What do you do when you find yourself at a crossroads in life? For Kit, the answer was to hike the Appalachian Trail. In this candid conversation, he shares what inspired him to take on the 2,000-mile journey after a broken engagement and career dissatisfaction left him searching for something more.
Nola is joined by Appalachian Trail thru-hiker Hedy (“Wind Chime”), whose journey began long before she started walking full-time. Hedy shares her unique strategy of tackling the trail’s first 150 miles as a “weekend warrior,” driving out every weekend while finishing her year as a teacher before starting her full-time trek later that year.
Nola is joined by Kelly and Joe, who reflect on their 2002 journey, noting how hiking before smartphones and widespread cell service made for a completely different hiking experience than what hikers experience now. They discuss the logistics of managing food drops, the importance of learning to hike your own hike, and the unexpected social atmosphere of the trail’s southern half.
Nola talks with Ben, who thru-hiked the AT northbound in 2004, before social media and smartphones changed the trail experience. Ben shares how he managed food through mail drops, the mental game of pushing long miles between shelters, and why he wishes he’d slowed down. Twenty years later, Ben now maintains a section of trail in Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness and reflects on staying connected with trail friends, the balance between solitude and community, and what draws him back to the woods.
Have a question about this project? Are you a thru hiker who would like to participate in an interview on our podcast?
