Preparing for a thru-hike is no easy feat. After all, hikers have to completely overhaul their life. This often involves quitting their job, storing all of their belongings somewhere, saying goodbye to loved ones/partners, and make a strict budget - and we haven't even gotten into all the necessary gear and skills one needs for a thru-hike.

So where does one start? How on earth does anybody actually plan for, let alone go through with, a thru-hike? Let's find out. In this episode, our trail correspondents on the AT, PCT, and CDT have regaled us with their preparation stories. With correspondents ranging from fresh high school grads to a retired mom of eight, they had wildly different ways of getting prepped for their hikes. The only common thread in our hiker's stories seems to be the initial wanderlust and desire to get on the trail.

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In today's episode we hear from:

Cal "Starburst" Dobbs Logan "Toodles" Roark John "Catmando" Van Etten Jeff "Link" Podmayer Francisco "Toes" Mesa Juli "M8" Wolter Laura Watrous Natalie "Ibex" Parker Monica "Moss" Aguilar Henri "Rooster" de la Vega Hazel Wagner

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Editing and music courtesy of David Zitney.

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