Hikes and Mics Podcast

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🧀 From the AT to the PCT: Tramily, Trail Grit & Life Off the Beaten Path with Pimento 🥾🌄
What does it actually mean to find your people on trail — and what happens when the trail ends and real life begins?
In this episode of Hikes & Mics, we sit down with Jacob, better known as Pimento — a thru-hiker from Indiana who's hiked the Appalachian Trail, the Arizona Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail alongside one of the most tight-knit tramilies you'll ever hear about.
We trace Jacob's unlikely entry into long-distance hiking and follow his journey from the 2021 AT to the PCT — where injuries, separation from his crew through the Sierras, and an emotional reunion at Cascade Locks tested his grit. We also explore the Arizona Trail's wild contrasts, from super bloom valleys to snow-packed approaches to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
But this conversation goes well beyond the trail. Jacob is a former whitewater rafting guide on West Virginia's New River Gorge, a woodworker who hand-crafts his own paddles, a skoolie builder, and a maple syrup producer who taps 275 trees each season on the family farm — the force behind Hoosier Sugar Daddy.
🎧 Whether you're a thru-hiker, a tramily loyalist, or someone who just wants to hear what it sounds like when adventure becomes a way of life — this one's for you.
Episode Links:
Jacob on Instagram
Hoosier Sugar Daddy Website

This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys
Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics
AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.
Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!
Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)
Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists
Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

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🚨 Survival Starts Before the Trail: Wilderness Safety & Smart Preparation with Dr. Rob Scanlon 🥾💧
What actually gets hikers into trouble on the trail — and more importantly, what keeps them alive?
In this episode of Hikes & Mics, we’re joined by Dr. Rob Scanlon — physician, backpacker, and author of Surviving the Trail: Five Essential Skills to Prepare Every Hiker for Adventure’s Most Common Perils. With more than two decades of trail experience and a career in critical care medicine, Dr. Rob brings a rare and eye-opening perspective on the realities behind hiking accidents, rescues, and preventable emergencies.
Rather than focusing on dramatic survival stories, Dr. Rob makes a powerful case for something far less glamorous — but far more important: preparation. We dive deep into the five critical variables every hiker must understand to stay safe in the backcountry: dehydration, body temperature regulation, falling, drowning, and getting lost.
Throughout the conversation, Dr. Rob breaks down the subtle warning signs hikers often miss, the compounding risks of small mistakes, and why even experienced adventurers frequently underestimate hazards like weather shifts, navigation errors, and stream crossings. We explore the psychology of fear versus preparedness, the life-saving value of analog navigation skills, and how wilderness medicine reshapes decision-making under stress.
🎒 Whether you’re new to hiking or planning bigger objectives, this episode is packed with practical, potentially life-saving insights — because the goal isn’t just reaching the destination, it’s making it home safely.
Episode Links:
Dr. Rob Scanlon on Instagram
Buy Surviving the Trail on Amazon
This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys
Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics
AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.
Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!
Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)
Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists
Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send a text
🎻 Creativity, Courage & Kula Cloth: Finding Joy in the Wild with Anastasia Allison 🏔️✨
In this special milestone episode of Hikes & Mics, we’re joined by Anastasia Allison — founder of Kula Cloth, outdoor educator, former Washington State Park Ranger, professional violinist, and one half of The Musical Mountaineers. This conversation also marks a first for the podcast as our official video episode, now available on our YouTube channel alongside the audio release.
Anastasia shares her deeply personal journey into the outdoors, reflecting on how hiking became a refuge during childhood bullying and how a life-changing road trip through the western national parks set the trajectory for her career. From her years serving as a law enforcement ranger on the Olympic Peninsula to serenading campers with her violin, Anastasia reveals how creativity, curiosity, and connection shaped her unconventional path.
We dive into the unforgettable origin story of Kula Cloth — sparked by a memorable (and hilarious) Mount Baker mishap — and explore the fears, risks, and mindset shifts that led her to build one of the most recognizable pieces of Leave No Trace gear in the outdoor world. Anastasia also opens up about entrepreneurship, personal growth, and redefining confidence both on trail and in life.
The conversation expands into The Musical Mountaineers, her viral project blending mountaineering, classical music, and breathtaking summit performances, along with powerful reflections on backpacking confidence, outdoor hygiene, presence, joy, and her now-legendary daily dance experiment.
🎧 Equal parts inspiring, thought-provoking, and wildly entertaining, this episode is a celebration of creativity, courage, and finding joy in unexpected places.
Episode Links:
Anastasia on Instagram
The Musical Mountaineers on Instagram
Kula Cloth on Instagram
The Kula Diaries on Substack
Kula Cloth Website
Kula Cloth on YouTube
This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys
Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics
AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.
Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!
Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)
Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists
Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send a text
❤️ Love on the Long Trail: Thru-Hiking, Partnership & Shared Miles with Melanie & Dave 🥾✨
In this special Valentine’s Day Week episode of Hikes & Mics, we’re joined by Melanie (Poppi) and Dave (La Bamba), a thru-hiking couple whose love story unfolded one step at a time across some of North America’s most iconic long trails. From the Pacific Crest Trail to the Colorado Trail, Arizona Trail, and beyond, their relationship has been shaped by shared miles, hard-earned lessons, and a deep love for life on trail.
Melanie returns to the podcast alongside Dave, making his first appearance, as they share how they met on the PCT, built a friendship through trail miles, and eventually took a leap of faith that turned into a powerful partnership—both on and off the trail. They reflect on hiking through record snow years, flipping sections, reuniting unexpectedly in Washington, and tagging Canada together in a full-circle moment that still feels surreal.
This conversation dives deep into what it’s really like to thru-hike as a couple—from navigating independence while hiking together to supporting each other through injuries and setbacks (including a tough season on the AZT). Melanie and Dave open up about learning to communicate through stress and exhaustion, and why trust, flexibility, and patience matter just as much as mileage and gear.
We also share unforgettable trail moments—sunrise on Mount Whitney, spotting a rare Gila monster on the Arizona Trail, moose encounters on the Colorado Trail, and the magic of the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier. The episode closes with thoughtful advice for couples planning their first backpacking trip together and reflections on what keeps their shared adventures—and their relationship—strong.
🎧 Whether you’re a thru-hiker, a backpacking couple, or someone who simply loves a good trail love story, this episode is a reminder that some of the best journeys are the ones you share. Love still wins. 💛
Episode Links:
Melanie on Instagram
Dave on Instagram
This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys
Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics
AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.
Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!
Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)
Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists
Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Send a text
🌿 Belonging on the Trail: Motherhood, Healing & Community with Alexandrie 🥾🤍
In this powerful and deeply grounding episode of Hikes & Mics, we’re joined by Alexandrie, founder and organizer of Black Hikers Explore, for a conversation about how hiking, motherhood, and community-building can come together to create spaces of healing, belonging, and joy in the outdoors.
Born and raised in Haiti, Alexandrie shares how her earliest experiences in nature were rooted not in recreation, but in survival—a foundation that shaped her relationship with the outdoors long before she ever stepped onto a marked trail. After moving to the U.S. and rediscovering hiking in New York and New Jersey, she began to notice a familiar absence on the trail: people who looked like her. That realization became the spark behind Black Hikers Explore, a community centered on representation, accessibility, and culturally aware outdoor experiences.
We dive into how Alexandrie intentionally designs beginner-friendly, inclusive hikes—from pre-hike circle introductions and realistic mileage planning to prioritizing connection over pace, metrics, or gear culture. She breaks down the real barriers many BIPOC communities face in outdoor spaces, including representation gaps, safety concerns, cost of gear, and access, and shares tangible ways she helps people move past those hurdles and feel confident showing up on trail.
A central thread of this conversation is motherhood and mental health. Alexandrie speaks candidly about navigating postpartum anxiety and depression, and how daily time in nature—sometimes just 30 minutes near water or trees—became essential to her healing, emotional regulation, and sense of self. She also shares why she brings her children everywhere, from hiking Mount Tammany to biking, canoeing, surfing, and even camel trekking through the Sahara Desert, where her toddlers famously fell asleep mid-ride.
🎧 This episode is a powerful reminder that the outdoors doesn’t have to be intimidating or exclusive—it can be a place of care, culture, and coming home to yourself.
Episode Links:
Follow on Instagram @blackhikersexplore
Black Hikers Explore Website
This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys
Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics
AllTrails+
I'm excited to share that I’m now a Trailheads Ambassador for AllTrails+! If you love exploring the outdoors, AllTrails+ is your ultimate adventure companion. Get offline maps, real-time wrong-turn alerts, and trail previews to help you hike smarter and safer. Plus, with 3D maps and deeper trail insights, planning your next trek has never been easier.
Try AllTrails+ free for 7 days, and when you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get 30% off your AllTrails+ membership!
Sign up here: AllTrails+ (promo is only redeemable via web and not the app)
Ursa Minor Outfitters - Inspired by the outdoors, Created by local artists
Go check them at www.ursaminoroutfitters.com and don’t forget to enter the promo code HikesMics10 at checkout to receive 10% off your order.