Episode #386 - Steve Vilsack (Wye Knot)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Steve Adams
4.8 • 599 Ratings
🗓️ 10 August 2023
⏱️ 94 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Steve Vilsack joins us on the show today. He refuses to see limitations that would prevent many others from even attempting the Appalachian Trail. He is legally blind, he fell too many times to count, and he got to the end by sheer strength of character.
His story is an affirmation of the human spirit that will inspire many of us to not look at what we can't do, rather what we can do.
You can follow Steve on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092445351138 and https://www.facebook.com/WyeKnotRetreat Check out the home he renovated and the little house he hopes to welcome hikers to.
Mark Carpenter and Mary Marks are just a day or two apart, with Mary having hiked over Moosilauke and Mark about to do so. Here's Mary at the top. Watch out for Mark next week at the same spot.
Justin Mullins (and his parrot) joined us between Mark and Mary today to talk about his local trail, The Allegheny Trail. You can learn more by clicking on any of the links below.
Allegheny Trail website https://www.hikethealleghenytrail.org/
West Virginia Scenic Trails Association website https://www.wvscenictrails.org/
Email address Wvscenictrails@gmail.com
Allegheny Trail | Facebook https://m.facebook.com/groups/295404191141571/
Allegheny Trail Instagram account https://instagram.com/allegheny_trail?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
If you'd like to find out more about "Then The Hail Came," check out George's website at https://georgesteffanos.webador.com/ . You can also find George's book on Amazon at this link. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QFG4ZR6.
I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I'm sure several of you say, "I could do that. I've got an awesome story to tell." You're the person we need to hear from. If you'd like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I'll be in touch.
If you like what we're doing on the Hiking Radio Network, and want to see our shows continue, please consider supporting us with either a one-off or monthly donation. You'll find the donate button on each Hiking Radio Network page at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com.
If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, PO Box 6161, Sun City Center, FL 35751. Any support is gratefully received.
You can also support our shows by visiting our online "Merch" store. Check it out at https://hrntradingpost.com/ , or click on the store button on our network website at https://www.hikingradionetwork.com.
If you'd like to take advantage of my book offer (all three of my printed hiking books–with a personal message and signed by me–for $31, including postage to the United States) send a check payable to Mighty Blue Publishing at the address just above.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | You are listening to the Hiking Radio Network, where we talk the walk with shows by hikers |
| 0:05.3 | about hikers for everybody. Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife crisis, |
| 0:24.0 | joins Stephen his guests every week as he staggers from Georgia to Maine. |
| 0:34.3 | Hello, my friends, it's Thursday and we're back again with episode number 386 of Mighty Blue |
| 0:39.3 | and the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife crisis. In our show, we meet loads of ordinary |
| 0:44.3 | people doing pretty extraordinary things and today is absolutely no exception. I was introduced to |
| 0:50.1 | Steve Vilsack, or why not, by one my Trail Day's friends and former guests on the show |
| 0:54.4 | Emily Leonard. Emily and a husband Bruce have helped the show by suggesting guests who they |
| 0:59.0 | think would be great for an interview. I think their judgment's good because Steve or |
| 1:02.7 | why not was an excellent guest. We're going to hear from him in a moment. Once again we have a |
| 1:07.6 | pretty packed show with two catch-ups with our Mighty Blue Class of 2023, another reading from then the hell came, and as a bonus, I'm talking with Justin Mullins |
| 1:15.8 | about the Allegheny Trail, what it's like and its anniversary coming up. |
| 1:20.1 | Justin will fit into the gap between this week's class members. |
| 1:23.0 | So let's get going. |
| 1:24.2 | I'm delighted to be able to introduce you all to a special guy. |
| 1:27.0 | This is Steve Vilsack, |
| 1:28.3 | or why not? We've got another listener suggestion today. Emily Leonard, who was on the show |
| 1:36.4 | a while back, connecting me to Steve Vilsack. Hey, Steve, thanks for coming on the show. Thanks for having |
| 1:41.4 | me. Well, we've had a bit of a technical snafu to get on there. |
| 1:44.8 | We've eventually worked it out, so hopefully this is going to work out fine. |
| 1:48.5 | Now, you've had quite a ride with the Appalachian Trail, haven't you? |
| 1:51.6 | And your through hike was unlike, I guess, pretty much everybody's hike. |
... |
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