HYOH Podcast - Episode 34 (John and Kathy Penn)

**captaincoupal** · 07-02-2018, 12:58

This month Jonathan and Mark get to talk with John and Cathy Pennell, an adventuring husband and wife team who have chosen to start adventuring together later in life, showing us that it’s never too late to have some fun in the outdoors and get healthy while doing it. We have a great conversation about backpacking and hammock camping with your significant other, and play the dating game while we’re at it! After that, we chat a little bit about downtime activities.

Jonathan and Mark also have a discussion and (they think) some sage advice about setting up for a backyard hang.

Show Notes:

You can find John and Cathy’s blog posts at https://couch2trail.wordpress.com/.

If you were thinking of buying it, click here to buy Dutchware’s adjustable wall hangers.

Here’s a link to Colorado Springs’ FOX21 followup on Hammock Camping.

As always, we are also inviting comments and suggestions on our Facebook page – like us there at https://www.facebook.com/hyohpodcast and join the conversation. You can listen to or subscribe to the podcast from a link on our home page online at https://www.hyohpodcast.com or give us a review on our page in iTunes. If you’d like to buy Mark and Jonathan a cup of coffee, go to https://www.hyohpodcast.com/donate to make a one-time donation, or you can donate monthly to our Patreon Campaign at https://www.patreon.com/hyohpodcast. As always, thanks so much for hanging around!

**johnspenn** · 07-04-2018, 06:07

Hey guys, Cathy and I enjoyed doing the podcast and are thankful for the opportunity!

**sidneyhornblower** · 07-05-2018, 02:34

Too little time, too much good stuff to check out. This one goes on my list of things to listen to for sure.

**Pennsy Camp and Canoe** · 07-05-2018, 11:52

Congrats John and Cathy! Can't wait to listen to the interview!

edit: great podcast! Be interested in a HYOH group hang, and you guys are welcome to join us for MidHHA at Minister Creek later this month.

I agree with John's advice for new campers, I love taking new people camping but you have to make it fun with good food and wonderful sights!

**One-Sky** · 07-05-2018, 13:16

I really enjoyed listening to these two (and, of course, Jonathan and Mark)! But Cathy, you get the award for toughest camper out there . . . stung 30 times by hornets and STILL HIKED/CAMPED??!!! I envy you. I get one sting by ONE wasp or hornet and that part swells up, pretty fast, Ugh! I keep Benadryl with me at all times.

But it was great to hear how you both took this all on later in life, just like I have. Goes to show you, you're never too old to start something wonderful!

Cheers!

**XJ35S** · 07-05-2018, 17:23

Guy's I know I am usually negative about the podcast. Not this time. Great sound, topics, and information. I totally enjoyed the format. I was pleasantly surprised when John was wrong. I have been a sub of couch2trail for a while but it was great to hear them chat.

I hope we an get more true stories from backpackers. The good the bad and the ugly, it helps us all be better prepared. I like the round table aspect better than the lecture style of a YouTube video. You guy's knocked it out of the park on this one. I'm going to listen again...

**johnspenn** · 07-06-2018, 07:04

Originally Posted by XJ35S

... I was pleasantly surprised when John was wrong. I have been a sub of couch2trail for a while but it was great to hear them chat...

Haha You'd be pleasantly surprised quite a bit if you hung around me much lol! Thanks for subbing our blog, we hope to get some posts up soon about our latest AT hike!

**kitsapcowboy** · 07-06-2018, 09:33

Well done, Jonathan -- another great episode.

Of course, you and Mark hit the jackpot with guests, John and Cathy, who are both as entertaining as they are erudite.

Couch2Trail is a fantastic blog, and John's posts full of helpful information and advice are a boon to this forum; he has demonstrated himself to me in our brief personal correspondence what is already abundantly clear online -- that he is a man of quality.

It was a pleasure to hear Cathy in your interview and benefit from her knowledge, perspective, and wisdom. As a former classroom teacher myself, I have tremendous respect for anyone who balances so well the demands of being an educator, a writer, and an adventurer with those of family and the other aspects of life. The abundance of her wisdom and dedication is obvious.

Kudos to the Pennells -- the power couple of HF -- and to you guys for your excellent contributions to the hammock camping community.

Addendum (Time reference 47:40) -- Kitsap County, its name anglicized as "KIT-sap" (pronounced just like the two common English words) from the name of the Suquamish tribal leader Ktsap from the late 18th and early 19th Centuries -- is my locality here on the western side of Puget Sound, a peninsula immediately across the water from Seattle that comprises the Bremerton-Silverdale MSA and other smaller population centers, as well as the Bremerton Naval Shipyard, a variety of other military facilities, and the Port Madison (Suquamish) Reservation (the final resting place of Chief Seattle). We have a lot of big trees.

**johnspenn** · 07-06-2018, 10:12

Originally Posted by kitsapcowboy

Well done, Jonathan -- another great episode.

...

Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm pretty sure that's the first time anyone ever called me "erudite" haha! Cathy appreciates your kind words as well.

Looking forward to hearing what you and Jellyfish have to say about your DIY wizardry and the outdoors in next month's show!

(now I have to go look up "erudite"... LOL)