Deep in the Woods

Consistency | One Step at a Time to Katahdin with “Metro” Miller

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2304879/open_sms] A friend dies suddenly right in front of you, and the question stops being “someday” and becomes “what am I doing with my life today?” That’s the moment Andrew “Metro” Miller takes us back to, and it’s why this walk in the woods turns into a bigger conversation about health, grief, and choosing a different path before it’s too late.  We meet Metro at the AT Gateways event at Amicalola Falls State Park and head onto the AT Approach Trail while he unpacks what drove him to thru-hike the entire Appalachian Trail northbound. The word he brings is "consistency," and he treats it like a real trail tool, not a slogan. We talk daily mileage, why small goals matter on a 2,197.4-mile journey, and how the first stretch of a thru-hike can feel like a mental tug-of-war with everything you left at home. His answer is simple and hard: let go, focus on what’s in front of you, and keep stacking days.  Metro also shares what changes when you document the experience for a YouTube audience. Filming becomes part of the routine: breaking camp, walking, logging footage at night, uploading in town, and planning ahead in a way that supports Leave No Trace and long-term endurance. If you’re searching for Appalachian Trail advice, thru-hiking mindset, hiking motivation, or a practical way to build healthy habits outdoors, this story lands with both hope and realism.  If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a nudge to start, and leave a review so more hikers and future hikers can find the show. Also, check out Metro's YouTube Channel, "Metro on the Move" by clicking the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@MetroOnTheMove [https://www.youtube.com/@MetroOnTheMove]

Grit | Walking the Appalachian Trail with Grandma Gatewood

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2304879/open_sms] A single word can change the way we move through the world. On the AT Approach Trail at Amicalola Falls, I take a walk with Grandma Gatewood—brought to life by storyteller Anne Van Curen—and trace how grit, faith, and the quiet power of nature helped transform a life marked by hardship into one guided by purpose. What begins with a dog-eared 1949 National Geographic becomes a 2,050-mile act of courage across the Appalachian Trail, stitched together by starry nights, pink lady’s slippers, and the kindness of strangers who appear when the road looks longest. We talk about the moment that set everything in motion: a choice to leave an abusive marriage and step into the woods with nothing certain except the next mile. Gatewood explains why grit mattered most on lonely ridgelines, how Georgia’s mountains humbled her legs and strengthened her will, and why the cathedral of a clear night sky felt like medicine for the soul. In 1955, at age 67, Emma “Grandma” Gatewood became the first woman to solo thru-hike the entire Appalachian Trail, walking more than 2,000 miles from Georgia to Maine with little more than a homemade sack, a blanket, and a fierce determination to keep going. Her journey not only inspired generations of hikers but also helped bring national attention to the Appalachian Trail itself.  Along the way, the myth of the lone hiker gives way to something deeper—trail community. Free shoes offered in small towns, hot meals shared at kitchen tables, and the quiet generosity of people who helped carry her forward one mile at a time. This story isn’t about breaking records. It’s about reclaiming a life, one step at a time. We explore resilience, the healing power of time outdoors, and the way the Appalachian Trail invites honesty: no noise, no hurry, just the steady practice of putting one foot in front of the other. If you’ve ever wondered whether a walk could change your story, Gatewood’s voice is a compass pointing toward the nearest trailhead. Join us as we take one word, one walk, deep in the woods. This conversation was recorded during the AT Gateways event at Amicalola Falls State Park. Grandma Gatewood was portrayed by storyteller Anne Van Curen, whose historical programs bring the life and legacy of Gatewood to audiences across the country. www.mountainstorytelling.com [https://www.mountainstorytelling.com/]

Where It All Started; A "Return" To Pigeon Hill with Dan Vollaro

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2304879/open_sms] A single word can open a whole landscape, and today that word is return. We set out along the Pigeon Hill Trail—where this show first began—to see how cycles in nature, story, and daily life shape who we become when we come back. What looks like a loop is actually a spiral: the place may seem familiar, but your eyes are not the same. We dig into the tension between awakening and routine. Mindfulness is powerful, but it isn’t a finish line to live on forever; it’s a practice that keeps us from sleepwalking through our days. Thomas Merton’s guidance—that reflection should ripple into action—nudges us to bring insight back into ordinary choices, conversations, and commitments. Along the way, we reexamine the Prodigal Son. The father’s love never changes; the son’s capacity to recognize it does. That shift reframes "return" as a moment of seeing rather than a moral about never leaving, while the older brother’s quiet constancy reveals a different kind of growth that rarely gets a party. We widen the lens with the Odyssey. Hero myths celebrate departure and homecoming, but they also carry the cost of return—the risks, losses, and hard tradeoffs. The lotus eaters tempt us to forget, yet meaning requires friction. We talk about ruts, low seasons, and why resistance is the raw material of growth. Parenting brings it close to home: letting our kids risk, fail, and return is an act of love, not negligence. Nature keeps the score honestly. Forests, seasons, and soil show that decay feeds renewal, and that coming back is less about sameness and more about regeneration. Walk with us through boulders, stories, and memory to consider where you’re being called to return—and how you might see it differently this time. If this conversation sparked something for you, follow us on Instagram for episode clips, then rate and review the show to help more people find the trail. Subscribe, share with a friend, and tell us: what are you ready to return to now?

Mental Health: Unplug and Find Balance with Eric Graves from the Len Foote Hike Inn

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2304879/open_sms] What happens to our minds when we step away from constant connection? In this immersive conversation with Eric Graves, Executive Director of the Len Foote Hike Inn, we discover the profound mental health benefits that emerge when we disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature and each other. Walking through the Chattahoochee National Forest near Amicalola Falls, Eric reveals how the backcountry lodge he oversees has become more than just a destination—it's a sanctuary for mental well-being. For 23 years, he's witnessed thousands of guests transform as they complete the five-mile hike to this rustic retreat where cell phones stay in pockets and strangers become friends around the dinner table. The conversation takes us beyond mere digital detox philosophy into the tangible reality of what happens when people truly unplug. We explore how face-to-face communication has startlingly become a skill rather than a given, especially for younger generations raised on screens. Eric shares observations about his own daughters—one raised before smartphones dominated, the other fully immersed in digital culture—and the stark differences in their ability to connect with others in person. Perhaps most compelling is the discussion about how technology is reshaping our problem-solving abilities. Eric notes how younger staff members approach challenges differently, often seeking pre-packaged solutions rather than working through problems with critical thinking. At the hike-in, where situations rarely have cookie-cutter answers, this generational shift becomes particularly evident. What emerges isn't a wholesale rejection of technology—Eric himself uses bird identification apps and fitness trackers—but rather a call for intentional balance. The hike-in represents a model where technology serves as a tool rather than a master, where the process of experiencing nature matters as much as capturing the perfect sunset photo. Whether you're feeling mentally drained from constant connectivity or simply curious about how nature affects our psychological well-being, this episode offers both scientific insights and practical wisdom. Join us for this thoughtful exploration of what it means to be healthy in mind and spirit in our increasingly digital world. Check out the Len Foote Hike Inn by exploring their website at www.hike-inn.com [http://www.hike-inn.com].  You can make reservations to stay directly from this site!

Fungi: Ranger Darling and The Intelligence Beneath Our Feet

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2304879/open_sms] The humble mushroom might be the most misunderstood organism on our planet. Walking Arabia Mountain with mycology expert Darling Ngoh reveals a hidden world of intelligence networks pulsing beneath our feet—without a single brain cell in sight. Mushrooms are reshaping how we understand intelligence itself. While exploring the unique granite landscape of this Georgia landmark, we discover that fungal networks operate with startling efficiency, solving complex problems that baffle human engineers. Scientists in Japan and the UK have found that slime molds—relatives of fungi—can design transportation networks more efficiently than urban planners. These organisms, despite having no central nervous system, showcase problem-solving abilities that challenge our understanding of cognition. The conversation winds through unexpected territory as we explore how 80-90% of trees worldwide connect through underground fungal networks in cooperative relationships. Trees actually lower their cellular defenses to invite mycelium inside their roots—a partnership that has sustained forest ecosystems for millions of years. This natural cooperation model raises profound questions about human systems that prioritize competition over collaboration. Ranger Darling's own journey bridges two seemingly disconnected worlds: data science and forest ecology. Through his organization Hikes of Georgia, he's creating innovative conservation strategies while teaching beginners how to safely identify mushrooms.  The beautiful granite outcrops of Arabia Mountain, with their endangered plant species growing in solution pits formed over centuries, provide the perfect backdrop for contemplating how we might better align human innovation with nature's proven success strategies. Join us to discover why fungi might hold solutions to our most pressing challenges—from healthcare to climate change to technological advancement.  Follow Hikes of Georgia on social media or visit Arabia Mountain on weekends for a chance to meet Ranger Darling in person and explore this hidden gem just outside Atlanta. Hikes of Georgia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hikesofgeorgia/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/hikesofgeorgia/?hl=en] Deep in the Woods Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_deep_in_the_woods/ [https://www.instagram.com/_deep_in_the_woods/?hl=en]