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

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 progre

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Episode #556 - Days 73-76 Appalachian Trail 2026

556

June 29, 2026

Episode #556 - Days 73-76 Appalachian Trail 2026

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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 thr

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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 year.

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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 to

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552

June 11, 2026

Episode #552 - Greg Fisher (Dolphin)

Today, Greg Fisher takes us back to the Appalachian Trail in the 1960s, when he and two other 16-year-olds took a 17-day hike on the trail in New Hampshire, taking in the awesome Franconia Ridge along the way. For Greg, that led to a more than 50 year love of the trail that continues to this day. He shares his stories with Steve as he looks back on that long history, returning to it earlier this year when he reunited with his hiking buddy, Doc, for the first time in over 20 years. Also today, St

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Episode #551 - Steve Adams (Mighty Blue) - A.T. 2026 debrief

551

June 4, 2026

Episode #551 - Steve Adams (Mighty Blue) - A.T. 2026 debrief

As I did before when I finished the Appalachian Trail in 2019, I got a friend of mine, Glenn Hebert, from the Horse Radio Network, to debrief me following my decision to leave the trail last Thursday. It never feels good to report upon something which you’ve been unable to complete but, as you’ll hear, I have a plan!! My disappointment at not finishing what I set out to do has been tempered somewhat; first, because I was able to complete 5,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail, and second, because

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Episode #550 - Days 63-65 Appalachian Trail 2026

550

May 28, 2026

Episode #550 - Days 63-65 Appalachian Trail 2026

A whole bunch of zeroes as I try to recover from the recent injury to my leg. I've been patient and rested my leg, but the arrival of new Oboz shoes to replicate as closely as possible the sole of my previous boots, puts me close to returning to trail this coming Thursday. Bring it on! Along the way, I managed to grab conversations with Dumb Enough, Grateful, and Blarney Fife at Weary Feet Hostel. I'm using Polarsteps to record my AT thru-hike this year. If you'd like to follow my progress betwe

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Episode #549 - Days 59-62 Appalachian Trail 2026

549

May 25, 2026

Episode #549 - Days 59-62 Appalachian Trail 2026

A bit of a critical week to recap today, with an injury that landed me in the Emergency Room in Pearisburg. I'm currently off trail but working on getting back to trail in the coming days. Wish me well!! I also found time to chat with a couple of guys I've met on trail; Big John and Baloo. 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 my journey, please go to https://www.polarsteps.com/mightyblue and click on

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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.