Triple Crowning with Stage 4 Cancer with Jeff «Long Strides» Vonvai (BPR #330)

In today’s episode of Backpacking Radio presented by The Trek, presented by LMNT, we’re joined by Jeff Vonvai, known on the trail as Long Strides. This conversation will put life’s problems into perspective, because for the past seven years, Long Strides has been battling stage 4 colon cancer, despite only being given a prognosis of 3 to 6 months. Jeff shares what it’s like to balance intense rounds of chemotherapy and surgery between hikes, the challenges of rebuilding his legs every time he returns to the trail, and how cancer has transformed his outlook on life, saying he’s happier now than before his diagnosis. Get ready to feel inspired.

We end the show with the news that the southern terminus of the Continental Divide Trail now requires US citizenship and a military-issued permit, how to hike the Colorado Trail on less than $800, what crime Chaunce committed that landed him in prison, and the triple crown of things that make us cringe.

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Interview with Jeff “Long Strides” Vonvai

Timestamps and questions

00:05:00 – Reminders: Take the AT Thru-Hiker Survey, apply to the blog for the Trekand listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon!

00:07:15 – Introducing long strides

00:09:41 – How did you go from Arizona to hiking?

00:12:10 – Describe what it was like to receive your diagnosis.

00:19:50 – How do you maintain your way of thinking?

00:22:10 – What do your doctors think about your walk?

00:24:50 – When does poop start to smell?

00:28:21 – What is the main objective of the surgery?

00:30:25 – Tell us the time between surgery and your next walk.

00:34:00 – Tell us about starting AT a couple of weeks after finishing chemo.

00:37:25 – Did things become easier after that internal dialogue?

00:40:10 – Is it possible that hiking makes something worse?

00:41:45 – Discussion on PCT improvement and surgery before CDT

00:45:00 – Are you sharing things with your trams?

00:48:35 – Do you have any practices that you keep while walking?

00:51:20 – How has your thinking changed since your diagnosis?

00:53:05 – Discussion on the transition between the PCT and the CDT

00:55:45 – Why did you decide to go south on the CDT?

00:56:55 – What is the rumor on the trail with the southern terminus?

01:02:04 – How does the CDT compare to the other two for you?

01:09:30 – Fuck, marry and kill: AT, PCT, CDT

01:11:30 – Discussion on Long Strides’ future plans

01:15:35 – Have people encountered you along the trails?

01:16:30 – Tell us about seeing moose

01:18:02 – Are you looking forward to getting to New Mexico?

01:18:55 – What do you have planned between 2025 and 2028?

01:21:05 – Do you have any advice for someone who has recently received a diagnosis?

01:23:05 – Stay Salty Question: What is your best view of the world of backpacking or the outdoors?

01:25:10 – How did you get your route name?

Segments

Propaganda Clues: CDT hikers: US citizenship and military permit now required to access southern terminal by Katie Jackson

QOTD: If I were arrested, what crime would you assume I committed?

The crisis of the week

Triple Crown of things that make you shake

mail bag

5 star review

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