Daniel Clark

Lucky Colleague

How can I construct an ‘elevator pitch’, when nobody but you know what you like/need other than an interesting guest (multiple Trek Correspondents think I am).

Of course it is the AT and things outdoors (except fishing podcasts), but what captures your interest about a guest. You’ve had many different guests. Only you know

- I have AT and other hiking stories to tell
- I’m an unofficial member of the Icelandic Tourist Board (I took hundreds of photos on the AT to show people what they were missing)
- I’m not from the US so can directly address issues of visas, culture, money, food, et al that I encountered
- I can provide ideas for those who wish to walk in the UK, but have limited time to do so
- I have a long business career ending by owning a cloud.
- I have a long long list of activity based holidays to support a love of the outdoors (walking, windsurfing and whale watching; choosing just the w’s)

To supply just one one example from my life to show how much I love the outdoors…..

…..31 years ago, for our honeymoon, my wife and I went camping in Iceland; not a Caribbean beach week, but time walking and sleeping under canvas (as it was then) in the most amazing landscape it is easy to access (as you will find out). We returned 30yrs later for an even longer 14day self made tour (still too short)

I did
- complete the AT in 2023 in 145days
- witness a live deer birth in New Jersey
- survive the 6in rain in 12hrs Vermont state of emergency
- shit my pants on the AT twice (and have other poo stories)
- shit in the middle of an open field for all to see (apparently)
- carry a spare trekking pole for 1000 miles
- get a hitch without asking or facing the driver
- get a hitch in a game of town pronouncing
- accept (with disbelief) being a guest at a hiker wedding on trail at Woods Hole hostel
- share a shelter with a wanted felon
- teach my colleague’s English words, phrases and swear words
- meet another hiker who lives less than 5 miles from my home, at random, in a hostel in Waynesboro
- think it was a good idea to complete a 600mile warm up for the AT (South West Coast Path)
- use a pee bottle; and have used it in shelters; and even a hotel room
- develop an on trail fart protocol, so we didn’t crop-dust too often
- spend hours being an unpaid salesman for Atom Packs
- summit Katahdin with two The Trek Trail Correspondents

I didn’t
- get one blister on the AT
- buy any peanut butter on the AT
- get any chafing on the AT
- ever eat a ramen bomb on the AT
- believe the news/advice (aka crap) SOBO’s would give
- ask any hiker how heavy their pack was

I have an accent :)

I’m not from the USA

I am 60

I have a marvel superpower - the reason for part of my trail name

I have completed many treks in other countries - England, Scotland, Wales (haha, I’m English)

I have always used a pee bottle; now I know the correct bottle volume to use

I created/produced a vlog every day, with no outside assistance

My quickest hitch was less than 30 seconds

I got a hitch from Clingmans Dome to Gatlinburg in 5mins…for a 35min drive….

NON AT stuff

I have a personal Stephen Hawking story

I owned a cloud

I went to over 100 rock concerts in the 80’s, a few in the 70’s (incl Led Zeppelin in 1979, Knebworth…. YouTube it!) and a few in the 90’s

I once advised the CEO of a major film company how the internet worked

I was interviewed by the police about a Xmas sale stock robbery

I rode a motorcycle into a swimming pool

I broke my foot but didn’t realise for a day

I forgot to pickup my eldest child from school….twice