Sounds Of The Trail

Where does it all begin? How do you grow up to become a thru-hiker? We get to hear from Rock Ocean as he interviews Kimchi and Par 3, from Gizmo, and even from Gizmo’s mom as we explore our origins as thru-hikers. Also, we have a big announcement – Sounds of the Trail is looking...

Sounds of the Trail is transitioning to an off-season format. In this week’s podcast we shift our focus to the third trail in the Triple Crown, the Continental Divide Trail, and get inspired by some youtube videos. Special Guests Liz and Bryan (along with Bumblebee Tuna and Toni the Tiger). During the hiking off-season Sounds...

We finally get to do a recap with both Kimchi and Par 3 on finishing the trail. We discuss the end of the time on the trail, their best moments, and what it means to be a thru-hiker. Music by: Baby Gramps

It’s the end of A season, but it’s not quite the end of THE season, at least not for a few hardy hikers or for Sounds of the Trail. Not many northbounders are still braving the mountain passes, but we ran into a few still heading for Maine. Special guests Smokey Bear, Homegrown, and Bailey...

Thru-hikes are a hugely physical undertaking that take a lot of time and a lot of money – or at least the ability to forego earning money. A lot of people ask – how do you make a thru-hike happen? We have no magical secrets to share – but we do have some thru-hikers share...

This week’s podcast revolves around one Maine thing – the people and places of Maine. We get to hear from thru-hikers, trail angels, and trail Maine-tainers (heh heh) working with the Maine Appalachian Trail Club. Special Guests are Pain Wizard, Scout, and the MATC. What have YOU done to support your trails today? Check out...

In our continuing attempts to be neither educational nor informative, we have an entire podcast episode about thru-hiking gear that fails to provide any real useful information. What kind of gear do you need to thru-hike? Depends on who you ask. Special guest Chia Pet and many others. Music by: Baby Gramps

Sounds of the Trail finally covers our most requested topic: thru-hiking with dogs. We hear from three different dog owners on the challenges and rewards of thru-hiking with a dog. We also get to hear from our fellow thru-hiking podcaster, Ratatouille, who produces Trailside Radio. Special Guests: Oyster, Joan of Arc, and Sleddog. If you...

Thru-hiking is a “bucket list” item for a lot of people. In this podcast, we talk about pursuing our other dreams, making a thru-hike happen, and start thinking ahead towards the end of the trail. (Don’t worry, we’re not there yet.) Our special guests for this episode are two hikers we’ve heard from before: Patches...

Let’s follow along with Kimchi as she gets back on trail at Mt. Katahdin to begin her flip-flop are the Appalachian Trail. Special guests for this podcast are Patches, Mighty Mouse, and Sparky. Check out Mighty Mouse’s Blog and Patches’ Blog! Or, get a SOTT sticker by sending me an email at soundsofthetrail@gmail.com. If you...

In Episode 16 we finally find a home for some orphaned audio. Kimchi is all healed up and getting back on trail in Maine, and Par 3 is deep in the woods, somewhere. We have special guests Grasshopper, Mighty Mouse, Swass, and Killer. Check out Swass’s blog here. Music by Baby Gramps.

What is trail magic anyways? And who are the trail angels who make it happen? These are some questions we’re going to explore in the episode. Trail magic, trail angels – these are some pretty common hiker terms that are hard to pin down. Special guests Joan of Arc, Devilfish, Safari, Redwood, Allison, and Dick....

The community of thru-hikers on-trail is one of the things that makes a thru-hike a little different from a weekend backpack. Your fellow hikers will encourage you when you’re down, squeeze you into their tent on a cold night, and be totally cool when they walk up on you taking a poop. What makes your...

Hikers are gross. Deodorant, daily showers, and fresh undies all stay home during a thru-hike. This episode delves deeper than maybe we needed to know into hiker hygiene. TMI, you might say. Special guests Popsicle, Nettle, Briar, and Seahawk. We have a new instagram account, so if you’re interested in seeing what our contributors, interviewees,...

Thru-hiking isn’t just a walk in the woods – hikers get off trail for food,showers, laundry, or just to have a vacation from their vacation. In this podcast we discuss the best and worst parts of town, the pros and cons of hiker boxes, and the strange phenomenon of hikers refusing to walk unless absolutely...

Life on the trail can be, well, poopy sometimes. Between not burying used TP, dropping trash, and forgetting to yield the right-of-way to hikers going uphill, Thru-hikers have their own set of sins that they commit. In this podcast, we explore what Leave No Trace means, how to be better hikers and humans, and what...

To walk through it, or get off trail? Our correspondents struggle with injuries, changes in plan, and aches and pains.What’s the best way to take care of yourself on the trail? In this podcast we discuss the hard business of thru-hiking, and the wear and tear on our bodies as a result. Injuries are incredibly...

Eat to walk, or walk to eat? Without the right fuel for the fire, well, you’re never gonna make it. Hikers discuss their different food strategies, if hunger makes the best sauce, and what foods they just can’t stand anymore. We have special guests Dancemagic and Dr. Green Thumb. We also get introduced to our...

The thing about bodies is, you only get one. Our physical link with the trail is sometimes the weak one. On this podcast, we talk about our bodies as connection with the trail, dealing with pain, and tune in with Kimchi and Saina for another day in the life of thru-hikers. Some days the miles...

With 500 miles apiece under their belts, we check in with Kimchi and Saina to see what life is like as a thru-hiker. This episode is a snapshot of some ups and downs, both for our hikers and for our producer. First you go up, then you go down. And then back up again. This...