Mighty Blue On The Appalachian Trail: The Ultimate Mid-Life Crisis

Episode #560 - Days 87-90 Appalachian Trail 2026

This week has given me several days of slackpacking, with generous listeners helping me out so freely. I couldn't have been more humbled to have been helped in this way.

Along the way, I ran into a friend from 2019, Robbie, as well as his hiking partner, Starr. Also, one of my slackpacking friends, Steve, shared the story of his AT attempt a couple of years ago.

I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos …

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Episode #560 - Days 87-90 Appalachian Trail 2026

560

July 13, 2026

Episode #560 - Days 87-90 Appalachian Trail 2026

This week has given me several days of slackpacking, with generous listeners helping me out so freely. I couldn't have been more humbled to have been helped in this way. Along the way, I ran into a friend from 2019, Robbie, as well as his hiking partner, Starr. Also, one of my slackpacking friends, Steve, shared the story of his AT attempt a couple of years ago. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well as photos of

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Episode #559 - Days 84-86 Appalachian Trail 2026

559

July 9, 2026

Episode #559 - Days 84-86 Appalachian Trail 2026

After the heat of last week, the temperatures have fallen and rain is starting to wash out the air. I've continued to put in the miles, including another 20-mile day that enabled me to get out of Pennsylvania. As a wise man once said, Pennsylvania sucks, but the people are great. Along the way, I managed to interview an incredibly shy Marley Joy, who headed up a group of wonderful Amish women to give us trail magic at the Lookout Hostel. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year

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Episode #558 - Days 80-83 Appalachian Trail 2026

558

July 6, 2026

Episode #558 - Days 80-83 Appalachian Trail 2026

Our sweltering weather hit us hard this week, with a couple of days above 100°. Despite the searing heat, I've been able to maintain my mileage goals. The rocks have slowed me, though Pennsylvania hasn't been as bad as I recalled-fortunately!! Along the way, I chatted with Tig (Travis is good) about his thru-hike, as well as Bern, or Yardsale from the wonderful Lookout Hostel. Unfortunately, I forgot to take Bern's picture. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd lik

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Episode #557 - Day 77-79 Appalachian Trail 2026

557

July 2, 2026

Episode #557 - Day 77-79 Appalachian Trail 2026

We're facing a tough week or two of excessive heat, with this week the fiercest so far. With temperatures up in the late 90s and early 100s, I have to take this seriously. I've had to curtail my mileage but I still hope to walk sufficent miles to keep up my average. This week, I caught up with a young lady named Zoo as well as the owner of the Stay at Swatara hostel, Eric. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress between episodes, as well a

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Episode #556 - Days 73-76 Appalachian Trail 2026

556

June 29, 2026

Episode #556 - Days 73-76 Appalachian Trail 2026

The miles continue to pile up, with a twenty-mile day this week. It's true that the terrain is particularly conducive to twenty-mile plus days, yet I've been surprised at the speed at which I've been able to get back into the hike. I was only able to get one interview with other hikers these past few days; my old friend Bounce Da Hiker, who I met on my 2019 thru-hike. It was terrific to catch up with him. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my prog

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Episode #555 - Days 70-72 Appalachian Trail 2026

555

June 25, 2026

Episode #555 - Days 70-72 Appalachian Trail 2026

I've been upping the mileage this week and am back to the levels I was achieving prior to my shin splints. I know, I need to be careful, but it is clear that I don't lose my "legs" during my enforced stoppage. This week, I ran into several new faces as well as some old faces. I interviewed Dennis the shuttle driver, Paddle and Lucky Charms after their successful Four State Challenge, and Nuke, who just started his flip flop a week ago from Harper's Ferry. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT t

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Episode #554 - Days 66-69 Appalachian Trail 2026

554

June 22, 2026

Episode #554 - Days 66-69 Appalachian Trail 2026

At last, I'm back on trail, choosing Harper's Ferry as my start point to launch my hike to get to Katahdin before October. These first few days back on trail have been testing, as I knew they would be, but I've been pleasantly surprised at how well my body has switched back into hike mode, given the three weeks I've been back home. This week, I only managed to interview one other hiker, Breadcrumbs, who gave me an insightful conversation. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this ye

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Episode #553 - Back to the trail and lessons learned

553

June 18, 2026

Episode #553 - Back to the trail and lessons learned

This is a bit of a transition episode for the podcast. I wanted to talk about going back to the trail this week, but there isn't a great deal to say about it that I haven't already said. So this week I sat down and recorded a few reflections on what I've learned in forests and on mountains over the past twelve years. It's a little bit rough and ready, and I did it with the barest of notes, but I hope that several of the things I talk about resonate with one or two of you. I'm using Polarsteps

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About the Host

Steve Adams (Mighty Blue)

Author / Podcaster / Speaker

I'm Steve Adams, or Mighty Blue, and I'm the MOST unlikely hiker you could imagine. I spent more than 40 years in the insurance business, in London, Bermuda, New York, and Florida. I sold my insurance business in 2013 to prepare an Appalachian Trail thru-hike, something I'd had at the #1 spot on my Bucket List for years. To my great surprise–and the shock of many of my friends–I did it, summitting Katahdin just over six months after I'd set out.
Eventually, after plenty of stopping and starting, I managed to complete my AT book(s) and started this podcast. More than five years in, we've published nearly 300 episodes of the podcast.
In 2018, my niece and I completed the Camino de Santiago in Spain, then in 2019 I went on my second successful AT thru-hike.