In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, we are joined by Gummy Bear, a 2018 PCT hiker and all around awesome dude. We do a deep dive on his experience of being a gay and plus size hiker in the trail community. We chat some about his upcoming Arizona Trail hike. Chaunce and I deliver the PCT class of 2019 a warning for what they can expect to see in the Sierra this year and why you might want to consider hiking southbound. We do a triple crown of things to freak out about before leaving for a thru-hike. Basically we touch on all the reasons why you should never leave your house (not actually). This is a meaty show, so find a comfortable place to sit, lay, or meander down the trail.

Subjects discussed in today's show include:

• Recorded at Wayfinder in Denver, CO
• Use Code "Trek10" at Greenbelly.co to save 10% off your order.
• Sawyer Micro
• Sawyer Micro vs. Sawyer Squeeze Video
• The Sierra is snowy
• Chaunce's PCT 2017 Video
• As It Happens
• Start interview with Evan Haut aka Gummy Bear
• Trail name origin
• What drew you to hike the PCT - love of travel, liked camping better than partying aspects of festivals he had been going to
• Gay pride bandana attached to pack - important to have it on there after talking to other hikers in town who were hesitant/uncomfortable being open - prior to flag, felt like only gay person on trail, post flag, had a lot of people opening up and talking to him about it - ‘was nice to know they had someone they could talk to about it’
• Discouragement and doubt around ability to be successful based on his weight - people becoming more supportive once he reached KM bc they stopped doubting as much
• Hard to find clothing for his size (3XL)
  • Columbia and New Balance do good jobs of accommodating big/tall people
• Highest mile day: 24
• How he trained - day hiking, this year: 3-4hrs a day at the gym (quit job and just training now)
• Section hike of the PCT - what’s done and what’s left
• Water carries for a slower/heavier hiker: how much he carried, obstacles, having to skip sections due to inability to carry enough water
• Deciding to be a section hiker, and feelings around that
• Clothing carried
  • Smartwool 250g top and bottoms
  • Outdoor Helium II
• Things he would’ve changed if he could re-prep for PCT
  • Start in trail runners, doing the trail sooner - wouldn’t have had the motivation to train the way he needed to do it bc he wouldn’t have known what he was signing up for
• Fitness vs budget - one of the biggest downfalls yo hiking slow
• Vegan on trail apart from beef jerky
  • Northbay Trading Co.
  • Mother Earth Foods
• Section hikers were less arrogant, but didn’t realize that until Washington
• Reasons why other hikers ask about start dates
• Theory on why he had worse reactions as an overweight hiker than a gay hiker
• The different ways long distance hiking takes a toll on your body when you’re overweight
• AZT as prep for PCT
• Quick overview of the Arizona Trail
• Ways the hiking community can be more accepting to section hikers / plus sized hikers / gay hikers
  • LGBTQ Facebook Group
• Use code "TREK5" to save 5% at zpacks.com
• Triple crown of things to freak out about before leaving for a thru-hike
• Mailbag
• Pacific Crest Trail Resupply Guide by Maggie Wallace
• Check out Trail Correspondents!

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A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Michael W Hinkley, S11N, Sawyer Products, and Travis Smith

A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Gregory Gardner and Peter Leven

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Intro music via.