Episode #102 - Will Ransom (Bear Spray or Ever Changing)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Steve Adams
4.8 • 599 Ratings
🗓️ 30 August 2018
⏱️ 87 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
I met Will Ransom at Trail Day in 2017 and was impressed by the bond that he shared with his dog, Rhetta. I'd hoped to interview him for the show but lost his details, only to find them recently when I moved home. Will was a fascinating guy to talk with as he had strong views on how to care for your dog when on a trail.
He had told me at Trail Days that he intended to summit Katahdin with Rhetta, but experience, other people, and his good nature prevailed. So, Will had to flip up to Katahdin where he summited alone.
However, Will wasn't to be denied finishing the Appalachian Trail with Rhetta. They finished, together, at Bennington Vermont.
If you've ever thought about taking your dog with you on a long-distance hike listen and learn from Will's experiences.
Our three guests from the Outdoor Retailer's Summer Market are:
Aaron Kirkham of Renovo Water, with the MUV water filter. You can read much more about this remarkably versatile product at http://renovowater.com/about-muv/ or contact Aaron at aaronk@renovowater.com
Lara Brecht showed me the Espro Ultralight Travel Press, which not only makes great coffee but keeps it great, and hot for hours. The results were really impressive. You can read more about the Ultralight at http://www.esprocanada.com/esproshop/espro-ultralight-press and contact Lara at lara@espro.ca.
Cade Rees of Klymit showed me my new favorite set up, with the Sky Bivy. I've added a few pics to show you what it looked like. You can read about it yourself at https://www.klymit.com/sky-bivy.html or contact Cade at cade.rees@klymit.com
Greg Seymour (Sunsets) made a welcome return to the show with two things he would do differently in If I Did It Again.
We hope that you take the opportunity to support our sponsor, Trailtopia, when you consider your next backpacking trip. Go to https://www.trailtopia.com/ to check out their wide variety of meals.
Obviously, we couldn't finish without another picture of Rhetta (and Will).
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You are listening to the Hiking Radio Network, where we talk the walk with shows by hikers, |
| 0:05.4 | about hikers, for everybody. |
| 0:15.2 | Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife crisis, |
| 0:22.6 | joins Stephen his guests every week as he staggers from Georgia to Maine. |
| 0:32.7 | Hi, and thanks as always for joining me again on Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, |
| 0:37.1 | sponsored for the very last time by Trialopia Adventure Foods. |
| 0:41.6 | I must say, guys, I'm sorry to see you go. |
| 0:45.1 | This week, we've got another pretty full show. |
| 0:47.7 | Our main guest is Will Ransom, a really charismatic young man I met last year at Trial Days with his dog, Redder. |
| 0:54.1 | There is such a palpable bond that I wanted to interview Will but lost his contact details. |
| 0:59.2 | I eventually found them again when I was moving home recently. |
| 1:02.1 | I got on the phone to Will and found him to be a thoughtful and sensible guy |
| 1:05.2 | with a lot of good advice for people who are thinking of taking their dogs along with them |
| 1:09.0 | on a long distance hike. |
| 1:10.9 | Will will be along soon. |
| 1:14.0 | We've got three more brief chats with vendors from the outdoor retailer summer |
| 1:17.5 | market in Denver recently. This week we talk about filtering water, making coffee and an |
| 1:23.2 | entire sleep system. We also have... If I get it again, with Greg Seymour or Sunsets. Greg and his |
| 1:31.7 | wife, Jen, were guests not too long ago, and Greg shares with us a couple of things that he would, |
| 1:36.1 | in one case, do more of, and in one case do less of, were he ever to go on the AT again. I also need |
| 1:42.7 | to squeeze in four more five-star reviews on iTunes |
| 1:46.0 | and a few words about how my Camino trip will be taking over the show in October and half of |
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