In this episode, I speak with Mark Pulvino about hiking, specifically the Adirondack 46 High Peaks in New York State. Mark is a dad to 2 young adults who have managed to stay out of jail so far. His words, not mine. He has been married for 34 years and is excited to welcome a Grandkid this summer. Mark has been involved in Scouting for 43 years, since almost 14 earning an Eagle Scout and was Silver Beaver Recipient as an adult. In addition, he is a Massawepie Staff Alumni past president. He completed the ADK 46’r in 2011 and is Long Trail Class of 2021. As you will hear, Mark is a nature enthusiast who tries to get others to enjoy getting out there to enjoy nature no matter their ability. I can also vouch for the fact that he is an all-around good guy.

Are you ready? Let’s Roam!

Transcript

Here is a transcript of the podcast. Please keep in mind this was done via AI, so there are typos and mistakes. I tried to catch as much as I can, but it is definitely not perfect.

Beth  0:06  

Welcome to the roaming Yeti podcast where we share stories and tips to inspire you to roam your neighborhood and the world. I’m your host and head Yeti Beth Schillaci. In this episode I speak with Mark Paulino about hiking and specifically the Adirondack 46 high peaks in New York State. Mark is a dad to two young adults who have managed to stay out of jail so far. Those are his words, not mine. His children are lovely by the way. He has been married for 34 years and is excited to welcome a grandkid this summer. Mark has been involved in scouting for 43 years since since almost 14, earning an Eagle Scout and was a silver beaver recipient as an adult. In addition, he is a master Wiebe staff alumni past president, he completed the ADK the Adirondack 46 are in 2011 and it’s a long trail class of 2021. As you will hear Mark is a nature enthusiast who tries to get others to enjoy getting out there to also enjoy nature, no matter their ability. I can also vouch for the fact that he is an all around good guy. You ready? Let’s Roam. Welcome back to the roaming Yeti. today. We’re taking our name roaming a little bit literally, as we talked to Mark Paul Dino about hiking in general, and specifically the 46. Adirondack high peaks is that am I naming and calling it the right thing?

Mark  1:38  

Yeah, it’s been called many things. Yeah, it’s the Adirondack high peaks for the Sixers.

Beth  1:45  

Great. So thanks for being on today. Mark. I appreciate it. This is this is something I didn’t know existed before I met you that this was a challenge like I I guess just tell me what, what is the the 46 peaks?

Mark  2:05  

Well, I call it almost like a lifestyle not even a challenge after a while. But the 46 weeks is originally back in the 1900s, early 1900s. A couple guys saw some mountains. And they always wanted to climb up. And they went out and started doing surveying and climbing. I think it was after World War One. And it was like they considered 46 through some geo surveys over the years before that. And then there was like 46 peaks, they thought were over 4000 feet in the Forest Preserve in the Adirondacks. Then science gateway to reality to find out there’s a couple that are short, but we still call them 46 years, I always considered the 46 peaks over 4000 feet. And there were a couple of different regions in the Adirondacks. But but the criteria was 4000 feet or over. And they some of the mountains are close to each other. So they had have like an elevation difference of 300 feet and be like three quarters of a mile away. So there’s like a range of mountains that are so close that there’s even more peaks in the Adirondacks over 4000 just aren’t counted, because they’re too close. I think I think pyramid peaks one I can think of off the top of my head where it’s over 4000 people it’s not considered because it’s a it’s like a quarter mile or half a mile from another peak. So it isn’t a challenge. So back in the day, you know, this was the Marshall brothers and I think it was Herbert Clark. They started off the white base, started off with white faces the first peak and then went from there and they continued on to like, Tick was 1925 2025. So I think I answered the question.

Beth  4:08  

So did you Is this what got you into hiking? Like what got you into hiking in the first place?

Mark  4:15  

Well, as as a young man, you just have to walk everywhere. Yeah, I mean, I think back you know, I lived in a little town called Rhonda quake in New York and I would run to the house to guitars for an album or Nikki’s news for a comic and it was like two three miles away back in the day you’re walking met with friends and then and then when I moved to Fairport, same type of thing, we pretty much walked everywhere to get to places so I started my pre hiking when I was much younger, because we would we would hike. The canal path was like the circuit, and Fairport a long direction. Now to get from point A to point B and you might walk like five miles on a night, you know, to go out and spend some time with friends. So, but you know, through that I joined scouting, of course, Boy Scouts and, you know, did a lot of hiking then for different events and, you know, part of camp outs and nature walks and things like that as part of our growth in the program, and then one time our Scoutmaster. He always talked about the high peaks in hiking. And, you know, it kind of seemed mystical. He would share some of the information but, you know, it was his version of the story. You know, there’s some good references out there where you can get, you know, the real versions out there, but um, you know, he thought the first trip would be, you know, to try right peak. And it was really interesting. Because sky, John Schillaci and I went, and I might

Beth  5:57  

know, yeah, you might

Mark  5:59  

know him. It was our first peak, we went to right peak in, in, you know, just outside of Lake Placid, it’s 4500 4600 feet, you start and Radek Lodge, and we heard stories about the lodge. You know, how was built back in the day and, and there’s, there’s a whole, like I said, lifestyle culture that you learn about that that’s in that area. The neat thing for us was, we got away from our parents, it was an unofficial Boy Scout trip was actually just, you know, someone who happen to be our leader or take two young teenage boys and the antibiotics probably doesn’t fly anymore. And the cool thing, there was a, there was a plane that had crashed up there. And then 1860s B 47. Bomber, that was the real deal with some low, low bombing maneuvers, and then the clouds want to pit in the mountain. So so there was actually when we went up there, I still had pieces of it. Early, I mean, when it’s small pieces, but you know, I grabbed a piece like that down and hit a piece of the plane, you know, basically was a piece of aluminum scrap metal. But somebody could have been sprinkling the words in tell stories you never know. But no, it is true. You can look it up.

Beth  7:15  

You can. So I didn’t realize that happened. That’s really interesting.

Mark  7:19  

Yeah, there’s there’s some there’s some, there’s some wreckage in the woods.

Beth  7:24  

And so you’ve completed all 46. Right? A

Mark  7:29  

couple times. Yeah. Yeah. So while there, there’s, there’s, like I said, it’s a whole it’s a lifestyle for people, it’s obsession. For others, there’s people who do the 46 peaks, they’ll try to get the peak once every month of the year, you know, they you know, they got their January list. And then I mean that they love it so much. Mine was originally you got to do either 46 Winter and Summer, cumulative to count for your full 46 I decided to do my I counted some of my winter for my full 46 Now I’m I went back and got them over again. So at least I had two sets of 46 Now I’m working on my winter, I’m at 36 for winter fix, so that basically it’s your seasonal, you know, it’s December 21 to march 21 Gotcha. And the great thing about winter hiking is if you fall doesn’t hurt as much. And and it is it is the most fun. Adults can have I think in the woods, and you go bust sledding and have a great time if you’re if you’re careful.

Beth  8:46  

Very nice. So how long does it take to climb each? Or hike each? Like are you climbing climbing? Or is it can you are there trails to hike? Like are you how does that good question what does that look like?

Mark  9:01  

Yeah, well there’s trails and there’s trail speaks even though they call it trail was takes the trail Pete’s are well marked with markers and such any you don’t have a lot of technical climbing, you know, ropes or anything like that by any means. There are some spots you could if you want to do and some people do because they feel more comfortable. But you know, it’s gravel, hard trails, you’re hiking out rocks, you’re hiking on durable surfaces, sometimes your hiking logs, you know, bridges that you know, the DC crew and the 46 years have gone through, you know, kind of put in you know, you you know wood when you get over 3500 feet, you know the foreigner really is affected by any impact. So you got to really stay on the trails and such because that it can take is a tree that that grows a certain mountain 10 years below like 2000 feet can take like 100 years to grow the same amount over 4000 feet. So last thing you want to do is crush something small and and affect the Alpine.

Beth  10:16  

Right. Wow. And so the hut. I know they have to be over 4000 feet. What’s the tallest one?

Mark  10:25  

So mount Marcy is the tallest in the Adirondacks? I can’t tell the exact amount. I know it’s over 5300 It’s a lot of people like to do it because it’s the tallest peak in the Adirondacks. It’s well traveled during the summertime. And there’s anybody any ability can try to go for it. There’s been some people up there probably shouldn’t be up there. But at least they done it and that’s that’s their victory, you know, Mr. Hike to get a hydro hike. But um, you know, they it’s that’s that’s the highest peak of erotics and a great days. You can see New Hampshire. It’s great. I mean, so I’ve hiked the long trail, the Green Mountains and and in Vermont, and it’s great looking back and the Adirondacks as they call those mountains, and vice versa. Now, I looked at the White Mountains and presidential range, and maybe that’s next time.

Beth  11:21  

Yeah. And how how many miles from base to summit is, you know, on average is a hike.

Mark  11:31  

It’s all over the board. It’s all over the board. It’s all you know, mileage, I think right peaks the shortage or shortest, which is I think is like maybe six miles round trip, you know, and you’re picking up a couple 1000 feet of elevation. But, you know, even though you’re picking up the elevation, you have switchbacks, you have slippery rocks and things like that. And then there’s like Allen Allen is probably the toughest for some people. But that’s like over 80 miles. And I mean, you’ve got it certain times here. You got river crossings. You got creek crossings. You know, I’ve dumped a pack backpack in the Apalis river trying to cross I’m almost across, got to the last rock and was able to throw my backpack on the land, which was good. But I got what oh, yeah, but there’s there’s multiple different it all depends where you start from and how you set up your trip. Because you can go in and camping and kind of like from the base camp if you want to. So there’s, it’s like 6690 miles.

Beth  12:42  

So in that 19 mile day like that’s do you do that an overnight trip or you go up and back in one day?

Mark  12:50  

I probably should have no, no, it you know, each each trail and trip is different. And so it’s so great. There’s so many. There’s so many variable textures out there when you’re hiking way the mountains are set up albinism set up in a way where actually, I think the first six miles around the old log road. So and so 12 miles of the 8090 miles are pretty much flat. It’s almost cross country skiing, and if you want to do in the wintertime, and then and then it’s it’s straight up after that. And the only place in the Adirondacks where everybody knows about red slime. It is the worst algae in the world where no matter what kind of grip you have, you’re going to slip on your butt. So it’s it’s well known.

Beth  13:48  

And that’s in the that’s crazy. Like yeah, so does that make getting over over streams easy, right?

Mark  13:56  

Yeah. So Taha, this area, or upper works is called as an oil mining area. So that’s where Elena’s so to highs also is when we talked about about Marcy before. I mean, Teddy Roosevelt was on Mount Marcy, when you heard about was in the kitten McKinley get shot? I forget what to present now with my history.

Beth  14:19  

Yeah, don’t ask me

Mark  14:22  

But Teddy, Teddy came down you know he was in the Mercy area came down God thought the President was doing good went back up and they had a go back and get us up in that area. So yeah.

Beth  14:34  

I mean that’s it’s it’s interesting how much history is is up there you know, given that and just plane crashes and that it’s I don’t I don’t know. I don’t know if we want to give it more attention. I don’t know you need more people up there. Yeah, but it’s it’s something that is definitely seems like a more doable goal then heading to like the Himalayas.

Mark  15:00  

Absolutely, and people out west will tell you when it comes to like northeast quaking, especially at erotics, it’s got its own unique ecosystem, it’s got its own unique textures. It’s considered some of the tougher hiking, you know, for the mileage because of the the weight of trails are set up and how slippery it could be and traction and gravel and such. Me you go out west, people have different things, but they’re a little bit. They’re set up a little bit differently. I haven’t been there. I hear from my friends. I fight with the guy at West, so but the Northeast has very tough, especially when it comes to weather changes. Yes, weather could turn on a dime.

Beth  15:46  

But by the minute,

Mark  15:49  

it can’t, it can’t we could start off at 6570 degrees in the bottom. And you’re on top of a peak and it’s 60 mile an hour winds and it’s snowing. Right so you can get that in the Adirondacks. And that’s that’s what makes it so dangerous. So, right, you know, you gotta be prepared for it.

Beth  16:07  

Yeah. And how long from first peak till that your last peak did it? Like, how long was that?

Mark  16:15  

I was like fine wine. 30 years. So I started when I was 15. And my goal was to finish at least at least one round of 46 by before I was 46. So, so I finish when I was 40. But

Beth  16:31  

that’s cool. Yeah, I mean, it’s, it seems like is there a lot of planning that goes into it? Or the resources for people to sort of if they’re interested to get looking at?

Mark  16:42  

Yeah, I mean, nowadays, I mean, there’s, there’s everybody has their opinion out there on the internet, I’m sure that different things that you did disseminate, make your own decisions. But there’s some really good books. And, you know, if you want to really look at books, like the history of antibiotics, there’s one that one of my friends gave me that his publishing company had was called having a pipe is piousness, I’ll have to send you that it’s like the history of 46 years, it’s an old antibiotic saying heaven. I used to this. Yeah. And that talks about the logging and, and you know, why they made the park and how the 46 year started, and, you know, some of the mountains that are up there now. I mean, there were some very rich people who would have a mountain cleared, so they could see pass them up. So it’s unfathomable nowadays to, to attack the environment like that. But But, but they’re rich, and they didn’t know any better. I mean, seriously, they had sites, there were sites, there was a mountain in the way of seeing a site of another mountain, they had cleared, they totally forested just so they can have a better view of another mountain.

Beth  18:01  

So didn’t like that first mountain, they wanted more.

Mark  18:05  

Yeah, and then there’s the anaerobic, anaerobic Mountain Club, high peaks trail, guide, erratic Mountain Club puts it out, there’s many they always update every couple of years, talks about the length of the trails, what to expect, you know, different mileage, different approaches. You know, of course, the company when the map, you know, you go out and plan these types of things. So, you know, one experience people want, there’s groups out there, there’s like minded people go out there and experiences share this antibiotic mountain clubs, throughout, you know, the state, you know, put on different seminars and things like that, that they go with, and tour different erotic, Mountain Club groups. You know, we got a group in Rochester area, Troy, New York is like one of the founding antibiotic mountain close to 46 years. Back on the day, they kind of started started, you know, put the field of fire. But there’s plenty of seminars and knowledge sharing out there with books. You know, even in the state, I mean, the state has some great information and get but um, yeah, but big beware of the blogs out there and people, people make things sound very easy sometimes when reality is good to have reasonable expectations and do your research. Right. Yeah, this

Beth  19:30  

is not oh, let’s do something this weekend. Let’s climb a peak kind of thing. Yeah,

Mark  19:35  

yeah, it’s there. There are a group of people who like the Instagram moment. Yep. For the picture, and there’s those who like to go on their own during a hike your own hike. And, you know, it’s great when it’s dirty, you make mistakes. I mean, it’s the best experiences, right? Yeah.

Beth  19:54  

So like, and and what going through and you’re still going back and doing doing the Pixi And like what is it that draws you to keep you know, going going out?

Mark  20:06  

I’d be a lot choppier. Except for my nature but it may right now I really didn’t like at all this winter just wants but just going out getting in the woods experiencing it getting on trail. You know, I wish you know I’ve spent some great time out there with with with my son my friends, you know gotten my daughter out there a little bit but she never really took to it. Maybe someday she might go back. You know, you know, just keep going back because they call it the I don’t know antibiotic therapy, trail therapy, you know, to get the woods to be with yourself sometimes. So I’m a little hiker, oh Medifast hiker, I’ll be behind the crew, I’ll know where to go. And I’ll know the goal will keep an cantik as you go up. But um, you know, I’m pretty much you know, they’re not that far away, but I’m pretty much on my own is great. You know, listen to nature, be at peace, you know, and you know, and challenge yourself to at the same time, right? So what JC got so you know, like I said, this is like a lifestyle this is part of my fabric where now you know, I’ve gone beyond the Adirondacks we’ve gotten along trail touched a little bit the Appalachian you know, through a canoe on my head did some hiking and Algonquin canoeing at the same time, but it’s you know, and people who are with our hiking group and wives and husbands, you know, for a long time they get together in the area till we go snowshoeing, wintertime, or hiking the trails or going bike riding. So it’s it’s really opened up a, you know, an ability to get out and live well and exercise and keep moving around. And it’s good for the mind and the soul.

Beth  21:53  

Yeah. Well, that brings brings me to the question of, I’m definitely not ready to, to the peaks. Yeah. But I do want to start start hiking. You know, I I walk the neighborhood, I like walking outside, I can’t do the treadmill, I can’t do indoor bike i i like the noise and the the feel of just being outside even in the cold.

Mark  22:18  

I agree. But

Beth  22:20  

But I do want to get out on on some trails and start start hiking a little more like what what should I look or anyone else who’s thinking, Gosh, I really want to get out there more in the wilderness? Or on trails? Like, what? What kind of thing like what kind of trails should we look for to get started?

Mark  22:39  

You know, I think just getting out the door is the first step. I mean, it sounds so cliche, but just one step in front of the other. You know, and, and sets of reasonable goals get out there. It doesn’t have to be anything aggressive. Just the fact that you’re getting some cardio, you get some movement, you’re staying hydrated, you’re eating the right food, you’re working toward those types of things, where you’re, you know, you’re, you’re Slaton, you, you keep pushing your hike your walk to the point where you’re a little bit uncomfortable, and a part of what I do and understand what I do sometimes is be uncomfortable, whether it’s in the woods, and dealing with that, whether it’s in the woods, that a situation. I mean, it helps you in life and helps you, you know when to do the stuff in the woods too. But getting up and hitting things with elevation. Bike riding could be tied into it too, as well. I can’t stress more of my older age, stretching and building up some of those muscles around the knees in the hips with some different stretching techniques and things like that. I’m sure younger people get away with it, but I cramp like the best football player. Yeah, can’t tie your shoes.

Beth  23:54  

Yeah, that’s next morning, I’m out no matter what the walk is the next morning, I can feel it in the hips in the back.

Mark  24:02  

Right recovery. I mean, that’s the thing with recovery, you know, making sure you’ve got the great nutrients. There’s no perfect, you know, start the most imperfect stars not doing thing, right. I mean, just, we did don’t do a thing. That’s, you know, that’s not gonna help you. But so down your way. I mean, you got to see, you know, canal way is, you know, through for a couple endowed with a DC, I mean, get a lot like rain on that or, you know, elevation wise. I mean, I don’t know what kind of trails are like the dry called the Susquehanna Valley area, but I’m sure there’s stuff, you know, getting out and checking out what’s out there. But just keep pushing yourself and then push yourself to the point where you gotta get to a point where you almost feel you got to turn around. So just go a little farther, a little further, you know, and then just go a little farther. And don’t worry about the turning back. because you’ll eventually get back, just might have to push yourself, you know? And then have a plan. Yeah, I mean, any clothing, footwear, all those type of things tie into it if you don’t have to spend a ton of money in the beginning, but I just, you know, wearing the right. Clothing and footwear, you know? I can’t, I don’t know. I know a little bit about the Appalachian Trail and a little bit. I’ve done a bit of reading up on it. I’ve got books, I’ve been kind of studying up on it. I don’t think I’ll do the whole thing. But you know, it might be part of a trip in June to try to touch it. But I’m just reading that type of thing is very similar. It was plenty of hit the hills. Yeah. You did a segment. Just a segment. I just do do from point A to point B.

Beth  25:51  

What’s it? Oh, so just like picking up? Yeah. One part of it.

Mark  25:55  

Yeah, one part of it or in your area, trying to figure out how to get do a hike in a loop. So you’re not seeing the same view twice. Right. I mean, that’s always great. And then getting out there with. I mean, it’s great to be by yourself that alone. But you should always have buddy. But I didn’t have a buddy last week, but

Beth  26:16  

secret’s safe.

Mark  26:17  

Yeah, no, no, no, I did have people. But you always want to have a buddy just in case something happens, or at least a plan, or at least knowing there’s a group of people or something nearby, never want to put yourself in harm’s way. And then also, you know, you’re affecting other people’s trip too, as well. So it’s kind of selfish.

Beth  26:36  

Right? You’re not prepared? Exactly. And you said something about equipment? Like, yeah, you want to study a pair of shoes, or boots? Or?

Mark  26:48  

Yeah, and there’s plenty of brands out there. You know, there’s national sporting goods stores, you know, it gets a is, you know, it depends on the type. I’ve got a lot lighter in my footwear for what I started off with, because, you know, the big mountaineering boots with the laces, leather thick. I mean, that was kind of like the beginning, they still did that up until like 50 years ago, but there’s some great technology out there that it’s it’s got some more flexibility you know, not relying so much on the structure of the shoe, but the strength of your feet. So after you practice and hike and stretch and things like that should help always have good toenail clippers. Yes, I can’t tell you how many toenails I lost. But it’s a lot less than any of my friends from hiking, because you know, you if you’re going you got you know, it’s not just like it’s backpacking. You know, you got like a 4050 pound pack on your back and you’re going down in your toes, her nails are cut, you’re gonna you’re gonna you’re gonna have a you’re gonna lose it in a month. So

Beth  27:57  

I can attest to that for wearing the wrong shoes in an amusement park as well.

Mark  28:04  

Practice run around using the player

Beth  28:05  

yep, I had the wrong shoes on and totally screwed up my big toe

Mark  28:13  

but there’s plenty of great people out there could show that and I know they want to sell stuff but if you get the right people it’s great. Socks. I always say like even clothing cuts do it for cotton cotton kills feels great. But get something stretchy. You want to be comfortable you’re like it right? You’re not really going I don’t do it for the fashion show. So I try to wear something that you know you got to give you got some you got some different stretch fabrics out there that are you know, a wool is getting better better as well as like merino wool alpaca wool. They’ve got some really good stuff out there that you know spend the money it’s really durable. You get stuff off season. Pretty cheap. Can’t can’t say enough about when you get those shoes. Try to get Vibram soles ever by themselves. Okay, so there’s a little Italian guy in the 1930s think I wrote his name down someplace on my nose. Where is it? Yeah. I’m the tally virmani. From it was it Italy 1937 developed this 100% Rubber Soul. Vibram soles usually has a gold symbol in the middle because he lost some friends climbing in the Alps. So he went out and developed this and and I swear by it, everybody tries to replicate it. Nobody can duplicate it. Nobody. I mean. And I don’t care what brand I’ve had many high end brands of boots and stuff like that when it comes down to it. Especially antibiotics. I could walk down that aisle of steeps. slope on a pair of iron shoes and not worry about a thing. Nice. Yeah. And they’re really good. They, they break away. So, I mean, all the good brands, pretty much haven’t. And I mean, people like Gore Tex Watson breathability you know, especially if you’re, and now I’m almost like a running not a running shoe. It’s like a trail shoe now. So, I mean, I’ll, I’ll do a backpacking trip, like a 4045 pound bag with, you know, pretty much really good running shoes. You know, so make it dry quicker. Yeah, a lot lighter. And your, your feet feel better later. So, all depends on the client, too.

Beth  30:43  

Right? Yes. So my last question is, because you even said earlier, you know, there’s people who are just, they want to go for the picture and stuff and, and I don’t want to be the person, I don’t want anyone listening to be the idiot on the trail. So what is some good trail etiquette for us to know?

Mark  31:06  

Well, if you get you know, I gotta leave no trace. So you think Aledo trace, you don’t want to leave things better than you found them. So you want to like durable surfaces, you don’t want to leave your garbage, you know, you want to be your barrier, you know, your, your sanitary thing is and stuff for sometimes people pack them out, depends on what side of the country you’re on. You know, you know, hiking up and down the hills to select the road, if if you’re slow, you know, let somebody pass, you know, you stay on the right, let somebody pass, you know, you know, and if you’re fast, don’t get up on somebody’s butt, let them do their thing. Because, you know, it might be the first time out you want to be like minded, encouraging others to move along and help them along. I mean, it’s a great environment out there. Because there’s people, like I said, like minded usually, you know, and you’re going downhill on a trail, usually let the uphill person kind of like, have it right away. That gives us downhill person the chance to take a break, but the, the, the uphill person has more control of their speed, different theories out there, but that’s kind of like the stuff that’s pretty much printed out there. You know, making sure, you know, when you’re disposing of Plenty to dispose of properly, you know, the woods just because nobody’s looking doesn’t mean you can throw it out there. Right, you know, you know, it’s, it’s if you’re, if you’re camping 100 or 200 feet away from a waterway. It’s really important with you using the facility, same type of thing with a cat hole and bearing it, you know, you know, there’s all other types of things know what a candle was, right? Yes. Okay, just checking. I

Beth  33:00  

did a little bit of research before

Mark  33:02  

delivery search. Yeah. Designated camping areas are huge, both on the trails, staying on the trails, especially when you get the higher elevation, you can do irreparable harm to the the Alpine, if if you go up above you know, don’t destroy the trees to make a fire, they’ll make fires when are supposed to be made. There’s plenty of room especially comes down to radix there’s there’s a whole litany of rules and regulations you need to follow. But nobody’s checking out the door to trust you’re doing it just you’re doing it. So don’t be a jerk.

Beth  33:39  

They trust you’re doing it so do it.

Mark  33:41  

That’s right camping areas, like as a designated, but like, if you’re gonna lean to you’re staying over. I think it’s six Max. It’s an open camping area. So if you don’t have sex, you should allow somebody to get it or if you want. Don’t set your 10 up to people send a title put a link to it. That’s not cool for everybody else. So right there out there that information, food storage. You gotta have a bare barrel if you’re camping, the erotic students all your food has to go in a barrel if you’re staying overnight. So, you know, the bears don’t get too much of it. And then size your group to so size the group is I take it it’s referenced, you know, online through the the DC but I think it’s like 15 people at most, and they have to be kind of separated. Group. So and there’s other guidelines out there. You can’t bring a crowd up there. Right.

Beth  34:46  

I don’t know. 15 people sounds like a crowd.

Mark  34:49  

Yeah, yeah. We try to keep our groups like seven or eight with the most unless you’re a boy scout drone or Trooper that they get to. You’ve done that but All right, Happy Birthday groups, I think day groups or they can go up to 25 but in certain areas, but you’d have to check this stuff out. Yeah, each each each area has their own rules regulations so

Beth  35:12  

everyone check your check your official websites don’t check state and government websites and

Mark  35:20  

and if you can always set up the triangle the triad tribal, yeah, the triangle is setting it up. So you know, you’re not cooking and cleaning and eating and doing your stuff. The same place just sleep separate where you’re storing your food, you want to separate where you’re cooking, you want to separate the personal things, kind of like, you know, 100 feet from each other, at least.

Mark  35:46  

But you know, I try to remember all the rules all everyone’s gotta go back and double check

Beth  35:55  

it I mean, I just I think the things we’re, you know, we got the main things, there are etiquette. Look it up. Don’t be a jerk. Don’t be a jerk to P coordinator. We want it there for hundreds of years after this.

Mark  36:11  

That’s right, I want my grandkids

Beth  36:14  

to play there. Exactly. So

Mark  36:17  

learning how to read a map and using a compass, I can’t stand up for that. You could put your cell phone away your battery’s gonna die, it’s gonna break you’re gonna lose it. At least learn how to read a compass and a map and use it and know how to how to use that the situation it’ll help you out a lot.

Beth  36:35  

That’s really good information as well. This is great information. I’m ready to go out and get myself some hiking shoes. For sure. Not not ready for the high peaks but you know I can do I’m just loving the low low peaks. peaks around the Frederick County area here for sure.

Mark  36:57  

Well, Laurie is totally in the low peaks.

Beth  37:00  

Well see another reason that I love Laurie, I can just we can do low peaks.

Mark  37:05  

Peaks, not around low peaks.

Beth  37:07  

So I always like to throw sort of a pop quiz at people at the end of end of the questions. Some fun questions. Do you have a favorite road trip snack? I guess in your case, it would be your favorite trail snack.

Mark  37:23  

A favorite road tricks neck? Hmm. Interesting question. It just well if if a backpacking What would I like to throw in there? Just to make sure I got it. Peanut butter. There you go. There’s the make it just like those packets of peanut butter. I mean, they got great nutrients get salt. You know, give you the zing you need.

Beth  37:50  

It’s like Ted Lhasa doesn’t he keep a container open on his counter. Does he really still? Yeah, that was one of the episodes. Yep. Alright, so we’ll have a peanut butter. Do you have a like a dream trip up? Bucket List kind of trip.

Mark  38:09  

I got plenty of bucket list. I’m actually so going to Tennessee in June going to go national never been there. Good to see somebody I should have seen in the 90s. But I gave a ticket to my my wife. So obviously should I Twain nice. But part of the trip is the bucket list. Part of it is I My grandfather was in the CCCs back in the 30s. So if you look a lot of national parks, somewhere local parks, the bridges the some of the buildings, some of the, you know, curbing and stuff like that. Back in the 30s. They cleared and made a lot of our infrastructure for our national parks and some more parks and things like that. So my grandfather was in the Appalachian Trail area between North Carolina and Tennessee at a camp and I have a book with pictures of that camp of where he taught. So finally growing up because that actually helped. And, you know, years on his life. So he was there a group of people working on in the woods because their family was poor. They shipped the kids, young teenagers out in the woods to do all this work. You know, FDR put this program together. So looking at hiking a little bit of Appalachian Trail, touching it down in that area and visiting the camp that he was at and you know, like, I get the picture still look back out of the stories look back on. And, you know, he talked about, you know, the barracks and the sports and the camaraderie and everything that they did and how that helped them become the greatest generation. Oh, wow. Yeah, cuz you mean they They were in a certain structure some of these people in the CCCs. So when they went off to war, it was a little bit easier to transition to the barracks to, you know, to being ordered to lead to, you know, following rules, regulations, you know, being part of a group who had a had a common goal. So that we won’t ever want to repeat that again. But that right, there really did help us.

Beth  40:26  

That’s, that’s fast. I didn’t know you were doing that. That’s so cool.

Mark  40:30  

Well, that’s the goal. We’ll see if anybody goes I want to go a great one, too. So we’ll find out. There

Beth  40:37  

you go. And the last question I have who is on your like, playlist when you’re on a road trip, or traveling or even hiking if you listen to music ever?

Mark  40:49  

Oh, yeah.

Beth  40:54  

I know, this was a loaded question.

Mark  40:55  

Nobody has nobody has my Well, I’m sure somebody else but I could have had a very rare like Sinatra like Judas Priest. And that’s, that’s my range, which is everything but Dave Matthews listen to a lot of Dave Matthews. Dude, that’s usually on a road trip. As probably the channel that into that ski trucks right now. Between those two right there, kinda like a little mix. Mix station with that. So

Beth  41:24  

very nice. Yep. Cool. Well, I really appreciate your time and your knowledge. And you know, I hope people are like, this is something they can they can try to tackle or at least have learned about and, and can look for something similar in their areas. So thanks for your time.

Mark  41:42  

Oh, thanks for giving me the opportunity to have fun.

Beth  41:46  

All right. Thanks again to mark for sharing his expertise. I know I’m ready to get out there and take a hike. And thank you for listening. I hope these episodes inspire you to get out and roam even in your own neighborhood. Please subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes. And if you like what we’re doing here, please leave a review and a rating. Also to help support us please head to Yetitoshop.com and pick up some roaming Yeti merch. Talk to you soon and keep roaming.