Isabel Cautivo has become one of the most prominent solo women backpackers on the internet. She has gone viral for making vulnerable and educational videos about her day trip and her most popular TikTok is about how she got into solo backpacking.
Connect with Isabel:
Check out:
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- NUUN
Five years ago, Jeff Jenkins decided he wanted to become a professional traveler. His goal was to make a living traveling around the world and helping people. Today he's doing exactly that. After years of hard work building an online platform called Chubby Diaries, Jeff is now the host of National Geographic's TV show, Never Say Never.
Connect with Jeff:
- Chubby Diaries website
- TikTok
- Watch Never Say Never
Check out:
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- NUUN
Oriana Poindexter is a professional artist whose work weaves together photography, science, and marine life. Her art is very unique. Oriana uses seaweed and light-sensitive chemicals to make stunning, almost haunting prints. She lives in San Diego where she free dives in kelp forests for inspiration, and to harvest materials for her art.
Connect with Oriana:
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Listen to Submerging Into the Deep Ocean with Susan Casey and Freediving for Inner Peace with BJ Griffin
Check out:
- Take the Wild Ideas Listener Survey!!
- REI Re/Supply
- Sign up for Hipcamp and REI’s “Summer of Magic Campout Series”
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- TEVA
In 2013, Thor Pedersen left his home in Denmark for the trip of a lifetime. His goal was to travel to every country in the world. He had three rules for his journey. He had to spend at least 24 hours in each country. He couldn't return to Denmark until he had crossed off every nation on the list. And last but not least, no air travel.
Connect with Thor:
Check out:
- Take the Wild Ideas Listener Survey!!
- REI Re/Supply
- Sign up for Hipcamp and REI’s “Summer of Magic Campout Series”
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- TEVA
Lael Wilcox is known as one of the world's best ultra-endurance cyclists. She's ridden over 150,000 miles in more than 50 countries. Now, Lael is going after her wildest idea yet: to break the record for cycling around the world. Her goal is to ride more than 18,000 miles in 110 days.
Connect with Lael:
Check out:
- Take the Wild Ideas Listener Survey!!
- Sign up for Hipcamp and REI’s “Summer of Magic Campout Series”
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- TEVA
Glen Van Peski is known as the king of ultralight backpacking. While backpackers will hit the trails with a pack that weighs upwards of 20 pounds, sometimes even up to 50 or more, Glen's pack usually only weighs around 12 pounds. Glen is also the founder of the functional lightweight backpacking and hiking gear company, Gossamer Gear, and the author of Take Less. Do More.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker.
Connect with Glen:
- Website
- Gossamer Gear Instagram
- Glen's new book, Take Less. Do More.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker
Check out:
- Take the Wild Ideas Listener Survey!!
- Sign up for Hipcamp and REI's "Summer of Magic Campout Series"
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- TEVA
At the age of 50, Ruby Gates left her career and home to get on a sailboat for seven months. At the time, she knew nothing about sailing, but the trip changed her life. Now, nine years later, Ruby has decided to go after the wildest idea she's ever had. She's circumnavigating the world by sailboat.
Connect with Ruby:
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- TEVA
Check out:
What if your wild idea no longer brings you joy?
Retired pro skier, Grace Miller, is intimately familiar with a change of course. Grace grew up in Alaska and started skiing at a young age. Before she was out of high school, she was recruited to compete at the highest level, but at age 23 after competing on the world stage, Grace decided to leave skiing behind to pursue some new wild ideas.
Connect with Grace:
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- TEVA
Check out:
Alastair Humphreys is an author and adventurer who has walked 600 miles across Southern India, ran an ultra marathon through the Sahara Desert, and hiked and rafted across Iceland. Alastair's newest wild idea is to embrace the concept of "microadventures," an adventure that is short, easily accessible, and affordable while still being fun, challenging, refreshing, and rewarding.
Connect with Alastair:
- Website
- Order Alastair's new book, Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- Birkenstock
Check out:
What if you had an opportunity to travel around the moon? Christina Koch has worked at NASA for the last 10 years, and has been a part of groundbreaking missions in outer space. In 2019, Christina embarked on a 328-day stay on the International Space Station, setting a record for the longest single space flight by a woman. Now Christina has a new assignment on the horizon. She was selected to join a crew that will travel around the moon.
Connect with Christina:
- Christina's NASA bio
- NASA Artemis Instagram
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Listen to Studying the Cosmos with Sarafina El-Badry Nance and How To Become An Astronaut And Get A New Perspective On Earth From Space with Shannon Walker
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- Birkenstock
Check out:
Travis Rice has been pushing the envelope of what's possible in snowboarding for over 20 years. He has won prestigious awards for his riding, and completely recreated what it means to host a winter sports competition. Travis has also built new businesses like Sendy and changed the way action sports films are made.
Connect with Travis:
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- Birkenstock
Check out:
Dudley Edmondson is a legendary outdoorsman and birder, nature photographer, cinematographer, speaker and an author. In 2006, he published a book called Black and Brown Faces in America's Wild Places. He hopes that his books, photos and film work will inspire the next generation of Black, Indigenous and other people of color to get outside.
Connect with Dudley:
- Website
- Dudley's book, The Black & Brown Faces in America's Wild Places
If you enjoyed this episode:
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- Birkenstock
Check out:
What if swiping on a dating app led you to your partner and an epic bike ride the length of Latin America? This was the case for Erin Azouz and her now-husband Mehedi. The bike trip profoundly shifted Erin's relationship with her work, her husband, and most importantly with herself.
Connect with Erin:
If you enjoyed this episode:
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
- Birkenstock
Check out:
Kanoa Greene was born into a family of surfers in Hawaii, but for a long time she didn't feel like she belonged in the ocean. She'd never seen a plus size person out in the water and she struggled to find gear to fit her body. Eventually when she was in her 30s, she stood up on a wave for the first time and it opened up a new world for her. Now Kanoa's goal is to help other people, no matter their size, discover their own sense of adventure.
Connect with Kanoa:
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Listen to Cycling is for Every Body with Kailey Kornhauser and Business in a Bikini: Sharing the Stoke of Surfing with Izzy Tihanyi
Thank you to our sponsor:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
Check out:
Over the past few years, Moondog Roop has done three major thru-skates. First in 2021, he spent 45 days on the 1,100 mile Florida Trail. In 2022, he thru-skated across the entire state of New Mexico, and in 2023 he skateboarded 444 miles on the historic Natchez Trace, a trail which passes through parts of Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Connect with Moondog:
If you enjoyed this episode:
Thank you to our sponsor:
- Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees
Check out:
What if your life revolved around leading groundbreaking polar expeditions? In 1986, polar explorer Ann Bancroft became the first woman to ski to the North Pole after a chance encounter with Will Steger.
Connect with Ann:
- Website
- Ann Bancroft Foundation Instagram
- Ann Reed website & featured song
If you liked this episode:
- Listen to Chris Fagan: South Pole Quest
Thank you to our title sponsor, Capital One:
In September of 2022, at 39 years old, Chad Vanags was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal lung cancer. Chad is a surfer, runner, and all-around athlete. In the year and a half since his diagnosis, Chad has been living his wildest most authentic life as he faces his own mortality. Cancer isn't the message, but it's been the vehicle that's pushed him to become what he calls physically and mentally elite.
Connect with Chad:
Check out:
- Book your next REI Co-op Adventure
- REI Re/Supply
Professional climber Nina Williams is known for her highball bouldering career. Highballing is somewhere between bouldering and free soloing. Climbers scale rocks 20 to 50 feet tall, sometimes even taller, without a rope. Nina was the first woman to climb a number of extremely challenging routes around the world, from Bishop, California to Rocklands, South Africa. In her sport, Nina deals with fear and failure regularly. She's had to learn to manage both in a way that allows her to be safe, but still push herself to her limits.
Connect with Nina:
Check out:
- Book your next REI Co-op Adventure
- REI Re/Supply
That's a wrap on lucky season seven! Join host Shelby Stanger to celebrate the 50 phenomenal guests who shared their adventures with us this year as well as listeners who let us in on the wild ideas they have planned for 2024!
Projects & episodes mentioned in this episode:
- Watch Melissa Kegler's documentary, Ice Mermaid: Cold Resolve
- The Wisdom of Expeditions with Conrad Anchor
- The Will to Wild with Shelby Stanger
- Climbing K2 with Lisa Thompson
- Submerging Into the Deep Ocean with Susan Casey
- Studying the Cosmos with Sarafina El-Badry Nance
- 150 Marathons in 150 Days with Erchana Murray-Bartlett
- Running Across the U.S for Trans Rights with Cal Dobbs
- Running Across America with Greg Nance
- Winning the Triple Crown of Ultra Running with Courtney Dauwalter
- Mastering the Mindset of a Wild Idea with Michael Gervias
- Thru-Paddling the Mississippi River with Cory Maria Dack
- Life on a Highline with Faith Dickey
- Uncovering Climate Mysteries with Lonnie Thompson
- Greening Our Cities with Cecil Konijnendijk
- Exploring Tree Canopies with Nalini Nadkarni
- Freediving for Inner Peace with BJ Griffin
- All Native Team Climbs Tahoma with Rachel Heaton
- Innovating Adaptive Adventure Vasu Sojitra
- Hiking Patagonia in a Wheelchair with Alvaro Silberstein
- Riding Free with Izzy Sederbaum
- Ice Swimming with Melissa Kegler
- Veteran Turned Everest Climber with Dom Mullins
- Rowing Across the Pacific with the Latitude 35 Team
- 100 Peaks in 50 Days with Jason Hardrath
- Raising Kids Wildly
- Journeying Through the National Parks with Emily Pennington
Ultra runner, Courtney Dauwalter is known as one of the greatest athletes of our time She's also know for running in long basketball shorts, scarfing down pizza and nachos between races, and her mindset when it comes to mastering the "pain cave." This summer, Courtney ran three of the most prestigious ultramarathons in the world and ended up winning every single one. The most impressive part is that she ran them all within 10 weeks.
Connect with Courtney:
Episode sponsor:
- Shop Salomon
Eavan O'Neill started running at 21 years old when she was diagnosed with Stargardt Disease, a rare degenerative disorder that leads to visual impairment and blindness. Although there is currently no cure and she can't slow the progression of her symptoms, Eavan leans into running as an incredible source of joy, and a powerful way to connect with the running community.
Connect with Eavan:
Episode sponsor:
- Shop Teva
Erick Cedeño is known for bikepacking around the U.S. He rides through some of the most beautiful parts of the country, but his trips aren’t just about taking in the scenery. Erick has a passion for history and has biked along historical routes including the Underground Railroad and most recently, he traced the footsteps and tire treads of a group of U.S. soldiers known as the Iron Riders.
Connect with Erick:
Episode sponsor:
- Shop Teva
If you enjoyed this episode:
When Alvarez Silberstein was 18 years old, he was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Before his accident, Alvaro had a dream to go Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. Once he started using a wheelchair, he assumed it would be impossible for him to fulfill this dream. But in 2017, Alvaro and his incredible friends organized a trip to make his wild idea a reality.
Connect with Alvaro:
Episode sponsor:
- Shop Teva
If you enjoyed this episode:
In 2019, outdoor guide Kielyn Marrone was put to the test when she competed on the TV show Alone. On the show, contestants are dropped into remote places with only 10 pieces of equipment and challenged to survive in the wild. Kielyn finished third in her season, lasting a total of 80 days in a hand built shelter, cooking over a fire, and hunting and forging for food.
Connect with Kielyn:
Episode sponsor:
- Shop Teva
If you enjoyed this episode:
Dr. Michael Gervais is one of the world's top high-performance psychologists. He's the co-creator of the Performance Institute at USC, and he's the host and creator of the podcast Finding Mastery. In this episode, Michael shares how we can use psychology to help pursue our wildest ideas.
Connect with Michael:
- Website
- Finding Mastery podcast
- Finding Mastery YouTube
- Order Michael's new book, The First Rule of Mastery , Stop Worry What People Think of You
Episode sponsor:
- Shop Teva
If you enjoyed this episode:
Jedidiah Jenkins is a bestselling author who embraces outdoor adventurer as inspiration for his beautiful and deeply personal work. When he turned 30, Jedidiah quit his job, and set out on a bike ride that took him from the Oregon coast all the way down to Patagonia. When he returned, he wrote his a memoir about his journey called, To Shake the Sleeping Self. In 2021, Jedidiah's wild idea involved a cross-country road trip with his mother, where they examined their mother-son dynamic, their religious and political differences, and their lasting affection for each other despite some of their opposing views. The result, his brand new book, Mother, Nature.
Connect with Jedidiah:
- Website
- Order Jedidiah's new book: Mother, Nature
Episode sponsors:
- Shop Allbirds
- Check out REI’s Re/Supply program – members get 10% more on their trade-ins thru 10/31
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Listen to the Camp Monsters podcast
- Share YOUR wild idea in a 1-minute vote note – submissions due 10/31
Rachel Heaton, member of the Muckleshoot Indian tribe, with Duwamish Ancestors, led an All Native Tahoma (Mount Rainier) Climb this September with the goal to see her people represented on the mountain while inspiring the other Native climbers to enjoy the connection to their land. Due to weather constraints, the group was not able to summit, but in the end, they realized the climb was about so much more.
Read more about Rachel and the climb:
Episode sponsors:
- Book your next camp adventure with Hipcamp
- Check out REI’s Re/Supply program – members get 10% more on their trade-ins thru 10/31
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Listen to the Camp Monsters podcast
- Share YOUR wild idea in a 1-minute vote note – submissions due 10/31
Sarafina El Badry-Nance is a scientist, an author and a speaker, she's dedicated the last several years to studying the stars and is currently working on her PhD in Astronomy at UC, Berkeley. Sarafina's research focuses on supernovae or exploding stars.
Connect with Sarafina:
- Website
- Purchase Sarafina's new book, Starstruck
Episode sponsors:
- Shop Allbirds
- Book your next camp adventure with Hipcamp
- Check out REI’s Re/Supply program – members get 10% more on their trade-ins thru 10/31
- Listen to the Camp Monsters podcast
- Share YOUR wild idea in a 1-minute vote note - submissions due 10/31
Hawaiian filmmaker, Justyn Ah Chong, focuses his work on telling the stories of his people. A few months ago, Justyn won a regional Emmy for a short film, Pili Ka Moʻo. The movie follows a native Hawaiian family as they fight to protect the land where their ancestors are buried.
Pili Ka Moʻo is a part of Reciprocity Project, a series of original short films made by Indigenous directors on their homelands.
Connect with Justyn:
Episode sponsors:
- Shop Allbirds
- Check out REI's Re/Supply program - members get 10% more on their trade-ins thru 10/31
- Listen to the Camp Monsters podcast
Ashley Rodriguez is a certified nature and forest therapy guide who is passionate about sharing her love of foraging and cooking over an open fire as a way to help people connect with nature and find themselves outside. She has worked in world-renowned restaurants, written an award-winning food blog, published two cookbooks, and wrote and hosted the James Beard award-winning web series Kitchen Unnecessary, which is all about cooking outdoors with things you can forage on your own.
Connect with Ashley:
Episode sponsor:
- Book your next camp adventure with Hipcamp
Gabaccia Moreno is an outdoor enthusiast and advocate, whose career centers on encouraging people to rethink how they engage with nature. Over the years, Gabaccia has worked on a variety of projects— from being a member of the conservation corps in Montana to writing for outdoor publications, and creating the online community, The Outdoorist Oath.
Connect with Gabaccia:
Episode sponsors:
- Shop Allbirds
- Book your next camp adventure with Hipcamp
- Get your tickets to Canary
Renowned paleoclimatologist Dr. Lonnie Thompson has been on over 60 expeditions to collect ice core samples from glaciers around the world. These samples hold precious clues to understand human-caused climate change.
Connect with Lonnie:
- Get tickets to Canary, the documentary feature film starring Lonnie, playing in select theaters nationwide September 20th
Episode sponsors:
Ashley Davies is a lifelong runner who's building community her own way. In 2017, she co-founded Club Seattle Run Division with the intention to make the club as inclusive as possible, focusing on community rather than performance. CSRD's motto is All Faces, All Paces. The club encourages people of any background and fitness level to come run with them and make some friends along the way.
Connect with Ashley:
Episode sponsors:
Shane Dorian is a legendary surfer, winning his first surf contest when he was just 11 years old. At 21, he joined the World Surf League and traveled the globe to compete with other athletes. Shane has won countless competitions over the years including 11 WSL Big Wave Awards. He was part of a generation of surfers who became influential in the sport, and was able to make a career out of surfing full time. Now, after more than 30 years as a professional athlete, Shane has some wisdom to share.
Connect with Shane:
Episode sponsors:
- Shop Allbirds
- Book your next camp adventure with Hipcamp
- Revelshine Wine
- Soul Community Planet Hotels
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Listen to the Hello, Nature podcast
Susan Casey is an accomplished journalist who's spent years writing about the ocean, and most recently, the deep sea. The deep sea generally starts around 600 feet below the surface where you could no longer see the light from above, but it goes way beyond that. In some places, the ocean is almost seven miles deep. Susan is one of the few people who's gone deeper than 5,000 meters in a submersible, which is over three miles down to the ocean floor.
Connect with Susan:
- Website
- Purchase her new book, The Underworld, Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean
Episode sponsors:
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Listen to the Hello, Nature podcast
Professional climber Emily Harrington met her husband, pro mountaineer Adrian Ballinger, on an expedition 11 years ago. While their paths to become pro athletes were different, the couple has figured out how to balance their partnership and build a family while continuing to pursue what they love— adventuring in the mountains.
Connect with Emily & Adrian:
- Emily's Instagram & website
- Adrain's Instagram & website
- Alpenglow Expeditions
Episode sponsors:
- Shop Allbirds
- Book your next camp adventure with Hipcamp
- Revelshine Wine
- Soul Community Planet Hotels
- REI is on a mission to get 100 million folks Outside in 5 minutes or less
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Listen to the Hello, Nature podcast
Jason Hardrath is a runner and mountaineer based in southern Oregon. He holds over a hundred records for being the fastest person to complete trails and climb mountains around the country. In 2021, he broke the record for the fastest known time to summit the 100 tallest peaks in Washington State known as the Bulger List— and he did it in only 50 days.
Connect with Jason:
Episode sponsors:
- Shop Allbirds
- Book your next camp adventure with Hipcamp
- REI is on a mission to get 100 million folks Outside in 5 minutes or less
If you enjoyed this episode:
- Listen to the Hello, Nature podcast
Cory Maria Dack is an outdoor adventure guide and she recently completed a thru-paddle of the entire Mississippi River. It took her 134 days to canoe from the headwaters of the river in Minnesota all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. At the end, she didn't necessarily feel a sense of victory. Instead, she felt joy and gratitude for her new relationship with the river and the people she met along the way.
Connect with Cory:
- Women on the Water website
Episode sponsors:
- Learn why REI is on a mission to get 100 million folks Outside in 5 minutes or less
- Listen to the Hello, Nature podcast
Dane, Patrick and Tanner Gudauskus have spent a lot of their lives in the water riding some of the most epic waves. They've traveled the world for competitive surfing and taken the leap into free surfing all alongside each other. Dane, Patrick and Tanner are now giving back to the surf community through their company, Positive Vibe Warriors.
Connect with the Gudauskas Brothers:
- Positive Vibe Warriors
- Patrick's Instagram
- Dane's Instagram
- Tanner's Instagram
Episode sponsors:
- Revelshine Wine
- Soul Community Planet Hotels
- Learn why REI is on a mission to get 100 million folks Outside in 5 minutes or less
- Listen to the Hello, Nature podcast
In 2021, Vasu Sojitra became one of the first adaptive athletes to ski down Denali, and he's made groundbreaking descents in the Grand Tetons and the Bear Tooth Mountain Range. As the first adaptive athlete to be represented by the North Face, Vasu has used his platform to speak out about representation and intersectionality in the outdoors.
Connect with Vasu:
- Website
- Read: Why I Get Outside: Resilience, Community and Understanding
- Inclusive Outdoor Project
Episode sponsors:
- REI is on a mission to get 100 million folks Outside in 5 minutes or less
- Listen to the Hello, Nature podcast
Photo by Clayton Boyd
Alysia Montano is a professional runner who's competed at the highest possible level. She's a two-time world champion and an Olympian. She's breaking the barriers that limit a woman’s choice to pursue and thrive in both career and motherhood.
Connect with Alysia:
Alysia's nonprofit &Mother:
Episode sponsors:
- Check out Danner’s all-new Mountain 600 Leaf GTX
- REI is on a mission to get 100 million folks Outside in 5 minutes or less
At a young age, Chris Sharma was considered a climbing prodigy and won multiple competitions. He established some of the most challenging routes around the world, and pushed the sport forward technically and culturally. Recently, Chris and his longtime friend, fellow climber and actor, Jason Momoa, came up with the idea to produce a competitive reality show based on rock climbing. Their creative brainchild has become the binge-worthy TV show, The Climb— available on Max, previously known as HBO Max.
Today, Chris talks about what it was like to make the series, and we hear from Cat Runner about his experience on the show and his climbing community, the Queer Climber's Network.
WARNING: this episode contains spoilers for The Climb.
Connect with Chris Sharma:
Connect with Cat Runner:
- Queer Climbing Network
- Watch The Climb
Episode sponsor:
At REI we remain committed to ensuring that the outdoors, the co-op and society at large are accessible and welcoming to all people—including transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people.
BJ Griffin is a musician and freediver from Virginia Beach. Freediving is where you hold your breath and dive deep underwater to explore the ocean. For BJ, freediving has drastically impacted his life. It's improved his health and lung capacity. It's helped him develop a meditation practice, and it's even influenced his life as an artist.
Connect with BJ:
- Tiktok
- Website
- Dive for Peace interest form
Episode sponsors:
- Check out Danner’s all-new Mountain 600 Leaf GTX
- Check out REI’s trade-in program
In 2020, Emily Pennington set off on the trip of a lifetime. Her goal was to visit every national park in the United States. Emily wasn’t sure what she’d find out there in the wilderness, but she needed a change - she was burnt out from her life in Los Angeles and reeling from personal losses. The time was right for Emily to quit her job, hit the road, and find her way outside.
Connect with Emily:
- Website
- Purchase a copy of Emily's new book, Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America's National Parks
Episode Sponsors:
- Check out Danner's all-new Mountain 600 Leaf GTX
- Check out REI’s trade-in program
In 2022, Cal Dobbs became the first known transgender person to triple crown, which means he hiked all of the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail. Cal's next wild idea involves running across the U.S to raise awareness for trans rights.
Connect with Cal:
Resources:
- REI statement: Join us in supporting the trans community and LGBTQ+ equality
- Human Rights Campaign article
- American Civil Liberties Union article
Episode sponsors:
At REI we remain committed to ensuring that the outdoors, the co-op and society at large are accessible and welcoming to all people—including transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people.
Garrett McNamara is one of the best big wave surfers on the planet. In 2011, Garrett broke a world record when he rode a 78-foot wave in Nazare, Portugal. Nicole McNamara is Garrett's manager, his spotter, and his wife. The power couple have figured out a way to live a life that grounds them while focusing on what they love– surfing and family.
Connect with Garrett & Nicole:
- Garrett's website
- McNamara Instagram
- Nicole's Instagram
- The McNamara Foundation
Episode sponsor:
- Listen to Finding Mastery podcast
Wild Ideas Worth Living's host Shelby Stanger gives us a behind the scenes look at her wild journey to becoming an adventure journalist, host of an REI Co-op podcast, and now author of her brand new book, Will to Wild.
Connect with Shelby:
- Website
- Grab a copy of Shelby's new book, Will to Wild
- Watch the Wild to Wild trailer
Episode sponsors:
- Listen to Finding Mastery podcast
In honor of those who are raising the next generation of wild ones. Host Shelby Stanger shares insights from past guests on how to raise adventurous kids, and tips about how you can make it easier to get outside with your family.
Connect with guests:
- Chris Fagan's Instagram
- Stacy Bare's Instagram
- Katie Arnold's Instagram
- Evelynn Escobar's Instagram
- Lindsey Konchar's Instagram
Resources:
- Lindsey Konchar's book, I Got 99 Problems and Being a B*tch Ain't One
Episode sponsors:
- Pre-order Shelby Stanger’s new book, Will to Wild and watch the trailer!
- Listen to Finding Mastery podcast
Alyssa Ravasio is the founder and CEO of the online campsite booking platform, Hipcamp. Many people think of technology and the outdoors as complete opposites, but for Alyssa, the two have always gone together. With Hipcamp Alyssa's found a way to connect folks with campsites on public and private land. This creates more camping spots and makes it easier to find a place to hunker down under the stars.
Connect with Alyssa:
Resources:
- Book a campsite on Hipcamp
- 5 Cool Hipcamp Camp Sites for Kids
- REI + Hipcamp partnership
Episode partners:
- Pre-order Shelby Stanger’s new book, Will to Wild and watch the trailer!
- Listen to Finding Mastery podcast
- Check out REI's trade-in program
In the summer of 2022, four women, Sophia Denison-Johnston, Brooke Downes, Libby Costello and Adrienne Smith, set a new record for the fastest all female team to row from San Francisco to Hawaii. They completed the journey in 34 days, 14 hours and 20 minutes.
Connect with the Latitude 35 Row Team:
- Brooke Downes Instagram
- Sophia Denison-Johnston Instagram
- Libby Costello Instagram
- Adrienne Smith Instagram
- Lat 35 Instagram
- Lat 35 website
Episode partners:
- Pre-order Shelby Stanger’s new book, Will to Wild and watch the trailer!
- Listen to Finding Mastery podcast
In January, 2023, Erchana Murray-Bartlett set the Guinness World record for running the most consecutive marathons. She ran 150 marathons in 150 days and raised money for Australian wildlife along the way. Erchana started at Cape York, which is in the northern tip of Australia and ran along the coast all the way down to Melbourne.
Connect with Erchana:
Episode partners:
- Pre-order Shelby Stanger’s new book, Will to Wild and watch the trailer!
- Stream Space Oddity on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu
Izzy Sederbaum is a trans-masculine cyclist and policy scholar who survived a rare cougar attack on a ride outside of Seattle in early 2018. Izzy was hospitalized with severe facial trauma while hateful anti-trans rhetoric filled comment sections of news articles that he had little to no control over. All the hatred pushed Izzy in a direction motivated by love. Today he's working to make cycling more inclusive for people with marginalized identities.
Connect with Izzy:
Resources:
- Take Action: Equality Act
- REI statement: Join us in supporting the trans community and LGBTQ+ equality
Episode partners:
- Pre-order Shelby Stanger’s new book, Will to Wild and watch the trailer!
- Stream Space Oddity on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu
- Check out REI's Spring 2023 Editors' Choice Awards
At REI we remain committed to ensuring that the outdoors, the co-op and society at large are accessible and welcoming to all people—including transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people.
Cecil Konijnendijk has been studying, teaching, and advising on urban forestry for more than 25 years. He is interested in how trees can improve our cities, communities, personal lives, and mental health. Cecil came up with a rule he calls 3-30-300 which has become popular among climate change activists and urban tree canopy specialists. The rule encourages seeing at least 3 trees from your window, having 30% canopy coverage in your neighborhood, and having a high quality public green space within 300 meters (340 yards) from your house.
Connect with Cecil:
Episode partners:
- Pre-order Shelby Stanger’s new book, Will to Wild and watch the trailer!
- Stream Space Oddity on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu
- Check out REI's Spring 2023 Editors' Choice Awards
Cal Calamia has been a runner their entire life, but in 2018, their relationship with the sport changed when Cal came out as trans non-binary. Most races in the US only have two gender categories, men and women, and Cal doesn't fit in either one. In an effort to make space for themself and other non-binary athletes, Cal has become an advocate for gender inclusivity and races across the US.
Connect with Cal:
- Website
- Non-Binary Run Club
- Book, San Franshitshow
- Janji's Creating Spaces article featuring Cal
Resources:
- REI statement: Join us in supporting the trans community and LGBTQ+ equality
- Human Rights Campaign article
- American Civil Liberties Union article
Episode partners:
- Pre-order Shelby Stanger's new book, Will to Wild
- Stream Space Oddity on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu
- Check out REI's Spring 2023 Editors' Choice Awards
At REI we remain committed to ensuring that the outdoors, the co-op and society at large are accessible and welcoming to all people—including transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people.
Courtney Guerra is a culinary farmer who loves the intimacy of planting seeds, watching them sprout, and harvesting rich, colorful produce. She's grown food for some of America's top restaurants. Now Courtney focuses on bringing the positive impact of gardening and interacting with nature to her community in Southern California.
Connect with Courtney:
Take action:
- Upward Bound House
- Upward Bound House Instagram
Episode partners:
- Pre-order Shelby's book Will to Wild
Christophe Zajac-Denek was just a couple of days old when he was diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism called cartilage-hair hypoplasia. Doctors told his parents that he might never be able to ride a bike or go for a run. Today, Christophe stands at four feet, four inches tall. He can't bend his back and the bones in his legs have been surgically altered. Despite his physical limitations, Christophe gets out on the water to surf anytime he can.
Connect with Christophe:
Myishia Haynes is one of the most cheerful, exuberant fisherwoman you'll ever meet. She practices catch and release fishing, and has a pretty good track record, especially when it comes to fishing for bass. Myishia has made it her mission to show the world that anyone can fish and get outside.
Connect with Myishia:
Episode sponsors:
Sara Mudallal was 20 years old when she decided to try parkour. She also decided to start wearing a hijab as an expression of her Muslim identity. Over the years, plenty of people told her to stop practicing parkour because of her gender or her faith. But Sara has kept her head up, found success in the world of parkour, and inspired thousands of people to stay true to themselves.
Connect with Sara:
Resources:
Episode sponsor:
Faith Dickey is one of the greatest highliners in the world. In 2012, Faith broke the record for the longest free solo, that's highlining without a safety harness. Then in 2014, she became the first woman to cross a highline over 100 meters long.
Connect with Faith:
- Faith's company, Elevate Outdoors Guiding
- Faith's TEDx Talk, Deciphering Fear From Intuition 1000 Feet Up
- Women's Highlining Meeting
Episode sponsors:
Melissa Kegler is an elite open-water swimmer who specializes in cold water, long distance swims. She recently broke the U.S. national distance record for IISA’s Ice Mile event. Her goal goes beyond excelling in this extreme sport. Melissa is committed to fostering an inclusive community focusing on body positivity and self-love.
Connect with Melissa:
Resources:
- Check out REI’s Fall 2022 Editor’s Choice Awards
In the fall of 2022, the Oregon Symphony hired Deanna Tham as their new associate conductor. Deanna is incredibly talented and she's an expert at drawing out rich sounds from large orchestras. When she needs to let loose Deanna goes rock climbing. You might think that scaling rock faces has nothing to do with conducting an orchestra, but for Deanna, the two disciplines have a lot in common.
Connect with Deanna:
Resources:
- Check out REI’s Fall 2022 Editor’s Choice Awards
Nirvana Ortanez is a former pro park rider who was once sponsored by Salomon. She has been a change maker in the sport. Early on, Nirvana was one of the original members of Jet Pack 5000, a group of women who empowered other female snowboarders through film. More recently, Nirvana co-founded Soy Sauce Nation, a community for Asian snowboarders.
Connect with Nirvana:
Resources:
- Check out REI’s Fall 2022 Editor’s Choice Awards
Brandon Dugi is a competitive ultra runner who grew up in LeChee, Arizona, a small community in the Navajo nation. He runs several miles a day and competes in ultra races around the southwest. By becoming part of this larger running community, Brandon has made meaningful connections with other athletes and brands with the goal to celebrate and share the story of his Diné roots.
Connect with Brandon:
Resources:
- Watch Running the Grand Canyon with Brandon Dugi (Diné) on REI’s YouTube Channel
- Watch HOKA’s Time To Hózhó film
- Water is Life website
- Check out REI’s Fall 2022 Editor’s Choice Awards
In May of 2022, a group of 11 climbers became the first all-Black expedition to summit Mount Everest. The team was called Full Circle Everest, and their climb was written about by journalists all over the world. Full Circle was made up of outdoor experts, climbers, teachers, skiers, and snowboarders. There was also one US Army veteran on the expedition, Demond Mullins.
Connect with Dom:
Resources:
- Check out REI’s Fall 2022 Editor’s Choice Awards
Nalini Nadkarni is an ecologist who helped revolutionize the study of forest canopies. In 1980, Nalini started using mountain climbing techniques to ascend to the treetops in the Costa Rican rainforest. When Nalini isn't traversing tree canopies, she's advocating for environmental conservation and education. Her goal is to reach a broad audience with the message that nature can be incredibly profound, even life-changing.
Connect with Nalini:
Resources:
- Nalini's TED Talk
- Nalini's article on Tapestry Thinking
- Nature and Human Health - Alliance
Sponsor:
Conrad Anker is a legendary mountaineer and one of the most prolific explorers alive today. He has successfully ascended and completed dozens of major mountain expeditions, including summiting Mount Everest three times. In today’s episode, Conrad shares with us the wisdom gained along the way.
Connect with Conrad:
Resources:
- Listen to Wild Ideas Worth Living episode with Max
- Learn more about Max Lowe’s film, Torn
- Check out REI’s Re/Supply program
Lisa Thompson has climbed 14 mountains in the last 14 years. She has reached the seven highest summits on each continent, scaled many mountains in the Himalayas, and in 2018 she became the second American woman to climb the treacherous K2 in Pakistan.
Connect with Lisa:
- Website
- Alpine Athletics
- Purchase Lisa's new book, Finding Elevation
Resources:
In July of 2022, Greg Nance returned from an adventure of a lifetime. He ran across America, from New York to Washington State, in 84 days. For Greg, this cross country run wasn't just about checking the experience off his bucket list. Greg was running to raise funds for his youth mental health organization, Run Far Foundation.
Connect with Greg:
Resources:
Episode sponsor:
- Check out REI’s Fall 2022 Editor’s Choice Awards
This week we have a BONUS EPISODE featuring The Trail Ahead podcast hosted by Faith E. Briggs and Addie Thompson. On the show, Addie and Faith bring together guests from all walks of life. They interview activists, artists, athletes, climate scientists and outdoor industry leaders to discuss representation and access to the outdoors.
For this conversation, Faith and Addie interview Kamilah Journét, a long-distance runner and passionate environmentalist. Kamilah discovered her love for running in junior high and continued competing in Cross Country and Track at high school and collegiate levels. She talks to Faith and Addie about creating a space of belonging in the outdoors, embracing a changing identity as a runner, and taking up space.
The Debrief features Sarah Jacquette Ray author of A Field Guide To Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Cool on a Warming Planet.
Connect with The Trail Ahead
Episode Resources
- Kamilah's Instagram
- Runners for Public Lands
- “Kamilah Journét, a powerful voice for anti-racism in the running and outdoor industries” for Citius Magazine
- Sarah Jacquette Ray author of A Field Guide To Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Cool on a Warming Planet
2022 was a pretty amazing year for Wild Ideas Worth Living. We released fifty episodes this year and interviewed some pretty awe-inspiring guests. We learned so much about healing in nature, being present, the value in moving our bodies, and creating equal access to the great outdoors. We talked about food and plants and gear, about mountains and caves and trails. Our guests taught us that age is nothing but a number, that there is activism in pursuing joy outdoors, and that nature can bring people together.
To all of our guests and listeners this year - thank you.
Episodes to listen to:
- How to Suffer Outside with Diana Helmuth
- Healing in the Mountains with Silvia Vasquez-Lavado
- Making Indigenous Art with Louie Gong
- Growing a Garden with Marcus Bridgewater
- Walking Around the World with Tom Turcich
- Spirit of the Peaks with Connor Ryan
- Finding Yourself in Climbing with Mario Stanley
- Building Cotopaxi with Davis Smith
- Building a Running Community with Iman Wilkerson
- Riding Waves with the Boogie Board Wave Chasers
- Winter Treks with Emily Ford
Whether we’re hiking a favorite trail or mountain biking for the first time, one of the benefits of adventuring outside is that we get to move our bodies. Katy Bowman is a body movement specialist who has written several books, including the bestseller, Move Your DNA. For decades, Katy has studied the science behind how our bodies react to living a sedentary life. All of her research has led her to some revolutionary ideas about how to stay a bit more active in almost any situation.
Connect with Katy:
Resources:
- Check out Katy’s books
- Learn more about how to move more during the holidays
Episode sponsors:
- Check out REI’s Fall 2022 Editor’s Choice Awards
Meg Fisher is one of the greatest para cyclists in the world. Twenty years ago, Meg was in a car accident that changed her life. During her recovery, she fell in love with physical therapy and pursued it professionally. She also discovered cycling thanks to an energetic service dog. Meg excelled in the sport and quickly began competing, gaining sponsors and winning competitions all over the world.
Connect with Meg:
Episode sponsors:
Growing up in poverty with little access to outdoor adventure sports, Ryan Hudson never imagined he’d be snowboarding in big-time competitions and exploring the mountains of Alaska. Today, he’s taken expeditions with renowned athletes, starred in an adventure film, and he’s sponsored by brands like the North Face and Sierra Nevada. Ryan’s journey from "#streets2peaks" is an inspiring, and unlikely story.
Connect with Ryan:
Resources:
Episode sponsors:
Mauricio Artiñano, a former mission planning officer with the United Nations, has worked to bridge the gap between former combatants and civilians with a pretty wild idea - white-water rafting.
Connect with Mauricio:
Resources:
Episode sponsors:
Evelynn Escobar is a changemaker in the outdoor industry who’s building her movement a little differently. As the founder of Hike Clerb, Evelynn has taken an intentional approach to building a fun, stylish and inclusive community. As a result, Hike Clerb has achieved an incredible amount of success. They’ve worked with several well-known brands and are encouraging Black, Indigenous, and women of color across North America to spend more time in the outdoors together.
Connect with Evelynn:
- Hike Clerb's Instagram
- Hike Clerb's website
- Watch REI Co-op Studio's "To Touch the Earth with Hike Clerb founder Evelynn Escobar"
- Read more on REI's Uncommon Path
Episode sponsor:
In 2021, yoga instructor Monica Ramos packed up her home and went on a motorcycle adventure with her husband and their eight-year-old daughter. The family of three left their home in Costa Rica and rode for four months: one month to get to Mexico and more than two months exploring every corner of the country. On the trip, Monica learned to incorporate lessons from her yoga practice - like awareness of her body and mindful breathing - into motorcycle riding.
Connect with Monica:
Resources:
Episode sponsors:
In 2017, Stacy Bare took fellow veterans back to Iraq, where they had all served during the war. The team skied some of the highest mountains in the country and made an award-winning film called Adventure Not War. Now, since becoming a father to daughter Wilder, and weathering a global pandemic, Stacy’s work looks a little different. Instead of bringing folks out to nature, he’s working to build and improve green space in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Connect with Stacy:
Connect with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks:
Resources:
Episode sponsors:
Emily Ford loves winter. She does most of her adventuring during the coldest months of the year in the most frigid parts of the U.S. In March of 2021, Emily became the first woman and the first Black person on record to complete the Ice Age Trail, a 1,200 mile trek that winds through the state of Wisconsin. In March of 2022, she completed a 28 day trek where she skied 180 miles with her dog Diggins.
Connect with Emily Ford:
Resources:
Episode sponsors:
Halloween approaches, and spending time outside is a little spookier than usual. As it gets dark earlier and leaves start to fall, our minds can run wild with visions of unknown creatures hiding in lakes or slithering across trails. Weston Davis - host of REI's Camp Monster podcast - tells the stories of these “impossible” creatures, and folks of all ages can’t get enough of them. He knows exactly how to build suspense and make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
Connect with Weston:
Episode sponsors:
Outdoor romance novelist Stacy Gold gave up her day job at a mountain biking nonprofit to write steamy romance novels. Her characters are strong, adventurous women - and the men who can’t resist them. Stacy has released four award-winning books, including her newest novel Wild at Heart, with more on the way. Writing romance novels that take place in the great outdoors gives Stacy a lot of material to work with: interesting plot points, beautiful scenery, and plenty of opportunity to crank up the tension.
Connect with Stacy:
Episode sponsors:
Teresa Martinez knows all about building trails. She’s spent the last 30 years working on some of the longest and most well-known trails across the country. Her latest project is to connect the Continental Divide Trail so that thru-hikers can follow the 1,200 mile path from the Mexico/New Mexico border to Montana and Canada without having to walk on city streets and highways.
Connect with Teresa and The Continental Divide Trail Coalition:
Resources:
- Learn more about Benton Mackaye
Episode sponsors:
Louie Gong is one of the most successful Native American visual artists in the country. At the beginning of his artistic career, he wanted to find a way to sell and license his work without having to go through a gallery or museum. So he founded his own company, Eighth Generation. The brand started in 2008 in Louie’s 200 square foot living room, and now inhabits a 30,000 square foot space in the heart of Seattle. Eighth Generation partners with over 40 Native American artists around the U.S. to design, manufacture and market beautiful wool blankets, art prints, home goods, and more.
Louie recently collaborated with Brooks to create the new Brooks Running Sasquatch Collection, designed by Louie, which features his art, inspired by his interpretation of Sasquatch. The limited edition collection includes running apparel and the Cascadia 16 trail running shoe. Learn more about Louie and the Sasquatch collection here.
Connect with Louie:
Resources:
- Eighth Generation website
- Eighth Generation Instagram
- Eighth Generation Facebook
- Eighth Generation Twitter
- Watch I Ran with Native American Sneaker Artist Louie Gong
- Shop Brooks Cascadia 16 Sasquatch Trail-Running Shoe for men and woman
Episode sponsors:
Shyla Sheppard and Missy Begay are the founders of the first and only Native-women owned brewery in the U.S. They use Indigenous and local ingredients to make unique brews at Bow & Arrow Brewing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The beer they make at Bow & Arrow Brewing is more than just a drink: it celebrates Missy and Shyla’s heritage and shares their stories with their community.
Connect with Missy & Shyla:
- Bow & Arrow Brewing website
- Bow & Arrow Brewing Instagram
- Bow & Arrow Brewing Twitter
- Bow & Arrow Brewing Facebook
Listen to:
Episode sponsors:
Leah Thomas, the blogger behind Green Girl Leah, is an outdoorswoman and activist who loves learning about science and society. In 2020, Leah posted an infographic on Instagram about “intersectional environmentalism” that went viral. The theory is an inclusive version of environmentalism that calls for climate justice through the lens of social justice– gender, class and racial equity.
Connect with Leah:
Intersectional Environmentalist:
Resources:
- Get a copy of Leah’s book, The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet
- REI Cooperative Action Network
- Catchafire
Episode sponsors:
Rue Mapp spent her youth swimming in creeks and playing on her family’s ranch in California. As she got older, Rue explored new ways to get outside and enjoy nature, but she didn’t see many other Black people in the outdoor spaces she loved. In 2009, she started a social enterprise called Outdoor Afro. In 2015, Outdoor Afro became a national not-for-profit that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. Now, Outdoor Afro, Inc. is releasing a clothing line in collaboration with REI Co-op that honors the history of Black people in the outdoors and celebrates Black joy.
Shop – Outdoor Afro Inc. + REI Co-op Hike Collection
Connect with Rue:
Resources:
Listen and Watch:
Episode sponsors:
A few years ago, Marley Blonsky bought a bike as a way to get to work. Soon after, she started bike camping and fell in love with the freedom of cycling. Fast forward to 2020, and Marley started All Bodies on Bikes with past guest and fellow body inclusive cyclist Kailey Kornhauser. The pair were featured in a beautiful short film, and they’ve been written about in some of the industry’s most prominent cycling publications. Now, Marley is traveling around the country working with riders and brands to advocate for size inclusivity.
Connect with Marley:
- Marley’s website
- All Bodies on Bikes website
- Marley’s Instagram
- All Bodies on Bike Instagram
Resources:
- Check out the Wild Ideas episode with Kailey Kornhauser, co-founder of All Bodies on Bikes.
Episode sponsor:
The day before his 26th birthday, Tom Turcich walked out the door of his home in Haddon Township, NJ. He was setting off to walk around the world. Seven years and over 25,000 miles later, Tom returned home. Four months into his trek, he adopted a dog, Savannah, to keep him company. The pair’s adventure was filled with highs and lows - kindly interactions with strangers, health scares, beautiful scenery, and lots of lessons learned.
Connect with Tom:
More on walking around the world:
Sponsor:
Over the past few years, alpinist, filmmaker, and climate activist Graham Zimmerman has watched his home in Bend, Oregon get consumed by smoke over and over again. As someone who loves spending time outside, Graham wondered what exactly he could do to help. He created the podcast Wildfire to dig deep and investigate the raging infernos that threaten our homes on planet Earth.
Connect with Graham:
Resources:
- Check out REI Co-op Studios Wildfire Podcast
- Learn more about Protect Our Winters
Sponsor:
The Boogie Board Wave Chasers is a club of women between the ages of 55 and 95. Five days a week, on the beaches of San Diego, these women charge waves, and have the time of their lives. Boogie boarding keeps these women young. It is a workout to swim against the current, hop up on their boards, and get up off the sand. Most of all, together, these women have built a community that cheers them on, in and out of the water.
Learn more about the Boogie Board Wave Chasers:
Sponsor:
In 2018, writer and journalist Katie Arnold took the ultrarunning community by surprise when she won one of the toughest ultramarathons in the country, the Leadville 100. When an opportunity arose to compete in this famous 100 mile race, Katie committed to training for Leadville her way. Her training was “unconventional”, but it totally worked. At 46 years old, Katie completed the course with one of the fastest women’s times in race history.
Connect with Katie:
- Website
- Purchase Katie's book, Running Home
Sponsor:
Chalk artist David Zinn is known for leaving anonymous work on sidewalks, under rocks, and in other unexpected places. He walks around Ann Arbor, Michigan with a little wooden box of brightly colored chalk. As David strolls the neighborhood, he looks for features of the streetscape– oddly shaped cracks in the pavement or chunks of brick missing from retaining walls– to use in his drawings of whimsical, mischievous little creatures. The lines of the sidewalk become a tightrope for a rabbit to balance on, a sprinkler head becomes the eye of a frog, a pine cone becomes the tail of a cat.
Connect with David:
Sponsor:
Mario Stanley started rock climbing in his early twenties and quickly fell in love with the sport. He became a climbing coach and an outdoor guide, and now runs his own company, Highpoint Expeditions. Climbing gave Mario’s life a sense of direction at a time when he was feeling lost. He’s learned over the years that it’s about more than scaling to the top of a wall. Climbing is an exercise in freedom, trust, and pushing through fear.
Connect with Mario:
Resources:
- Sends and Suffers Podcast
- Highpoint Expeditions
- Summit Climbing Gyms
Episode sponsor:
Listen to:
- Tooth and Claw podcast
Laurie Watt is an ice climber and mountaineer who became a professional adventure guide at age 55. She spent most of her adult life indoors- parenting and working as a physical therapist. In her forties, she found her way into the mountains. Now, Laurie is teaching us all that getting older doesn’t mean that we have to forgo our wild ideas. Some of us might even get better and wilder with age.
Connect with Laurie:
Episode sponsor:
Listen to:
- Tooth and Claw podcast
Silvia Vasquez-Lavado summited Mt. Everest in 2016, and was the first Peruvian woman to do so. Her trip up the world’s tallest mountain was part of an incredible journey toward healing - from sexual abuse when she was a child and from alcoholism as an adult. Her book, In the Shadow of the Mountain, tells the story of her childhood in Peru, her immigration to America, and her climb up Mt. Everest.
Connect with Silvia Vasquez-Lavado:
Episode sponsor:
Listen to:
- Tooth and Claw podcast
Artwork photo credit: Emily Assiran
Group runs changed Iman Wilkerson’s life and contributed to the confidence she needed to go after her wildest ideas. Now, she is channeling her inspiration into supporting others to connect with their local community through running. In 2020, Iman created The Run Down, a web-based app that brings together local runners and shares different routes to explore in their community. The service started in San Diego, and it’s quickly spread to LA and beyond.
Connect with Iman:
Join The Run Down community:
Episode sponsor:
Artwork photo credit: John Onelio
Getting outside can be intimidating — it feels like there’s a lot that can go wrong. Luckily, Miranda Webster, host of the REI YouTube series Miranda in the Wild, is here to show you that it doesn’t have to be hard or scary. Miranda is like your best friend from middle school, and she’s been working at REI since she was 18 years old! It took her some time to find the right role, but hosting a video series was a perfect fit. In Miranda in the Wild, Miranda and her production team create educational and endearing videos to help encourage others to get outside.
Connect with guests:
Miranda in the Wild episodes to watch:
Episode sponsors:
Artwork photo credit: Chelsea Newton
Mylo Fowler is a landscape photographer who takes pictures of his homeland, the Navajo Nation. The images he captures are stunning - they feature the rock formations, plants, and skies of the southwestern United States. His photography holds layers of meaning that celebrate and preserve Navajo culture, and he’s also figured out how to use his photography to bring electricity to people who live on Navajoland.
Connect with Mylo:
Resources:
- Learn more about Mylo’s work with Goal Zero
Episode sponsors:
Noami Grevemberg is an activist, podcaster and entrepreneur. In 2016, she and her husband Dustin left their home in New Orleans and moved into a 1985 Volkswagen Van. The pair has figured out how to make van life sustainable for them. They make a living as digital nomads. They do their best to practice a zero-waste lifestyle. And Noami has created a platform and community of BIPOC and LGBTQ van lifers with her platform Diversify Vanlife.
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Resources:
When we get out in nature, we can come up with ideas that change the course of our lives. For David Sacher, a 19,000 mile bike ride from the top of North America to the bottom of South America gave him the time and space to dream up his next wild idea. As he pedaled through the Andes mountains, he came up with a business idea: VITAL, a unique 24-hour climbing gym that runs on trust and community. Now, David’s business has grown significantly, and VITAL has several locations across the country.
Connect with David:
In 2019, Brittany Washington was burnt out. She was ready to pursue something a little more wild, and she was thirsty for knowledge. In January of 2020, Brittany left New York City for a trip around the world. She was in Bali, Indonesia in March of 2020, when the world stood still with the COVID-19 pandemic. She was stuck. During the year that Brittany spent in Bali, she continued to seek out adventure, and even made a video series titled Ms. Communication.
Connect with Brittany:
For Chris Burkard, photography has always been more than just taking spectacular pictures. He’s used his craft as a way to tell stories, inspire people to adventure outside, and most of all, to push himself to the edge of his comfort zone. He’s caught freezing cold-water waves with professional surfer Pete Devries. He’s biked with champion mountain biker Rebecca Rusch. He’s hung off cliffs in Moab, surfed in Iceland, and skied near the Arctic circle. After spending much of his career documenting other people’s lives and adventures, Chris recently decided to turn the camera on himself and share stories from his own travels in his memoir called Wayward.
Other episodes to listen to:
Connect with Chris Burkard:
Resources:
- The book that Chris mentioned, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
For Raquel Gomez, getting outside has always been a way to be playful and adventurous. She’s done a lot of hiking, rock climbing and camping around the U.S. Raquel also has a passion for working with kids — she’s a youth climbing coach and has worked as a Wilderness Therapy Guide. But building a career in the outdoors wasn’t easy for Raquel. She loved to get outside as a kid, but didn’t see many outdoor athletes that looked like her. That’s why she founded Atabey Outdoors, a program that provides safe and fun outdoor adventures for Black, Indigenous and Girls of Color in Phoenix, Arizona.
Connect with Raquel:
In the summer of 2018, many of us were glued to news for updates on the Tham Luang cave rescue. A Thai youth soccer team and their coach were exploring the Tham Luang caves when the monsoon rains came early. The rising water trapped the boys inside a cave. While the rest of the world was watching from afar, cave diver Rick Stanton was diving into the situation head on. His team was able to guide all twelve boys and their coach to safety. No one had ever done a rescue like this before, and suddenly Rick became an international hero.
Resources:
- Learn more about Rick Stanton's book, Aquanaut
- Watch The Rescue
- Learn more about the film, Thirteen Lives, coming out November 18th 2022
Helmets reduce the likelihood of getting a serious head injury by 60%. Even though they make it safer to ride your bike, skateboard, one-wheel, or even roller skates, a lot of people don’t wear them, citing bulkiness and inconvenience. Gloria Hwang felt the same way, so she designed a more exciting, user-friendly helmet and launched the product on Kickstarter. Since the first sale, her company Thousand has become a thriving brand in the outdoor industry and is changing the helmet game.
Connect with Gloria:
Steph Jagger’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2015. Despite their complicated relationship, Steph decided to take her mom on one more adventure — a two week camping and road trip through three national parks. In a time when she needed comfort, confirmation of her own identity, and strength to confront her mother’s decline, Steph turned to Mother Nature. Her new book, Everything Left to Remember, documents the women’s trip and beautifully captures Steph’s reflections on childhood, motherhood, and losing the woman who guided her through life.
Connect with Steph:
Resources:
Davis Smith is an outdoor adventurer and mission-driven entrepreneur. That’s why he founded Cotopaxi in 2014. Best known for their bright colors, Cotopaxi doesn’t just make good gear, they make gear for good. The brand is committed to minimizing their impact on the planet, and maximizing the benefit for the people who live here. Davis spent a lot of his childhood in Latin America, and his parents were committed to serving others and getting outside, values that he still carries with him today. For him, Cotopaxi is a perfect way to honor his upbringing and the places that mean a lot to him.
Episodes to listen to:
Connect with guests:
At 10 years old, Nicole Ver Kuilen was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, that led to the amputation of her lower left leg. Nicole has always been an athlete, but the prosthesis supplied by her insurance was holding her back. In 2017 Nicole completed an ultra triathlon down the western coast of the United States, walking, biking, and running over 1,500 miles to raise awareness about the lack of access to prostheses. Based on that journey, she founded a nonprofit organization called Forrest Stump to fight for better equipment for amputees.
Show artwork photo: Adam Wells (@ajwells)
Connect with Nicole:
Resources:
Max Lowe is an adventure filmmaker whose award-winning films have screened at festivals like Cannes and Tribeca. He’s also the son of the famous mountaineer, Alex Lowe. Late last year, Max came out with his biggest documentary yet, a personal story called Torn. It tells the story of his iconic father’s death and how it has impacted his family.
Connect with Max Lowe:
Resources:
Show art photo credit to Elliot Ross.
Lucienne Nicholson is passionate about the inherent human right to spend time in nature. Lucienne discovered her love of the outdoors during her childhood in Haiti, where she spent summers on her grandmother’s farm. After immigrating to the United States in the 1970s, she was greeted with the harsh reality of segregation — nature became inaccessible. Lucienne vowed to fight against this lack of access. She founded the nonprofit Inclusive Woods and Us to help get more kids outside in Rochester, NY.
Connect with Lucienne:
Florence Williams is a science journalist known for examining the relationship between nature and our mental health. A painful divorce prompted Florence to put her research to the test in her new book, Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey. She started to investigate the impact of breakups on the brain and body. Florence conducted self-experiments and interviewed experts to explore the questions — How does heartbreak physiologically affect our bodies? How can going outside help us heal?
Episodes to listen to:
Connect with Florence:
Resources:
Erin Parisi is on her way to becoming the first openly trans person to climb the highest mountain on each continent, a series known as the Seven Summits. So far, she’s climbed five of these peaks, and she has just two left to go. Taking on just one of these peaks is a massive ordeal in its own right, but tackling all seven of them takes intense training, logistical prowess and a hefty financial commitment. There are a million reasons to climb a mountain, but for Erin, this journey is about showing the world her authentic self.
Connect with Erin:
Resources:
When we’re fantasizing about our next outdoor trip, we often conveniently forget about the less-than-glamorous parts. Backpacker Diana Helmuth talks about the realities of getting on the trail in her hilarious book “How to Suffer Outside: A Beginner's Guide to Hiking and Backpacking”.
Diana is skilled at making even the most mundane subjects funny, interesting and informative for everyone. In this episode, she talks about how sometimes leggings on the trail aren't the greatest idea (hello, mosquitoes!), the best way to plan your route, her tips on going to the bathroom outside and much more.
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Maria Hines is an award-winning chef and an avid rock climber and adventurer. In 2005 Maria was named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s 10 Best New Chefs, and she’s competed on TV shows like Top Chef Masters and Iron Chef America. But when Maria is on the trail for an early morning hike or climb, she doesn’t have time to bring a five course meal. Instead, she’s figured out a way to bring healthy, convenient, and delicious foods with her on her outdoor adventures. Maria shares recipes in her cookbook, Peak Nutrition, and she’s also the star of REI’s Youtube Series, Cook Out with Chef Maria Hines.
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You can find new episodes every Tuesday with these guests and others on Wild Ideas Worth Living. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
This month's lineup:
- March 1st: Chef Maria Hines is a James Beard Award-winner and author of Peak Nutrition, a book all about the food we can use to fuel our bodies for outdoor adventures.
- March 8th: Diana Helmuth is the author of Outside: A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking and Backpacking. She shares why she deeply loves these activities, even if sometimes she doesn't.
- March 15th: Erin Parisi is on her way to becoming the first openly Trans person to climb the highest mountain on each continent — a series known as the seven summits.
- March 22nd: In Florence Williams' newest book, Heartbreak, Williams explores the science of heartbreak after her 25 year marriage suddenly falls apart. She seeks out what happens to our brains and bodies after losing love.
- March 29th : Lucienne Nicholson, the founder of Inclusive Woods and Us, is helping kids in underserved communities get outside to improve their physical, mental and emotional health.
Life coach and author Nicol Hodges is a lifelong runner. In high school and college, running track taught her discipline and training techniques. As an adult, running has improved Nicol’s mental health and helped her move through challenging seasons. Now, Nicol is running for justice. After Black healthcare worker Breonna Taylor was murdered by Louisville police in 2020, Nicol printed out a race bib with Breonna’s name on it and wore it during her daily runs. This act of remembrance has turned into a movement.
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Angela Medlin is a legendary outdoor and athletic gear designer, with a resumé boasting positions at the Jordan brand at Nike, Adidas, The North Face, Eddie Bauer and Levi Strauss. During her 25 year career, she was often the only person of color in her design department. It’s a big reason she decided to leave the corporate world — instead of working at these brands herself, she wanted to train and prepare the next generation of designers and creatives.
Her new venture FAAS, which stands for Functional Apparel and Accessory Studio, is a design lab, educational institute and more. The program specializes in innovation, applying lessons from athletic apparel to fashion and lifestyle design. FAAS’s upcoming collaboration with REI will introduce young designers to the world of outdoor adventure gear and apparel.
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Resources:
This spring, Eddie Taylor will be one of the climbers making history on the first all-Black team to attempt to summit Mount Everest. Their trek is called The Full Circle Everest Expedition. By day, Eddie is a high school Chemistry teacher and track coach in Colorado, but before work and on the weekends, he’s out scaling rock faces or ice climbing frozen waterfalls. Now, he is embarking on a new type of adventure — Eddie, eight other Black climbers, and two support staff will start their two month trip to Everest. In this episode, he talks about their preparations and what it takes to climb the tallest mountain in the world.
Connect with Eddie & the Full Circle expedition:
When facing struggles in his own life, Marcus Bridgewater found solace in the garden. By taking care of plants, he was inspired to take better care of himself. Now, Marcus is sharing his garden-inspired insights with the masses on social media. As one of the nation’s most noteworthy plant influencers or “plantfluencers”, Marcus has gone viral on platforms like TikTok. He shares tips, tricks, and insights on fostering plant growth and self-growth. Known by his social media handle “Garden Marcus”, he's managed to turn his passion for plants and education into his fulltime job.
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Adaptive athlete and podcast host Tim Brown is a lifelong outdoor sports enthusiast. But an accident while working ski patrol in 2011 rendered him quadriplegic. After years of therapy and a lot of hard work, Tim made it his mission to get back out into nature, doing the sports he loves. In 2021 he launched a podcast called The Unexpected Journey, where he speaks with other disabled folks about their experiences doing the sports they love, pursuing creative projects, and challenging notions of what they’re capable of.
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When Elena Cheung first took a yoga class, she didn't like it. It was harder than she had anticipated and she wasn't flexible. She started to love it when she leaned into the discomfort and realized the benefits of doing something that was both physically and mentally challenging.
Fast forward to today, and Elena is a movement specialist and yoga teacher who has worked with a wide range of people to help them incorporate mindful movement into their lives. She's a firm believer that incorporating movement like yoga can help you towards your other athletic goals, no matter the sport.
In this episode, she discusses her path to yoga, breath work and exercises for athletes, and how to incorporate a yoga practice into your own life. If you're looking for inspiration, check out Elena's new YouTube series, Deeply Moving. This series focuses on incorporating yoga and movement into your life, no matter where you are at in your journey. Through a collection of follow-along classes, lectures and collaborations with other movement enthusiasts, Elena hopes to bring the joy of movement to everyone.
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Connor Ryan is a professional skier and proud Hunkpapa Lakota. As an athlete who spends his days in the mountains, Connor is always exploring how he can weave together his Indigenous culture and his love of winter sports. To highlight the relationship between skiing and his heritage, Connor recently made a film with Natives Outdoors and REI Co-op Studios called Spirit of the Peaks. The film is all about the balance between his athletic passion and his cultural obligation.
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Wild Ideas Worth living features high-impact interviews for those who love adventure and the outdoors. Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews world-class explorers, athletes, authors, scientists, health experts, and entrepreneurs about how they’ve taken their own wild ideas and made them a reality, so you can too. Some of the wildest ideas can lead to the most rewarding adventures. Take a listen to start living more wildly today.
Our guests this season were all about breaking boundaries, shaking things up and challenging the norm. There were some wild ones: the most enthusiastic birder, a Bigfoot scholar, some of the world’s fastest athletes and a handful of musicians. We talked to a lot of people working to make the outdoors a more inclusive, accessible place. We learned about why nature is good for us from advocates and researchers. We explored the power of kindness with trail angels.
Thank you to all of our incredible guests this season — your stories have encouraged us all to go after their own wild ideas. And thank you to YOU, the listeners, for tuning in, sharing our episodes, writing reviews and sending us notes about your own outdoor experiences. Here’s to a wild, adventurous 2022.
Featured episodes:
The third and final episode in our series with On Running is all about recovery with professional steeplechaser Leah Falland. In combination with great training and a strategic recovery plan, in 2021 Leah has become one of the top 20 steeplechasers in the world, and this past season, she ran a personal best for the first time in five years. Leah’s success wouldn’t be possible without a big focus on recovery. She shares her story and some of her best recovery techniques in this episode.
The guests in our series with On Running are not coaches, physical therapists, or doctors. Their advice is for educational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice.
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The second episode in our bonus series with On Running is all about training. Sometimes when you’re working on improving your endurance, speed, or form, you can get stuck in a running rut. That’s why it’s important to train your mind and your body. In 2014, pro trail and mountain runner Allie McLoughlin won the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championship, and in 2020 she won the US Trail Marathon National Championship. Throughout her career, she’s had to hone her training schedule to heal from injuries, prevent future injuries, and get faster. In this episode Allie talks about how to build a training plan and why it’s important to work towards a specific goal.
The guests in our series with On Running are not coaches, physical therapists, or doctors. Their advice is for educational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice.
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As the new year rolls around, there’s a lot of talk of resolutions. For some of us, that means creating new goals that help us get outside and move our bodies. In that spirit, we’ve partnered with On Running to bring you a series of episodes about three important aspects of running.
This first episode is all about nutrition and features internationally renowned long distance runner Alicia Monson. She has run the 4th fastest 5,000 meter time in US history. Alicia built an incredible career as an athlete, but she's also studied nutrition. In this episode, Alicia shares her favorite nutrition tips and tricks for runners.
The guests in our series with On Running are not coaches, physical therapists or doctors. Their advice is for educational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice.
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When Gina Lucrezi fell in love with trail running in her 20s, she didn't see many other women out on the trail. Gina craved a community of female runners that she could connect with, so she decided to create Trail Sisters, a national organization that supports and inspires women to get into trail running. Now, Trail Sisters has over 130 chapters across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. By starting this group, Gina has opened up a new world for herself and thousands of other women.
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Christian Gering is a multimedia artist and one of the fastest ultra runners in America. Even though he’s built a career as a sponsored athlete, he doesn’t just run to win races. For Christian, running connects him with his Indigenous heritage and inspires him to create. Hailing from Katishtya (San Felipe Pueblo) and the Pi'pil people of El Salvador, Christian discovered that running can be a form of prayer. He’s celebrating his connection to the earth by running routes traveled by his ancestors.
Connect with Christian:
Resources:
- Janji x Christian. Fall/Winter 21 season collection
- Learn about Christian’s multimedia audio project, Unsettled Series
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When he’s not running, Lesford is the Senior Director of Programs at Outdoor Outreach, an organization that connects kids to the transformative power of nature. It’s not just about surfing or climbing — Outdoor Outreach teaches them about sustainability and advocacy. When these kids spend time outside, they’re discovering new passions, building confidence and connecting with peers and mentors.
Other episodes to listen to:
Connect with Lesford:
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Ryan Kinder isn’t your average Nashville musician. In addition to recently releasing his full length album Room to Dream, Ryan is an endurance athlete. What started as a way to honor a friend’s passing has now become a full blown obsession with Ironman triathlon competitions. With six Ironman races under his belt, Ryan spends time between recording sessions training hard for his next race, and he’s learned a lot about himself along the way.
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Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is the subject of campfire stories and heated conversation as people ponder Bigfoot’s existence. You can go down a YouTube rabbit hole and find convincing evidence on either side of the debate. Cliff Barackman has dedicated much of his life to studying Bigfoot. He owns the North American Bigfoot Center in Boring, Oregon, and he was one of the main experts featured on Animal Planet’s show, Finding Bigfoot. In the spirit of the season, we invite you to listen in on our conversation with Cliff as we let ourselves wonder: is Bigfoot out there?
Wild Ideas Worth Living episodes to listen to:
Podcasts to listen to:
Connect with Cliff Barackman:
Resources:
- Cliff’s Podcast - Bigfoot and Beyond with Cliff and Bobo
- North American Bigfoot Center
- Theodore Roosevelt’s book, The Wilderness Hunter
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Professional surfer Pete Devries surfs waves that not many have experienced. That’s because he lives in Tofino, B.C., and spends most of his time surfing the frigid waters up north. Pete has traveled to plenty of more tropical locales during his career, but he feels at home in Tofino. Plus the chilly temps mean he’s often the only one in the water. He spends his days traveling to untouched rocky coves, surfing against evergreen backdrops and enjoying the serene landscapes of Canada.
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Climber Alannah Yip spent her summer competing on the international stage in Tokyo, Japan. Even though she’s been a competitive climber since she was six years old, this competition was unlike anything she’d ever done before. It was the first year that rock climbing was included on the international athletics circuit, and in order to participate Alannah had to overcome some major obstacles. Following a stunning qualifying performance, she was one of the climbers on the wall making history in Japan.
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Florence Williams has spent years researching the physical and mental impact of spending time outside. She’s a journalist, author and podcaster whose work focuses on how our environment shapes our wellbeing. In Florence’s book, The Nature Fix, she sets out to explain how the outdoors can improve our health, promote reflection, stimulate innovation, and strengthen our relationships. In this episode, Florence shares with us some of her research, her tricks for slowing down outside and getting our nature fix, no matter where we live.
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In early 2021, Misha Euceph spent six weeks on the road visiting national parks and recording a new podcast series for REI Co-op Studios called Hello, Nature. As a Pakistani-American writer, podcast host and journalist, Misha set out to find the new, lesser known stories of America's national parks through the lens of Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
Misha’s interest in national parks is relatively new, but she’s no stranger to podcasting. Her production company, Dustlight Productions, produced The Michelle Obama podcast, and Barack Obama and Bruce Springstein’s podcast Renegades: Born in the USA. In this episode, Misha talks about making her latest project, Hello, Nature.
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When we’re alone in nature, all of our senses are heightened — which can be wonderful, but it can also be intimidating. There's a lot of messaging out there that tells us doing things alone isn't safe. Nicole Snell, self defense instructor and owner of Girls Fight Back, believes in solo adventuring and wants to provide people with the tools and confidence to get out there. Nicole has trained so she can feel comfortable doing what she wants and has made it her mission to change the conversation around personal safety.
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Any long distance hiker will tell you about a magical encounter they had with a trail angel. Trail angels are awesome people who provide support to those on long treks — a meal, a shower or a ride into the nearest town.
Barney and Sandy Mann are two of the most well-known trail angels in the U.S. Their house is an hour from the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail. The two offer hikers dinner and a place to sleep, but also camaraderie as they start their journey north.
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When you think of KEEN, you probably think of their iconic sandals, the ones with bungee cord straps and big rubber toe caps. Over the years, KEEN has prioritized social and environmental responsibility. In this bonus episode, Shelby chats with Erik Burbank, the vice-president of the KEEN Effect and Kirk Richardson, a KEEN Effect advisor. Their mission is to have a positive impact on the world through philanthropy and sustainable footwear.
Learn more about KEEN.
Mikah Meyer is a record-breaking road tripper. His cross-country adventures started at 19 years old when his dad passed away. On Mikah’s first trip, he traveled for 260 days. Five years later, he spent three years living out of a van, venturing to all 419 U.S. National Park service sites. As he documented his trips online, his following grew and he realized he had a platform. He now travels with the goal of promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusivity in the outdoors with his Outside Safe Space Campaign.
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Sika set this goal 6 years ago and was aiming to achieve it in 2019. But nothing could have prepared her for the bike accident she experienced in that year during a race in Texas. Sika isn’t one to let any obstacle stand in her way and she trained hard to come back stronger than ever. Now, she uses the experience of her accident and the success of getting her pro card to talk to youth, particularly Black Americans, about getting involved in triathlon.
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Joseph Mulherin is known by his stage name nothing,nowhere. He’s a musician who has worked with celebrities like Travis Barker from Blink 182 and Pete Wentz from Fallout Boy. Joe has an incredible fan base, but things haven’t always been easy for him. Since he was a kid, Joe has struggled with an anxiety and panic disorder. But he’s found that being out in nature and practicing bushcraft skills can be a real salve for his mental health. On this show, Joe talks about how music, meditation, and getting outside have made a powerful impact on his life.
Connect with Joseph Mulherin (nothing, nowhere.):
Resources:
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Angela Tucker is a writer, director and Emmy-nominated producer who makes narrative and documentary films. For her new series, The Trees Remember, Angela teamed up with REI to make three short films. Each short features a Black woman experiencing a moment of connection and reflection in the outdoors, showing that nature is a backdrop to our daily lives, providing space to learn and inspire. In this episode, Angela talks about how she became a filmmaker, making period pieces, and the creative process behind The Trees Remember.
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Writer and professor Susan Lacke never anticipated becoming an endurance athlete. But when her boss Carlos Nunez offered her an opportunity to improve her unhealthy lifestyle, she went for it. What started as small changes became bigger and bigger until she signed up for an Ironman triathlon. Now, she’s breaking the mold of who we think of as an athlete - Susan is deaf, and she writes about other athletes that don’t fit the runner stereotype. She believes anyone can be a runner, no matter their size, race, gender, or ability.
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Susan's books:
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Professional mountain biker, Eliot Jackson, is no stranger to reaching big goals. He started riding motorcycles before he was in kindergarten, and ended up becoming a child motocross athlete. He won five national motocross national championships during his youth. When Eliot was 15 years old, he decided to retire from motocross.
A few years later, Eliot took up mountain biking and had the wild idea to become a professional downhill mountain bike athlete. In his seven year career, Eliot became one of the top three downhill mountain bikers in the US. Now, he is conquering a new dream. Eliot recently started a non-profit called Grow Cycling Foundation, which is an organization that is making mountain biking more accessible to youth in Los Angeles.
Connect with Eliot and Grow Cycling Foundation:
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Tyrhee Moore is a mountaineer, outdoor guide and founder of the non-profit, Soul Trak. Growing up in Washington D.C, Tyrhee first fell in love with the outdoors on a 7th grade trip to the Grand Tetons with City Kids Wilderness Project. He was blown away by the beautiful views, but he was also impressed by his own power and ability to climb mountains. He was hooked on outdoor adventures. Several years later, Tyrhee was asked to be on the first all-Black American team to climb Denali and was featured in a documentary called An American Ascent about the group’s climb. After becoming a trained mountain and river guide, Tyrhee started the non-profit Soul Trak Outdoors, an organization that connects urban communities of color with green spaces in the D.C. area.
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Using their backgrounds in apparel and marketing, Keith and Sevag launched Parks Project, a brand that donates its proceeds to conservation projects within our National Parks. But their clothes aren’t your typical park paraphernalia. Parks Project teams up with artists to create outdoorsy graphics with vintage vibes. With a unique model and huge success, Parks Project is making an impact and inspiring the next generation to take care of our public lands.
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Country singer Brett Eldredge was at the top of his game. He had released four chart-topping records and performed with stars like Taylor Swift and Blake Shelton. But life as a touring musician took a toll on him. Brett felt like he was spending all of his time worrying about the next performance. He decided to take a vacation from stress and social media to reconnect with the outdoors. In this episode, find out how unplugging and getting out in nature helped Brett soothe his anxiety and spark creativity for his latest record, Sunday Drive.
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Adam Campbell is an accomplished mountain runner with some of the fastest known times on many Canadian mountains and trails. But being an athlete comes with risks. In 2016, Adam endured a life-threatening fall down a 200 foot ravine while running Roger’s Pass in British Columbia. But Adam came back, started running again and got married. In January 2020, Adam’s wife Laura passed away after being buried in an avalanche while the two were out skiing. Despite all the hardships Adam has endured in the mountains, he has also found that spending time outside is helping him heal mentally and physically.
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Michelle Parker is a professional freeskier. She takes helicopters, snowmobiles, or hikes up to steep snowy peaks and skis down them, launching off cliffs and gliding down nearly vertical slopes. She has been featured in dozens of ski films and when Michelle goes out and films on the peaks, she is often the only woman on these outings. The other athletes, the camera people, even the helicopter pilot are usually men. Regardless, Michelle has always been motivated by women in sports. In fact, it was her mom who put her on skis before she was two years old. On this show, Michelle talks about how she’s embraced her superwoman abilities to excel as an athlete and show women around the world that they can ski some of the craziest lines.
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David Brown is one of the world’s fastest blind runners, a two-time record breaker, and the first totally blind athlete to run 100m in under 11 seconds. Jerome Avery is his running guide. The two run tethered together by a short strap. They train together almost daily to maintain their synchronization and speed, and that hard work shows on and off the track. In this episode, hear how David fell in love with running, their journey to start running together, and what it feels like when they’re the first to cross the finish line.
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In 2016, Karel beat the record for the fastest known time to complete the Pacific Crest Trail. Then in 2018, he ran the Appalachian trail and broke the fastest known time record by four days! Karel started running as a hobby so that he could get some exercise after work. Now, just a few years later, he’s running some of the longest wilderness trails on earth.
Episodes to listen to:
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When you think of exciting outdoor activities, bird watching probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But in the words of today’s guest Corina Newsome, it’s like a treasure hunt. There is exhilaration in looking for movement through binoculars or listening for specific bird calls. There's also a sense of achievement that comes with identifying a specific bird and crossing it off your list. Corina isn’t your stereotypical birder. She’s a 27 year old Black woman from Philadelphia with a Master’s degree in Ornithology (the study of birds). Corina was one of the primary organizers behind Black Birders Week, a virtual event that took place in summer of 2020. In this episode, Corina tells us about how she fell in love with birds, the circumstances that inspired Black Birders Week and what it’s like being a Black woman in the outdoors. Read more about how she's helping more birders find their place.
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Trying a new sport or skill for the first time can be scary. Nobody wants to look like an awkward newbie in front of the pros, but Dylan Efron is learning to embrace the thrill of being a beginner. In fact, he’s inspiring others to do the same with his new YouTube series called Flow State. The goal of the show is to invite professional athletes to do an outdoor sport that they’ve never tried before, from spearfishing to speed flying, and see what happens. On this episode, Dylan tells us about some of the most impactful Flow State episodes, what it’s like working with his brother Zac Efron, and how he’s built a lifestyle doing what he loves most.
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- Danner's Mountain Pass Arctic Night boot
- Made in our Portland, Oregon factory and inspired by the original Mountain Light, the Mountain Pass Winter was created to handle cold days and icy city streets. A breathable GORE-TEX lining and Thinsulate™ insulation keep feet warm and dry in slush and snow. An updated construction method allows us to significantly reduce weight and create out-of-the-box comfort that doesn't come standard for most classic hiking boots. The Vibram® Arctic Grip outsole was designed to keep your footing secure on wet ice, frozen ground or whatever else the colder months have in store.
2020 has been quite a year. We had a plan for what this season of Wild Ideas Worth Living would look like, but a few months in we had to change course, just as everyone in the world did. So while our first few episodes focused on adventurers who traveled all over the world and broke barriers, we spent the rest of the year learning from guests who taught us how to find peace and a sense of adventure in our own homes.
Thank you to all of our guests for sharing your stories and wild ideas with us. And thank you especially to you, the listeners, for tuning in, writing reviews, and sending us notes about your own wild ideas. We’ll be back with new episodes in January, so be sure to subscribe or follow wherever you listen to podcasts. Happy holidays and happy new year.
Episodes to listen to:
- Mike Posner
- James Nestor
- Eric Wolfinger
- Latoya Shauntay Snell - Running Fat Chef + Redefining Routing
- Joe Gray
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Noah Howell is one of the greatest backcountry skiers to date, and he has been named one of the “50 Icons of Backcountry Skiing” by Backcountry Magazine. He was also the second person to ski all 90 lines of what author Andrew McLean deemed the steepest ski lines in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. Noah feels free skiing rarely traveled slopes, and for him, that freedom is also reflected in his everyday life. When he’s not skiing, Noah continues to buck the norms and do what he loves, even when it is difficult to keep pathing his own way.
Connect with Noah:
Resources:
- Black Diamond profile (Noah is sponsored by Black Diamond)
- The Chuting Gallery: A Guide to Steep Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains by Andrew McLean
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When Ally Coucke adopted her white German Shepherd, Bailey, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. Ally was just a kid looking for a big, protective dog to run with her in the early mornings, and what she got became the most important relationship of her life. Now, Bailey and his adoptive brother, “Loki the Wolfdog” are Internet sensations. But Bailey has been battling cancer for the last couple of years, and last week he lost the fight. Back in August, Ally was preparing to face the deepest grief she’s ever experienced, she found that Bailey had a lot to teach her about herself and her community.
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Tom Putnam is a filmmaker known for writing and directing documentaries and short films. After reading Robert Pyle’s book, Where Bigfoot Walks: Crossing the Dark Divide, he felt compelled to turn Pyle’s story into a movie. After 10 years of writing and re-writing the script, Tom brought the entire cast and crew for The Dark Divide film into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Oregon. They shot the film on-location in just 22 days, and it was quite the wild adventure. In this episode, Tom talks about his career as a director, what it was like to write and direct The Dark Divide, the stories and hiccups they faced while shooting the film, and more. You can now rent or buy The Dark Divide now on Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play and On Demand everywhere. To learn more about the movie and where you can watch it, visit darkdividefilm.com.
Learn more about the film:
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Clare Gallagher is an accomplished trail and ultra runner who made history when she won the Leadville 100 in 2016, a notorious 100-mile trek through the Rocky Mountains. Soon after she started her career, Clare realized that she had a unique platform as an outdoor athlete to become a dedicated environmental advocate. For Clare, working for a healthy planet is a no-brainer, and she argues that it is not such a wild idea to fight pollution and climate change. In this episode, Clare shares her story and useful tips on easy ways to get involved in the issues that you care about.
Connect with Clare:
Resources:
- CommonCause
- Leah Thomas
- Intersectional Environmentalist
- Leadville Race Series
- Earthraging with English
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Now that Christiane is Head of Sustainability at Fjallraven, she wears “the grandma jacket” regularly as a reminder of the brand’s mission to make timeless clothing that lasts. In this episode, Christiane shares how heritage and longevity inform how Fjallraven designs and manufactures their products.
Connect with Fjallraven & Christiane:
Historically, outdoor apparel and clothing brands have shrunk the same designs that they use in their mens’ lines and dyed them a supposed "girly" color (aka: purple and pink) to create outdoor gear for women. However, Edita Hadravska, Design Director at Arc’teryx Equipment, takes a different approach. She designs outdoor equipment and gear for women that take into account how women’s bodies are actually shaped, the way they move, and the elements that they encounter in the outdoors. Edita’s designs are challenging industry trends and helping women look stylish and perform their best as outdoor athletes.
Kailey Kornhauser is a fat cyclist. Those two words didn’t come easily to her. But as she has claimed her place in both the cycling community and the body positivity movement, they’re words she now identifies with proudly. In 2018, Kailey took on one of the most challenging rides she’d ever been on: cycling 1,000 miles across Alaska to hear about the impact of climate change on the lives of locals. Hear her talk about the journey, her activism, and why everyone belongs in the outdoors on this episode.
Connect with guests:
Resources:
- Kailey’s article - I’m a fat cyclist - and I don’t need to “fix” my body
- Unlikely Hikers
- Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective
- RAGBRAI
Episode sponsor:
Textured Waves is a surf collective that aims to introduce more women of color to riding waves. The co-founders of Textured Waves, Chelsea Woody, Danielle Black Lyons, Gigi Lucas and Martina Duran, are working to encourage and represent women of color who surf. Textured Waves recently partnered with the women’s surf brand Seaa on a short film called Sea Us Now, which reimagines vintage surf culture to include and highlight Black women, using imagery, music and poetic narrative. But Textured Waves is just getting started, they have some powerful new projects on the horizon.
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There is a lot of confusing, conflicting information around exercise and pregnancy. When pro cyclist Laura King became pregnant, she didn’t want to lose touch with the amazing biking community that she had built in Richmond, Vermont. Without a guidebook, Laura had to experiment and listen to her body to figure out what worked for her. Listen to today’s episode to hear what Laura has learned about keeping an active lifestyle while pregnant, moving across the country and building a gravel cycling community.
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Connect with Laura
Resources:
- Rooted Vermont
- Strava
- UnTapped
- Exercising Through Your Pregnancy by James F. Clap, M.D.
- Beth Gerdes McKenzie
- Larissa Connors
- Velocio
- Dirty Kanza
- How I Built This
- King of the Ride
- Work Play Love
- The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates
- DIYGravel
- DIYgravel Belgian Waffle Ride: 140 Miles Vermont to Canada Featuring Laura King
Jesse Huey is a professional climber who spends much of his time clambering up icy mountains, frozen waterfalls and other alpine landscapes. Climbing allows Jesse to push his own limits as well as build strong friendships with fellow climbers.
The tight-knit climbing community was the inspiration for a climbing route he completed in the Wyoming wilderness to honor his late friend Hayden Kennedy. In this episode, Jesse shares how he became addicted to climbing and how friendship and loss have been a part of his life and career.
Please note that the conversation in this episode covers suicide and survivors’ guilt. If you or someone you know is struggling, know that there’s always someone there to listen. The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-TALK (8255).
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Joe Kudla seems like one of those people who has 36 hours in a day. He’s dedicated to yoga and breath work, he loves being a dad and he is the CEO and founder of Vuori Clothing. After years of struggling to find his true calling, Joe learned how to prioritize both a healthy spirit, a healthy business, and a healthy personal life. Now, Joe’s created a multi-million dollar, fast-growing company that aligns with his values.
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Years of hard work and training have landed “Mighty” Meagan Martin as a mainstay on the NBC show American Ninja Warrior, where she completes hardcore obstacle courses. Meagan is a born athlete and competitor, but she considers herself lucky to have found climbing as a young child. Now, climbing is her greatest passion, and she is working to make the sport more accessible to everyone.
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Amber Pierce started cycling in her early twenties, and within a year, she went pro. She signed her first professional contract with the WEBCOR Builders Pro Cycling Team in 2006. Since then, Amber has won more than 60 individual races across 5 continents. Now, Amber is all about encouraging healthy competition among women athletes. With the work of her non-profit Network for Advancing Athletes, she’s inspiring them to unleash their greatest potential in their sport.
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With more than 740,000 active members and counting, GirlTrek is the largest health movement and nonprofit for Black women and girls in the country. They are on a mission to inspire one million Black women to walk in the direction of their healthiest, most fulfilled lives by the end of 2020.
GirlTrek kicked off their Black History Bootcamp series on June 1st – the Bootcamp is an epic 21-day walking meditation sharing the stories and legacies of legendary and revolutionary Black women in history. Women like Audre Lorde, Ella Baker and Shirley Chisholm. Every day you can join GirlTrek founders Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison as they hop on the phone and take a walk to discuss who these women are and why everyone should know their stories. And while we’re already in the last week of this 21-day bootcamp, there’s no reason you can’t start today. Or tomorrow. Or right now! These stories are relevant any time – so start from the beginning of the series or listen in whatever order feels right to you.
You can sign up for the bootcamp anytime at girltrek.org/blackhistorybootcamp or find the entire Black History Bootcamp series on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Joe Gray is an accomplished trail, mountain, and snowshoe runner. He was the first Black athlete to make the Team USA World Mountain Running Team and the first Black American to win the U.S.A. National Mountain Running Championships, which he has now done 18 times. But even with all this success, Joe is frustrated by the lack of diversity not only in pro running, but also in media coverage and sponsorship of the sport. He knows that young Black athletes aren’t pursuing the sports he loves because they don’t see themselves represented, so he’s doing something about it with his organization, Project Inspire Diversity.
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While the COVID-19 pandemic has been keeping a lot of us humans indoors, the wildlife is taking advantage of the lack of human presence. Animals have been spotted in places where we don’t usually see them: playing in waterways, making homes under boardwalks and taking back their natural habitats. One place they’ve been seeing way more animals than usual? Yosemite National Park, where bobcats, bears and coyotes are showing up in places they'd usually avoid. On this episode, park ranger Jamie Richards talks about what she and the other rangers are seeing, how you can engage with the park’s online activities and how to plan your visit as they reopen.
Connect with guests:
Resources:
- Video of black bear looking for food
- More videos, including Kids Ask Rangers and Draw with a Ranger
- Day use reservation
- Find out what’s open at Yosemite
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Having a dog during the COVID-19 pandemic seems like a blessing: they provide an excuse to get outside (safely!), they are always up for some quality time and pets, and they can provide some entertainment and maybe even a little laughter. No one knows the joys and comforts of being a dog owner more than photographer and author Ben Moon. His recent book, Denali, is all about how his pup helped him through his battle with colorectal cancer in his 20s. On today’s show, Ben shares how pets can help relieve stress and shares the story of adopting Denali.
Episodes of Wild Ideas Worth Living to listen to:
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To celebrate REI's 82nd anniversary and our Anniversary Sale, we asked some past guests to share their favorite stories about being in the great outdoors. Escape with Sal Masekela, Chris McDougall, Bonnie Tsui and more as they share stories about close encounters with wildlife, trips gone awry and the power of being outside.
What is your favorite memory of being in the great outdoors? We want to hear it! Share your story on social media with the tag #REImember.
Episodes to listen to:
- Sal Masekela
- Chris McDougall, Natural Born Heroes
- Chris McDougall, Running with Donkeys
- Bonnie Tsui
- Chris Fagan
- Chris Cote
- Steve Bramucci
- Brian Keaulana
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During these weird times of the COVID-19 Pandemic, one thing that can make us all feel a bit better is laughter. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your mental health is to stop reading the news and instead read or watch something that makes you smile. To help us find something to laugh at, past guest, adventurer and illustrator Brendan Leonard joins the show to share where he’s finding inspiration for his comedic work and what he’s laughing about these days.
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With everyone spending most of their time at home during this COVID-19 Pandemic, many are turning to their kitchens to provide comfort and entertainment. There has been a particular rise in people baking their own bread. Maybe it’s because grocery stores were running out of this staple, or maybe it’s because it’s a fun, time intensive but relatively simple baking project. Previous guest Eric Wolfinger knows a thing or two about baking bread, having worked at Tartine Bakery for years, so I thought I’d ask him for some tips about how to make the perfect loaf. From simple no-knead recipes to intricate sourdoughs, Eric has lots of ideas and tricks for making yourself some delicious food while you stay at home.
Episodes to listen to:
Connect with guest:
Resources:
- No Knead Bread by Jim Lahey
- Tartine Bread Cookbook
- Tartine Bread recipe (abbreviated version)
- Tartine Bread recipe (fan rewrite, more detailed)
- Donabe Cookbook
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If you are struggling to adapt to the physical and emotional challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, you are not alone. Latoya Shauntay Snell is a pro athlete and inclusivity advocate who was training for her first triathlon when the isolation orders hit in New York City, and her life, routines and plans have all been disrupted. But Latoya says this is just another hurdle to clear and that we’re going to come out of it stronger than ever. Today Latoya shares some great advice on how to adjust your training routine to stay safe indoors, how she’s cooking in isolation and why we need to relieve the pressure to be creative and productive during this stressful time.
Other episodes of Wild Ideas Worth Living to listen to:
Connect with guests:
Resources:
- Hot Chocolate 15k
- Go Guarded
- Strava Beacon (support page)
- Brene Brown
- Latoya Shauntay Snell’s Spotify Playlist
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James Nestor’s new book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art dives deep into the art and science of breathing. He participated in experiments, spoke with experts, and studied ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo to learn about humans’ beliefs around breath. Modern research shows us that changing the way we breathe can impact our athletic performance, rejuvenate our organs, stop snoring, allergies, asthma, and more. In the unsettling times of the COVID-19 epidemic, one thing we can do to be healthier and calmer is breathe. James is here to tell us how to do it right, sharing four exercises that will help us breathe better.
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Like many of you, we had some big plans for spring and summer, and we got ahead on the podcast, but life happens and things shift. So, we're taking the next few months to create new timely podcasts for you that hopefully make your days a little brighter.
Mike Posner is a Grammy-nominated pop artist who decided to walk across the United States to see if a cross-country walk would help him become someone he was proud of. He started his trek in April of 2019, but it nearly ended when he was bitten by a rattlesnake en route. As it turns out, a rattlesnake bite wasn't enough to stop Mike. He eventually finished the walk and learned a lot about himself along the way.
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In 1974, Ben Finley and his friend Art Clay founded the National Brotherhood of Skiers, the largest group of African American skiers in the country. The NBS aims to get more skiers of color out in the mountains, and to send black skiers to the Olympics and Paralympics. On today’s episode, Ben Finley (who is now 81 and still skiing regularly) and his co founder Art Clay tell Shelby about the NBS’s legendary Black Summit events, the love stories that bloom from yearly gatherings, and how you can help the pair’s induction into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame.
Connect with guests:
Resources:
- Fundraiser to induct Ben Finley and Art Clay into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame
- U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame
- NBS 2020 Black Summit Registration
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When Shanti Hodges had her son Mason, she knew she wanted to share her love of nature with him. She saw a lack of organized outdoor activities for families and decided to do something about it. She ended up helping thousands of families get outside and get active. Her organization Hike It Baby has grown from an informal gathering in Portland, OR, to a nation-wide network of parents and children hiking together and supporting each other. Shanti built this community from the ground up, but now she’s taking a step back to focus on her own family and her next professional adventure in Utah. In this episode, Shanti and Shelby talk about how Hike it Baby has changed lives, supporting amazing women and must-have tips to taking kids hiking and in the outdoors.
Connect with Shanti:
Resources:
- Hike It Baby
- Mirna Valerio
- Katie Arnold
- Melody Forsyth on Instagram
- Chris MacDougall - Running with Sherman
- Adventure Mamas
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When a heckler disrespected plus-size runner Latoya Shauntay Snell during the 2017 New York Marathon, she couldn’t help returning fire. After her personal essay about the incident went viral, Latoya became an inspiration to people who were tired of being told they can’t be proud of who they are or can’t achieve the goals they want. The experience spurred her on to become an advocate for inclusivity of all kinds in health and fitness. Today, we’ll talk about Latoya’s journey to balance fitness with self-compassion, her involvement with the Black Girls RUN! Movement and what a running chef eats before a big race.
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If you’re an adventurer who likes to get out into the mountains, you’ve probably noticed first hand that our winters are being impacted by climate change. In 2007, professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones decided to take action by founding Protect Our Winters, an organization that works to solve the global climate crisis through educational, activist and community based projects. Jeremy and other athletes, plus scientists, creatives and business leaders travel to Washington D.C. to persuade politicians to vote on legislation that will help protect our climate and preserve the most vulnerable places on the planet. On today’s episode, Shelby and Jeremy talk shop on snowboarding and outdoor adventures, as well as how he started working on the climate crisis and how you can get involved and make an impact.
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The total isolation you encounter in Antarctica can be monotonous, but the profound beauty Chris Fagan discovered there made her realize silence isn’t to be filled, it’s to be felt. With climate change threatening the possibility to explore some of the wildest places on earth, Chris Fagan and her husband Marty made a decision to leave their 12-year old son at home and break a dangerous world record by skiing across the South Pole. Her new book, “The Expedition,” chronicles how she and her husband became the first married Americans to ski 570 miles unguided, unsupported, and unassisted to the South Pole in 2014. On today’s show, Chris and Shelby discuss why she took the journey, the many challenges she overcame, including as a middle aged woman, and she offers advice on how you can reach your own South Pole.
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In the 2019 season of Wild Ideas Worth Living we dove a little deeper. Instead of just focusing on individuals, we talked about themes—mindfulness, facing fear, how to unplug, how to win an Academy Award (okay that happened after one of our guests came on the show) and so much more. Today's show is a recap of some of our best moments, advice, quotes from fan favorites, and a few outtakes.
I am also sharing some big news about the show and where Wild Ideas Worth Living is headed next (listen to the episode to find out). If you are new to this show or a seasoned fan, I think you are going to like this recap and it's a perfect taste of what we covered in 2019 and a preview of what's to come.
Thank you to all the guests for sharing your wild ideas, and thanks especially to you—the listeners—for your reviews and sharing with me in the wild ideas journey. We will be returning with new episodes and adventures in January, so be sure to hit subscribe or follow wherever you're listening so you get notified as soon as we start releasing episodes in 2020. Happy holidays and remember, the best adventures often happen when you follow your wildest ideas.
Key takeaways:
- 2:45 - Mindfulness expert John Allcock on what happens when you pay attention to your breath.
- 4:00 - Danny Kim on how digital addiction shapes your behavior.
- 5:35 - Author Bonnie Tsui shares how "fallow time" resists hustle culture.
- 6:50 - Musician Garrett Dutton aka G. Love plays a sweet riff.
- 7:40 - Author Karen Rinaldi on why sometimes we should be okay with mediocrity.
- 8:45 - Swimmer/Record Breaker Kim Chambers on facing fear.
- 10:00 - Jerry Holl's advice on getting outside your comfort zone.
- 11:40 - Outdoor advocate/influencer Pattie Gonia on how to be radically yourself in the outdoors.
- 14:00 - Holocaust Survivor Edith Eger's advice on the power of choice.
- 18:05 - Tate MacDowell on setting goals and starting.
Melissa Hartwig Urban is the powerhouse founder of the Whole30 program which, in the last decade, has amassed a huge following and helped thousands of people reset their own health, habits, and relationship with food. The mom, author, and health and wellness advocate has also recently started spending more time in the great outdoors. Melissa is also the author the new book Whole30 Friends & Family, which helps Whole30 followers stick to the program in social settings and during the holidays.
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Mick Ebeling believes that nothing is impossible, forever. In 2009 Mick met Tempt One, a graffiti artist who had been paralyzed by ALS. Without any experience in ocular technology, Mick launched himself into a project called the EyeWriter to help Tempt communicate and draw again using his eyes. That project helped launched Not Impossible Labs, an award-winning incubator and content studio that develops creative, technology-driven solutions to real-world problems.
When it comes to recycling, it can be difficult to know what you can toss in that blue bin. Luckily, there are plenty of resources and organizations that can help you recycle properly. Helen Lowman, President & CEO of Keep America Beautiful, is here to help. Helen has had an impressive career (including working for President Obama) and is an expert on the background of the recycling industry, common recycling myths, and some tips and tricks.
Chris McDougall is the author of the bestselling books “Born to Run” and “Natural Born Heroes.” His new book, “Running with Sherman,” documents the adventure of his family's adoption of a donkey named Sherman who had been neglected by an animal hoarder. Their solution to getting Sherman happy and healthy was to give him a purpose and teach him how to burro race. It's a must-read if you like animals or just want to hear an amazing story about running with donkeys, human performance, and so much m
Have you ever felt lost — literally or metaphorically? There’s an event that happens every year, created by former rally and off-road racer Emily Miller, designed to help women have a better sense of direction on the road and in life. The Rebelle Rally is the first women’s off-road navigational rally in the United States. Emily Miller created this unique event as a platform to build skills and confidence for women and they come away wiht much more than driving and navigation skills.
REI's new podcast, Camp Monsters, tells the stories of impossible encounters with impossible creatures in the wildest corners of North America. A wolf man with bat wings thirty feet across. An enormous eel in America’s most popular lake. A frog half the size of a man. Travel the country, sit around campfires and talk about that thing that ran across the trail in the middle of the night, just beyond the beam of your flashlight. Coming to your ears October 1st.
Caroline Gleich is a professional ski mountaineer and activist who decided to use her platform as an athlete for good at the top of Mt. Everest early this summer. Her “Climb for Equality” campaign used her 29,029-foot climb as a platform to encourage more women to take on mountains in the outdoors, the boardroom, and daily life. Caroline’s actual journey to the top is an incredible story.
Sarah Herron is a creative, filmmaker, and non-profit founder. Sarah was born without the bottom half of her left arm, a condition known as congenital limb difference. After appearing on season 17 of The Bachelor, she received an outpouring of love from women and girls with their own physical differences. Sarah then found a passion for outdoor adventure and was inspired to found SheLift, a non-profit organization aimed to help women and girls with physical differences embrace outdoor activities.
Bonnie Tsui’s essay “You Are Doing Something Important When You Aren’t Doing Anything,” was one of the most shared stories from the New York Times on the weekend it was published earlier this summer. Bonnie’s theory behind the importance of lying fallow is one everyone can apply to their lives. Down time, or time spent not doing anything we usually think of as “productive,” is valuable. It’s in this time that we can refuel, find inspiration, solve problems, and so much more.
Jerry Holl, Julie Hotz, and Ryan Higginbotham are three ordinary people who decided to drop everything and pursue extraordinary adventures. Each of them wanted to shake themselves free from their routines, push themselves to extremes, and become the best versions of themselves. Setting off on bike, foot, and on paddleboard to travel the length of the west coast of the U.S., these three proved that there is so much we can learn from doing something that pushes our limits in the wild.
Loveis Wise and Lisa Congdon are two visual artists who have turned their passion for art into amazing careers. Loveis is an illustrator who became the second black woman in 91 years to design a cover for the New Yorker. She takes inspiration from the outdoors and her desire to showcase people from underrepresented communities.
Lisa Congdon started pursuing art when she was in her 30s. She creates bright works of art with bold and often humorous messages that make anyone want to do something big.
When she was 13, up-and-coming pro surfer Bethany Hamilton lost her left arm in a shark attack. That’s just the beginning of her story. Bethany bounced back a month later and today is one of the best surfers in the world. There’s a new documentary about her story, “Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable,” that hits theaters July 12th. The film’s director, Aaron Lieber, has found a niche making films about female surfers and was committed to telling Bethany's whole story in her own voice.
For many people, figuring out portable meals that are healthy, filling, and tasty is a challenge. For others, the prospect of bringing food on the trail is an afterthought entirely. Bon Appetit’s Brad Leone and Best Served Wild Authors Brendan Leonard and Anna Brones offer advice on how to eat well, cook well and impress friends with your campfire cooking. Don’t let food be an afterthought as you’re hitting the trails, the beach, or the mountain this year!
Can you imagine eating only what you grow or forage for an entire year? Rob Greenfield is doing just that. He’s living in a tiny house on a plot of land where he’s planted an elaborate garden in the backyard of a neighborhood where he’s also teaching others to garden. Rob goes into detail about his 200 plus days living solely off of food he’s grown or foraged himself. He also shares how you can grow your own food and reduce your environmental footprint by how you eat.
On September 2nd 2017, just east of Portland Oregon, 150 hikers were trapped behind a wall of flames created by one very bad decision, one that would lead to immense fear and loss. Wildfire, a podcast from REI Co-op, investigates the causes and repercussions of this devastating wildfire.
Pattie Gonia is the world’s first outdoor drag queen and activist. The brainchild of Wyn Wiley, a talented photographer and Eagle Scout from Nebraska, Pattie rocks her platform boots to hike, ski, and now surf her way through Mother Nature’s most beautiful settings. She’s become an example of how to be WILDLY YOU, no matter what.
Dr. Edith Eger is a Holocaust survivor, an author, and a renowned therapist. In 1944, when she was just a teenager, Edith had been training to make the Hungarian Olympic Gymnastics Team when her family was forcefully sent to Auschwitz, one of the most infamous Nazi concentration camps in Poland. Her experience there was both raw and heartbreaking, but Edith was able to survive. Today, she has helped thousands of people deal with their own trauma and grief to live life to its fullest potential.
Karen Rinaldi is the author of It’s Great to Suck at Something, a book about the joy she found in pursuit of surfing, a sport she says she’ll never be good at. David Romanelli wrote Life Lessons from the Oldest and Wisest when he started to realize that elderly people often have some of the best advice. David and Karen talk about why sucking at something can be awesome, how to let go of our egos, and focus more on the relationships we have, the way we make people feel, and the energy we put into the wo
Garrett Dutton, aka G. Love of G. Love & Special Sauce, has had an incredibly successful music career but remains humble and grounded. His music uses unexpected combinations from different musical genres like blues, R&B, surf, and jazz in his songs. Aside from being a master at his craft, Garrett’s a passionate ocean lover and a father of two boys. Inspiration for songs often comes while he’s surfing with his kids.
In honor of Earth Day 2019, dive into the problem of plastic pollution and the impact it’s having on our oceans with a handful of experts that are channeling their creative and innovative brain power to combat the issue of plastic pollution, from surfer Rob Machado to the people behind Igloo’s first biodegradable cooler, Alison Teal, and the Girl Scout who got Alaska Airlines to give up plastic straws.
Steve Bramucci is a writer who has been able to focus his passion for the outdoors and books into a career as a kid's adventure author and a travel/food writer for national publications like Uproxx (where he's the travel, adventure, and food editor) and National Geographic. On assignment, he’s rowed down the Mekong Delta on a traditional Vietnamese boat called a x’ampan, traveled into the Australian Outback with Aboriginal elders, and driven himself through East Africa on safari.
Brian Keaulana is a legendary waterman, who grew up on the water near Makaha Beach fishing, surfing, and spending time with friends and family near the ocean. He became one of the top lifeguards on the island and is credited with not only creating the jet ski rescue sled but also some of the first commercial standup paddleboards. His heritage goes all the way back to Hawaiian royalty, and his insight into traditional Hawaiian values and culture has made him the ultimate mentor.
Sally Bergesen, the founder of Oiselle, fell in love with running in college but couldn’t find the kind of running clothes she wanted to wear, so she created her own company. As she learned more about women and their relationship with clothing, she started diving deeper into the history of women’s athletic apparel. Sensi Graves is a kiteboarder, who created a swimsuit company with suits that could keep up with athletes on the water, stay in place, look good, and be produced in a sustainable way.
Kim Chambers was 30 years old, an athlete and a powerful executive, when she slipped and fell down a set of stairs. The injuries she sustained changed the course of her life. In 2014, she became the sixth person (and third woman) to complete the Oceans Seven. In 2015, Kim became the first woman to swim 30 miles from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, a swim that’s incredibly dangerous.
In June of 2017, rock climber Alex Honnold climbed El Capitan, a granite rock formation about 3,000 feet high in Yosemite National Park without any ropes. His journey to achieve that climb was captured and made into a beautiful, Academy Award-nominated documentary by filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. Aside from being incredibly talented filmmakers, Jimmy and Chai are married with two small children.
Smartphones have been around for a little over a decade, but in that short time, many of us have become addicted to our digital devices. Have you ever been staring at a gorgeous vista or surrounded by snow and found yourself wanting to pull out your phone to capture the moment? Danny Kim is a researcher and speaker who is studying the impact of technology and social media on our health. In his workshops, he talks about how to actually unplug.
At Sea Change Preparatory, a school in Del Mar, San Diego that not only educates junior high and high school students in traditional subjects, but also focuses on mindfulness, physical fitness, teamwork, and goal setting, they begin each day on the beach with a ten minute meditation and a mile-long swim in the open ocean before starting classes. What’s even more impressive, these kids are training to swim the English Channel as a team this summer.
John Allcock, the co-founder and Director of Mindfulness at Sea Change Preparatory, talks about the impact this kind of education is having on these kids’ lives. John isn’t just an educator though, he’s also a Harvard-educated trial lawyer at one of the top firms in San Diego and the author of Forty Things I Wish I’d Told My Kids, a book about his journey learning mindfulness.
Mindfulness has been a hot topic for a while now, but incorporating it into education is still a relatively new idea. John and the folks at Sea Change Prep are making a huge difference in these kids’ lives, so much so that it made me wonder how long it will be until a meditation practice is commonplace in both our kids’ lives and our own lives.
Last year was a big year for this podcast, and this year we’re boosting our production even more. We’re diving deeper into stories and exploring not just people, but also about topics and ideas that will help you chase down your own wild adventures.
From mindfulness to saying yes to fear, hacking your health, and changing how we think about the outdoors, fitness, and technology, we’ve already recorded the first few shows. I think you’re going to love it.
This trailer is here to give you a taste of what’s to come. I hope you enjoy it!
Wild Ideas Worth Living Podcast’s Idea: To interview top athletes, health experts, adventurers, and authors about their wild idea and share them with you.
We are now two years, 97 episodes, and well over a million listens into this podcast. It’s been a wild ride, to say the least. And an incredible one. Thank you for listening and for your support.
It’s been a privilege to interview some of the biggest names in adventure. This year, I’ve enjoyed the theme of exploring how we adventure inside our own heads as much as we adventure outside in the wild.
We’ve talked about how being outside in nature can help us overcome trauma and become healthier, what it’s like seeing the earth from outer space, the changing tides of consumerism, fighting wildfires, gaining financial independence, ultramarathon trail running, becoming sober, facing failure, representation in the outdoors, breaking records, how to surf giant waves, how to face fear, how to build your life resume, and so much more.
In the final episode of 2018, I’m sharing some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned this year from guests and all of you.
Some of the best parts of running this podcast are getting messages about how the show has inspired you to go on an adventure or change your own lifestyle. I hope you enjoy these highlights and I hope you enjoy your holiday. We’d love for you to share with us how this show has benefitted you.
Click SUBSCRIBE wherever you are listening to this and reading this. We’re taking a brief break to sharpen the saw and produce an even bigger show next year. We’ll be back mid-January, and are excited to share what we have with you.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to hear a fun recap of some highlights from this year.
- You love adventuring.
- You want some inspiration to conquer your goals for next year.
- You are a Wild Ideas Worth Living listener …or
- You want to know what the show is about.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/97
Jesse’s Wild Idea: To encourage people to achieve massive things in their life and focus on what matters most.
Today’s guest eats only fruit until noon. He loves Run-DMC. He wrote the New York Knicks anthem, “Go New York Go,” and he likes to live life out of the box. In his New York Times bestselling book, Living with a Seal, Jesse invited Navy Seal David Goggins to live with him for a month and train him. Years later he wrote Living with Monks, where he lived in a monastery in upstate New York. Both of his books are about learning lessons that others have to teach you, something Jesse is passionate about.
Early in his career, Jesse was a rapper and wrote and performed in the NBA’s Emmy Award-winning “I Love This Game” music campaign. Prior to being a best-selling and hilarious author, he co-founded Marquis Jet, the world's largest private jet card company which he and his partner sold to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets. Jesse then partnered with Zico coconut water, which he and his partner sold to The Coca-Cola Company.
He is also a serious adventurer, running ultramarathons and launched an event a few years ago called 29,029 that brings “Everesting” to individuals around the country. Today, he’s the owner of the Atlanta Hawks, husband to Spanx founder Sara Blakely, and a father of four kids. His latest online course, called “Build Your Life Resume,” is all about encouraging you to get out there and build a life full of experiences, creating memories, achieving big goals and doing more.
With an infectious energy about him, Jesse has some great insights about how we spend our time, and how we can use this knowledge to live more fully and be more present with those we love. In our conversation, we talk about goal setting, why you have to give in order to get, how to support your partner, why we all need to get real with time, and how to achieve one massive thing every year.
Listen to this episode if:
- You like living life on your own terms.
- You’re want to set and accomplish big goals.
- You’ve ever thought of writing a book.
- You want to experience some amazing things in your life.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/96
Eric’s Wild Idea: To create a program that helps people optimize performance and alleviate pain.
As an athlete and human, it’s important to be able to move to the best of your ability. Injuries and pain that have kept me from running, surfing, or other adventuring have always been challenging.
Today’s guest, Dr. Eric Goodman, has been recommended to me by many guests of this show. As the founder of the movement-based Foundation Training program, Dr. Goodman has helped thousands of athletes and every-day people alleviate pain and increase performance. Some of the people he’s worked with include athletes like surfers Lakey Peterson and Brad Gerlach, the late climber Dean Potter, as well as actors Rob Lowe, Chris Hemsworth, Jeff Bridges, and Matthew McConaughey. Both my partner Johnny and I have been using Foundation Training for the last six months to help us alleviate a nagging back injury and IT band pain, and both of us have experienced positive results.
I wanted to have Dr. Goodman on the show because he has a great story. His wild idea to become a health practitioner and create a program to help people move and feel better is something I think a lot of people can relate to.
A former water polo player, Dr. Goodman developed back pain that doctors told him he would need surgery to fix while he was in chiropractic school. Instead of going under the knife, he developed a series of exercises that helped him heal and became the origins of Foundation Training. Early in his career, he was also hired to train the U.S. Olympic Men’s Water Polo team, and used his methods to help them the year they took the silver medal. Today, Dr. Goodman has published two books, and there are Foundation Training trainers in over thirty countries around the world.
Since many of you are getting ready to make New Year’s Resolutions, I wanted to get Dr. Goodman’s advice on how to avoid injuries and train the right amount. We also dive into why healing emotional pain is as important as healing physical pain, how he got the wild idea to create a new movement practice, and what other methods he uses and thinks you might want to check out.
Listen to this episode if:
- You struggle with injuries or chronic pain.
- You want to strengthen your body.
- You are interested in helping others heal.
- You are curious about movement-based training programs.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/95
Elizabeth’s Wild Idea: To write about people who adventure for a larger purpose.
There are some writers whose words resonate so well and whose descriptions are so deep, their words hit you to the core and transport you into their world.
Today’s guest, Elizabeth Weil, has evoked that feeling for me time and again through her work. The award-winning writer often covers the kind of people I love - those who live outside the normal boundaries of society, and pursue their own wild ideas and make them a reality. She has written about everyone from snowboarder Shaun White and skier Mikaela Shiffrin to swimmer Diana Nyad, Senator Kristen Gillibrand and a man named Doba who kayaked across the Atlantic in his seventies. In addition to writing articles for The New York Times Magazine, Outside Magazine, Wired, and more, she has also written a book about her own marriage, and she recently penned the New York Times bestselling book, The Girl Who Smiles Beads. In addition to being a writer, she’s also a mom and a wife. She’s married to one of my other favorite writers (who happens to cover surfing and rock-climbing), Daniel Duane.
In our conversation, Liz and I talk about a few of the subjects she’s covered including Doba, and some other adventurers who have done wild feats without the desire for any recognition. We also talk about why she is attracted to stories about people who live wildly, why they do it, what she has learned from them, and her advice for anyone who wants to make a living as a writer.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to be a writer.
- You love reading amazing stories.
- You like stories of adventurers who do wild things just for themselves.
- You are looking to improve your relationship.
- You need help balancing your personal and professional life.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/94
Samin’s Wild Idea: To share the power of food with the world and inspire everyone to get in the kitchen and cook with confidence using salt, fat, acid and heat.
If you have been anywhere on the internet lately, you’ve probably seen something about Netflix’s new series, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. The show follows today’s guest, Samin Nosrat, around the world as she teaches the importance of cooking with each of these four elements. On the show, she travels from Italy to Japan to Mexico and back to Berkeley, California working with internationally known foodies to discover how things like miso, soy sauce, corn tortillas and parmesan cheese are made. The whole series is beautifully documented, and she makes cooking and eating accessible and fun for everyone.
Samin’s cookbook of the same name came out just a year ago, and it quickly became a New York Times bestseller and won a James Beard Award (which is like an Oscar of the food world). She has been cooking since 2000, when she started working in the kitchen at the world-renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California and has been called the next Julia Child by NPR’s All Things Considered.
I actually know Samin from high school where we were on the same cross-country running team. I remember her being very nurturing, making cookies to share and always bringing people together. As the daughter of immigrant parents, food has always been an important part of her life and identity. She didn’t always feel like she fit in, which taught her some important life lessons about failure and self-acceptance. It was a joy to talk to her about her success and her journey. We get into her upbringing, her mother’s cooking and the impact our cross-country coach had on her life. She also talks about how author Michael Pollan became her mentor and the work that went into creating her Netflix series. Plus Samin shares a few tips on how to make your Thanksgiving or holiday meal the best one yet. Listen to this one through to the end.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love to cook or want to learn how.
- You love to eat and are passionate about food.
- You are an immigrant or come from an immigrant family.
- You need some inspiration to be persistent and go after your goals.
- You want to hear from one joyful storyteller.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/93
Gabby’s Wild Idea: To continuously learn new ways to optimize health and fitness while helping others be their best selves.
Gabby Reece is a woman of many talents. She is a health and fitness expert, a former professional volleyball player, a best-selling author, a model, a TV host, wife to big wave surfer Laird Hamilton, and a mom. She is also the co-founder of XPT (extreme performance training) and founder of HighX Training.
I have looked up to Gabby since I was young, and have even written a few stories about her throughout my career. It was pretty exciting to interview her at her house in Malibu (they have a slackline over their pool), and this conversation is different than many that you usually hear on this show. Instead of asking Gabby about her one wild idea, I ask her for advice on health, nutrition, training, how to have a great relationship, being a female athlete, being a mom, and so much more. She has a huge passion for what she does and an incredibly intuitive sense about her. It makes her an awesome coach and a great person to ask for advice. Enjoy the show!
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to train smarter.
- You want to get motivated.
- You are trying to eat healthier.
- You have ever felt insecure.
- You are trying to raise strong, confident kids.
- You are looking for a healthy and balanced relationship.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/92
Shannon’s Wild Idea: To work for NASA and spend months aboard the international space station.
Shannon Walker first dreamed of becoming an astronaut in the 1960s. After getting her undergraduate degree in physics and her Masters of Science and Doctorate of Philosophy in Space Physics, she got her start with the Rockwell Space Operations Company at the Johnson Space Center in 1987 as a robotics flight controller for the space shuttle program. In 2004, she was selected to be a part of NASA, and six years later she served as a flight engineer for a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station. Not only did Shannon need to know how to work a spacecraft, but she had to know how to do it in Russian.
In addition to spending time far above the earth, she has also spent time below sea level as an aquanaut on the NEEMO, an underwater space station. She also loves the outdoors and has seen earth from a rare perspective so I was excited to get her thoughts on how the planet and the environment are changing.
Shannon and I discussed how she became an astronaut (which I think most people dream about as kids) and she shared her advice for anyone who wants to work at NASA or who wants to go to outer space. We also talked about overcoming rejection, the excitement that comes from actually learning about science, and how there is so much to explore here on earth.
Listen to this episode if:
- You have ever wanted to go to space.
- You’re interested in getting a new perspective on our planet.
- You are focused on achieving a huge, long-term goal and need some inspiration.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/91
Tate’s Wild Idea: To climb over 13,000 feet up Grand Teton in Wyoming after seeing an image of the mountain in the hallway where he received cancer treatments. To not let his diagnosis affect his sense of humor and positive attitude.
Today’s guest is a skier, filmmaker, and all around awesome guy who I’ve known for a few years. Tate MacDowell got his start as a filmmaker making ski movies for companies like Teton Gravity Research and Brain Farm. His current company, Death Cookie Entertainment, specializes in editorial action sports films. He’s very present in the outdoor and action sports industry, and I have loved watching his movies. I started following his story more closely the last few years after he shared some vulnerable posts.
In 2008, Tate and his wife moved from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to Cardiff, California and a few years later had a son, Wilson. Just two years ago, Tate was diagnosed with cancer, which has now advanced as he is going through stage IV metastatic rectal cancer. While undergoing treatments, he got the wild idea to climb Grand Teton after seeing a picture of the mountain in the hallway where he was getting cancer treatments. His journey to the top has been an emotional ride, and one that he shares in detail in our conversation.
We talk openly about his journey with cancer, being a dad and husband, his new hobby painting with watercolors, and why we shouldn’t waste any time in going after our dreams. His honesty in this challenging time is astounding, and I love his message and his story.
Listen to this episode if:
- You or someone you know has had cancer.
- You’ve ever dreamed of going to the Grand Tetons.
- You aren’t one to let some obstacles stop you from achieving your goals.
- You are in need of some inspiration to go out and make your dreams reality.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/90
Rue’s Wild Idea: To start a movement that celebrates diversity, and helps gets more people outside and connected in nature.
Rue Mapp is a true force of nature. The activist, nature-lover, and mom of three founded Outdoor Afro as a blog in 2009 and has since grown it to become the nation’s leading nonprofit network that encourages African-American leadership in nature. With nearly 80 leaders in 30 states around the country, the organization has connected thousands of people to outdoor experiences, changing the conversation around who plays outside. Diversity in the outdoors is a hot topic these days, especially at the Outdoor Retailer show where we did this interview. Rue’s voice is a valued leader in the conversation.
Outdoor Afro started as something small and personal to Rue, but has grown and become incredibly influential in the outdoor arena. Rue herself has been invited to the White House to participate in the America’s Great Outdoors Conference and was part of a think tank for Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Initiative. In 2014, she was appointed to the California State Parks Commission by California Governor Jerry Brown, and her work has been featured everywhere from the Wall Street Journal and NPR, to Sunset and Ebony Magazines.
Rue’s ability to connect and empower communities from across all cultures is inspiring and has made her a sought-after speaker. We talk about diversity in the outdoors and who is doing it well (you might be surprised), how nature doesn’t discriminate, and the power of joy, humor, and relationships in your life.
Listen to this episode if:
- You are trying to create or grow a community.
- You want to see more diversity in the outdoors.
- You want to know which companies are showcasing diversity well.
- You are looking for inspiration to do something meaningful with your life.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/89
Pete’s Wild Idea: To surf on the Big Wave World Tour, and create a life and career around surfing.
You may have seen today’s guest gliding down a giant wave at Mavericks, or heard his voice behind the microphone as the commentator for the World Surf League. The long-time Quiksilver athlete, WSL commentator, owner of his family surf shop in Santa Cruz, husband and dad, Peter “Pete” Mel has a lot of roles he balances. We talk about how the man with one of the longest and most robust surfing careers does it all. We also chat about the complexities of big wave surfing, how he conquers fear, his sobriety, parenting advice, his take on failure, why he’s so into Eckhart Tolle, and so much more.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’ve ever wondered how people surf six-story tall waves.
- You want to ask better questions.
- You love surfing.
- You are on a journey to find a better work-life balance.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/88
Courtney’s Wild Idea: To battle her autoimmune diagnosis by embracing minimalism, being less busy, having more JOMO, and sharing her journey and tips with the world.
If you have social media or are connected to our current tech-savvy world, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced some FOMO (fear of missing out). Or maybe you’ve experienced a sense of feeling overwhelmed, being too busy, or had this deep desire to simplify your life and be happy with where you are and what you have right now?
If those questions spark something inside you, you will love today’s guest. After years in a fast-paced career as an ad executive, Courtney Carver was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease that forced her to rethink her whole life. Stress caused major flare-ups for her, so she went about eliminating as many sources of stress as she could. This led to a passion for minimalism, the creation of Project 333, and her book Soulful Simplicity, which has become a huge hit and really touched me when I read it.
I don’t talk about it much, but in the last few years I’ve struggled with an autoimmune condition Vitiligo that only affects me aesthetically. It seems to also be exacerbated by stress, and I’ve tried a lot of remedies to combat it. You can hear me talk a bit more about it in this episode, and you’ll also hear about how Courtney’s book and her message of living with less can give you so much more. I loved talking to her about how to minimize your life, how to be less busy, her love of hiking, and how to embrace JOMO (the joy of missing out) instead of suffering from FOMO.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’ve ever suffered from FOMO and you want more JOMO.
- You want to minimize your life.
- You dislike the busy-ness epidemic.
- You have an autoimmune disease.
- You feel stressed out by technology and social media.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/87
Alex’s Wild Idea: To climb El Capitan without ropes and tackle some of the world’s most challenging routes, setting records, inspiring others, and giving back through his foundation.
*Editors Note: Do not try this at home.
Alex Honnold is the most exciting and recognized climber in the world, in addition to being one of the best climbers ever. Last year, Alex completed the most terrifying, challenging climbing feats to date. He climbed 3,000 feet up El Capitan in Yosemite without ropes. (Yes, if he fell at any point he could have died). The film he made with National Geographic about his journey, and the training and everything else leading up to it will hit theaters nationwide in just a few weeks.
For years, Alex has lived the life that many athletes dream of -- living out of his van, traveling around, and climbing some of the toughest and most stunning routes. Along the way, he set plenty of records, but remains humble about his talents. He strives to live his own terms to the fullest, and encourage others to do the same. He also is incredibly generous and gives away a third of his income to through his foundation.
My conversation with Alex goes from his amazing free solo ascent of El Cap to his perspectives on life and death, his unique mindset on conquering huge goals, what he does on his vacations, how he met his girlfriend, and why being in danger can make for having a better perspective on the present moment.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’re a climber.
- You have ever thought about free soloing.
- You want to achieve a huge goal and don’t know where to start.
- You think about life and/or death.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/86
Jamie’s Wild Idea: To overcome asthma and become a world-champion paddleboarder and big wave surfer. To educate himself and the world about sustainable aquaculture practices.
Today’s guest exemplifies what it means to make your wild idea a reality. Jamie Mitchell is one of the best athletes in the world and a ten-time winner of the Molokai to Oahu paddleboard race, one of the most challenging, prestigious races in the world where competitors paddle 32 miles between the Hawaiian Islands.
Jamie was passionate about a sport, that at the time he started, wasn’t particularly popular, but he pursued it and made a great career out of it. He isn’t paddleboarding much anymore, but he is on the Big Wave Tour where he has taken the podium many times. If he wins the Big Wave Tour, he’ll be the first person ever to win both this title and the paddleboarding title.
In addition to his amazing career, we talk about Jamie’s struggle with asthma as a kid, and how it actually got him into water sports in the first place and eventually even saved his life. We also talk about the often-controversial aquaculture practices that he is working to learn more about, and how he hopes to educate others. To do this, he recently partnered with Verlasso, a sustainable fish-farming company based in Chile, and he recently made a film with previous guest Eric Wolfinger about his participation with them. We also talk about how much he trains today and tips to living wildly and achieving any goal.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love the ocean.
- You like paddleboarding and/or surfing, especially bigger waves.
- You love a good Aussie accent (I do).
- You want to hear from one of the best athletes on the planet.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/85
Andy’s Wild Idea: To reduce the amount of new items we purchase every year by 25% through his company, Yerdle.
Andy Ruben has had a unique career path. He never thought he would end up in the business world, but ended up working as the Chief Sustainability Officer for Walmart. After seeing just how many products are bought and never used or thrown out, he decided to do something about it.
In 2012, he co-founded Yerdle, a company that focuses on buying back and reselling products that might otherwise end up in a landfill, a process Andy calls “re-commerce.” Companies like REI, Patagonia, and Eileen Fisher all have their own buy-back programs where they will give you credit for your old gear or clothes, and then resell those items for a fraction of the price.
Andy is a forward-thinker with an untraditional path whose focus is to make a positive impact on our environment. While he’s aware that there’s still a need for new gear, he supports sustainable production practices. Through Yerdle, customers can get the most out of gear that already exists and keep it out of landfills.
On this episode, Andy offers unconventional ideas about how to make a difference and how you can get a job working in sustainability. We also talk about how he ended up at Walmart, how he works with companies like REI and Patagonia (and how that work affects us as customers), and what we can do overall to take better care of our planet.
Listen to this episode if:
- You care about our environment and want to help save the planet.
- You love awesome gear.
- You want to have a career that makes an impact on the world.
- You are an entrepreneur and like carving your own path in life.
- You want to ask the right questions.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/84
Scott’s Wild Idea: To renew his sense of purpose by running the Appalachian Trail (which he also set the speed record for), and chronicling his adventures with his wife in a book called North.
Scott Jurek is one of the most accomplished ultra-runners of all time. Among his many accomplishments, Scott won the 153-mile Spartathalon, The Hard Rock 100, The Bad Water 135 Ultramarathon, and he’s won the Western States 100-mile endurance run a record-breaking seven straight times. He’s also the author of the New York Times bestseller Eat & Run, a memoir that traces Scott’s journey from his Midwestern childhood to his adventures in ultrarunning, and how he became a vegan.
In 2015, Scott had already accomplished much in his life, but found himself wanting a refresh. He eventually decided to run the entire 2,189-mile Appalachian Trail north towards Maine, with his wife, Jenny, as his support crew. The trail not only tested his limits, but also renewed his sense of purpose and love for running and the life he created. Averaging over 50 miles a day for over 46 days, Scott was pushed to his limits, enduring injury and meeting an amazing cast of characters along the way. He also broke the trail’s speed record, despite running north toward Maine, a harder route to follow if going for speed.
In our conversation, Scott and I talk about what it was like to run the infamous trail, what he ate along the way, and the challenges and benefits of doing it all with his best friend/wife as his support system. We also dive into the process of co-writing a book with your spouse, and how adventure can be so impactful in helping you rediscover your own purpose in life and build better relationships.
Listen to this episode if:
You’ve ever thought about hiking (or running) the Appalachian Trail. You want to run an ultramarathon. You are or are interested in becoming a vegan. You like to write. You need some inspiration to renew your sense of purpose.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/83
Scott’s Wild Idea: To write about adventure and the outdoors, debunk gurus, and find ways to biohack your body to improve performance and health.
Last week, I interviewed “Iceman” and record breaker Wim Hof, who talked about how cold immersion and breathing techniques can help humans achieve better health, happiness, and strength. This week, I thought it was appropriate to follow up our conversation with anthropologist and investigative journalist Scott Carney.
In addition to spending a lot of time with Wim Hof, studying his method and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with him in record time wearing little clothing, Scott also wrote a best-seller about Wim called What Doesn’t Kill Us. The book dives deep into the science behind the Wim Hof Method, and also explains how environmental conditioning can help us renew our lost evolutionary strength.
Scott spent much of his career debunking health and spiritual gurus, and writing about them for national publications and books. When he set out to do the same thing with Wim Hof, something different happened. Scott discovered Wim’s methods actually worked. He also discovered that cold water, ice baths, and other conditioning practices (like those used in the Wim Hof Method) can renew strength, make your body leaner, and increase your physical abilities and your brown fat, which is needed to stay warm.
Scott loves to immerse himself in his work, often putting himself in situations that push his body’s limits. He encourages young writers to do the same. In our conversation, we talk about his time with Wim Hof, what he thought of his methods, and why they work. We also discuss other methods to challenge yourself, the value of being uncomfortable, and how to make it as a freelance writer.
Listen to this episode if:
- You liked the Wim Hof episode and want to know more.
- You want to be an adventure writer.
- You’re interested in biohacking your body to be a better athlete and human.
- You want to get better at being uncomfortable.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/82
Wim’s Wild Idea: To help humans connect to their inner power, heal and achieve big goals by using nature, cold exposure, breathing techniques, and commitment.
When I started this podcast, my goal was to talk to people who had made their wild ideas a reality, and Wim Hof has been a dream guest for a long time.
Over the last few decades, Wim has broken dozens of records and achieved some wild feats. He climbed 20,000 feet up Mt. Everest while wearing only shorts and shoes. He’s run a marathon barefoot above the Arctic Circle. He sat in an ice bath for two whole hours. He even swam 66 meters beneath polar ice caps. Many of his records were attempts to show the world that healing and high performance can be achieved if we go back to nature, and we have healing powers within ourselves.
Wim has worked with researchers all over the globe to back up his theories with the goal to reach more people and help them heal. Today there are several studies showing how the Wim Hof Method works. He’s also has helped thousands of people learn to better control their own body temperature and immune systems through breathing exercises, commitment, and meditation through his online and in person courses.
Wim has taken a different path than many, and this podcast is a bit of a wild ride. Listen as we talk about his philosophies, what he’s doing next, and the research he’s excited about now. Plus, you get to hear him sing and talk about why we need to instill core values in our kids. Enjoy!
Listen to this episode if:
- You’ve ever heard of Wim Hof (and even if you haven’t) and want to learn more about his methods.
- You want to try cold therapy.
- You think it’s time for humans to return to nature.
- You believe humans are capable of amazing things.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/81
Aspen’s Wild Idea: To rebuild her mental and emotional strength by hiking the entire Pacific Crest Trail, and her journey in the book, Girl In the Woods
Editor's note: This episode contains references to sexual violence and may not be suitable for all audiences.
After being raped her second night of her freshman year in college, Aspen Matis grew depressed and was shocked at how her school didn’t believe her, and how little they did to protect her.
She’d spent a lot of time in the outdoors in growing up, and knew that getting into the wilderness could bring her a sense of peace and healing. Instead of returning to school, she dropped out and embarked on a 2,000-mile journey to walk the PCT from Mexico to Canada.
She shared the story of her journey in the 2015 book, Girl in the Woods, which became an international bestseller. It’s a story that’s equally vulnerable and fearless, one where Aspen shares moments of magic from the trail and its healing power. It’s also a book I couldn’t put down and has resonated with many, including receiving praise from people like Lena Dunham, Cheryl Strayed, Oprah Magazine, and many more.
I talk with Aspen about her time on the PCT, her favorite things about the hike and how she made it through some of the most challenging days. We also dive deep into her gear recommendations, especially for those who like to go lightweight, and what she had with her. At the end, Aspen shares with us a book she’s working on now, the first time she’s shared this information with the world.
Listen to this episode if: You or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault. You’ve ever wanted to hike the PCT. You love geeking out about gear. You think nature has magical powers.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/80
Beth’s Wild Idea: To become a world class rock climber, and inspire others to find their own drive and definition of happiness and success.
Beth Rodden started climbing in indoor gyms when she was 14. She quickly won national competitions, and then began climbing outside around the world. She became famous for free climbing the nose on El Capitan. She also completed many other first ascents, like free climbing the Meltown, a 5.14c route in Yosemite, where she showed the world women can climb as well as men.
It hasn’t all been easy on and off the wall for Beth, though. In 2000, Beth and three of her climbing partners were on a climbing trip in Kyrgyzstan when they were captured by members of the IMU, a militant group. They escaped on the sixth day, but no one at home even knew they’d been kidnapped. A few years later, Beth went through a divorce. After that, she decided to break down her own ideals about perfectionism and being a constant overachiever.
I love Beth’s story because it’s honest, and perfectionism is something I’ve struggled with and many listeners told me they struggle with. While Beth speaks about breaking the perfectionist cycle, she’s also achieved a version of success and happiness that works for her.
She still climbs. She’s a sought-after speaker, a beautiful writer, she’s remarried, and a mom to a four-year old son. We talked about what it was like to share the story of her kidnapping with the world, what she has learned from being a mom, and how you can shatter your own ideals about perfectionism. We also dive into her relationship with climbing today, and what’s it like to live in the magical valley of Yosemite.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’re a climber.
- You are a recovering perfectionist.
- You want to visit or have been to Yosemite.
- You are still looking for your own sense of drive and passion.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/79
Michael’s Wild Idea: To write captivating stories about people who live on the fringes of society and do wild things.
Michael Finkel is the author of the New York Times bestseller, The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit, which we dive deep into on today’s show. The story chronicles a highly intelligent man that lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years without lighting a single fire, or talking to a single soul.
An outdoors lover himself, who splits time between Montana and Southern France, Michael has a penchant for stories about those who live on the edges of society, and people who live with less. On assignment as a journalist for the likes of the New York Times and National Geographic, he’s skied off the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, set sail on a Haitian refugee boat, joined a cult in Colorado, been in a car that was run over by a tank in Afghanistan, and covered the last hunter-gatherer tribes. His previous book, True Story, was adapted into a 2015 major motion picture produced by Brad Pitt starring James Franco and Jonah Hill.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to be a writer.
- You’ve ever thought of leaving it all behind to live alone in the woods.
- You enjoy hearing from amazing storytellers.
- You love stories of survival and those who can thrive with less.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/78
Rebecca’s Wild Idea: To encourage others to take risks, push themselves physically and mentally, and get everyone in the world on a bike.
Today we welcome back Rebecca Rusch, this show’s first repeat guest. Rebecca has been called a modern day wonder woman and the queen of pain for her ability to not only withstand harsh conditions in endurance racing, but for her well-versed career. She has been a pro athlete for over three decades. She’s a seven-time world champion, author, philanthropist, and she’s shattered the glass ceiling in everything she’s done from finishing ahead of every guy in major mountain bike races, becoming a fire fighter, breaking records, and winning major adventure and endurance mountain bike races.
Since we last spoke, Rebecca was on tour with the feature film Blood Road, which follows her journey along the 1200km Ho Chi Minh Trail to find the site of her father’s plane crash during the Vietnam War.
This year, Rebecca is about to celebrate her 50th birthday, and she’s had some time to reflect back on her life. We get deep into her philosophy about how to pave your own path in life and how to make it in a career without a clear road map. We also dive deep into taking risks, how she trains her body, and most importantly how she trains her mind. She also shares tips and science she’s learned from the Red Bull coaches.
Listen to this episode if: You love biking, any kind. You want to take more risks in life. You are interested in pushing your body or your mind. You want to hear from a badass athlete and get motivated.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/rebecca-rusch
Cheryl’s Wild Idea: To share her story of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, encourage others to get outside, share their stories, and embrace kindness.
Cheryl Strayed is the author of #1 New York Times bestselling memoir Wild about her trek along the Pacific Crest Trail. The book was adapted into an Oscar-nominated movie starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.
In addition to writing Wild, Cheryl also wrote the New York Times bestsellers Tiny Beautiful Things and Brave Enough, as well as her first novel, Torch. She is the co-host of Dear Sugar, an advice column turned WBUR podcast, and a true force of nature.
On this episode, we talk about hiking, how to choose your best adventure, how to make better decisions about what to do with your life, the party she’d throw, and so much more. I have wanted to interview Cheryl since I read her first book, so this was a real treat. I hope you enjoy this show. *Please note, we are taking next week off, which is important for living wildly.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love Cheryl Strayed.
- You want to go on a big adventure.
- You’ve ever thought about being a writer of any kind.
- You love hiking.
- You think the world needs more kindness.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/76
Catra’s Wild Idea: To spend maximum time outdoors trail running while breaking ultramarathon records and helping people and dogs along the way.
After battling drug addiction, Catra Corbett hit her bottom, finding herself in jail. Soon after she got sober, Catra discovered her love of fitness. She also started running, and running more.
To date, Catra, aka “the Dirt Diva” has run over 260 marathons, over 137 100-mile runs, and set numerous records including becoming the first to run the 424-mile round trip of the John Muir trail in just over 12 days.
While she is known in the ultra-running community for her brightly-colored hair, loud running outfits and, numerous piercings and tattoos, most know her now for her tenacious spirit and giant heart.
A lover of animals, the vegan runner has adopted numerous dogs including a dachshund named Truman who she’s trained to run and who now has a following larger than most Instagram stars himself.
Catra recently penned a book, Reborn On The Run, where she shares her story in its most raw form. We talk about her book, being an unlikely runner, her love of dogs, and why and how she decided to share her most intimate truths.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love running.
- You want to try an ultramarathon race.
- You or someone you know has struggled with addiction.
- You love dogs (especially ones that run).
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/75
Karen’s and Adriana’s Wild Idea: To encourage diversity in the outdoors and change how the media portrays who plays outside.
Part of living wildly is standing up for what you believe in. After not seeing people who looked like them represented in the outdoors, today’s guests took action.
Karen Ramos and Adriana Garcia are two young women who started movements to encourage diversity and representation in the outdoor industry.
The daughter of migrant farmers turned entrepreneurs, Karen loved being outdoors and camping with her family when she was younger. She wanted to provide that same opportunity to kids today, so she founded Get Out, Stay Out, an organization that connects indigenous-migrant children with the outdoors through hikes, camping trips and multi-day backpacking adventures.
Adriana Garcia grew up Mormon, half-Mexican, and in the south. She said she never felt like she belonged until she got outside. Last year, she left her accounting job to co-found LatinX Hikers with her friend, Luz Lituma. It’s become a platform to showcase people from diverse backgrounds participating in outdoor activities. They are offering meet-ups and hikes all over the south.
On this show, I talk to Karen and Adriana about their history, some of their unique experiences in the outdoors, how they’re trying to change the landscape of who plays outside, and how you can get involved.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to see more diversity in the outdoors.
- Hearing new perspectives matters to you.
- You want to see people like you represented in the media.
- The outdoors has helped you.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/74
Mark’s Wild Idea: To become a professional photographer taking photos of what he loves.
I enjoy interviewing photographers, especially ones who take photos of things I love, like the outdoors, and activities like surfing and snowboarding. Today’s guest, Mark McInnis, is an accomplished photographer who works with a lot of my favorite brands and publications. A lot of his work takes place along the Pacific Northwest, and he loves shooting pictures of freezing cold climates, empty waves and stunning landscapes.
Mark has a great personality and a positive outlook on life. We talk about how Mark got his start taking photos, how he contacted his favorite photographer to be his mentor (who happens to be a guest of the show), and how he makes a living doing editorial and advertising work around the globe.
Not only does he have a great personal story (I’m going to let you listen to hear it for yourself), but Mark has great advice for those starting out. He shares how he’s made a living as a photographer, and how you can get started today.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love photography or want to be a photographer.
- You’re close to your family.
- You love photos of nature, the outdoors, and empty waves.
- You are trying to not sweat the small stuff.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/73
Diane’s Wild Idea: To run great distances and do what she loves while raising awareness about epilepsy and other great causes.
Running 100 miles is remarkable. Running and winning 100+ mile races as a 58-year old who-has had part of their brain removed is a different level. Diane was a professional tennis player before she had epilepsy, but when she started having seizures, running helped stave them off.
Ten years into her disease, she decided to have a risky, radical surgery where doctors removed a part of her brain. Once she healed, she started running, this time much longer distances than ever before.
While the epilepsy went away, Diane lost some things with the surgery. Today, she struggles with her sense of time, and she has a hard time with her sense of direction, both integral to long distance trail running.
Running, however has become is her ultimate medicine, and she’s set some incredible records on her journey. She won the infamous Yukon Arctic Ultra, a 430-mile footrace pulling a 50-pound sled through temperatures below 50 degrees for eight days. She climbed South America’s tallest peak. She completed the worlds’ hardest 100-mile race, running for 45 hours straight. She also ran and set record for the 1,000-mile Mountains to Sea Trail, where she traversed the state of North Carolina in just over 22 days for a cause.
In addition to being an athletic force, Diane is a long-time athlete for The North Face. She is also a speaker at events like REI’s Outessa series, which is how I found out about her amazing journey. I love how endlessly positive she is, and how she relates to everyone on and off the trail. Diane is a true survivor, an amazing performer, and she has a wonderful perspective on reaching your own potential.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’ve ever wanted to run an ultramarathon or a long-distance trail race.
- You or someone you know suffers from epilepsy.
- You’re not one to let health issues keep you from the outdoors.
- You want to reach your full potential.
- You are curious what it’d be like to miss your sense of time and direction.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/72
Lacey’s Wild Idea: To protect the environment by fighting fires in the wild.
I’ve always been interested in people with careers that allow them to spend time outside and contribute to the greater good. That’s how I found out about wildland firefighter Lacey England. REI recently made a video called “Women in Fire” that features Lacey and some other badass female firefighters and launches April 30th. Lacey was also profiled in the National Forest Foundation series, “Drawn to Flame: Women Forged by Fire.”
Fighting wild fires is a career I never heard much about as a kid, so I was fascinated by how Lacey got into it. She shared her story, plus the unglamorous life of her job (it involves Spam and carrying insanely heavy packs), what her day-to-day training entails, and what it’s like to be in a field that is dominated by people that don’t look like her. Plus, she tells us why she’s passionate about inspiring the next generation of young women to pursue careers that may fall outside the norm.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to protect the environment.
- You’ve ever thought about being a firefighter.
- You want to be incredibly strong. Like Hulk strong.
- You’re a woman in a male-dominated field.
- You like being alone in the outdoors.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/71
Jen’s Wild Idea: To help people unlock their inner badass, and make the kind of money that allows them to live the life they want.
We’ve done a few shows about how to find the career you love and how to make the money to create the life you want. I get great feedback on them. This is why I’m so excited to have on one of my favorite authors ever, whose books I gift all the time: Jen Sincero.
Jen is the author of You are a Badass and You Are a Badass at Making Money. Her latest book is a guide on how to make more money and teaches you how to release negative views about it. Jen is a free spirit with lots of sass who walks the walk and loves the outdoors. She’s done everything from starting a punk band, to traveling the world, and penning #1 New York Times Bestsellers (multiple times). She also has a no B.S. approach and a great sense of humor that I appreciate, and I think you will too.
In this episode, Jen shares how to live more wildly, how to make more money, how to get out of your own way, and how to get started today. I recommend listening through to the end.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to make more money.
- You want to work for yourself.
- You are afraid of failure.
- You love Jen Sincero’s books.
- You want to get over fear, self-doubt and perfectionism.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/70
Andrea’s Wild Idea: To start and run an organic farm with her husband, and share her recipes from the foods she grows with the world through her blog and book, Dishing Up The Dirt.
Today’s guest has one of the most important jobs you can think of: she’s a farmer and grows the food we eat. After moving from town to town living the nomad lifestyle, Andrea Bemis and her husband, Taylor, started an organic vegetable farm called Tumbleweed Farm in Parkdale, near Hood River, Oregon.
We talk about how she got into farming, what she would have done if she wasn’t a farmer, what she’s learned from working on the land, and the realities of farm, which is not always as romantic as it may seem. We also talk about how she turned her passion for growing and cooking her own food into a successful blog, Dishing Up The Dirt, and how that blog gained the attention of a major publisher and resulted in a gorgeous cookbook. Andrea is a delightful storyteller with a great message of having a simple dream and sharing community through food. At the end, Andrea even shares some recipes.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’ve ever thought about quitting your job and moving to a farm.
- You love local, organic produce.
- You’re into food blogs and beautiful pictures.
- You want to grow your own food.
- You want to write a book, especially a cookbook.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/69
Nick and Shelby’s Wild Idea: To share about their adventure podcasts, both presented by REI Co-op, and turn the microphone back on each other.
The word’s out. REI has been my main partner all year and it’s been an awesome, wild ride. They’re also now in the podcast game with not just with my show, but also a new 8-episode series called Take it From Me, that launches this week. We talk to Nick Mott, who is the producer of the show, share a quick clip, and dive into the unique format and adventurous characters he interviews.
Nick is a fellow journalist, writer, photographer, and a rock climber. Originally from Kansas and now living in Boulder, Colorado, he loves the outdoors and sharing stories of people going on badass adventures. He also hosts another show about sustainability and has good tips for anyone who wants to start a podcast.
After I talk to Nick, he turns the microphone back on me. A lot of people have been asking me to share my story, so I talk about why I started the podcast, what I look for in guests, and some key things I have learned along the way. It’s quick episode. Perfect for a fast run, or a short commute. Enjoy.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love podcasts about the outdoors (which you do, why else would you be here?)
- You like to get outside.
- You are looking for an additional wild podcast.
- You want to start a podcast, or learn more about why I started Wild Ideas Worth Living.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/68
Liz’s Wild Idea: To live frugally so she and her husband could achieve financial independence and spend more time hiking, homesteading, and doing what they love.
Part of living wildly is having the means to pull it off. Traveling and buying gear can add up. On the show, we’ve interviewed dumpster divers, minimalists, and people with side hustles galore. But today we present a new financial take on living wildly.
Author Elizabeth Thames, aka Liz Frugalwoods, is the voice behind the blog and new book, Meet the Frugalwoods. Liz and her husband did everything they were supposed to as young adults: they attended a good state college, graduated, and got good jobs. But as millennials working 9-to-5 jobs for non-profits, they knew there was something beyond the daily grind. Instead of just working harder and harder, they instead used extreme frugality so they could retire in their early thirties.
Today, Liz and her husband have two daughters and live on a sixty-acre homestead in Vermont. They still spend money on things like farming equipment (which doesn’t come cheap), and she works on her blog only by choice, not because she has to.
Instead of making more money so they could have more, they just spent less - a lot less - in order to achieve financial independence. This mindfulness about money led them to a unique, amazing outlook on life, and one that I found motivating. In our conversation, Liz shares some great tips for living frugally (like hacking her SodaStream) and also talks about the psychology of what going with less has done for her own self-esteem. We also get deep into the power of gratitude and privilege, and how having less materially has helped her get more out of life.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to retire early and achieve financial independence.
- You’ve ever dreamt of living on a lot of land.
- Getting outside and going hiking gives you peace of mind.
- You want to quit your job.
- You have a five year or more goal.
- You want to have kids but think they are too expensive.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/67
Florence’s Wild Idea: To show why being in nature makes us feel so good, with science to back it up.
If you are a regular listener to this podcast, chances are you love spending time outside in nature, and you’d love to spend even more time in it. Today’s guest, Florence Williams, knows all about this feeling, and the science behind it. Her book The Nature Fix proves why being in nature makes us happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative. We talk about the research behind it, new research she’s discovered since she wrote it, policy and workplace decisions that have been informed from the book, and how you can squeeze in more time outside, even if you work a 9-to-5 desk job. We also talk about the best places to travel to be in nature, what sounds in nature are the most appealing and advice on writing books. We even delve into some other fun topics including breasts, which Florence wrote about in another book (it’s not a picture book) and some of her favorite authors.
Florence is an accomplished writer and speaker. Her writing has appeared everywhere from the New York Times to Outside Magazine, and she’s even hosted a few podcasts herself, so this conversation flows fast. She loves what she does, and you get a sense from listening to her that she really wants others to get more joy in their lives from nature.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love spending time in the outdoors.
- You want to know why it feels so good to be outside in nature.
- You care about leading a healthy lifestyle.
- You want some stats to show your boss/teacher why you need more breaks, more time outside or a window nearby.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/66
Stacy’s Wild Idea: To experience places he and others served in war through outdoor adventures, overcome addiction and use adventure (and humor) for good.
Not many of my interviews start with a story about getting kidnapped that are also comedic. But at six-foot-seven with an even bigger personality, Stacy Bare is not your average guy or storyteller.
He received a Bronze Star for his time spent serving in Iraq from 2006 to 2007, but struggled with depression, addiction and even contemplated suicide when he returned home from war. When a friend introduced him to rock climbing, however, the course of his life changed forever. Soon after, Stacy created Veterans’ Expeditions and Adventure Not War, taking vets outside and even back to the places they experienced war from the perspective of someone enjoying the outdoors. In 2014, he was named the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, a well-deserved title.
Currently the director of The Sierra Club Outdoors, the National Director of Programming and Operations at The Phoenix, as well as a brand champion at The North Face, he’s a sought after speaker and presenter with stories about him everywhere from Men's Journal to Outside Magazine, and for good reason.
On this episode we talk about war, the power of the outdoors, how to start a movement, climbing with Alex Honnold, skiing in Iraq, addiction, and so much more.
This episode is dedicated to Ann Krcik, an executive at The North Face, and a mentor of Stacy’s, who helped paved the way for many women (and men) in the outdoor industry.
Listen to this episode if:
- You or someone you know is a veteran.
- You’ve ever survived a trauma.
- You want to start a movement.
- You love getting other people outside.
- You want to laugh at a funny man telling a great story.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/65
Kimmy’s Wild Idea: To create a job for herself as a professional backcountry snowboarder, be a mentor for other riders and remain active through pregnancy.
Kimmy Fasani is a well-respected athlete, most known for her aggressive free-style backcountry snowboarding. She has won countless awards like Women’s Rider of the Year, Standout Performance of the Year, and has had some incredible video parts with Standard and Absinthe Films. Kimmy loves mentoring other snowboarders, especially other females and is a vocal ambassador for several nonprofits.
On the personal side of her life, Kimmy is married to skier Chris Benchetler and they are part-owners of Dessert’d Organic Bakeshop (and yes, she gets to taste test everything). I recorded this interview after a day on Mammoth Mountain, and at the time Kimmy was about five weeks from having a baby. She opened up about being a pregnant athlete, why people care more about what she does with her body now, and her spiritual journey to getting pregnant. She also shares about how she created her dream job, what it takes to be a pro snowboarder, and how she tackled injuries, self-doubt, fear and overcame some of the hardest times in her life.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to be a backcountry snowboarder or professional athlete.
- You want to create your dream job.
- You want to conquer self-doubt and fear of failure.
- You have a spiritual side.
- You want to cultivate a positive mindset, even in the face of adversity.
- You are an active Mom or Mom-to-be.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/64
Brendan’s Wild Idea: To make a living creating stories about adventure and the human experience through books, film and art.
Brendan Leonard is the creator of Semi-Rad, a blog he started in 2011. He’s also an author, adventurer, illustrator, filmmaker, ultra-marathoner, and an all-around interesting guy. Most of his work showcases the joy that comes from adventures done by the everyman and woman, not just for the experts and pros, but people like you and I who like to hit the trails and mountains too!
You may recognize Brendan from the movie he just made with REI called How to Run 100 Miles, which is not only about his journey to train for and run an ultra-marathon with his close friend, but it’s about so much more. He’s also a contributor to sites like Dirtbag Diaries and The Adventure Journal, and the author of three books including a memoir about how he overcame addiction. Over the last year, he has built a large following, from his hilarious Seinfeld-esque illustration on his Semi_Rad Instagram account that documents the daily choices we make in the outdoors and as adults.
This episode is full of gems and wisdom from a guy making it happen in a major way. Brendan has a great sense of humor, and is not afraid to laugh at himself, a trait I find incredibly admirable. Enjoy!
Listen to this episode if:
- You’ve ever run a long race (have any desire to run one).
- You want to work for yourself.
- You want to get paid to do art without being a pro.
- You love being outside.
- You’re an adventurer or you like to laugh.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/63
Outdoor Outreach’s Wild Idea: To help transform the lives of young adults by introducing them to the power of the outdoors.
If you’re a regular listener to this show, you’ve probably tasted the power of the outdoors. I remember my first time standing on a wave. You may remember your first time carving through powdery snow, your first long hike, or your first time camping under the stars. Chances are, these experiences impacted you in a major way.
Today I talk with four young adults who have been part of Outdoor Outreach, a nonprofit from San Diego that takes kids who might not have otherwise had access to the wonders of nature, on outdoor adventures like snowboarding, rock climbing, snorkeling, hiking, and more.
Miriam Pi, Meli Perez Valdez, Lawrence Vallejos, and Gaby Jasso grew up with different backgrounds and share how their trips with Outdoor Outreach changed the path of their life forever. We talk about why they are now leading trips to get other kids outside, what they are doing to encourage adults and people in power to make the outdoors more accessible for all, and how the outdoors is so powerful. With one of these young adults being a DACA recipient, another a former refugee, and the others with diverse backgrounds, their stories are not only timely, but important.
Listen to this episode if:
- You are passionate about being outside.
- You want more youth to experience nature and the power of the outdoors.
- You had a rough childhood.
- You have been impacted by the outdoors.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/62
Donna’s Wild Idea: To be a positive leader, celebrate counterculture, and create more opportunities for people to enjoy the mountains.
A few weeks ago at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Denver, I sat down with Donna Carpenter, the CEO and Co-Founder of Burton Snowboards. Donna is a true force of nature. She’s always pushing the envelope with her mission and products, and she radiates positivity and go-for-it, attitude.
Donna really opened up in our conversation. She shared about how she became the CEO of one of the biggest snowboard companies ever, some funny stories like how she met her husband, Jake Burton, and what it was like in the early days of snowboarding. We also talked about how they’ve created such a strong culture, overcome adversity, and how they are not afraid to do things like send female staff to the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., and throw huge parties. It’s a great episode about lessons learned from failure and her keys to success.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to start and run your own business.
- You want to work at a company with an awesome culture.
- You love snowboarding.
- You want to listen to a great female leader.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/61
Andy’s Wild Idea: To pave his own path and make a career spreading aloha vibes through art.
Andy Davis is quite possibly my favorite artist ever, and for good reason. He has been called one of the best surf artists of our generation. Using bright colors, and organic, curvy shapes, his work gives you the feeling of being near the water, and exudes a pure, simple joy and aloha spirit. His work has appeared in films by Thomas Campbell, brands like Billabong, Roxy, and his own brand Free, on huge murals, in big stores, and now on the panels of Igloo coolers.
We talk about how he forged his own way, passing on traditional education for real work experience, surrounding himself with friends, and continuing to create what he wanted along the way. He has a great sense of humor and a bold outlook on life. Andy’s perspective on following your creative and wild ideas is a breath of fresh air, and one that will most likely inspire you to keep going after what you want.
Listen to this episode if:
- You are an artist or a creative person.
- You love the aloha vibe.
- You watched cartoons as a kid.
- You are into surf culture.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/60
Mirna’s Wild Idea: To run ultra-marathons and advocate for body positivity, showing others fitness comes in many sizes.
You may have seen Mirna Valerio, “The Mirnavator.” Her video with REI had millions of views on Facebook. It starts with her reading an angry letter from a guy who wrote to her while she was doing a 50k run. He called her a “fraud,” a “liar,” and said she is not only faking running ultra-marathons, but she’s making a bad name for runners because she is overweight and doesn’t “look like a runner.”
Well, Mirna can not only run, but she’s a true force of nature. She’s also a teacher, coach, diversity leader, trained opera singer, mom, wife, and recently added author and brand ambassador to her resume. A few years ago, when Mirna started doing longer runs, she started the site called Fat Girl Running. There weren’t a lot of people who looked like her on the trail, and she wanted to get more people outside running.
Her story was featured in the Wall Street Journal in 2015, and then was picked up by Runner’s World, NBC Nightly, CNN, and REI. She has now added a few more titles to her resume: brand ambassador, author of her new book, A Beautiful Work in Progress, and my own addition, total badass!
Listening to Mirna talk is inspiring. She has an incredible outlook on the world, she laughs easily, and she isn’t afraid to go deep. We talked about diving into the uncomfortable, dealing with haters, how to create opportunities for yourself, and how you can be a runner no matter what your size, shape, or background.
Presented by REI
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to start running.
- You are self-conscious about your body or fitness level.
- You need a dose of positivity.
- You want to break out of your comfort zone.
- You hate when people tell you that you can’t do something.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/59
Ami’s Wild Idea: To use photography to help people from around the world understand each other and connect. To raise awareness about cultures, communities, animals, and the environment.
Ami Vitale is a world-class photographer who has traveled the world on assignment for publications like National Geographic and the Associated Press. She got her start in journalism working as a war correspondent, and now focuses on stories, videos and photos about culture, wildlife and the environment. As a storyteller, she’s traveled to over 90 countries, lived in mud huts and war zones, contracted malaria, and even donned a panda suit.
In our conversation, you can hear how compassionate Ami is. She gives everything she has to her work, which is one reason she’s won so many awards and gets asked to give lectures and teach around the globe. She also donates proceeds of her work to benefit charities. You’ll be inspired to go out and do good in the world after this one.
Presented by REI
Listen to this episode if:
- You are a photographer or just like taking pictures.
- You want to help save the environment and animals.
- You love storytelling.
- You love animals, especially African elephants and pandas.
- You want to conquer your fears.
- You are looking for hope in the world.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/58
Rhonda’s Wild Idea: To combine her love of research and science into a podcast and site where she helps educate people about health and wellbeing practices.
Leading a healthy lifestyle is a key component to living wildly. That’s why I’m so excited to have on Dr. Rhonda Patrick. You may have heard her on The Joe Rogan Experience, The Tim Ferriss Show, or on her own podcast, Found My Fitness. She’s done research on and has interviewed some of the top scientists in their field about things like breath work, sauna, training, fasting, and more.
Rhonda and I actually know each other from teaching surfing together at the Surf Diva Surf School in our early twenties. We reconnected a year ago when I was researching a story about Wim Hof for Outside Magazine, who she’s spent some time with. I love how she takes complex scientific studies and puts them into plain English so more people (like myself) can understand them.
On this show, we talk about everything from health hacks to increase performance on the road or trail, how she got the wild idea to create her own site full of health and science information instead of going the traditional tenure track and working at a university, and how she got the attention of people like Joe Rogan and Tim Ferriss.
Presented by REI
Listen to this episode if:
- You love trying new health hacks.
- You’ve thought about using a sauna.
- You’re intrigued by time-restricted eating and/or fasting.
- You’re curious about the benefits of different types of exercise and which is best.
- You want to pave your own career path in health or science.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/57
Mike’s Wild Idea: To turn the shark attack where he lost his leg into a life mission. To also photograph sharks, help preserve marine wildlife, and to help other amputees and shark attack victims get active.
When he was 18, Mike Coots was attacked by a shark while bodyboarding in Hawaii. He survived, punching the shark numerous times in the face, but it took his right leg.
Today, Mike is a marine life advocate, a world-class photographer, a competitive surfer, and advocate for adaptive athletes. He is full of amazing stories, and shares many including one about how he tested, researched and designed his own prosthetic leg so he could standup surf. He also shares how he got into running, how he helps other shark attack victims and amputees get back in the water, and how he decides which projects to say yes to.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’re a surfer or bodyboarder.
- You’re passionate about preserving marine wildlife.
- You love photography.
- You or someone you know is an adaptive athlete.
- You want to hear an awesome story.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/56
Shelby’s Wild Idea: To make a podcast that inspires others to live more wildly, and share stories and advice from the top adventurers, athletes, health experts, and more.
It has been a wild year, that’s for sure. When I started this podcast, my goal was to record seven episodes and keep going. I knew the beginning would be hard, but one year and 55 episodes later, I am so thankful I stuck with it. I’ve met amazing people along the way, including some of you.
On this show, I am sharing a few things I’ve learned after 54 episodes. From making commitments to adjusting your expectations to paving your own path, my guests have shared some amazing nuggets of wisdom.
Thank you to everyone who has listened to the show, to the amazing guests who have shared their stories, the brands who have sponsored the show, and everyone who has written a story about us, included us on a list of awesome podcasts, and shared the show with their community.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love adventure.
- You have listened to Wild Ideas Worth Living.
- You’re ready to make your own wild idea a reality.
- You want to start a podcast.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/55
Kelly’s Wild Idea: To be the top half-pipe snowboarder, and inspire others to achieve their highest potential.
Kelly Clark is an Olympic snowboarder and author. She has over seventy wins under her belt, including 10 X-Games medals (nine of them gold), and four trips to the Olympics (with a gold in Salt Lake City).
She is also one of my favorite snowboarders of all time, with an incredible sense of style and a ton of wisdom she’s learned over her storied career. We talked about recovering from hip surgery just last year, what it takes to be an Olympic athlete, her faith, success, and more.
Listen to this episode if:
- You snowboard.
- You’ve recovered from a surgery or injury.
- You love the Olympics.
- You’re a spiritual person.
- You believe in teaching others and supporting youth.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/54
Dr. Goldhamer’s Wild Idea: To teach people to lead healthy lives unharmed by unhealthy foods that many put into their bodies. To also share the benefits of water-only fasting.
With the new year coming up and the tendency for lots of people to make resolutions, many of which are health oriented, I wanted to do a show focused on health. One of the most popular shows I’ve done was with David Goldman, a proponent of intermittent fasting, who worked at a place called TrueNorth Health.
Fasting may seem like a wild idea, but the practice has actually been around for thousands of years and is still used in many cultures and religions. This episode is specifically about water-only fasting, and eating a plant-based, sugar-free, oil-free, and salt-free diet. Dr. Alan Goldhamer, who founded TrueNorth Health, is a huge supporter of these practices. Since 1984, he’s helped thousands of people take back control of their health with these techniques. He’s also a licensed osteopathic physician, author of The Health Promoting Cookbook, and the co-author of The Pleasure Trap.
To dig into this topic and to do this podcast, I went to TrueNorth Health in Santa Rosa, California, and did a five-day water-only fast, where I was supervised the whole time by an MD. I had some interesting results, which I share about at the end of the show. After I started eating again, I sat down to talk to Dr. Goldhamer about the results he’s seen from fasting, who can or should do a fast, how to maintain a plant-based diet, and what being featured in the film, What The Health, was like. He is super knowledgeable, and he doesn’t shy away from a spirited debate, which I appreciated.
Disclaimer time: I am not a doctor and this podcast is solely for informational purposes! Please consult your doctor and do your own research before trying a fast or any other unusual health practices.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’re ready to get healthy.
- You’re not afraid to try something unconventional.
- You want to try a water-fast or are interested in fasting.
- You’re thinking about moving to a plant-based diet.
- You think Western medicine is too focused on medication.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/053
Diana’s Wild Idea: To swim around islands and across oceans. To chase after any goal with no regard for what others say someone her age or ability can or cannot do.
In 2013 at the age of 64, Diana Nyad became the first person to swim 110 miles from Cuba to Florida without the aid of a shark cage. It took her about 53 hours. After years of training, four failed attempts, being stung by multiple box jellyfish, dealing with dehydration, hypothermia, naysayers and more, she did it.
A long-distance swimmer since she was a kid, she’d made other huge swims, including one around the island of Manhattan in 1975. But she took a break from swimming for years working as a commentator, writer, and journalist at the top level, and when she returned she set a huge goal. There’s nothing Diana sets her mind to that she can’t do and she’s not only a hoot, but she’s incredibly inspiring to be around. She’s also whip smart, an amazing storyteller, and she does an amount of burpees every week that will blow your mind (you’ll hear exactly how many in the interview).
Diana and I talked about what it feels like to get stung by box jellyfish, her elixir for injury prevention, how she dealt with adversity as a child, what she sings while swimming for hours on end, and how you can go after your dreams and live more wildly no matter what.
Listen to this episode if:
- You have a wild idea and goal and want inspiration to pursue it.
- You are a swimmer or love the ocean.
- You want advice on confronting failure.
- You’ve had to deal with moments of adversity.
- You love extreme endurance athletes and activities.
- You want to hear what it feels like to be stung by a box jellyfish.
- You want to hear how many burpees this badass does a week.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/52
Sal’s Wild Idea: To tell the stories of life through athletes, sports, and music, and share them with the world.
If you have ever watched action sports on TV, there’s a good chance you’ve heard or seen Sal Masekela. With a rich, deep voice and a gift for gab, Sal’s been a beloved commentator, journalist, musician, producer, and philanthropist for over a decade. He hosted the X Games for thirteen years, VICE’s World of Sports, E!’s Daily 10, the FIFA World Cup when it was in South Africa, and he currently hosts NBC’s Red Bull Signature Series, has his own production company, and is working with National Geographic.
Sal is an amazing storyteller, which you’ll get a taste of in this episode. From moving to San Diego from New York and discovering the world of surfing, paving a path for himself as a commentator in the world of action sports, and deciding to make his own music, Sal’s stories draw you in.
We talk about being an outsider, his relationship with his dad (South African jazz icon, Hugh Masekela), why he decided to make his own music, and how you can pursue your passions. I have always admired Sal’s career and looked up to him since I was a kid, so I hope you enjoy this show as much as I did.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’ve heard Sal’s voice before (or even if you haven’t)
- You love action or adventure sports.
- You love music.
- You enjoy good stories.
- You want to have an epic career.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/51
Cliff’s Wild Idea: To discover what is happening biologically when we are out in nature. And how outdoor enthusiasts are connected to their environment scientifically.
Cliff Kapono is a surfer and scientist from Hawaii. After discovering his love of the ocean at a young age, he later connected it to biology and chemistry, earning a graduate degree in biotechnology from University of Hawaii and working toward a PhD in chemistry from UCSD that he will finish next year.
Cliff’s work is all about using science to relate to nature: what happens in our bodies when we spend time outside, and what is biologically happening when we get that feeling of being connected to nature. His current project, The Surfer Biome Project, looks at how surfers relate to each other and to the ocean.
Hearing Cliff talk about his work, his love of science, and his passion for his native Hawaiian culture is inspiring. We talk about his recent work connecting with and swabbing surfers, his favorite boards, how to be a citizen scientist, and why being an academic can in fact lead to an awesome lifestyle.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to save the ocean.
- You’re interested in science.
- You’re a surfer.
- You love Hawaii.
- You feel connected to the environment.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/50
Willow’s Wild Idea: To quit her job and go on a five-hundred-mile hike in Colorado. Then, to start a podcast that shares unique stories of people in the outdoors.
Willow Belden is the host of Out There, a podcast that discusses big life questions in an outdoor setting. Willow talks to ultra-marathoners, Everest climbers, hikers, cyclist, skiers, and all kinds of adventurers about their journeys, giving listeners a chance to hear about the transformative powers of nature.
Before she started her podcast, Willow worked at Wyoming Public Radio. You can tell by the way she edits her show and her soothing radio voice. It was a great job, but she decided to quit to hike the Colorado Trail, a thru-hike of about 500 miles.
Willow and I talked about why she quit her job to go on a thru-hike, what she learned along the way, and why chocolate was so important on the trail. We also talk about the challenges of starting a podcast, what she’s learned from losing a parent, and what she has learned from her diverse guests, including great lessons about failure.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love hiking and the outdoors.
- You listen to public radio or want to start a podcast.
- You’ve lost a parent.
- You want to try thru-hiking.
- You have ever been afraid to fail.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/49
Liz’s Wild Idea: To pursue a dream of sailing to remote places, and living life aboard her sailboat, Swell. To encourage people to be brave, search inside themselves, and to help protect the environment and places we play.
Liz Clark is an adventurer, surfer, sailboat captain, and now an author, with her first book coming out next year with Patagonia Books.
In 2005, Liz pursued her lifelong dream to live on her sailboat, and set sail from Santa Barbara to French Polynesia. She’s sailed over 20,000 miles since, and along her journey, has learned a lot about herself, life, and the world. She discovered that exploration doesn’t just happen when you travel around the world - it happens within as you challenge and push yourself.
Liz is a good friend, and we had a great time talking. She is so genuine and thoughtful, and I love how open she is in talking about her voyage, her boat, the process of writing a book, and some of the challenges she’s overcome and changes she’s experienced.
Listen to this episode if:
- You sail, surf or want to learn how.
- You love books or want to write one.
- You love traveling.
- You love adventure.
- You are curious about going deeper inside yourself.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/48
Rob’s Wild Idea: To live a sustainable, minimalist lifestyle and inspire others to do the same. To do awesome adventures and spread the message of good in the world.
Rob Greenfield is an adventurer and environmental activist who is making a difference for our planet. An Eagle Scout who grew up in a small town of Wisconsin, Rob’s had and executed a ton of wild ideas. He cycled across the U.S.A. three times on a bamboo bike (without a ton of cycling experience and only drinking from natural sources while creating zero waste) to raise awareness about sustainability. He dove into more than 2,000 dumpsters across the country to raise awareness about food waste (and to show we throw away perfect food). He travelled to different countries with just the clothes on his back and zero money just to show that people are inherently good. He lived in a tiny house. And, for one of my personal favorite projects, Rob lived like the average American and wore all the trash he created for a month in New York City, to raise awareness about food waste.
Rob’s written a book (and it’s endorsed by Jerry of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream), given multiple TED Talks, and is a fascinating guy who wants to make a positive impact on our planet and the lives we lead.
Listen to this episode if:
- You are interested in living with less stuff and needing less money to be happy.
- You want to hear how someone lives on only $5,000 a year.
- You want to live a low impact life or are interested in minimalism.
- You want to know what he finds in dumpsters.
- You think people are inherently good.
- You love to travel.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/47
Chris’s Wild Idea: To explore the limits of human potential, and to write amazing stories about it.
Chris McDougall is the author of the bestselling books, Born to Run and Natural Born Heroes. His first book spawned the barefoot running movement and altered the running shoe industry forever. It’s also being made into a movie starring Matthew McConaughey.
Natural Born Heroes dives into the history of how every-day citizens and amazing athletes on the island of Crete withstood the German forces during World War II. This is the kind of thing he loves: finding amazing stories about less-known athletes achieving amazing feats, and digging in to learn about their strategies, training, diets, and more, then sharing them with readers.
In 2011, I traded Chris surf lessons for barefoot running lessons. Since then, Chris has become not only a great writing mentor, but also a friend. On this episode, we talked about his life since the success of his books, what techniques he learned while researching them (including movement based exercises used by the Cretans), why he may discourage you from becoming a writer, and why donkeys (yes donkeys) make great running partners. Chris is an amazing storyteller and I think that really comes through in this podcast.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’ve read Born to Run or Natural Born Heroes.
- You’re interested in the minimal running footwear revolution.
- You want to shift your diet and improve your performance.
- You’ve thought about moving to the country.
- You’re a runner of any distance.
- You want to be a writer.
- You want to know how the heck he trains with donkeys.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/46
Kimi’s Wild Idea: To practice sustainable hunting, spread the message about the importance of the ocean and make a living doing what she loves.
If you’ve heard of Kimi Werner, you’ve probably seen the picture or video of her gracefully swimming along, holding onto the dorsal fin of a great white shark. Kimi is fearless, and she’s a force of nature.
Growing up off grid in Hawaii, Kimi’s father taught her to free dive. She gave it up for years, then rediscovered it later in life and went on to become the national spearfishing champion, a chef, an award-winning artist, and sought-after speaker. Her work as an environmental advocate wasn’t always her goal, and her path has taken unexpected turns as she has built a career that combines many of her passions.
Kimi is a great storyteller, and she has some amazing stories to share with us, like her famous encounter with one of the biggest predators of the ocean, the magic that took her on a trip to the Azores, and the fearlessness of standing up for herself in asking for equal pay. Her biggest lessons she wants to share though are the power of trusting your gut, and slowing down in order to speed up.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love the ocean.
- You are interested in spearfishing.
- You believe in equal pay and equal rights.
- You want to learn to free dive.
- You’re passionate about saving the ocean.
- You believe in magic.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/45
JP’s Wild Idea: To use humor to empower people to be the best versions of themselves.
JP Sears is a spiritual comedian, author, emotional healing coach, and a curious student of life. You may know him from his hilarious YouTube videos that feature great underlying messages about relationships, spirituality and how self-righteous we can be as groups -- whether we are yogis, vegans, raw foodies, or even ultra-spiritual people.
It took JP a while to find a way to use his humor for good, and he’s not afraid to make fun of his own lifestyle. His work is intended to empower people to be their best selves, and to live more meaningful lives.
On this episode, JP shares how he uses humor to talk about serious issues, his advice for living wildly, how to make a living using your passions, and the importance of getting out of your comfort zone.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love to laugh.
- You are in touch with your spiritual side (or want to be).
- You like watching hilarious YouTube videos and comedians.
- You’re a vegan or a meat eater.
- You want to cultivate your own humor and use it for good.
- You want to try some nootropics.
- You want to become a better human.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/44
Karen’s Wild Idea: To share bold, brave, wild stories, both her own and by others through books and essays with the world. Also, to embrace surfing at an older age, a sport that’s taught her why it’s so great to suck at something.
Karen Rinaldi is a writer, publisher, and the creator of Harper Wave, an imprint of Harper Collins that has published the work of three past guests: Jaimal Yogis, Mark Lukach and Steph Jagger. Karen has also published books by authors like Dave Asprey of the Bulletproof Coffee movement, Dr. Gundry of The Plant Paradox, and Tony Horton of P90X, to name a few.
In addition to her literary life, Karen is also a surfer. She started at age 40, and recently wrote an essay in the New York Times that every surf writer’s mom sent them (including my own) titled, “It’s Great to Suck at Something.” I loved her story, and all of her essays I’ve read. I also don’t have a lot of mentors that are females, writers, publishers, and surfers, so when I find someone like Karen, I have to share her knowledge.
Karen talks about her perspective on surfing, why it’s important to suck at something, the difference between a good adventure and a great story, how to get published, and the books you should be reading.
Listen to this episode if:
- You suck at surfing (or anything, really).
- You like trying new things, no matter how good you think you’ll be.
- You’re an avid reader.
- You want to write a book and get published.
- You love the Modern Love column in the New York Times.
- Your family is important to you.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/43
Ari’s Wild Idea: To cross canyons and mountains hundreds of feet in the air. To highline at challenging locations, and to apply lessons of life learned in the air to life on the ground.
Ari (pronounced Air-ee) DeLashmutt is a professional highliner, skier, paraglider and an enthusiastic adventurer, who also hosts the How To Adventure Podcast. He lives a dream life, eager to spend most of his time in the air or on the mountains. I met Ari at the OutFound Festival in Oregon, and I love that he thinks outside of the box.
Ari has some incredible perspectives on life, fear, confidence, and failure. These are lessons he’s learned from spending so much time pushing the envelope, doing what he loves, and confronting fear in the face. He shares some of his best lessons learned from highlining, rigging ropes tethered to rocks in precarious locations, why play is so important, and so much more.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to challenge your notion of fear.
- You’ve tried slacklining.
- You love going on adventures.
- You love traveling to beautiful, natural locations.
- You want to try highlining.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/42
Courtney’s Wild Idea: To become a professional surfer, and to achieve tough goals in and out of the water.
Courtney Conlogue is a professional surfer on the World Surf League, currently ranked towards the top three on the women’s tour. Known for her powerful turns, positive attitude, work ethic, and incredible fitness capacity, she has an amazing ability to set goals and achieve them. Last year, she modeled naked for the Body issue in ESPN Magazine. She also missed a world title by one spot. On this episode, we talk about what you can learn from losing, how Courtney trains and sets goals, what she does when she achieves her goals, and her loves outside of the water.
Listen to this episode if:
- You surf.
- You want to achieve your goals.
- You are interested in training, nutrition and fitness.
- You love drinking coffee.
- You’re an artist.
- Your family is important to you.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/41
Chris’s Wild Idea: To interview people who have had successful side hustles, and to publish a book and podcast about it.
Chris Guillebeau is the New York Times bestselling author of The $100 Startup, The Art of Non-Conformity, Born For This, and The Happiness of Pursuit. His latest book, Side Hustle, which debuts September 19th, shows how to take your side hustle from an idea to a profitable business.
In addition to being an incredible writer, Chris visited all 193 countries by age 35. He is all about living the life you want, and not the life others expect you to have. He shares why he doesn’t believe you have to quit your job unless you want to, plus his favorite productivity tools.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to quit your job.
- You have or have thought about starting a side hustle.
- You want to travel the world.
- You’ve read The $100 Startup or any of Chris’s other books.
- You want to monetize your hobby.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/40
Caroline’s Wild Idea: To climb up huge mountains, ski down them, go on amazing adventures, and become an advocate for the environment and more.
Caroline Gleich is a professional ski mountaineer, adventurer, trail runner and activist. Based in Salt Lake City, Caroline recently became the first woman and fourth person to ski all 90 lines featured in “The Chuting Gallery,” a steep skiing guidebook to the Wasatch Range. A nature lover since birth, Caroline has used her voice as an athlete and an ambassador for brands like KEEN, Clif Bar and Patagonia to speak up about social and environmental issues like climate change, clean air, and cyber harassment. She’s graced the covers of magazines like Powder and Backcountry, appeared in multiple Warren Miller Films, and I even recently wrote about her in Outside Magazine.
On this episode, Caroline shares challenges and advice on being a woman in a burly man’s sport, training tips to climbing mountains and getting ready for an ultramarathon, how she handles fear and how she’s advocating for change.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to climb mountains.
- You love skiing.
- You’re passionate about environmental and justice issues.
- You like confronting your fears.
- You use social media to connect and be inspired by others.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/39
Todd’s Wild Idea: To take amazing pictures of waves and the athletes who ride them.
Todd Glaser is one of the most sought-after surf photographers in the world. As a staff photographer for Surfer Magazine since 2008, he’s earned more than a dozen covers. Today he takes photos on land and in the water with surfs stars like Kelly Slater, Jack Johnson, Rob Machado, and more.
Todd grew up in Solana Beach, California, competed as a body boarder, went to school for photography, and then immediately took his love of shooting his friends in the water, and turned it into a thriving career.
His work has appeared not only in sports publications like Surfer and Outside Magazine, but also in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Most recently, Todd took photos for the latest Taylor Steele Movie, Proximity, and just came out with a photography book around it that he self-published, and is currently shipping from his mom’s garage.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love surfing.
- You read surf and sport magazines.
- You’re interested in photography and want to know how to take better photos.
- You love being in the water.
- You consider yourself a shy person.
- You want to know how Todd can tread water for eight hours at a time.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/XX
Zeppelin’s Wild Idea: To share different perspectives of the public land debate through his latest documentary film, and inspire others to get outside.
Aside from having one of the most badass names ever, Zeppelin Zeerip is a pro snowboarder and activist, the author of Don’t Call Me a Gypsy, a producer and partner of WZRD Media, and co-founder of a grassroots snowboard competition called Occupy Pando.
For his latest project, Zeppelin is traveling around the U.S. to film for his upcoming documentary about the public land debate. He is passionate about preserving this land that everyone has access to, but he also knows the importance of hearing perspectives from all sides. We also go deep and talk about some of the loss he endured in his youth, and how that has affected his drive and motivation today.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to be a pro snowboarder.
- You are passionate about the public land debate.
- You’ve ever suffered loss.
- You try to get outside every day.
- You want to surround yourself with inspiring people.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/37
Gale’s Wild Idea: To share stories of women from all walks of life who are passionate about the outdoors, and encourage them to explore.
Gale Straub is the voice and creator of the popular podcast and community, She-Explores. The podcast focuses on women in the great outdoors, and tells the stories of entrepreneurs, athletes, and “ordinary” women who are “curious, inquisitive and beyond.” It’s well-edited and inspires people to spend more time outside, which I am a huge advocate of. Gale left behind the life of a CPA for a long stint on the road in the van with the boyfriend before starting the show. It was a big risk, she talks about, as well as sharing about living with your significant other in a confined space, and why she loves connecting with women in the outdoors.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love the outdoors, or are feeling the call to adventure.
- You are a She-Explores listener and want to get to know the voice behind the podcast.
- You’ve thought about quitting your job to pursue your passion and want to know how to do it.
- You want to explore in a van or take a long road trip with your partner.
- You want to start a podcast or just hit the road.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/36
Chris’s Wild Idea: To make a living by writing and talking about surfing and skateboarding. To use humor and positivity to land his dream job, and remain relevant though the ages.
Chris Cote is a professional action sports personality. He got his start as a competitive surfer and skateboarder, became editor of Transworld Surf Magazine, and is now a commentator on the World Surf League, the commentator and host of the Vans Park Series, the editor Encinitas Magazine and the host of his own podcast, the Monday M.A.S.S. He’s also a hilarious and positive guy who can still skateboard and surf with some of the best pros in the business. He not only shares great stories including getting branded by Blink182 and Green Day, hanging out with Andy Irons, his encounter with a sea anenome and the crazy stuff he’s seen at surf and skate competitions; but he also shares about failure, getting sober, how to stay relevant no matter how old you are, and what it really takes to create your own dream job, and how you can do that now.
Listen to this episode if:
- You surf, skate, snowboard, or love action sports.
- You want to hear a hilarious storyteller.
- You are a Chris Cote fan.
- You want to create your own dream job, or work in action sports.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/35
Steve’s Wild Idea: To share deeper stories about travel and adventure by creating an online and print media company, Adventure Journal.
Steve Casimiro is the founder of Adventure Journal, an online magazine with a beautiful quarterly book that covers the deeper side of adventure. Steve has worked in journalism for years. He got his start in newspapers, then worked at Powder Magazine, helped start Snowboarder Magazine, was the founding editor of Bike Magazine, and then the west coast editor of National Geographic, before he jumped into the world as a media entrepreneur.
Becoming an entrepreneur, and starting a media company, especially at the height of the recession wasn’t easy, but Steve had the experience and the willingness to do every single job necessary, even packing and delivering magazines, to make it happen. He shares tips about starting your own business, why failure is important, and how art and adventure go hand in hand.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love adventure.
- You love old school journalism, great stories and beautiful magazines.
- You are a photographer.
- You want to start a business.
- You want to know what it really takes to start a thriving adventure magazine.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/34
Shanti’s Wild Idea: To improve people’s lives, health, and communities by getting families outside through Hike it Baby.
Shanti Hodges is a journalist, writer, and mom who started a community called Hike it Baby. The non-profit organization’s mission is to connect families and get them outside, especially when their children are young. Hike it Baby is now responsible for bringing families and babies on over 3,000 hikes a month in over 330 cities.
Shanti is an inspiring woman who had a wild idea and made it a reality. She shares insights on how Hike it Baby grew so rapidly, what it takes to start a movement, why nature is so good for babies and adults, and why Facebook called up Shanti and personally invited her to their headquarters.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love hiking, nature and being outside.
- You’re a parent or love kids, and want to spend more time with family outdoors.
- You are a city slicker and intimidated by the outdoors.
- You want to start a community.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/33
Damien’s Wild Idea: To chase his dreams of being a professional athlete while spreading positivity everywhere he goes.
Damien LeRoy is a professional and world renowned kiteboarder, paraglider, stuntman, and athlete. Last year he had a terrifying crash where he fell over 150 feet from the air into a forest of mangrove trees and broke his leg, ribs, punctured his lung, and more. He could have easily died, but ten months later he is almost completely recovered and already back on his board.
Damien shares his story with me and talks about what was going through his head while his lines were tangled and he began to spin out of control in the air. He also talks about his unique upbringing (dad was in James Bond movies and he was a pro skier and lived in the mountains for many years). He also shares about working on the new Baywatch movie with the Rock and Zach Efron, how his approach to kiteboarding has changed since his accident, what it is like to be a professional athlete, what he always takes on the road, and why he strives to be positive 100% of the time.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love adventure.
- You want to hear a crazy story.
- You kiteboard, ski, paraglide, or use a GoPro camera.
- You want to know why Damien took off his clothes at the OutFound Series.
- You saw the movie Baywatch.
- You strive to live a life of purpose and positivity.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/32
Cyrus’s Wild Idea: To continue to learn about our planet, people, and our passions by making films about these topics and sharing them with the world. To be interested instead of just interesting.
Cyrus Sutton is an incredibly thoughtful and introspective person. A director, filmmaker, surfer, adventurer, and sought-after brand ambassador, Cyrus has produced Emmy Award-winning films, including Stoked and Broke, and is the founder of Korduroy TV, a website that explores creativity and sustainability in the outdoors. His latest film, Island Earth, documents how we grow our food, and explores the challenges between using conventional agricultural practices (including the use of science and chemical solutions) versus using ancient techniques to feed our population and our planet.
Cyrus has travelled all over the globe, lived in California and even spent some time living and working out of a van. He now resides in the Pacific Northwest where he is working on growing his own food and enjoying documenting others who also live off the land and are interested in permaculture and sustainable ways of living. I’ve always been interested in Cyrus’s ideas and films, and enjoyed this conversation a lot. There are some true gems about following your dreams, the unique world of social media, the power of storytelling and the reality of what it takes to make a career around your passion.
Listen to this episode if:
- You are interested in pursuing your passion full-time.
- You care about organic, non-GMO food.
- You love adventure sports.
- You like watching surf films or you are a surfer.
- You are a curious person who loves learning.
- You love Hawaiian culture.
- You want to know the pros and cons of living, working or traveling in a van.
- You grow your own food or want to learn how.
- You want to be a filmmaker.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/31
Grant’s Wild Idea: To educate and raise awareness about mental health issues through surfing in bright colors, sharing his personal story, and starting a movement.
Grant Trebilco is the creator of One Wave is All it Takes (OneWave), a nonprofit tackling mental health issues, literally one wave at a time. The organization started in Australia, and has quickly gained worldwide attention through its “Fluro Friday” events, where participants surf in bright colors and wild outfits, drawing attention to a darker issue. I met Grant while surfing in Australia, participated in a few of his events, and have been inspired by his story. Because he had an experience he was willing to share, Grant’s organization has helped numerous people around the world, both in the water and on land. By doing so, One Wave has become an international movement with coverage in outlets like the BBC. Thousands of people at hundreds of beaches participate in Fluro Friday OneWave surf sessions every week.
Listen to this episode if:
- You have or someone you know has struggled with mental health.
- You love surfing.
- You’re passionate about a good cause.
- You want to surf in fluorescent colors.
- You want to start your own nonprofit.
- You love Kiwi and Aussie accents.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/30
Rebecca’s Wild Idea: To be a professional adventure racer and bike the Ho Chi Minh Trail in search of her father, who was shot down as a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War.
Rebecca Rusch has been a professional athlete for over three decades. She is a seven-time World Champion who continues to shatter the glass ceiling in whatever sport she tackles, whether it is climbing, rafting, or biking. She has a first female ascent rock climbing El Capitan in Yosemite. She has river boarded down the Grand Canyon. And she has beaten most men at endurance mountain bike racing.
Rebecca’s most recent journey goes much deeper. She biked 1,200 miles along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Southeast Asia to search for the crash site of her father’s plane where he was shot down in the Vietnam War over 40 years ago. She shared the journey with another mountain biker, a local Vietnamese woman, and they documented it all in an epic film by Red Bull Media House called Blood Road that just hit theaters.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love adventure, adventure racing or know of Rebecca Rush.
- You know someone who was in or affected by the Vietnam War.
- You have ever wanted to do an epic adventure.
- You love stories about family, friendship or history.
- You love giving back.
- You love amazing documentaries.
- You want to listen to the most badass female athlete I have ever met.
- You want to hear how finding magic is possible, even after massive blood, sweat and tears.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/29
Angela’s Wild Idea: To combine spirituality and athleticism while helping others find their own purpose through fitness.
Angela Davis is an international fitness evangelist and motivational coach, who’s helped lead events alongside people like Oprah. In addition to being one of the most inspiring voices and coaches, she’s a former member of the USA track and field team and was a five-time All-American who held world rankings in the 100 meter race.
These days, Angela can be found instructing one of the most sought after SoulCycle classes with long waitlists and tons of celebrity clients. There’s countless reasons why. One is that her class feels like being inside an upbeat church, with awesome music. You forget you’re in a dark room getting sweaty, and leave the studio feeling pumped up and ready to conquer the world.
Angela shares her journey to finding her purpose and how you can find yours. She also shares why working out on the inside is as important as working out on the outside - it’s not just about that tight bootay!
Listen to this episode if:
- You have twenty minutes to get inspired.
- You love SoulCycle.
- You attend fitness classes.
- You’re searching for your purpose in life.
- You want a good technique to conquer your fears.
- You’re the smartest, most inspiring person in your friend group.
- You are a runner, an athlete or just want a little more mojo.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/28
Izzy’s Wild Idea: To be a rebel, to start the first all-women’s surf school, and to create a thriving business in a bikini.
Izzy Tihanyi started the first all-women’s surf school in 1996. Prior to founding Surf Diva, Izzy was a competitive collegiate surfer, competed on the professional women’s longboard circuit, hosted a TV show for action sports, and at one point was even my surf camp counselor.
Izzy has an awesome story, which is why she frequently gets asked to speak at business and sports events. She also happens to be one of my best friends ever, so we get a little cheeky on the show. We dive into some pretty serious topics too, like body image, the work ethic that is instilled when you come from an immigrant family, starting a business in a bikini, advice to teens, why surfing naked is awesome, and how to be the best surfer in the water.
Listen to this episode if:
- You wish you didn’t have to wear shoes to work.
- You surf or want to know how to surf.
- You love the ocean.
- You are an entrepreneur or want to start a business.
- You know of or have been to Surf Diva.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/27
Gretchen & Taylor’s Wild Idea: To be able to go on an adventure at any moment with minimal planning and packing. To explore the world from a van and start a thriving business around their passion.
Gretchen Bayless and Taylor Hood are the founders of Roamerica Rentals, a camper van rental company based in Oregon that lets you take their vans all over North America and even to Canada. Their vans are decked out with items like Rumpl blankets, Stanley stainless steel cooking ware and local organic coffee, so all you have to do is show up with clothes and hit the road. Van life is all the rage right now, and it’s definitely a passion for these two - which is why they were so eager to start a business around sharing their love of exploring the great outdoors with the world.
What I love about their story is it’s very real. Starting a new company isn’t always easy, and as fun as a camper van rental company might sound, it comes with challenges, like working day jobs! That’s right - Roamerica is their side hustle. They didn’t let time or stress or some serious health problems hold them back. Gretchen and Taylor have a lot of joy and a huge sense of adventure, and that shines through in everything they do. They share tips for getting through the highs and lows of starting a business, and letting us all in on the true van life essentials so you can get on the road and get going.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to travel out of a van.
- You want to see the world.
- You love the Pacific Northwest.
- You’re starting a new business.
- You’re struggling with Lyme Disease.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/26
Devyn’s Wild Idea: To connect people through films and stories that will change the world.
Devyn Bisson is a documentary filmmaker who got her start as a beach lifeguard in Huntington Beach, Calif. At just 25 years old, Devyn has produced and created several award-winning films, including The Wave I Ride, and a short about Syrian Refugee Crisis, Lighthouse Molyvos, that’s coming out this summer.
Even though she’s young, Devyn has a lot of wisdom about the power of telling a story, and how you can tell your story now. She talks about the similarities between making films and lifeguarding – in many ways they can both save lives. She also shares tips on how to find stories, how to listen to your gut, and how to follow a film’s story so it resonates with a greater audience and takes on its own life.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love documentaries.
- You’re a surfer or a lifeguard.
- You want to be a filmmaker.
- You are interested in telling important stories.
- You’re an artist, poet, or a rebel.
- You care about the Syrian refugee crisis and the world.
- You want to make a career doing what you love.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/25
Brogan’s Wild Idea: To disrupt people’s idea of fitness by creating awesome, fun free workouts and build community around the globe.
Brogan Graham is a former collegiate rower and coach with a giant heart, a great sense of adventure, and a huge personality. He and a buddy needed a way to work out in the winter months in Boston, so they started the November Project.
What started with a few people running stairs at the Harvard Stadium and doing workouts around Boston has now grown to a movement with thousands of followers at over 37 cities around the globe. The November Project has been described as like Fight Club, but with hugging and some pushups instead of punches.
Today, thousands of people of all abilities show up in cities all over for free group workouts with the most positive people. Brogan is also a captivating speaker, which is why huge corporations like Facebook have called him to speak to thousands of employees. Even though he says he got thrown out of every school he went to, he has some great tips on how to live out any wild idea.
This was also a fun podcast because we recorded it the way I intended when I created WIWL. We went surfing, came back had some guacamole, chips, a cerveza and let loose. It’s an entertaining show with a lot of energy.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love free workouts.
- You want to be a part of an awesome community.
- You dig social media.
- You like interacting with strangers.
- You have done or want to try a November Project Workout.
- You want to hear an entertaining podcast.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/24
Mark’s Wild Idea: To share his family’s story of mental illness and help others. To also choose commitment and love over fear.
Mark Lukach is a father, husband, teacher, surfer, bodysurfer, and the author of the new book, My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward, published by Harper Collins and on shelves this month. Six years ago, Mark submitted an essay about his wife’s struggle with mental illness and its effect on their marriage that was immediately accepted and published in The New York Times’ famous Modern Love column. The story quickly led to a book deal, and to many reaching out thanking him for sharing about such a difficult topic.
In addition to being an awesome writer, Mark is a teacher and the Dean of a high school in northern California. He loves trail running, body surfing and surfing, especially in Ocean Beach. His message about sacrifice, commitment and being vulnerable is so important to living wildly, and also inspiring.
Listen to this episode if:
- You have or know someone with a mental illness.
- You are or want to be a writer.
- You love teaching high school students.
- You have a story you want to tell, but are afraid to tell it.
- You are a runner who loves hitting the trails.
- You love surfing or bodysurfing.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/23
Norah’s Wild Idea: To create an innovative company that makes seafood not only sustainable and delicious, but helps improve the health of the oceans while connecting people with their food and where it comes from. To also empower other young female entrepreneurs to take risks in businesses even in industries primarily dominated by men.
Norah Eddy is the co-founder of Salty Girl, a sustainable seafood company with an innovative way of doing business. She grew up in a small New England fishing town and has worked on and around fisheries and boats all over the world. As a surfer and all around water-woman, her love for the ocean is apparent not just in her work with Salty Girl, but in her personal life too.
I talked to Norah just before she gave her first TED Talk, and I can see why they invited her. Norah’s created an inspiring company that’s helping connect people with the food that they eat while encouraging sustainable practices. We talked about sustainability, becoming an entrepreneur, being a young businesswoman in a male dominated field, and creating a mission-based company.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love seafood.
- You want to save the ocean.
- You love companies with a mission.
- You’re a woman in a male-dominated industry.
- You want to change the world through business.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/22
Becky Mendoza and Emi Koch’s Wild Ideas: To advocate for the environment, give back to local communities, travel the world, and encourage other surfers and travelers to use their voices and make a difference.
Becky Mendoza is the founder of Changing Tides Foundation, and Emi Koch created Beyond the Surface International. Both non-profits connect surfers and travelers around causes that give back to local communities, and create positive change. These young women are inspiring not only because they took their wild ideas to do good on a local level, but because they’ve also been able to organize others to implement their ideas on a global scale. We talked about how to find the cause that lights you up, how to seek joy now, and why you get so much more from giving than you ever get from getting.
Listen to this episode if:
- Giving back is important to you.
- You want to protect the environment.
- You want to travel the world.
- You love meditation and exercise, especially surfing.
- You want to know how to get more involved in your community or while you travel.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/21
Eric’s Wild Idea: To travel around the world, cook with different cultures, and then inspire others through photography.
Eric Wolfinger has been called the Annie Leibovitz of food photography. He’s published over a dozen award-winning books, and done even more photo and film commissions with amazing chefs from around the world.
While he wasn’t always a photographer, after college Eric, who was also a longtime surfer, wanted to find a way to combine his passions for traveling and cooking. The unexpected answer was photography. While working as an apprentice at the famous Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, Eric traded surf lessons with owner Chad Robertson for bread baking tips, and soon after was commissioned to take the photos for the Tartine Bread cookbook. It was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2011 for Best Cookbook Photography, and since then, he’s become a sought after food photographer.
I’ve known Eric for a long time - we went to high school together and grew up surfing. He’s gone on to do some pretty wild things. In fact, today Smug Mug released an amazing film about Eric.
On this show, Eric and I talk about how the film got made, how he ended up shooting the Tartine Bread book, and how you can not only get that killer food shot for your own Instagram, but make a living doing what you love.
Listen to this episode if:
- You love snapping pictures of your food.
- You want to travel the world.
- You can always be found in the kitchen.
- You devour cookbooks.
- You want to make a living doing what you love.
- You’re curious what to cook for dinner tonight.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/20
Sarah’s Wild Idea: To bring all of you, to everything you do. To be your most extreme version of yourself and live to your fullest in work and life. And to stop being so afraid of failure.
Sarah Robb O’Hagan is the Founder and Chief Extremer of Extreme You. Formerly the President of Gatorade and Equinox, she’s also worked at Nike, Virgin, Air New Zealand, and is currently the CEO of Fly Wheel. Sarah shares about success, failure and how to thrive in work and life. Her new book, Extreme You, interviews everyone from Condoleezza Rice to Skier Bode Miller, with nuggets of wisdom from superstars in their fields.
Sarah has a great Kiwi accent and a positive sense of self. We talk about how to live wildly even if you work at a big company, why failure is a good thing, bringing your all to your business, and how to have a work-life balance.
Listen to this episode if:
- You are afraid of failure or have ever failed.
- You work at a large company and want to be a badass, even 9 to 5.
- You are a fitness and adventure fanatic.
- You’re a working parent and athlete.
- You are looking for a better work/life balance.
- You want to know how to thrive in a male-centric career.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/19
Chris’s Wild Idea: To establish and climb the most challenging routes in the world.
Chris Sharma is one of climbing’s most accomplished athletes. He started climbing at the young age of twelve in gyms in his native Santa Cruz, CA and now searches out the most difficult, beautiful, and seemingly impossible climbs known to man. He continues to push the limits of what’s possible in the sport, and isn’t afraid to pursue routes that can take him years to accomplish.
In 2013, he opened a gym, Sender One, in Los Angeles. He now lives in Barcelona, Spain with his wife and daughter, where he just opened his own climbing gym, Sharma Climbing.
I recently had a chance to sit down with Chris at a friend’s dinner party and got to ask him about his climbing and life philosophies, his passion for deep water soloing, the evolution of the sport, being a stunt double on the movie Point Break, and so much more.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’re a climber.
- You want to try deep water soloing.
- You love travel and adventure.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/18
Amy’s Wild Idea: To impact the world though yoga and activism.
Amy has the dream job of a traveling around the world as a yoga teacher, which she started doing in the 1980s. She has a different take on yoga than many. It’s not just about working out and breathing. The practice of yoga also has ties to activism, which is why Amy does things like take her yoga to the oceans to raise awareness for the environment and animal conservation.
Amy is a faculty member at the Omega Institute, Esalen, and Kripalu, and a regular presenter at Yoga Journal Conferences, Asia Yoga Conference, Wanderlust Festivals, and more. She’s also a prAna ambassador, which is how I was lucky to meet her.
Listen to this episode if:
- You practice yoga or want to get more involved in yoga.
- You want to live a healthy lifestyle physically and mentally.
- You’re an activist.
- You want to help save our planet.
David’s Wild Idea: To optimize your health, athletic and mental performance, and sex appeal with a plant-based diet and intermittent fasting.
David has some unique ideas when it comes to nutrition, fasting, and health. He’s all about using fasting as well as an exclusively plant-based, whole foods diet to promote optimal health and performance.
David studied physiology and nutrition at Columbia University and is a registered dietician. He worked at Columbia Athletics as a strength and conditioning coach, and has been a nutrition consultant at Facebook. Most recently David is at True North Health in Santa Rosa, CA which is a supervised water fasting center, where he manages the fitness program. In addition to all of this, he also works with professional athletes on plant-based nutrition and using intermittent fasting to improve their performance.
David eats every other day, does some wild experiments when it comes to his health and nutrition, and is always pushing the envelope and testing new ways of using the fuel we put in our bodies.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to try intermittent fasting
- You are interested in water fasting
- You’re ready to move to a plant-based diet
- You’re interested in improving your mental and athletic performance
Brendan’s Wild Idea: To create a more environmentally and socially sustainable world.
Brendan Brazier is one of the most well know plant-based elite athletes on the planet. He’s the author of bestselling book Thrive, and the founder of several companies including Vega, a plant-based nutrition company. His new magazine, Alive, is available for free at health food stores around the country. He also advises celebrities like Venus Williams, Hugh Jackman, and entire pro-sports teams about their nutrition.
Brendan is all about living a healthy, sustainable lifestyle, and his mission is to help educated people about the possibilities when it comes to an environmentally friendly diet.
Listen to this Episode if:
- You’re interested in a plant-based life
- You want to know how to train hard while eating a plant-based diet
- You’re interested in starting a business
- You’re passionate about environmental and social sustainability
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/15
Caroline Paul’s Wild Idea: To overcome fear, cultivate bravery, and encourage others to live with more adventure.
Caroline Paul is the New York Times best-selling author of four books, including Fighting Fire, a memoir about being a San Francisco firefighter; the illustrated Lost Cat, A True Story of Love, Desperation, and GPS Technology; East Wind, Rain; and The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure. She’s competed alongside Olympians as a luger, swam for dead bodies in the San Francisco Bay, made first ascents down Class V rapids, surfed giant Ocean Beach waves, attempted a Guinness Record (in high school), and even walked across the Golden Gate Bridge. She just presented @TedWomen, and is a highly entertaining and empowering story-teller.
Listen to this Episode if:
- You want to cultivate bravery.
- You want to overcome fear or look at it from a new perspective.
- You want to become a firefighter, writer, or just live with more adventure.
- You want to listen to an amazing story-teller and one badass woman.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/14
Chris Burkard’s Wild Idea: To become an adventure photographer.
Wanting to discover the best photographs in nature, Chris Burkard decided to go to the most remote and raw of places. While he was well on his way to become a leading surf photographer, spending most of his time in tropical water, Chris wanted to go to places that were a little more untrammeled by man. He knew a little sacrifice, just might yield amazing results and photos.
Listen to this episode if:
- You want to be an adventure or nature photographer.
- You want to find a deeper connection to nature.
- You want to know how to balance family and travel.
- You want to learn tips on how to become a successful photographer.
- You have ever seen one of Chris Burkard’s stunning photos.
- You just want to listen to a great storyteller.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/13
Kate and Kim’s Wild Idea: To create an athletic company to empower women to cultivate their grit to find their grace. To make women feel good and safe while working out. And to create athletic clothes are are fashionable and effective.
Kimberly Caccavo and Kate Nowlan are the founders of activewear brand GracedByGrit. They started this business from scratch, and it has now become a successful company with a team of rocking women at the helm. They believe in a business with a mission, and are passionate about teaming up with causes they care about to raise both funds and awareness. It’s an inspiring conversation about starting a company, building an awesome team, and creating an exciting culture.
Listen to this episode if:
- You’ve ever thought about starting your own company
- You’re passionate about women led businesses
- You are an active, athletic, fashionable woman
- Giving back is important to you
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/12
Alana Nichols’ Wild Idea: To become a world-class athlete despite any limits.
At 17, Alana was on her way to college on a softball scholarship when she attempted a flip snowboarding, and landed directly on a rock on her back. She suffered a spinal cord injury that left her paraplegic. Instead of giving up sports altogether, Alana transitioned to adaptive sports, quickly becoming a top Olympic competitor in skiing, wheelchair basketball and sprint kayaking. She has some crazy stories about falling, and about winning. She has most recently taken up surfing, and is one of a few females competing in adaptive surfing, and helping pave the way for more to come.
Listen to this episode if you:
- Want to get massively inspired.
- Love the Olympic Games and sports.
- Have ever felt like giving up on anything.
- Want to hear what it's like to be on shows like Conan O'Brien and compete in the Olympics.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/11
Jaimal Yogis’ Wild Idea: To run away from home as a teen and learn to surf in Hawaii. Then, join a Buddhist Monastery. Next, head to head to Columbia Journalism School and become an award-winning journalist, and then the award-winning author of Saltwater Buddah, the best seller The Fear Project (where Jaimal surfed Maverick’s), Turtles Don’t Surf (an illustrated kids books), and soon to be released book, All Waves Are Water, due out by Harper Wave this July of 2017.
As a teen, Jaimal ran away from home to Hawaii where he found surfing. He also learned to meditate. This path lead him to life as a journalist and writer. The author of the science-based book, The Fear Project and memoir Saltwater Buddah, Jaimal has a brand new book, All Waves are Water that talks about surfing, God, mindfulness and love. It’s an important read for the era and Jaimal gives us a sneak peek into the story.
Listen To This Episode If:
- You need a dose of mindfulness, or are curious about the practice.
- Love the ocean and/or surfing.
- Are curious about being a writer.
- Want to know how to scientifically conquer fear to do things like surf giant waves or commit to something big.
- Have ever read one of Jaimal’s books.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/10
Bethany Hamilton’s Wild Idea: Surfing giant waves, having a family, giving back to others, and living life to the fullest no matter what.
Bethany Hamilton is one of the most empowering surfers of all time. She's had many wild ideas, from continuing to surf despite losing her left arm, to surfing giant waves at Jaws in Maui last year, starting a non-profit to help others, having a baby, speaking in front of crowds of 20k plus, and now making a movie, Unstoppable. Because wild ideas require wild living, this interview was done from a cell phone on an island, so the sound is not perfect, but the message is still clear. Nothing gets in the away for Bethany in achieving her dreams.
Listen to this episode if you:
- Are a Bethany Hamilton fan.
- Are curious how long she can hold her breath.
- Want to know how Bethany juggles her schedule.
- Want to hear some of Bethany's tricks and tips to life and surfing.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/9
Dean’s Wild Idea: To quit his corporate job and become the UltraMarathon Man. Time Magazine called Dean Karnazes one of the most interesting men. He's also one of the fittest men on the planet. On his 30th birthday (after tequila), Dean ran 30 miles non-stop for the first time. Shortly after that big run, he quit a lucrative, cushy job to become a long-distance, as in ULTRA-distance, runner. Since then, he’s run a marathon in every state, and he plans to run a marathon every country in the WORLD next year. WHO. DOES.THAT? Listen in for more.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/8
James Nestor’s Wild Idea: To leave the corporate life for a job as a freelance writer, then learn to freedive and uncover an entire world of science beneath the surface of the ocean that lead to an award-winning book, Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us About Ourselves
About a decade ago, James Nestor knew he wanted to quit his job, but he had no idea he’d become a freediver and develop such strong connection with the ocean. A surfer at heart, James always loved playing at the surface of the ocean, but when doing a story about freedivers, he learned so much more, including about what the ocean can tell us about ourselves.
If you love the ocean, have ever wanted to freedive, or want to be a writer, listen to this episode.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/7
Alison Teal’s Wild Idea: To Travel the World, Thrive and Get The Highest PSI (Primaries Survival Rating) of Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid Season 1, and Make Movies That Get People to Pay Attention to Plastic Pollution and Protecting Our Environment.
There’s a reason Oprah Magazine calls Alison Teal the “Oprah of Adventures” and Time calls her the “Female Indiana Jones.” While you and I were going to regular school, she was riding camels and climbing in Nepal with her adventurous parents. After studying film at USC, she was invited to participate on the Discovery Channel show, Naked and Afraid. She not only survived 21 days with a guy in the wilderness naked, but she used her fame from winning the show to promote an important cause, protecting our planet. Alison does it all with a ton of passion, a bikini and a pink surfboard. This episodes tells her story, to the tune of tropical birds signing behind her computer at her adventure house on the Big Island of Hawaii.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/6
Ryan and Nicole’s Wild Idea: To leave San Diego, their jobs and house to sail to French Polynesia. Now they are sharing their awesome story and you can find out how.
Ryan and Nicole Levinson of Two Afloat set sail for French Polynesia two years ago to pursue a dream. Taking on such a feat requires tons of preparation, but there’s only so much you can do on land to prepare for the unknown sea. Eventually, you just have to untie the dock lines and go, as they say. This episode explores how they untied the dock lines and set sail across the Pacific, with challenges and great feats they faced along the way. We also talk about Ryan’s own physical limits. Despite having FSHMD, a disease that literally eats away his muscles, he’s managed to defy doctors initial thoughts about his body and pursue the sports and activities, including sailing, that bring him joy. This is a story for anyone who has a dream, but has self-doubt and fear. It’s also a great episode for anyone wanting to set sail across the Pacific or even across their local bay.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/5
As a young boy, Joel Van der Loon grew up in South Africa and Tanzania, and has always been somewhat of a “wild child.” He and his dad grew up in a remote area of Africa, where he learned from the Massai, then sailed around the world, and lived a life very connected to animals and the untrammeled outdoors.
Find out about the lessons Joel’s learned from the Massai tribe, his cultural shock in moving to the United States, what survival skills you need NOW, and why major TV networks want Joel to show the world his survival skills. Also, hear about his terrifying encounter with a very wild animal and why understanding animals is so rewarding.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/4
Have you ever wanted to skateboard down the freeway?! Me too, except please don’t try that at home because you will most likely die!
Cindy Whitehead managed to sneak in a session on the L.A.’s busiest freeway one day and also did some other wild things. She was one of the first females to get a centerfold plus two-page article in a men’s skateboard magazine, and she’s become a renowned sports stylist for everyone from Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, and Drew Brees to Mia Hamm and Peyton Manning.
Cindy shares about:
- Breaking barriers, rules of the road and literally avoiding road rash.
- How to get a hold of people like Joan Jett when you need them.
- What to do if you are a little girl or adult (man or woman) with a dream.
- How to listen to your gut and down what you want regardless of what others think.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/3
Running across the entire United States of America is no easy feat. How about doing and training while working a full-time job?!
Pete Kostelnick recently finished doing just that. Starting in San Francisco and finishing in New York, Pete logged about 72 miles a day on his feet running, with only one day off. It took him 42 days, six hours and 30 minutes for a total of 3,067 miles. They have been calling him the real Forrest Gump, and he’s just a financial analyst from Iowa who SHATTERED a GUINNESS RECORD.
I love Pete’s story because this running adventure, which he broke a record doing, wasn’t his full-time job. He isn’t a pro athlete making heaps of money off of running. He’s a full-time financial analyst who had a dream to do something wild and made it happen by getting up two hours earlier to run, and then running after work while watching TV (which he says he would have just done sitting otherwise) after work to train. When he finished his run that he did take a few weeks off work to do (he has a very nice boss), he went back to work.
For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/2
Have you ever want to quit your job, uproot your life and do something crazy like SHATTER a record, ski at your favorite resorts around the globe, fall in love and get a HUGE book deal.
Meet Steph Jagger. Steph grew up with a good family, and had a great job in good old Canada, eh’!? She was working in public relations for major companies, made enough money to buy a new house and go skiing on weekends, but she wanted more from life. One day, while skiing in Whistler with some friends, she literally saw a sign. It read…
LIFT YOUR RESTRAINING DEVICE
The sign referred to that little metal bar you are required to lift before exiting a chairlift so you can ski down the mountain. Otherwise, you would be trapped in your chair circling the mountain all day long. Anyway, Steph is one of those people who believes in the power of a whisper that can turn into a ROAR. She took it literally.
SHE QUIT HER JOB. SHE MORTGAGED HER HOUSE.
She completely reconstructed her life as she knew it and decided, hey, I am going to go ski around the world, and why not break a record on the way!? She also once told me she was like a “Mullet,” business in the front, party in the rear. I didn’t ask her too much after this.
Back to uprooting her life. This was not an easy decision. People said she was crazy, including her own family. But she did it anyway. Along the way she skied gorgeous mountains, met fantastic and handsome men, including her husband (which I will let you read the book to get the gushy details full of humor and awesome sexy talk) and she SMASHED a record. The journey wasn’t all peaches and ice cream, but it revealed powerful realities about herself.
She shares with us about her journey, about why STARTING LINES are more important than FINISH LINES, and also why waiting never gets you to the end.
For full show notes visit, including links mentioned visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/cindy-whitehead-stories-from-a-female-skateboarding-pioneer/
Have you ever wanted to sail around the world, climb a mountain, travel to a new country, learn a new skill, start a business, write a book, or get in the best shape of your life? Wild Ideas Worth Living is podcast dedicated toward empowering others to take a break from the mundane and live out their wildest ideas. Host and Adventure/ Business Journalist, Shelby Stanger, interviews world-class explorers, scientists, health experts, authors, athletes, performers and entrepreneurs about how they’ve taken their own wild ideas and made them a reality, so you can too. From people who have sailed around the world, to people who have started a new business, broke a record or just stood up for something they believed in, some of the wildest ideas can lead to the most rewarding adventures.
