Dark Miles - The Permanent Tramily with Ben "Paladin" Cox

Dark Miles - The Permanent Tramily with Ben "Paladin" Cox

From Hiker Trash Radio by Doc, Bleav

May 25, 2026 · 16 min · Season 11

About this episode

Ben Cox shares his lifelong journey of hiking and the concept of carrying a permanent tramily with him through his experiences of loss and adventure.

Ben Cox has been hiking his whole life. Long distance. Alone. He will tell you he hiked for the adventure. He will also tell you that he never really hiked alone — that he carries a permanent tramily with him everywhere he goes. His grandfather, who died when Ben was 15 and left him a saddle, a skinning knife, and a specific rifle because Ben was his cowboy grandchild. The girl in West Texas who passed that same summer. The others who came after. The Permanent Tramily is the story of a man who accumulated loss across his whole life — at 15, in the years after, and in a relationship that ended just before he bought a plane ticket to San Diego and hiked 2,650 miles north. It’s also the story of what he found on the other side. Dark Miles is a narrative documentary series from Hiker Trash Radio.

People in this episode

Hosts: Doc, Bleav

Guest: Ben Cox

Topics covered

  • long distance hiking
  • personal loss
  • tramily
  • adventure
  • narrative documentary

Keywords

  • hiking
  • tramily
  • loss
  • adventure
  • documentary
  • Ben Cox
  • West Texas
  • San Diego

Mentioned in this episode

Places: West Texas, San Diego

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