Episode #69 - JD and Amanda Anttonen (Yak and Walks With Fire)
Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis
Steve Adams
4.8 • 599 Ratings
🗓️ 11 January 2018
⏱️ 72 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
I met JD Anttonen on the Appalachian Trail in 2014 and, as one often did, we shared the odd meal in a shelter and ran into one another from time to time. He was out of the military and had just suffered a traumatic life event, so his journey up the east coast of America was not without internal strife. Yet, as he made his way north, he succumbed to the beauty of the trail, the kindness of people, and the realization that he didn't have to do it all alone. Yet, when he returned home, he became afflicted by a crippling depression that seemed to snuff out the good that had come from the trail.
Luckily, he met and married Amanda, who had never been a backpacker but was somebody who shared his joy in being outdoors. Despite swearing that she would never go on a long-distance hike, one day Amanda felt compelled to fight for parental justice in the court system and her outlet was a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. To that end, the two of them will be heading out in April and intend to use their hikes to promote causes greater than themselves.
You can find out more about JD and Amanda's projects by clicking on any of these links
Amanda's Project Addi Facebook page
Amanda's Fundraising page
Amanda's Punished For Protecting Facebook page
JD's Help End 22 Facebook page
This week, in Doc Spot, Lynne and I are starting a conversation about the strange phenomenon of post trail depression. We'd really welcome your input, either via email at steve@mightyblueontheat.com or on my Mighty Blue Facebook page.
As always, come over to Returning To Katahdin: An Appalachian Trail Dream, where Bruce is now counting down the days to his departure next month.
Of course, both shows are so grateful to Trailtopia for their support and sponsorship.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife crisis, joined Stephen his guests every week as he staggers from Georgia to Maine. |
| 0:26.0 | Thanks for dropping by again to Marty Blue on the Appalachian Trail, the ultimate midlife |
| 0:30.5 | crisis sponsored by our friends at Trautopia. |
| 0:34.6 | We've moved on to episode number 69 and our guests today are JD and Amanda Antonin. |
| 0:40.4 | I knew JD on the trail in 2014 as Yak. He was a ridiculously youthful looking guy in his late |
| 0:46.8 | 40s. Really? He could have passed for a 35 year old. One of the things I learned about |
| 0:51.9 | yak as we sat and ate in a deserted shelter one night was a personal detail that I've never, ever, ever heard from anybody else. |
| 1:01.7 | Really? In fact, you'll hear from my first question that I doubted the truth of it at the time. |
| 1:08.4 | His answer makes that personal detail even more amazing. |
| 1:13.0 | You'll be hearing from Yak and his wife Amanda shortly. But before we get to our conversation, |
| 1:19.0 | does anybody fancy some dessert? Do you remember those days on the trail when you really need to |
| 1:23.6 | treat yourself? You know, those days when you fall in the mud or the rain starts |
| 1:28.3 | running down your neck, the rocks are driving you crazy, or even when you're just fed up. |
| 1:34.6 | You need a boost, and when that happens, stop hiking, take off your pack and treat yourself |
| 1:40.5 | to one of Trautopia's scrumptious desserts. Why not go for Rocky Road pudding, |
| 1:46.2 | a rich chocolate pudding loaded with mini marshmallows and toasted slivered almonds. By the time |
| 1:52.2 | you get that into your system, you'll be warm, toasty and satisfied. Try Trailtopia Adventure |
| 1:58.4 | Food. The best of home cooking away from home. |
| 2:02.3 | And we're back. |
| 2:03.7 | Now, in DoctSpot this week, |
| 2:05.7 | Lynn and I have a chat about our personal observations and experiences |
| 2:09.3 | with regard to that rather strange phenomenon post-trail depression. |
... |
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