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Backpacker Radio

By: The Trek
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  • Summary

  • From the Appalachian Trail to the Pacific Crest and everything in between. Backpacker Radio is a show all about the wonderful world that is thru-hiking and long distance backpacking. Co-hosts, Zach "Badger" Davis and Juliana "Chaunce" Chauncey muse on the backpacking life and the latest from the trail every other week. Topics include but are not limited to news, trail culture, interviews, gear, advice, and all you can eat buffets.
    The Trek
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Episodes
  • Audrey "Glowstick" Payne on the Patagonia O Circuit, Tramily Breakups, and Balancing a Career with Hiking

    Audrey "Glowstick" Payne on the Patagonia O Circuit, Tramily Breakups, and Balancing a Career with Hiking
    May 6 2024
    In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by thru-hiker and author, Audrey “Glowstick” Payne. In addition to a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, which is the subject of her memoir, Where the Rhododendrons Bloom, Audrey has also tackled the Colorado Trail, Foothills Trail, Trans Catalina Trail, John Muir Trail, Wonderland Trail, and the Patagonia O Circuit. Audrey gives us an overview of each of these treks, and how she might be the first person on earth to not enjoy the JMT, she details a not-so-cordial breakup with her trail family on the AT, and offers some solid tips for those who want to trek Patagonia’s O Circuit. We also get an overview of Audrey’s life prior to thru-hiking, including how her treks were inspired by a back injury and her career in PR, including some fun stories of working with celebrities. We wrap the show with the news of a nasty outbreak of Norovirus on the AT this year, whether you should store your food underwater in the backcountry, the triple crown of movies we've cried to, and some one-star trail reviews. Backpacker’s Pantry: Use code “THETREK” for 20% off at backpackerspantry.com. Gossamer Gear: Use code “SNUGGLEBUG” for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com. Shady Rays: Use code “TREK20” for $20 off polarized sunglasses at shadyrays.com. Appalachian Gear Company: Use code “BPRADIO20” for 20% off at appalachiangearcompany.com. LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. [divider] Interview with Audrey “Glowstick” Payne Audrey's InstagramAudrey's WebsiteAudrey's Linktree Time stamps & Questions 00:05:14 - Reminders: Come say hi to us at both AT and PCT Trail Days, support us on Patreon to get bonus exclusive episodes, and check out our new hats! 00:06:47 - Introducing Audrey 00:09:20 - What were you doing in DC? 00:15:53 - How did you go from burnt out PR person to thru-hiking? 00:18:34 - How has your back held up? 00:20:15 - How old were you when you started on the AT? 00:22:45 - Walk us through how you rationalized leaving your career to hike the AT 00:26:57 - Are you grateful for your back issues getting you onto the trail? 00:29:28 - Did you have any midlife crises turning 40? 00:30:40 - How do you feel about your future hikes? 00:31:45 - What advice would you give to others approaching or in their 30s? 00:36:22 - Tell us about getting woken up by some ponies and bears 00:44:00 - Is there a story that resonates with readers from the book? 00:47:00 - Tell us about camping at the drive in 00:53:43 - Tell us about foraging on the AT 00:58:40 - What was your best trail magic experience? 01:03:14 - What are your thoughts about tramilies? 01:07:10 - How did the trail family breakup go? 01:09:54 - Can you give tips to people from a PR perspective on how to break up with your trail family? 01:15:52 - What happens if you encounter your broken up trail family again? 01:16:48 - What was it like post-breakup? 01:18:35 - Discussion about deciding to leave a job to hike the AT 01:20:18 - How can someone weigh the pros and cons of making a change to their life? 01:25:00 - Did you put the AT on your resume or discuss it during your interviews? 01:27:45 - What accounted for the four year gap between the AT and your next hike? 01:29:39 - Do your coworkers know you for your hiking? 01:33:02 - How did you decide to do the Colorado Trail? 01:34:17 - Did you start in the same place each time you’ve done the Four Pass Loop? 01:36:00 - Discussion about the logistics of the Four Pass Loop 01:41:55 - Tell us about your mountain lion encounter on the CT 01:50:00 - Discussion about off-roading 01:51:40 - How was your Foothills Trail hike? 01:57:10 - What insects did you see? 02:00:00 - How was your Trans Catalina Trail experience? 02:04:29 - How was the John Muir Trail? 02:07:50 - Discussion about the PCT southbound 02:12:20 - Tell us about the Patagonia O Circuit 02:14:23 - Is the O Circuit accessible for someone who isn’t an experienced backpacker? 02:15:58 - What kind of mileage and elevation gain does the trail entail? 02:17:30 - Discussion about costs, food, and gear 02:19:37 - Where do you fly into and how do you get to trail? 02:21:24 - How did you feel safety-wise? 02:22:55 - Did the structure of the hike take away from the wildness of the area? 02:25:00 - Did you feel fine traveling in that area without speaking Spanish? 02:26:50 - Discussion about the weather and clothing 02:30:29 - Kumo Question: What would your walkup song be if you were entering the Olympics for a random sport? 02:33:50 - Where can people follow you and get your book? Segments Trek Propaganda: Norovirus Alert: Appalachian Trail Hikers Urged to Stay Vigilant Amid Outbreak by Ariella Nardizzi QOTD: Have you ever heard of storing food underwater in the backcountry? Triple Crown of movies you’ve cried to One Star Trail Reviews Listener Voicemail Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/. ...
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    3 hrs and 17 mins
  • Bethany "Fidgit" Hughes on Hiking, Biking, and Paddling 20,000+ Miles Across the Americas

    Bethany "Fidgit" Hughes on Hiking, Biking, and Paddling 20,000+ Miles Across the Americas
    Apr 29 2024
    In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are once again joined by Bethany “Fidgit” Hughes. Fidget has hiked, paddled, and cycled more than 22,000 miles across 25 countries as one half of the Her Odyssey Expedition, a human-powered endeavor to connect the Americas following the longest chain of mountains in the world while telling the story of the land and its inhabitants, a journey she completed in August 2022. Bethany was last on the podcast more than 5 years ago, when she had completed the South American leg of this wild expedition, she catches us up with her and her partner’s journey through Central and North America. We go deep on how she navigates the more unsafe sections of this journey, especially through Central America and Mexico and navigating the cartel, dodging crocodiles, canoeing the 3,000+ mile Arctic Drainage to reach the Arctic Ocean, and much, much more. This one is full of engaging stories, you will not be disappointed. We wrap the show with news of the first woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, a deadly mountain lion attack in California, and the triple crown of breakfasts. Gossamer Gear: Use code “SNUGGLEBUG” for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com. Jenna Davis: Email jenna@firstsummitrealty.com or call 303-946-9476 to get a free consultation. Appalachian Gear Company: Use code “BPRADIO20” for 20% off at appalachiangearcompany.com. Shady Rays: Use code “TREK20” for $20 off polarized sunglasses at shadyrays.com. Outdoor Vitals: Get 17% off the Ventus plus a free backpacking pillow at outdoorvitals.com/thetrek. [divider] Interview with Bethany “Fidgit” Hughes Her Odyssey WebsiteHer Odyssey InstagramHer Odyssey Youtube Backpacker Radio Episode 25: Bethany “Fidgit” Hughes on Trekking the Length of the Americas Time stamps & Questions 00:04:08 - Reminders: We will be at Trail Days! And…subscribe to us on Youtube! 00:05:07 - (Re)introducing Bethany 00:06:23 - Tell us about your recent 10 day silent retreat 00:16:25 - Did you have moments where you wanted to speak? 00:18:30 - Give us the summary of what part of the odyssey you’d completed the last time you were on the podcast 00:23:00 - What was the timeline of going across Central America? 00:25:58 - How would you describe your appreciation for bikepacking? 00:28:24 - Do you find that elitism is more prevalent in bikepacking than thru-hiking? 00:33:10 - If someone wanted to do a similar route, what advice would you offer? 00:37:26 - How many scenarios felt unsafe during the Central American portion? 00:42:08 - Did you find the State Department’s advisories helpful? 00:43:28 - Are there extra safety precautions for solo female travelers? 00:47:38 - What other safety methods do you recommend? 00:50:45 - What were some of the highlights of the Central American portion of your route? 00:53:33 - Is there a crocodile protocol? 00:57:50 - Where did you go after kayaking in Panama? 01:00:25 - How safe did you feel in Mexico? 01:05:50 - How did you learn these trends and strategies? 01:08:23 - Is it easy to spot a gangster? 01:10:44 - Tell us about jumping over to the Baja California Peninsula 01:13:20 - Did you have any weird encounters along the US-Mexico border? 01:20:00 - Discussion about the evolution of trail magic and entitlement 01:22:36 - How do you recommend people participate in a gift-giving culture? 01:28:07 - Tell us any standout stories from hiking the CDT 01:33:20 - Do you think Her Odyssey has made you more adaptable as a thru-hiker? 01:40:22 - Tell us about the Great Divide Trail 01:46:25 - What are Treaty Days? 01:48:38 - Discussion about climate change along the route 01:51:05 - Discussion about the paddling trip to the Arctic Ocean 01:59:00 - How did you develop paddling skills? 02:01:16 - Did your caloric needs increase on the paddling portion of the odyssey? 02:02:18 - Bethany’s hot take on umbrellas 02:05:40 - Where can people learn more about you? Segments Trek Propaganda 1 Killed, 1 Injured in California Mountain Lion Attack by Kelly Floro Jasmin Paris Becomes First Woman Ever To Complete Barkley Marathons by Kelly Floro QOTD: How excited are we to have Elise back on BPR? Triple Crown of breakfasts Listener Voicemail Plug Me Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher ...
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    2 hrs and 58 mins
  • The Real Hiking Viking on Why He Disappeared, His CDT Flip-Flop, and Reality TV in Central America

    The Real Hiking Viking on Why He Disappeared, His CDT Flip-Flop, and Reality TV in Central America
    Apr 22 2024
    In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, he’s back. That’s right, The Real Hiking Viking aka Jabba aka Tom aka Backpacker Radio’s honorary third co-host joins us once again to give us an update on his life. We get the full breakdown of where the heck he disappeared to last year, how his CDT hike went, another attempt at the Wind River High Route, a brief stint on a reality TV show in Central America, updates on his backpack, and much more. If ever a guest needed no introduction, it’s this one, so we’ll just say sit down, strap in, and get ready to get Jabba’d once again. We wrap the show with a question of the day so graphic that I will not be saying it in the intro (this episode is not for kids), the triple crown of funniest farts, and this is your last chance to snag tickets for our live podcast in Denver! Gossamer Gear: Use code “SNUGGLEBUG” for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com. Outdoor Vitals: Get 17% off the Ventus plus a free backpacking pillow at outdoorvitals.com/thetrek. Appalachian Gear Company: Use code “BPRADIO20” for 20% off at appalachiangearcompany.com. Shady Rays: Use code “TREK20” for $20 off polarized sunglasses at shadyrays.com. Danner: Use code “TREK15” for 15% off Mountain 600 boots at danner.com. [divider] Interview with Jabba Jabba's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:07:17 - Reminders: This is your last chance for tickets to our live podcast in Denver TOMORROW! 00:15:00 - Re-introducing Jabba and his desire for a sober year 00:22:25 - Are you goal setting for your birthday? 00:24:00 - What would allow you to one-up your 30s in your 40s? 00:26:22 - Is there a correlation between trying sobriety and preventing injuries? 00:29:23 - Why did you disappear? 00:33:00 - Discussion about Jabba’s flip flop on the CDT and getting off the trail 00:37:07 - Did any part of you think about getting back onto the CDT? 00:38:04 - How do you pull yourself out of a sedentary period? 00:40:55 - How do you spend six hours at the gym? 00:51:08 - What bikepacking trip are you going on? 00:54:14 - Tell us about starting on the CDT last year 00:58:35 - Do you have any mental spiraling about not being at the top of your historical physical fitness? 01:05:00 - Discussion about adding stakes to physical goals 01:12:08 - Discussion about the CDT 01:17:00 - Discussion about standards shifting over time 01:18:52 - How do you manage big adventures with maintaining a home life? 01:21:50 - Tell us about ending the CDT with the Wind River High Route 01:33:21 - What were some highlights of the northern stretch of the Wind River High Route? 01:36:45 - Should you have an ice axe and microspikes regardless of the time of year? 01:38:17 - What are the updates on the Zerk? 01:43:18 - Kumo Question: What is the smelliest thing you’ve ever encountered? Segments QOTD Triple Crown of funniest farts Trek Propaganda: Briana DeSanctis Becomes First Solo Woman To Complete 6,800-Mile American Discovery Trail by Ariella Nardizzi Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)! Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok. Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg Knight, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Hailey Buckingham, Jason “Snail” Snailer barely know her, Liz Seger, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy “Trigger” Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: 12 Trees Farms, David, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Joann Menzer, Katharine Rudzitis, Keith Dobie Jr, Merle Watkins, Peter, and Ruth S.
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    2 hrs and 24 mins
Sports & Outdoors
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Profile Image for Joe

this podcast stinks

Zach is chauvinistic and rude, Chaunce is smarter but she has to submit. The guests (mostly) are the best. Five stars because they asked nicely. is it April 1st yet?

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Profile Image for Kevin Neft

The Honorable 1st 5 ⭐ Audible Review

Wow what an honor to be the 1st five star review on Audible. I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for making me into the person I am today, but most of all I want to thank the astonishing Zach "Badger" Davis and the dazzling Juliana "Chaunce" Chauncey for hosting such an inspiring podcast. The duo have palpable charisma and carry on witty banter on everything backpacking related. From stories from the trail, gear reviews, and eclectic humor Backpacker Radio has it all. The guests are top notch with names like Jabba, Legend, Ballflap, Twerk in the dirt, and Pretzel to name a few. If you are a fan of anything hiking, backpacking, or thru hiking related this is the podcast for you. If you are interested in getting started in any of these hobbies this is the podcast for you. If you just want to listen to and mock people that like walking really far and sleeping outside for fun this is the podcast for you. Bottom line give this podcast a shot Badger and Chaunce will not disappoint.

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