Ryan Linn has hiked both the Appalachian Trail (in 2007) and the Pacific Crest Trail (in 2010). He gained a true appreciation of the outdoors after college, combining his love of hiking with various jobs in and around the hiking business. It was while he was on the Pacific Crest Trail that he met his eventual business partner, Paul.

They were both unsatisfied with the dearth of good, accessible maps for the long trails, and both saw the potential for smartphones within the hiking community. Starting with the PCT, the business of Guthooks was born. The Appalachian Trail followed and now the company provides map apps for the majority of the famous, and some of the not-so-famous hikes of America. In the meantime, as you can see below, his hair and beard seemed to grow in opposite directions!

Ryan is aware of the intrusion of technology into the solitude of hiking He has thought carefully of the responsibility that his company holds and is trying to develop education and knowledge of hiking through partnerships with well-known stewards of the trail.

You can learn more about Ryan and his company by visiting Atlas Guides, the company website, at http://www.atlasguides.com/

There are also company Facebook and Instagram pages. If you'd like to learn more about Ryan's hikes, you can follow his blog, which pre-dates his apps, at http://www.guthookhikes.com/

We'll soon be saying goodbye to Doctor Lynne, and this week she has some wise words about food and nutrition.

For our sister show, Bruce Matson's blog is now regularly updated. You can find it at rtkchallenge.com, where you will also be able to hear our podcast and contribute to his fundraising for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. While you’re online, we’d also be delighted if you’d check out Trailtopia.com and consider the wonderful food choices that they have for your next hike.