#168 - He Served 31 Years in the Air Force… Then the PCT Changed Him | Jason France
About this episode
Jason France discusses his transition from a 31-year military career to the freedom of thru-hiking on the PCT.
Jason, a recently retired Air Force command senior enlisted leader with 31+ years of service, explains how he got the trail name “Meat Grinder” after severe nipple chafing on the PCT and how quickly it stuck. He describes the difficult transition from decades of military structure to the unstructured freedom of thru-hiking, finding the same powerful bonding through shared hardship and joy. He compares solo hiking versus hiking with partners, including a rainy 16-day JMT where he and a friend skipped Whitney for safety, and discusses how fishing forces him to slow down. Jason recounts struggling through the NorCal heat, smoke, fires, and “NorCal blues,” and how the trail removed distractions, helping him process combat memories and release guilt. He shares lasting takeaways of gratitude and simplicity, plus why he wrote his book, 5 Million Steps. -- Jason's Links -- Five Million Steps Book Instagram ---My Socials--- Instagram YouTube TikTok
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- #173 - Training for Backpacking Ranked (Tier List)
- #172 - Ranking Backpacking Mistakes (Tier List)
- #171 - Ranking the Best and Worst Backpacking Foods (Tier List)
- #170 - Ranking the Best and Worst Hiking Gear (Tier List)
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