Ep. 527: From Engineer to a Backpacking Career - Jessica “Dixie” Mills
Adventure Sports Podcast
Curt Linville
4.6 • 579 Ratings
🗓️ 3 June 2019
⏱️ 55 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
When Jessica Mills, aka “Dixie”, quit her engineering job and began her first thru-hiking adventure of the Appalachian Trail, she never imagined her YouTube channel would grow into what it has become. Through her easy-going demeanor, matter of fact advice, and overall charming attitude, she has become one of the go-to sources of advice, inspiration, and how-to channels to learn about all things backpacking. I hope you enjoy this look behind the scenes of the Homemade Wanderlust channel and the triple-crowner who hosts it.
Be sure to check out Dixie’s weekly videos here: www.YouTube.com/c/homemadewanderlust
Facebook: @HomemadeWanderlust
Instagram: @HomemadeWanderlust
Website/Blog: www.homemadewanderlust.com

Photo credit here
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| 0:00.0 | And I'll say, oh, it's a wonderful day, and we got trail magic, and the sun was shining and the birds were chirping, and nobody cares. But I write a blog post about how I thought I was going to die from hypothermia in a rainstorm, and it was sleeting and hailing. And, you know, I tripped and fell, and I thought I broke my leg. And then I crawled into my tent and, you know, hated life. And they're like, yes, tell me more about how you almost died. |
| 0:24.4 | You know? leg and then I crawled into my tent and, you know, hated life. And they're like, yes, tell me more about how |
| 0:21.3 | you almost died, you know. This is the Adventure Sports podcast where we talk to athletes, |
| 0:29.7 | adventurers, and business owners from around the world of Adventure Sports. Whether you're |
| 0:34.6 | climbing Mount Everest, starting a bike shop, or getting up off your couch to take your kids hiking for the first time, we want you to have the motivation and inspiration you need to chase that next adventure. |
| 0:46.1 | The Adventure Sports podcast is brought to you by Camp Crate, the leaders in fully planned self-guided backpacking adventures as well as backpacking gear rental. |
| 0:56.0 | You can check them out at camp crate.net. |
| 1:09.5 | So in today's interview, we kind of just jump right into it. |
| 1:13.3 | We were talking for a while, Dixie and I before I press record. |
| 1:18.1 | So I'm just going to give a little background here. |
| 1:20.4 | She is a triple crowner, meaning she's done the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail. |
| 1:28.3 | And before she did her AT, a friend encouraged her to start vlogging while she was out there. |
| 1:33.5 | So she just would whip out her phone, record a little bit, and post it when she had service or got internet. |
| 1:40.0 | And yeah, it's grown from there. |
| 1:42.1 | She runs this YouTube channel called Homemade Wonderlust. |
| 1:45.4 | I'd love if you go check it out. |
| 1:47.7 | She has great how-to stuff. |
| 1:50.2 | She's just, you know, she's got this southern accent. |
| 1:53.4 | It's really comforting for a lot of people, I think, is one reason it's grown, and it's just great stuff. |
| 1:58.6 | She obviously knows what she's doing, and her channel has just grown into something she |
| 2:04.4 | never imagined it would. |
| 2:06.3 | And that's how we found her. |
... |
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