Episode
Rand Timmerman, A Spiritual Passage, Vietnam, Sobriety, and the Appalachian Trail
- Podcast
- Dream Chasers and Eccentrics
- Published
- Jul 9, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3965
- Processing state
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Summary
Rand Timmerman is the author of "A Spiritual Passage," a book about hiking the Appalachian Trail with his brother, both in their seventies. He also a Vietnam Veteran with the Marines, a lawyer, and a recovering alcoholic. Through his work, he hopes to inspire people with physical, mental, and spiritual difficulties to achieve their dreams and goals and live a happy and fulfilled life. We talk about Vietnam, Mormons, losing faith in God during the war, polio, why he signed up for Vietnam, becoming a JAG officer and developing a leagal career, how Vietnam changed his view of life and death, losing his wife to alcoholism, preparing for the Appalachian Trail, the Smokey Mountains, bear encounters, hiking the trail, leapfrogging with two cars, maps or no maps, grief, alcoholism and being on suicide watch, PTSD, falling out of a helicopter, dealing with the PTSD, getting sober and AA, surviving a severe storm on a ridge in a tent, meeting a Samurai on the trail, naked people on the trail, helping others get sober, and more.