end. I'm meeting new people, reacquainting my legs with hills, and eating relentlessly. I...

Episode #490 - Day 21 and a Road Trip Back

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today rounds off my last hike into Léon before taking a scheduled break to visit my family for a birthday party, followed by a long detour back to th...

Episode #489 - Day Twenty and a Road Trip

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The first half of my Camino hike is done and I've arrived at Léon for my scheduled break with family (and a soccer match). Dave is near the halfway p...

Episode #487 - Days Thirteen to Fifteen on the Camino de Santiago

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Past the two-week mark and into the Meseta, the journey continues with intimate conversation, communal meals, and changing, yet still beautiful scener...

Episode #488 - Days Sixteen to Nineteen on the Camino de Santiago

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Meseta is about to end and I'm about to head south for a few days for a family party. The break has come at a good time to help my feet recover fr...

Episode #486 - Days Nine to Twelve on the Camino de Santiago

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I'm at Burgos on my Camino adventure and about to head into the Meseta; an entirely different landscape from these first two weeks. Let's catch up wit...

Episode #485 - Days Six to Eight on the Camino de Santiago

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

No notes but an extended catch up with Dave as well as my latest exploits on the Camino

Episode #484 - Days Two to Five on the Camino de Santiago

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

No notes due to current circumstances other than to mention that this show covers days 2-5 on my Camino de Santiago in Spain, as well as the latest ca...

Episode #483 - Day One on the Camino de Santiago

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Limited notes due to the Camino hike, but this week, we see me through my first day on trail and catch up with Dave, Beth, and Andrew on the Appalachi...

Episode #482 - David Lowe (El Flaco)

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

David Lowe, or El Flaco, is our guest today. I saw a post on Facebook, with David at the Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail after his FOURTH s...

Episode #481 - Guinevere Drabik (Lucky)

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We have such an interesting guest this week. Guinevere Drabik, or Lucky. She thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2023 and found a community that she h...

Episode #480 - Anna McKinney Smith (Magic)

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Anna McKinney Smith, a 2021 thru-hiker, is our guest today. Anna found her people out on trail and, more significantly, she also found her person, who...

Episode #479 - Melanie Wood (Aphrodite)

10 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Melanie Wood is our guest this week. She hiked SOBO last year, running into the devastation of Helene with about 700 miles to go, having to prematurel...

Episode #478 - Annika Ananias (Ravenclaw)

05 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We have a German hiker on the podcast this week. Annika Ananias recently flew into the US to hike the Arizona Trail with her American boyfriend, when ...

Episode #477 - Bill Zyckowski (Big Willy Dawg)

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we meet Bill Zyckowski, or Big Willy Dawg. Bill is a retired police officer who truly needed a walk in the woods to bring some meaning to h...

Episode #476 - Nicole Markovich (Droplet)

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nicole Markovich joins us on the podcast to tell us about her 2022 AT thru-hike, the drastic changes to her life that ensued, and the ultimate formati...

Episode #475 - Nick Panetta

13 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nick Panetta is our guest this week. He is an avid section hiker on the Appalachian Trail, and a stickler for detail. He attempted a southbound thru-h...

Episode #474 - Shelley Harris (Hopscotch)

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I saw a great Facebook post on one of the Appalachian Trail pages recently. Shelley Harris (Hopscotch) wrote her reflections after her thru-hike, offe...

Episode #473 - JC Van Etten (Catmando) Triple Crowner

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

JC Van Etten, or Catmando returns to the show. We first met him on the Appalachian Trail a few years ago, I seem to have missed him on the PCT, but ca...

Episode #472 - David Alan Lane (Squarepeg)

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We meet David Alan Lane, aka Squarepeg, today. David has been sharing his trail experience extensively over the past few years on Facebook. He helps w...

Episode #471 - Tina Tempest (Chunky)

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We have Tina Tempest on the show today. Tina, or Chunky, completed a SOBO thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2009. The trail had such an impact upo...

Episode #470 - Nick Thatcher (Hotfoot)

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our main guest today is Nick Thatcher, who I found when he posted an epic Katahdin summit picture on Facebook. I hoped there would be more to his stor...

Episode #469 - Dr Lydia Kuhn (Tetris)

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Lydia Kuhn joins us this week to talk about both her Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2020, and her CDT thru-hike last year, proving herself to be a ...

Episode #468 - David Kibiloski (Texas)

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

David Kibiloski is our guest today. What starts as a story about his Appalachian Trail thru-hike, tracks his evolution into an AT hostel owner, then a...

Episode #467 - Al Marriott (Lookout) Triple Crowner

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we welcome back a friend of the show, a fellow Brit, Al Marriott. Al has already been on for his AT and PCT adventures, but last year he went a...

Episode #466 - Collyn Nielsen (Doc) Hiker Trash Radio

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We have a fellow hiking podcaster on the show today. Collyn Nielsen, known as Doc to his listeners, is the host of Hiker Trash Radio. The show was ori...

Episode #465 - Wyly O'Brien (Calamity Jane)

02 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wyly O'Brien, or Calamity Jane, is our guest today. Wyly attempted her thru-hike in 2007, researched the trail and her gear to give herself the best c...

Episode #464 - Beth Bakke Stenehjem and Dave Santi (Mighty Blue Class of 2025)

26 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we meet the two members of the Mighty Blue Class of 2025, with Beth Bakke Stenehjem and Dave Santi under the spotlight. Beth is my friend, havi...

Episode #463 - Daniel Shaw (Team Whimsy)

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Daniel Shaw, of Team Whimsy, give us his view of some of the Hurricane Helene clean up and recovery, meeting people where they are, on their worst day...

Episode #462 - Jessica and Largo Sueiro (Sunshine and Captain)

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We've got a couple of free spirits on the show today, who happen to be mother and son. Jessica and Largo Sueiro, went on a big adventure this year; ta...

Episode #461 - John Turner (Raven)

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

John Turner is an avid listener to our HRN podcasts and is a board member of the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club–and a trail ambassador. John complet...

Episode #460 - Dave Fleischman (J.I.F.)

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we welcome back Dave Fleischman, a trail maintainer and a newly minted Triple Crowner. Dave already had the PCT and the AT under his belt, ...

Episode #459 - Katie Westling (Phoenix)

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We've got a bit of a change of pace this week, with previous AT thru-hiker, Katie Westling, sharing her past year of adventures, with hikes in France,...

Episode #458 - Frank Mularcik (Snowman)

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Frank Mularcik, who recently completed a 100-day SOBO thru-hike, is our guest today. Frank reached out to me a few weeks before he finished, then foll...

Episode #457 - George Eshleman (Keeper)

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's a slightly shorter show than usual this week, but it is about as powerful as any of my interviews have ever been. Our guest is George Eshleman, o...

Episode #456 - Hunter and John Rud (Hunter & JR)

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Another former guest returns to the show today, this time with his hiking partner, and Dad. Hunter and John Rud completed the CDT this year. For Hunte...

Episode #455 - Don Robinson - 900 Miler Award

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're going to talk about the Great Smoky Mountains today, with Don Robinson sharing his love of the park, and his recent induction into the 900 Miler...

Episode #454 - Rob & Gavin Duncan (Waffle and Hawkeye)

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have a couple of returning guests today. Rob and Gavin Duncan attempted a thru-hike in 2019 and were forced off the trail due to injury. It was a b...

Episode #453 - Paula Martin (Windeagle)

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have a very different show this week, with Paula Martin, or Windeagle, sharing her dramatic survival from a bad accident that may well have killed ...

Episode #452 - John Pearson (Magellan)

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have another recent Appalachian Trail successful thru-hiker as our guest today. For many, the AT is a years-long dream, but for John Pearson, or Ma...

Episode #451 - Kim Shoop (Gator)

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have a really accomplished young woman on the podcast today, with Kim Shoop, or Gator, sharing her story about section hiking the entire Triple Cro...

Episode #450 - Larry Ripari (Bird)

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Larry Ripari, fresh from his recent completion of not only an Appalachian Trail thru-hike, but also the hiking Triple Crown, shares his story with us ...

Episode #449 - Mighty Blue Class of 2024

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're catching up with all five members of our Mighty Blue Class of 2014 this week, so each of them will update us on where they are and their coming ...

Episode #448 - Sarah Zettler (Cricket)

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah Zettler is our guest today. Sarah is a teacher, and has had to fit her six-year section hike of the Appalachian Trail into her summer vacation a...

Episode #447 - Georgetta Frederick (Trail Mama)

22 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Georgetta Frederick finished her Appalachian Trail thru-hike just a few weeks ago, at the beginning of August. You can hear that she still has the joy...

Episode #446 - Dr Daniel Warren on Lyme Disease

15 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Daniel Warren is our guest this week, with a subject very close to the heart of a hiker; Lyme Disease. I try my best to pick his brain and learn a ...

Episode #445 - Nick Kindred (Sgt Pepper)

08 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have a NASA guy on the show today. Nick Kindred worked on the Artemis Program, and when he was able to retire, he set his sights on completing his ...

Episode #444 - Heidi Nisbett (Sketch)

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're looking at the Allegheny Trail, with Heidi Nisbett talking about her contribution to the trail's 50th anniversary. Heidi is an accomplish...