blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hike
Long-distance solo hiker Alison Young knows hard-core backpacking as few people do. With footprints on six continents and memories from trails like Te Araroa and the Pacific Crest, she is a member of a very small and prestigious group.
In a series of personal essays coupled with found sound and her own flute playing, this podcast explores her journey of self-discovery as a middle-aged woman, sharing the sometimes unglamorous but vital truth about empowerment, inspiring others to blaze their own trails in this journey we call life.
blissful hiker ❤︎ inspiring you to hike your own hike
Freak Show
I didn’t expect much when someone asked to closely examine my deformed fingers—but the moment ended up teaching me about what truly matters – and what doesn’t.
- I may be a Blissful Hiker, but my body is twisted and deformed from severe osteoarthritis.
- I’ve learned to ignore their appearance and carry on with life, focusing on what they can do rather than how they look.
- When someone asked to inspect then comment on my fingers, I realized not only was it impolite and uncalled for behavior, but that my interests lie in more meaningful activities like cultivating my mind, my curiosity and my capacity to feel empathy.
MUSIC: "Poema del Pastor Coya" by Angel Lasala as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, piano.
