Backpacker Radio The Trek

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Jonathon Stalls. Jonathon is a wildly interesting character who, in 2010, in search of meaning and healing, decided to walk across the length of the country. We learn all about this transformative journey, some of the standout stories along the way- including some instances of the unforeseen kindness of strangers, his alter ego of Cate Blanchett flaring up through the desert, how he was able to fund this journey, an epic poop story, how this expedition turned into his book "WALK: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles Per Hour." and his current advocacy work in making urban spaces more pedestrian friendly. This is a deep and honest conversation- and we’d like to offer a trigger warning to listeners that the following interview touches on talks of suicide. 
We wrap the show with a triple crown of TV shows and movies we've watched recently, a brief comparison of the Colorado Trail vs. the John Muir Trail, and a stupidest thing of the week- Zach losing his mind due to sleep deprivation edition.
CTUG: Use code “Backpackerradio” to save 15% on your order at chickentrampergear.com
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Interview with Jonathon Stalls
Jonathon’s Instagram  WALK: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles per Hour by Jonathon Stalls Intrinsic Paths Website Intrinsic Paths/Jonathon Stalls Patreon  Jonathon on TikTok  
Time stamps & Questions
00:03:53 - If you can only go to one burger spot in Colorado for the rest of your life, where are you going? 
00:05:22 - Reminders: If you have a good poop story, submit it here. We are now accepting 2024 blogger applications for The Trek. Apply today! 
00:09:05 - Introducing Jonathon Stalls 
00:10:15 - Tell us about your dad playing in the NFL 
00:13:00 - Are you a football fan today? 
00:13:58 - Would Zach let his boys play football? 
00:15:06 - What was your sports background? 
00:16:58 - How did you get into beach volleyball? 
00:20:23 - How much of your life was portrayed in the movie Point Break? 
00:20:40 - Where does walking come into play?
00:26:31 - What in Ireland brought out the new approach to life? 
00:29:30 - What was your reaction to what you were learning in Ireland? 
00:34:57 - How did your mom respond to you coming out? 
00:37:23 - How should others approach the conversation? 
00:40:45 - Did you know nature was healing to you prior to this hike? 
00:42:12 - Walk us through deviating from the American Discovery Trail 
00:46:37 - Did you have to pay the funding back? 
00:47:30 - Do they give you feedback on what businesses you help? 
00:49:42 - How did you select your walking route? 
00:55:28 - Let’s hear a poop story! 
01:06:40 - How did you balance wanting to be in nature and wanting to engage with communities? 
01:10:25 - Did you also find healing in the interaction with others? 
01:12:37 - Explain the practices you used to find kinship with nature 
01:16:20 - Do you have a favorite tree? 
01:19:29 - Do you have a desire to reinvent yourself on a long trail? 
01:23:25 - Do you find it frustrating to see the direction of society today? 
01:26:13 - What are some wins you’ve witnessed in your work? 
01:29:42 - What parts of Denver are most walkable? 
01:33:29 - Have you walked the full length of Colfax? 
01:34:30 - Tell us about “Walk to Connect” and “Walking Leaders” 
01:38:37 - Was there a stretch of trail that wasn’t enjoyable? 
01:45:23 - Do you have a specific term for your cross-country walk? 
01:45:55 - Was there a specific moment where you felt you were healing on your journey? 
01:48:38 - Is there anything about the journey or the book you’d like to relay to listeners? 
01:50:32 - What do we need to know about pedestrian dignity? 
01:52:54 - Zach Anner & The Quest for the Rainbow Bagel
01:57:00 - Impa

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are talking all things ultralight backpacking. We're joined by our pal and thru-hiker extraordinaire, Carl Stanfield aka "Professor", as the three of us share some of our top tips for reducing pack weight. The advice in this episode covers the full spectrum, from broad-based philosophical ways to approach what should and should not be in your pack, to more granular tips for simple and cost-effective ways of going UL. Whether you're hoping to thru-hike a triple crown trail or lighten the load a bit for your weekend outing, this one has insightful and practical pointers for you.
We wrap the show with a quick overview of a new ultralight material being used for tarps and tents- and the relative pros and cons, but more importantly, we do the triple crown of the top benefits of an alien invasion which devolves into the most insane debate in Backpacker Radio history. Chaunce goes pure red face.  
CTUG: Use code “Backpackerradio” to save 15% on your order at chickentrampergear.com
Gossamer Gear: Use code “TAKELESSTREKMORE” for 15% off at gossamergear.com 
PACT Outdoors: Use code “TREK20” for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com.
[divider]
Panel with Carl Stanfield 
Carl’s Instagram  Time stamps & Questions
00:03:58 - Reminders: Join us in Iceland for Summer of 2024! Support us on Patreon! Lastly, if you have a good poop story, submit it here! 
00:09:34 - Welcoming Carl “Professor” Stanfield 
00:09:49 - What have you been up to lately? 
00:13:23 - What do you do with your short break? 
00:14:39 - How many days did you get off? 
00:17:24 - What was your day-to-day? 
00:20:24 - Tell us about your new girlfriend!
00:22:21 - Can you give us a brief overview of your hiking resume? 
00:23:30 - Panel introduction: Ultralight Backpacking 
00:26:30 - Chaunce’s #1: Get used to doing less 
00:31:03 - Professor’s #1: Be adaptable
00:34:41 - What does everyone do when you don’t have a utensil? 
00:38:11 - Badger’s #1: Don’t carry too much water 
00:49:59 - Chaunce’s #2: Compare weights when shopping for gear 
00:53:38 - Professor’s #2: Of the big 4, invest in a lightweight tent 
01:09:30 - Shelter satisfaction results from The Trek’s hiker survey 
01:12:24 - Badger’s #2: Remove redundancy 
01:36:00 - Chaunce’s #3: You don’t need to bring your hobbies with you 
01:48:17 - Professor’s #3: Dial in your food consumption 
02:07:11 - Professor’s Hot Take: Make up for calories in town 
02:10:47 - Chaunce’s Final Thoughts: Eat your dinner to get your dessert 
02:17:00 - Zach’s #3: Use Smart Water bottles instead of Nalgenes
02:24:00 - Panel wrap-up
Segments 
Trek Propaganda: UltraTNT: The Newest Material for Ultralight Tarps & Tents By Joal and Jenny 
Triple crown of alien invasion benefits 
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In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by long-distance thru-rider Gillian Larson. Yes, thru-rider. Gillian has more than 10,000 backcountry wilderness miles via horseback, including two thru-rides of the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the Arizona Trail, and the Colorado Trail. Gillian was the youngest person to solo-thru ride the PCT in 2014, and became the first person to thru-ride both the PCT and CDT. We of course ambush Gillian with an onslaught of ignorant questions of what it takes to complete one of these long trails via horseback. We went into this chat assuming the logistics of a thru-ride were tough, and oh boy, did we underestimate that. A fascinating conversation, we think you'll really dig this one.
We wrap the show with a recap and some of Badger's top takeaways from his recent 3-night trek through Washington's Goat Rock Wilderness, a triple crown of things that float, and what range of times are appropriate for dinner.
Visit Iceland with Chaunce and Badger: Registration is live for our 2024 trip to Iceland. Come and hike to glaciers, waterfalls, and secret lagoons with your favorite podcast hosts. More info here! 
Goodr: Use the code “Backpacker” for a free shipping discount at www.goodr.com/backpacker 
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PACT Outdoors: Use code “TREK20” for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com.
Interview with Gillian Larson
Gillian Larson Instagram  Gillian Larson Website  Time stamps & Questions
00:04:02 - Reminders: We’re still collecting poop stories for our book. Send your story here! Join us in Iceland for Summer of 2024!
00:08:30 - Introducing Gillian 
00:09:11 - What got you into the horse life? 
00:10:50 -Did your mom ever nudge you in the direction of competitions? 
00:12:18 - Was your mom excited about your thru-riding adventures? 
00:14:10 - Do you have siblings? 
00:14:34 - How old were you when you completed your solo ride? 
00:17:08 - How did you prepare for a thru-ride? 
00:21:09 - How do you manage two horses at a time? 
00:24:32 - What differentiates a pack horse from a riding horse? 
00:25:50 - When you get off to walk, what is generally the reasoning? 
00:27:05 - Do horses sweat? 
00:27:34 - Are they at risk for dehydration? 
00:28:40 - Do you have to hide the water caches off trail? 
00:29:31 - If you walk with the horses, do you have to guide them with a leash? 
00:30:27 - Do horses respond to their names? 
00:32:34 - Are horses spooked by thunderstorms? 
00:32:58 - How much is a horse’s personality nurture vs. nature? 
00:34:25 - How much does it cost to feed a horse a day? 
00:35:40 - After the desert, are you able to rely on grass for feeding? 
00:39:34 - How did you handle finding routes with the low meadow access? 
00:42:53 - Tell us about the camping experience 
00:44:52 - Do you have the same permit system as hikers? 
00:46:36 - Do you have to change horseshoes? 
00:49:20 - Can you replace shoes on trail? 
00:50:30 - How much does it cost for shoe maintenance? 
00:54:08 - If you didn’t have support, how did you manage trail towns? 
00:56:10 - Do you have any instances where you’d go to town without any support? 
00:57:36 - Would you say thru-riding prevents you from having a social experience on trail? 
00:58:20 - Is it ever tricky to rely on help from online fans? 
01:03:15 - Is that the common way to self-support? 
01:04:10 - Do you feel compelled to complete the whole trail, in a purist way? 
01:06:22 - Is there etiquette around horse poop on trail? 
01:08:40 - Horse poop not smelling like horse poop 
01:10:54 - Were you able to connect all the miles on the PCT in 2014? 
01:13:15 - Have you ever let hikers ride your horses? 
01:14:14 - Any wild animal encounters? 
01:16:48 - Do the horses have any favorite snacks? 
01:17:42 - How do horses r

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Sara Leibold. Sara is a solo adventurer, thru-hiker, writer, and vlogger with more than 10,000 human-powered miles under her belt. Her adventures include several thru-hikes, for which we zoom in on her hikes of the AT, Benton MacKaye, and most recently, the Hayduke. We also learn about her wild adventure of rowing the length of the Mississippi River, from source to sea. And we get a run down on Sara's many odd jobs, including ridge running on the AT, working in production for ESPN, and more.
We wrap the show with sad news of an AT hiker who turned up deceased in Vermont, the triple crown of worst appetizers, and what petty hills we are willing to die on.
But first.
Visit Iceland with Chaunce and Badger: Registration is live for our 2024 trip to Iceland. Come and hike to glaciers, waterfalls, and secret lagoons with your favorite podcast hosts. More info here! 
Range Meal Bars: Use code “THETREK” for 20% off at rangemealbar.com.
RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com.
Interview with Sara Leibold
Sara Leibold Instagram  Sara on YouTube  Sara’s Website Time stamps & Questions
00:03:38 - Reminders: We’re still collecting poop stories for our book. Send your story here! Join us on Patreon for more chaos! 
00:07:27 - Welcoming Sara 
00:08:01 - How did you get your trail name, Tide? 
00:8:48 - Tell us about your Master’s thesis 
00:10:14 - Why focus on the Arizona Trail? 
00:11:41 - Were you able to capture cause and effect? 
00:12:50 - Did your interest in low impact travel stem from your graduate program? 
00:13:45 - How do you define low impact travel? 
00:14:38 - Is there a style of outdoor adventure that’s lower impact? 
00:15:08 - Who did you pull your low impact inspiration from? 
00:15:50 - Can you give us your trail resume? 
00:18:30 - When was your AT start and finish date? 
00:19:29 - What put the AT on your mind? 
00:20:00 - Did you complete it in four months? 
00:20:26 - Did you have a light pack at least? 
00:20:38 - What was the response to doing the AT in 2011? 
00:21:44 - Did you let your hair grow throughout your hike? 
00:22:00 - Any big highlights from the AT? 
00:22:47 - Tell us about your river trip 
00:23:54 - What was your sport in college? 
00:24:10 - Tell us about the Suwannee river
00:24:40 - What was it like traveling with your dad? 
00:25:17 - Did you do the full length of the river? 
00:25:40 - How did you plan for your river trip? 
00:26:30 - Tell us about the Natchez Trail bike ride 
00:27:19 - How long did it take you?
00:27:44 - Are you a fast swimmer as well 
00:28:10 - Are all of your trips intentionally low impact? 
00:29:09 - What brought you back to that AT after your bikepacking trip? 
00:30:56 - Did you encounter a lot of weekend warriors? 
00:32:04 - What type of crash course tips could you give a new hiker? 
00:33:20 - What is that smell experience like? 
00:35:12 - What’s the turnover rate for ridge runners? 
00:36:36 - How often did you encounter bears in the Shenandoah? 
00:38:03 - What are the redeeming qualities of ridgerunning? 
00:40:10 - Do you have housing for ridgerunning? 
00:40:34 - What’s the time commitment? 
00:41:57 - Do you have insider names or terminology? 
00:44:59 - What was the best culinary experience of the Camino?
00:46:24 - Tell us about the Anna Purna Circuit? 
00:37:31 - What was drawing you to international hikes? 
00:48:07 - Did you ever feel a pull to go do the PCT or CDT? 
00:49:15 - How did you sustain a lifestyle of year-round hiking and traveling? 
00:50:12 - Did you ever have doubts living your lifestyle? 
00:51:56 - Do you have any advice for people stuck in the comparison phase?
00:53:09 - Do you foresee yourself settling for a different lifestyle? 
00:55:13 - Where do you think you gained your independence? 
00:56:13 - Tell us about your source-to-sea a

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Heidi Nisbett aka Sketch. Heidi is a thru-hiker, hiking guide, and an exceptionally talented artist, having recently been commissioned to paint a giant mural at the Trail Center in Damascus. Heidi gives us the lowdown on why she loved the Foothills Trail, the Superior Hiking Trail, Pinhoti Trail, and more. We also go in-depth on Heidi's journey as an artist, how she fell in love with it as a kid, fell out of love with it post-college, and rekindled the flame during her time hiking the AT. She shares her top advice to aspiring trail-focused artists, we learn about a CDT thru-hike that went wildly awry, and we chat the best and worst beer styles. This is another fun chat guaranteed to bring a smile to your head.
We wrap the show with reasons why the Florida Trail is actually awesome, I'm shamed for liking things I'm good at, we do a triple crown of hiking things we just don't get, a Florida Man segment, and much more. 
Visit Iceland with Chaunce and Badger: Registration is live for our 2024 trip to Iceland. Come and hike to glaciers, waterfalls, and secret lagoons with your favorite podcast hosts. More info here! 
Range Meal Bars: Use code “THETREK” for 20% off at rangemealbar.com.
RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com.
PACT Outdoors: Use code “TREK20” for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com.
[divider]
Interview with Heidi Nisbett 
Heidi Nisbett Instagram  Sketching Summits website Sketching Summits TikTok  Time stamps & Questions
00:03:05 - Reminders: Chaunce is unwell & we’re still collecting poop stories for our book. Send your story here!  
00:08:54 - Introducing Heidi Nisbett
00:09:42 - Is it safe to say you’re a beer connoisseur? 
00:09:55 - What’s the style of beer you’re into now? 
00:10:07 - Do you have a favorite wheat beer? 
00:10:24 - What is your trail name and the origin? 
00:11:10 - Why didn’t you like the name Picasso?
00:11:56 - What did Picasso do for art history? 
00:12:45 - Were you sketching at all shelter logs? 
00:13:58 - How long do the paintings take you? 
00:14:58 - Was it hard to maintain a social group if you stop to paint? 
00:15:40 - Do most people break up with art after their degree? 
00:20:07 - When did art stand out as something you were talented in? 
00:20:50 - Do you come from artsy people? 
00:22:58 - At what point were you getting positive feedback on your art? 
00:23:40 - What role did social media play as you re-entered the art world? 
00:26:13 - What happens between your art career and hiking the AT? 
00:29:11 - How does a paint and sip class work? 
00:30:44 - What tips do you have for amateur artists? 
00:34:00 - Tell us about your style of art now 
00:35:08 - How would you describe the style of art? 
00:37:36 - How did you transition from art girl to hiking girl? 
00:40:28 - What was your hiking experience prior to the AT? 
00:42:06 - Tell us about the evolution of your art as you hiked along the AT? 
00:44:46 - How did you decide to make your art your full-time business after hiking? 
00:47:20 - What draws people in the most? 
00:48:40 - How do you overcome imposter syndrome? 
00:49:50 - Tell us about your work with the ATC 
00:52:52 - Was that your first mural? 
00:54:40 - How does it work when painting around features in the room? 
00:55:44 - Is this the piece of art that has consumed the most amount of your time? 
00:55:52 - What is the second longest? 
00:56:51 - What’s the most popular piece of art? 
00:57:22 - What do you mail most often? 
00:59:07 - How do you determine what to turn into a sticker? 
01:00:23 - Have you asked if the Pinhoti has any mural needs? 
01:02:10 - How was the Pinhoti? 
01:04:30 - Why pick the Pinhoti over other trails? 
01:05:48 - How does the difficulty compare to the AT? 
01:06:54 - Is there a bad time of year to hike the Pinhoti? 
01:08:01 - Wo

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek we are joined by new Executive Director at the Colorado Trail Foundation, Tisha McCombs. Tisha gives us a rundown on her journey to becoming the head at the CTF, what her vision is for the Colorado Trail moving forward, all that goes into maintaining the CT and where help is most needed, and much more. We also chat a bit about the role mountain biking plays into sustaining many trails throughout Colorado, what her top advice is to aspiring adventurers - coming from the perspective of an adventure and life coach, and a f**k marry kill of the sections of the Colorado Trail.
We wrap the show with a triple crown of ways to insult thru-hikers, a review of the updated version of the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite from a former guest of the show, and a new segment, plug me.  
PACT Outdoors: Use code “TREK20” for 20% off and free shipping at pactoutdoors.com.
Visit Iceland with Chaunce and Badger: Registration is live for our 2024 trip to Iceland. Come and hike to glaciers, waterfalls, and secret lagoons with your favorite podcast hosts. More info here! 
Range Meal Bars: Use code “THETREK” for 20% off at rangemealbar.com.
Gossamer Gear: Use code “TAKESHELTER20” for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com. 
RTIC Outdoors: Shop at rticoutdoors.com.
[divider]
Interview with Tisha McCombs
Tisha McCombs Instagram Colorado Trail Foundation  Time stamps & Questions
00:05:02 - Reminders: Find us on YouTube and Patreon 
00:06:03 - Introducing Tisha McCombs 
00:06:24 - Does Tisha give us Mims vibes? 
00:07:22 - Packing resupply boxes 
00:13:16 - Walk us through your previous work prior to your new role with the CT
00:15:45 - Check out the CTF store
00:16:45 - Should we treat this as trading cards? 
00:17:37 - Between CA and CO, what are some National Park recommendations you’d give? 
00:19:20 - Tell us about your other non-profit experience 
00:20:04 - Were you responsible for the Palisade Plunge? 
00:20:50 - Were you primarily managing people at COPMOBA? 
00:21:37 - What are some of the challenges with volunteer work? 
00:23:36 - Have there been any oopsies with volunteers? 
00:25:08 - Are the trails for hikers as well, or only mountain bikers? 
00:25:46 - Is there any tension between mountain bikers and hikers? 
00:29:24 - Do mountain bikers think e-bikers are lazy? 
00:29:46 - How much do e-bikes and dirt bikes impact trails compared to mountain biking? 
00:33:36 - What are the rebates that CO is giving on e-bikes? 
00:36:30 - If you could only bike or hike the rest of your life, what would you pick? 
00:37:15 - How does the spine injury impact wearing a backpack? 
00:38:35 - Do you have a favorite pack that helps? 
00:39:41 - The CT is a multi-purpose trail. How do you make decisions that benefit all uses? 
00:43:34 - Do you get funds from dirt bike tags? 
00:45:19 - How does trail maintenance differ between mountain biking and hiking? 
00:46:33 - What would you like to do differently as the new Executive Director of the CTF? 
00:51:53 - What type of money does it take to maintain trails? 
00:59:15 - Why do you think there is so much interest in making the CT the best maintained trail in the US? 
01:02:18 - How do you increase volunteer interest? 
01:06:26 - Did you go through similar feelings with your son? 
01:08:09 - Did you ever get resistance from your son when trying to bring him to your activities? 
01:11:17 - What are some specific needs of the CTF?
01:15:17 - What’s one of the best trail crew meals you’ve had? 
01:16:22 - If options were endless, what would you do for the CT?
01:17:40 - What logistics would go into removing road walks? 
01:18:55 - What are your two other wishes for the CTF? 
01:21:59 - Are there any transportation recommendations? 
01:22:58 - What about park & ride options? 
01:24:01 - Are there apps for private parking spaces? 
01:26:16 - What are top