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Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis

Episode #460 - Dave Fleischman (J.I.F.)

Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis

Steve Adams

Sports, Wilderness

4.8 • 599 Ratings

🗓️ 28 November 2024

⏱️ 57 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, we welcome back Dave Fleischman, a trail maintainer and a newly minted Triple Crowner. Dave already had the PCT and the AT under his belt, after hikes back in the 90s. Suddenly, the opportunity arose to do the CDT, so he headed back out.

On this Thanksgiving Day, it is worth being grateful for so many things, yet Dave personifies the selfless nature of trail maintainers, so let's thank him for that.

In our conversation, Dave refers to the Triple Crown ALDHA ceremony out west. Check it out at this link. Triple Crown | ALDHA-West

Our new book reading, Happy Hiking, by my friend, Emily Leonard is–of course–written from a woman's POV and a woman's voice. I hope you enjoy listening to my reading of it. If you'd like to buy the book, you can find it on Amazon at Happy Hiking: Falling in love on the Appalachian Trail, or on Emily's website, at Happy Hiking.

I used my recent hike in the UK on the South West Coast Path to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I've been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting Hike with Steve - Empowering Parents, One Step at a Time | Parenting Matters %. I hope you want to support this critical mission.

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 Woods Hole Weekend - Trailer 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. Come on the show!

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 Hiking Radio Network .

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.

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, joins Stephen his guests every week as he staggers from Georgia to Maine.

0:33.5

Hey guys and happy Thanksgiving to you all. Despite the holiday, I wanted you to hear another episode of the Mighty Blue Podcasts

0:40.1

that you can listen to before you slump into a carbcomer around 4 o'clock this afternoon

0:45.2

in front of the Giants and Cowboys.

0:47.2

If nothing else, that game should put you to sleep.

0:50.0

This is episode 460 of the podcast and we have another returning guest today.

0:54.7

A few years ago we had Dave Fleischman on the show.

0:57.4

I don't know whether you remember, but Dave is a long-time trial maintainer, mainly on PCT,

1:01.5

but also on the AT.

1:02.9

And he told us about that as well as his AT and PCT through hikes.

1:07.1

Well, this year he got his triple crown, eventually completing the CDT to complete the set.

1:12.6

So asked him back to fill us all in with that story, especially through the eyes of a trail

1:16.8

maintainer. Dave will be on in a moment. Then we got another chapter from Emily Leonard's book,

1:23.0

Happy Hiking, where Emily embarks upon the Virginia Triple Crown, hitting Dragon's Tooth first.

1:28.6

She didn't climb the tooth, which is a bit disappointing for me, because it isn't the

1:33.7

easiest thing in the world to shuffle up that great big lump of rock, but it's definitely

1:37.9

worth it once you get up there, because I did it earlier this year, and I remember it very

1:42.3

well indeed. Now, and not to be too much of a

1:46.1

Debbie Downer, my former wife, Diane, is currently very sick indeed. Diane is the voice who

1:52.6

introduces our show each week and we're still very close. Currently she could do with your prayers

1:57.8

so please offer them up for Diane at this awful time for her.

...

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