27 Oct 2025 01:17
Musings on AI, Bikepacking, Past Girlfriends, Horse Facts, and Living Forever with Kenneth "Moron" Pararo (BPR #329)
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Kenneth Pararo, known on trail as Moron. This is a podcast we've been wanting to make happen for several years now, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. Moron is a thru-hiker, long-distance cyclist, philosopher, hopeless romantic, futurist, and most importantly, just a real solid hang.
We learn about why he's all in on AI- as evidenced by him riding cross country rocking his Meta AI glasses, why he quit is corporate tech job to more permanently pursue adventure and experience, how he completed one AT thru-hike and quit another a couple hundred miles from the finish, turning it into an extended road walk to the Canadian border, only to turn around for some more road walking and eventually an extended bike ride, and how he plans his adventuring essentially one day at a time, letting fate largely guide his next move.
We wrap the show with tips for safe and steamy tent sex, a contentious debate about using gas station bathrooms exclusively for a year for one million dollars, and the triple crown of people we just don't understand.
Gossamer Gear: Check out the Type II collection at gossamergear.com.
Sawyer Products: Check out Sawyer's Cnoc collab at sawyer.com.
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Interview with Kenneth "Moron" Pararo
Time stamps & Questions
00:04:12 - Apply to blog for the Trek, listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon, and subscribe to Backpacker Radio on Youtube!
00:09:45 - Introducing Moron
00:11:28 - Tell us about getting sober
00:17:14 - Discussion about sleeping behind a pit toilet in Golden
00:19:05 - What are you up to right now?
00:21:40 - How do you pick roads to bike on?
00:24:40 - Who isn't Moron?
00:29:00 - Discussion about Moron's past girlfriends
00:34:20 - Has nature always been more noise than signal for you?
00:36:25 - Did you start the AT with any preconceived notion about how you'd feel about it spiritually?
