The Adventure I Wish I Was Still On: The Great Western Loop

This is a Thanksgiving special episode of the Free Outside Podcast, a mix of long-run thoughts, unpopular opinions, and one of the most meaningful adventures of my life, the Great Western Loop.

I talk about why I think we are historically illiterate, why it is okay to chase goals even if they feel pointless to other people, whether turkey trots have gotten too serious, and my very important theory on whether drones killed the blimp. I also get into why self-supported FKTs matter so much to me and why I think they deserve more respect than they get.

Then I rewind eight years to finishing the Great Western Loop on Thanksgiving. I break down what the Loop actually is, how I planned the massive cross-country connector from the Grand Canyon back to the PCT, why self-supported style creates better adventure, and some of the wildest moments from the entire 7,000-mile journey. From cowbell mornings on the Pacific Northwest Trail, to getting all the bikers in Yaak, Montana in trouble for cooking 20 pounds of bacon, to freezing on the CDT, navigating by map and compass on the Grand Enchantment Trail, sleeping in the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and finishing on Thanksgiving near Parker, Arizona.

This adventure changed the entire direction of my life and planted the seed for every FKT that followed.

This episode is brought to you by Janji at janji.com. Use code FREEOUTSIDE for 10 percent off. Also brought to you by CS Instant Coffee at csinstant.coffee and Garage Grown Gear at garagegrowngear.com

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Chapters

00:00 Thanksgiving Intro

02:15 Historically Illiterate

03:50 Turkey Trot Travelers

04:35 Did Drones Kill Blimps

06:10 Supported vs Self-Supported

08:30 What Is the Great Western Loop

10:45 Planning the Unknown

13:55 Prescribed Burn Detour

15:45 Cowbells and Solitude

16:55 Yak, Montana and the Bacon Incident

18:25 Snow on the CDT

19:20 Grand Enchantment Navigation

20:40 First View of the Grand Canyon

22:15 Nolan’s 14 Detour

24:10 Thanksgiving Van Build Camp

25:40 Finishing the Loop

26:50 Full Circle Reflection

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