In this first episode, Bruce and Steve discuss the origins of Bruce's desire to hike the trail and why it has stayed on his bucket list for over 40 years. We learn a little of Bruce's back story, and Steve finds out that he has quite a rich history of sport throughout his life, having run marathons and hiked the Camino, in Spain.

We're hoping to make our show as interactive as possible, with Bruce open to questions–and advice!! You can email him at rtkchallenge@gmail.com. You can find out a whole lot more about Bruce and his adventure at his website, https://returningtokatahdin.com. Please sign up for his newsletter when you visit the page. 

We're also so grateful to have the support of Trailtopia as our title sponsor for both this show and Mighty Blue on the Appalachian Trail. Not only are Trailtopia generously sponsoring our shows, they are also offering two packs of their awesome hiker meals to a lucky winner each and every show. All you have to do is email Steve at steve@mightyblueontheat.com with the question you'd most like to ask Bruce as he prepares for and sets out on his journey. If you'd like to see the wide range of delicious products available to hikers, head over to Trailtopia's website.

Next week, we'll be talking with Bruce about the decisions he has already made for his hike. Why NOBO and why February?

This week, Bruce and Steve talk about two of the most fundamental decisions for all hikers. Which direction do I want to go and, once that is resolved, when do I wish to leave.

Bruce has some thoughful answers to these questions and shows that his preparation has been thorough and logical. He considered a SOBO hike and a flip flop, yet he'll be taking the most-travelled path–from Springer Mountain in Georgia and ending half a year later at Mt Katahdin in Maine.

He even validates his choice of late February as a start date, much to Steve's bemusement.

Please join us again next week, when we discuss the theme of the title of the show: Returning to Katahdin.

If you're intrigued by Trailtopia and their adventure food, head on over to their website, Trailtopia.com, and see what they have to offer. Don't forget that you can win a couple of their delicious meals–every week–by sending me questions for Bruce. Believe me, no question is out of bounds. You can email me at steve@mightyblueontheat.com, or you can go directly to Bruce about the show or anything to do with his hike at rtkchallenge@gmail.com.

If you'd like to learn even more about Bruce's hike and his great efforts to support the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, visit his website, ReturningtoKatahdin.com.

This week, Bruce and Steve talk about why Bruce chose the name Returning to Katahdin and the theme that it represents. He also explains how his trail name came about. He gets reflective about taking the trail on at this time in his life and the further opportunities he'll have on the trail to simply think. Bruce even talks through the possibility that he's in love with the idea of the hike as opposed to the hike itself, believing that by returning to Katahdin he'll discover what his dream was all about.

A listener, Ryan Carr, came up with a question that asked Bruce to draw upon his Camino experience and the anticipated cultural differences between the two hikes.

If you'd like to learn more about Bruce and his hike, as well as about his goal of raising money for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, visit his website, ReturningToKatahdin.com. While you're online, why not also check out the site of our great sponsor, Trailtopia.