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On today’s episode, I go for a hike in the Catskills, with local artist and ceramicist extraordinaire, Cheyenne Mallo. Cheyenne and her partner Zac handmake functional pottery such as mugs, bowls and dishes that feature topographic map-imagery of mountains, hiking trails and rivers out of their home studio. I’ve been a big fan of Cheyenne’s style ever since I first laid eyes on one of her mugs back in 2017. As someone who is drawn to all things hiking maps and coffee-drinking, I certainly fall right into her target market, and have been happily adding her pieces to my kitchen cabinets ever since. My fan-girling got a major boost last summer, when I got to chat with her in person at an event in the Catskills and find out just how much she beams with mid-western friendliness.    During this conversation we talk about her love for hiking and her connection to her surroundings, her artistic process, the importance of residency programs in the arts, as well as some of the challenges and joys of being a small business owner. It was a true pleasure to head out for a walk alongside Cheyenne in the very landscape that inspires her art!Discount Links: Anjali’s Cup Turmeric Blends — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKE” for 15% off your cart at anjaliscup.comGossamer Gear — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Check out GG’s amazing backpack lineup here:Mariposa (60-Liter)Gorilla (50-Liter)G4-20 (42-Liter)Kumo 36 (36-Liter)Cheyenne Mallo can be found at:@cheynnemallo on InstagramCheyenne Mallo Pottery websiteCheyenne Mallo on ETSY Other info:Ashokan Quarry Trail info from Catskill Mtn. Club Olive Library – Ashokan Reservoir Photo CollectionMap of land taken for Dam – From Olive Library CollectionPeakFinder AppNYNJTC Maps – New York New Jersey Trail Conference NEW! Get yer Girl Gotta Hike hats here!

On this episode, I get a chance to catch up with my good friend and regular Podcast guest, Kelley “NoSeeUm” Blosser, at the halfway point of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail! Kelley’s been making her way north from the Mexican border toward the Canadian one for the last few months, and now by the time this episode is airing, she’s almost halfway through Washington State and nearly finished already!  During our conversation she talks about what it’s like to finally be on a journey that was over two years in the making. We chat about how her pre-conceived notions of what she thought the experience would be like stack up to what it’s actually like to be out there and doing it, day after day after day. She talks about the different types of topography she’s traversed, how her body is holding up and how she’s adapted what she’s carried (and what she’s eaten) to fit the demands of the terrain.  While I was lucky enough to tag along for the first 100 miles of Kelley’s trip, I was not able to head back to California to interview her in person for this episode. Instead, I caught up with her over zoom, while she was on a rare night off in a hotel with good wifi! Useful links: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Check out GG’s amazing pack lineup here:Mariposa (60-Liter)Gorilla (50-Liter)G4-20 (42-Liter)Kumo 36 (36-Liter)Kelley "NoSeeUm" Blosser can be found at:@kkbgotgame on instagramFind more info about the PCT:Pacific Crest Trail AssociationNEW! Get yer Girl Gotta Hike hats here! 

Hello and welcome to Episode 23!This episode sounds a bit different than usual, because I’m the one who’s answering questions, while guest host Alexandra Kenin is the one asking them! Alexandra is the founder of Urban Hiker SF, an urban hiking tour company in San Francisco and author of two guidebooks, Urban Trails: San Francisco, and Urban Trails: East Bay. She is super passionate about getting out and exploring cities by foot, and she also happens to be a big fan of Girl Gotta Hike! Well I’m a big fan of hers too – in fact I interviewed her back on Episode 9 of this podcast – so when she proposed the idea of interviewing me during a recent visit to Brooklyn, though I was a bit nervous, I just couldn’t say no!When I started this podcast, I assumed that my listeners would mostly consist of those who get to come out for a hike with me in person. On trail, I’m often answering questions about how I got into guiding and sharing snippets of my thru-hiking adventures, so my podcast goal was to talk less about me and highlight other women who are rockin’ their outdoor passions instead! But it turns out that so many of you listeners, and especially those that are new, come from locations that are much further afield than my New York City-based circle, and until Alexandra pointed it out to me, it hadn’t really occurred to me that you might want to learn some of the history and details about how I got into the outdoors too!  So many thanks to her for the invite, and I hope you enjoy our walk and talk together in Prospect Park!Useful links: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Check out GG’s amazing pack lineup here:Mariposa (60-Liter)Gorilla (50-Liter)G4-20 (42-Liter)Kumo 36 (36-Liter)  Melissa "Click" Goodwin can be found at:Girl Gotta Hike - Website@girlgottahike - InstagramFacebook -  @GirlGottaHikeGuest Host Alexandra Kenin can be found at:@urbanhikersf  - Instagram Urban Hiker SF - Website Facebook - @UrbanHikerSFTwitter - @UrbanHikerSFTrip Advisor - Urban Hiker SF - Day Tours Urban Trails: San Francisco - guidebook to the trails of San Francisco Urban Trails: East Bay - guidebook to the trails of Oakland, Berkeley, Freemont, & more! 

On this episode I go for a walk in Pine Hill with Alex McClain, a Catskills 3500 peak completionist, Long Path End-to-Ender and outdoor apparel designer. Alex’s outdoor adventures began as a child, hiking and camping with family in her home state of Indiana, but it wasn’t until she moved to New York City to pursue a career in fashion design, that she began to notice how spending time in the outdoors became essential for both her mental health, and her creativity.  Like many carless New Yorkers, Alex utilized regional public transit to get her out of the city and into the woods and soon found herself hiking even further upstate, summiting all the Catskill 3500 peaks and section hiking all 357-miles of New York State’s Long Path.  Throughout our conversation, you’ll hear how Alex managed to fit all of this adventuring into some very short weekends, how spending so much time on trail inspired her to become a trail maintainer, and how getting furloughed during the pandemic, actually allowed for her to land a dream job as a sock-designer for Darn Tough! We also go deep on what it takes to make a good sock and how wearing what you love can play a key role in your enjoyment of the outdoors. Useful links: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Link here to check out GG’s Vagabond Jet Backpack   @regretlessred on Instagram Darn Tough - the best hiking socks! Catskill 3500 Club - Stewards of the Catskills NYNJTC - New York New Jersey Trail Conference Hoosier Hill - Indiana’s High Point!

On today’s episode I head up to East Harlem for a chat with Jasmine Guadalupe, founder of The Hood Hikers, a hiking and outdoor adventure company based right here in NYC! The Hood Hikers creates a safe space in nature for all Black and Brown folks, regardless of gender, income bracket or any other divider. While everyone is welcome on her hikes, the Black and Brown experience is at the core, allowing participants to enjoy the outdoors on their own terms.    A self-described “Bronx-bred, 80s baby of Puerto Rican descent,” Jasmine was blessed with being able to escape the bustle of the big city as a kid, spending many summers upstate, exploring the woods of her grandparent’s property in central New York. Fast forward through law school and a demanding schedule as a litigation attorney, she was re-introduced to her love of hiking in April 2020, during the early days of the pandemic. Those first outdoor adventures were so therapeutic for her, she knew she needed to help her fellow city-dwellers overcome the obstacles of getting out into nature too, so she got her Guide License and boom, The Hood Hikers was born.   Through the magic of social media (and having some hikers in common), we’d been following each other for a while, but this was Jasmine and my first meeting IRL!  And while we were gonna go out for a walk together, the weather proved inhospitable, so we simply switched gears and recorded at Jasmine’s apartment instead. Thankfully, one thing us New York based guides know how to do well is pivot! Useful links: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Link here to check out GG’s Vagabond Jet Backpack   The Hood Hikers - website @thehoodhikers on Instagram @thehoodhikers on TikTok @thehoodhikers on Twitter @thehoodhikers on Facebook @thehoodhikers on YouTube The Hood Hikers video / Timberland All For Nature Nature For All

Guess what y’all? This is the 20th episode of Girl Gotta Hike the Podcast, whoop – whoop! It seems like with every new episode and every new interview, this podcast actually inspires me to want to get outside and adventure more, and I hope that it’s been doing the same for you!   On this landmark episode, I go for a day hike in Denver with long-distance backpacker, author, fellow podcaster, and fellow New York State native, Juliana Chauncey, trail name, Chaunce. Many of you may recognize Juliana’s voice as the co-host of Backpacker Radio, the crème-de-la-crème of backpacking podcasts. Juliana’s been hosting BPR alongside my long-time trail buddy, Zack “Badger” Davis, ever since its inception, 4 years ago. But she’s been a part of the greater theTrek.co family for even longer, when, in 2017, she became the popular backpacking website’s first vlogging contributor during her Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike.    Post PCT, Juliana’s gone on to traverse the Appalachian Trail, the Colorado Trail, and the John Muir Trail, among others, and has kept herself busy in non-hiking-seasons by editing videos, writing a guidebook, raising Harper, (her cutie-pie Australian Shepherd), and oh yeah, keeping down a 9 to 5.    Throughout the episode, we talk about how she got interested in the outdoors to begin with, what brought her to Denver, how she wrote her book, “Hiking From Home: A Long Distance Hiking Guide for Family and Friends,” at a Starbucks in just one month, and a new podcast project she’s got coming our way, which, let me tell you, sounds like it’s going to be nothing short of  amazing!   Useful links: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Link here to check out GG’s Vagabond Jet Backpack   @juliana_chauncey on Instagram @juliana_chauncey on TikTok Hiking From Home: A Long Distance Hiking Guide for Family and Friends on Amazon Backpacker Radio theTrek.co William F. Hayden Park on Green Mountain, Lakewood, CO

Melissa recently had the absolute honor of guiding Liz Forkel on a 5-day backpacking trip. Liz is a personal trainer, fitness coach and owner of LizFit, a fitness center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Nearly seven days a week, she helps her clients find their way to a fitter and healthier lifestyle by leading them in small group classes, personal training sessions and nutrition consultations. She works side by side with them to help raise their confidence and reach their fitness goals, but like many small business owners and busy entrepreneurs, it’s rare for her to be able to take some time out for herself.   Liz has had thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail as an item on her bucket list for nearly 30 years now, and with a milestone birthday approaching next June, she has decided that 2022 is her time to attempt it! But setting aside your actual business and only form of income for a 6-month trip on trail isn’t a decision made lightly. While she is starting with a base fitness level that is unparalleled, and has every intent on success, she’d done no actual backpacking up until a few weeks ago, so she knew she needed to seek out a trusted source to help show her the ropes. A google search gratefully brought her to Girl Gotta Hike, and after a couple of zoom planning sessions, Melissa was stoked that Liz decided to choose GGH to be her guide. We spent 5 days and 52-miles together from New York to Massachusetts, hiking the entire Connecticut section of the Appalachian Trail.   What follows is their post-hike convo. They started recording just after they reached the Mass border in order to catch her in the moment – feeling accomplished and proud but not too far removed from their 5 days and 4 nights, (some of them rainy and cold), out there. Liz is super insightful about her time on trail, and at almost 60 years old, proves that there’s no time like the present to fufill a dream!   SHOWNOTES AND USEFUL LINKS:Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Link here to check out GG’s Vagabond Jet Backpack LizFit – Instagram LizFit - Website Appalachian Trail Conservancy AMC - Connecticut Chapter

Melissa first met Kate Rhodes, a fellow backpacker and NYS Licensed Outdoor Guide, where she’s met so many other amazing women – out on trail! They both happened to be camping out at the same lean-to on the same night along the Northville Placid Trail in the Adirondacks when Melissa first heard word of but a few of Kate’s many amazing outdoor endeavors — but she’s so humble, it was her hiking companions who were the ones to hype her up! At the time, Kate was training for an upcoming attempt at snagging the unsupported record for the Fastest Known Time for traversing all 46 of the Adirondack peaks over 4,000 feet in one fell swoop — and in this episode you’ll get to hear all about the planning logistics and training for that, as well as her subsequent FKT pursuits. But that’s just the tip of her awesomeness iceberg!   Kate’s an Adirondack 46’er, President of Adirondack Mountain Rescue, a non-profit Wilderness Search and Rescue team, an Outdoor Guide working with multiple Adirondack-based guiding services, and co-owner of the gluten, dairy, soy & refined sugar-free TogaNola Snack Company -- all while holding down a 9 to 5 as an Industrial Hygienist, and is absolutely crushing it at her latest pursuit - ultra-running.   You’ll get to hear all about Kate’s journey from growing up as an inside kid to becoming an outdoor badass, how inspiring other women and young girls helps to keep her going, and about the important role the outdoors play in her own mental health and well-being.   A brief note to listeners – around an hour and 9 minutes into this episode, there is talk about the suicide of a close family member of Kate’s. That event is one of the driving forces behind her current endeavors and the reason she helps raise money for organizations such as 46 Climbs and The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.    If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741741.     Shownotes and Useful Links:Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Link here to check out GG’s The One and The Two ultralight backpacking tents! Kate Rhodes – Instagram TogaNola Snack Company – Instagram TogaNola Snack Company – Web Adirondack Mountain Rescue 46Climbs American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Shawangunk Ridge Trail Run Fastest Known Time Hennig Preserve, Saratoga County, New York Adirondack 46ers

Whoo-hoo! Episode 17 (aka the first of the Slackpack Series) is an entire episode dedicated to doling out some down and dirty of advice from four female thru-hikers, who love nothing more than discovering the joys of getting deeper into the backcountry. During an impromptu trek through Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, GGH host Melissa “Click” Goodwin, and her semi-regular podcast guests and trail besties, Emma “Sprout” Hileman, Lauren “Woodchuck” de la Vega and Kelley “NoSeeUm” Blosser, all discuss some of the finer (and funnier) points of what comes up on a long-distance backpacking trip. To keep the conversation from going totally of the rails, a 10-minute timer per topic was set as the ladies took off toward Melissa’s apartment. As it goes with any good on-trail conversation with friends, their topics did ebb and flow a bit, but they still managed to cover a lot of ground on our short walk including descriptions of some on-trail lingo, recalling some special seasonal moments on our adventures, tips for trip planning and must haves for meals-- and all with a ton of laughs.    Slackpacking: Hiking a day’s worth of mileage (or more) on a long-distance trail pursuit, but without the burden of a fully loaded backpack. Heavy gear can be left in the custody of others, in order for the thru-hiker’s body to have a bit of a break from the usual grind. In the podcast sense – a fun and lighthearted episode with friends!  SHOWNOTES / USEFUL LINKS: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Link here to check out GG’s Gorilla 50 ultralight backpack! Appalachian Trail Pacific Crest Trail Continental Divide Trail Arizona Trail John Muir Trail The Long Trail Northville Placid Trail Cholula Hot Sauce

Girl Gotta Hike the Podcast has reached episode Sweet Sixteen, which is not only super exciting, but an amazing coincidence, since the featured guests happen to both be sixteen years old and reign from Melissa’s hometown of Rochester, New York! Kahmil Monk-George and Amanda Torres are both Junior Urban Ecologists with The Seneca Park Zoo Society’s Rochester Urban Ecology Program, a paid workforce development program for junior and senior high schoolers. Back in April, during their high school Spring Break, they joined Melissa for a walk and talk on a crisp Spring morning in Seneca Park, home to the Seneca Park Zoo, and home base for their program. Amanda and Kahmil talked about their experience as Junior Urban Ecologists, their involvement with the Urban Ecology Program, and its four-part mission to reflect on the relationship between humans and the environment around them, encourage community engagement in the outdoors, develop a sense of stewardship for the natural spaces within the city, and to prepare themselves for future job opportunities.    Spending quality time in the outdoors has had a huge impact on these two young humans, most especially during these tough pandemic times, which are often overloaded with Zoom calls and remote learning. Connecting with each other and the natural world around them, in a safe and socially distant way, has proven to be their saving grace for such stressful times, and their enthusiasm for bringing their fellow teens and younger kids along for the ride is infectious.   Melissa was first connected to these amazing young women by their program manager, Chris Widmaier, through the recently founded New York Outdoor Recreation Coalition, which consists of a diverse membership  organizations, and advocacy groups, working to ensure equal access to outdoor recreation in New York State. Thanks so much to Amanda and Kahmil for taking time out of their High School Spring Break to hang out and go for a walk with Girl Gotta Hike! Best wishes to you both on an awesome Senior Year and beyond! SHOW NOTES / USEFUL LINKS:   Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Link here to check out GG’s The One and The Two ultralight backpacking tents!   Rochester Urban Ecologists - website RocUrbanEcologists - Instagram Program Coordinator, Chris Widmaier Rochester’s Summer of Opportunity Program City of Rochester - Rec Centers Seneca Park Zoo Seneca Park Highland Park Cobbs Hill Park & Washington Grove Genesee Valley Park New York Outdoor Recreation Coalition

Episode 15 features the insightful and engaging Melodie Mendez, outdoors advocate, public relations specialist, NYC Chapter Leader of Latino Outdoors, and all around lovely human being! Mel(odie), a Harlem-resident and NYC native, takes Mel(issa), a once suburbanite now Brooklynite, on a meandering walk all around the beautiful North Woods and Ravine in Manhattan’s Central Park.    Throughout their walk, they talk about all-things diversity, equity, and inclusion and how to work toward a better future at both the individual level and in broader society. Melodie is super passionate about lifting-up and representing her Latinx community and other marginalized populations in the outdoors space, and talks about why that matters, especially now in a post-pandemic world.   Mel and Mel also get to geek out a bit on the Appalachian Trail, some NYC fun facts, and some of the extra challenges it takes to be an outdoorsy New Yorker. Please excuse their occasional running out of breath while walking and talking up of some of Harlem’s most notorious hills – they managed to give each other grace throughout and have a bunch of laughs – so here’s hoping you enjoy their walk too!   SHOW NOTES / USEFUL LINKS:   Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for a 1-time, 15% off discount on all core products at GossamerGear.com   Latino Outdoors New York City Chapter – Facebook Latino Outdoors New York City Chapter – Instagram Latino Outdoors National Organization - WebsiteiNaturalist — app and website Central Park ZogSports   Reclama / Cindy Ramirez – Instagram Melanin Base Camp – Instagram All Colors in Nature – Instagram New York Outdoor Recreation Coalition Lenape Nation Yonkers Running Project – Instagram Boogie Down Bronx Runners – Instagram Harlem Run – Instagram

Episode 14 is all about the incredible and amazing Eco Artist, Mariah Reading of the great state of Maine! Back in February, Melissa headed north, where the two of them set out on not one, but two amazing adventures in one day – first an icy 5-mile walk and talk around Long Pond in Acadia National Park, over on the quiet side Mount Desert Island, and second, a minutes-long Wim Hof inspired dip in the frigid Atlantic Ocean. Yes, really! On the walk we learn all about Mariah’s experiences painting lansdcapes on found trash as artist in residence at Zion, Denali and Acadia National Parks and while visiting other amazing and far-flung places like Antarctica! The appreciation she gained for Nature’s beauty while being immersed within these parks creating art, has now inspired her to work at a greater capacity within the National Park System as an Interpretive Park Ranger. In this role she teaches park visitors about the local ecology, geology and the vast cultural history of the indigenous peoples of each specific place. As an Eco Artist, Mariah is dedicated to being as zero waste as possible, and over the course of their hike, we learn a ton about Mariah’s process of making her beautiful work, as well as the multitudes of creative ways she reuses and repurposes materials to create them with.  This episode has it all, including some hot tips on cold water swimming, and tons and tons of geologic facts about Maine. So dive on in, it’s a fun one!SHOW NOTES / USEFUL LINKS: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for a 1-time, 15% off discount on all core products at GossamerGear.com Where to find Mariah Reading: Instagram Mariah Reading Art – website Facebook Indigenous Peoples: Wabanaki Confederacy Passamaquoddy Mescalero Apache Tribe  State and National Parks: Acadia National Park Baxter State Park Catalina Island Conservancy Denali National Park Nature Bridge  Guadaloupe National Park Voyageurs National Park Yosemite National Park  Other Artists & references: Heidi Annalise – Altoid Tin Artist The Acadia Family Center Lou Bolin – body painter Jenny Browne – Texas Poet Laureate Cold Tits Warm Hearts Celia Garland – Artist, Naturalist, Storyteller from Antarctica Hudson River Artists  Alexa Meade – body painter Windover Art Center Wim Hof Sean Yoro – LA based, Hawaiian born artist, also known as Hula

GGH the podcast episode 13 is here! Lucky 13, whoop whoop! And my oh my, this episode is chock full of hiking advice and all of it about thru-hiking — yaaaaay! As long time listeners may already know, host Melissa "Click"! Goodwin thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2011 and it was on that trail, where the first seeds for what would eventually become Girl Gotta Hike were planted. The connections she made and the camaraderie she felt with her fellow hikers was so joyous and so incredible — she’s grateful that it has extended well beyond that one trip. The notion of a taking off on a long trek or a journey of self-discovery, enabled by one’s own feet, is something so palpable to so many people, but not many know where to start. So back in December Melissa put out a request to her Girl Gotta Hike followers on Instagram to “Ask a Lady Thru-hiker” anything, and they replied with some amazing questions about logistics, safety on trail, gear and about how to keep on keepin’ on when you’re tired and sore, which is something we could all benefit from, especially after the year we just endured.   To help Melissa answer everything and bring some west coast hiking perspective into the mix, she invited over good friends and fellow Brooklynites, Lauren “Woodchuck” de la Vega and Kelley “NoSeeUm” Blosser. Having thru hiked both the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, Lauren has nearly 5000 trail miles under her feet to date, and Kelley, a regular on the Girl Gotta Hike roster, has recently re-discovered her love for backpacking. She’s also an aspiring PCT thru-hiker so she came armed with a list of questions of her own.   They talk a ton of trail and tell some hilarious tales for more than 3 hours, so best listening practices would be to pop in your earbuds and take this episode out on a walk with you or to grab a favorite beverage or three, kick back, relax and laugh along with the ladies. SHOW NOTES / USEFUL LINKS: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for a 1-time 15% off discount on all core products at  GossamerGear.com Lauren “Woodchuck” instagram Lauren’s Thru-hiker blog posts on The Trek Kelley “NoSeeUm” Blosser instagram Kelley’s post about a trip on the Arizona Trail

In Episode 12, Melissa talks with fellow Brooklynites and hike leaders, Avalou Baptiste and Claydona Dennie, who have been nurturing a growing love of the outdoors within their Caribbean community through their group TriStateHikers. About five years ago, Ava founded TriState as a way to gather together with her fellow Vincentians, (natives of St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and others of the local Caribbean diaspora as a healthy way to escape from and bring to light to the mental health struggles that so many in her community deal with, but which often gone unspoken or become stigmatized.   In just a few short years, Ava’s hikes have gone from occasional gatherings in nearby Prospect Park in Brooklyn, to weekly hikes, exploring trails as far north as the Catskills and throughout the Tri State Region. Her enthusiasm, curiosity and joy around spending time in nature is infectious, and in the summer of 2020, Claydona, along with many others looking for some respite from the COVID pandemic, was inspired by her to hit the trails too. Major thanks to Avalou and Claydona for being so willing and open to dig down deep about the importance of inclusion in our outdoor realms both on the internet and on trail. These conversations, while sometimes difficult to start, are so important to have and to continue to have, especially when we are really just at the beginning of (I hope) major systemic and social change as a result of the Black Lives Matter movement.         SHOW NOTES / USEFUL LINKS: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GirlGottaHikeGossamer” for a 1-time 15% off discount on all core products at  GossamerGear.com TriState Hikers  email TriState Hikers  Instagram HIKE For Mental Health website Nanni Health Food Store & Vegan Restaurant in Brooklyn, NY  Instagram

On episode 11, Melissa talks with fellow Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, photographer, writer, farmer and good friend, Sarah Jones Decker, also known as “Harvest.” Sarah’s new book, The Appalachian Trail: Backcountry Shelters, Lean-tos, and Huts was published earlier this year by Rizzoli, which highlights all of the shelters on the entire Appalachian trail with beautiful photography and facts, and to which Melissa contributed over 40 images.  If you’ve spent any overnight in the woods along the AT or elsewhere on the east coast, then you’ve probably come across a lean-to or two which are 3-sided structures with pitched roofs, set up in the backcountry to give hikers a place to rest or shelter from a storm.   If you’ve listened to this podcast in the past, you may recognize Harvest’s voice from Girl Gotta Hike The Podcast, Episode 1. You may also know that Melissa loves the way ideas get sparked and conversations flow when hiking alongside someone. But due to this year’s travel restrictions and the fact that Sarah lives in North Carolina, an in-person recording seemed almost impossible. Instead of settling for sitting still though, Melissa decided to experiment and send Sarah a microphone and recorder so they could continue to walk together while chatting on the phone.  The result? A super fun and insightful conversation about photography, the artistic process, the trials of taking photos while backpacking and the tenacity it took to dedicate over two years of her life to photograph all of the 270-plus shelters along the Appalachian Trail for her 10 year thru-hiking Trailversary. They also take a deep dive in to the history of backcountry shelters and the multitude of trail clubs that build and maintain them, as well as the looney logistics of what she calls “shelter-bagging.” We hope their conversation gets you inspired to head out into the woods and onto the AT yourself, or at least to head over to Sarah’s website, sarahjonesdecker.com, where as a special treat for Girl Gotta Hike listeners, she has graciously offered 10% off all purchases of books, prints and posters by using the code “GGH” at checkout.   Useful links: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GirlGottaHikeGossamer” for a 1-time 15% off discount on all core products at GossamerGear.com Sarah Decker Jones  website — use code “Girl Gotta Hike” for 10% off all orders Root Bottom Farm  Instagram  AT Symbol Poster Bernd and Hilla Becher

Episode 10!!! On this episode, Melissa goes for a walk in nearby Forest Park in Queens, with New York’s own Patty “Boom Boom” Alcivar, professional boxer, Emergency Medical Technician, Spanish Language interpreter, running coach and personal trainer, who is on a mission to be the first Latina from New York City to successfully summit the highest peaks on each of the seven continents, a challenge known as the “7 Summits.” Just a couple of years into this goal, and Patty has already successfully summited 3 — Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua and Mt. Elbrus! Long before Patty found peace and joy in high altitude mountaineering, she found solace in more basic athletic pursuits as an escape from a challenging home life. She began with martial arts, but it was running that really allowed her to escape her thoughts and focus on the present. She credits long-distance running for giving her the courage to leave her abusive home and strike out on her own at the age of 15. With support and encouragement from some top names at The New York Road Runners, she ran her first marathon at 16, she started boxing not long after, and she hasn’t stopped her training or pursuing her goals since. Now at the age of 37, she’s racked up 30 marathons, two Golden Glove Titles, been voted “Athlete of the Year” by the US Olympic Boxing Committee, and has her sights set on the Seven Summits, the most challenging to be Mount Everest. The through line to all of her pursuits is that she is dead-set on her goals and crystal clarity about the purpose in life — to be a good human being, to give back to her community and to be a role model to those that need positive influence. Her mission is called Climbing for a Dream and her aim is to start a foundation that inspires. How does she do it?! She Does. Not. Let. Anything. Stand. In. Her. Way. — For real. Full stop. Throughout the episode, Patty talks with Melissa about what keeps her going, her training regimen, why she doesn’t hit the snooze button and some of the challenges that exist in the pursuit of the Seven Summits — like training for 30,000 feet while living at sea-level. A few minutes of listening to her and your seemingly impossible goals will suddenly feel well within reach. Patty’s is a truly inspiring story— and it’s far from over.  For a daily dose of inspiration, be sure to follow her Instagram feeds, @climbingforadream and @pattyboxer12, or read more about her history and her pursuits on her website, Climbing For a Dream. If you’re super inspired after hearing the episode and you want to help Patty reach all 7 Summits, then be sure to head over to her GoFundMe page and send her some love (in the form of financial support!)Useful links: Climbing for a Dream website Climbing for a Dream Instagram  Patty “Boom Boom” Alcivar Instagram Patty “Boom Boom” Alcivar Facebook Climbing for a Dream Go Fund Me Gossamer Gear — use code “GirlGottaHikeGossamer” for a 1-time 15% off discount on all core products at GossamerGear.com

On episode 9, Melissa takes you with her to San Francisco, California where she goes for a hike inside the city with West Coast hiking guide and kindred spirit, Alexandra Kenin, founder of Urban Hiker SF, an urban hiking tour company and author of two incredible guidebooks, Urban Trails San Francisco and Urban Trails East Bay. Since 2012, Alexandra has been helping visitors and locals alike explore the stairways, hills and hiking trails of beautiful San Francisco.  Melissa caught up with Alexandra at a coffee shop in the Glen Park neighborhood of San Francisco and from there they went on a hike up Glen Canyon Park, over Twin Peaks and down to the Mission. You’ll hear them ooh and ahh over some iconic and inspiring views and when Melissa’s not gasping for air on the uphills, you’ll learn all about some San Francisco history, find out what led Alexandra to her love of hiking, what it takes to write a guide book, and what it’s like to be a tour guide. If you like learning about how others are pursuing their passions, if you’re a fan of San Fran or even if you’d like to just visit there one day, then you’ll love this episode.   Whether you live on the east coast, the west, or somewhere in between, hyper-local hiking is where it’s at right now! As travel restrictions remain in effect across many regions of the world due to the omnipresence of Coronavirus, take some tips from Alexandra and go for a hike right in your own city! But the next time you find yourself in San Francisco, I cannot recommend going on a hike with Alexandra and Urban Hiker SF enough! In the interim, I encourage you to live vicariously through her Instagram feed @urbanhikersf, which is full of cityscapes, secret stairway views, and beautiful California wildflowers. You can even plan those Bay Area hikes ahead of time, by picking up a copy of one or both her books, Urban Trails San Francisco and Urban Trails East Bay. Useful links:  Urban Hiker SF website  Urban Hiker SF Instagram  Urban Trails San Francisco: Coastal Bluffs/ The Presidio/ Hilltop Parks & Stairways book by Alexandra Kenin  Urban Trails East Bay:  Oakland/ Berkeley / Fremont / Richmond book by Alexandra Kenin  “A 17-Mile Hike to Unite San Francisco” by Nellie Bowles, The New York Times, November 18th, 2019 – article about the Crosstown Trail and Bob Siegel  Charles Sowers, artist “Solar Totems”

In part two of a two-part special, you’ll be transported to The High Line in NYC for a virtual walk with Brooke Mellen, a Forest Therapy guide and founder of Cultured Forest, an Art and Nature connection company here in New York City. Brooke promotes wellness in the outdoors by leading guided mindfulness walks where she introduces participants to the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, also known as Forest Bathing, a taking-in of the forest atmosphere. Forest Bathing requires that you slow down and focus in on connecting with nature, not just passing through it as a means to get to a destination. On this episode, you’ll travel along on an audio journey of sorts where you’ll get to hear what it’s like to actually be on a shinrin-yoku walk with her. Back in early March, just before New York City went into social isolation mode to help combat the spread of Covid-19, Brooke took Melissa on a one-mile guided mindfulness walk on The High Line, the elevated greenway built on a former railway on the west side of Manhattan. The High Line has been transformed from a forgotten about space slated for demolition, to a lovely outdoor space, full of art, design and nature, not to mention one of NYC’s most popular public outdoor destinations, (especially on a budding spring day). The episode starts us off by leaving Brooke’s apartment in a busy high rise mid-town neighborhood, full of construction noises and stress and when it ends, we’ll be feeling relaxed and in touch with the sounds of birdsong amongst the birch trees down in the historic meatpacking district at the south end of the High Line. Learn how to connect with nature wherever you are by listening in on this audio walk with Brooke. If you want to learn more about the impetus behind Cultured Forest and Brooke’s global journey learning from the masters of shinrin-yoku, be sure to go back and listen to episode 7 to get the skinny or simply head over to her website at culturedforest.com, or check out her Instagram @culturedforest.  Show Notes / Useful links: Cultured Forest events page The High Line in NYC Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness by Dr. Qing Li  Phytoncides  Shinrin-yoku

In part one of a two-part special, Melissa talks with Brooke Mellen, a Forest Therapy guide and founder of Cultured Forest, an Art and Nature connection company here in New York City. Brooke promotes wellness in the outdoors by leading guided mindfulness walks where she introduces participants to the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, also known as Forest Bathing, where participants take in forest atmosphere. Forest Bathing requires that you slow down and focus in on connecting with nature, not just pass through it as a means to get to a destination. We talk about the disconnect us city-dwellers often feel from nature, and how travel escapes and art have helped her mitigate that. Brooke initially found herself drawn to shinrin-yoku in part as a way to escape the rigors of a high stress corporate job, but found the health benefits that resulted were so significant, she was compelled to travel to Japan and around the world in order to learn from other Forest Bathing practitioners. She created Cultured Forest in order to teach other overwhelmed New Yorkers about the healing powers of nature. In the next episode,(#8), you’ll get to hear what it’s like to actually be on a shinrin-yoku walk with Brooke. Back in early March of 2020, just before New York City went into social isolation mode to help combat the spread of Covid-19, Brooke took Melissa on a guided mindfulness walk on The High Line and she brought along her field recorder. For those who are unfamiliar, The High Line is a 1.4 mile long elevated greenway built on a former railway on the west side of Manhattan and which has been transformed into one of NYC’s most popular public outdoor destinations. Major thanks to Brooke for sharing her story of building a company as a way to combat stress and connect deeper with nature, with art, and with like-minded souls. It certainly makes for some crowded streets, but it’s the connection between people that is one of my favorite things about living amongst the masses in New York City. If you want to find out more about the Cultured Forest community, or bathe in the forest with Brooke yourself, head over to her website at culturedforest.com, or check out her Instagram @culturedforest.   Show Notes / Useful links: Cultured Forest events page The High Line in NYC Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness by Dr. Qing Li The Achemist’s Kitchen in NYC  Phytoncides  Shinrin-yoku  Hinoki cypress  Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest  Oivallusvaara in Finland INFTA - International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance in Australia  The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.  Somatic therapy  “Immerse Yourself in a Forest for Better Health” New York State DEC

On this episode, Melissa talks with Jenny Siegfried, a mixed-media artist, illustrator, Public School Art Teacher in New York City and quite possibly one of the nation’s most enthusiastic outdoor fans. When she’s not in the classroom, Jenny is often exploring the trails of the greater New York Metropolitan region, running, hiking and creating beautiful drawings and paintings right out in the elements. She talks with Melissa about art education, how she has learned to adapt her art making process for the outdoors and both the fortuitious and sometimes accidental path she took to get there. Jenny is super passionate about spending time in nature and about giving back to our lands. She talks with Melissa about volunteering for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy on trail maintenance projects way out in the back country and about her time as Artist in Residence in The Great Smokies National. Her passion for the Smokies is likely unrivaled. Melissa first met Jenny on a hike in early 2019. As one of the regular participants of the Gotta Hike Public Transit Series Hikes, Jenny’s enthusiasm for spending time outdoors and her appreciation for the beauty of nature is infectious. Her participation always seems to bring smiles to the other hikers as well. Their conversation occurred in early January of 2020. The plan was to air it just ahead of the April Public Transit Series Hike, as Jenny was going to be leading a small art-making workshop during that hike. Of course, as of the publication date of this podcast, all Girl Gotta Hike in person events are on hold as a result of the social distancing recommendations for Covid-19. When gatherings are safe again, Melissa can’t wait to have Jenny host an art-making workshop on trail!Show Notes / Useful links: Jenny Siefried website  Jenny’s Instagram   Great Smoky Mountains National Park Appalachian Trail Conservancy Volunteer Opportunities   REI Speaker Series  Dolly, Dolly, Dolly!