Dark Miles - The Permanent Tramily with Ben "Paladin" Cox

Jimmy Nichols lost two daughters to late-term stillbirth within a year. No medical explanation. Just the arrival at a hospital and the emptiness that followed, twice. He is a sommelier, a punk guitarist, a section hiker on the AT. He is also a man who spent a long time suppressing more anger and despair than anyone around him knew about. The trail didn’t fix it. But it equalized him. And then one day in a Georgia thunderstorm, down in a gully next to a spring, something happened that he hadn’t planned on. In this episode: Zoe and Hope — two daughters, one year, no answers The anger he hid from everyone, including Candace The lunch breaks crying in his car that nobody knew about What day hikes became, and why he signed up for eight days on the AT Two and a half days of rain, and a spring in a gully Two cardinals in a thunderstorm Captain Hook, a trekking pole, and a mile of cackling in the rain Sobriety: a sommelier, a punk band, and an ER room that changed everything The ten weeks Candace spent in the NICU to bring Fiona home Why the trail is still where he finds his peace Dark Miles is a narrative documentary series from Hiker Trash Radio — produced stories about the internal terrain of the outdoor experience. These are the miles that don’t show up on Strava. If you have lost a child, or anyone you loved too soon, Jimmy would like to hear from you. Reach out through Hiker Trash Radio and we will make sure he gets your message. Connect with Hiker Trash Radio: Website:  hikertrashradio.com Instagram:  instagram.com/hikertrashradio Apply to be a Dark Miles guest:  hikertrashradio.com/dark-miles Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

About the Guest Lori Balue is a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner and metabolic restoration practitioner based in Southern California. After a 25-year journey through chronic asthma, pre-diabetes, PCOS, food addiction, and 100 pounds of weight she couldn't keep off, Lori solved her own metabolism — at 60 — and built a practice helping others over 50 do the same. She is a half-marathon finisher, multi-time Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hiker, and regular summit hiker in the San Gabriels and Sierra Nevada. At 63, she is training for Mount Whitney. Episode Highlights The Humpty Dumpty Model Lori's working metaphor for what she does — and what the episode is about. You fill in all the cracks and put yourself back up on the wall so you can get moving again. It applies to her practice and to her own story: a body that was genuinely broken, rebuilt piece by piece over 25 years, now capable of things it couldn't do at 35. Vernal Falls — Then and Now In her 40s, Lori was 225 pounds with asthma, sinusitis, and bronchitis. She hiked Vernal Falls with her eight-year-old son — he ran up the steps while she could barely move, certain she was going to die on the staircase. Her allergist told her she would always be on an inhaler. She went back to Vernal Falls after losing the weight and curing the asthma. It was easy. The allergist was wrong. Why We Get Fat — And Why It's Not Willpower Nobody chooses to be overweight. The food environment is toxic by design. Ultra-processed foods are engineered to mimic the sensation of eating protein without delivering any — so the body never gets the signal to stop eating. Add chronically elevated insulin from a high-carbohydrate diet, undiagnosed food sensitivities that trigger depression and inflammation, and decades of low-fat dietary advice that stripped away the very macronutrients the body needs — and you get an epidemic that has nothing to do with personal failure. Lori's 25-Year Arc Raised in the San Gabriel Valley, the only one of seven siblings to struggle with weight. Atkins as a teenager — it worked, and her depression lifted with it. Then processed food addiction she couldn't name or overcome. Twenty pounds up, then more, then 225 pounds by her mid-30s. Nutrisystem. Starvation diets. The Wheat Belly. The HCG diet. Paleo. Finally keto — and the moment her brain turned back on. Functional diagnostic nutrition training. Her own diagnostic labs. The answer, 25 years in the making: wheat and dairy sensitivities driving depression, food addiction, and metabolic dysfunction. Fix the root cause and the weight comes off — and stays off. The Wake-Up Call Coming home from an outing with her eight-year-old son and hearing her husband ask, without looking up from the couch, when she was going to lose the weight. She got a book. Then another. Then 25 years of books. The husband didn't wait. They divorced while she was still figuring it out. She got there anyway. Trail Nutrition — What Dialed-In Actually Looks Like Lori's pre-hike morning protocol: mineral water with electrolytes and fulvic and humic minerals before anything else, followed by coffee with creatine, collagen, MCT oil, and Perfect Aminos. On the trail: fat snacks (almond butter with MCT oil, potassium, and sodium) for sustained energy, Ketone IQs for a lift on hard climbs, a keto brick for a full meal at the river, and LMNT electrolytes throughout. The single biggest mistake most hikers make: too much sugar, not enough fat and protein. Mitochondria run on fat. Feed them accordingly. The Grand Canyon as Measuring Stick Lori has returned to the Grand Canyon every year since 2016, when she descended to Phantom Ranch with excruciating knee pain on every step. Each visit she tracked her body's progress — strength, pain levels, altitude response. The rim-to-rim came when she was simply ready. Her most recent hike: a personal best on Bright Angel, five hours from the river to the rim, passing younger hikers who were struggling. She never sat down. The Mount Wilson Fatality Lori was hiking with a group at Mount Wilson when a member of her party — an experienced runner in excellent shape, headed soon for the Grand Canyon — stepped too close to an edge and fell. She was 30 minutes behind and arrived to find the aftermath. Her takeaway is practical and quietly devastating: it was not a bad decision. It was a complete fluke. Trail safety: approach narrow exposed sections front-to-back, not side by side. Never stand on edges. Life can happen in a flash. What 63-Year-Old Lori Says to 12-Year-Old Lori I would give her a hug. And just say — you're gonna be okay. We're gonna get through this. We're gonna make it. We're gonna survive. It's okay. I've got you. I've got you. Mount Whitney — What's Next Lori is on the wait list for a Mount Whitney permit and has been told to expect to go. Training with Mount Baldy. Planning a full day-trip push with a Meetup group. She's been studying the hiking guide. A little nervous — new territory. She'll do her best. Hiking Hack — Ketone IQ and Perfect Aminos On her most recent Bright Angel climb, three to four Ketone IQs on the ascent gave Lori what she calls a magical lift — she was moving past people half her age without effort. Perfect Aminos, taken daily for two years, have produced measurable year-over-year strength gains. Stronger legs. Better overall capacity. Both are coming to Whitney. Trail Wisdom — Age Is Not the Variable Don't let age be a defining moment. If hiking feels harder than it should, it's not because you're old — it's because your metabolism is dysfunctional and that's fixable. Prioritize protein. Build muscle. Correct the root cause. Your body functions the way it's designed to when you give it what it actually needs. The trail gets easier. The summit gets closer. Links & Resources Lori Balue — Website: https://www.loribalue.com Lori Balue — YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@loribalue Dr. William Davis — The Wheat Belly and Gut Solution books. Defiant Health podcast. Cardiologist and functional nutrition advocate. Lori's top reading recommendation for anyone over 50 concerned about metabolic health, cholesterol, or weight. Gary Taubes — Why We Get Fat. The science behind low-carb nutrition and insulin response. Ketone IQ — Exogenous ketone supplement. Lori's trail fuel for hard climbs. Perfect Aminos — Free-form amino acid supplement. Daily use for two years has produced measurable strength gains. Keto Brick — 1,000-calorie ketogenic meal brick. Lori's Grand Canyon lunch at the river. Salt Soleil / LMNT — Electrolyte supplements used in Lori's hydration protocol. Southern California Trails from Lori Mount Baden-Powell — Lori's favorite local trail. Starts around 6,000 feet, climbs to approximately 9,400 feet. Forested, sustained elevation, highly recommended. Mount Wilson — First ascent recently completed. Requires stops and pacing. Trail exposure at the summit — stay back from edges. Mount Baldy — Current Whitney training target. Notorious for winter fatalities — technical conditions require appropriate gear and experience. Check conditions before you go. Rocky Peak — 17-mile trail, approximately 3,000 feet of gain, completed in about six hours. Towsley Canyon — Local warm-up. Five miles, accessible, good for dialed-in training days. Grand Canyon — Bright Angel Trail — Lori's favorite Grand Canyon trail and personal best venue. Five hours from the river to the South Rim on the most recent descent. Connect with Hiker Trash Radio Email: mailto:[email protected] Social: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok — search Hiker Trash Radio. 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The Barkley: A Love Story concludes. This is the episode the series has been building toward. We hear from the finishers: the 26 people in 40 years who have completed five loops in 60 hours. Jared Campbell, four-time finisher, on what the race selects for in a person. John Kelly, who grew up across the road from Frozen Head State Park and calls the Barkley his home course. Ihor Verys, who didn't like running six years before he finished first. John Fegyveresi, who applied from Antarctica and held the slowest known time for over a decade. And then . . . Jasmine Paris. In her own words. The veterinarian and mother of two who wore patched shoes and a borrowed bag, who touched the yellow gate with 99 seconds to spare, and became the first woman in Barkley history to finish. Part three of three. The payoff. Guests Featured Jasmine Paris — first female finisher of the Barkley Marathons Jared Campbell — four-time Barkley finisher John Kelly — four-time Barkley finisher Aurelien Sanchez — 2023 Barkley finisher, first non-American finisher since 1995 Ihor Verys ("Eeyore") — 2024 Barkley first-place finisher John Fegyveresi ("Lakewood") — 2012 Barkley finisher, former slowest known time holder Finn Melanson — Single Track Podcast, eyewitness to Jasmine's 2024 finish Jacob Zocherman — photographer of the iconic Jasmine Paris finish image Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author, speaker, and Triple Triple Crowner Heather Anderson joins Doc for some studio time to talk about her new book, Farther. Settle in and buckle ups as Heather discusses her 2018 CYTC (the basis for Farther), spills on the AZT, bad life choices, heavy ass packs, the North Cascades, dumpster-adjacent campsites, blacklisted foods, interesting uses for Pringle cans, killer bees, mountain lions, life phases, and simply refusing to quit. Epic. (This is Part II. Be sure to listen to Part I.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author, speaker, and Triple Triple Crowner Heather Anderson joins Doc for some studio time to talk about her new book, Farther. Settle in and buckle ups as Heather discusses her 2018 CYTC (the basis for Farther), spills on the AZT, bad life choices, heavy ass packs, the North Cascades, dumpster-adjacent campsites, blacklisted foods, interesting uses for Pringle cans, killer bees, mountain lions, life phases, and simply refusing to quit. Epic. (This is Part I. Be sure to listen to Part II.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode Overview: Doc welcomes back Jared "Fisherman" Lampal for his first official on-trail check-in. Standing right on the border looking into Colorado, Jared has checked the massive milestone of New Mexico off his list. In this raw look at life on the Divide, Jared breaks down how his structured mindset translates to the unpredictable backcountry, the reality of desert water management, and what it’s like to shift from a desk job to full-time trail life. Key Discussion Points: The New Mexico Milestone: Jared reflects on spending over a month completing his first state section, contrasting the massive scale of the CDT against the AT. The "Corridor" Philosophy: Embracing advice from a veteran Triple Crowner, Jared explains his route approach—treating the CDT as a continuous corridor from Mexico to Canada while taking scenic dirt alternates rather than sticking strictly to a red line on a road. Trail Highlights: A look at the standout beauty of the river-crossing canyon of the Gila alternate and the wind-worn sandstone mesas between Grants and Cuba. The Crowded CDT: Why Jared was surprised by how social the bubble is this season, including a heavy trail town gathering in Chama. Horrendous Water Realities: A deep dive into the brutal water logistics of New Mexico, from relying heavily on 20-mile cache carries and cow troughs to a sketchy, desperate camp session beside a murky, cow-poop-ringed pond. Looking Ahead to Colorado: Transitioning from the high desert directly into peak country and high-altitude climbs. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ben Cox has never really hiked alone. He carries a permanent tramily with him — his grandfather, who died when Ben was 15 and left him a specific rifle and a saddle because Ben was his cowboy grandchild. The girl in West Texas who passed that same summer. The others who came after. At 26, after a relationship ended and a work situation resolved itself, Ben bought a plane ticket to San Diego and hiked 2,650 miles north on the Pacific Crest Trail. He didn’t know a single soul when he started. He went anyway. This is the story of what he was carrying, what the trail asked of him, and what he found on a Tuesday in Ocean City, Maryland when it was all over. In this episode: The year Ben was 15 — two losses, one summer, and a campus in the Smokies that changed everything Alone in the crowd — 50 to 80 hours a week in public service and still somehow by yourself Three weeks from the breakup to the southern terminus The night the tramily fell apart and his grandfather arrived Freezing to death in his underwear in the Sierras — poles in hand, looking for a flat-ish spot What post-trail depression actually feels like when the trail is gone A banana milkshake, a tub of fries, and a woman reading a book on a Tuesday Dark Miles is a narrative documentary series from Hiker Trash Radio — produced stories about the internal terrain of the outdoor experience. These are the miles that don’t show up on Strava. Connect with Hiker Trash Radio: Website:  hikertrashradio.com Instagram:  instagram.com/hikertrashradio Apply to be a Dark Miles guest:  hikertrashradio.com/dark-miles Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

About the Guest Heather Anderson is a Michigan-born long-distance hiker, author, speaker, and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. She has completed the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail three times each, making her one of very few triple-triple crowners in history. In 2018 she completed all three in a single calendar year: 7,900+ miles in eight months. She has held multiple fastest known time records on long trails, including an unsupported FKT on the 800-mile Arizona Trail completed in 24 days and one hour. She hosts the Fastest Known Time podcast and is the author of three books: Thirst; Mud, Rocks, Blazes; and Farther. Farther — The Book Farther chronicles Heather's 2018 calendar year Triple Crown. It is written entirely from memory — no trail journal, no notes — eight years after the hike. Heather says she doesn't work from outlines; she writes the way she hikes: the structure comes from the journey itself. The emotional core of the book is the tension between accomplishment and self-doubt — the experience of having done a great deal and still not knowing if you can do the next thing — and the way that walking, repeated across years and phases of a life, becomes both a constant and a mirror.   The Books Farther by Heather Anderson — memoir of the 2018 calendar year Triple Crown. Available now. Mud, Rocks, Blazes — Heather's memoir of her AT speed record. Thirst — Heather's memoir of her PCT speed record. Heather's Media Recommendation A Fabulous Through Hike by Derek Lugo — a newly released account of Lugo's CDT through-hike. One of very few books written about the Continental Divide Trail. Heather's recommendation. (Note: Derek Lugo has appeared on Hiker Trash Radio — see also his first book, The Unlikely Through Hiker, about his AT hike.) Links & Resources Heather Anderson — Website: https://www.wordsfromthewild.net Heather Anderson — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wordsfromthewild Fastest Known Time Podcast (hosted by Heather): https://fastestknowntime.com/podcast Chippewa Watershed Conservancy: https://www.chippewa watershed.org Farther (order): https://www.wordsfromthewild.net Upcoming Appearances Appalachian Trail Days — Heather speaking on the calendar year Triple Crown and Farther. AT Trail Festival near Harpers Ferry, Loudon, Virginia — June 5th. Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan — September (TBD). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Barkley: A Love Story continues. In Episode Two, we go to Frozen Head State Park. This episode is anchored by audio captured live at the 2025 Barkley Marathons: the conch blow, Laz's pre-race speech, the reading of the names of those no longer with us, taps, and the lighting of the cigarette. You hear the race begin. Then you hear what happens to the people who go out into those woods. We hear from runners who trained for years and came up short. From crew members who waited at the gate for 16 hours with no information. From a Swedish war photographer who recovered from PTSD by running trails at night and found himself crying at the Barkley finish line in 2024. And at the end, a name. 99 seconds to spare. More on her in Episode Three. Part two of three. Guests Featured Finn Melanson — Single Track Podcast, 2024 Barkley media Jacob Zocherman — Swedish war photographer and photojournalist, 2024 Barkley Damian Hall — British ultra runner, 3× Barkley competitor Multiple 2025 Barkley runners and crew members including Kelly Halpin, Richard Shannon (first Zambian to run the Barkley), Ben Wernick, Chris Fisher, Dena Carr, Tomo Ihara, and more Jamil Coury — race director and Barkley competitor Mike Wardian — marathoner, Barkley competitor John Kelly — four-time Barkley finisher Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Triple Crowner and creator of the Great Colorado Route Donovan "Iceman" Rice joins Doc in the studio to talk about his love letter to Colorado, the 1,700-mile route through the heart of the Colorado outdoors. Settle in and buckle up as Iceman discusses frozen tents, seasonal gigs, overcoming addiction, only known times, mutual enablers, cold soaking, 400k feet of elevation gain, the gnarly & sporty GCR, and a hitch story you have to hear to believe. Epic. (This is Part II. Be sure to listen to Part I.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.