Hiker Trash Radio

About the Guest Lori Balue is a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner and metabolic restoration practitioner based in Southern California. After a 25-year journey through chronic asthma, pre-diabetes, PCOS, food addiction, and 100 pounds of weight she couldn't keep off, Lori solved her own metabolism and then built a practice helping others over 50 do the same. She is a half-marathon finisher, multi-time Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hiker, and summit regular in the San Gabriels and Sierra Nevada. At 63, she is currently training for Mount Whitney. What's Covered in Part 1 What Is Metabolic Restoration? Lori breaks down what a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner actually does — finding the root cause of metabolic dysfunction and filling in the cracks. Her go-to analogy: Humpty Dumpty. Put the body back together again, one piece at a time, in three to six months. The Trailblazer's Toolkit — Garmin Watch Lori's dream piece of gear: a Garmin GPS watch, so she can track trail maps from her wrist without stopping to pull out her phone. Currently uses AllTrails. Training for Mount Whitney, so the timing for an upgrade is right. Doc weighs in on his own Garmin Instinct and the particular personality type of the person who obsessively logs every activity — including for tax purposes. The Hiking Poll — Score: 82 Lori becomes the highest-scoring guest in Hiking Poll history, earning an 82 on the sanity scale — and the distinction of being the first guest not to lose automatic points before the poll even starts. Highlights from the poll: her first hike that proved her body was built for this (Zion half marathon, 2020, after losing significant weight and completing it pain-free for the first time); the biggest trail nutrition mistake hikers make (too much sugar, not enough fat and protein); and the one superfood always in her pack (the keto brick). One-word description of sprinting at 63: joy. Why Hiking Gets Harder After 50 It's not age. It's mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, and chronically underfueling with protein. Lori explains the Pac-Man model of mitochondrial energy production and why fat fuels the body's energy system far more effectively than sugar — and why most hikers are carrying the wrong food for the miles they're asking of themselves. The GLP-1 Question Doc asks about GLP-1 agonist weight loss medications — the injection-based drugs that have become widely used for rapid weight loss. Lori's position: they work, but at a significant cost. Up to 50% of the weight lost is lean muscle mass and bone density. You regain the fat when you stop — but not the muscle or bone. Her approach achieves the same outcome through low-carb nutrition that naturally stimulates GLP-1 production while preserving and building muscle. Six months versus a lifetime of inject

About the Guest Lori Balue is a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner and metabolic restoration practitioner based in Southern California. After losing 100 pounds in her 50s and reversing asthma, pre-diabetes, and chronic joint pain through metabolic restoration, she has completed multiple Grand Canyon rim-to-rims, runs half marathons annually, and summits peaks across the San Gabriels and Sierra Nevada. At 63, she is training for Mount Whitney. What's Covered in Part 2 Why We Get Fat — The Full Picture Nobody chooses to be overweight. The environment is toxic. Lori traces the dietary shift from pre-1970s eating — natural fats, protein, whole foods, three meals a day — to the fat-free era of the '70s and '80s, when sugar and ultra-processed food replaced fat and protein. The result: chronically elevated insulin, suppressed satiety signals, and a food supply engineered to override the body's natural appetite shutoff. It's not willpower. It's biochemistry. Lori's Journey — The Full Arc From the teenager who lost weight on Atkins and felt her depression lift, to the 225-pound woman cycling through Nutrisystem and starvation diets in her 30s and 40s. Wheat and dairy sensitivities she didn't yet know she had. Food addiction she couldn't overcome through willpower because willpower isn't the right tool. Pre-diabetes. PCOS. Twenty-five years of trying. The Wheat Belly, the HCG diet, paleo, finally keto — and then the moment her brain turned back on and she understood what had been happening to her body the whole time. How to Restore Your Metabolism Metabolic restoration starts with diagnostic labs — a roadmap of digestion, gut health, hormones, food sensitivities, and mineral levels. Fix the digestion first: if you're not absorbing protein, no amount of eating right will work. Add back the minerals — potassium, sodium, the spark plugs of the body. Reduce insulin response through low-carb nutrition. Build muscle through protein and movement. The metabolism follows. Three to six months, guided. Not complicated, Lori says — just the basics, done right. The Grand Canyon as a Measuring Stick Lori has been returning to the Grand Canyon annually since 2016, when she went down to Phantom Ranch with her then-husband and had excruciating knee pain on every downhill step. Each subsequent visit she tracked her body's progress — more strength, less pain, less altitude sickness. The rim-to-rim came when her body was simply capable of it. Her most recent hike: a personal best on Bright Angel, five hours from the river to the rim, passing younger hikers who were struggling. She fueled just right. She didn't sit down once. The Mount Wilson Fatality Lori was hiking with a group at Mount Wilson when a member of her party — an experienced runner in excellent shape, headed for the Grand Canyon — stepped too

Jimmy Nichols lost two daughters to late-term stillbirth within a year. No medical explanation. Just the arrival at a hospital and the emptiness that followed, twice. He is a sommelier, a punk guitarist, a section hiker on the AT. He is also a man who spent a long time suppressing more anger and despair than anyone around him knew about. The trail didn’t fix it. But it equalized him. And then one day in a Georgia thunderstorm, down in a gully next to a spring, something happened that he hadn’t planned on. In this episode: Zoe and Hope — two daughters, one year, no answers The anger he hid from everyone, including Candace The lunch breaks crying in his car that nobody knew about What day hikes became, and why he signed up for eight days on the AT Two and a half days of rain, and a spring in a gully Two cardinals in a thunderstorm Captain Hook, a trekking pole, and a mile of cackling in the rain Sobriety: a sommelier, a punk band, and an ER room that changed everything The ten weeks Candace spent in the NICU to bring Fiona home Why the trail is still where he finds his peace Dark Miles is a narrative documentary series from Hiker Trash Radio — produced stories about the internal terrain of the outdoor experience. These are the miles that don’t show up on Strava. If you have lost a child, or anyone you loved too soon, Jimmy would like to hear from you. Reach out through Hiker Trash Radio and we will make sure he gets your message. Connect with Hiker Trash Radio: Website:  hikertrashradio.com Instagram:  instagram.com/hikertrashradio Apply to be a Dark Miles guest:  hikertrashradio.com/dark-miles Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

About the Guest Lori Balue is a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner and metabolic restoration practitioner based in Southern California. After a 25-year journey through chronic asthma, pre-diabetes, PCOS, food addiction, and 100 pounds of weight she couldn't keep off, Lori solved her own metabolism — at 60 — and built a practice helping others over 50 do the same. She is a half-marathon finisher, multi-time Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hiker, and regular summit hiker in the San Gabriels and Sierra Nevada. At 63, she is training for Mount Whitney. Episode Highlights The Humpty Dumpty Model Lori's working metaphor for what she does — and what the episode is about. You fill in all the cracks and put yourself back up on the wall so you can get moving again. It applies to her practice and to her own story: a body that was genuinely broken, rebuilt piece by piece over 25 years, now capable of things it couldn't do at 35. Vernal Falls — Then and Now In her 40s, Lori was 225 pounds with asthma, sinusitis, and bronchitis. She hiked Vernal Falls with her eight-year-old son — he ran up the steps while she could barely move, certain she was going to die on the staircase. Her allergist told her she would always be on an inhaler. She went back to Vernal Falls after losing the weight and curing the asthma. It was easy. The allergist was wrong. Why We Get Fat — And Why It's Not Willpower Nobody chooses to be overweight. The food environment is toxic by design. Ultra-processed foods are engineered to mimic the sensation of eating protein without delivering any — so the body never gets the signal to stop eating. Add chronically elevated insulin from a high-carbohydrate diet, undiagnosed food sensitivities that trigger depression and inflammation, and decades of low-fat dietary advice that stripped away the very macronutrients the body needs — and you get an epidemic that has nothing to do with personal failure. Lori's 25-Year Arc Raised in the San Gabriel Valley, the only one of seven siblings to struggle with weight. Atkins as a teenager — it worked, and her depression lifted with it. Then processed food addiction she couldn't name or overcome. Twenty pounds up, then more, then 225 pounds by her mid-30s. Nutrisystem. Starvation diets. The Wheat Belly. The HCG diet. Paleo. Finally keto — and the moment her brain turned back on. Functional diagnostic nutrition training. Her own diagnostic labs. The answer, 25 years in the making: wheat and dairy sensitivities driving depression, food addiction, and metabolic dysfunction. Fix the root cause and the weight comes off — and stays off. The Wake-Up Call Coming home from an outing with her eight-year-old son and hearing her husband ask, without looking up from the couch, when she was going to lose the weight. She got a book. Then another. Then 25 years of boo

The Barkley: A Love Story concludes. This is the episode the series has been building toward. We hear from the finishers: the 26 people in 40 years who have completed five loops in 60 hours. Jared Campbell, four-time finisher, on what the race selects for in a person. John Kelly, who grew up across the road from Frozen Head State Park and calls the Barkley his home course. Ihor Verys, who didn't like running six years before he finished first. John Fegyveresi, who applied from Antarctica and held the slowest known time for over a decade. And then . . . Jasmine Paris. In her own words. The veterinarian and mother of two who wore patched shoes and a borrowed bag, who touched the yellow gate with 99 seconds to spare, and became the first woman in Barkley history to finish. Part three of three. The payoff. Guests Featured Jasmine Paris — first female finisher of the Barkley Marathons Jared Campbell — four-time Barkley finisher John Kelly — four-time Barkley finisher Aurelien Sanchez — 2023 Barkley finisher, first non-American finisher since 1995 Ihor Verys ("Eeyore") — 2024 Barkley first-place finisher John Fegyveresi ("Lakewood") — 2012 Barkley finisher, former slowest known time holder Finn Melanson — Single Track Podcast, eyewitness to Jasmine's 2024 finish Jacob Zocherman — photographer of the iconic Jasmine Paris finish image Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author, speaker, and Triple Triple Crowner Heather Anderson joins Doc for some studio time to talk about her new book, Farther. Settle in and buckle ups as Heather discusses her 2018 CYTC (the basis for Farther), spills on the AZT, bad life choices, heavy ass packs, the North Cascades, dumpster-adjacent campsites, blacklisted foods, interesting uses for Pringle cans, killer bees, mountain lions, life phases, and simply refusing to quit. Epic. (This is Part II. Be sure to listen to Part I.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author, speaker, and Triple Triple Crowner Heather Anderson joins Doc for some studio time to talk about her new book, Farther. Settle in and buckle ups as Heather discusses her 2018 CYTC (the basis for Farther), spills on the AZT, bad life choices, heavy ass packs, the North Cascades, dumpster-adjacent campsites, blacklisted foods, interesting uses for Pringle cans, killer bees, mountain lions, life phases, and simply refusing to quit. Epic. (This is Part I. Be sure to listen to Part II.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode Overview: Doc welcomes back Jared "Fisherman" Lampal for his first official on-trail check-in. Standing right on the border looking into Colorado, Jared has checked the massive milestone of New Mexico off his list. In this raw look at life on the Divide, Jared breaks down how his structured mindset translates to the unpredictable backcountry, the reality of desert water management, and what it’s like to shift from a desk job to full-time trail life. Key Discussion Points: The New Mexico Milestone: Jared reflects on spending over a month completing his first state section, contrasting the massive scale of the CDT against the AT. The "Corridor" Philosophy: Embracing advice from a veteran Triple Crowner, Jared explains his route approach—treating the CDT as a continuous corridor from Mexico to Canada while taking scenic dirt alternates rather than sticking strictly to a red line on a road. Trail Highlights: A look at the standout beauty of the river-crossing canyon of the Gila alternate and the wind-worn sandstone mesas between Grants and Cuba. The Crowded CDT: Why Jared was surprised by how social the bubble is this season, including a heavy trail town gathering in Chama. Horrendous Water Realities: A deep dive into the brutal water logistics of New Mexico, from relying heavily on 20-mile cache carries and cow troughs to a sketchy, desperate camp session beside a murky, cow-poop-ringed pond. Looking Ahead to Colorado: Transitioning from the high desert directly into peak country and high-altitude climbs. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ben Cox has never really hiked alone. He carries a permanent tramily with him — his grandfather, who died when Ben was 15 and left him a specific rifle and a saddle because Ben was his cowboy grandchild. The girl in West Texas who passed that same summer. The others who came after. At 26, after a relationship ended and a work situation resolved itself, Ben bought a plane ticket to San Diego and hiked 2,650 miles north on the Pacific Crest Trail. He didn’t know a single soul when he started. He went anyway. This is the story of what he was carrying, what the trail asked of him, and what he found on a Tuesday in Ocean City, Maryland when it was all over. In this episode: The year Ben was 15 — two losses, one summer, and a campus in the Smokies that changed everything Alone in the crowd — 50 to 80 hours a week in public service and still somehow by yourself Three weeks from the breakup to the southern terminus The night the tramily fell apart and his grandfather arrived Freezing to death in his underwear in the Sierras — poles in hand, looking for a flat-ish spot What post-trail depression actually feels like when the trail is gone A banana milkshake, a tub of fries, and a woman reading a book on a Tuesday Dark Miles is a narrative documentary series from Hiker Trash Radio — produced stories about the internal terrain of the outdoor experience. These are the miles that don’t show up on Strava. Connect with Hiker Trash Radio: Website:  hikertrashradio.com Instagram:  instagram.com/hikertrashradio Apply to be a Dark Miles guest:  hikertrashradio.com/dark-miles Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

About the Guest Heather Anderson is a Michigan-born long-distance hiker, author, speaker, and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. She has completed the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail three times each, making her one of very few triple-triple crowners in history. In 2018 she completed all three in a single calendar year: 7,900+ miles in eight months. She has held multiple fastest known time records on long trails, including an unsupported FKT on the 800-mile Arizona Trail completed in 24 days and one hour. She hosts the Fastest Known Time podcast and is the author of three books: Thirst; Mud, Rocks, Blazes; and Farther. Farther — The Book Farther chronicles Heather's 2018 calendar year Triple Crown. It is written entirely from memory — no trail journal, no notes — eight years after the hike. Heather says she doesn't work from outlines; she writes the way she hikes: the structure comes from the journey itself. The emotional core of the book is the tension between accomplishment and self-doubt — the experience of having done a great deal and still not knowing if you can do the next thing — and the way that walking, repeated across years and phases of a life, becomes both a constant and a mirror.   The Books Farther by Heather Anderson — memoir of the 2018 calendar year Triple Crown. Available now. Mud, Rocks, Blazes — Heather's memoir of her AT speed record. Thirst — Heather's memoir of her PCT speed record. Heather's Media Recommendation A Fabulous Through Hike by Derek Lugo — a newly released account of Lugo's CDT through-hike. One of very few books written about the Continental Divide Trail. Heather's recommendation. (Note: Derek Lugo has appeared on Hiker Trash Radio — see also his first book, The Unlikely Through Hiker, about his AT hike.) Links & Resources Heather Anderson — Website: https://www.wordsfromthewild.net Heather Anderson — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wordsfromthewild Fastest Known Time Podcast (hosted by Heather): https://fastestknowntime.com/podcast Chippewa Watershed Conservancy: https://www.chippewa watershed.org Farther (order): https://www.wordsfromthewild.net Upcoming Appearances Appalachian Trail Days — Heather speaking on the calendar year Triple Crown a

The Barkley: A Love Story continues. In Episode Two, we go to Frozen Head State Park. This episode is anchored by audio captured live at the 2025 Barkley Marathons: the conch blow, Laz's pre-race speech, the reading of the names of those no longer with us, taps, and the lighting of the cigarette. You hear the race begin. Then you hear what happens to the people who go out into those woods. We hear from runners who trained for years and came up short. From crew members who waited at the gate for 16 hours with no information. From a Swedish war photographer who recovered from PTSD by running trails at night and found himself crying at the Barkley finish line in 2024. And at the end, a name. 99 seconds to spare. More on her in Episode Three. Part two of three. Guests Featured Finn Melanson — Single Track Podcast, 2024 Barkley media Jacob Zocherman — Swedish war photographer and photojournalist, 2024 Barkley Damian Hall — British ultra runner, 3× Barkley competitor Multiple 2025 Barkley runners and crew members including Kelly Halpin, Richard Shannon (first Zambian to run the Barkley), Ben Wernick, Chris Fisher, Dena Carr, Tomo Ihara, and more Jamil Coury — race director and Barkley competitor Mike Wardian — marathoner, Barkley competitor John Kelly — four-time Barkley finisher Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Triple Crowner and creator of the Great Colorado Route Donovan "Iceman" Rice joins Doc in the studio to talk about his love letter to Colorado, the 1,700-mile route through the heart of the Colorado outdoors. Settle in and buckle up as Iceman discusses frozen tents, seasonal gigs, overcoming addiction, only known times, mutual enablers, cold soaking, 400k feet of elevation gain, the gnarly & sporty GCR, and a hitch story you have to hear to believe. Epic. (This is Part II. Be sure to listen to Part I.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Triple Crowner and creator of the Great Colorado Route Donovan "Iceman" Rice joins Doc in the studio to talk about his love letter to Colorado, the 1,700-mile route through the heart of the Colorado outdoors. Settle in and buckle up as Iceman discusses frozen tents, seasonal gigs, overcoming addiction, only known times, mutual enablers, cold soaking, 400k feet of elevation gain, the gnarly & sporty GCR, and a hitch story you have to hear to believe. Epic. (This is Part I. Be sure to listen to Part II.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988. Cara Benson spent years in active addiction before the Adirondack Mountains gave her something she’d been looking for in all the wrong places. She got sober. She hiked. She found a man named John who left rebus messages on the kitchen counter — hand-drawn symbols instead of words, rays of sunshine about the most pedestrian things. Then John died by suicide. And the mountains that had carried her through addiction had to carry her through something else entirely. This episode is about what she found on the other side of both. In this episode: The addiction years — what Tuesday actually looked like The hidden struggle with body dysmorphic disorder she’d never told anyone Eight years sober and not wanting to live — the depression that had been there all along The day some coworkers asked if she wanted to go hiking, and something in her said yes John — the rebus messages, the ordinary days, what he gave her The six days, and the black SUV in the driveway Getting lost in the woods on purpose — howling, locating herself in the trees The converted church on the mountain, the beaver lodge in the storm, the fluorescent light that had to go What John’s birds gave back to her Why she committed to love anyway Dark Miles is a narrative documentary series from Hiker Trash Radio — produced stories about the internal terrain of the outdoor experience. These are the miles that don’t show up on Strava. Connect with Cara Benson: Book — An Arms Full of Birds:  carabenson.com Instagram:  instagram.com/carabensonwriter   Connect with Hiker Trash Radio: Website:  hikertrashradio.com Instagram:  instagram.com/hikertrashradio Apply to be a Dark Miles guest:  hikertrashradio.com/dark-miles If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donovan “Iceman” Rice is a Colorado native, Triple Crowner, and the designer of the Great Colorado Route. He earned the name Iceman on the PCT in 2020 after freezing his tent to the ground. Twice. Once on Mount San Jacinto in the Southern California desert. Once at the base of Forester Pass. The second incident required a borrowed ice ax and boiling water poured directly onto frozen ground at 3 a.m. After completing the PCT, the CDT, and the Eastern Continental Trail (2025), Iceman turned his attention to designing an original loop through Colorado: 1,700 miles, approximately 400,000 feet of vertical gain, scramble-heavy, and entirely his own creation. He starts in mid-May 2026. Links & Resources The Great Colorado Route: https://www.greatcoloradoRoute.com Follow Iceman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theicemaneth Colorado Fourteeners Initiative: https://www.14ers.org Fourteeners.com (Bill Middlebrook): https://www.14ers.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Barkley Marathons has only been finished 26 times in 40 years. This is the first episode of a three-part audio documentary series from Hiker Trash Radio — The Barkley: A Love Story. In Episode One, we go to the beginning. Who is Gary "Laz" Cantrell, the man who built the most obsessively followed race in endurance sport? We hear from Laz himself on how the Barkley was born, why it was designed the way it is, and what he sees when he looks at the people who come to run it. We also hear from Jared Beasley, the only authorized biographer of Laz, interviewed live at the 2025 Barkley Marathons after three years of reporting. This is not a recap. This is a love story. Part one of three. Guests Featured Lazarus Lake (Gary Cantrell) — creator of the Barkley Marathons and Backyard Ultra Jared Beasley — journalist and author of The Endurance Artist: Lazarus Lake, the Barkley, and a Race With No End (Simon & Schuster) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988. Steven Wright’s wife Sandy told him on her deathbed to hike the Appalachian Trail. She had six days left to say it. He didn’t go right away. First came 18 months of grief that got worse instead of better, a breakdown, an escape from a hospital in a nightgown, and a moment in his truck on a highway where he shut his eyes and turned the wheel. A thunderstorm stopped him. A phone call brought him back. When a counselor finally asked what made him happy, he said hiking. She said go. He heard Sandy’s voice saying it. He hiked 2,200 miles with five broken bones, through three hurricanes, with the wanting-to-die still following him into the wilderness. And somewhere on a mountain in December, in 14 inches of snow, a dead ash tree fell on the stump where he had just been standing, and he realized he wanted to live. In this episode: Sandy’s diagnosis, her death, and the deathbed conversation that sent him to Georgia The breakdown, the escape from the hospital, and the moment on the highway Starting the AT with a torn rotator cuff and no intention of stopping The nightmare that followed him from home into the wilderness The mud puddle, the chainsaw, and the man who pulled him out The phone call from his daughter that broke the darkest stretch The night at the lake in Maine where he felt Sandy’s presence The falling tree and what it told him about whether he wanted to live The wooden hut, the snow, and a 30-year-old guilt he finally put down What he does now when people call him from the dark Dark Miles is a narrative documentary series from Hiker Trash Radio — produced stories about the internal terrain of the outdoor experience. These are the miles that don’t show up on Strava. Connect with Steven Wright: Book — The Weight I Carried:  theweighticarried.com Email:  [email protected] Instagram:  instagram.com/stevencwright   Connect with Hiker Trash Radio: Website:  hikertrashradio.com Instagram:  instagram.com/hikertrashradio Apply to be a Dark Miles guest:  hikertrashradio.com/dark-miles   If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a h

Thru hiker Brad "Sheep Dog" Barber joins Doc in the studio for some trail talk on the eve of his CDT thru hike. Settle in and buckle up as Sheep Dog seeks his limits while discussing Vertigo, old water charts, the Great Basin Loop, not cheating on the Hayduke, unique shakedown hikes, Coldfoot, water seep strategies, Wildflower, the AZT, the AT, the PCT, and the thrill of living up to the hype. Epic. (This is Part II. Be sure to listen to Part I.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thru hiker Brad "Sheep Dog" Barber joins Doc in the studio for some trail talk on the eve of his CDT thru hike. Settle in and buckle up as Sheep Dog seeks his limits while discussing Vertigo, old water charts, the Great Basin Loop, not cheating on the Hayduke, unique shakedown hikes, Coldfoot, water seep strategies, Wildflower, the AZT, the AT, the PCT, and the thrill of living up to the hype. Epic. (This is Part I. Be sure to listen to Part II.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

David "Remy" and Sally Ann "Beacon" Mertens sit down with Doc in the studio to talk about their 2025 thru hike of the Appalachian Trail with their four kids aged 9, 11, 14, and 15. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

David "Remy" and Sally Ann "Beacon" Mertens sit down with Doc in the studio to talk about their 2025 thru hike of the Appalachian Trail with their four kids aged 9, 11, 14, and 15. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The trailer is here. In 40 years, the Barkley Marathons has been finished 26 times. This is the story of why everyone keeps coming back. The Barkley: A Love Story, a three-part audio documentary from Hiker Trash Radio, drops one week from today. Press play. Then send this to someone who needs to hear it. Episode One: "I Discovered It" - May 15, 2026 Episode Two: "The Edge of Possible" - May 22, 2026 Episode Three: "They Figured It Out" - May 29, 2026 Link in bio. #TheBarkley #BarkleyMarathons #HikerTrashRadio #ALoveStory #BM100 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this week's chapter of The Logbook, Doc takes on the original thru hiking story, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thru hiker, historian, and author Kirk Ward "Solo" Robinson joins Doc for some studio time to talk trail, Type II Fun, and Hiking Through History. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thru hiker, historian, and author Kirk Ward "Solo" Robinson joins Doc for some studio time to talk trail, Type II Fun, and Hiking Through History. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thru hiker and current LASHer Greg "Chudy" Lester sits down with Doc to discuss his 1992 thru hike of the AT, his 2022 Flip Flop of the PCT, and his current LASH of the CDT. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thru hiker and current LASHer Greg "Chudy" Lester sits down with Doc to discuss his 1992 thru hike of the AT, his 2022 Flip Flop of the PCT, and his current LASH of the CDT. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Three years ago I started asking people about a race in the woods of eastern Tennessee that almost nobody finishes. I couldn't stop. In forty years, the Barkley Marathons has been finished twenty-six times. No GPS. No aid stations. No published start time. An entry fee of a dollar sixty. And every year, forty people go in anyway. I went to find out why. The Barkley: A Love Story — a three-part audio documentary from Hiker Trash Radio — drops in two weeks. Episode One: "I Discovered It" Episode Two: "The Edge of Possible" Episode Three: "They Figured It Out" Link in bio. #TheBarkley #BarkleyMarathons #HikerTrashRadio #HikerTrash #bm100 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this week's issue of The Logbook, Doc takes on a classic, The Long Walk by Richard Bachman/Stephen King. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author, adventurer, and sustainable dirtbag Blake Boles joins Doc for some studio time to talk about being the captain of your own ship and doing what you love. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author, adventurer, and sustainable dirtbag Blake Boles joins Doc for some studio time to talk about being the captain of your own ship and doing what you love. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thru hiker and creator of the xTx Trail that traverses the width of Texas, Charlie "Freestyle" Gandy sits down with Doc in the studio to talk trail creation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thru hiker and creator of the xTx Trail that traverses the width of Texas, Charlie "Freestyle" Gandy sits down with Doc in the studio to talk trail creation. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

DARK MILES — Episode 1: Hike the Good Hike Featuring Jesse “Boston Mule” Cody If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988. Before Jesse Cody was a Triple Crowner, a Hoka athlete, and the founder of a mental health nonprofit, he was sitting alone in his Cambridge apartment staring at a tie he’d tied in a noose around his doorknob, trying to talk himself into using it. He was 39 years old. He was, by all outward appearances, fine. This is the story of what it took to walk 2,200 miles out of that apartment — and what came back from Maine. In this episode: The double life Jesse was living in Boston’s restaurant industry, and what he was hiding underneath it The 40th birthday party that changed the weight of everything Why he got on a train to Georgia without telling anyone the real reason The rattlesnake on a hot mountain in the Southern Appalachians that became a turning point His father meeting him in the middle of the Harper’s Ferry bridge What he built when he came home: Hike the Good Hike Dark Miles is a narrative documentary series from Hiker Trash Radio — produced stories about the internal terrain of the outdoor experience. These are the miles that don’t show up on Strava. Connect with Jesse and Hike the Good Hike: Website:  hikethegoodhike.org Instagram:  instagram.com/hikethegoodhike Connect with Hiker Trash Radio: Website:  hikertrashradio.com Instagram:  instagram.com/hikertrashradio Apply to be a Dark Miles guest:  hikertrashradio.com/dark-miles If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this issue of The Logbook, Doc takes on The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thru hiker and author Becky "Serendipity" Jensen sits down with Doc for some studio time to discuss the Colorado Trail and her memoir, No Man's Land. Warning: this episode contains topics that some may consider triggering. If you or a loved one are struggling with mental health, please consult a professional. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thru hiker and author Becky "Serendipity" Jensen sits down with Doc for some studio time to discuss the Colorado Trail and her memoir, No Man's Land. Warning: this episode contains topics that some may consider triggering. If you or a loved one are struggling with mental health, please consult a professional. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A Triple Crowner at the age of 20, Scrapbook sits down with Doc to talk about planning for the PCT during high school, convincing his mom to drop him off alone at the Mexican border with just a pack on his back at the age of 18, and his official ranking of America's long trails.  You don't want to miss the discussion of prep, gear, the literal and figurative highs and lows of the trail, and a Pro Tip that you won't believe. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hikertrashradio/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Multi-genre adventurer and editor-in-chief of Trails Magazine Ryan Wichelns sits down with Doc in the studio to talk about a different journey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Multi-genre adventurer and editor-in-chief of Trails Magazine Ryan Wichelns sits down with Doc in the studio to talk about a different journey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this issue of The Logbook, Doc breaks down The Dirtbag's Guide to Life by Tim Mathis. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Doc interviews former guide and current hiker trash adjacent adventurer Nina Banducci. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Doc interviews former guide and hiker trash adjacent Nina Banducci. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Doc sits down with ultra runner and two-time Barkley Marathon competitor Max King. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Doc sits down with ultra runner and two-time Barkley Marathon competitor Max King. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Big Wall Climber Amity Warme sits down with Doc to discuss the highs and lows of scaling 3,000-foot vertical wall faces.  Along the way, the two of them cover route topos, crux pitches, sweaty fingers, off widths, chicken wings, and all the things you've ever wanted to know about Porta-ledges.  All the things. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hikertrashradio/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this issue of The Logbook, Doc goes to the Roof of the World with Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Doc sits down with fitness coach and FKTer Cody Taylor, founder of New Normal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Doc sits down with fitness coach and FKTer Cody Taylor, founder of New Normal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Triple Crowner and author Tami "Songbird" Asars joins Doc in the studio for trail talk. Settle in and buckle up as Songbird discusses how she became an unintentional Triple Crowner, her FOMO, generational trail name confusion, wrong size socks, southbound pursuits, unraveling on the trail, pearls in your shoes, the Wonderland Trail, guiding, listening to the universe, selling fun, her newly released book Long Lost, and how thru hiking is more than just boots and dirt. Epic. (This is Part II. Be sure to listen to Part I.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.