In Episode 103, Cardiac and Drone Boy join me for a studio recording of some intriguing hiking and backpacking events that made the news this past year. Some of the topics we discuss include another hiker that found themselves at the bottom of a pit toilet, a loyal dog that survived 72 days on a high peak of Colorado, and a few events that involved Hollywood actors in the backcountry.

Finally we close out with trail stats from the Appalachian Trail this past year and we discuss some ridiculous comments that visitors made on social media after visiting some of our most famous National Parks. If there are any worthy hiking and backpacking news events that we missed – drop us a comment below and Happy New Year!

Subject: Hiking News Review 2023
Interviewees: Cardiac, Drone Boy
Interview Date: January 4, 2023
Runtime: 1:36:04

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

In Episode 102, we have our FIRST Halloween special and discuss some of the spooky and crazy ass things that have happened in the backcountry over the last two decades. Cardiac and Drone Boy join me in the studio for this podcast and talk through some disturbing and well publicized events – some don’t have a happy ending. We even share some scary personal encounters and expect that you have your own. So reach out to us and let us know about your spooky experiences on the trail.

In reality, the backcountry is statistically a very safe place – way more than any major metro area in the U.S. So don’t let this episode freak you out. Keep on hiking, be smart, and be aware. Happy Halloween!

Subject: Backcountry Halloween
Interviewees: Cardiac, Drone Boy
Interview Date: October 21, 2023
Runtime: 1:21:28

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

In Episode 101, we continue our discussion of The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly – our best and worst experiences on the Trail.  Recorded live on the Chattooga River in northwestern South Carolina, I sit fireside with 3Dub, Mick, Hollywood, and Therm Rider after hiking to Long Creek Falls and settling in for the night. In the show we discuss some great sunsets, 3Dub’s fall into a Cobra hole, our favorite campsites, and Hollywood’s discovery of a tick – in the worst possible place!

This is another fun episode and we only scratch the surface of a lengthy list of experiences that I have tracked at N2Backpacking over 25+ years.  So if you have mishaps of your own, check out the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly tab on our website, and help add to our list – or share your own experiences with a comment below…

Subject: The Good, Bad, and Ugly 2
Interviewees: 3Dub, Hollywood, Mick, Therm Rider
Interview Date: July 03, 2023
Runtime: 1:15:22

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

In Episode 100, we are back in the studio to celebrate our 100th episode by recapping some interesting things that have happened in the backcountry since the N2Backpacking podcast first aired 12 years ago. In the show, Cardiac, Drone Boy, and Therm Rider join me for the “Darwin Awards” – a recap of some backcountry mishaps that have happened to us and to other hikers and backpackers over the last decade on the trail.

This is another fun episode that includes hikers falling in pit toilets, getting selfies with bears, and burning their eyeballs – among other things. It’s a great way to mark our 100th podcast, and if you have some Darwin experiences of your own please add your comments below.

Subject: The Darwin Awards
Interviewees: Cardiac, Drone Boy, Therm Rider
Interview Date: August 13, 2023
Runtime: 1:13:42

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

In Episode 99, I sit fireside with Therm Rider, Beer Run and Sons on the Benton MacKaye Trail in North Georgia to talk about some things that ruin a backpacking trip. In the podcast, we discuss backpackers that camp on top of you, those that make speaker phone calls, crank booty music or even throw live ammunition into your campfire! We also talk about bad weather, angry insects, and getting sick in the backcountry – which had me dumping out a vomit filled hiking boot.

This is a fun episode and we only touch on a handful of topics tonight. So if you have some experiences of your own and would like to share them, please reach out to us via the N2Backpacking website or on our social media pages because we’ll likely expand on this topic in a future podcast.

Subject: Things That Ruin A Backpacking Trip
Interviewees: Beer Run & Sons, Therm Rider
Interview Date: April 15, 2023
Runtime: 45:26

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

In Episode 98, Therm Rider, Beer Run, & 3Dub are in the recently renovated studio to discuss Ultralight backpacking. In the show, we discuss WHAT inspired us to start looking at lighter equipment, WHO motivated us – including some gear manufacturers, YouTubers, and fellow podcasters, and WHY some of us are starting to migrate to more Ultralight hiking.

This show is pretty fun and lively, and we don’t take each other too seriously. Plus there is some good information in the podcast for those looking to lighten their load. So tune in and check it out. We talk about gear that we like, some tricks that we use to lighten our packs, and 3Dub discusses the cottage manufacturers that helped him go Ultralight.

Subject: Ultralight!
Interviewees: 3Dub, Beer Run, Therm Rider
Interview Date: January 7, 2023
Runtime: 1:36:43

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

In Episode 97, we continue our conversation with Kevin Conley about his book “Above The Ashes” which is a powerful memoir of his cross-country bike journey with dog Rocky. In part two of this podcast, Kevin talks about his trip, writing his book, fundraising for the Wildland Firefighters Foundation- and the incredible support that he received from family, friends, fellow firefighters, and many, many strangers on his ride. This journey helped Kevin overcome one of the darkest moments of his life and win his battle with mental illness.

If you haven’t heard Episode 96, which is part one of this podcast, I encourage you to go back and check it out – because we discuss Kevin’s years leading up to the ride, his mental breakdown, and how he nearly took his own life. It will help you understand his inspiring journey and the many adventures he had on it – including magical experiences in the Apache Nation, his “celebrity” status on the route, and his dramatic 3500 mile finish in St. Augustine, Florida. Kevin is grateful to be alive and tonight and he’ll tell you how this ride put him on a route to recovery and what’s next in his life.

Subject: Above The Ashes – Part Two
Interviewees: Kevin “30 Pack” Conley
Interview Date: November 21, 2022
Runtime: 1:22:18

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

Support Kevin

. Visit Kevin’s Website

. Buy Kevin’s Book

. Follow Kevin on Instagram

. Support the Wildland Firefighter’s Foundation

More Episodes w/ Kevin

.  Episode 13 (where we talked about his Appalachian Trail thru-hike recorded February 21, 2013)

.  Episode 19 & Episode 20 (where he recounts his Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike in a two part series, recorded January 2, 2014)

.  Episode 36 and Episode 37, (“30 at 30” where he catches us up on his life since the AT and PCT, a two-part series, recorded October 26, 2016)

In Episode 96, Kevin Conley is back on the show after a six year hiatus to tells us about his last few years as a wildland firefighter, his subsequent battle with mental illness, and his 3500 mile ride across the country to beat it. This journey helped Kevin overcome one of the darkest moments of his life which he details in his recently published book “Above The Ashes” – a powerful memoir of his journey with dog Rocky.

We last spoke with Kevin in 2016 after his thru-hikes on the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails while living out of his car for two years and exploring the U.S. Kevin (aka “30 Pack”) went on to hike the Wonderland Trail, do numerous bike tours, and complete four hikes on the John Muir Trail. His hiking and backpacking resume is impressive, but his fight for life is inspiring.

In Episode 96 (part one of this two part series), we discuss Kevin’s years leading up to the ride, his mental breakdown, and how he nearly took his own life. In Episode 97, Kevin talks about his cross-country bike tour, his book, his fundraising – and the incredible support that he received from family, friends, fellow firefighters, and many, many strangers during his ride. Kevin is grateful to be alive and tonight he is here to tonight to tell you why.

Subject: Above The Ashes – Part One
Interviewees: Kevin “30 Pack” Conley
Interview Date: November 21, 2022
Runtime: 1:28:16

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

Support Kevin

. Visit Kevin’s Website

. Buy Kevin’s Book

. Follow Kevin on Instagram

. Support the Wildland Firefighter’s Foundation

More Episodes w/ Kevin

.  Episode 13 (where we talked about his Appalachian Trail thru-hike recorded February 21, 2013)

.  Episode 19 & Episode 20 (where he recounts his Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike in a two part series, recorded January 2, 2014)

.  Episode 36 and Episode 37, (“30 at 30” where he catches us up on his life since the AT and PCT, a two-part series, recorded October 26, 2016)

In Episode 95B, we are deep in the backcountry at a campsite on the Benton MacKaye Trail where we sit around the campfire and discuss some”first time” experiences in the wilderness.  Therm Rider, Beer Run, & Sons all share the first time they found themselves offensive, took a crap in the woods, got a car vandalized, and were scared shitless on the Trail – among other things.

This episode gets a bit rowdy at times, and has been made a bonus show as a result.  But if you have a sense of humor, aren’t easily offended, and like a good laugh – We have a treat for you!  If you like the bonus cut, you’ll really enjoy the complete show.  For full access to this recording and for downloads of the entire 90+ podcast series – click here.

Interviewees: Beer Run & Sons, Therm Rider
Interview Date: April 23, 2022
Runtime: 49:14 (Full Version)

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

In Episode 94, Brian Anderson (aka “The Tick Terminator”) joins the show to educate us on your biggest danger in the backcountry – TICKS!!!  In the podcast, we discuss the tick lifecycle, when and where they are most likely to find you, how to prevent ticks, and what to do if one embeds in your skin.

This discussion hit home for me personally since I was infected by and recovered from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.  After two days in the hospital, a home healthcare nurse came to my house for a week to administer steroids via IV.  After 3 months, I fully recovered – and was actually lucky to have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and not Lyme disease!  Tune in to find out why.  And if you live East of the Mississippi and hike frequently – you can’t afford to miss this show…

Subject: Ticks!!!
Interviewees: Brian Anderson
Interview Date: March 31, 2022
Runtime: 1:04:13

Stream this episode for FREE by clicking the bar below or follow this link to subscribe to the N2Backpacking podcast (via iHeartRadio, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Blubrry (Android), Facebook, Google+, Twitter, RSS or email). We have posted our most recent episodes on these podcast networks and hope you enjoy them.

You can also support the show with a $10 donation and download the entire 100+ podcast series including older episodes and bonus shows. Thanks for being a loyal listener, and drop us an email or post a comment below to let us know how we are doing! Best wishes, BirdShooter

In Episode 93, John Phillips joins the show to talk about the Ocean To Lake Trail in Central Florida. This 61.4 mile spur of the Florida Trail starts at Lake Okeechobee and heads due east to Hobe Sound Beach where it ends at the Atlantic Ocean. In the show, John tells us what it’s like hiking all day in ankle deep water, about finding rest areas and campsites in the swamp, and how he frequently encountered wildlife on his hike – including poisonous snakes, stealthy alligators, and over 50 wild hogs. John is originally from Florida and started hiking in the State after discovering backpacking in a BSA leadership class. He has hiked the Ocean To Lake Trail multiple times – and was met by the police at the conclusion of his most recent hike. Find out why in Episode 93 and learn everything you need to know for an exciting winter trip on the Ocean To Lake Trail. Subject: Ocean To Lake Trail Interviewees: John PhillipsInterview Date: March 21, 2022Runtime: 49:14 Download Now: Ocean To Lake Trail (WMA format 23.4 MB); Ocean To Lake Trail (MP3 format (46.1 MB)