In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Curtis Himstedt, known on trail as Easily Forgotten. Easily Forgotten’s backpacking resume is bananas. A partial list of his adventures includes the Annapurna Circuit, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in Wales, the GR10, Tour du Mont Blanc, Yorkshire Dales High Way, South Downs Way, and Cotswold Way in England, the Triple Crown in the U.S., the Tahoe Rim Trail, and a continuous yo-yo of the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail between 2023-2024. Curtis takes us through these treks, especially the ones we haven't covered on the podcast before, shares how his first divorce inspired him to get into thru-hiking, explains why he feels more like himself on trail than in “the real world,” and gives us a preview of his upcoming adventures as he continues trekking strong into his 60s.

We wrap the show with news of a major gear retailer accused of ties to forced labor, a new navigation app you’ll want on your radar for 2025, the triple crown of the worst fashion trends, a debate on how to inform someone of their LNT violation, what we’d replace our hands with if given the choice, and much more.

Topo Athletic: Use code “TREKWINTER15” at topoathletic.com.

Gossamer Gear: Use code “BACKPACKER20” for 20% off packs at gossamergear.com.

Ombraz: Use code “BACKPACKER30” for $30 off at ombraz.com/discount/backpacker30.

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Interview with Curtis Himstedt aka Easily Forgotten

Time stamps & Questions

00:06:10 - Reminders: Join us for our live show in Austin, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and apply to blog for the Trek!

00:09:45 - Introducing Curtis

00:11:20 - What was your weight loss story?

00:12:55 - How did you get into long distance backpacking?

00:14:53 - How old were you when you were in Boy Scouts?

00:16:57 - Is there a part of you that’s grateful to your initial divorce for getting you into hiking?

00:19:00 - What learning lessons did you have on the Annapurna Circuit?

00:23:00 - What was life like on your farm?

00:24:00 - From an engineer’s perspective, what was hiking the West Highland Way like?

00:27:05 - Would you recommend the West Highland Way to others?

00:28:52 - Has it ever backfired on you to not plan too much of your hikes?

00:30:40 - Do you feel more comfortable when hiking long trails?

00:32:20 - What advice do you have for someone about to get married?

00:35:00 - Discussion about planning international hikes

00:35:44 - Tell us more about the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path

00:37:33 - Tell us about the Grey Wolf Loop

00:40:20 - Tell us more about hiking in England

00:42:56 - Tell us more about the GR10

00:49:05 - Tell us about hiking the AT in 2018

00:54:50 - Tell us about hiking the PCT in 2019

00:57:08 - How did you like the Oregon Coast Trail?

01:00:10 - At what point do you start planning future hikes?

01:01:50 - Do you feel a sense of fulfillment exploring new trails each year?

01:04:20 - Tell us about the South Downs Way

01:05:48 - What were your top 3 favorite trails in the UK?

01:08:50 - Tell us about the Kerry Way

01:10:53 - Discussion about the Portuguese Camino

01:12:15 - What does your gear look like today?

01:15:01 - Tell us about your hiking in the Azores

01:22:25 - Discussion about not planning lodging on European trails

01:23:28 - Tell us about the Cinque Terre

01:25:25 - Tell us about the Via Degli Dei

01:26:55 - Tell us about your MEGA GAME LT^2 adventure

01:33:00 - Story about Curtis’s father

01:38:25 - You don’t like FKTs but you like endurance hiking?

01:39:42 - What’s the northern section like in the winter?

01:42:50 - How many miles are you typically hiking in a day?

01:44:20 - What about the AT do you love so much?

01:46:05 - What do your next 4 years of hiking look like?

01:49:20 - Peak Performance Question: What is your top performance-enhancing or backpacking hack?

Segments

Trek Propaganda

Outdoor Gear Retailer Decathlon Accused of Ties to Forced Labor in China by Katie Jackson
Could This New Mapping App from the Founders of Gaia GPS Become a Thru-Hiker Staple? by Katie Jackson

QOTD: If you had to replace your hands with something else, what would you pick?

Triple Crown of the worst fashion trends

Mail Bag

5 Star Review

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10+ International Hikes and a Continuous Yo-Yo of the AT and Long Trail with Curtis Himstedt (BPR #296)

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