An Introduction to a Marine Army Veteran (MAV)
Hello! I am Jason “MAV” Brocar. Excited to be a blogger for The Trek this 2022 thru hiking season. I grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota and have always liked being in the outdoors. With the Black Hills National Forest right in my backyard there were a lot of opportunities to go camping and hiking. After high school I joined the Marine Corps and started my travels around the world. After 13 years, I left and went to college, but it wasn’t too long before I transitioned into the Army. My Army experience was a decade of deployments which rounded out my 23 years of military service, onwards to retirement!
So, what does a 23-year retired veteran do when he gets out of the military?
I pondered this for quite a while before transitioning out. Researching so many careers that I thought I wanted to do based on my military service. Then one day I was asked about outdoor jobs. This piqued my interest and I started looking into any outdoor related career I could find. But the weird thing was my research into outdoor jobs turned into outdoor activities, which landed on long-distance hiking. I never even heard of long-distance hiking, didn’t even know it was a thing. I had gone hiking and camped many times in my life, but not multiple days and miles on end. So, upon retirement I set out on my first long distance hike, the Appalachian Trail in 2014 as a SOBO.
What just happened?
I thought I had researched enough information that I was very confident at the start of my hike. Found out the first week that everything I thought I knew about hiking was not what I planned on. Learning so much from other hikers on the ins and outs of long-distance hiking was the key for me. My stubbornness of a military background to persevere through the tough times and thoroughly enjoy the fun times. The overall experience was amazing, and I ended up catching that hiking bug and continuing hiking more trails.
- Scottish National Trail
- GR-11 Spanish Pyrenees
- River to River Trail
- South Dakota Centennial Trail
- Arizona Trail (Southern Half)
- Continental Divide Trail
Heading into a new year, what does 2022 bring?
Since 2014, I have had a routine of working 2 years, then hiking a year. 2022 is that hiking year. To get back into that hiking “beast” mode in preparation for a PCT SOBO hike, in March, I will hike South Carolina Palmetto Trail and SC Foothills Trail, then move on to the Triple “O” in the Ozarks by May. The Triple “O” is the Ouachita Trail, Ozark Highlands Trail, and Ozark Trail. I am positive this will get me warmed up to start the PCT in July and thus finishing my Triple Crown.
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Comments 15
I like your plan.
Looking forward to meeting you, and reconnecting with Birdy. I’ll be pulling for you!
Thanks Frank. See you soon, this is going to be epic.
It’ll be great to see y’all on the East Coast! I need to check out the Palmetto Trail, and see about coming down and mountain biking part of it with you.
Just don’t run me over.
This man is an absolute beast… I am super proud of him. Good Soul. True friend. Salt of the earth.
Thank you buddy.
No thanks you
MAV, it was so cool to stumble upon this blog post and see what amazing adventures you’ve completed since I met you on the AT in 2014! You have been busy. Best of luck on the PCT! —Chin Up
Chin-up! Wow, its been a few years- hope you are well! Hope you’ve been able to squeeze in some hikes over the years! Cheers and happy 2022, Maxheap
Chin up! Congratulations on your successful AT hike. I hope you have been hitting the trails all these years. I hope you like this next adventure I’m going on.
MAV!!! So glad to find your site! You’ve got an epic year planned and I’m glad that-assuming all goes well we’ll get to walk another trail together and hopefully complete our triple crowns! After my incomplete Sobo PCT walk in 2021 cut short by wildfires and national forest closures, I’m all in again this year and in some ways it’s even better knowing I get to walk it with my AT and CDT brother! You were the very first hiker I got to know Sobo on the AT and am so glad we’ve stayed in touch over the years! Have a wonderful 2022 and looking forward to coordinating our trip to Hart’s pass in July! Cheers!
Max, we are going to have a blast. Even if we need to stop in a thunderstorm to make a quick camping spot.
Dear MAV,
I love you,
Birdy
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Remember my postcards!! ?