Australian Hiker

If you're anything like me then you have more hiking gear the you are ever likely to use so how then do you decide what to bring on a hike? In many cases there is no one right answer when assembling a set of gear for your upcoming adventure and this this episode we look at considerations for making your choice. www.australianhiker.com.au

In this week’s episode we have something slightly different for you as we interview Mickey and Michelle about their upcoming journey on the Te Araroa Trail in New Zealand. This is one of the world’s premier long distance hiking trails starting at the top of the north island and finishing at the bottom of the South Island for a total distance of 3,000km. In itself this is a big trip that presents many challenges and will take a number of months to complete but if that wasn't enough they have a few other complications to make this trip more difficult. Michelle is only 29 and suffers from Osteoporosis. In addition they are both musicians and deciding that they didn’t want to have such a long period away from music they will be doing a series of concerts along the way as a means of funding their trip and to help raise awareness of Osteoporosis which affects 1 in 3 women and one in 5 men (over the age of 50). In this episode we provide a brief overview of the Te Araroa trail before talking to Mickey and Michelle

What started out as a 19 day thru-hike has now been turned in to a section hike due to injury after completing 310km of this 426km trip. In this episode we discuss our last few days on the Hume and Hovell Track, our reasons for cutting the hike short, and where we go to from here. Rest assured there are plans in place to finish this trip off! www.australianhiker.com.au

In this weeks episode we continue our on trail episodes from our Hume and Hovell Track adventure this time with recordings from day4-9. www.australianhiker.com.au

In this weeks episode we listen to our on trail recordings of our first three days on the 426km Hume and Hovell Track. We will post over the next three weeks from the trail as signal availability allows.

I have memories of camping dating back over 40 years and in many cases these memories were positive ones that consisted of some amazing experiences shared with friends and family. On the other end of the scale there were also trips where things went horribly wrong because we chose bad sites to camp. In this episode we discuss things to consider when choosing a place to put you tent to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable nights sleep. www.australianhiker.com.au

In this week’s episode we talk with Blair Woodcock who recently completed a thru-hike of the 211 mile (340 km) USA based John Muir Trail. Many backpackers say this trail contains the finest mountain scenery in the United States, and runs (mostly in conjunction with the PCT) from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney, in California. In this episode we provide an overview of one of the world’s most spectacular trails and hear a firsthand overview of what a thru hike was like. www.australianhiker.com.au

There are any number of reasons why we enjoy hiking; the flora and fauna, the majestic views, the little stuff, the big stuff. While there might be some common themes we all enjoy, there will also be some unique reasons for each of us which are likely to be different. In episode 010 we provided a broad overview of some of these reasons and this week in episode 118 we look at some of the more 'spiritual reason' (for want of a better phrase) behind why we hike. www.australianhiker.com.au

Over the next month Gill and Tim from Australian Hiker will commence their end to end on the Hume and Hovell Track. This track, in the state of New South Wales (NSW), travels between the towns of Yass to the north and Albury to the south, for a distance of 426 km. In this episode we provide some background to one of Australia's lesser known long distance trails, talk about some of the logistics involved, as well as our expectations for this trip. Once we commence this trip we will be releasing regular social media posts as well as podcasts from the trail. To follow our regular written posts go to https://australianhiker.com.au/journeys/

Choosing the right sleeping pad/mat can be the difference between a bad night’s sleep and a great night’s sleep.  But it is not as easy as grabbing the first pad you see. Navigating the range of brands and models can be confusing. In this episode we look at the things to consider in selecting a sleeping mat. www.australianhiker.com.au

This episode is the second in this two part series from the 2019 Outdoor Retailer Australia Show which was held on 14-16 July 2019 at the Flemington Exhibition Pavilion at the Melbourne Showgrounds.  In this episode we talk with a further six companies on new and upcoming product. You can also listen to the previous episode, 114, in this series here.

The 2019 Outdoor Retailer Australia Show was held on 14-16 July 2019 at the Flemington Exhibition Pavillon at the Melbourne Showgrounds. This annual show is a chance for Australia’s outdoor wholesalers and manufacturers to showcase their new and existing products to Australia’s outdoor retailers and allied media. This is the third year that Australian Hiker has attended this ‘trade only show’ as a media representative. This year has been our biggest yet and we recorded 13 seperate interviews over the 2.5 days of the exhibition with the first seven of these interviews contained in this episode with the remainder to be released in episode 115 to be released in the following week. From our discussions with the various suppliers at the show we will be undertaking a number of gear reviews over the upcoming year that will be of interest to you. For pictures associated with this episode go to here

In this weeks episode we talk to traveller and avid hiker Lexi Connors about her recent trip on the European Peace Walk Trail. This trail is relatively unknown but provides and alternative to the heavily used Camino trails. In this episode we discuss the logistics, the ups and downs, and the highlights of this unique trail. www.australianhiker.com.au

As a hiking blogger who is also interested in long distance hiking, quitting a hiker is always something in the back of my mind. However quitting a hike is not confined to long distance trails and can be a consideration on any hike. Sometimes calling it quits on a hike is just the sensible thing to do. In this podcast we discuss some of the reasons that we may pull the pin on hike. www.australianhiker.com.au

Talking about hiking food can get you into a lot of trouble; everyone knows best, and their view is always the correct one! Its not quite in the same category as talking politics over Christmas lunch but it sometimes comes close. Everyone has their food preference and ours is freeze-dried food. In this podcast episode we’re going to discuss why that is.

The Boots McFarland hiking cartoon is the brainchild of Geolyn Carvin. In this episode we get a bit of background on Geolyn and 'Boots' and discuss how the creative process for this wonderful hiking cartoon comes about.

In this episode we discuss options for waste reduction and how we can care for the environment as hikers. Now before you switch off thinking we are going to take the moral high ground, be warned that while we are all about minimising our impact on the environment, it’s not as simple as it sounds.

In this week's episode we interview Lucy Barnard from Tangles and Tail as she attempts her journey from the southern-most point of South America to the northern-most point in Alaska. This is an epic journey, almost solely by foot, covering around 30,000 km in distance. In this episode, we find out a bit about Lucy (Tangles) and Wombat - the ‘Tail’ member of her team, the reason behind her trip, the logistical issues surrounding such a massive undertaking, and how her journey has gone so far. This is an episode not to miss!

Fire is one of those things to which we all seem to be drawn. It warms us when we’re cold, it was the main method of cooking since cooking began and for whatever reason it creates an emotive reaction in most of us - we can just sit and watch it for hours on end. On the flip side fire can be extremely dangerous causing massive damage to the environment, to property and occasionally loss of life. In this episode we discuss fire and hiking looking at the do’s and don’ts to help you create the best experience when dealing with fire on the trail.

Pick any activity that you do and no matter what it is there are costs associated with it; hiking is no different. Costs for gearing up and for undertaking trips can be almost negligible but at the opposite end of the scale they can also add up costing many thousands of dollars. In this episode we discuss options for getting on the trail and look at where you should be targeting your funds to get the best bang for your buck.