Trail Talk

In this special "Morning Hike" episode of Trail Talk, Mr. Mielke takes you on a pre-dawn journey to Mount Phillips at Philmont Scout Ranch, where planning, vision, and trust led to a once-in-a-lifetime sunrise. Through real trail experiences and thoughtful reflection, we explore why leadership — like catching the sunrise — requires intentionality, patience, and readiness. Sometimes you trust what you can see. Sometimes yo...

On this episode of Trail Talk – Leading the Scouting Adventure, we climb higher—literally and metaphorically—as we follow Crew 712-C on their 2021 Philmont trek toward the Tooth of Time. What begins as a straightforward route turns into a winding journey of detours, delays, unexpected challenges, and ultimately, deep reward. Along the way, Mr. Mielke reflects on the power of switchbacks—not just on the trail, but in leadership and ...

In this "Gear-Focused" episode of Trail Talk, Mr. Mielke takes listeners on a behind-the-scenes look at the essential gear he tested, toted, and trusted on the trail to Philmont—known in hiking circles as “The Big Three”: backpack, sleeping system, and shelter. But this isn’t just about zippers and straps. It’s a metaphor for leadership.

What "Gear" do you carry as a leader? What tools do you test, trust, and ref...

In this reflective episode of Trail Talk – Leading the Scouting Adventure, Mr. Mielke shares the story of a simple $6 broomstick purchased at a Cub Scout summer camp—and how, over time, it transformed into a powerful symbol of leadership, growth, and legacy. From that first campout with his son Gavin, the stick collected not only medallions and memories, but life lessons that echo far beyond the trail.

Through storytelling and thoug...

In this reflective solo episode, Mr. Mielke takes us off the formal leadership trail for a bit—and down a quieter path through memory, tradition, and choice.

We start in a high school English classroom with the legendary Mr. Kasper, whose red pen, Socratic questions, and respect for his students left a lifelong impression. We hear a familiar poem—Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”—and begin to unpack its meaning through the lens o...

Sometimes, the trail gives you more than you expected. In this Cache episode of Trail Talk, Mr. Mielke opens the lid on three symbolic “caches” from his Scouting journey—small treasures left behind or discovered along the way that now serve as leadership tools, legacy builders, and quiet reminders of purpose.

🪙 The Coin – A simple summer camp challenge coin becomes a daily reminder to “Do a Good Turn,” quietly flipped in a pocket w...

Before any leadership course, before any trek at Philmont, sometimes the best lessons start on the trail.

In this special From the Trail episode, Mr. Mielke shares a reflective journal-style account of a three-day shakedown hike along Brent’s Trail in the Loess Hills of western Iowa.

With Crew 712-C preparing for Philmont, this trip tested gear, teamwork, and grit—with plenty of steep climbs, wrong turns, campsite stories, and leade...