EP 20: WALKING ACROSS THE USA - WEST TO EAST & SOUTH TO NORTH - WITH MIKE CROWLEY

Roaming the Earth with Drea Castro

Special Guest: Mike Crowley

At the age of 11, Mike went on his first backpacking trip and the outdoor bug has been with him ever since. Taking time each month, he would explore the mountains and deserts of Southern California and take week long treks in the Sierra Nevadas.

As it happens to most of us, life later got in the way and took over, but Mike always remembered the call of the wild.

Fast forward 30 years and Mike started making his way outdoors again. From exploring the Mojave Desert, to camping in Death Valley in August, bike packing across the Hawaiian island of Molokai, finding once again his old stomping grounds in the Sierras and now... thru-hiking across America last year, and doing it once again this year.

It seems Mike is now making up for lost time. After his second walk across America is over, he is conjuring up plans for other adventures. Some ideas are: hiking the lowest to highest trail (Badwater in Death Valley to Mount Whitney in the Sierras), kayaking and hiking the circumference of Kauai, exploring the forests and lonely places of the American southwest and more.

Show Notes:

00:00

Mike Crowley reads an excerpt from something he has written about his travels

1:30

• Drea introduced Mike Crowley and his history with traveling.
• Drea talks about the reason why she decided to introduce Mike

3:56

• Discussing the reasons for his excerpt that he wrote and about his love for the vastness.
• The importance of silence and experiencing God or the Universe.

8:13

• The walk across American from West to East
• Saddleback mountain and the regrets he started to have - the lesson he learned to be present
• The importance of not looking at the destination because it can make it difficult

12:24

• The decision to conquer the hike across the country and Mike’s “whys” once and then now going from South to North
• West to East Hike - Started in March and ended in New Years Eve - A total of 3900
• Currently hiking 2200 Miles from South to North - Started in August 1st till mid to later part of February 2021

15:36

• Mike’s shares his most valuable lessons

17:07

• Mike has been hiking alone and shares that there is a community of people who are walking across the country like him. He talks about briefly meeting someone who was also doing the same thing and they accompanied each other during the most mentally difficult part of the trail, the Missouri River.

19:36

• Mike shares what travel means to him : the special connections you have with the people you meet.

21:21

• Drea asks why Mike decided to do this type of travel.

22:32

• Mike shares how he prepared for this hike.
• Mindset
• Financial Aspect

29:20

• www.youtube.com/ilikemike
• Mike talks about his youtube channel and how it began!

30:29

• Mike shares some of the challenges walking on the road
• Missouri River - The mental challenge
• The Grand Canyon/Little Colorado River - the lack of trail legs and the physical challenge

32:56

• Mike has never gotten hurt but he has gotten stuck on a cliff. He was saved my Alex

33:58

• Mike shares a story when he felt the most in danger in Rockies.
• He also shares how he keeps going when there are places of danger.

36:35

• Mike talks about one of his most interesting stories in the backroad of Kansas and meeting these people who decided to take him into their home.
• Mike talks about importance of the people that he meets and the connections he makes

39:50

• Mike shares his most meaningful person he’s ever met - it was Alec - a former guest on Drea’s show in the Grand Canyon.

43:51

• Mike shares his most fulfilling moment on his hike
• Being able to turn off the time
• Connection with others

44:57

• Mike’s favorite location is Kansas
• Mike’s advice to explore Kansas - North of Ford and then cross over the Arkansas River to see the vast grassland.
• Try the local joints and avoid the chain restaurants because the meals are good, usually but you get to experience the local people

49:08

• Mike next plans include hiking the coast of Kauai along the Napali Coast, roam the American Southwest in a van

51:00

• Mike brings one thing when he travels - Pocket new testament in psalms

52:26

• Mike shares his piece of life advice

54:42

• www.ilikemike.com
• www.youtube.com/ilikemike