Episode #470 - Nick Thatcher (Hotfoot)

Our main guest today is Nick Thatcher, who I found when he posted an epic Katahdin summit picture on Facebook. I hoped there would be more to his story than a December summit, so I reached out to him. He shared a story of determination and drive, culminating in that epic picture on the top of Katahdin.

Nick made some intelligent choices for his hike that should inspire others in their own quest to fulfill an Appalachian Trail thru-hike. His calm demeanor will impress you.

You can follow him on social media at Instagram (@realnickthatch), as well as his blog for the Trek at Nick Thatcher, Author at The Trek .

Our book reading, Happy Hiking, by my friend, Emily Leonard is–of course–written from a woman’s POV and a woman’s voice. I hope you enjoy listening to my reading of it. If you’d like to buy the book, you can find it on Amazon at Happy Hiking: Falling in love on the Appalachian Trail, or on Emily’s website, at Happy Hiking.

Our new sponsor for the New Year is TSX Challenge, who turn one week into inspiration for a lifetime. And I should know. Chris at TSX told me he could get me to the top of Mt Whitney…and he did. Check out their incredible group hikes at TSX Challenge - Guided Backpacking Trips to Mt. Whitney, Grand Canyon & Beyond, and save 10% at checkout by using the code MIGHTYBLUE.

I used my hike earlier this year on the South West Coast Path in the UK to help raise money for my absolute favorite charity, Parenting Matters, on whose board I’ve been privileged to serve for over a decade. You can learn more about the hike and the organization–and donate–by visiting .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}