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

Episode #539 - Days 24-27 Appalachian Trail 2026

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

Steve Adams

Sports, Wilderness

4.8599 Ratings

🗓️ 20 April 2026

⏱️ 37 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The Smokies are all but done, with glorious weather all the way with just one day to go. I think I was more concerned about them than I should have been, but it has been a pure pleasure to be hiking above the clouds at 5-6,000 feet all day long.

This recap covers last Wednesday thru Saturday, when I navigated the perils of Newfound Gap, needing to get to Gatlinburg, yet stay in Cherokee. Happily it all worked out.

Along the way, I chatted with a ridge runner, Houdini, who shared a few tips with me. It's been a great four days.

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 the walk with shows by hikers,

0:06.6

about hikers, for everybody.

0:24.4

Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife crisis,

0:29.5

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

0:38.1

Hey guys, and welcome back to the Mighty Blue podcast again.

0:43.9

As I recall this, it's Monday morning, which means it's late, I know, but it's going to come out on Monday.

0:53.4

I'm out of the Smokies and I am comfortably ensconced in Maggie Valley, which is about, I don't know, 20 miles away from the end of the Smokies.

0:55.5

I'm taking a zero day with Dana,

1:00.9

who drove 600 miles to come and visit me. It's been lovely to see her again and just spend time with her hanging out. We're going to take this zero day for me to restock, tidy up, clean

1:06.1

everything up, and just hang out together. The recap today is from last Wednesday until Saturday when I was just one day from

1:16.0

finishing the smokies which funnily enough gave me an unexpected ending but you're going

1:20.9

to have to wait until Thursday to hear about that.

1:24.0

That sounded much more convoluted than needed to be, but I think you've got the drift.

1:28.8

It's from Wednesday to Saturday.

1:32.5

From what I've been hearing from many of you, the interviews with other hikers and people I meet on trail have been popular.

1:38.5

But I only have one of those today.

1:41.1

The guys I've been hiking around are mainly new to me at the moment, so I haven't

1:44.6

learned enough about them to warrant recording. That's soon going to change, though.

1:49.7

Nah. The real reason is that I packed my microphones in an inconvenient position in my pack.

1:58.0

I just couldn't be bothered to retrieve them when on an occasion did present itself.

2:03.2

I'm sorry about that. I've repositioned the mics and I'm ready to go again but you just have one

2:07.1

recording remember today. So I left you last time when I had reached direct Knob's shelter after I'd

...

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