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The Platinum Blazing Podcast

About RTK

The Podcast.

The Platinum Blazing Podcast was started as a way for Bruce “RTK” Matson to stay connected with and give back to the Appalachian Trail community by expanding upon the ideas behind the AT guidebook: Platinum Blazing the Appalachian Trail: How to Thru-hike in (5) 3-Star Luxury.

In doing so, Bruce hopes to introduce prospective thru-hikers (as well as the many others fascinated by the Appalachian Trail) to the surprising myriad of fascinating people, places, activities, and things that hikers can experience during a journey from Georgia to Maine. Yet, to enjoy the Best Platinum Breakfast or to take a zero at the Best Platinum Hostel or to absorb the Best Platinum Special AT Experience, you must first be aware of what the unique experience is as well as the how and the where (and maybe the when and the who) of actually capturing that experience. Making allowances for and taking in these numerous opportunities will lead to a more unique and greater life-changing adventure.

Many people who complete a thru-hike will offer that the “very best” or the “most important aspect” of the hike were “the people – the fellow thru-hikers” and they are; however, a big reason for this is the shared experiences thru-hikers have with each other. Many of the special Best Platinum experiences take on an oversized presence in your hike because you enjoy those experiences with other, fellow thru-hikers. Your individual experiences are shared experiences as well as the overall epic nature of the undertaking. Moreover, when your thru-hike is over, your experiences will also be seen as shared experiences with thru-hikers who came before you as well as those who completed a hike after you – because you all know what it is like to persevere through the rocks of Pennsylvania or your fourth day of cold rain and also because you know what it’s share a meal with Elmer, run into Miss Janet, enjoy a restful zero at Woods Hole or sit at the Pine Grove Furnace General Store and try to eat a half-gallon of ice cream.

Each episode will introduce information about historical, cultural, geographic, social, psychological, and other aspects of the Trail and the social and natural environment through which the Green Tunnel winds its way north – all of which will help frame your thru-hike in a way that will turn it into a platinum experience.

About Bruce (RTK).

After practicing law for almost 40 years Bruce “RTK” Matson retired to hike the Appalachian Trail in 2018. That thru-hike year is remembered mostly for a very cold, snowy early Spring in the southern Appalachians, the eight-member Crawford family that hiked the
entire AT as a family, and the establishment of the current supported speed record by Belgian dentist, Karel Sabbe (who RTK met in the 100-Mile Wilderness).

Prior to his AT thru-hike, Bruce hiked the Camino de Santiago (Spain), the Overland Track (Tasmania), and the Milford Track (New Zealand).

Prior to his AT thru-hike, Bruce wrote these books:

Subsequent to his AT thru-hike, Bruce wrote these books: