This episode is about our last night on the trail, with no cell signal. We were also in a small clearing, surrounded by hills on all 4 sides. We needed to send the evening text to let our families know we were fine. Also, I wanted to check the weather.

Cate has a newer iPhone with satellite texting available. My iPhone 13 Pro Max doesn't have that feature. However, I do have my trusty Garmin InReach Mini 2.

The hills presented a few issues, but we were able to complete the task. I'll give you the details in the show. But ask yourself, which one of these do I want to have if I have a real medical emergency in the backcountry?

I'd love to hear from you. roadstrailsandrabbitholes@gmail.com

We ended up switching our trip to the Roan Highlands on the Appalachian Trail. Starting from Carver's Gap in North Carolina, we hiked north to the Tennessee line, completing about 15 miles on our first day. I was totally unprepared for what that day would bring.

We ended up with about 34 miles on the AT, then shifted to Cumberland Gap National Park in Tennessee to avoid an incoming storm. In total, we backpacked about 45 miles in 6 days.

It started out brutal, then switched to hard in the following days. Within 3 miles of the Carvers Gap trailhead, I'd made the decision to post all my backpacking gear on Facebook Marketplace, sell everything and never do this again. By day 3, we were discussing which section we'd be hiking on our next excursion on the Appalachian Trail.

Why was this so hard? It's simple. I've really slacked off with my exercise routine since I retired at the end of 2024. I am back to leaning into it.

I'll also cover some of the gear changes I'd like to make for my next serious backpacking trip. Shoes, trekking poles, food, and several other adjustments that will make things more manageable.

Questions or comments: roadstrailsandrabbitholes@gmail.com is the dedicated email address for the show. You can also comment on the podcast on YouTube.

You probably already know that I have a soft spot for River Country Products. I've used the Trekker 2 tent and their trekking poles before. I've upgraded to a lighter tent, but I still use the trekking poles. My wife also has a set, and we've used them quite a bit on day hikes and shorter adventures.

I had a small, normal wear issue with the trekking poles and reached out to River Country Products for a solution. I was quite surprised at their response. Surprised enough to make it the topic of this episode.

For questions or comments, shoot me an email.

roadstrailsandrabbitholes@gmail.com