This week on Hikes & Mics, we caught up with a familiar face: John Mark, last on the show back in 2023 — and a LOT has happened since then.

Over the past two years, he’s shifted careers from college professor to full-time court interpreter, giving him the flexibility to chase waterfalls, wander ridgelines, and sneak in micro-adventures between jobs. He’s camped nearly every month for two years straight, endured freezing nights in Savage Gulf, refined his pack system down to a science, and discovered a deep love for the wild pockets of Bankhead National Forest.

We talked about the 2024 solar eclipse, wildlife encounters from timber rattlers to raccoons with a sweet tooth. From cold-weather resilience to the magic of chasing new waterfalls, John Mark reminds us that the outdoors has endless lessons waiting for us — if we make the space for them.

Episode Links:
John Mark on Instagram
John Mark on Facebook

This episode was Produced by Jordyn Smith, follow her on Instagram @jordyn.journeys

Follow us on Instagram, @Hikesandmics

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