Episode #538 - Days 21-23 Appalachian Trail 2026
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Steve Adams
4.8 • 599 Ratings
🗓️ 17 April 2026
⏱️ 31 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Into the Smokies this week for what feels like the end of the beginning. Cell service has been spotty at best, so getting this done a few hours late seems like a win!
While recapping my own adventures, I also got the chance to sit down and chat with Doug and Laura, or Smokey and Candy Corn. I didn't get a picture of Candy Corn, but this is Doug.

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.
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Additionally, you can join our membership at Steve (Mighty Blue) Adams. It's worth checking out what is on offer for you there.
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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 |
| 0:06.0 | about hikers for everybody. |
| 0:17.0 | Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife crisis, |
| 0:24.6 | joins Stephen his guests every week as he staggers from Georgia to Maine. |
| 0:35.4 | Hey guys, good to be back with you all again. I'm sorry that I'm releasing this late on Thursday |
| 0:40.0 | evening, but the smokers have been, let's say, very challenging when it comes to cell service. |
| 0:46.1 | I've tried my hardest to get to post rather on polar stamps and on Facebook. |
| 0:51.0 | I managed to get up my fundraiser for parenting matters this morning. |
| 0:54.9 | But really, it's been very patchy all the time we've been in the smokers. |
| 1:00.1 | The last time we met, I was heading for the smokers, and they haven't disappointed me. |
| 1:04.6 | I think in many ways I built them up to be tougher than they've turned out to be, |
| 1:08.5 | but it feels so otherworldly to be hiking around 5,000 |
| 1:12.7 | feet and even living at that level in the 7 days I'm going to be spending here. |
| 1:18.2 | I know those of you out West think that 5 to 6,000 feet is nothing. |
| 1:22.1 | These are real mountains and the views below are still spectacular. |
| 1:27.7 | We've continued to be treated to just fabulous weather. |
| 1:33.2 | And it's going to break soon, and I know it's going to break, |
| 1:36.9 | but man, I've enjoyed getting through this part of the trail without getting wet, |
| 1:41.4 | and that's been special. |
| 1:43.2 | I've had a culinary disaster this week. I put back to |
| 1:46.8 | back 12 mile days and I'm still going with just one fall for my first 200 miles. I can almost |
| 1:54.3 | guarantee you I'm going to fall tomorrow. Before we get going though, let's hear a word from our |
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