You Are Capable of More (Than You Acknowledge to Yourself)

Rebecca Sperry, Socked In Hikes

Listen to Part I here:

Listen to Part II here:

My guest for these two episodes is Rebecca Sperry, otherwise known as Socked In, from the phenomenal blog and Instagram account Socked In Hikes.

As you’ll hear in these conversations, Rebecca has gone through A LOT in the last 5 years. I’d originally set my sights on her for the podcast because of the inspiring, raw, truth-telling way she has been attacking a recent health crisis during COVID. But as I was editing our audio to prepare the episode, I realized that Rebecca’s ‘story before the story’ was just as compelling and inspiring.

Hearing Rebecca’s first-hand account of the mindset shifts and setbacks and cleared hurdles that led to her becoming a prolific solo hiker, the ways she has allowed her definition of achievement to evolve, is an amazing story in and of itself. And if you meet Rebecca this way, and then spend a few days letting some of the stuff she shares knock around in your brain, it’s going to make the stories she shares in Part 2 all that much more amazing and inspiring.

Listen in, let it marinate in your brain a bit, and then tune in for the rest of the story....

While you don’t necessarily need to hear her back story to appreciate Part 2, it will (for sure) give you even more context and make that episode much more powerful and inspiring.

I also want to throw a trigger warning out there. Rebecca and I talk about cancer in these episodes. A LOT.

Please, please, follow Rebecca @SockedInHikes on Instagram, and from there you can access all of her good stuff from her bio links. 

And please, PLEASE, get your mammograms and other preventative tests. A lot of us, myself included, put stuff on hold during COVID, but it’s time to stop making excuses, pick up the damn phone, and get on the schedule.

I hope you’ll share this episode with friends or family members who might need to hear Rebecca’s message, or direct them to RebeccaSperry.com. Don’t forget, she writes about all the things over there - hiking AND heroism. 

So many fantastic links from this conversation:

• Tommy Corey (“Twerk”)

• Hiker Trash Vogue on Instagram

• Monique (short film)

• What is BI-RADS?

• Katadyn Water Filters

• CNOC Outdoors (trekking poles, water bladder)

• Metacomet-Monadnock Trail (CT/MA/NH)

• Wapack Trail

• Pemigewasset Wilderness (NH)

• Mt. Major (Alton, NH)

• Mt. Osceola (Lincoln, NH)

• What is peak bagging?

• The Trek (blog)

• Belknap Range (NH)

• Franconia Ridge (NH)

• Sounds Like a Search and Rescue Podcast - (check out Rebecca talking White Mountain waterfalls with the guys on Episode 8)

• “The 67” (highest peaks in New England)

• Baxter State Park - Katahdin - Hunt Trail - Cathedral Trail from Chimney Pond

• Guthook (trail guides, app)

• Garmin Explorer

• What is a bivy?

• What is a space blanket?

• Mountain Forecast (weather site)

• Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway (NH)

• Long Trail (VT)

• Tully Trail (MA)

• Grafton Loop (ME)

• Mt. Isolation (NH)

Want to take on Katahdin with some kick-*ss guides? Hit up Jes and Tallie of Great Mountain Guide Service, featured on Guides Gone Wild Episode 16!