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

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 thru-hike, and found them to be charming company. Mike had started with them but had to get off trail due to an injury, supporting them the rest of the way. For Kayla, it wasn't the end of her long-distance hiking, with an aborted attempt through injury on the PCT the following year. She still hikes but is concentrating on her career right now. Molli and Mike also successfully completed the Camino this year, albeit a few months prior to my hike, while Mike intends to complete his own AT hike next year. We may even be hiking in the same vicinity, as he'll be back in Maine in August or September. With my 2026 thru-hike attempt just over four months away, I've started an accountability blog that shares the physical preparations and gear changes I'll be making in the coming months. This week, I focus on the plan a personal trainer has given me to follow. I'm currently on day three of week one, so watch this space!! I used my hike last year on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting https://parentingmattersfl.org/eventer/hike-with-steve-empowering-parents-one-step-at-a-time/edate/2024-04-15/ . I hope you want to support this critical mission. Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXs There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out. I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/ If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com . Additionally, you can join our membership at http://buymeacoffee.com/mightyblue . It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there. If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received. Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com . Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work! If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.