S2E13: Who is Lyla?
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Today we sit down and have a chat with the one and only Lyla!
We begin the show by instantly jumping into some heavy hitting topics. Lyla begins the show with very openly and honestly sharing her past journey with becoming sober, as well as finding herself. Lyla is as she describes it, a sober queer trans woman. We begin the show by unpacking what this has meant for her in the backpacking world as well as the journey of life before.
We get a quick run down of the trails she has accomplished, beginning with the Appalachian Trail in 2021, the Bay Circuit Trail FKT in 2021, the Arizona Trail in 2021, the Pacific Crest Trail in 2022, and her most recent accomplishment, the Woman's Unsupported FKT of the White Mountains Direttissima.
We then jump into her accelerated pace in the backpacking world, and the "Dipping the Toe" mentality compared to the "Consumption" mentality. We chat about her previous work in Youth Development and dive deeper into her early 30s getting sober and starting her gender transition. We chat having a sobriety plan for the AT, and how even though trails can be a place for growth, health, and meaning, they can also have triggers. She gives us her tips and tricks for choosing health and remaining on her plan.
We chat about being mis-gendered on trail and the types of interactions that can occur and the techniques she uses. We chat Confederate Flags Vs. Pride Flags, we chat finding your tribe on trail, and we chat FKTs.
We chat dreams of mozzarella sticks, eating sticks of butter, and swallowing peanut butter like a pill. We chat new levels of exhaustion, "inner-child work", and the growth found through tears. We chat deconstructing societal pressures, the physical and mental intensity of FKTs, and deep fears of being alone that transcend into strength.
We chat connection and disconnection inside of this lifestyle. We chat "the Hamily", Declan and giving him all the butter, cashing out one's chips, and being okay with where life takes you.
We dive deep into her most recent accomplishment of setting the Unsupported Woman's White Mountains Direttissima FKT. We chat connected steps and her route of 230~ miles accomplished in 7 days, 11hrs, and 44 minutes. We chat 8 days of food and a pack weight of 31.5 pounds. We chat calorie consumption, familiarizing oneself with the route, her motto of "Everything will be okay", and finding deeper levels of strength.
It shouldn't even have to be said, but sadly it still does because transphobia is still prevalent. Lyla has experienced push-back in our community with her FKT accomplishment, and that is not okay. We here at Off Trail, recognize Lyla's achievement as becoming the holder of the Unsupported Woman's White Mountains Direttissima. We know our audience and believe you all do to, but as we wrap up the show, we chat about what we can do as a community to recognize this achievement, and Lyla puts it quite plainly, stand up, be vocal, and show your support.
We end the show with a Ramen Rating Review.
We ask everyone listening to show your support and be a voice for support. Lyla is the Unsupported Woman's FKT holder, simple as that.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
"Trans woman are woman."
"I got sober so I could do things, not so I could sequester myself from life."
"Can we just all agree not to eat butter and lard?!"
"You don't have to be great all the time."
"Find people who share your values."
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