S2E14: Who is Larry Boy?
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Today we sit down to chat with the one and only Larry Boy!
A conversation we have been really looking forward to for awhile, we begin the show by instantly diving deep into a tangent of thought, which will turn out to be foreshadowing for much of the show. Larry Boy is a wealth of knowledge and a wealth of emotion for all things outdoors, and it is a true joy to explore the way he sees and feels the world.
We discuss trail names and how they begin, how a person "defines" themselves inside of them, and the growth from the beginning to when one has been living this life in the outdoors for years. We chat about defining oneself through the relationships they have. In Larry Boy's case the relationships with God, family and friends, and then all things outdoor pursuit. We dive deeper into Larry Boy's definition and relationship with God, and what it means for him as a person as well as a hiker.
We jump into all things maps. Paper maps as well as GPS app related maps. We discuss situational awareness, the "routing tiredness threshold", staying found, and different comfort levels in when and where to use types of maps. We hop into his progression into "thru-hiking" with his first hike on the Appalachian Trail back in 2013. We then dive deep into his journey towards happiness as he "breaks the mold" by not doing the classic progression of thru-hiking, chasing the Triple Crown, and going AT, PCT, CDT. Instead as you will hear Larry Boy completes his AT thru hike, and then wonderfully chooses his own adventure. We chat his hikes through Utah, trails outside of the Big 3, own route creations, and following his own happiness instead of being consumed into the "classic path."
We dive deep into the ribs of this chat and talk all things RIB, or Route In Between. A route mapped and created by Larry Boy to connect the Arizona Trail into the Idaho Centennial Trail, thus creating another hiking route from Mexico to Canada. The in-between portion being about 1,000~ miles through Utah. A route that was mapped with the purpose of as Larry Boy puts it, seeking "true adventure." We chat about the prep, the planning, and then the groundtruthing of hiking the route. We discuss trail agencies and what he hopes to see in the future with this route. We also discuss giving back, to not just this specific trail, but all trails. The only way to get the maps and data for this route, is by sending in a picture of proof of trail maintenance done. A wonderful idea as the only way these trails continue to be accessible, hike able, and enjoyed now and in the future, is by giving back.
We chat Day Hiking vs. Thru Hiking, "Brush Free Spots", and white blazes of the Hayduke Trail. We chat bedtimes, snowstorms, and the complexity of what it means when your bad foot becomes your good foot. We chat injury and happiness, Sir Larry Boy, companionship in solitary exploration, being terribly "un-entrepreneurial", and rolling around the salt flats on a scooter.
We then wrap up the show with a challenge to Big Tabasco! Come get us!
FAVORTIE QUOTES:
" The trail is not necessarily the point."
"The concept of purism does not exist on the RIB"
"Anytime I get to spend outside, is time well spent."
"Faith is just as important to dealing with the bad as embracing the good."
"Sometimes you just got to chew your cud mentally."
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