Episode 97 How To Deal With Life After The Trail With Kyle O'Grady

On this episode, I talk with Kyle O’Grady of The Trail Tales Podcast about what it’s like dealing with the “Post Trail Blues.” We talk a lot about the grand adventure when we’re ON it or look back at it fondly when we’re not, but we rarely talk about what it’s like after it’s all over. For most of us, we’re left with a sense of wondering what we’re supposed to do next. We’ve built an identity around this adventure and now that it’s no longer something to look forward to we tend to slip into a slight depression.

Kyle spent his high school and college years planning to hike the Appalachian Trail and when he graduated he did it. Then he went back to work and was left to sort it all out on his own.

We talk about what the Post Trail Blues are, why it happens, and what we can do to deal with it. We also get to know who Kyle is and what he’s all about.





By Land,

Emory R. Wanger

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Show Notes

Introductions

Getting to know Kyle

What it’s like getting into podcasting and seeing it grow

Exploring podcasting topics

Kyle’s journey into backpacking and Thru Hiking

What happens mentally after a long trail

The emotional connection to a grand goal

The reality of post trail blues

How to cope with missing the trail

What it was like getting back out on the trail again

Kyle’s experience with being in his head

Advice for future thru hikers





Links

https://trailtalespod.com/

Trail Tales Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-tales/id1441376382?mt=2

My Episode with Trail Tales https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/43-thru-hiking-pct-starting-byland-podcast-pacific/id1441376382?i=1000448508661