Whoo-hoo! Episode 17 (aka the first of the Slackpack Series) is an entire episode dedicated to doling out some down and dirty of advice from four female thru-hikers, who love nothing more than discovering the joys of getting deeper into the backcountry. During an impromptu trek through Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, GGH host Melissa “Click” Goodwin, and her semi-regular podcast guests and trail besties, Emma “Sprout” Hileman, Lauren “Woodchuck” de la Vega and Kelley “NoSeeUm” Blosser, all discuss some of the finer (and funnier) points of what comes up on a long-distance backpacking trip. To keep the conversation from going totally of the rails, a 10-minute timer per topic was set as the ladies took off toward Melissa’s apartment. As it goes with any good on-trail conversation with friends, their topics did ebb and flow a bit, but they still managed to cover a lot of ground on our short walk including descriptions of some on-trail lingo, recalling some special seasonal moments on our adventures, tips for trip planning and must haves for meals-- and all with a ton of laughs.    Slackpacking: Hiking a day’s worth of mileage (or more) on a long-distance trail pursuit, but without the burden of a fully loaded backpack. Heavy gear can be left in the custody of others, in order for the thru-hiker’s body to have a bit of a break from the usual grind. In the podcast sense – a fun and lighthearted episode with friends!  SHOWNOTES / USEFUL LINKS: Gossamer Gear Discount — use code “GIRLGOTTAHIKEGOSSAMER” for 15% off your first purchase at GossamerGear.com Link here to check out GG’s Gorilla 50 ultralight backpack! Appalachian Trail Pacific Crest Trail Continental Divide Trail Arizona Trail John Muir Trail The Long Trail Northville Placid Trail Cholula Hot Sauce