This interview was four years in the making, with Maddie Boehm our main guest, four years after we first made contact. It was worth the wait, as Maddie talks about her somewhat tricky start with backpacking on the Appalachian Trail.

She was badly under-prepared for what she would face, but her resilience and her ability to learn from her mistakes were what pushed her through. Along the way, she discovered something within her that had eluded her for much of her life.

Maddie talks about plus-size girls, hoping that her own stories will inspire others who may doubt that they have it within them to undertake a long distance hike. Her answer is that, yes, you can. You can follow Maddie on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rescueroamingthewild/

We catch up again with Beth and Andrew, who have reached their twelfth state, and are finding community both on and off trail. They had dinner with Betty and her husband Bruce.

Meanwhile, Dave is within two weeks of Katahdin and pushing through Maine. Here, he is at the 2,000-mile marker.

I used my hike last year on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I’ve been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting https://parentingmattersfl.org/eventer/hike-with-steve-empowering-parents-one-step-at-a-time/edate/2024-04-15/. I hope you want to support this critical mission.

Don’t forget. Our entire series of videos from our Woods Hole Weekend in 2022 is now FREE and available at my YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA8ImK4qpNc&list=PLu8u88nsJtgWZxT8DLwEW2yXcz4gT6HXs There, you’ll find all sorts of tips and tricks that our guests took away from the weekend that helped them with their own hikes this year. Check it out.

I often ask listeners for ideas on who to interview, and I’m sure several of you say, “I could do that. I’ve got an awesome story to tell.” You’re the person we need to hear from. If you’d like to be interviewed on the podcast, just register as a guest on the link below, and I’ll be in touch. https://www.hikingradionetwork.com/show/mighty-blue-on-the-appalachian-trail-the-ultimate-mid-life-c/guests/intake/

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