Episode #411 - Molly Beth Gaynier (Breaky)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Steve Adams
4.8 • 599 Ratings
🗓️ 1 February 2024
⏱️ 58 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Our two guests today have something in common; they've both thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, yet their stories have taken entirely different turns. Our main guest is Molly Gaynier, who thru-hiked the trail in 2022, relishing the experience, even dragging it out with her extended breaks to take in the whole thing.
But it was after the trail that she went through something none of us would wish on our worst enemy. The grace and grit that she reveals in our conversation should alert you to the importance of not procrastinating, as well as her determination to get back on trail.
You can follow Molly on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mollybeth36/ .
In our second conversation today, Dave Braunlich, or Seventy, talks to us about his Ouachita Trail experience, a 200-mile hike in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Here's his video on the trip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2IeRhfuhC8&t=582s . He also had a blog he used for planning if you'd like to get into more detail. https://www.treelinereview.com/where-to-go/ouachita-trail
Don't forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXs There, you'll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out.
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. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/
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
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| 0:00.0 | You are listening to the Hiking Radio Network, where we talk the walk with shows by hikers |
| 0:05.3 | about hikers for everybody. Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife crisis, joined Stephen his guests every week as he staggers from Georgia to Maine. |
| 0:34.0 | Hey guys, it's good to be back with you again. You're listening to Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate middle-life crisis, |
| 0:40.4 | and I am the aforementioned Mighty Blue, or Steve Adams. |
| 0:44.0 | A few weeks ago now, I reached out to a young woman who posted an, well, alarming post on Facebook, |
| 0:51.3 | and I knew that this was a story I wanted her to share. |
| 0:55.3 | I'm not going to give it all away now, but her story is worth sticking with as it unfolds. And by the time she's |
| 1:00.5 | finished telling it, you'll understand why I wanted to get her on the show and why I pushed |
| 1:04.8 | the interview to the head of my schedule. Her name is Molly Beth Gania. And once we've heard |
| 1:09.5 | from her, you realise the critically important point that she's making. |
| 1:13.5 | Molly will be on in a moment. |
| 1:15.7 | Then what used to be the middle section of the show has turned out to be the final section, |
| 1:19.9 | as I've suspended my book readings until after I return from the UK, sometime in June. |
| 1:24.7 | And today, and probably for the next couple of weeks, we have a guest telling us about a shorter trial that you may be interested in. Today we welcome back Dave |
| 1:32.0 | Brownlich, or 70, who was a guest some time ago, so-called, by the way, because of his plan to |
| 1:37.3 | hike the 80 in my year of 2019, in 70 days. God. I think he took 71 or 72, slacker. |
| 1:46.7 | He's a teacher, so that's all the time he could spare, really. |
| 1:49.8 | Anyway, days back today with his story about his hike on the Wachita Trail in Arkansas |
| 1:54.7 | and Oklahoma. |
| 1:56.0 | He's got an excellent YouTube video about the hike, and I'll add that to the show |
| 1:59.3 | notes for you as well. |
| 2:01.0 | So let's get on. This story is going to need your attention and I'm sure you'll take a lot |
... |
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