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Published: Jan. 25, 2022, 4:05 a.m.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Rolf Gunnar Asphaug.\xa0 Rolf's adventuring career started in 1987 when he quit his cushy job as a lawyer, and set off to backpack from Tuscon, Arizona to Portland, Oregon on a route he devised using a Rand McNally road atlas.\xa0 We of course go deep into this epic journey- we also learn all about the Colorado Mountain Club, for which Rolf used to serve as the organization's president, his time volunteering for Jefferson Country Open Space and a number of Colorado state parks, and we touch on Rolf's Colorado Trail thru-hike last year at the age of 62.\xa0\xa0\xa0

We wrap the show with a triple crown of pizza toppings, and we introduce a pair of new segments- what's in a trail name, and listener voicemails!

But first.\xa0

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[divider]

Interview with Rolf\xa0

Time stamps & Questions

00:04:06 - QOTD: What\u2019s the most uncommon/odd meal you\u2019ve had on trail?\xa0

00:07:24 - Reminders: BPR Sponsorship & Internship Opportunity\xa0

00:10:58 - Welcome Rolf!\xa0

00:11:29 - What was your career prior to getting into backpacking?\xa0

00:15:40 - The start of Rolf\u2019s cross country adventure\xa0

00:16:11 - Did you save up for this trip?

00:19:40 - Did you avoid the interstates?\xa0

00:20:15 - What was hitchhiking like in 1987?\xa0

00:22:10 - Was Zion covered in the Atlas?\xa0

00:23:33 - Raisins\xa0

00:24:10 - How did you navigate through Zion National Park?

00:24:45 - Post-Zion Events\xa0

00:26:22 - Did you ever stay in hotels/motels?\xa0

00:27:25 - How did people react when you told them what you were doing?\xa0

00:28:09 - Passing through Yosemite\xa0

00:29:44: - How do you coordinate meeting up with people on this trip? Pay phones?

00:30:40 - Did you have a specific time frame?

00:31:17 - Did you have awareness of the PCT at that time?\xa0

00:32:00 - Which way did you go up Mt. Whitney?

00:32:26 - Did you have the entire route written up?\xa0

00:33:11 - Were permits needed yet?\xa0

00:33:43 - Did Half Dome have cables then?\xa0

00:36:24 - Do you remember your route through San Francisco?\xa0

00:38:22 - Did you hike in boots?\xa0

00:38:54 - Long Peak Trail Runners

00:40:06 - Was this life changing for you?\xa0

00:40:36 - Did you think you were going back to being a lawyer after this?

00:42:18 - Journaling a thru-hike\xa0

00:43:17 - How did you path shift after this hike?\xa0

00:46:55 - Colorado Outward Bound\xa0

00:53:03 - Rolf\u2019s Trophies\xa0

00:53:45 - Rolf getting creative in court\xa0

00:57:34 - How do you think Denver is doing with mass transit?\xa0

01:00:35 - Rolf\u2019s volunteering experience\xa0

01:01:48 - How did you meet your wife?\xa0

01:06:04 - Tell us about the Colorado Mountain Club\xa0

01:08:11 - What did you do as President?\xa0

01:10:12 - What other classes does the CMC offer?\xa0

01:11:45 - What does the membership go for?\xa0

01:12:56 - How long were you President for CMC?\xa0

01:15:26 - Volunteering for Jefferson County, CO\xa0

01:18:15 - What is bark patrol?\xa0

01:21:54 - How much trash do you pick up on average?\xa0

01:22:31 - Cleanliness of CO parks\xa0

01:25:34 - How many people are employees vs. volunteers?\xa0

01:27:05 - Do you know what parks have foxtails?\xa0

01:28:02 - In which park are you most likely to see mountain lions?\xa0

01:32:00 - Tell us about your Colorado Trail experience\xa0

01:38:18 - Durston Gear\xa0

01:40:22 - Chaunce hiking with Harper

01:42:24 - Leo Fact from Zach

01:43:24 - What was your sobering experience at Cascade Creek?

01:49:20 - Thank you, Rolf!

01:50:58 - Find Rolf on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube

SEGMENTS

Trek Propaganda\xa0

• 8 Things I\u2019m Excited to Do to Attempt a More Sustainable Thru-hike by Rachel Shoemaker

Triple Crown of Pizza Toppings\xa0

What's in a Trail Name?

BPR Voicemails\xa0

• URL: sayhi.chat/bpr

5 Star Review

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