Gnome and Flags in her Pack with Laura Morrison

The tenth episode of the QFP features guest, Laura Morrison, long distance hiker who has completed the PCT and CDT. Find her on instagram @lauraandgnome. Follow the podcast @queerfitnesspod. The Queer Fitness Podcast is an interview podcast all about queer experiences with sports, fitness and our bodies. 

Support the show on Patreon.com/queerfitnesspod to hear bonus content from this episode. 

Transcript coming soon! (at queerfitnesspod.wordpress.com)

Transcript

spk_0:   0:00
Welcome to the Queer Fitness podcast. I'm your host, Elise, and each week I'll be talking to a queer person about their experiences and fitness and sports. This week I talked to Laura Morrison, ah thru hiker who just finished the Continental Divide Trail. The Queer Fitness podcast is co produced by Eating Robinson. This episode of the Queer Fitness podcast is sponsored by AARP, A tree on when you support this podcast on patriotic. You were helping make this labor of love a long lasting one, and the first goal covers monthly audio file hosting and transcription costs. You get access to Patriot only perks like bonus content from every episode. Support the show at patriot dot com slash queer Fitness Pop Could you introduce yourself, your name, your queer identity and any other words or hobbies to describe you?

spk_1:   1:03
Her So my name Gloria. Um, my pronouns are she and her, Um, I'm known in the hiking community. My trail name, fruit salad. Some people know me brute ballad. We could explain that more leader.

spk_0:   1:19
It's right, Yeah,

spk_1:   1:22
yeah, and other words Describe me. I say I'm pretty free spirited, open minded. And, yeah, I really love the outdoors, and I love doing things that kind of physically challenged me.

spk_0:   1:38
Cool, Cool. So tell me more about your trail name.

spk_1:   1:42
Yeah, sure. So you know, it's something that I thought was kind of lame and a little unsure The whole trail name before. Before I did my first through hike. Um, pretty much trailing kind of trends. And the there's something that in the thru hiking the longest is thriving community particularly. And people just tend to be given a trail name, usually by other hikers. For whatever the reason, Maybe it's something you did or something you said. Or it's something that you like. And once you're given a trail name, that's just kind of how you identify on trail. So there people that I've been a lot of time with, um er met several times in the hiking community, and to this day, I still might not actually, no, they're they're really name

spk_0:   2:29
yes.

spk_1:   2:30
No, it they're often nicknames. It's kind of funny. Um, I was given the name fruit salad on my first Drew hike on the Pacific Crest Trail last year by some hikers. When we were sitting out a storm in a community in Southern California called Ottawa and, uh, as a vegan, I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables when I get into town. It's kind of my go to and I made a really big fruit ballad which I had no intention of sharing and tell Bill kind of hit me, and

spk_0:   2:59
I Okay,

spk_1:   3:00
I should dish this up. And in this moment of glory, while a bunch of hikers were watching the movie The Bagel about

spk_0:   3:08
Steve,

spk_1:   3:09
they all started saying like, Oh, yeah, this was the best truth talented, good fruit salad. And then they just started chanting in unison, Fruit salad. It was really, really funny. Um, and I was like, OK, I don't know what fruit salad, but now now I think it's quite fitting in a lot of ways. And so I've kept the name fruit salad.

spk_0:   3:29
Yeah, it's almost reminiscent of the phrase for the LGBT community alphabet soup that makes you not in it. Not in the same way, but it sounds kind of similar. Yeah,

spk_1:   3:44
I know for sure.

spk_0:   3:45
Um, So I wanted to ask you about gnome because what I know of of your journeys sort of has come through looking through your instagram in your website and stuff. But you were hiking around with gnome before you're through hikes and taking pictures of Nome outdoors. Um, does no have a name other than gnome and their multiple different gnomes. I noticed. How did that get story?

spk_1:   4:16
Yeah, So it's funny. My first gnome. Um, it was a very fairly large ceramic gnome that was hollow. And I was, uh, after quite a long break from playing high level soccer, I went back to school a little bit older and started playing university soccer, and my aunt gave me this ceramic gnome that had a soccer ball attached to the base of it. And she had written my last name across its back like a jersey, and I just I fell in love with this gnome, and I started taking it, places me in the car, or if I was hiking in Alberta or something, I would. I bring this gnome and it started getting fairly weather.

spk_0:   4:57
So,

spk_1:   4:58
you know, eventually, the base in the soccer ball broke off and it had a lot of cracks throughout it, and I wanted to take it on my first take on the Pacific Crest Trail, but won it. It's a little heavy. I mean it. It probably weighs, like, five ounces or something, but a little heavy. And I just felt that it was ready to crumble. So where I was them, I was doing a practicum at the time for the Conservatives is an agency. And Edmund, 10 at the time. And my supervisor knew that I had this obsession with this gnome and she had got me this many gnome, the one that I've had the last couple of years. So I figured, OK, this gnome was more appropriate. It's not hollow on the inside. It can probably take some wear and tear, and it only weighs two ounces. So I, uh, yeah, I took that gnome on the list of the Crest Trail and on the Continental Divide Trail. And, yeah, try to drag it around with me. It's usually not due for a way, so I say it's my luxury item. Well, hiking is me. My two out. No, no, I'm I'm a little I'm freakishly attached to. It's pretty fun, though.

spk_0:   6:09
So how did you get the idea to dio your first through hike on the Pacific Crest? trail.

spk_1:   6:16
Yeah, you know, I had them. I was living in a mansion at the time and I had a really good friends That hitch hike the Pacific Crest Trail the year before. And I didn't really know that much about thru hiking in general, um, prior to that and getting to know that person and I just really intrigued by it. Like I love wildlife. I love the outdoors, And to me, it just seemed like a really reasonable thing to do. You know, despite I realize that distant taking thru hiking kind of seem like a bit of an abstract concept. Andi, I totally understand why that would be the key for a lot of people, but to me, it just made perfect sense. You know, the timing was good. I felt like I didn't need to continue living where I was living. I'd finished studying my program in school at that point, and I didn't really have desire to continue living in the place that I was living. No, it's just Yeah, I love the idea of covering a great distance in the possibility of moving through like so many different types of train. I had never done any hiking in the state before. I had never been, you know, been in the desert or anything like that. So there was a lot of things that I knew would be really knew. And I was really excited by by those possibilities. Yeah.

spk_0:   7:39
Um, yeah. And so then how did you plan for that? First through hike, then on may be differences with planning your newest hike.

spk_1:   7:49
Yeah, I just I feel, um I feel pretty relaxed. No. When it comes to like the Continental Divide, Charlie just did. I felt a lot more relaxed going into it. Um, there's a few plans, but I'm but I'm kind of a few trails I'm banking on in the future that I'm going to get out attempt as well. And I I'm not too stressed by the planning. I can't say I really like the plumbing, so I just try to keep it fairly simple. Before the Pacific Crest Trail, it was I had made the decision that I was going to hike it and start April of 2018. I had decided that maybe about 11 months beforehand, um, I was down with family in Houston, Texas, at the time and I got, um I actually got, like, a student kicked back in terms of government funds. So I had an unexpected chunk of money at a time when I had no money

spk_0:   8:46
and

spk_1:   8:46
I thought, Okay, well, if I just start like buying pieces of year that I know I'm gonna need, then I'll have what I need, and I can't back out or something like that. So I I I just slowly kind of accumulated some some gear that was considered fairly lightweight that I thought would be bid for a long distance hike in. I mean, there are luck. There's a lot of information online now when it comes to gear and everything and that being said, you never know what works for one person might not work for someone else. So yeah, I just kind of accumulated the gear that I would need. And then about a few months, um, before I was gonna start hiking, I kind of map where I wanted to to mail food to myself thru hiking. Sometimes people will will mail themselves food. Some people will buy along the way because I wasn't eating nature. Jerry on the Pacific Crest trail it all. I felt that I didn't necessarily want to rely on really small towns are didn't want to

spk_0:   9:46
rely

spk_1:   9:46
on, let's say, a gas station that kind of in the middle of nowhere to be able to buy my next four or five or however many days of food.

spk_0:   9:53
So

spk_1:   9:53
I have tended Thio two male, myself, more boxes, and I found that that worked fairly good for me because I don't really enjoy doing that purchasing and the resupply process. So I don't know, brother stress myself over the course of a few days. Buy in bulk, buy, join enormous amount of food, sort it and then have it ready to be male Phil. Yeah, that was kind of my resupply strategy, and you just kind of need to map out where the trail is, either what communities the trail will go right through or it's not gonna be blowing right through our community. The trail's going to intersect eventually with a road, whether the busy road or not the busy road, and typically you would then hitchhike from that spot into the community or town. Get your resupply there or pick up your package, whatever it is you're choosing to do hitch back to where you left off and then continue hiking. So you kind of have to kind of break it down into sections and, you know, take a stab at what I figured I might be doing in terms of mileage, but I really I really wasn't sure. Um, like, how many miles I'd be hiking in a day? I if I sounded anything, I really under shot it. And I ended up doing much bigger miles, and I then I knew that I was capable of doing before I started. So now I have a bit better handle on the type of business, but I can heip unity. Um, so that makes little easier as well for sure.

spk_0:   11:21
Are you still using all of that same gear or have you, like, found things that work better for you?

spk_1:   11:27
Yeah, it's a good question. Um, I was really happy with the gear that I had, and I hadn't planned on making really any big changes before the country divide trail. And I ended up getting sponsored, drew something I would randomly applied for something

spk_0:   11:43
called this

spk_1:   11:44
right syndicate. Um, not really thinking that I would be chosen at all. It was something I applied for a late one night when I couldn't leave something. I just came across on the Internet. I didn't really know anything about it. But essentially, they have five companies, five year companies in the state that provide 10 hikers every year with with year. Still, it was Austria packed buck. But where during tough stock Nemo equipment and leaky, I might be saying that week you likey USA, which of poles and primarily pulls what they made. Um, so when I was offered that sponsorship, But, you know, I thought I should be really excited, but I actually was a little uneasy because I thought I'm gonna have to to use security company. Great. And I was a little uncertain. But at the same time, you know, I wanted to be open minded, And I was also fundraising for, um, Canada's first nonprofit, clear centered fitness based out of that Miss Alberta. And I just thought that, you know, um, it could, you know, potentially generate more support and more awareness by being part of the Drake Syndicate. So I I did decide to do it. I'm really, really grateful that that I ended up doing it. Um, the companies were amazing to work with. I ended up totally falling in love with, like, especially my pack. Like, give me an opportunity to try new things that I wouldn't necessarily have the funds to invest in otherwise, and ah, yeah, they were really great to work with. And they were especially really supportive of the fundraising that I was doing for Queer Flex. So that was really, really that was just a huge, a huge bonus.

spk_0:   13:26
That's really cool. So you you mentioned Queer Flex. Tell me why you chose to, like, fundraise your second through hike and why you chose Queer Flex and why that's important to you.

spk_1:   13:39
Yeah, I know for sure. Definitely. Good question. Um, queer Flex, specifically like I had been living in Evanston, Alberta, before the Pacific Crest Trail. And, you know, when I was on the PCT something that, um, that I started to notice, And I think that this is, um it's become a real trend in the hiking community is that a lot of individuals will, you know, like air quoting a lot of people will fundraise for for their own height. And, you know, I guess I just started to become bothered by it.

spk_0:   14:13
Sorry. By fundraise for their own height. I mean, like, ask people to support the cost of them being on the trail and their food and supplies in that kind of thing. Mmm. Exactly. Like

spk_1:   14:27
yeah, Like I'm gonna solicit funds. Um, so that I can cover the cost. Yeah, you've

spk_0:   14:33
got. Exactly.

spk_1:   14:34
And and there's so many online platforms. Now go fund me Patri on all these all these forums And I just started noticing there was no money of them. And I just you know, I really didn't like it. I felt that. You know what? If we're in a position where we're privileged enough, the people might give us money for our own personal, like recreational pursuits like that. I just felt that there was so much greater potential, too, to use that in a way that would benefit other people or more of, like, a community oriented effort of some kind. So, yeah, I I had kind of thought about it when I was on the PCP. I knew I wanted to take the Continental Divide trail before I'd even finished the pee pee tee. And I thought, you know, it would be really cool to fundraise in. I had learned a little bit about Queer Flex before I, before I had left, had mentioned to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. I had some from gym equipment, just like I need some some dumbbells, the medicine balls, some things that I used to use for coaching kidssoccer. And I've got a hold of, um, the person that had started queer flack before I left on my high just to drop off these small donations. Right At that time, they hadn't got there space. They were in a basement out of, ah, house in the neighborhood in Evanston, But I just really loved like, what they were doing. And I really loved, um, the fact that they were, you know, creating service and creating space for the queer community when, you know, we were lacking those options and other traditional faces. So it was clear flexes on my radar, and, um, yeah, Then when I was on the trail on the Pacific Crest Trail, I was kind of following along with with how they were doing online, and it was really exciting. They got their space. It was last all late summer, fall. I believe it when they actually gotten officials based and a lot of queer looks kind of coming to life. It was very much supported by community members and, you know, people making donations of equipment, of funds of everything to kind of get them up and running. And I just really love. I mean, I love kind of grassroots nonprofits and where they come from, So I just felt like of all of all organizations, I felt that queer flexes was, you know, an organization and non profits that I would be honored if they'd even, like, allow me to fundraise

spk_0:   17:02
for

spk_1:   17:03
them basically. So I had reached out to them last winter just to kind of run the idea by them. And they were they were totally down with that. So yeah, that's kind of how it started. But yeah, they give you amazing things in the community, and I just really stand behind them and really value what? What they're doing

spk_0:   17:22
that I mean, it's definitely a really cool idea, and I haven't seen much of, I guess, a similar thing I wanted to ask you about your, um, your view, your experience as a queer woman on the trails.

spk_1:   17:37
You know, I think you know, I would like to acknowledge that me personally, the way that people would receive me based on my appearance is but, you know, im Ah, I'm a white female, a bureau Canadian. Justin Leonard. I feel that I am at a lot less risk of being discriminated again based on people's assumptions, based on how I present her, what I look like. And that doesn't make it fair. It doesn't make it right. Um, I've I've never felt on trail that, you know, that I have had issues per se, um, or felt that I was, like, mistreated in any way or being clear for being part of a minority group and on the Pacific Crest Trail. My first take. Um, although I was very, you know, I was open with those I knew I hadn't, um I haven't been as open up to that point with some other people in my life or, let's say, online in terms of the fundraiser or anything like that. So a lot of people wouldn't have necessarily known that about me. I am wears on the contents of the bike trail. I really had kind of shifted years and felt like, you know, it was just It became more important to me to be more visible. And I wanted other people in the creek community to know that they're for them in the outdoor community. And the diversity on trails is it does so important. You know, I've got to say there were times when I was taking when I really kind of craved or wished that, like, I would meet more people in the queer community to spend time with on trail. You know, just you just kind of stay connected in that way because sometimes, you know, I would find myself a little bit lonely or wishing, you know, all. I wish I'd met someone else clear out here. Um, and it's not. It's not that we don't have people on longest trails, you know. But not everyone's been a place of necessarily being able or feeling, you know, they can't be open with, you know, however they choose to identify,

spk_0:   19:41
So,

spk_1:   19:43
yeah, I, um I've had a very positive experiences, but I also acknowledged that, you know, I've been really fortunate and blessed to be to be very open and go live in a place where that safe enough for me. And I know not everyone has that opportunity. Or has that, um because the feeling of safety that that I have right now, Emily. So, I mean, I just Yeah, I I do think visibility is super important. And I think that the more people are visible in any community from any minority group, Really, Um, it just kind of increases the chances of other people being able to be themselves and be authentic and, you know, without fear of exclusion or without fear of judgments or being told they don't belong somewhere. And of all places, you know, if we can't be our authentic Selves in nature than it is such a natural beef And how are we supposed to be ourselves elsewhere in cities where there's a lot more pressure

spk_0:   20:48
and there's a lot more

spk_1:   20:49
expectations? Yeah,

spk_0:   20:52
yeah. Did you have any sort of negative reactions If you don't know, came out to somebody on the trail or told you that them that you were fundraising for queer flex or any good reactions to

spk_1:   21:07
I will say when I had finished the trail. Um, there was some very negative comments online, and I didn't personalize them as an attack on me for saved. But there was a string of, very like, home a phobic, transfer lit comment that were posted the results of a photo of me finishing at the northern terminus at the U. S. Canada border. I chose to hike the last I don't know how many miles a couple 100 miles, I think with a large pride, plague and a large translating that I have been talking. And so when I finished, I had those legs out with me. If you know what, The monument, What? I finished. And, um so, yeah, we're not. When that photo was on the Internet on my own page and on the true hate syndicate page the, um yeah, there was definitely some negativity in. I'd say there's a lot more positive, definitely. But it was it was a little disheartening, but just simply because not because it was me or pour me. But just because it was more representative of the fact that yes, we still have a long ways to go. You know, homophobia is still very riel. Transphobia is very riel, and you know, there's still people that air that are targeted and discriminated against on a day to day basis and people that are, you know, victims of violence for simply, you know, because what we choose to identifies anything outside of, ah, hetero, generative norm. That would be, I guess, the most negative.

spk_0:   22:48
It was negative. I guess reaction was online.

spk_1:   22:52
It's so interesting because it's so much harder toe to be mean to someone up closer in person or they, you know, hate on someone up close. But yet people tend to do that when they're, you know, when when we can hide behind her screen. So

spk_0:   23:06
can we talk a little bit about, like, completing the trail? Both. Maybe Pacific Crest and Continental divide what that's like being at the end.

spk_1:   23:16
I, you know, I had such different experiences on the Pacific Crest Trail and on the continent by trail, both amazing. Very different. So on the Pacific Crest Trail, it was you know, I think before he started hiking, I was like a little maybe all come up with all these great ideas all fort through anything that kicks around my brain stuff. That service is what I want answers you or something. But contrary to that, when I was actually on the Pacific Crest Trail, I actually thought like a lot about nothing. Some, you know, it would have been, you know, like I thought maybe all that would like the squirrels upstairs will be going, you know, just running rampant, like in terms of followed their ideas. But it was interesting because the fact that I was able to spend so much time just truly like thinking about nothing. I just made me feel like I was in a really good place, spiritually like it was really, really nice. And I didn't really find that I started to overthink and think about the future and feel like I was really outside of the present moment until maybe my last, like, few weeks on the trail, because it became very real. That and that I was gonna be finishing doing. And I was really sad I didn't want I didn't want to finish hiking like I wasn't one of those people. That was like, Oh, thank God I'm almost done. I never want to walk again. Like I just I loved being out there on the Pacific Crest Trail. And if I would have had the savings or the funds to keep walking, I'm I'm sure I would have, but I It wasn't realistic for me. Toe keep traveling or, you know, hiking at that time. So, you know, I was sad. And I remember getting to the terminus. Um, you finish on the border and D. C and then you you get to the border and then you brought, like, I think it was like, eight miles or something. And he papo by a highway just east of Manning Park in Southern D. C. And, uh, yeah, it was, um It was really bitter. Sweet. I think I had a time. I thought, like, oh, maybe we'll get there. No. Start bawling my face off like I'm the decision, my head of what finishing might look like. But I was freakishly calm, and, uh, I didn't feel a lot of, like, high or low. It was just coming like this still moment when I got there. And then once I had hike, you know, another few more miles when I was on the Canadian side and, you know, getting closer to Manning Park where my dad was gonna be meeting me. That's when I really started to, like, cry. Really, I had service that I called, you know, I called my mom, and I called a couple of really close friends of mine cry and being like, I'm done like I did, you know? And it was Yes, it was. It was really special. I did finish alone because I had the majority of the business Crest Trail solo, and, uh, this year on the CD T I was I felt a little bit better about finishing. And I think a lot of that has to do with how challenging the betrayal was. The fear, You know, there was super high steel pact with record breaking snow in northern New Mexico and Colorado and Wyoming so, so high. Ignore this fear like continuously go north on the CD T with them. It was a very challenging year to do that. So, you know, even when I remember I had gotten out of Colorado, I felt more actually relieved in that moment to have gotten through Colorado on its own. Then I had, like, the entire Pacific Crest Trail, the CD t felt like it was more really just, like, broken down into, like, completing one section at a time. Because each section, especially for the first half traveling through snow, just felt so much harder. Um, just

spk_0:   27:07
really like a

spk_1:   27:08
big slug fest, just trying to get through it. So, you know, I thought that I would feel relieved to finish walking this year on the CD t You know, the few weeks leading up to it, I felt like, you know, I think I'm ready to be done this trail this year and, uh, you have And it was literally I've been off the trail for less than two days. That was all of a sudden back in ah, child real Oberto with family and and all I wanted to do was be back on it like I really missed it. I I met some amazing people this year on the CDT, especially for the last third, I'd say, And just for him to really genuine relationship with some amazing people and so that also made it hard to finish, um, kind of letting go and sing goodbye to those people. No. Yeah, It's, um you know, there's There was definitely highs and lows on each trail of when it came to finishing, for sure. And, uh, I think the transition coming off trail on the CD T this year has felt much like heavier and much harder, you know, heavier on my heart then then the PCT for sure.

spk_0:   28:20
But would you be down for doing a couple of questions of trivia?

spk_1:   28:23
Her,

spk_0:   28:24
uh, and I've got LGBT Canada focused trivia and history of the Continental Divide Trail Trivia. The fruit machine is a machine that measures arousal to homosexual images used in the fifties. Thio 82 19 eighties in Canada to fire people from government and military service. How many people were demoted or fired? Interesting.

spk_1:   28:53
I'm gonna go because of, like, that time, brain. It was probably a lot I'm gonna guess. Played probably super high. I'm gonna be, like, 10

spk_0:   29:05
1000. You're actually really close. It's estimated to be at about 9000. Yeah,

spk_1:   29:12
Yeah. I mean, that's crazy.

spk_0:   29:14
What is the oldest section of the Continental Divide trail dating to before the founding of the CD, too?

spk_1:   29:23
This is gonna be totally, I guess, um, older infections. I mean, just it would be maybe a section of, uh, either probably part of a Colorado trail. So, like either Southern Colorado like San Juan area or if I had a pecking does, um, Northern Montana with in Glacier National Park.

spk_0:   29:48
Uh, s So you were your clothes on Colorado? It's between Empire and Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Um, and that pay 1962. What year did Canada's first LGBT television? Siri's air,

spk_1:   30:05
huh? I don't even know what it was. I don't want to eat a lot of TV, period.

spk_0:   30:09
Sure. I could give you a hint. In what? The television show Waas. Okay, s So it was a documentary series called Coming Out. So what year do you think?

spk_1:   30:20
Ah, well, if I think about I mean, I know in Canada. Same back sexual activity. Wasn't needle until 1969. So I'm gonna guess

spk_0:   30:33
TV

spk_1:   30:33
programming. Ah, 19 91.

spk_0:   30:42
So was 1972 actually. Oh, soon after. Same sex marriage. Then, um, another date. One. When was the CD t formed?

spk_1:   30:55
Oh, my gosh. So they just How do you think there was their 50th? I've been, like 2000. Openly ish was the first year of the coalition was formed. I want to be with been 50 years.

spk_0:   31:14
1978. So they had their 40th recently.

spk_1:   31:19
Okay? Shed. Even then, I sent him a happy

spk_0:   31:22
birthday. Okay,

spk_1:   31:24
I guess it wasn't 50.

spk_0:   31:27
Canada was the blanks country to legalize same sex marriage nationally.

spk_1:   31:35
I know it was Canada was definitely one of the first bill. I know. There was a country. They come and Europe, I'm gonna get the worth country.

spk_0:   31:45
And that's right.

spk_1:   31:47
Okay, winning.

spk_0:   31:49
What is the women's record for fastest self supported CD? T through hike?

spk_1:   31:55
I think it was, um, Heather Anderson.

spk_0:   32:00
That is correct.

spk_1:   32:01
He was like, 80 some days. I feel like it was less than 90 days for some reason, Like 87 or something.

spk_0:   32:09
So what I have is it was 59 days, eight hours and 14 minutes.

spk_1:   32:14
Oh, my God. So much faster than I even thought it

spk_0:   32:17
was. Where can people find you? And I see this is instagram for you

spk_1:   32:21
right now. My basically the only social media that I'm all in is is instagram, and it's some at Laura and Gnome.

spk_0:   32:32
Thank you. Great.

spk_1:   32:34
Thank you so much for having me. Really appreciate. And again I love what you're doing. I think people important, So yeah, keep rocking it.

spk_0:   32:42
This'll Episode of the Queer Fitness Podcast is sponsored by AARP. A tree on When you spread this podcast on Patriot, you are helping make this labor of love a long lasting one on the first goal covers monthly audio file hosting and transcription costs. You get access to Patriot only parts like bonus content from every episode. Support the show at patriot dot com slash Queer Fitness popped.