Shows
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeAppalachian Trail: you're only passing throughSend us a textWhen seeing two Pileated Woodpecker parents up close, Blissful learns that she is only passing through and to savor the moment while it lasts. It's an easy enough day on the Appalachian Trail (AT) though rainy without any views.Blissful stops at a lovely campground on the banks of Lower Jo-Mary Lake surrounded by pink Lady Slippers, as delicate as crepe. These first days walking south through Maine have been hard and Blissful feels like an amateur muddling through. While she licks her wounds, two woodpeckers pok...2023-12-2112 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeArizona Trail: rocks, rocks, rocksSend us a textBlissful discovers more rocks than she thought possible on the Arizona Trail.In this episode:It's a beautiful morning with an orange sky, but straight up to weird skull-looking limestone, then pumice. The trail is hard and repetitive, not steep, just rocky and relentless.The trail is remote and feels lonely, harder than walking alone before. Making things more difficult are the slippery basketball-sized rocks on a road – and a young, fast hiker.Bu...2022-09-0811 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeArizona Trail: changing the rulesSend us a textAn exhausted and sore Blissful Hiker takes a "nero" in Patagonia, then changes her rules on accepting rides on the trail. In this episode:Blissful awakes form cowgirl camping only seven hilly miles outside Patagonia, where she takes her first half-day off called a "nero" since it's not a full day like a "zero" and sleeps in a cozy bed. It's a long road out of town that starts on black top, tha...2022-05-2616 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeArizona Trail: Canelo HillsSend us a textBlissful Hiker hikes from cowgirl camp to cowgirl camp in the Canelo Hills on the Arizona Trail. In this episode:Blissful awakes to mourning doves and begins Passage Two of the AZT on a roller coaster of hills, finally running into other hikers.Happily she didn't camp near the creek that feeds Parker Lake because it's always colder in canyons near water. It's easy walking even a long way between water sources with beautiful vi...2022-05-1910 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeArizona Trail: camping like a (cow)girlSend us a textBlissful Hiker encounters icy snow on the Huachuca Mountains of the Arizona Trail, then sleeps out under the stars in the high desert. In this episode:Blissful climbs nearly 4,000 feet over Miller Peak and carefully crosses a sharp ridge with a steep fall line. At Bathtub Spring (literally a bathtub) she collects water and eats lunch in the sun. It's more up and down, before finally steeply down Sunnyside Canyon following a hors...2022-05-1210 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeArizona Trail: touching the wallSend us a textBlissful begins the Arizona Trail which starts backwards, heading south for three very steep miles to the Mexican Border. In this episode:Blissful flies to Tucson, takes a shuttle, hitches a ride then starts the Arizona Trail immediately taking a wrong turn to a view.On the right trail, it's a slippery path of ball-bearing stones to a remnant of border wall like a shark fin against a d...2022-05-0513 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeArizona Trail: Forty Days in the DesertSend us a textBlissful Hiker prepares to hike the Arizona Trail and realizes the solo walk aligns with the season of Lent. In this episode:Blissful prepares for the hike organizing gear, making food, sending resupply and studying maps. Fortunately, the trail to the southern terminus at the Mexican border has been reopened just in time after being closed to build the wall. Lent means spring, a time of waiting and hoping. The trail happens on the "s...2022-04-2811 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCape Wrath Trail: a determined bog trot to the CapeSend us a textEven though Blissful Hiker has to modify her thru-hike of the Cape Wrath Trail in Scotland due to wild weather, she makes it to the lonely lighthouse over trackless moorland.In this episode:Blissful and her hiking partner pack for extra nights and give the last section to Sandwood Bay and the lighthouse at Cape Wrath a try, with three dangerous river crossings in between.It's tough walking on 2021-12-3020 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCape Wrath Trail: seals, mussels, otters and heronsSend us a textBlissful Hiker lingers for an entire day at one of the most glorious bothies at Glencoul on the Cape Wrath Trail in Scotland. In this episode:The trail is easy along Loch Glenhue on the Duke of Wellington's estate and it's all in bright sunshine. Blissful passes a stalker in tweeds, horses and large mussel farms. The first bothy is empty, but they continue over a bog...2021-12-2319 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCape Wrath Trail: rainy autumn brillianceSend us a textBlissful Hiker takes two out-and-backs from Oykel Bridge on the Cape Wrath Trail and learns that hiking in rain can still be soulful in fall colors. In this episode:It's rainy and bleak out to Knockdamph Bothy where Blissful meets the trail she walked to Glenn Douchery the previous day.The bothy is spooky and run-down, plus someone's already there, so they head back to Duag Bridge or "Schoolhouse" bothy, light and a...2021-12-1613 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCape Wrath Trail: sampler platterSend us a textBlissful Hiker hikes the Cape Wrath Trail and learns to accept everything that's thrown at her including rain and bog, but also selfish hikers. In this episode:Blissful walks in easy trail paved with stone to lovely Coire Fionnaraich bothy and enjoys the afternoon out of the rain with a misty view down the glen.Several hikers visit, but she has the night to herself until two loud hikers arrive, loud partiers until well after 2:00 am.Feeling some sc...2021-12-0914 min
Walking Distance#21 | Faithful Hiking ft. Tamra Neblett-HemmilaIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Tamra Neblett-Hemmila, a 28-year-old long distance backpacker from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Tamra also happens to be black, Latina and Muslim; she was quite visible on the CDT this past season, practicing her faith by wearing a sport hijab on trail. If she seemed “uncommon” on the trail, her story is universal to hikers.Blissful Hiker covers how Tamra practiced her faith on trail, trail magic on the CDT, and the emotions and practicalities of quitting a long...2021-12-0736 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCape Wrath Trail: most remote bothy in ScotlandSend us a textBlissful Hiker hikes the Cape Wrath Trail in a kind "sampler, platter" managing to fit in a hike to stunning Maol Bhuide.In this episode:Blissful and her companion give the trail one more try in sections and drive from Fort William up to Strathcarron and begin a bog trot in brilliant sunshine to Maol Bhuide (pronounced mee-OWL VOO-tee)They share it with two young men and decide to stay...2021-12-0210 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCape Wrath Trail: Ben Nevis as consolation prizeSend us a textBlissful Hiker is forced by torrential rain to quit the Cape Wrath Trail but makes the most of it by bagging the highest mountain in the UK. In this episode:Blissful and her companions are soaked through when they reach the cafe at Kinloch Hourn, finding it closed when it was supposed to be open and camping in puddly grass.The next section is high, exposed and has two dangerous river crossings – worse so in...2021-11-2518 min
Walking Distance#20 | Bear Safety ft. Tom SmithIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Tom Smith, a professor of wildlife sciences at Brigham Young University in Utah. Initially Smith’s research specialities included bighorn sheep and caribou, but when he began working at Katmai National Park in Southwest Alaska, he shifted to studying the most common animal there: bears. In the last 20 years, Smith has conducted research in Alaska, India, and in bear country in the lower 48 states. Blissful Hiker covers why it’s important to have bear deterrent, rules of th...2021-11-2353 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCape Wrath Trail: KnoydartSend us a textBlissful Hiker continues on the Cape Wrath Trail having the adventure of her life in Scotland's last wilderness, Knoydart. In this episode:Rain thrashes the bothy an integral part now of this hike.The walk in Knoydart begins on seaweed, over a muddy head and straight into bog where Blissful experiences another episode of SVT (Supraventricular tachycardia) and takes a beta blocker b...2021-11-1820 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCape Wrath Trail: bog trotting to SourliesSend us a textBlissful Hiker continues on Scotland's difficult Cape Wrath Trail realizing mileage means nothing when the vague trail is filled with bog, tussock, flood and rock.In this episode:Rain sounds worse on the metal roof of Corryhully bothy, but how nice it is to be packing up inside where it's dry and one can stand. It's relatively easy walking up to the bealach where a gate sits all by itself sans any fence, b...2021-11-1114 min
Walking Distance#19 | Walking Toward Peace ft. Cindy Ross & Travis JohnstonIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Cindy Ross, a Triple-Crowner, writer, artist and speaker, and Travis Johnston, a Triple-Crowner and veteran. Cindy Ross has authored books about her own adventures on the trail, but her newest, Walking Toward Peace, highlights 25 veterans and their stories of the trail. Cindy and her husband run a nonprofit called River House PA that helps veterans suffering from trauma. Travis is a veteran who became a Triple-Crowner after serving in Afghanistan, starting with hiking the Appalachian Trail in the...2021-11-0939 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCape Wrath Trail: rainbows & bothiesSend us a textBlissful Hiker begins the Cape Wrath Trail in the Western Highlands of Scotland and learns that it's less hiking and more "bog trotting."In this episode:The Cape Wrath Trail is unmarked and requires a high degree of navigational skill as well as self-sufficiency, with unbridged river crossings that offer challenge when in spate (flood).They arrange a private ferry ride across Lake Linnhe, then walk easily up C...2021-11-0418 min
Walking Distance#18 | Careers in the Outdoors ft. Dan Purdy and Ali CarrIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Dan Purdy, a professional backpacking guide for Wildland Trekking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and Ali Carr, an outdoor adventure writer and founder and CEO of Basecamp, an outdoor job organization.. Dan traded in his engineering desk job for a career in guiding backpacking trips in 2018, starting by volunteering in Norway through a Workaway position. Ali started the group Basecamp, which now has over 20 thousand members, and is also the co-host of the podcast Outdoor Dream...2021-10-2634 min
Walking Distance#17 | How to Not Die In the Wild ft. Rebecca Olson & Steve McClureIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Rebecca Olson, a team leader volunteer with King County Search and Rescue in Washington State, and Steve McClure, a board member of The Mountaineers, an alpine club and nonprofit in Seattle. The Mountaineers, founded in 1906, has trademarked the 10 Essentials and offers a book that’s called the ‘bible’ of mountaineering.Blissful Hiker covers how to use search and rescue services if needed, the 10 essentials and how to plan a hike, plus in depth gear recommendations that cover...2021-10-1237 min
Walking Distance#16 | Fitting In ft. Shalin Desai & Aer ParrisIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Shalin Desai, a Triple Crowner and Vice President of Advancement at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), and Aer Parris, a 2015 PCT thru-hiker who identifies as queer and gender neutral. Desai is also the first person of South Asian descent to become a Triple Crowner, and he also identifies as queer. After their 2015 thru-hike, Parris began blogging for REI, often writing about inclusivity on the trail and advocating for marginalized communities hoping to fit in in the outdoors.2021-09-2831 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTeton Crest Trail: Spearhead PeakSend us a textBlissful Hiker finishes the Teton Crest Trail mostly all alone overcoming any lingering doubt that she loves backpacking and will keep doing into old age. In this episode:Blissful leaves her spectacular site on a granite slab in Alaska Basin and head up on Sheep's Steps to a wide plateau and towards Death Canyon Shelf, with a spectacular view, sadly obscured by smoke. She heeds advice to fill up on...2021-09-2323 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTeton Crest Trail: Avalanche DivideSend us a textBlissful Hiker takes a side-trip off the Teton Crest Trail to a remote lake that requires scrambling, and learns making the time to explore and open herself to surprises is breaking the spell of thru-hiking anxiety. In this episode:The smoke moves in, but it's still gorgeous down then back up Cascade Canyon on superb trail packed with other hikers.At the junction, she feels trepidation heading out alone, but the trail provides a...2021-09-1623 min
Walking Distance#15 | Vloggers ft. Sophia Garber "Wheelz" and Cory McDonald "Second Chance Hiker"In this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Sophia Garber, a 24-year-old Appalachian Trail thru-hiker and vlogger, and Second Chance Hiker, aka Cory. Every morning Sophia writes “be the sunshine” with sharpie on her arm, a phrase that comes from her friend Cristal; she met Cristal working at the Ulman House, a nonprofit for young adults with cancer. Her mantra reminds her to find meaning and joy in things that can be dark; Sophia has dedicated her hike to Cristal’s memory. Cory, Second Chance...2021-09-1435 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTeton Crest Trail: Paintbrush DivideSend us a textBlissful Hiker goes on her first high-altitude hike since her rescue and shoots for an SKT* on the Teton Crest Trail. *Slowest Known TimeIn this episode:It's an easy-ish trail only 45 miles or so of jagged peaks, crystalline lakes and spectacular passes all in wilderness. She goes in the opposite direction of most, hitting huge climbs of 3,000 feet right from t...2021-09-0922 min
Walking Distance#14 | FKT and Fastpacking ft. Gabe Joyes & Ryan GhelfiIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Gabe Joyes, an ultramarathoner and sponsored athlete, and Ryan Ghelfi, an ultramarathoner and endurance athlete coach. Joyes lives in Lander, Wyoming, near the Wind River Range, and nabbed the FKT (Fastest Known Time) for the Wind River High Route last September, completing it in 47 hours. Ghelfi has several FKTs under his belt and owns the company Wilderness Fastpacking in Ashland, Oregon. Blissful Hiker covers what FKT and fastpacking means, the physical endurance as well as mental c...2021-08-3131 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeNCT: hiker as optimistSend us a textBlissful Hiker learns on the North Country Trail in Northern Wisconsin, that the very act of moving one foot in front of the other is automatically optimistic.In this episode:On a visit to old friends, Blissful takes a long walk in the Chequamegon National Forest on the longest national scenic trail in the United States, the NCT at 4,700 miles. It's easy walking, but long in deep and dark forest, almost like being indoors. In...2021-08-2614 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeSHT: healing the heartSend us a textBlissful Hiker walks like a thru-hiker again for just a few days on the Superior Hiking Trail, moving fast, smooth and far and connecting again with herself. In this episode:It's a steep trail up to rocky "balds" with views, though all in mist this morning. She learns that other hikers too find some people too loud and unfriendly, though the trail feels all hers today as she flies fast through forest, eating many h...2021-08-1919 min
Walking Distance#13 | Andrew SkurkaIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Andrew Skurka, one of the best traveled and fastest hikers on the planet, and a National Geographic and Outside Magazine Adventurer of the Year. Skurka has hiked enormous distances, including 4700 miles on the Alaska-Yukon expedition, 6900 miles on the Great Western Loop. and 7700 miles on the Sea-to-Sea route. As a result of his travels, Skurka has developed a system for fast and light backpacking, with a kit weighing under 10 pounds; he’s also the author of The Ultimate Hiker’s Ge...2021-08-1738 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeSHT: finding my footingSend us a textBlissful Hiker dips a toe back into backpacking for a few days on the Superior Hiking Trail in Northern Minnesota and discovers her bliss can still be found on the trail. In this episode:Feeling a bit like Simone Biles on the beam, she simplifies things, going back to the basics on an easy trail, close to home and roads and for a manageable distance. The SHT marches up M...2021-08-1212 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikePCT: the startSend us a textBlissful Hiker spends time off-trail looking back at one of her favorite thru-hikes, the Pacific Crest Trail and learning about the meaning of grace. In this episode:We're introduced to trail angels Kurt and Holly in Bellingham, Washington and learns about the value of paying it forward. She rides up to Hart's Pass with thirty other hikers and finds their reasons for being there are varied, but always full of hope and j...2021-08-0521 min
Walking Distance#12 | Trail Angels ft. Miss Janet, Rob Firmin & George MillsIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Janet Hensley, a trail angel on the Appalachian Trail known as Miss Janet, plus Rob Firmin and George Mills, a couple living in Whanganui, close to New Zealand’s long distance trail, Te Araroa. Miss Janet’s relationship to the AT started when she lived in Erwin, Tennessee close to the trail; she hosted over 10,000 hikers at her hostel before she was eventually drawn to the road, continuing her service with what she calls a “hostel in a box.”...2021-08-0430 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikewaitingSend us a textBlissful Hiker is moved by Simone Biles' decision to exit the Olympics and feels like it gives her permission to forgive herself for her own exit. In this episode:Blissful is learning patience while she waits for a diagnosis on her heart and hopefully a path forward.Acceptance that she's fragile and that "the mental is not there" is part of healing.She also learns that pushing hard is not healthy, even when pressured to do...2021-07-2916 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeoff trailSend us a textBlissful Hiker wonders if the the trail itself ejected her this time. In this episode:Blissful is "trail angeled" in Montana and rests up in a kind of half-way house for sick people with nowhere to go. She wants to keep walking, but only gets sicker. Her supporters in a Zoom meeting convince her to take the Empire Builder train across the prairie to her home in Saint Paul and she discovers that it's delightfully interesting. She sees a car...2021-07-2213 min
Walking Distance#11 | "Miranda in the Wild" ft. Miranda WebsterIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Miranda Webster, the star of REI’s Youtube series, “Miranda in the Wild.” Beginning her career as a cashier at REI, Miranda now educates new backpackers about everything from meal planning, how to wash gore tex, and most popularly, how to poop in the woods.Blissful Hiker covers the Youtube filming process, how Miranda relates to her Youtube audience, and advice to others hoping to break into the outdoor industry.Gossamer Gear discount code: Use co...2021-07-2132 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCDT: Hiker PurgatorySend us a textBlissful Hiker is plucked off the Continental Divide Hike when her body goes into critical distress.In this episode:Blissful begins The Bob section of the CDT in Montana (Bob Marshall Wilderness) and is inundated with countless blowdowns to cross.She discovers things aren't really working out with her companions, so tries to makes the best of hiking alone in bear country even though she has to leave at dawn to...2021-07-1523 min
Walking Distance#10 | Sing Peak ft. Yenyen Chan & Jack ShuIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we dive into the formation of the National Park Service, and the backcountry chef behind Yosemite: Tie Sing. Sing, a Chinese-American working in the early 1900s in the midst of intense hostility towards Asian-Americans, persisted through working for national parks. Known as the “gourmet chef of the Sierra” and “the philosopher of the Sierras,” Sing Peak in Yosemite National Park is named after Tie Sing. To tell Tie Sing’s story, Blissful Hiker is joined by Yenyen Chan, a Yosemite Ranger, and Jack Shu...2021-07-0726 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCDT: Glacier National ParkSend us a textBlissful Hiker begins the Continental Divide Trail at Chief Mountain in Glacier National Park and gets a taste of everything – good and bad. In this episode:Day one begins in a thunderstorm..Mosquitos attack in squadrons.The trail is tough with four passes and a mountain to climb.Montana is experiencing a heat wave.Numerous river and snow crossings make for pruny and painful feet.She makes it through, still smiling and ready for the next, more remote, section. .MUSIC: Introduccion y Allegro by Carlos Guastavino as played by Alis...2021-07-0106 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCDT: the set upSend us a textBlissful Hiker receives a blessing before driving across three states to start the Continental Divide Trail. In this episode:The drive takes her in an Enchanted Highway and into the desolate but lovely Theodore Roosevelt National Park.She meets her two companions and stuffs gear in every available space.She accepts the trail is still a nascent idea, and to use the gospel lessons to put her trust in a higher power and enjoy each moment.Their fourth companion snags hard-to-get permits, and they will start the 3100-mile trail tomorrow.2021-06-2411 min
Walking Distance#09 | Hiking with Kids ft. Gayheart Family, Percy Family & Heather Balogh RochfortIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Jason Gayheart, Heather Balogh Rochfort, and Kayla and Fynleigh Percy. Jason Gayheart, lives in South Carolina and will be hiking the Continental Divide Trail this summer with his wife Jackie and their three children, ages 16, 12 and 8. Heather Balogh Rochfort, who you might remember from the first episode of Walking Distance, recently co-founded WildKind Closet, a non-profit that offers low cost outdoor gear rental to families. She also released the book Moms Who Hike - Walking with America’s Mo...2021-06-2235 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCDT prep: maps ‘n foodSend us a textBlissful Hiker makes maps and food for the Continental Divide Hike.In this episode:Blissful takes a GPS class with The Mountaineers and learns about the value of taking printed maps, navigational work flow, situational awareness and the ethic of self- reliance. She also learns how to create a route using CalTopo, export it to Gaia GPS on her...2021-06-1716 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCDT prep: gearSend us a textBlissful Hiker organizes her gear for the Continental Divide Hike. In this episode:Blissful is taking a new Gossamer Gear ultralight "Gorilla" pack and "The One" tent on this thru-hike.Also an Ursack XL Major to keep grizzlies from nosing into her food which was a compromise to get the bigger bag at 15 liters but not critter impermeable.New aluminum LEKI Cross Trail trekking poles will hold her upright as w...2021-06-1019 min
Walking Distance#08 | Emily FordIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Emily Ford, the first woman and person of color to thru-hike Wisconsin’s 1,200 mile Ice Age Trail in winter. Emily is from Duluth, and the head gardener at the historic Glensheen Mansion. She completed her Ice Age thru-hike with a dog she cherished, Alaskan husky Diggins.Blissful Hiker covers the unique loneliness of solo backpacking, humanity’s relationship with wilderness, and Emily’s perspective on what her hike means for people of color. Gossame...2021-06-0829 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCDT prep: logisticsSend us a textBlissful Hiker discovers that planning only goes so far for her Continental Divide Hike but maybe that's a good thing. In this episode:Blissful tackles the many pieces of logistics of the CDT by starting with day one – when is the best date and how does she get a permit.With this flurry of detail, she recalls learning from another thru-hiker and "Trail magician" named Broken Toe that not planning too much is sometimes a bet...2021-06-0317 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeCDT prep: getting in shapeSend us a textBlissful Hiker shares her array of workouts to get fit for the Continental Divide Trail and much of it is not just walking. In this episode:Blissful starts her day with a two-minute plank – probably the best overall daily exercise for a hiker because it strengthens the core, increases balance and powers the body for all other athletic activity. Practicing Hot Yoga got Blissful through her hip recovery and she finds...2021-05-2720 min
Walking Distance#07 | Dan DurstonIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Dan Durston, a biologist, Canadian gear designer, and owner of Durston Gear. Durston hiked the Great Divide Trail in the Canadian Rockies as well as the Pacific Crest Trail, and also holds some Fastest Known Times – of the Stein Traverse in British Columbia and the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana. Dan uses his backpacking expertise to design simple and light outdoor equipment. Blissful Hiker covers Dan’s evolution from gear reviews to gear designs, the inevitable compr...2021-05-2526 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: the end of the Te AraroaSend us a textBlissful Hiker brings the story of the Te Araroa to a close so she can podcast from trail on the Continental Divide Trail, a 3,000-mile thru-hike on the Rockies. In this episode:We have a new name for the podcast: Blissful Hiker, Walking the World. It's all about clarifying who Blissful is, what she's doing and to keep things consistent. Blissful closes the story of the Te Araroa w...2021-05-2022 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: Lake TekapoSend us a textBlissful Hiker says goodbye to her young friend Tomáš who helped her through the toughest parts of the trail, including reaching a summit above the highest point of the trail. In this episode:Blissful continues her journey of the Te Araroa, reaching Stag Saddle and Beuzenberg Peak in New Zealand's Southern Alps, looking towards Mount Cook and the astonishing turquoise of Lake Tekapo. It's tussock, mud, ro...2021-05-1321 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: hitting the wallSend us a textBlissful Hiker discovers hope because repair happens simultaneously with her trailside breakdown. In this episode:Blissful continues her journey of the Te Araroa, crossing the gigantic braided Rangitata River in New Zealand's Southern Alps. Before crossing, she joins her young Czech friend Tom on a side-trip to Mount Sunday known as Elorus in The Lord of the Rings, a magnificent bump surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The river bed is six miles wide of...2021-05-0620 min
Walking Distance#06 | Giving Back with Andrew Downs & Gina KnoxIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Andrew Downs, the Senior Regional Director of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) - South, and Gina Knox, a 2021 Granite Gear Groundskeeper. Downs thru hiked the AT in 2002, and has a volunteer-first approach to protecting and maintaining the Appalachian Trail. Gina Knox has postponed her AT thru-hike for 2021, and is instead dedicated to cleaning up 300 miles of public lands.Blissful Hiker covers how hikers can become trail volunteers, how COVID has impacted the cleanliness of outdoor spaces...2021-05-0430 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: all we have is todaySend us a textBlissful Hiker learns that worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. In this episode:Blissful continues her journey of the Te Araroa, walking south in the South Island of New Zealand between the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers, both "Hazard Zones." From the A-frame Hut, Blissful heads up this "Lord of the Rings" landscape with a trail-as-river to Clent Hills Saddle and...2021-04-2922 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: letting the day unfoldSend us a textBlissful Hiker is astonished when she lets the day take care of itself, miracles occur. In this episode:Blissful continues her journey of the Te Araroa, walking south in the South Island of New Zealand. After Hamilton "Hilton" Hut it's rocky and tussock-covered terraces as well as numerous crossings in the knee-high rapids of the Harper River on a hot day.At the campsite she breaks down in tears not able to set her ten...2021-04-2216 min
Walking Distance#05 | Backcountry Food ft. Aaron Owens MayhewIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Aaron Owens Mayhew, a registered dietician and thru hiker. In 2017, Mayhew left her career to thru hike the PCT, and has since section hiked some of the AT and the Oregon Coast Trail. She’s also the founder of Backcountry Foodie, a site that she runs with her husband, Chris, to provide meal plans and shopping lists, community forums, masterclasses and other resources surrounding hiking food.Blissful Hiker covers why the two lb/day backpacking food pr...2021-04-1725 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: sending out an SOSSend us a textBlissful Hiker's friend from Day 1 falls and dislocates her shoulder and another tramper needs rescuing, and she decides to take things slow so as not to fall – and to not rush to the end. In this episode:Blissful leaves Goat Pass for Arthur's Pass on the Te Araroa with Alessio and Tomaš in rain, with more on the way. Alessio tells her he didn't "sign up" to guide a middle-aged tramper, but...2021-04-1519 min
Walking Distance#04 | Backcountry Safety ft. Dr. Elizabeth Andre & Molly HerberIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Dr. Elizabeth Andre, an associate professor of nature and culture at Northland College, and Molly Herber, a project manager for NOLS. Dr. Elizabeth Andre has instructed white water canoeing, mountaineering, and dog sledding at Outward Bound, joined a National Geographic dog sled expedition across the Canadian Arctic in 2007, and teaches a course on outdoor safety. Molly Herber is the Creative Project Manager at NOLS in Wyoming.Blissful Hiker covers the basics of human psychology geared towards...2021-04-1329 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: these feet were made for crossingSend us a textBlissful Hiker learns a new skill crossing rivers in cold and dangerous rapids and falls in the South Island of New Zealand. In this episode:Blissful is on day 89 of the Te Araroa, New Zealand's "long pathway" developing a new skill of crossing dangerous rivers, but with a little help from friends, Alessio and Tomaš. Her first challenge out of Hurunui Hut No. 3 is to cross the small side stream called Cameron on a 3-wire bridge, not offering any...2021-04-0820 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: rivers run through itSend us a textBlissful Hiker finds she is like a river, following a path and forging a new way. It may be hard work, but it's in her natureIn this episode:Blissful walks out of Nelson Lakes National Park on the Te Araroa stopping in Boyle Village to pick up her resupply, staying only long enough for a snack since the rain is coming and it's better to move on before the rivers rise and become impassable. Alessio a...2021-04-0120 min
Walking Distance#03 | Nicholas KristofIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Nicholas Kristof, an award winning columnist at the New York Times and dedicated section hiker. Nicholas has won two Pulitzer prizes for his coverage of China and the genocide in Darfur, and section hiked the PCT with his daughter Caroline over a few summers. Now, he’s working on section hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail, hiking with his wife, their daughter, and her boyfriend. Blissful Hiker covers the benefits and drawbacks of section hiking versus thru-hiking, how...2021-03-2626 min
Walking Distance#02 | "What's in your Pack?" ft. Alan Dixon & Kelly FloroIn this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Alan Dixon, an outdoor guide and competitive athlete, and Kelly Floro, lead writer and content editor for The Trek. An elite kayaker and triathlon competitor, Alan grew up in California hiking Yosemite and the Sierra Nevadas. Alan has been backpacking since he was 5 years old, and helped found the ultralight backpacking movement in the early 2000’s. Kelly Floro’s first thru-hike, and basically first backpacking trip ever, was her 2016 thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Since then, she’s become...2021-03-2631 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: comrades over the passSend us a textBlissful Hiker discovers the difference between loneliness and solitude, appreciating the camaraderie crossing a difficult mountain pass.In this episode:Blissful joins six determined friends to cross Waiua Pass in high winds and squalls on the Te Araroa. It's not so bad up and down around Lake Constance then up again on loose scree over the pass with a tricky downclimb on a crumbling cliff into a wonderland of mountains and waterfalls in Nelson Lakes National Park, the v...2021-03-2520 min
Walking Distance#01 | "Getting Started" ft. Dr. Alan Carpenter & Heather Balogh RochfortIn the first episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Dr. Alan Carpenter and Heather Balogh Rochfort. Carpenter is the author of Choose Better, Live Better, and a veteran long distance hiker and cyclist. Carpenter has over 11,000 trail miles logged, most of them hiked in his 60s, and now 70s. He’s completed the John Muir trail and the Colorado trail twice, as well as the PCT, AT, and Continental Divide trail. Heather Balogh Rochfort is the author of Backpacking 101 and the blog Just a Colorado Gal. Ba...2021-03-2433 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: in the teeth of the galeSend us a textBlissful Hiker learns what she plans to do with her one wild and precious life by heading into the mountains when weather moves in. In this episode:Blissful is told by the experts at DOC to keep moving up into the mountains since the bad weather is not a storm but more "squally showers" and very big wind.She gets a late start as she heads into Nelson Lakes National Park around Lake Rotoiti thinking of...2021-03-1821 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: go while the going's goodSend us a textBlissful Hiker discovers that if you have the energy, the daylight and the weather is good, you should always try to get some distance while the getting’s good. In this episode:Blissful is up before dawn and has Purple Top in the Richmond Range of the Te Araroa all to herself. Then she dives back into a deep valley to walk up the Wairoa River, sidling its steep, crumbly banks and using the wate...2021-03-1117 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: ego tweaksSend us a textBlissful Hiker discovers that having her ego tweaked just a little by a braggart can be a good thing, because it helps her decide what matters and what doesn't. In this episode:The day starts with a rainbow, feathery falls and then a steep climb into the stunning Richmond Range on New Zealand's long walk, the Te Araroa. At Slaty Hut, she meets a young thru-hiker who brags about his speed, his distance and his light gear ...2021-03-0416 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: the here and now of the sandflySend us a textBlissful Hiker learns about the Maori legend of the sandfly, created to remind us that this Garden of Eden is something ephemeral, and one we can only pass through. In this episode:Blissful finishes her glorious walk of the Queen Charlotte Track visiting Havelock for a pot of mussels then camping on a trail angel's lawn. The walk continues to the unbelievably crystal clear emerald green Pelorus River. It's a glorious path th...2021-02-2517 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: stealth campsiteSend us a textBlissful Hiker takes a chance stealth camping at a lookout and shares spectacular views with one cheeky weka. In this episode:Blissful leaves Wellington and the North Island behind on the Te Araroa when she takes the ferry across the Cook Strait to Picton and then a mail boat to the Queen Charlotte Track at Ship Cove. She moves fast to Camp Madsen, harvesting mussels on the beach and awakened by the loud screeching of a we...2021-02-1815 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: end of an islandSend us a textBlissful Hiker is snubbed by a young hiker causing her to question friendships and her solo walk as she finishes the North Island with the help from, yes, friends. In this episode:Blissful is dropped off where she left off on the Te Araroa in Paekakariki after a zero day with her trail angel family, Rob and George.It begins on the spectacular Escarpment Track past the beach at ...2021-02-1120 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: new year's summitSend us a textBlissful Hiker watches the sunrise from the summit of Mount Taranaki on the first day of the year and learns that getting to the top is optional, while getting down is mandatory. In this episode:Blissful leaves Paekakariki in pouring rain to head off-trail for a side-trip to climb the stratovolcano, Taranaki, an almost cliché of a cone-shaped, snow-capped mountain. To see the sunrise, she needs to climb in the dark and is treated to a...2021-02-0421 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: tramping buddySend us a textThe Blissful Hiker meets an English ex-pat in the Tararuas named Julian and they bond like war-buddies, but are unsure they'll connect again. In this episode:Blissful bonds with an ex-pat named Julian when they leave Waitewaewae Hut in the Tarauas sidling the Otaki River on a nasty, muddy, and root-filled trail . It's hard to say goodbye, she walks alone the rest of the way over Mount Pukeatua, down a steep area...2021-01-2818 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: The TararuasSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker takes a calculated risk to cross the glorious, but dangerous, Tararua Range all alone, the most difficult section of the Te Araroa so far, taking advantage of a weather window.In this episode:Blissful is told at Makahika Outddoor Pursuit Centre to keep moving to get through the high, exposed Tararuas, since it will be calm and clear for two days.It's steep and muddy straight uphill to t...2021-01-2121 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: hiking her own hikeSend us a textOn day 59 of hiking the Te Araroa, the Blissful Hiker gets in touch with her inner brave spirit and gets more comfortable hiking her own hike.In this episode:Blissful leaves the Tasman Sea on concrete-hard black sand of Koitiata Beach and meets a Kiwi section-hiker who tells her the uneven and difficult trail standard is part of the challenge. It's road walk from Mount Lees Reserve to P...2021-01-1419 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: a return to the seaSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker completes the "thru-canoe" section of the Te Araroa on the Whanganui River, and meets "Guardian" Trail Angels before she returns to the Tasman Sea.In this episode:Blissful and her paddle partner Andrew leave Hipango Park for one final day on the winding chocolate-colored Whanganui River toward the Holiday Park and a short walk to town.On her own, Blissful heads to meet a trail angel named...2021-01-0717 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: the 50/50 rapidsSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker continues the section of the Te Araroa on the Whanganui River, learning that aiming your canoe – and life – straight into the V of rapids can give you a renewed sense of power and agency. In this episode:Blissful heads into the rapids on the Whanganui and her partner Andrew teaches her to ignore her intuition and head straight into the bubbling caldron – and never stop paddling. They lean in...2020-12-3117 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: I am the river, the river is meSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker begins the section of the Te Araroa on the Whanganui River, a body of water precious and deeply spiritual to the Maori.In this episode:Blissful begins paddling the Whanganui with her partner Andrew as captain, a young American exactly thirty years younger, who takes charge of steering.After a quick lesson, they're off mostly on placid water reflecting the clouds and cliffs dotted with...2020-12-2417 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: the road to WhakahoroSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker learns how to be brave and keep the faith from a novice hiker friend who jumped on the Te Araroa before she was totally ready.In this episode:Blissful leaves the Tongariro National Park on the Tupapakurua Falls Track, a "balcony walk" with views out to Mount Taranaki rising above the horizon like Shangri-La on a brilliantly clear day. She camps with her friends a...2020-12-1717 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: crossing the TongariroSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker is gifted with good weather while walking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing on the Te Araroa, but it takes a fellow hiker to slow her down and help her enjoy the spectacular surroundings. In this episode: Blissful leaves Te Porere Redoubt for the Tongariro crossing with four hiker friends in the middle of the night and is heartened when she sees stars, a good omen for decent weather ahead. Tussocky hillsides d...2020-12-1018 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: beginners mindSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker struggles with being a beginner at thru-hiking as she walks New Zealand's Te Araroa, but realizes that every step she takes brings her one step closer to being an expert. In this episode: Blissful leaves Ongarue in the North Island of New Zealand and walks toward Taumarunui, where she'll plan her canoe trip down the Whanganui River.She meets a Maori who shares sweet coffee and hi...2020-12-0318 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: owner of the lonely heartSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker learns that hiking all alone on the Te Araroa and managing her nervousness about what's to come is worth it, since she enjoys her own company the most. In this episode: Blissful walks the Timber Trail in the spectacular Pureora Forest in the North Island of New Zealand, native bush saved by "tree sitters" and easy walking on old logging tramways. Crossing spectacular swing bridges over deep...2020-11-2615 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: the "purist"Send us a textThe Blissful Hiker learns that she actually misses the muddy, barely-there trail of New Zealand's "advanced tramping" and longs for the allure of the unknown. In this episode: Blissful walks from Marianne and Allan's farm toward the Pureora Forest, all on road but happy to walk every step of the Te Araroa.She walks in on-again-off-again rain through farmland in a karst landscape of limestone outcroppings and cone-shaped hills. Kind Kiwis make the walk a pleasure.She meets other thru-hikers at...2020-11-1919 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: prelude to "the afternoon on a farm"Send us a textThe Blissful Hiker "sidles" the steep sides of a riverbank in the Mangaokewa Reserve and learns how "un-lonely being lonely can be." In this episode: Blissful leaves Waitomo for Te Kuiti through slippery farmland, getting lost in fields of sheep poo and confusing orange triangle-shaped trail signs.The reserve begins as a Hobbit Forest in a sun shower, but soon becomes greasy sidling along the Mangaokewa Stream.All al...2020-11-1220 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: generositySend us a textThe Blissful Hiker descends Mount Pirongia on the Te Araroa in a driving rain on an infamously muddy, root-filled trail and works her way to Waitomo, shown generous Kiwi hospitality all along the way.In this episode: Blissful joins eight Te Araroa hikers in a storm for the descent of Mount Pirongia, the highest point in the Waikato region of New Zealand, happy to be...2020-11-0518 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: Kia kaha (be strong)Send us a textTwo mountains bookend Blissful Hiker's walk of the Te Araroa in the Waikato Region of New Zealand's North Island – the Hakarimata Range and Mount Pirongia, and she discovers that a hiker is both spectator and participant. In this episode: Blissful walks over slippery roots and deep pools of mud to reach the Hakarimata Trig before running down hundreds of stairs.It...2020-10-2920 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: Cathy's PiesSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker is back on New Zealand's Te Araroa walking through the Waikato Region in the center of the North Island. She learns to face her fear – as well as ambivalence and irritation – and muscle through the bad parts so she can be open to surprise. In this episode: Blissful skips a trail detour and starts her hike in muddy wetlands and electric-fenced pastureland.She arranges for a whole group...2020-10-2219 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: ThanksgivingSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker is back on New Zealand's Te Araroa thru-hike, "slackpacking" through Auckland then celebrating Thanksgiving with her Kiwi hosts, discovering she has a lot to be grateful for. In this episode: "Slackpacking" means hiking on a thru-hike with only what's needed for the day, leaving overnight gear at a friend's where the hiker sleeps. Blissful hikes in rain and sunshine through parks, up blown out volcanoes, into museums and along busy roads. She...2020-10-1517 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeThe KekekabicSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker learns that not knowing what comes next in our lives can be difficult to handle and nearly intolerable. The power is in choosing between accepting limited circumstances with grace.In this episode: Blissful learns her arthritis has progressed the point where she'll need to have both hips replaced, but that doesn't stop her from hiking one more short thru-hike at peak autumn colors.The Kekekabic is part of the North Country Trail2020-10-0819 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeIsle Royale part 4Send us a textThe Blissful Hiker learns to recognize and savor joy, not so much that joy is fleeting, but to remember when times are tough, that joy will return. In this episode: Blissful forgets her water filter at the dock, but in finding it, she sees a stunning sunrise she might have missed. She wades slowly into Moskey Basin and is attacked by a swarm of leaches and learns the best way to go in the water is fas...2020-09-2417 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeIsle Royale part 2Send us a textThe Blissful Hiker continues her magical thru-hike of the very special island national park, Isle Royale. She discovers that the animal she would most want to be in another life is the busy beaver, a creature with the grit to swim fifteen miles to make this eden its home.In this episode:Feldtmann Tower is shrouded in mist and there are no views whatsoever, but other surprises await including thousands of spider webs glistening in tiny droplets of...2020-09-1020 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: infinity loopSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker times the tides to kayak down the Puhoi River, rock hop then cross an estuary before walking down the North Shore to Auckland. Her young friend, Lydie, teaches her about the infinity loop and the circle inside it that represents our grounded selves. In this episode:Blissful is invited to stay as long as she likes at the Puhoi Pub and Hotel, then joins...2020-08-2720 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: wisdom of youthSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker wakes up on Pakiri Beach and heads right back into muddy bush where she meets two young people, then two more, who give her some very good advice. In this episode: Blissful heads into the bush for a few days and is now an expert at slogging through epic mud.She instructs two slower hikers to just walk through it, and is invited to go first. They camp together and offer Bli...2020-08-2018 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: the trail will provideSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker learns that her subconscious needed this journey of thousands of steps on the Te Araroa as well as important lessons about taking measured leaps of faith and letting go of the need to control to allow the trail itself to provide. In this episode: Blissful is awakened in Ruakaka by a bird with a microphone, then heads back on the beach. She meets interesting characters at Dragonspell who tell her how important it is...2020-08-1322 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: the secret coveSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker walks the Taiharuru estuary with a Te Araroa veteran, then heads to the summit of Bream Head where meeting people at just the right moment open pathways she hadn't noticed. In this episode: Ros grabs Olive Oyl and leads the way across the estuary barefoot. Blissful walks across Ocean Beach, then up Bream Head and meets people who show her th...2020-08-0621 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: movin' onSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker is tripped by a branch, rolling her ankle and falling down hard. But miraculously, she can still walk and is offered many chances to start over on this hike, move on and forgive. In this episode:The day starts crossing the longest footbridge in the Southern Hemisphere over the Whananaki Estuary. A local moves her along, as does a big black cow.At Tane Moana, she sees a massive kauri and t...2020-07-3020 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: trail angels existSend us a textPeople show up right when the Blissful Hiker needs them in Northland, New Zealand on the Te Araroa trail, making her believe trail angels do indeed exist. In this episode:The Blissful Hiker walks into the song-filled Russell Forest on the Papakauti Stream-as-trail.She swims in a refreshing pool with a friend and feels baptized in its refreshing coolness.She doesn't skip the road and ends up in splendid...2020-07-2324 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: thru-kayakingSend us a textA risky kayak portion of the Te Araroa up the Waikare Inlet in the Bay of Islands leaves the Blissful Hiker wondering if, in the words of James Agee, kindness watches for her.In this episode: The Blissful Hiker takes her first "zero" day – walking no miles – in Kaeo and tries green-lipped mussels and Whangaroa oysters for the first time. She gets care for her infected pink eye pi...2020-07-1624 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: "easy tramping" on sheep pooSend us a textA selfie reveals a face battered by a week of long distance backpacking and the Blissful Hiker considers her mortality and how to keep her hike – and her life – from being a bore.In this episode:The Blissful Hiker considers her mortality after taking a selfie of her backpack-beaten face then seeing a row of wild boar carcasses.She considers how carefully chosen gear protects her body, and how a change of attitude keeps a thru-hike – and life too – from becoming a bore. ...2020-07-0918 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: Muir Woods of AustralasiaSend us a textIt's not until the end of the day when the Blissful Hiker enters a magical forest preserve of towering Cathedral-sized Kauri does she realize here is precisely where she needs to be in this moment. In this episode: The Blissful Hiker awakens to a cacophonous symphony of birdsong, puts on her muddy socks and shoes and walks right back into soul-sucking mud. A walk across a farm and road walk take her to a h...2020-07-0220 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: epic mud in the raetea forestSend us a textSlogging through epic mud in the New Zealand bush, the Blissful Hiker learns about plunging straight through difficult passages, never making assumptions and always looking for the beauty around her. In this episode:On only day 5, the Blissful Hiker cheats and allows her friend of a friend of a friend Peter to drive her past the road walk section. She enters real New Zealand bush, the Raetea Forest, which begins easily, but then plunges her st...2020-06-2522 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: ninety-mile beachSend us a textThe Te Araroa – or long pathway – dispenses with formalities, taking the Blissful Hiker onto an exposed start of drenching squalls, inconvenient tides and a never-ending roar of the waves. In this episode:The Blissful Hiker starts walking the Ninety Mile Beach, a long strip of sand that will take three days to complete, a baptism by fire for causing injury, boredom and many hikers to quit the Te Araroa. She learns that thru-hiking is a...2020-06-1822 min
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hikeTe Araroa: a flute for a hikeSend us a textThe Blissful Hiker sells her flute to make the dream of walking a long-distance thru-hike a reality before it's too late and arthritis takes over her body.In this episode:Meet ex-professional flutist and voracious hiker, the Blissful Hiker.With arthritis taking over her body, time was running out. But once she voiced her dream to walk a long trail, the universe conspired to make it happen. And letting go of her professional flute, brought her one step closer to New Ze...2020-05-2816 min