From the CDT to Content Creation: The Thru Hikers Tim & Renee’s Outdoor Adventures

I sit down with Tim and Renee—better known as Simply the ⁨@reneeandtim⁩ . These two have thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and Continental Divide Trail (CDT), set a Fastest Known Time (FKT), and built a massive online audience with their content on backpacking, ultrarunning, and dehydrated trail meals.

Follow the Thru Hikers on the internet

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thruhikers/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thruhikers?

Website: https://thruhikers.co/

We talk about their full-time careers in plant genetics and engineering to outdoor influencers, the pressure of going viral on TikTok, and what it’s like filming content while hiking thousands of miles. Renee shares the story behind her self-supported Oregon FKT and how spreadsheets, heatwaves, and stubborn fire seasons played a role.

Check out The Barkley Bonus Episodes: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5KrLfLJn9Joy6PwwX3uEFR?si=cb96d5bf10ca48f3

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Plus, we dive into:

-The realities of turning hiking into a career

-Dehydrated food experiments gone wrong (bibimbap, we’re looking at you)

Trail name origins ("Blue Man" and "Sausage")

-How to prep for your first long-distance hike (spoiler: you don’t need to be an expert)

-Their book combining backpacking recipes and advice

-And why trail running has become their go-to between big hikes

This episode is perfect for aspiring thru-hikers, FKT nerds, trail chefs, and anyone wondering how to turn a love of the outdoors into a lifestyle.

Chapters

00:00 Adventuring with an Audience

03:06 Balancing Careers and Adventures

05:59 The Journey to FKTs

09:00 The Transition to Ultra Running

11:56 Navigating Social Media Growth

15:04 The Process of Writing a Book

34:51 The Journey of Publishing a Book

36:44 Wildlife Encounters and Adventure Stories

41:05 The Art of Dehydrating Food for Hiking

50:29 Preparing for a Thru-Hike Adventure

55:40 Trail Names and Their Stories

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Keywords

Thruhiking, Ultra Running, FKT, Adventure, Social Media, Content Creation, Hiking, Outdoor Activities, Balancing Work and Adventure, Recipe Book, hiking, adventure, wildlife encounters, thru-hiking, book publishing, dehydrating food, trail names, outdoor stories, FKT, hiking tips