75. From Pandemic Hiker to Thru-Hiker: New Adventures on the Florida Trail | Maria ‘Sawgrass’ Llorens

Maria caught my eye as someone to interview for the podcast because I though she offered a unique perspective to podcast listeners. Having discovered hiking during the early parts of the pandemic in 2020 as a way to get outside and not go stir-crazy, she began exploring Everglades National Park and other parks closer to her home in Miami. As you’ll hear Maria say, Miami residents aren’t often known for their extensive outdoorsyness, unless it is particularly centered around the beach and partying, though there are definitely folks getting out there and exploring their own backyards. Maria’s interest and confidence in hiking grew which led her to create the Miami Hiking Club, an effort to mentor other folks in the area who might be curious about hiking but unsure where to begin. This fledgling group is spreading their wings and several group hikes have already been led by Maria. Maria is currently on the Florida Trail and we recorded this episode a few days before she was scheduled to leave for her southbound hike. I’m hoping I can get Maria to come back on for an ‘after’ interview to share her different perspectives.