Backpacker Radio

• The Camino de Costa Rica with Maytal "Carrot Top" Agasi (BPR #301)

  In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by Maytal Agasi, known on trail as Carrot Top. In this episode, we learn how a road trip in a mid-size SUV with her two brothers sparked Carrot Top’s entry into the world of thru-hiking. She shares how she benefitted massively from both solo and group thru-hikes.  We chat about her time on the JMT, Colorado Trail, and PCT, and we take a deeper dive into her most recent trek on the Camino de Costa Rica, covering standout cultural elements, landscape highlights, the incredibly muggy weather, rich wildlife (including venomous snakes and sloths), managing language barriers, unique logistical challenges, and more. A quick note: I made a big time dumb guy mistake. About 30 minutes into the interview, I realized our audio recorder wasn’t rolling. The first 36 minutes of the interview have lower audio quality than usual. That portion still offers important context about Maytal’s journey into the outdoors, but if it’s too distracting, the audio quality improves at the 36-minute mark of the interview. Trigger warning: This interview includes discussion of suicide. If this is a sensitive topic for you, we recommend skipping ahead to the point where the audio improves—again 36 minutes into the interview. We wrap the show with another clue about our super secret special guest for the upcoming live podcast in Austin, what ridiculous outfit we’d hike in forever, the Triple Crown of Colorado stereotypes, and a disturbing story of an international hiker who was detained, deported, and banned from the U.S. on her way to hike the Arizona Trail. Topo Athletic: Use code “TREKWINTER15” at topoathletic.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off packs at gossamergear.com.  Vaer Watches: Check out Vaer Watches at vaerwatches.com. AG1: Get your free $79 gift at drinkag1.com/backpacker. [divider] Interview with Maytal “Carrottop” Agasi Maytal's Instagram Camino de Costa Rica Time stamps & Questions 00:06:10 - Reminders: Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter, join us for our live show in Austin, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and apply to blog for the Trek! 00:10:00 - Audio note 00:12:10 - Introducing Maytal 00:15:30 - How did you get your trail name? 00:16:05 - What does a garden educator do? 00:17:24 - What is the best plant? 00:19:40 - How did you get into hiking? 00:21:23 - Why don’t you fight with your siblings? 00:24:00 - Discussion about Maytal’s roadtrip 00:25:23 - Are your parents hippie-adjacent? 00:27:08 - What’s your favorite on-trail meal to make? 00:30:50 - Do you taste the meals before dehydrating them? 00:32:44 - How did you decide to hike the JMT? 00:34:10 - What happened to your dad? 00:38:30 - How do you process things as well as enjoy the trail while hiking? 00:40:50 - Was it intimidating to hike mostly solo on your first hike? 00:46:17 - Are there any fats that are safe to dehydrate? 00:46:55 - Did you know right away you wanted to do more hikes? 00:49:45 - Have you butt heads with anyone on trail? 00:52:00 - How did you get your gear dialed in for the JMT? 00:55:00 - Discussion about stool sample tests 00:57:45 - Were you happy to hike the CT with a friend or did you ever want space? 01:00:50 - What did you like about Salida? 01:03:03 - When did you decide to hike the PCT? 01:05:30 - Tell us about almost falling off a mountain 01:10:35 - What was it like to go through the Sierra twice? 01:12:45 - How did you learn about the Camino de Costa Rica? 01:15:57 - Are guides required? 01:16:50 - How long is the trail and what is the mileage like each day? 01:20:30 - Do you pay the host families? 01:23:40 - How did you communicate that you were vegetarian? 01:24:50 - Did you have cell service? 01:26:00 - Do you know how many people have hiked this trail? 01:28:30 - What was the weather like? 01:30:25 - What were the landscape highlights of the trail? 01:38:00 - Discussion about wildlife 01:41:05 - Were there other opportunities to eat in town? 01:42:12 - What are the biggest cultural differences? 01:45:55 - What would you like to relay to the listeners of Backpacker Radio? 01:47:38 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance-enhancing or backpacking hack? Segments Trek Propaganda 20 Trek Bloggers You Should Be Following in 2025 by Jess A German Thru-Hiker Has Been Detained, Deported, and Banned From the US Without a Hearing: Here’s What You Need To Know by Caitlin Hardee QOTD:  If you could only hike in one ridiculous outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be? Triple Crown of Colorado stereotypes Thing of the Week Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Brent Stenberg, Carl Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Eathan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Alsop, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Greg McDaniel, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger’ Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Greg Floravanti “Lumberjack”, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Luke Netjes, Merle Watkins, Peter, Ruth S, and Spencer Hinson.

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  2:22:50
• Mike Clelland 2.0: Owls, UFOs, Alien Encounters, Hypnosis, and More (BPR #300)

  In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by author, backpacker, and our resident alien expert, Mike Clelland. We made an honest attempt to discuss ultralight backpacking during this one, and although we do touch on the subject some, the bulk of this conversation is dedicated to owls, aliens, and all things paranormal activity. Mike has become the preeminent expert of the interplay between owls and UFO citings, which may not sound like a thing, however Mike has accrued a lifetime of stories from folks who have experiences that say that it is. If owls and aliens don't sound like your jam, we encourage you to give this one a shot, as Mike's long standing intense passion for these subjects turns out to be awfully contagious; Chaunce and I are thoroughly entertained. We also discuss the pros and cons of traditional vs. self-publishing, which Mike has done both, but really this is mostly aliens and owls.  Warning: This episode includes discussions of rape, death, and child loss in the context of aliens. If any of these topics are triggering, we encourage you to skip this interview. We wrap the show with the news that the Backpacker Radio crew is headed to AT Trail Days, news of a woman who set the overall FKT on the Florida Trail, Knorr Side recipe recommendations, the shortest roast in the history of roasts, what animal we'd train to be our hiking companion, the triple crown of memes, dog's cornchip paws, and more. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Gossamer Gear: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off packs at gossamergear.com.  [divider] Interview with Mike Clelland Mike's Instagram Mike's Website The Unseen, by Mike Clelland Mike's Podcast Time stamps & Questions 00:09:15 - Reminders: Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter, join us for our live show in Austin, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and apply to blog for the Trek! 00:13:19 - Introducing Mike 00:14:05 - What have you been up to since we last had you on? 00:17:00 - Fuck Marry Kill: Podcasting, Writing Books, and Illustrating 00:21:23 - What are the pros and cons of self-publishing? 00:26:16 - Give us the primer on why you think owls are special 00:31:35 - What are the general trends of people’s owl sightings? 00:37:24 - Have you noticed commonalities between the people? 00:41:04 - Owl + UFO story 00:47:20 - In your opinion, what are aliens? 00:49:18 - What do you personally believe? 00:57:25 - What do you believe in terms of these common alien theories? 01:01:25 - What motivates the aliens? 01:04:06 - Are the aliens visiting intentionally or passing by? 01:06:45 - How does one become owl-ready? 01:09:45 - Why don’t the aliens visit you all the time? 01:13:24 - Do you consider yourself a healer? 01:15:04 - Do you still cut the handles off the toothbrush? 01:16:05 - What got you into ultralight backpacking and inspired you to write the book? 01:23:35 - What types of trips did you go on? 01:24:50 - What are your strongest convictions about ultralight backpacking? 01:30:45 - How do you go ultralight despite having fears about the outdoors? 01:35:46 - How did you get into owls and UFOs? 01:47:00 - Chaunce’s story 01:55:55 - Where do you think that voice came from? 02:02:40 - Return to Mike’s story 02:07:03 - Are you still trying to process what happened and seeking the why? 02:08:20 - What happened on that day? 02:24:30 - Why isn’t there clearer evidence of all this? 02:26:50 - What’s the difference between paranormal activity and hallucination? 02:29:44 - What is your answer to why are you here? 02:31:37 - Do you think we’re living in a simulation and what happens after we die? 02:37:30 - Mike’s hypnosis session 02:52:30 - Do you think you’re an alien scribe? 02:56:00 - What percent of you thinks you’re an alien? 02:59:52 - What are your closing thoughts? 03:02:17 - Stay Salty Question: What’s your hottest take in the world of backpacking? Or, what’s something you’d add to ultralight backpacking? Or, what tip do you violate the most? 03:08:10 - Where can people keep up with you? Segments Trek Propaganda:  Fastest Known Human: This Woman Just Beat the Men’s Speed Record on the Florida Trail by Katie Jackson 7 Delicious Knorr Side Dinner Ideas You Need To Try, According to an AT Thru-Hiker by Sheraya Smith QOTD:  If you could train any animal to be your hiking companion, what would it be and what special skills would it have? The Shortest Roast of All Time Triple Crown of internet memes Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Brent Stenberg, Carl Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Eathan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Alsop, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Greg McDaniel, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger’ Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Greg Floravanti “Lumberjack”, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Luke Netjes, Merle Watkins, Peter, Ruth S, and Spencer Hinson.

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  3:43:38
• A 3,600 Mile Triathlon, International Kidnapping, and A Truck-Pulling Marathon with Justin True (BPR #299)

  In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Justin True. Justin's story is truly remarkable. From growing up in a home with intense physical and emotional abuse, to becoming a professional MMA fighter, to pulling a 1.5 vehicle for a full-marathon, to completing a 24hr Hero Crossfit WODathon, to being kidnapped in Egypt and deported for being accused of spying for the government, getting attacked by a shark, and most recently completing the "True Triathlon" a country wide endurance feat, including a 50-mile swim, 3,000-mile bike ride, and a 600-mile run. Given that Justin does everything to the extreme, following suit, this interview is also a marathon, but we promise you the time will fly by.  Warning: This episode discusses suicide. If this topic is triggering, we encourage you to skip this interview. Help is available, call or text 988 for support. We wrap the show with the reality TV shows we want to see come to fruition, the triple crown of things that give us unreasonable anxiety, and our brutally honest opinion about New York's Northville Placid Trail. Gossamer Gear: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off packs at gossamergear.com.  Purple Rain Skirts: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off at purplerainskirts.com. Ombraz: Use code “BACKPACKER30” for $30 off at ombraz.com/discount/backpacker30. [divider] Interview with Justin True Justin's Website Justin's Instagram Justin's Youtube Time stamps & Questions 00:04:52 - Reminders: Join us for our live show in Austin, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and apply to blog for the Trek! And sign up for the Trek’s newsletter! 00:09:30 - Introducing Justin 00:10:17 - Why are you flying out to Florida? 00:14:15 - How long did the marathon take you when you were pulling a truck? 00:18:10 - Where do you get these crazy ideas? 00:23:50 - Tell us about your challenging upbringing 00:28:00 - Where do you think their anger came from? 00:31:30 - Was your mom aware of what was happening? 00:32:30 - When did you pick up fighting? 00:35:00 - Discussion about Justin’s parents 00:42:20 - Did your brother’s behavior change towards you after that? 00:43:25 - Have you thought about choosing a different path than your family? 00:46:30 - Did you work as an engineer? 00:47:40 - Tell us about fighting full time 00:53:25 - Were you ever afraid while fighting? 00:54:37 - At what point did you shift into more endurance related sports? 00:57:13 - How much cardio did you do while fighting? 01:00:00 - Do you have Type 1 fun while you’re struggling? 01:02:20 - Do you ever miss adrenaline while on long runs? 01:05:30 - Tell us the background of Cycle4Gaza 01:08:00 - Tell us about getting kidnapped in Africa 01:27:30 - Were you afraid at any point during this ordeal? 01:29:25 - Did you see anything you shouldn’t have seen? 01:30:35 - Tell us about setting the single person record for the Three National Peaks 01:37:00 - How were you working all this financially? 01:39:40 - Tell us about doing the Olympic Triathlon with a 90 pound hammer 01:42:45 - When did the kilt come into play? 01:50:58 - Did you fight a shark? 01:58:20 - What’s the heaviest you’ve deadlifted? 02:02:05 - Tell us about your 500-mile walk across Madagascar 02:16:34 - What were the highlights of Madagascar? 02:21:50 - Tell us about the 24hr Hero Crossfit WODathon 02:28:04 - Where did the idea for the True Triathlon come from? 02:31:00 - Discussion about the swim portion 02:34:30 - How big was your team? 02:39:00 - How are you so hard on yourself but see other people differently? 02:43:10 - Where does the poop go? 02:44:30 - Where do you start biking? 02:50:20 - Why did the swim coach stay until Houston? 02:53:00 - What does your mom think about all your adventures? 02:53:40 - What standout stories do you have from the biking portion? 02:59:40 - Justin’s plans for next year 03:01:25 - Discussion about falling asleep while swimming 03:05:30 - Discussion about the triathlon 03:22:00 - What’s the takeaway of being inspired by other people? 03:23:30 - What’d you feel when you finally finished? 03:27:00 - Tell us about Naked & Afraid 03:30:30 - Were you shy about being naked on tv? 03:33:00 - What were your takeaways from the show? 03:36:25 - What was the duration and the prize? 03:41:00 - Have you considered any more traditional endurance events like FKTs or the Barkley? 03:42:35 - Tell us about the runs you do while drinking beer 03:45:15 - Do you have any plans on slowing down? 03:48:00 - Where should people go to keep up with you? Segments QOTD: What’s a reality TV show you want to see brought into existence? Triple Crown of things that give you unreasonable anxiety Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Ben Love, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Greg McDaniel, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Liz Seger, Mud Tom, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger’ Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Bonnie Ackerman, Chris Pyle, David, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Katharine Rudzitis, Lauren Cain, Luke Netjes, Merle Watkins, Peter, Ruth S, and Spencer Hinson.

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  4:17:42
• Budget Backpacking Gear: Saving Money on Tents, Backpacks, Clothing for Thru-Hiking (BPR #298)

  In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by former guest, Trek writer, and certified gear nerd Alex “GPS” Brown. The focus of this one is how to save money on your backpacking kit. We break this one down category by category, sharing the best ways to cut costs, pinpointing which items aren’t worth pinching pennies on, offering specific product shoutouts, and discussing overall strategies to ensure more of your hiking budget goes toward your hike. Whether you're on a shoestring budget or just looking to save a few bucks, this episode is for you.  We wrap the show with news on a partial reversal of NPS layoffs, a debate on whether we'd prefer to be chased by a bizarrely fast turtle or lug around a backpack full of jelly, and the triple crown of foods we wish we had discovered sooner. Topo Athletic: Use code “TREKWINTER15” at topoathletic.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off packs at gossamergear.com.  Ombraz: Use code “BACKPACKER30” for $30 off at ombraz.com/discount/backpacker30. Purple Rain Skirts: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off at purplerainskirts.com. Bear Mattress: Use code “BACKPACKER” for 40% off at bearmattress.com. [divider] Interview with Alex “GPS” Brown Alex's Trek Bio Budget Gear (Low) Lighterpack Budget Gear (Mid) Lighterpack 2024 AT Hiker Survey Time stamps & Questions 00:05:15 - Reminders: Join us for our live show in Austin, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and apply to blog for the Trek! And sign up for the Trek’s newsletter! 00:13:30 - Introducing Alex 00:14:07 - Tell us about the Haute Route Pyrenees 00:19:00 - Disclaimers for this episode 00:31:50 - Budget backpacks 00:36:40 - Budget tents 00:44:00 - Budget sleeping bags 00:50:40 - Budget groundcloths 00:54:00 - Budget sleeping pads 01:02:20 - Budget footwear 01:20:16 - Budget socks 01:26:30 - Budget rain gear 01:38:00 - Budget clothing 01:50:05 - Budget cookware 01:55:10 - Honorable budget mentions 02:01:45 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance-enhancing or backpacking hack? Segments Alex’s Poop Story Trek Propaganda: Trump Administration Partially Reverses National Park Layoff Decision by Katie Jackson QOTD:  Would you rather hike 100 miles while being chased by a slightly-too-fast tortoise or while wearing a backpack full of jelly? Triple Crown of foods you wish you knew existed sooner Mail Bag 5 Star Review (suggest a guest!) [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Ben Love, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Greg McDaniel, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Liz Seger, Mud Tom, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger’ Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Bonnie Ackerman, Chris Pyle, David, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Katharine Rudzitis, Lauren Cain, Luke Netjes, Merle Watkins, Peter, Ruth S, and Spencer Hinson.

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  2:45:00
• Triple Crowning in Three Years, Ultralight Tips, and Cold Soaking with Austen McDaniel (BPR #297)

  In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Austen McDaniel, known on trail as PI. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve been reading it off at the end of every episode for years, as Austen is one of our Chuck Norris Award-winning Patreon supporters.  But in addition to being a longtime patron, Austen is also one hell of a backpacker, having completed the Triple Crown in three consecutive years. He approached his first thru-hike as prepared as anyone we’ve ever talked to, hitting the Appalachian Trail with a six-pound base weight after years of fine-tuning his setup on various shakedown hikes. He walks us through how he’s managed to shave additional ounces and grams off his pack, shares some fun ultralight hacks, and offers tips for making cold soaking suck less. Of course, we also dive deep into his three thru-hikes.  Beyond hiking, Austen gives us a glimpse into his life as a professional tennis instructor, if he's seducing moms at the country club, and how he managed to squeeze in some disc golf in various trail towns during his CDT trek.  We wrap the show with news of an massive new FKT on New Zealand’s Te Araroa, a breakdown of just how much Irish heritage runs through our DNA, including some truly deranged family tree math from Chaunce, the triple crown of food combinations, and possibly the greatest limerick in the history of the written language. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Gossamer Gear: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off packs at gossamergear.com.  Purple Rain Skirts: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off at purplerainskirts.com. Ombraz: Use code “BACKPACKER30” for $30 off at ombraz.com/discount/backpacker30. AG1: Get your free $79 gift at drinkag1.com/backpacker. [divider] Interview with Austen McDaniel Austen's Instagram Austen's Youtube Time stamps & Questions 00:06:27 - Reminders: Join us for our live show in Austin, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and apply to blog for the Trek! 00:11:32 - Introducing Austen 00:13:40 - At what age could you serve over 100 miles per hour? 00:17:43 - Who’s the GOAT in tennis? 00:18:20 - Tell us about disc golf 00:20:20 - What were the best courses you played on the CDT? 00:21:54 - How much is aiming versus distance? 00:23:01 - What is the distance like on a par 5 course? 00:26:01 - How did you get into hiking? 00:27:40 - Did you see any wild hogs while waterfall hunting? 00:33:30 - Discussion about preparing for thru-hiking 00:35:00 - What were your Big 3 for the AT in 2022? 00:37:05 - Did you test any items that you didn’t end up liking? 00:39:17 - Why do you prefer sleeping bags over quilts? 00:41:25 - Did you find any interesting ways to combine functionality of items? 00:45:55 - Do you have any other gear hacks? 00:49:00 - What are your go-to cold soaking meals? 00:50:10 - Spinning the Wheel 00:52:33 - What’s your trail name? 00:54:50 - What about ultralight makes it worth it to you? 00:56:30 - Discussion about AT pace and budget 01:00:30 - Tell us about your goal of hiking three trails in three years 01:02:10 - What does your tennis instructing work look like? 01:03:20 - Did you coach interesting people at country clubs? 01:05:30 - How did you decide to hike southbound on the CDT? 01:10:00 - Discussion about fires on the PCT in 2024 01:14:18 - Tell us about the loneliness on the CDT 01:20:20 - Would you change anything if you hiked the CDT again? 01:21:30 - Anything else to share about the CDT? 01:25:25 - What was your budget for the 3 hikes? 01:27:40 - How did the PCT hike compare to the CDT? 01:30:00 - Do you have tips for dealing with loneliness on trail? 01:31:05 - How was the air quality on the PCT? 01:34:37 - Discussion about ultralight versus mileage 01:37:45 - What were your other takeaways from the PCT? 01:42:08 - What advice do you have for someone who wants to Triple Crown in three years? 01:43:47 - Fuck Marry Kill: AT, PCT, CDT 01:46:18 - What’s next for you? 01:48:28 - Stay Salty Question: What’s your hottest take in the world of backpacking? Segments Trek Propaganda Karel Sabbe Destroys Te Araroa FKT, Averaging 60 Miles per Day To Set Jaw-Dropping New Record by Katie Jackson 2025 Badger Sponsorship Winners by Kendra Slagter QOTD:  Does either of your ginger-ness come from Irish heritage? Do you celebrate St Patrick's Day? Triple Crown of food combinations Listener Voicemail Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek’s newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Ben Love, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Greg McDaniel, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Liz Seger, Mud Tom, Patrick Cianciolo, Rebecca Brave, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, Tracy ‘Trigger’ Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Bonnie Ackerman, Chris Pyle, David, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Katharine Rudzitis, Lauren Cain, Luke Netjes, Merle Watkins, Peter, Ruth S, and Spencer Hinson.

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  2:32:55

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