Episode #533 - Days 3-6 on the Appalachian Trail

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

Steve Adams

Sports, Wilderness

4.8 • 599 Ratings

🗓️ 30 March 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

I'm back on trail and getting back into the swing of things. This episode tracks days 3 to 6 after my return to the AT.
I'm telling my story, along with those of the people I meet. This week, I spoke with Olivia Neal of the Hidden Pond Hostel

and Sarah Lopez, or Maybelline, (on the right) who is attempting her own AT thru-hike.

I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on the follow button.

I used my hike in 2024 on the South West Coast Path in the UK 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 .

Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there.

If you prefer NOT to use PayPal, you can now support us via check by mailing it to Mighty Blue Publishing, 3821 Milflores Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573. Any support is gratefully received.

Additionally, you can "Zelle" me a donation to steve@hikingradionetwork.com. Or "Venmo" me at @‌Steve-Adams-105. They both work!

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 guests every week as he staggers from Georgia to Maine.
0:36.1	So welcome back to the podcast and I am back on trial.
0:40.3	Just to let you know how I got back there.
0:42.3	I got back on Tuesday, flew to Atlanta again and I used the martyr, which is the train that takes you once you've got your baggage further north and so I could be picked up by Ron Brown.
0:55.6	The martyr took me to Sandy Springs station and I dragged my backpack in a duffel bag to La Quinta about
1:08.5	about 15, 20 minutes away. It's exhausting to be honest with you and I was thinking I'll have to carry that out of my back shortly but I got there and Nina Banducci showed up and the reason I'm going to play this is that Nina firstly says she was a show up to tell me about the various things on polar steps I needed to know
1:29.3	because I'm not pretty good at using it myself yet, but she showed me how to do it.
1:33.3	But she had this amazing offer for people who use polar steps who are hiking the AT this year.
1:40.3	So really, listen to this.
1:42.3	So I'm about to get back on trail and Nina Banducci from Polo Steps is here and she just told me saying quite interesting.
1:52.0	But first, Nina, you kindly came to teach me how to use Polo Steps, which she's helpful.
1:58.0	Hopefully people will learn how to use it and if anybody wants to know how to do it, they can reach out to me. If they're on trail, I'll show them how to use it. Or if I can't sort it out, I'm going to give you Nina's email when you asked me for it at the time. Exactly. But you tell me something quite exciting about trail days. So tell us about that. Yes. So we've partnered with a bunch of different hostels along the way, and you'll see posters
2:23.0	of that as you go.
2:24.5	But the big thing that we are doing this year is any hiker that has been tracking with polar
2:32.2	steps consistently, you come and find me at Trail Days
2:36.0	and you show me your Polar Steps map
2:39.0	and you will be entered into our drawing.
2:43.0	If you are not going to Trail Days,
2:47.0	then you can email your trip link to me,
2:50.0	Nina at Polar Steps.com.
2:52.8	And you will also be entered into a drawing for a raffle.
2:57.2	We are going to be drawing five hikers, and those five hikers will get the rest of their
	...

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