JRE 939 · April 3, 2017

Chris Cage

healthbusinessenvironmentphilosophy

Who is Chris Cage?

Chris Cage is the founder of Greenbelly Meals and also the author of How To Hike The Appalachian Trail: A Comprehensive Guide to Plan and Prepare for a Successful Thru-Hike.

Topics and Timestamps

01Chris Cage founded Greenbelly Meals, a company focused on creating efficient nutrition for backpacking and hiking
02He wrote a comprehensive guide to hiking the Appalachian Trail covering planning, preparation, and execution of a thru-hike
03Discussion covers the physical and mental challenges of long-distance hiking and how to prepare for them
04The conversation explores nutrition strategy for multi-week hiking expeditions and caloric needs on the trail
05Chris shares insights about the hiking community and the transformative experience of completing a thru-hike
06Topics include gear selection, trail conditions, and common mistakes first-time thru-hikers make
▶Chris explains the origin story of Greenbelly Meals0:00:00
▶Discussion of caloric needs and nutrition strategy for thru-hiking0:15:00
▶Mental and psychological challenges of long-distance hiking0:30:00
▶Common mistakes first-time thru-hikers make and how to avoid them0:45:00
▶The transformative impact of completing a thru-hike1:00:00

The Show

Joe sits down with Chris Cage, founder of Greenbelly Meals and author of How To Hike The Appalachian Trail, to discuss the ins and outs of long-distance hiking and trail nutrition. Chris brings real expertise from his own thru-hiking experiences and his work helping thousands of people prepare for and complete the Appalachian Trail.

The conversation dives deep into what it actually takes to hike the AT, moving beyond the romantic notion of just heading into the woods and covering the practical realities. Chris explains how Greenbelly Meals came about from recognizing a gap in trail nutrition options, specifically meals that are lightweight, calorie-dense, and actually taste good after weeks of hiking. This isn't just about throwing whatever in a backpack and hoping for the best. There's real science to fueling your body properly when you're burning 4000 to 6000 calories a day on the trail.

One of the key themes throughout is the mental side of thru-hiking, which Chris emphasizes is just as important as the physical preparation. Most people underestimate how mentally taxing it is to be out there for months, dealing with constant physical discomfort, isolation, and decision fatigue. Joe and Chris discuss how completing a thru-hike changes people and why so many hikers report it being one of the most transformative experiences of their lives.

The episode also covers practical details like gear selection, understanding different trail sections, weather preparation, and how to recover from the inevitable injuries and setbacks that happen on a 2000-mile journey. Chris pulls from his guide and his experience working with hikers to give concrete advice rather than generic platitudes. He's honest about failure rates and why a lot of people don't finish, and it's not always because they're unprepared physically. Sometimes it's boredom, sometimes it's unexpected life stuff, sometimes it's just that the reality didn't match the fantasy.

Best Quotes

“The Appalachian Trail isn't just a physical challenge, it's a mental one that most people severely underestimate”

— Chris Cage