KEVIN GROOMAN aka SPACE JAM

Socked In, known off trail as Rebecca Sperry, was focused last year on her goal of Red-Lining, or Tracing, all the trails of The Whites within 12 months. And then in August, she received a breast cancer diagnosis and life as she knew it completely changed. In this episode, we talk about those months of diagnosis and early treatment, how hiking prepared her for cancer treatment and how cancer has taught her to stay present with everything in her life, coming home to the trails again and doing what makes you happy.

Prometheus & Not A Minor, known off trail as Andrew & Lora McIvor, arrived at Campo looking like two British tourists and walked into Manning State Park as pure Hiker Trash. The Pacific Crest Trail 2019 was quite a trip...quite THE trip. Missed miles due to circumstance led to a finish personifying the adage "Smiles over miles." In this episode, we relive the five days of trail magic, walking toward home, fathoming the scale of it & finishing those miles.

YardSale, known off trail as Ashley Manning, has been chasing adventure for a long time. Whether its white water raft guiding or hiking the AT, she's ready for it whether you think she should or not. In this episode, we talk about the importance of normalizing all body-types on the trail and how @UnlikelyHikers has helped, how her habit of dumping out her backpack led to her trail name, the early struggle to get on and stay on the trail and the difficulty of finding safety gear and apparel that fits.

Geeky Girl, known off trail as Michele Scott, got put through the wringer in 2019 on the PCT and wrote about the experience in her book "A 100 Mile Journey Plus A Few Extra". As you can probably guess, it didn't go quite according to plan. In this episode, we talk about the things you need to think about when you're 50 hiking the trail, the costs to everyone of the dream, the importance of remembering to be where you are, her changing relationship with the trail...and a few photobombing cats.

Emily On Trail, known off trail as Emily Ford, with her trusty companion Diggins just finished a winter hike on the Ice Age Trail. It started out as a way to get her hike on without leaving her job, but became so much bigger as people began to follow her journey. In this episode, we talk about that crazy, beautiful adventure, advice for any future Ice Age Trail winter hikers, the documentary being done about her hike called "Breaking Trail", and just how loud nature can be.

Space Jam, known off trail as Kevin Grooman, came to thru hiking from the side...a story he totally tells in this episode. He also fell in love just as he began the Triple Crown adventure, which greatly colored his entire journey. And even led him to hike the PCT with his partner, Sea Lion. In this episode, we talk the eternal struggle between earning money and living your best life, pro tips and hiker hacks, the dozen dip challenge, and the Appalachian Pine Mixer.

Money Maker, known off trail as Jonathan Maidment, has raised $250k through Hikes For a Cure for the Alpha-1 Foundation. Along the path to his Triple Crown he lost the trail many times, started way too early and even took a couple unwelcome helicopter rides. But he also grew up on the trail, learned to make hard decisions and trust his gut. In this episode, we dig into adulting trail style, why the PCT might be holding a grudge, showing that a slow guy can hike the AT, and the old adage "do as I say not as I do".

Sochi, known off trail as Megan Harmon, had a dream. To be the first above knee amputee to thru hike the Pacific Crest Trail. And for 600 miles in 2019 she was on target, until the desert heat and her "last nerve" made it impossible...This time! In this episode, we talk about the ways her prosthetic adjusts the nature of the hike, what she will do for pizza, rattlesnakes on trail, and the Uinta 2020 redemption hike.

Tails, known off trail as Daniel Vorster, came from South Africa to hike the PCT last year. Having started in mid-March, he was already on the trail when the lockdown happened. In this episode, we talk about how the experience of thru hiking changed because of the pandemic, from an easier time finding camp sites to the way he chose to share the experience on social media and along the way he regales me with a few trail stories and what was lost, and found during those 6 months and three days.

Tape, known off trail as Joshua Leung, is one half of the 2020 PCT duo from Hong Kong known as Duct Tape. He hit the PCT first in 2019, but ran afoul to a severe case of frostbite. Pledging to return, he came back in 2020 with his girlfriend, Duct ;), to get the job done. In this episode, we talk about wanting to do something totally unforgettable, visas, his severe frostbite adventure and mosquitos in his peanut butter.