In this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Tamra Neblett-Hemmila, a 28-year-old long distance backpacker from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Tamra also happens to be black, Latina and Muslim; she was quite visible on the CDT this past season, practicing her faith by wearing a sport hijab on trail. If she seemed “uncommon” on the trail, her story is universal to hikers.

Blissful Hiker covers how Tamra practiced her faith on trail, trail magic on the CDT, and the emotions and practicalities of quitting a long distance trail.

Garage Grown Gear discount code: Use code “distance10” to save 10% at garagegrowngear.com. 

Gossamer Gear discount code: Use code “walkingdistance” to save 15% off your cart at GossamerGear.com.

Interview with Tamra Neblett-Hemilla

2:48 - Where was your winter shakedown hike for the CDT and what was it like?

3:54 - You mentioned your husband Eli, and we actually met through him. He mentioned his wife was hiking the CDT alone; why did you go alone and how did that effect your relationship dynamic?

5:34 - Did you take a Garmin In-Reach and check in with Eli that way?

6:00 - So you’re in contact every day, but you’re still alone out there. And the CDT is probably the most difficult long trail in the U.S.; why did you start there?

6:49 - Do you have a trail name? And how did you get the name?

8:00 - Did you make your own meals for yourself before you jumped into the trail?

8:35 - I did see a recipe on your Facebook, a tuna hot dish. So Minnesota! What’s in it?

9:12 - So, Tamra, you are black, Latina, and Muslim. Did you meet many people that looked like you on trail?

9:58 - So you did wear a hijab, a sport hijab on trail. I’m curious about that, where did you get yours?

10:30 - For those of us who aren’t knowledgeable, what is the purpose and importance of the hijab in the Muslim faith?

11:33 - How did your hijab fit on your head and how did it feel?

12:10 - What else did you wear on your hike?

12:42 - Do you think there are misconceptions about Muslim women being athletic? Did you find in your faith that there’s a resistance to women being athletic or being alone in the outdoors?

14:31 - What were the reactions from people you met and other hikers? 

16:00 - So you mentioned timing your breaks for prayer every day. Did you take a prayer rug? And did you need to orient yourself towards Mecca every time?

16:43 - I’m curious about how it felt to pray every day outdoors; did you feel like it was more intentional or more intense for you?

19:42 - I wanted to go back to your hike experience and what your favorite parts were. What was your experience of New Mexico?

21:37- You mentioned the Gila River, and I believe that’s where you met someone who I met on the PCT, Crazy Eyes? And he offered you this type of trail magic that only happens from one hiker to another, what was that like?

In this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Tom Smith, a professor of wildlife sciences at Brigham Young University in Utah. Initially Smith’s research specialities included bighorn sheep and caribou, but when he began working at Katmai National Park in Southwest Alaska, he shifted to studying the most common animal there: bears. In the last 20 years, Smith has conducted research in Alaska, India, and in bear country in the lower 48 states. 

Blissful Hiker covers why it’s important to have bear deterrent, rules of thumb about making noise while on the trail, methods to bear-proof a campsite, and explains what conventional bear wisdom still holds true.

Garage Grown Gear discount code: Use code “distance10” to save 10% at garagegrowngear.com. 

Gossamer Gear discount code: Use code “walkingdistance” to save 15% off your cart at GossamerGear.com.

Interview with Tom Smith

2:00 - Introduction to ‘bear country’ and Tom Smith

3:42 - What are your thoughts on Timothy Treadwell, and his involvement in Katmai National Park with bear environmentalism?

5:12 - Our podcast is for hikers and backpackers, and to help people feel safe and capable outdoors. One thing you’ve already mentioned is bear deterrent, so could you break down what bear spray is and how to use it best?

9:00 - I’ve read articles about people spraying bear spray around their tent, which is definitely not the correct use. Is there data on that?

12:00 - Does bear spray train bears to stay away from humans? Is there any data that bears might associate the pain of bear spray with humans if they experience it?

12:50 - I’m a bit embarrassed to share this story, but last July I was in Glacier National Park, and I hiked alone at dawn in bear country. I didn’t see any bears, but I was playing with fire, wouldn’t you say?

17:22 - Glacier rangers told me that bears are curious, and that bear bells and some other noises like singing might actually attract them. What do you know about that?

19:32 - People who go on long distance trails, for instance I was on the Continental Divide Trail, often hike alone. I wonder if there’s a rule of thumb about making noise if you’re alone and you want to ward bears off?

22:24 - You said something really interesting, that in Yellowstone or Glacier the bears are more aggressive than on the coastline of Alaska, for instance. Why is that?

26:53 - We’ve spoken a lot about food storage on Walking Distance, from cooking and eating away from where you camp, using a bear can, and pack away smelly items. But you’ve mentioned other things that aren’t as obvious, such as not using very smelly shampoo, and that gas canisters can attract bears.

33:47 - Let’s shift to bear encounters; as you’ve said, most bears are risk averse, and they don’t want to fight with us. But in the rare instance that a bear is charging you, what do you do?

36:50 - How do you bear-proof a campsite?

39:40 - Would you even use your bear-proofing methods in Montana?

41:40 - The most s

In this episode of Walking Distance presented by The Trek and hosted by Blissful Hiker (Alison Young), we are joined by Cindy Ross, a Triple-Crowner, writer, artist and speaker, and Travis Johnston, a Triple-Crowner and veteran. Cindy Ross has authored books about her own adventures on the trail, but her newest, Walking Toward Peace, highlights 25 veterans and their stories of the trail. Cindy and her husband run a nonprofit called River House PA that helps veterans suffering from trauma. Travis is a veteran who became a Triple-Crowner after serving in Afghanistan, starting with hiking the Appalachian Trail in the memory of Zach Adamson, his friend and assistant gunner.

Blissful Hiker covers the stories of veterans in Cindy’s book Walking Toward Peace, Travis’s experience hiking as a veteran, and how healing the outdoors can be.

Garage Grown Gear discount code: Use code “distance10” to save 10% at garagegrowngear.com. 

Gossamer Gear discount code: Use code “walkingdistance” to save 15% off your cart at GossamerGear.com.

Interview with Cindy Ross

1:38 - Background on Cindy Ross

2:50 - How did you get started in working with veterans outdoors?

3:57 - How did you go about chronicling the stories of these veterans?

4:45 - Was trusting each other an issue?

6:40 - You introduce several ideas in the book Walking Toward Peace, from veterans about hyper-engagement while walking trails in particular. Can you talk about that?

8:20 - In the book you introduce us one by one to these people using the trails, and one person is Earl Shaffer, the first person to hike the AT, who made mindfulness a thing before it was a thing. One thing you talk about that I found interesting, is that people go outdoors to heal and accept the past, not to forget.

9:50 - I also found Eileen’s story interesting in your book. She didn’t need to get away from her combat experience necessarily, she needed to recreate the sense of being focused and purposeful. I found that surprising, that she needed the trail for some type of reason to be.

11:17 - I know I’ve quoted you saying that “the puzzle pieces don’t fit coming back,” as after doing two thru-hikes, I know I’ve felt very strange coming home, like everything else has stayed the same, but you’ve changed.

11:38 - You bring up the idea that nature instills awe in us, in a manner that disallows arrogance and entitlement. Do you think that kind of awe helps vets who are suffering from PTSD or guilt?

13:19 - How have the vets changed you and your attitude towards trails?

Interview with Travis Johnston

17:45 - Background on Travis Johnston

18:26 - Can you talk about Zach Adamson?

21:33 - You said there are differences between military veterans and thru-hikers, in what ways?

22:30 - Would you say it was the people you met that led you to hike the Appalachian Trail y