Hi, I'm Willow Belden and you're listening to Out There, the podcast that explores big questions through intimate stories outdoors.

Before we get started, I'm going to make a shameless plea for your generosity. There are several items of audio equipment that would really help us out, but that we can't

afford to buy.

So we've put together a holiday wish list for the show.

If you're feeling especially big-hearted in the next few weeks, head over to our website

out therepodcast.com and take a look. You can purchase one of the items

outright or you can contribute any amount to a general fund which will then use to buy the

remaining items on the list. Again, the link to our wish list is at out therepodcast.com and we've got

items at all sorts of different price points. Thank you all so much.

And now on to our story for today.

When most people want to get away from it all, they choose to go on vacation for a few days.

Maybe they'll go camping, maybe they'll go for a hike.

And then there's the people who really want to get away, who actually choose to live outside normal society.

Enter Bill and Linda Ware.

The wares run a sporting camp in the backwoods of Maine, right in the

middle of the notorious 100-mile wilderness. It's an area far, far off the beaten path, nothing

but lakes and trees and mountains for miles and miles and miles. The only people the wear see on a regular basis

are through hikers on the Appalachian Trail.

The hikers stop by for a shower and a hot meal,

maybe stay the night,

but then they carry on with their journeys.

On this episode, we explore why people would choose to live like that,

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