A single footstep becomes two. A single mile becomes thousands. A single trail becomes many. A single goal becomes a life. A life becomes a home.
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast after our hiatus, here is the reason why! Well... that and also we neglected our duties off being a podcast host, but let us focus on the positives and not the negatives here.
Strap in for a wild episode, the first of its kind. A pure hour of Constantine rambles, blessed be the souls willing to undertake this journey.
We chat trails being a life changing experience but the true power on taking the lessons off the trails. We talk from the heart and let the brain catch up to the words. We chat everything about the book Life in Pursuit.
A project 2 years in the making, and one could even say 7 years from that very first step on the Appalachian Trail. We chat finding time in life to pursue your passions, the constant year of travel in 2022, and when the brain gets involved things becoming lost.
We discuss the difficulties of compressing life into 288 pages and how we tend to speak "well" with a heavy emphasis on the quotations. We chat the desire to share this story and the reasons behind writing a book and get lost in tangents.
We then go into what we call "the in-between" the very foundation of our book. Each trail has its own chapter but does not jump directly into the next one, instead showing the building blocks of life and choice to continue pursuing adventure along the trails.
We chat failure daily, prevalence of popularity of the trail systems in the recent years, and the immense circles of life both physically on trail and metaphorically along the way.
We then begin the reading of the book. Starting with the dedication, the preface, and then a few snippets of chapters. Stories told in a scraggily voice (completely on par with our announcements being at the worst timing) and stories that give a glimpse into a life in pursuit.
We chat "I Am A Barbie Girl", old timer gospel, and the endless definition of the word nothingness. We ramble, get lost, and one could hope remain found.
The Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the Pacific Northwest Trail, the Ice Age Trail, the Arizona Trail, the Florida Trail, the Natchez Trace Trail, the Potomac Heritage Trail, the New England Trail, and the behemoth of them all the North Country Trail make up the National Scenic Trails.
Life in Pursuit becomes less about the physical activity of hiking and becomes a look into a life of obsession. The trials and obstacles of a life lived for the pursuit of the next trail. Stories, moments, and challenges of each hike are told through the lens of a perception that changes into a reality.
The trail has an end point, the mind does not. When the trail ends the person continues to change. A trail is the physical manifestation of a journey. This book is the emotional manifestation of the endless journey of life, the endless journey of a life in pursuit. To everyone that continues to make this life special, thank you!
Pre-Order the Book Today:
https://www.elevenskys.com/product-page/life-in-pursuit-hiking-the-11-national-scenic-trails
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast!
Today we sit down with the one and only Jen, the owner of Alpine Fit.
We begin the show with a little backstory of how Jen found herself to be in Alaska, and how she came about to start a gear company. We chat loving time outdoors, self propelled travel, and priorities of family and business. We discuss the easy access of wilderness being right outside her doorstep and evolving to combine her passions.
We then go deep into the company itself and learn everything we can about Alpine Fit. We take a walk through Jen's experience in chemistry, textiles, and retail and her pursuit of bringing them all together underneath one proverbial umbrella. We chat merino wool and silver fiber technology. We then learn about their flagship product, their long sleeve shirt, that was built to be the one piece of versatile gear for most needs.
We discuss bushwhacking leggings, research and product development, and dive down the rabbit hole of body shapes and sizes. We learn Jen went deep into research even pulling old U.S. military data to find averages of body styles. Then she took all her combined data to offer two body styles for each product, instead of scaling sizes with the same proportions. A scientist and a gear creator combined!
We chat her chase of perfection in sizing, officially opening the store in 2019, and a planned trip to PCT Trail Days! We talk lightweight gear and then take a hard right turn into the philosophy behind marketing in the outdoors, and we love it! Jen starts the conversation with stating she does not like marketing and we begin unpacking a feeling that many gear creators struggle with in the outdoors, when you combine a passion with your work. We chat marketing being contrived and even sometimes dipping into the realm of dishonesty. There is no right or wrong, instead only feelings shared.
We fantasize about the creation of an Alaskan long trail and discuss its current conditions. We chat about Denali, coastal views, and get lost once more in the dense foliage of a bushwhack literally and figuratively. We then discuss how a legging can withstand the elements and Alpine Fit's creation of the perfect one.
We discuss being an entrepreneur and the list of tasks that only ever grows. We chat mental health, doing more, and spending time in the outdoors. Jen wakes up at a 6am on a Sunday with the idea for a new product and spends her morning designing. We then chat time management and the difficulties that arise when the to-do-list is never ending.
We chat setting alarms, looking at a clock and making yourself go to lunch, and finding balance before all our eyes become glazed over. We talk about finding balance, learning how to manage time over time, and health being a critical factor in being the best business owner you can be. We then drink some proverbial coffee, coin a term of working 25/7 somehow breaking the laws of physics and finding an extra hour each day, and the love of problem solving.
We discuss creating your own routes in Alaska, spoon feeding a bear peanut butter, and bears crossing the street. We wonder about moose and ask two parted questions that Jen absolutely "loves." We learn about the trail in her eyes being a starting place for adventure and setting an example as a company to live in a place that is desirable and give access to jobs that people are passionate about. We wrap the show with a simple but elegant answer that says it all...No
To learn more about Alpine Fit click below:
Website: https://alpinefit.com/
To learn more about who we are:
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast!
Today we sit down and chat, as well as chuckle, with the one and only Chuckles!
We begin the show by learning more about Chuckles evolution into the outdoors. Graduating college in 2016, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2019, hiking the Continental Divide Trail in 2022, and we touch on the recurring name you will here the entire episode, the Appalachian Trail. A trail that was the inspiration of them all, and that has been a driving force for hiking, and will one day soon be the cumulation of years of adventure.
We chat living in Leadville, being a "ski-bum" in the winter time, and a background in the pharmaceutical industry. We dive deep into the feeling of being "suckered" back into normal life, and the feelings of wanting to hike, but not feeling ready to hike in the heart. We chat about the feeling many people who pursue hiking for long enough feel, of "having to do a hike" and Chuckles healthy outlook on realizing this and not doing a hike until she fully wants to, such as the Appalachian Trail.
We chat the 48/48 peaks of New Hampshire, the terrifying 25, and the Huntington Range. We chat the puzzle of math that most outdoor enthusiasts call life and Chuckles equation to find balance and happiness. We chat the hardest part of any hike, the portion after hiking. We chat about two desires being split and the two sides of seeking two vastly different things, a life in the outdoors, and a "regular" life. We dive deep into this topic and learn about the constant learning curve and listening to the heart as you always have to make the choice, and listen to the moment of what gives you the most joy.
We chat sitting at a computer and escapism. We discuss feeling content in regular life, having easier access to the mountains, and feeling at peace in the immediate. We learn about AT & T and Verizon map overlay systems on Gaia, and chat about Chuckles finding trails while she worked remotely "on call" to make sure she always had cell phone coverage.
We chat bridging two gaps of life, the weirdness in knowing there is a tangible end without it actually being "the end", and previously wanting time off trail to go faster and now wanting it to slow down. We all get thrown under a very large proverbial bus and brace for the bumpy ride as we discuss goal mentality.
We go into purism, connected footsteps, and chasing goals. We then take a step back from trail and talk relationships on the trail and off. We discuss the preconceived notion that relationships on trail are far harder than regular life, when in fact it is the complete opposite, for some. We chat shared goals, time apart, trail goals that divide, but pursuit of a shared life that brings togetherness.
We go into Chuckles origin story, and are very glad we did. It involves a trail angel's house, a privy, many bowls of beans, a masculine name, and a picture that still hangs on her wall to this day. One of the better origin stories we have heard in a long time!
We chat chuckling duals at dawn, the gift and privilege of getting to spend time outside, and wrap it all up with another shout out to the Appalachain Trail!
Thank you Chuckles, it was a joy to chat!
Learn more about Chuckles by clicking below:
Instagram: @adventuresofdotdot
To learn more about who we are click below:
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast and welcome Zoner!
Today we sit down and chat with the one and only, Zoner and learn all things Hot Springs Trail. Shout out to Star-Lord for putting us together as it is a trail that has sparked our curiosity for awhile and now we have the privilege to learn all about it.
We begin the show with our broad question and Zoner goes quickly into depths that we try and follow. We learn about his pursuit of health and the measures he takes to fuel his body and mind, whether that is on trail or off trail. We go deep into the topic of health and learn that for Zoner it is more than just optimally performing physically but also the precursor to much more of life. We chat about his evolution of health personally and then look at it through a hiking lens.
We chat how to not just survive a journey but to thrive within it. We discuss hard times off trail that let the difficulties of a hike become the "good times." We dive into a knee injury that changed his perspective and a injury that has not held him back from over 30 Fastest Known Time completions. We then get an answer to a question that we have been pondering for a long time. Why do thru-hikers take pride in their junk food diets?
A answer that is a theory, but one that makes sense. It is less the "diet" and more so a reward system that triggers the brain to seek more. Sure, sugar can be addictive, but the reward to have a snack at the top of a mountain, at trail magic, at the end of a hard section is the true addiction. It is a new thought line for us and we explore it as much as we can. There is no "right" nor "wrong" only what works for the individual, but it is an interesting thought to dive deeper into.
We then talk all things Hot Springs Trail! A trail that Zoner has continued to advocate, build, and promote along its way to becoming a National Scenic Trail. We discuss the reason behind seeking the designation and the reason behind his passion for this trail. He sums it up eloquently with the simple statement of "The Hot Springs Trail for me is a therapeutic journey." Therapy of the body in the springs themselves, therapy of the mind in freedom, and therapy of the heart on an adventure. Take that quote however you may, but we have never heard a trail defined by such, and it contextualizes much about this trails creation.
We chat going between high points, encyclopedias of the word hot springs, and all methods of travel. We then chat the progression of the designation of a National Scenic Trail and here about the current progress. Zoner wants a community and not a empty piece of paper to define this trail and wants a heart in definition before a designation of bureaucracy. It is a very inspirational goal to seek, and one we hope to shed more light upon.
We chat roots and seeds, more accountability then Vitamin-I, and bias and opinion having no place in the creation of a trail. We are asked to name founders of National Scenic Trails and have a very difficult time in doing so. The trail is an unliving organism but the trail becomes alive when it becomes stories shared.
A truly wonderful chat with Zoner, thank you for sharing more about you and the trail with us!
To learn more about the Hot Springs Trail click below:
To learn more about us click below:
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast, and welcome back Cal!
We spoke to Cal last as he was on the way to becoming the first Transgender person to finish the Calendar Year Triple Crown!
First things first, we begin the show with a congratulations, and then begin to learn what Cal has been up to since then. They have not been idle... to say the least. After accomplishing a goal few already achieve, they set their sights on something outside of our knowledge and depths, the sport of long distance running.
Not only are they doing a long distance run, but they are specifically created this route to go through the "battleground states" of the deep south where Transgender rights are the most at risk. Creating their own route from California to Florida, we catch up with them in the state of Texas and begin a deep dive into their journey.
We chat a dream that started in middle school, a homecoming of self while running through rural America, and the freedom of movement in body and mind. We talk about judgment and prejudice and the spreading of awareness. We go into the difference of movement in a high intensity sport of running compared to hiking, not physically, but mentally the journey it becomes.
We dive into one of our favorite words as Cal says it first, connection. Connection in solitude as they spent countless miles just themselves and a road, and through solitude in the physical sense, finding deeper connections within themselves, and directly correlated being able to find deeper connections in their friendships, relationships, and moments with others. We chat about the favorite way to spend time with the adult they are as well as their inner child.
We then unpack the route itself. Traveling through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and finally Florida. We touch on the filming of a feature length documentary showcasing the Trans-Joy they wish to spread. We dive deeper into the reality of the run, and the question Cal returns to when travelling through these states, "how can I be of service?"
We chat supporting the communities that Cal runs through, and listening to the needs shared. We chat multiple fundraisers and staying up to date with Cal's journey to be able to continue to support the causes they find. We chat running to make a better world.
We chat the choice behind creating this route, the message they are wishing to share, and getting to know people through love and respect. We discuss the "weight" of such a physical and mental goal, and learn that for Cal it is no weight at all, but their very fuel that keeps them going. We chat about privilege turning into responsibility, and how when a single group is challenged it challenges everyone's freedom. It is not singular but affects the rights of everyone.
We discuss the finish point in Tallahassee, Florida and the significance of this physical end point. We get lost in Cal's what they call "cool down lap" of just a "few" extra 700 miles at the end of this journey. We chat the simplicity of being a person, and that everyone no matter who you are, has individual wants and desires, that is what it means to be human.
We apologize here about the coffee noise in the background, which is now 2/2 when chatting with Cal. Hopefully if we have the opportunity a 3rd time to catch up with them, you can guarantee there will be some sort of coffee shop noise in the background.
Another great chat, always a privilege and joy to speak with Cal.
To learn more about Cal and the TransContinental Run click below:
Instagram: @cal_hikes *You should be able to access all the most up-to-date fundraisers and information through the above platform
Patreon: @CalDobbs
To learn more about who we are click below:
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast!
Today we have the privilege to sit down and chat with the one and only, Moondog!
A conversation that enters into the depths of the complete unknown on our end, the world of "thru-skating." Having no idea where this chat will go, but fueled by curiosity and willingness to learn, we begin to find out all about this long distance sport.
First things first, we learn about Moondog and his journey towards thru-skating. We chat about being a hiker since he was a kid, taking up skateboarding to remain a part of his best friends life, and thru-hiking when a skateboard is on top of your pack.
We chat community around thru-skating, dozens compared to thousands, and if having the skills to hike and skate the magical combination of the two. We chat about learning balance, learning how to fall well, and the dynamics of becoming a thru-skater.
We talk whether thru-hiking or thru-skating has more of an importance to Moondog and dive deep into the best ice breaker ever. We chat about the abnormalcy of seeing a skateboard in the swamps of Florida and lost hikers in Colorado. We ask how he explains these situations to other hikers, and he says it is simple, a single question. "Where is the parking lot?"
We discuss what qualifies a thru-skate, naming a dog and a skateboard, and then dive deeper into his journey. We talk a route he and a friend created through New Mexico 480~ miles long. We talk about perception of locals and strangers when the method of travel is a skateboard and not hiking. We learn about the hidden gem of being mistaken for homeless and the true representation of kindness it unlocks in people. Pure kindness distilled when there is no context.
We chat fuel, physical and metaphorical. We learn about bad days on a skate and headwinds. We learn about the flexibility of a situation and sometimes to continue skating, one must pick up their board and walk for safety. Traffic, small road shoulders, and weather all impact this adventure just as it does a thru-hike.
We talk mileage, physical impact on the body, and tiredness compared with hiking. We learn how to pick a road, using satellite maps, and how to build a route. We chat the life giving force of water and the necessity it becomes in any long distance endeavor.
We then get a Off Trail exclusive, one time and one time only, we talk about gear. We rarely if never talk about gear on this show, because to recommend gear, is to not understand gear. The variety, personal preference, body shape, hiking style, is so different for everyone, that gear only works, if it works specifically for you. Anyway, we chat gear, out of curiosity, as we know nothing about thru-skating.
We chat wheels, bearings, boards, and not carrying spare parts. We go off on a tangent to learn about companies building specifically for this endeavor and while not directly marketing as "thru-skating" gear, that most of the boxes and needs are checked.
We talk about the wonderful absurdity of human powered extreme goals. We learn about skateboarding 300+ miles in 24 hours and are baffled but also impressed by the strength of someone who lives, breathes, and lives to skate. We then talk about cheeseburgers and want to eat a few.
We chat seeking different challenges and goals. Scaling human powered endurance to what fits your needs and wants. We discuss the idea that Moondog has been growing of skating from Mexico to Canada along his own route. We chat comfortability and growth of exploring freely. We then get lost down a deep tangent that could last for hours...
We chat red-line goals, personal, communal, and dangerously tread the water of an idea of a new show lost in our own personal flavor of lunacy.
A great chat with Moondog, thank you for sharing!
To learn more about Moondog:
Instagram: @rooptown
To learn more about who we are click below:
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast!
Today we have the privilege of chatting with the one and only, Puddin.
Catching up with her fresh off her 4400 mile thru-hike of the Eastern Continental Trail, and her first thru-hike ever, we begin unpacking the introduction to long distance hiking and the change of life.
We begin the show with learning she is a hiker, a entrepreneur, and a mental health advocate. We chat about her journey through mental health and her growth in wanting to share it with others. We chat day hiking and moving to Virginia and first seeing thru-hikers. We discuss the difference between a section hike and a thru-hike, and the fact that defined by the singular activity of walking, how different they can be.
We chat the demands of life, work, an elderly dog, relationships, and the dominoes that led her to begin the Appalachian Trail. What began as one trail would extend to include many more, but first she would have to walk to find.
We discuss realities of fog and rain compared to perceptions of sunrises and rainbows. We chat the question of what did I sign up for, and the fuel that is found when starting something and the word quit never being in your vocabulary. We chat letting go of control and embracing the knowledge of everything will work out in its own time.
We chat about being halfway into the Appalachian Trail and plans for life changing. We chat not necessarily knowing what to do and the moment of a decision at the end coming extremely quickly. We dive into the feeling of finishing but almost feeling more lost than when beginning. We chat not looking for something specific but finding, connecting pieces falling into place, and the realization that the end on Mt. Katahdin was just another step.
We listen to the heart and intuition to guide, hiking to Canada, going to the Pinhoti, and saying no to hiking Florida. Then the trail and her journey finding Florida was another step.
We chat the bodies growth into such a large trail, not having the right shoes, and taking it slow to learn as one walks. We trust the body, take it in stages, and learning not to fixate on something not going your way. We discuss taking steps back to take steps forward, finding gratitude, and what happens if you foucs on the "suck" too much.
We then dive deep into the terminus feelings at the end of such a massive hike, specifically it being a first thru-hike. We discuss reflection before the actual end, mixed emotions, and finishing not fully sinking in. We chat indecisiveness, reentering society, and the world being to loud. We crack a window to let in some fresh air, and learn about finding a new identity.
We discuss the large amounts of change one goes through on a hike, and what happens when you come back home to much being the same. We get a recommendation on how to cope, with movement, routine, and journaling. We try to harness and hold the clarity and learn steps to keep it close by.
We then go into all things business and learn more about Puddin's work. Focusing on how to run ads on Instagram and promote yourself as well as your passion. We chat about building it on trail for off trail and vice versa. A business that focuses on mental health, passion, and living your best life.
We then learn that her off trail time is already limited, and she had planned a day before, another hike! Fully bitten by the bug, still less than a full month off 4400 miles, and she is ready to get walking once again. Sounds like we have a lifer on our hands. We discuss growth on the trail through challenges and continuing to seek becoming a stronger, healthier, and happier person.
As she puts it let intuition lead you, and let the trail create you.
To learn more about Puddin:
Instagram: @hikingwithpuddin
YouTube: @hikingwithpuddin
To learn more about who we are click below:
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast.
Today we have the privilege of speaking with the one and only, Jenga!
We begin the show through power of technology being connected through many times zones and across the world.
Jenga is currently in New Zealand and takes the time to sit down and chat about the hike he is currently on, The Te Araroa, and more generally his incredible view on hiking and life.
We dive into his somewhat ok-ish definition of thru-hiking and his sewing pursuits. Then quickly we dive deep and stay deep within the waters of what makes him, well him. We chat about the trail being a framework to live life outside of the binds of a classically defined society, we talk not being able to resist the call of side adventures, and we briefly touch on the wonderful animal called a sheep.
We then go into the word adventure itself. The very reason Jenga lives this life and the word that fuels him. We chat failure and success and compare and contrast the word adventure and thru-hike. We hear stories of the CDT and talk about scars upon the body that are fond memories.
We then learn about a disease that will one day without choice stop Jenga's hikes, it is called Charcot-Marie Tooth disease. (Please correct us if we are wrong Jenga, while listening to the word, tried to Google it and this is what came up) A disease that eventually eats away at the muscle connections and creates muscular dystrophy. We chat difficulty lifting toes, selfies of things that are tripped on, and being intentional about time. Another massive kudos to Jenga, for the healthy and happy mindset around something that could be very hard to mentally deal with.
We chat about looking for ways to extend time in the outdoors, a scary future but the realization all futures are unknown, and having as he puts it, "the good fortune to know when my car crash is." We talk about the healing powers of hiking for mind and body, and the price of owning muscles.
We chat artistry and take a virtual look through his lens of photography. A little voice that tells him "pretty" and a voice that puts him fully in the moment. We chat water miraculously not flowing downhill in New Zealand, capturing the essence of a thru-hike, and moments of beauty within simply, life. We discuss light, the expensive organs called eyes, and then we all get drenched by rain.
A deep look into the year of 2022/2023 on the Te Araroa Trail and the constant never ending rain. We talk flooding, demoralizing wetness, and mold and mildew. We chat the scariest river ford he has ever experienced, and the realities of the looney tunes world called New Zealand.
We chat breaking trekking poles, being inside of never ending clouds, and something called Lemonade Pass. Not a pass on the trail, but a anecdote on how he handles uncomfortable situations. He makes lemonade.
We chat breaking a pure goal mentality and letting the journey take you where it will. We chat a month of time off trail and what could break some hikers, was just part of the experience for him. We chat naked bike rides, being a snow positive person, and not doing a trail because they are easy.
We wrap up the show with a word that can be felt in this entire conversation and the meaning of trails and life for Jenga, freedom.
Thank you for joining us and sharing your story!
To learn more about Jenga:
To learn more about who we are click below:
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast and welcome back the man, myth and legend himself, Star Lord.
Star Lord returns to unpack all he has been up to since we last chatted. We catch up with him shortly after his completion of the Natchez Trace Trail and dive deep into his journey and the trail itself.
We through weirdness and story telling give an audio guide to the trail. We discuss all things camping related and the reality that almost every night not spent in a motel, will be spent stealth camping in the woods. We chat the Mississippi brown water and the never ending sweet embrace held within it. We chat water being and issue and carrying upwards of thirty miles between man made sources called water fountains. We chat roads, roads, and never ending roads.
We learn about the "no car, no stay" hotel rule that was completely made up on the spot. We learn about the loose grip on sanity found within those yellow lines and the benefit of hiking with a companion can keep you from insanity. We talk about the posts that define every mile and the break from the peaceful mind found in movement and the harsh reality of knowing every one of your time splits.
We chat the Star Lord's pursuit of the 11 National Scenic Trails and the goal found along the way. We chat being fueled by goals, and as he so eloquently states, to walk is better than not walking. We dive deeper into the pursuit mentality and unpack what it means for him.
We tell stories of the Natchez Trace Trail, define its reality, and get lost within its lunacy. We unpack the definition of National Scenic Trails themselves, and theorize on to what it actually means. We ramble, we get lost, and we virtually walk along a road.
Another great chat with Star Lord, thank you for another weird one!
To learn more about Star Lord:
Instagram: @chandlerstrailstories
To learn more about who we are click below:
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast!
Today we sit down to chat with the one and only, Coyote.
We begin the show by learning about labels and the growth of breaking free of defining oneself in the singular. We learn about Coyote bein a chef, a thru-hiker, a artist and a musician. Then almost instantly we dive deep into the growth through hiking and just as importantly the growth found and taken off trail from hiking.
We talk hard labor jobs, percentages of life off trail being too high within the grind mindset, and the more Coyote hiked the more he craved more life not only on trail but off. We chat Coyote seeking more multi-dimensional life within his pursuit of thru-hiking and more generally a life will lived. We chat weighted returns on time, plateaus of growth, and unlocking new levels of fitness.
We chat the importance of becoming obsessed with thru-hiking but finding balance within the obsession. We chat the importance of realizing there is a life off trail, and it doesn't have to be singular, it can be a full life. We quickly touch on the Grand Enchantment Trail, the Pacific Northwest Trail, and the Northern New Mexico Loop with a quick shout out to the legend himself, Brett Tucker.
We chat the questions that arise when the trail ahead becomes undefined, we chat the similarities and differences of the words adventure and thru-hike, and we dive into the very definition of what the term "thru-hike" can mean. We break the chains of a classical definition and theorize the change that is almost never chosen but always found. We discuss singular goal mindsets and the vast varieties within, we dip our toes into the word "purism" and unpack all the baggage associated inside it. We debate the undefined line in the sand that defines a purist and where it begins and where it ends. No answer found, only theories provided.
We chat the Idaho Centennial Trail. We chat skipping a section and the choice that was never a choice. We chat early season Sawtooth Mountains and swelled creeks. We dive into quitting the ICT 4 times and coming back over and over again. We go further into the feelings and perceived need to return to a trail. We unpack shame and embarrassment in choosing the not only right choice but only safe choice and the danger that can arise from being consumed in the accomplishment mindset. We talk no matter the hiker, that if you hike long enough and far enough the inevitable decision that all will be faced with.
We chat respect for hikers that chose to not continue, and when going home becomes the right choice. We discuss the filter of social media and the dangers that lie within. We chat the Mogollon Rim Trail and the growth in a discomfort chosen. On the flip side we chat the growth found in comfort chosen. The comfortable choice sometimes becomes the most uncomfortable and the most difficult.
We chat becoming a cat in the rain, making plans A and B, and learning to read topo lines. I incorrectly define what dead-reckoning is and we talk the healthy vs the unhealthy. We compare the bodies reaction to health in and health out, and the weird pride that hikers find in eating unhealthy diets. We chat becoming an athlete, no higher responsibility than life itself, and the truest heroes of them all, the people living regular lives.
It gets weird and it gets deep, an absolutely wonderful episode. Thank you so much Coyote for sharing with all of us.
Favorite Quotes:
"The trail to me means knowledge of life and knowledge of myself."
"If I am off trail, I still need to have some sort of trail."
Follow Coyote at the links below:
To learn more about us click below:
Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast!
We are bringing in Season 3 with a (2) part series as our co-hosts, Constantine and Magpie, break down all things The Te Araroa Trail.
The Te Araroa Trail is a 1880~ (official) mile hike in New Zealand. With the alternates and connecting footsteps of this hike, in total 1909.4 miles were hiked and 108.6 canoed, totaling 2016.2 miles of human powered movement. As of 2022/2023 season, if you hike it in the "purist" form this will be the mileage that you find is actually on the ground. It connects the top of the North Island at Cape Reinga to the bottom of the South Island at Bluff traversing the entire length of the country.
In this second part of our 2 part series we focus on the South Island. Don't be fooled, even though they are all one country, these two islands are drastically different for the thru-hiker.
We begin the show with a long rant on energy drinks as you demand. Magpie breaks the time wall, we chat good ol' boys of New Zealand, and we discuss how cookies are a part of our figure. We have an exclusive as we try not one, but two, energy drinks! First, we begin with the classic "V" drink that is available in every corner store in NZ. Then we focus on the one and the only "Mother Energy" which fully captured our heart with its marketing copy.
"Live life your way." "Mother is calling, pursue your dreams." "Rip into some Mother." All very strange and alarming quotes from their poem... well, nothing to do but drink their off brand Red Bull.
Okay, enough enery drink talk, lets talk the South Island of NZ. We begin by realizing that rocks can't tell Magpie what to do and then focus on the Queen Charlotte Track. A wonderful piece of trail that begins every Southbounders adventures on the South Island. Excellent grading, epic views, and great camping. Don't get used to the graded track though, soon it will change!
We then discuss the Richmond Ranges... oh the Richmond Ranges. We chat sending food to the SI, confusion on the Bealey Hotel, and the ranges being the most technically challenging part of the TA. We chat predicting pace and the lack thereof, 2mph becoming a blistering speed, and orange posts. We chat flooding, being stuck at a hut, and wether or not mountains are ladies.
We chat Nelson Lakes one of the most gorgeous places along the TA, hiking hut to hut, and the varities of huts. We chat the freedom of wild camping again and the joy in walking until tired, backcountry hut passes, and the DOC putting so much time, work, and energy into creating huts. We chat routes, paths, and tracks and briefly touch on their designations.
We chat "Middle South Island Stuff" and the change of flavor the trail becomes as it transitions into river beds, passes, mixed track, and the ability to average and estimate out one's pace for the day. We chat expansive views, reminders of the Great Divide Trail, and three giant water hazard zones known as the Raikia, Rangitata, and Queenstown. The first almost always unfordable with a 30+ mile alternate, the second fordable (use own judgment!), and the third many options around.
We chat Lake Tekapo being another "changing point", waypoints called Tussocks, concious cruelty, and of course some looney tunes living!
We chat wind, sand flies vs. mosquitoes, and lotions and potions. We give massive shout outs to people who do this as their first hike and think going forward they will have many skills for any trail. We chat Longwood Forest, Linton Mt, and life being a circle.
We end with a Ramen Rating Review of both islands, and well we were quite surprised with Magpie's results!
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Welcome back to the Off Trail Podcast!
We are bringing in Season 3 with a (2) part series as our co-hosts, Constantine and Magpie, break down all things The Te Araroa Trail.
The Te Araroa Trail is a 1880~ (official) mile hike in New Zealand. With the alternates and connecting footsteps of this hike, in total 1909.4 miles were hiked and 108.6 canoed, totaling 2016.2 miles of human powered movement. As of 2022/2023 season, if you hike it in the "purist" form this will be the mileage that you find is actually on the ground. It connects the top of the North Island at Cape Reinga to the bottom of the South Island at Bluff traversing the entire length of the country.
In this first part of our 2 part series we focus on the North Island. We begin the show by trying to paint a broad picture of the Te Araroa Trail and how we experienced it. First we tackle the assumption and perception of this hike vs. the reality. If you are coming from the US/Canada and expect this trail to be the same as what you have experienced elsewhere... well get ready... the only thing that is the same is you are using walking as your method of travel. Everything else? Well, everything else is New Zealand tramping!
We chat our own beliefs in the creation of the Te Araroa and from what we experienced and saw the thought that the TA was desingned to experience New Zealand. Yes, you hike. Yes, you climb and descend. Yes, you resupply. Yet, the route of the trail we saw was used by many as more of a "guidepost" to explore New Zealand and less of a "classically defined" thru-hike. No right, no wrong, only our observations.
With that being said, we discuss the culture shock of the "New Zealand hiking culture." The culture of New Zealand was familiar while being different, but what we focus on is the culture of the TA and hikers themselves. We chat the differences in hiking culture vs US & Canada hiking and how it lead to an initial confusion on trail.
We chat mileage and campsites being defined for you on the North Island, we chat connected steps and the struggle of being outside the norm, and we chat Holiday Parks. If there is one phrase that could be used to describe the hike on the North Island it would be Holiday Parks. Wonderful hybrids of campsites/motels that are extremely pleasant and mostly front country for a hiker.
We chat the Auckland Sprawl, percentages of the North Island that is road (due to forest closures), and pace being defined for you. We discuss hikers sorting by pace and how this becomes almost impossible when legally camping on the TA. We chat hitching culture, camping etiquette, and lack of trail family. We give shout outs and theorize what we would do differently if we knew what we knew now.
We chat mud, mud and more mud. We chat "mystery miles" and the hardest part of the hike is the flat topo lines. We chat lack of pace estimation, 90 mile beach only being 60~ miles, and the Taruaras. We then diverge and try to break apart this hike section by section, and well it becomes chaotic. Strap in.
We dicsuss flat miles, campsites per person charges, and throwing a fish from the ocean to a shop. We broad stroke the North Island and chat ferries, tides, roads, and logisitical daily routines. We chat rain, alternates, floods, river paddles, and people all over the place.
Finally we wrap with the discussion of Wellington. Constantine unpacks more without getting too deep the turbulent emotions that led to what Magpie defined as his grumpiest mood in years. Possible mid-life crisis?
We end the show with a shout out to what gave us fuel, the most important part of any hike, CHONKY DOGGOS!
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