Explore every episode of the podcast Guides Gone Wild
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Thirteen Years of Low and Local (and a Lifetime of Lore): Amy Wight Chapman, Author and Hiker
Amy inspires me for so many reasons - the biggest, hugest reason being that she honors herself. She is creative, and knows she enjoys moving her body, so she keeps those two flames flickering at all times, even when she’s challenged by all the same things the rest of us are: family, injury, work, all the obligations that suck up our time and energy whether we want them to or not…
Amy’s book Just Like Glass: A Family Memoir is a one or two sitting affair, because you get sucked in from the start. Having grown up in a stoic New England family myself, Ruth’s approach to what was probably the biggest tragedy of her life reminded me so much of women I knew in my childhood.
I laughed, I cried, I told everyone I know who’s in a book group about this book, because this family really got to me. And I’m going to leave it at that, so you head to your favorite book store and request this title, if it’s not already carried, or head to amywchapman.com and hit the Buy Now button to order it directly from the Bethel Historical Society like I did.
Be sure to stick around until the end to be completely and utterly impressed by Amy’s movement streak. I’m telling you, this is the episode you need to be reminded to honor yourself in all the smallest ways, it makes such a huge difference!
Put Your Foot Down! Let's Hike Together for Racial Justice with Serena Ryan, Summits in Solidarity
27 Mar 2025
00:38:20
Are you like me, struggling with the overwhelming urge to punch something about 25 times a day right now, for sure every time you read a news headline?!!? Time to put your foot down. Literally!
Today I'm catching up with Serena Ryan of Summits in Solidarity, to learn about the latest iteration of the grassroots hiking initiative she co-founded that continues to break down barriers to outdoor access by raising critical funds for BIPOC-led organizations.
The 2024 Summits in Solidarity Hike-a-Thon launched March 20th with an ambitious goal: collectively hiking 5,000 miles between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice to raise $50,000 for two remarkable organizations: MANA (Maine Association for New Americans), that supports immigrants in connecting with nature and community resources; and Unlikely Riders, that creates welcoming mountain sport spaces for BIPOC Vermonters in skiing, snowboarding, and beyond.
There will be no talk of FKTs or thru hikes or 24 hour traverses, and I might not even go to the White Mountains, because I honestly don’t have time for that right now! Instead, I’m going to be getting ALL of my 75 pledged miles on my local trail systems - a few of the hikes I intend to do are less than a mile long!
Maine River Runners came to town the summer of 2023, and jumped right in to the local business community with their fleet of kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards, and accessories for rent, as well as a lesson program and shuttle service that brings paddlers up and down the Androscoggin from their riverfront home base in Bethel.
But this is no ‘Julie-come-lately’ story - even though her business just celebrated its first birthday, Julie Sloan has more than 20 years of experience teaching (both in classrooms and on the water), and holds certifications in swift water, coastal kayaking, SUP yoga teaching, and as an ACA Paddle Sports Safety Facilitator.
Julie’s story is one that fills me with joy because she has managed to meld her many interests and curiosities into a life she loves, that’s also creating so much good in the world and in her community as a result.
So get that river adventure on your calendar ASAP!:
Becoming a DoryWoman: Nicolle Littrell, DoryWoman Rowing
10 Mar 2022
00:36:29
I’ve got a fun little series coming to your earbuds to end this week with my new friend Nicolle Littrell of DoryWoman Rowing.
If you’ve listened to this podcast before, it probably won’t take you too long to realize why Nicolle’s story resonated with me - I’m not entirely unfamiliar with what happens when a woman collides with midlife and realizes she wants something entirely different than what she’s been up to the last few decades…
This one covers a lot of ground, so I’ve broken it up for you. Today we're mostly talking about how Nicolle got into rowing dories in the first place (since that’s not exactly an obvious outdoor activity choice for most people), and also how she basically manifested her way into her first boat….. was it pure will, or witchcraft? I’ll let you be the judge.
In Part 2, we'll be getting into the nitty gritty of Nicolle starting her business, and becoming a registered Maine Guide along the way. Some interesting insights in that one, if you've contemplated taking the Guide test.
Come back tomorrow to see what happened after Nicolle set her mind (and her oars) to starting her own business!
Or if you can’t wait that long, you can book a rowing session with Nicolle right now on her website, and also check her out on the socials, she’s @dorywomanrowing on Instagram and Facebook.
A parting thought!: If you haven’t created the free profile for your guiding or trip business on Navitour yet, now is the time to get in touch with them, they are cranking up their consumer marketing efforts at the end of March, just in time for warm weather bookings!
Become the Person You're Interested in Being: Jackie Lastinger, The Girls Trip Adventure Co.
03 Mar 2022
00:48:35
Jackie Lastinger of The Girls Trip Adventure Co. is my guest today - representing one of the very few so far that I’ve had the good fortune to meet in real life BEFORE I actually interviewed her.
Jackie organized a super-fun Shred Rebels gals snowboarding event at Sugarloaf this winter that my daughter and I signed up for, and it turns out that amazing day she pulled together for close to 30 women was the first step in her full-fledged return to the adventure leader world.
Listen in to find out how this barely car camping Georgia gal turned her back on the familiar, so-called ‘normal’ life plan, and started patching together the people, places and experiences that she intuitively knew would bring her joy. Next thing you know, she’s making snow and driving a groomer at Sugarloaf, among other things.
In addition to being my newest lifestyle design idol and a badass snowboarder, Jackie has launched The Girls Trip Adventure Co. and is hosting her first trip this summer. Since we recorded this, Jackie has actually sold out Catalina and the Channel Islands - woo hoo! -but I know what that means.... She's got her maps and calendar out in the snowmaker’s warming hut getting her next trip offering nailed down before mud season!
So follow Jackie and The Girls Trip Adventure Co. on Instagram, and head over to her fancy new website, and subscribe to be notified as soon as new adventures are posted so you don’t miss out on more fun!
You may sense from the lack of what my daughter calls ‘my annoying intro’ that this week is a departure from normal - and you are correct!
After 90 something consecutive weeks of posting an interview, I’m actually on vacation with my family this week, and since I double dropped my epic conversation with Sydney Williams on you last week, I decided to take a quick break to refresh and re-set today!
Never fear, I’ve got a bunch of great women queued up for the next several episodes, who’ll get you inspired to blast out of your comfort zone and try something new or go somewhere different. Or both! But you’re just gonna have to wait a few more days.
I hope you'll support the podcast by following us on Instagram and Facebook, or you could pop over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify and leave us a rating and review.
OR, in my opinion, the best possible way to support Guides Gone Wild is to share it with your friends who need a little kick in the pants to start adventuring with you! Send them the link to your favorite episode from the Guides Gone Wild website, all of the audio is available there, or just look for the share icon on your podcast player and shoot some inspiration right into your buddy’s messaging app - easy peasey!
Tthank you for your patience while I enjoy a little free time this week, I hope you’ll come back next week and join me when I jump back into the wild!
Hike Your Feelings and Your Healing: Sydney Williams (Part 2)
18 Feb 2022
00:41:28
And we are back! Yes, it’s Part 2 with Sydney Williams of Hiking My Feelings.
If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, I highly recommend you go back and do so, we laid down lots of groundwork yesterday that will make today’s conversation an even richer one for your eardrums.
BUT - if you’re more interested in the origin story of Hiking My Feelings than the story of the brains and breakthroughs behind it, you can still absolutely listen to this one on its own and get a ton of value.
Sydney brings the truth bombs fast and furious. So grab your flak jacket and start Hiking YOUR Feelings for real - the Blaze Your Own Trail to Self-Love program kicks off with a free workshop this Sunday, February 20th - make sure to visit Hiking My Feelings for more info or to sign up.
And lest you think the value stops there....more links galore!:
Blaze Your Own Trail to Self-Love: Sydney Williams, Hiking My Feelings (Part I)
17 Feb 2022
00:38:38
My guest this week, Sydney Williams, may be familiar to some (and if you listened in on my conversation with Victoria Amico of Plus Sized Outdoors a month or so ago, this name should definitely be familiar to you!)
Sydney Williams is the founder of Hiking My Feelings (the group) and the author of Hiking My Feelings (the book). And yes, you will have to listen to a little bit of fan girl blathering from me, because Sydney is a rock star and I have huge respect for what she’s creating and supporting in the outdoors.
Sydney and I could’ve talked for a week, there’s that much to dive into, and this conversation wound up being a long one. So I’m doing something a little different this week.
This is 'Part I' of our conversation, I’ll be dropping the rest tomorrow - load them both up and listen in as you head out for your long weekend adventures. But consider yourself forewarned - this conversation has plenty of salty language and adult theme landmines, so if you’re with your kids, you might want to pop in the earbuds first.
Although once you’ve listened, you might want to share with your tweener daughters anyway, because there are so many messages here that are important for women and girls to hear.
Make sure you check out Sydney's Blaze Your Own Trail to Self-Love program that will be kicking off with a FREE workshop on Sunday, February 20th! Sign up at Hiking My Feelings, and get ready to feel loved and supported as soon as this weekend.
You can also follow Sydney and Hiking My Feelings on Instagram or Facebook, and join one of their Virtual Campfires on YouTube.
Where There's a Will, There's a (Vagabond) Way: Tiffany Soukup, Vagabond Way
10 Feb 2022
00:56:41
I'm coming in HOT today with my guest, Tiffany Soukup.
Tiff is a fireball of energy and positivity, and will probably be #lifegoals to any of you who aspire to a life filled with travel and the outdoors.
Tiff and her husband are Park Rangers (aka Park Managers) within the Vermont State Park system, and have also served as the managers of the AMC’s Little Lyford Lodge & Cabins in Greenville, Maine for several winters. Although not this winter - and we’ll get into why in our conversation.
But if that wasn’t interesting enough, Tiff is also an inveterate world traveler during the stick and mud seasons, a photographer, a writer, and the #1 evangelist over at VagabondWay.net, as she terms it, a site about "a deliberate way of living, allowing the freedom to travel".
And because we covered some ground, links for everyone!!:
Cultivate Tomorrow's Wild Guides: Amanda Hatley, She Summits Co. [encore]
03 Feb 2022
00:55:25
Ignore that pile of snow by the driveway, today we are talking SUMMERTIME…… and summer camp! Like, unbelievably awesome summer camp that makes me FOMO even as an adult!
Amanda Hatley of She Summits Co. was on the pod waaaay back in September of 2020. At the time, as you’ll hear, Amanda was reeling from the impact that COVID was having on her new business -- but she was walking her talk, being brave, and figuring out her next pivot(s).
Fast forward to February, 2022 - She Summits is no fly by night startup.
Despite, or maybe I should say in spite of, all that is going on in the world -- ever-changing COVID restrictions, the Great Resignation, the uncertainty that’s been overwhelming pretty much every area of our lives -- Amanda and her She Summits team executed on a 2021 season of life changing, next level camp experiences.
Backpacking through and exploring all the hidden corners of Acadia. Hiking the AT, summiting Katahdin, white water rafting. Even kayaking with day campers in the Bangor area.
And She Summits Co. will be firing on all cylinders again in 2022, with day and overnight camps for girls in 1st through 12th grade. They even have a Junior Maine Guide program for 4th to 12th graders, how cool is that? Get out there, girls, we need more Guides Gone Wild in Maine!
She Summits Co. is so buttoned up. Their camp programs and trips are amazing, and they take great care to hire exceptional people and give them tons of training and support. I hope you will join me in spreading the word about this amazing organization, right now - because as anyone with kids knows, if you want to secure some safely supervised, electronics-free summer outdoor activity for your kid, you have to have it planned out by February break these days... #kidding not kidding.
Get over to SheSummitsCo.com and check it out, share it with your friends and family - let’s make this the best summer ever for Amanda, her company, AND the budding wild guides in your lives!
Lean Into Your Life (AND the Downhill): Christsonthy Drellos, Blue Sky MTB
27 Jan 2022
00:45:12
Today we’re going to try to break this arctic freeze streak we've been stuck in lately with a blast of FIRE from my guest, Christsonthy Drellos of Blue Sky MTB.
Christsonthy is the powerhouse mountain biking coach and instructor that Trish and I went on and on about back in the September 16th episode, when we recapped our amazing Vertical experience. If you are even vaguely interested in mountain biking OR fly fishing, I recommend you go back and listen to that one, so that I can make sure you come with us and amplify the fun for next year’s Vertical event!
And if you are slightly MORE than vaguely interested in mountain biking, you will love this conversation with Christsonthy. She is a certified mountain bike instructor and coach, and a positive force of nature.
Like, every sentence on her website ends in an exclamation point, and she’s smiling ear to ear in every picture you’ll see.
But that is entirely her persona - she and Blue Sky MTB bring the fun, whether to her base in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, or her winter home trails in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Christsonthy drops some great technique tips and gear recommendations, and her laugh is infectious, so drop on into this episode and get airborne with Christsonthy Drellos of Blue Sky MTB! And of course, make sure to follow Christsonthy @blueskymtb.
A sampling of the things we talk about (come on over to the Guides Gone Wild website to see the rest!):
Kingdom Trails - Sidewinder Trail (side note, we all need to tell Christsonthy to do some POV videos on her favorite Kingdom Trails for YouTube next summer so I can replace this bruh video with her!)
Blaze the Path (or Trail!) That Serves You: Victoria Amico, Plus Sized Outdoors
19 Jan 2022
00:55:59
Today I’m joined by Victoria Amico, the brilliance behind Plus Sized Outdoors - a curated online resource and blog for hikers, an instructional YouTube Channel, and now, an inspiring PCT Thru Hike you can follow along with starting this spring!
Victoria and I met cute during a Zoom class hosted by our mutual friend Emily Holland, the host of the Nature Untold podcast, and a former guest of this very pod. When Victoria talked a little bit about what she was working on, I started private messaging her, just to find out that she’s also currently living 30ish miles from me here in Mass. Next thing you know, we are on a socially distanced library date to chat all things outdoor inspiration, and I knew right then she was THE ONE…. for an upcoming episode! (OK, yes, I know, overkill on the rom-com metaphors).
Anyway, Victoria’s story is one of repeated disappointment and rejection while following "the path" that most of us have grown up thinking we needed to be on.
That kind of beat down takes its toll, as we discuss, but Victoria has lived up to her name and come out the other side victorious, ready to take on some huge things, and support lots of friends in the process.
I hope you’ll also head over to plussizedoutdoors.org, where you’ll find her beautiful site with all the fantastic resources that I go on and on about in this episode, I promise you’ll be just as impressed as I am.
And the rest of your required reading from this episode:
Go All In (and Bring Your 'Sisters' Along): Heather Kinal, Ride Cosmic Dirt & Rooted MTB Festival
13 Jan 2022
00:43:26
Today’s fabulous guest, Heather Kinal, is going to fuel our PLAN-UARY mojo!
Heather is the organizer of the Rooted Women’s Mountain Bike Festival that will be happening in July; she’s one half of the super-terrestrial force behind Ride Cosmic Dirt, a new women’s mountain biking clothing brand that’s launching its Kickstarter any day now; she’s the founder of the Instagram community Sisters in Singletrack; and not surprisingly, she’s also an all around lovely person who loves connecting women to each other, and to new experiences.
Heather and I caught up right before she left her home base in the Buffalo New York area for a cross country traverse to meet up with Ride Cosmic Dirt’s co-badass, Ashley Duffus-Jambor. Even before her trip commenced, Heather and I covered a lot of ground - we talk about getting started in mountain biking, building confidence, yelling at the internet, launching an apparel company during a pandemic, and why we need Rooted in our lives.
Getting Dirty for a Decade: Heidi Myers of Rasputitsa Teaches a Master Class in Intentionality
09 May 2024
00:31:42
Today we celebrate the decade anniversary of one of the most storied and epic bike races in the east, the Rasputitsa, with race co-founder and co-director Heidi Myers.
So what exactly is Rasputitsa, you might be asking? Short answer is, it depends.
This year it was a whole weekend of events built around a 50-ish mile gravel bike ride/race that based itself at Jay Peak in Vermont, and included 4,500 feet of climbing.
For the long answer, PLEASE go back and listen to my earlier episode with Heidi, and follow @rasputitsadirt on Instagram to let the energy and ethos of this amazing person (and the event she helped to create) wash over you.
Content warning - audio is admittedly not great. Heidi lives in a rural spot in northern Vermont, and her service left a lot to be desired... so I ask you to bring the same level of intentionality to listening to this podcast that Heidi and the Rasputitsa team bring to every little, tiny detail of their race planning. Find a quiet place where you can focus on her words, you won’t regret it.
And one final note - spoiler for those who haven’t yet listened to Heidi’s first appearance on this podcast - she’s been battling early onset Parkinson’s for years. She is the last person to expect (or desire) any kind of sympathy or extra attention for what she’s going through, but I do think it’s important to consider when you look at how intentional she is, particularly regarding this race and community. She really does blow me away.
If the Sign Looks Interesting, Take the Exit: Ranger Emma Mitchell of the Lowell National Historical Park
06 Jan 2022
00:53:20
Happy New Year! One of my 'resolutions' for this podcast way back when I first started it was to broaden the definition of adventure. I want everyone to reimagine what outdoor experiences look like, to bring a new appreciation of the small moments or unique connections with nature that you can have right where you are now, that can bring so much joy and fulfillment.
You don’t need to be 17 miles into the backcountry, surrounded by woods and megafauna, to have a fulfilling outdoor experience!
So to kick off 2022, I’m sharing my conversation with Emma Mitchell, who is a National Park Ranger. You might think that means Emma spends her days dodging elk in Yellowstone, or recommending day hikes in Acadia, but no - Emma is stationed at the Lowell National Historical Park in very urban Lowell, Mass.
If you’re not familiar with Lowell, it’s a mid-sized city along the Merrimack River that was one of the first planned industrial cities in America. In the first half of the 1800s, Lowell was an important center of textile production it’s canal-powered manufacturing became a model for urban development across the country, for better or worse.
Today’s Lowell benefits from the diverse ethnic and cultural makeup that is the legacy of employing successive waves of immigrants, but has had to grapple with the environmental disaster that was the industrial revolution, and the economic fallout of all of the city’s foundational industries moving south or overseas over the last century.
Emma’s chance visit to Lowell as a child actually set the stage for her applying to be a ranger at that park, as we’ll hear. But we talk about a whole heck of a lot more - so if you’re a jack trapper, get ready to rumble. And even if you have zero idea what I’m talking about, I know you’ll want to listen in to this fun one.
Make sure you follow @RangerEmma406 on Instagram, and check out some of the other links from our conversation:
Build a Community that Makes Your Soul Sing: Lessons from the MAP
30 Dec 2021
00:32:58
I’m sharing something a little different with you today, to close out COVID Dumpster Fire Year version 2.0......
Back in November I had the awesome opportunity to be on the other side of the mic as a guest on the Lessons from The MAP podcast, hosted by Jamie Blackburn.
Jamie is a somatic wellness educator whose mission is to help people decrease their anxiety and chronic stress by teaching them tricks to create a more Mindful, Active, and Present (MAP) life- that’s where the M-A-P comes from, Mindful, Active and Present.
I met Jamie through a podcaster Facebook group I’m part of (that was created by none other than Emily Holland, my guest on GGW back in May of this year). On her podcast, Lessons from the MAP, Jamie interviews female outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers about how adventures in the natural world have shaped their inner landscape - so of course I was honored to participate and share a little bit of the origin story of Guides Gone Wild!
A quick note before we dive into this conversation - you’ll hear us talking about the Guides Gone Wild Giving and Gifting guides - and guess what, even though the holiday season is winding down, there’s still PLENTY of time to make some year-end donations to a few more worthy causes! Or better yet, find a few organizations to support on an ongoing basis in 2022 - every little bit makes a difference, so whatever your giving goals are, I hope you’ll head to GuidesGoneWild.com/Giving to learn about the causes that are closest to our guests' hearts.
Also be sure to check out Jamie Blackburn’s work at InnerMapProject.com - you can listen to all of the episodes of her podcast and check out the wellness programs and resources she has available there.
Listen in as I take the hot seat and talk about finding new purpose and inspiration through conversation.
And while you're at it, let's raise a glass (bubbly, sparkly, kombucha, whatever) to 2022 - may this coming year create opportunities for all of us to forget, for a minute, what the potential viral load exposure of every freaking activity might be, so that we can grab a few friends and try something new - in community!
Be Kind To Your Mind: An Inspiring Chat with Some of the Leaders Behind TriState Hikers
23 Dec 2021
00:54:00
Feel like you can't find any moments of rest in all the craziness leading up to the holidays? Craving some clarity around what you want your 2022 to look like?
Today’s guests might just help with that. A few weeks ago I aired an episode with Ava Baptiste, the founder of TriState Hikers based in Brooklyn New York, and I hinted that I might have a little surprise coming up related to that conversation.
Ava delivered on her promise to set up a Zoom chat with several of her inspiring friends and fellow hikers, who are now helping her build out the new, formal, non-profit organization that Ava has just created, to serve as a solid foundation for the future of TriState Hikers.
This was super-spontaneous and casual, so apologies for some occasionally wonky audio. Not all of Ava’s team was able to jump on the call, but you are going to get a chance to meet and hear from Ingrid Neverson (Director), Maurisa Adams (VP), Wendy Brown (Secretary), Eustecia (Tessa) Herman (Pro), and of course, Ava Baptiste (Founder/President).
Almost without exception, these women tell stories of putting themselves, and their affinity for being outdoors, on the back burner of their busy lives for far too long. This is the perfect time of year to remind ourselves that putting yourself, and your mental health, last in a long line of priorities is a recipe for disaster.
So we’re gonna do what Ava preaches - we’re going to stop and check in on ourselves. Alot. Feel the feels and go find some joy. Do the things that serve us, because we can’t take care of others if we’re not taking care of ourselves.
The TriStateHikers.com site is live and ready for building community, scheduling hikes, sharing amazing photos, and most importantly, taking donations to support TriState Hikers’ amazing work around mental health awareness and creating opportunities for adults and kids to get into nature more.
Here are all the ways you can follow and support TriState Hikers!:
(And I'm sure they won't mind if you start harassing @Merrell about sending TriState Hikers some free gear for their winter hikers!!)
Don't forget to head on over to GuidesGoneWild.com, I’ve got some additional links to check out all the cool (and freezing cold) spots these ladies have adventured lately - and if you haven't already listened to my first episode with Ava, catch it there!
Heat Things Up with a DIY Adventure: Trish, Paula & Jen Visit Cedar Grove Sauna
16 Dec 2021
01:02:56
Come along as Trish, Paula and I ease on into the Cedar Grove Sauna, head out to the plunge tub, and then get inspired hearing where Jackie Stratton of Waterways Guiding was back in January of 2021, long before she knew she’d be creating such a magical experience from the ground up for a bunch of Massholes.
And while you've got fun on your mind, it's not too late to stock up on fun gifts and experiences to share this holiday season - head to GuidesGoneWild.com/Gifting for a little something for everyone on your list!
Make (and Claim) Space for Yourself: Ava Baptiste, TriState Hikers
09 Dec 2021
00:56:15
Today I’m delighted to be introducing you to Ava Baptiste, the founder of TriState Hikers.
Ava grew up in the Caribbean island nation of St. Vincent and The Grenadines, where being outdoors year round was the status quo. But in adulthood, as a single mom relatively new to NYC, her busy urban existence started sucking her into a darkness that she was finding harder and harder to shake.
When she walked over to a local park one day to try to clear her head and get some fresh air with her young son, Ava realized that that tiny dose of nature therapy had started to let a little light into her again, and she wanted more. And connecting those dots between her mental health and her time spent in Prospect Park was just the beginning.
I don’t want to spoil too much of the story, because listening to Ava is like getting a warm hug and I know you’ll want to hear it all from her.
Suffice to say this is a woman who has built something powerful and important from nothing, all while working 6 days a week and raising her son. Ava’s still working on her official New York guide license, but let me tell you, she can light a fire under entire communities, any one, any time, no matches required.
I hope you’ll follow TriState Hikers on Facebook and Instagram. And I really hope that after the holiday chaos subsides, when you start planning and organizing your trips and adventures for 2022, you’ll clean out your gear closet and dig out all those things you’ve used a few times (but maybe not lately), that have plenty of life left in them, and send them Ava’s way…. along with a big fat check to help her get more kids out hiking this winter.
Contact tristatehikers@gmail.com to arrange donations, or you can PayPal Ava and her TriState Hikers team using that same email.
And check out some of the other great stuff Ava and I talked about:
Biking Through Loss and Building a Legacy: Sandy Noble
02 Dec 2021
00:52:35
I had the monumental good fortune to meet today's guest, Sandy Noble, at the Vertical biking and fly fishing weekend I went to a few months back in the Northeast Kingdom (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, make sure to listen back to the recap episode I did with my friend Trish on September 16th, it’ll make you want to join us next year for sure.)
This was the classic case of meeting someone, and hearing a little kernel of back story that piques your interest.... once upon a time, I would’ve left that weekend thinking Sandy was cool and a decidedly bad@ss biker, and would have wondered about the rest of her story, but left it at that.
But now I have this podcast (aka excuse to be aggressively nosy with strangers) so I dove in all guns blazing and stalked her online to hear more - that’s what I’m sharing with you today. And I definitely wasn’t disappointed, I think you will enjoy this deeper dive with Sandy too.
Sandy and her husband Tom were pioneers responsible for building some of the first skate parks on the East Coast, back when skateboarding was considered a fringe activity, and skateboarders were the pariahs of urban centers and suburban downtowns. So that was already cool enough.
Then I find out that Sandy isn’t just a recreational mountain biker, but has raced the 12 Hours of Temecula, has raced cyclocross, and even dabbled in enduros and hare scrambles on motorbikes - I had to Google that last one, but holy crap, did I have even more respect for Sandy when I saw some of those videos online!
But wait, there’s more!!!! Sandy has also managed to raise four kids to functioning adulthood in her spare time. And by functioning, I mean they all have pursued their passions and achieved extraordinary individual success, while being amazing humans as well.
We cover a lot of ground in today’s episode - loss, grief, recovery, legacy, the power of the little guy, perseverance, parenting, flipping off the patriarchy….. And of course, Sandy telling me how she didn’t think she was that interesting. Seriously…
Lots of fun links from this conversation, here's a sampling (come on over to GuidesGoneWild.com for a complete list!):
Except....ok, for SEO purposes only.... For today’s episode, in honor of #WomenLedWednesday that's just gone by, and the onset of the holiday run-up madness, I did NOT stalk some new amazing woman on the internet for an interview, but instead, reached out to all of the amazing women I’ve already had the privilege to get to know here on Guides Gone Wild, and I asked THEM how we might be able to support their businesses and the causes they love this season and into the new year.
The response I got was fantastic, so THAT’s what I want to tell you about today - I’ve got two giant lists of amazingness compiled at GuidesGoneWild.com/Gifting and GuidesGoneWild.com/Giving. We are not making it hard for you, you now have the single link you need so you can perform a surgical strike and save your fingers from all that scrolling.
What do you remember most from 10 or 20 or 40 years ago - the random thing from Toys R Us, or your first camping trip, your first rope swing, or your first time trying something new and hard that you accomplished? I'm guessing it wasn't the EZ Bake oven.
Ok, maybe that's an unfair comparison, of course you remember your first EZ Bake, but you know what I'm getting at here.
Anyway - please think twice about your holiday spending this year. As the sun sets on COVID Thanksgiving 2.0, with supply chain issues being talked about every day on the news, guess where I want my holiday focus to be? Small, local businesses! Bonus points if they're women-owned! I hope you’re with me!
Also - because I’ll probably still be doing dishes from today on Tuesday, I’ve early dropped my Giving Tuesday link. Head over there to check out all of the causes that mean the most to the extraordinary people we talk to on the Guides Gone Wild podcast. Every little tiny bit counts, so I hope you’ll join me in reconsidering where you direct my end-of-year donations.
So that’s it. I hope you’ve had a restful, fantastic day, I hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend to come, and I look forward to bringing you another fantastic guest next week. But until then, stay the hell out of the malls. Please, please spend the weekend with the most important people in your life, getting a little wild.
Whether you’re an aspiring guide or aspiring adventurer, today's episode has something for you - my guest is Shay Bellas, the founder of a travel technology company called Navitour, based out of Portland, Maine.
I first reached out to Shay because I wanted to hear about her long-ago decision to jettison law school and found a professional women’s football team, the Maine Freeze. But when we started talking about her most recent venture, Navitour, I completely lost my initial train of thought, because Shay’s applying her serial entrepreneur skills to a cause near and dear to my heart - supporting and promoting local guides.
Navitour is developing an app that hopes to elevate the experiences of both the adventure participant AND the guide. From a traveler’s perspective, Navitour will be a go-to resource for all kinds of experiences that will allow an interested participant to get a good overview of the adventure and get to know the guide or leader before committing to the trip. But the part that’s super exciting to me is the way Shay and her team are building out the guide support.
Navitour aims to provide guides with the resources and tools they need to build out a liveable business around their adventure passions. Instead of spending time monkeying around trying to get a website up, or figuring out how to do online payments, or finding a place to get insurance, a guide can spend their time creating and delivering an awesome experience, and let Navitour help them with the rest.
One of my main goals with this podcast has been to introduce you to some fabulous guides, so the idea of this multi-faceted tool for building a guide business has me stoked. I’m excited to support Shay and the Navitour team as they ramp up their business and get the app launched this fall!
If you’re a guide or thinking of becoming one, I hope you’ll check out Navitour at MyNavitour.com and see if their model makes sense for you - even if you aren’t looking to guide as your primary profession, it seems like Navitour will provide some great exposure and access to tools, marketing, and clients that will help you maximize the impact of the time you DO want to spend on guiding.
Look for the Navitour app coming very soon in the Apple store, with an Android version right on its tail. And if you’re not a guide, and you don’t play one on TV, you can still reap the benefits of Navitour - sign up to be a tour tester now, who knows, you might find out about something fantastic you never knew about, and you’ll get to vet it and recommend it, so others will get the opportunity to enjoy it too!
Plan Some Post-Pandemic Play: Jen Hazard, The Maine Play Book
11 Nov 2021
00:41:27
Today, let's break through the darkness that has descended upon our days since the end of Daylight Savings Time with some inspiration and motivation to get outside and PLAY from Jen Hazard, author of The Maine Play Book.
When Jen first transplanted to Maine and had a young family, she started a blog to track and share all the fun adventures she went on with her kids. Fast forward a decade or so, and her kick-butt women’s writing group convinced her to share all that amazing content with the rest of humanity by curating it all into a super-duper easy to use guidebook, filled with creative ideas for day trips, activities, food stops, you name it, all over Maine.
The Maine Play Book is in its second printing already, and since we’re about to dive into the thick of holiday gift giving season, I think it’s the perfect time to introduce you to this amazing local author so that we can keep the positive momentum going. I also see myself Santa-ing a few of these guides into stockings this year, everyone I know could use a reminder to get out there for some post-pandemic fun!
Be on the lookout for more from Jen Hazard at JenHazard.com, and by following @JenHazardMaine on Instagram. And of course, pick up a copy (or 10!) of The Maine Play Book through Islandport Press, your local independent bookseller, or even Amazon if you must.
Be Your Own Hero: Lori Steere, Butter Hill Hideaway
04 Nov 2021
00:49:25
Today I'm thrilled to introduce you to my other-end-of-Notch neighbor, Lori Steere of the Butter Hill Hideaway.
Lori first came onto my radar when I saw a few posts she did on Instagram, talking about how she kind of impulsively bought a property in the middle of nowhere because of some indescribable connection she felt when she saw it. I have a bit of a history of impulsively dumb real estate purchases myself, so I was hooked, and kept following along as she started fixing the place up for rentals, and later started adding tent sites and making the property into a woodsy wonderland.
I finally ambushed Lori for an interview last month - I’d started messaging with her, and invited her to stop by when she was heading through Evans Notch on the way back from helping out a friend. She was a little caught off guard when, all of a sudden, I was trying to mic up someone (her) I had barely just met, but she was a super good sport and rolled with it.
Over the last few years, Lori has turned her acres of overgrown hillside farmland into a cozy homestead for her family, and a peaceful, amenity-filled camping experience for complete strangers. But like all good Guides Gone Wild stories, there were a few twists, turns, broken bones and electrical fires along the way….
I think if I keep doing this podcast for much longer, I’m never going to want to spend a weekend at home ever again - even though it’s getting mighty frosty in the mornings around here, I am DYING to get up to Butter Hill to spend a weekend hiding out in Lori’s super-cool tent village. If you are too, be sure to follow Butter Hill Hideaway on Instagram and Facebook, and get your getaway booked asap!
Take Your Advocacy to New Heights: Cindy Hession, 48 Peaks for Alzheimer's
25 Apr 2024
00:47:59
In honor of it being National Volunteers Week, today we're talking to Cindy Hession - scientist by day, hiker and volunteer chair for the 48 Peaks Hike to End Alzheimer's every other waking moment she can manage!
Cindy and I talk about her love affair with the White Mountains and hiking, her personal connection with Alzheimer's, and how the 48 Peaks fundraiser grew out of one man’s devotion to his wife. Her enthusiasm and dedication to this event will pour through your earbuds and make it obvious why Cindy was recognized with a national award earlier this year for her volunteerism.
To lend my support to Cindy AND the 48 Peaks initiative, I have started a fundraising team called Guides Gone Wildcats, and we are going to hike Wildcat A (and D on the way there, for all you peak-baggers!) If you want to join me on this epic hike, or support our team’s fundraising efforts with a donation of literally any amount, you can do both over on our Guides Gone Wildcats Team Page: http://act.alz.org/goto/guidesgonewildcats. Let’s DO THIS!
I hope you’ll hang with us until the end on this episode, because I’ve got a special offer for the Longest Day 48 Peakers out there, too!
(Re)Treat Yourself to a Bigger Life: Carrie Hoffman, Bigger Life Adventures & Grand Canyon Eco-Retreat
28 Oct 2021
00:56:07
Today I've got a question for you.... What would happen if, instead of fitting your outdoor passions around your 'real' life, you made a conscious effort to make your real life support and sustain your outdoor passions?
We’ve been examining different approaches to this challenge the past few weeks - first there was 'Tall' Ashley Leedberg, who literally walked out on her so-called 'real life' to start over in the outdoor industry. Then there was Briana Sullivan, who's negotiated a way to take a few extended breaks from the real world in order to do some thru hiking.
Today we’re talking to Carrie Hoffman, who has made her passions for yoga and outdoor, eco-friendly living into her full-time profession as a yoga teacher, adventure leader and eco-retreat owner. It hasn’t been all savasana, though - Carrie’s life adventure has taken some pretty crazy hairpin turns.
Whether it’s outwitting a bunch of raiding baboons, towing cattle tanks of fresh water for guests, or fighting her way through recovery toward sobriety, Carrie has proven more than woman enough to get sh*t done. I loved letting her positive spirit wash all over me, and I think you will, too.
I hope you enjoyed this one - if you dig hearing about the ins and outs of outdoor hospitality, you might also enjoy my episode with Serena Ryan of The Notch Hostel in North Woodstock, NH.
And get a close-up view of Carrie's beautiful bell tents and tiny structures @GrandCanyon EcoRetreat on Instagram, although fair warning, once you see how amazing her spot is, you might just find yourself booking a trip to the desert soon.
Get Lost to Find Yourself: Briana Sullivan Treks El Camino (Plus Teeny House Intel!)
21 Oct 2021
01:04:43
I'm bringing you a fun little (or should I say teeny) little diversion today with my encore guest Briana Sullivan.
Briana first joined me last December, when I interviewed her and her daughter Cambyr about their AT trek, completed during the craziness of early COVID pandemic. (If you haven’t caught that one yet, make sure to go back later, I’ve got it conveniently linked up for you here.)
I’ve been wanting to bring Briana back because:
A) she and Cambyr were good to their word and did a Camino de Santiago trek this summer that I have been FOMO-ing for months; and
B) I wanted to have an excuse to visit her floating tiny home, now that we’re all vaxxed up and before the weather got too cold to risk a Merrimack River paddle in my janky old Loon.
I’m still not sure it was the smartest move to be paddling out to visit her in the dark, which I wound up having to do, and I’m still going to have to go back during the day to appreciate the tiny completely, since Briana was having issues with her solar battery and only one party light that rotated between fuschia, blue and green was working while we chatted…. But since I talk a big game about everyone else getting wild, when the opportunity presented itself, I went for it!
As you might remember from the first episode we did, Briana is a whirlwind of energy on her down days, so you won’t be surprised by the enthusiasm she brought to a conversation about some of her recent favorite things. Enjoy!
Selected links from our convo (want the full list? Come on over to Guides Gone Wild and check out the episode page!):
El Camino de Santiago - Camino del Norte - Camino Primitivo - Camino Francés (*NOTE: I’m sharing links from this site because it has a decent overview of the various options, but reader beware, I have no idea whether the specific tour companies they recommend are good/bad/indifferent. Get a taste of it here, do your own research, and enjoy!)
Keep Things in (Outside) Perspective: Lauren Humphrey, Outside Perspectives
14 Oct 2021
00:45:21
My guest is Lauren Humphrey, the Community Outreach and Development Director for an nonprofit called Outside Perspectives that partners with youth development organizations in Connecticut to create immersive wilderness experiences for kids.
As we talk about in this episode, Lauren first came onto my radar when she was the Northeast Regional Coordinator for an organization called Adventure Mamas. So given all this, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that we’re talking about getting your kids, my kids, any kids into nature today.
Oh, and I didn’t mention that Lauren was also a special ed teacher, so she drops some amazingly tactical advice for those of us who’ve got some littles or not so littles we’re trying to convince to be our outside sidekicks.
But what surprised me was the added benefit/inspiration that Lauren’s story brought me that I wasn’t even counting on - basically, here’s a woman who moved cross country twice, picking up new activities and interests along the way…. Except when she’d get settled in her new home, she’d have to start all over again finding people who shared her passion to get out and climb or bike or snowboard with.
It’s all about the community, people, can you relate?
I hope you’ll head on over to outsideperspectives.org, check out all the great work this program is doing in Connecticut, and maybe do your part to make Lauren’s new development gig a tiny bit easier??
You can also check out Outside Perspectives in the wild, literally, over on Instagram or Facebook - Lauren’s already doing a killer job of sharing beautiful images and inspiration from this year’s trips, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store for the upcoming winter season!
Places and things worth checking out (or at least Lauren and I think so!):
FINALLY- if you want to borrow a page out of Lauren’s playbook and be a beginner again, AND have a shit-ton of fun doing it, my good friends the Two Maine Mermaids have a cold water challenge going on from now through the end of 2021 featuring lots of great Insta-worthy ideas for chilly dipping, whether in honor of the upcoming full moons or accompanied by hot cider, cocoa, or something a little stronger… Check out my episode with Kelsey and Caitlin here, or head to TwoMaineMermaids on Instagram to get more info on this fun (and f-ing freezing) challenge!
Seek (and Find!) Sanctuary Where You Least Expect It: Jennifer Klein, PhD, The Trustees of Reservations
07 Oct 2021
01:04:08
Today I’m joined by Jennifer Klein - make that DR. Jennifer Klein! - the Director of Outdoor Experiences for the Trustees of Reservations, an innovative land trust that shares a Massachusetts home base with 'that other Jen' (yours truly).
Whoever is behind the Trustees' lovely web presence deserves a lot of credit for their copywriting skills, because one of the first headings you see does a fantastic job of summing up what the Trustees of Reservations stands for - People. Places. Perpetuity.
Before we dive in, a quick history lesson - let’s take it back to the late 1800s, when the so called 'robber baron' industrialists were focused on extracting economic value from nature, and gridding out open spaces with railroads and buildings. A landscape architect named Charles Eliot recognized the benefits of preserving natural spaces for use for something other than lining pockets, and ideated and created the country’s first land trust, which was then called the Trustees of Public Reservations. As Eliot and others observed at the time, the ‘public’ was urbanizing fast, factory jobs were replacing farming, and they believed that the ability to spend time in nature would provide a very necessary respite from hectic, dirty, loud city life.
Now let's fast forward back to my new friend, Dr. Klein. She's no small-town-girl-livin'-in-a-lonely-world.... (you're welcome for that brain worm!) Dr. Jen grew up a city girl, spending vacations with her grandmother, enjoying the natural wonders of.... downtown Detroit. Cue record scratch.
So how did Jen Klein become interested in nature or outdoor recreation at all? That’s why we’re here, folks!
I hope you’ll check out the Trustees at thetrustees.org, and if you’re a full-fledged or proximate Masshole, please join me in the HikeTrustees Facebook group so we can get more intel on some fabulous spaces we haven’t yet discovered.
And speaking of discovery - I just KNOW you’d love to support the Guides Gone Wild podcast, and help more people discover all the cool, amazing women we talk to every week! PLEASE tag a few friends on one of our inspiring Instagram posts, or scroll down right here on your player and share your favorite episode!
Find (or Make) Your Own Happy: "Tall" Ashley Leedberg
30 Sep 2021
00:56:57
This week, we’re chatting with Ashley Leedberg, otherwise known as Tall Ashley, who’s a paddling and rec guide, yogi, mistress of the SUP, snowmaker, and all around badass - but none of those reasons were what got me to start internet stalking her for real.
I set out on a mission to meet her when I happened to read an Instagram caption she’d written in February of 2020 that was like a gut punch. You'll have to listen in to hear all of her actual words, but this line pretty much sums it up: "Never let your comfort zone become home to complacency."
BAM! She doesn’t realize it, but that post was one of a million little things that came to me at around the same time, that led to me starting this podcast and dreaming of a Guides Gone Wild community. Talking to her (finally) for the pod got me thinking again about the stuff that really matters.
But please don’t think this one is all seriousness - Ashley is a hoot, super fun and creative and up for anything. She was a blast to talk to, I know you’ll love her too.
Do we get a little salty? Yeah, we do, but you would too if you were talking about being wet and cold all the time, with no bathroom access, and only a Kia Soul to sleep in at the end of a long day...
So there you have it, more than a few teasers here - listen in and get the full fantasticness!
Make sure you follow Ashley’s kickass Instagram, @TallAshley, and if you want to become the proud owner of some super cool wood art home decor, keep an eye on her @WithTheGrain207.
We've got lots of fun and adventure in the works over at GuidesGoneWild.com, make sure you come over and subscribe so you'll be the first to hear about it!
Give the People What They Want: Kelley Cullenberg & Sarah Doscinski, Spandits
23 Sep 2021
01:04:10
How many times have you put on a piece of athletic or outdoor gear and been totally annoyed at the fit, colors, lack of quality, etc? Probably a bunch, but if you’re like me, you yank the waistband up to your boobs and just go on your merry way complaining.... or if you’re REALLY like me, you take off the offending garment, grab a snack or a beer (or both), and flop on the couch/bail on whatever the activity was that you were going to be uncomfortable or look like a doofus doing.
Thankfully, Kelley Cullenberg and Sarah Doscinski aren’t like me. At all.
A decade ago, when the track teams Kelley and Sarah were coaching asked for some sassy team tights to run in, they found some options, but each one was worst than the last - the fit would be off, or they would fall apart immediately, or the full-length tights would be like capris on their runners.
Instead of just going back to buying the blah black or navy ones that were the norm, these two enterprising women decided to make their own. Never mind that they had basically zero experience designing or stitching garments. And basically zero spare time.
That scrappy side hustle is now Spandits, a fun and functional Maine brand that has achieved a national footprint through its devoted brand ambassador evangelists and its internet and social media presence.
You can find Spandits online at Spandits.com, as well as at selected retailers. Also make sure to follow Spandits @spandits on Instagram and Facebook, and who knows, you just might see some familiar faces from previous episodes of the podcast popping up in their feed!
Just Show Up (Rocking That Hardtail with the Pull Brakes): Vertical Weekend Recap with Trish and Jen
16 Sep 2021
00:48:43
This week I welcome back my friend Trish for a reunion episode, because we literally just got home from a super fun event in the Northeast Kingdom with a bunch of bad ass women and we can’t shut up about it already...
We spent the weekend at the Vertical event, organized and hosted by Heidi Myers of Rasputitsa and Mary Zider and Ande Smith of Colavita, which on the face of it, was about gravel and mountain bike riding and fly fishing. But as you’ll hear, there was SO much more going on, and we left with a whole lot more than sore legs and tushies.
If Trish and I have done our job right, you will end this episode on the edge of your seat wondering how you can get in on all of the Vertical fun the next time, so you'd better start following @rasputitsagravel on Instagram, and keep up with all the good stuff on the Rasputitsa Gravel website.
Last but not least, if you haven’t yet listened to my episodes with all of the amazing women who were directly involved in this weekend, you really should get on that RIGHT THIS SECOND!:
Customize Your Life (And Your Chalk Bag!): Erin O'Toole, Oterra Designs
09 Sep 2021
00:44:00
I'm coming at you today with an interesting case study in risk taking, or should I say, the perception of risk taking.
My guest this week is Erin O’Toole. Erin’s an avid rock climber, as well as an entrepreneur; and not just some kind of internet digital entrepreneur, she actually founded and runs a small manufacturing company called Oterra Designs.
Now, I’m not sure which would scare me more, hanging from a granite rock face, or saying sayonara to my stable 9-to-5 to start a product company right before a global pandemic shutdown; both sound pretty terrifying to me. But as you’ll hear, Erin is taking it all in stride, and is enhancing the outdoor pursuits she loves with beautiful, functional and meaningful products.
One person’s risk is another person’s affirmation of life, after all. Every new challenge you undertake and persist through will leave you with a story to tell. So enjoy this storytelling with the brave and creative Erin O’Toole of Oterra Designs.
And if you’re interested in hearing more about our upcoming the Guides Gone Wild meet-ups we’ve got in the works, drop your email into our contact form and I’ll make sure to keep you in the loop as plans firm up!
Heal Some Souls and Change Your Life: Bonnie Holding of Casting for Recovery
02 Sep 2021
00:43:51
Today I’m honored to introduce you to Bonnie Holding, who is - literally - a legend walking among us.
Despite hating bugs and bad weather, Bonnie has been a Maine Master Guide for over 30 years, and was the first ever female recipient of the Wiggie Robinson Legendary Maine Guide Award in 2019. But that wasn’t even the reason I was most interested in talking with her.
For many years, Bonnie has also been the Maine program coordinator for an absolutely wonderful organization called Casting for Recovery, which creates opportunities for women who have or have had breast cancer to get together for small group retreats where they learn how to fly fish. As you’ll hear in this conversation, these retreats are both all about the fishing, and not at all about the fishing.
Bonnie is not only a legendary guide, but the personification of the eclectic mix of knowledge, skills and interests that successful women outdoor guides possess - equal parts entrepreneur, creative, short-order cook, tech support, community builder, teacher and hospitality pro. Oh, and did I mention she does fine art commentary as well?!?
Grab Your Hot Saw and Show Them How It's Done: Alissa Wetherbee of Axe Women Loggers of Maine
26 Aug 2021
00:56:07
I'm taking you down another one of my personal fixation rabbit holes today with the awesome Alissa Wetherbee from the Axe Women Loggers of Maine!
I was first introduced to the Axe Women Loggers of Maine when they were on the program at the Topsfield Fair, here in Massachusetts where I live most of the time. My dad has been involved with the fair forever, I grew up kicking around in the vegetable building helping to set up and break down every October, and even though my days of growing championship veggies are long behind me and my kids are only interested in the midway rides and ripoff games, I still try to get there every few years to get my fix of greasy pole climbs and fried food (and maybe a little bit of tractor pulling or demolition derby!)
Which brings me to today’s guest, Alissa Wetherbee. A few months back I saw something on Instagram that reminded me of the one time I saw the Axe Women Loggers at the Fair, so me being me, I went into web stalker mode.
Alissa’s logging sports domination came pretty organically, since she spent a lot of her childhood and teenage years cutting and processing wood for her family’s use. When she got a little bit older, instead of taking some thankless waitressing job in the summer, she parlayed her chainsaw skills into being the token girl in a local tourist trap lumberjack show. Eventually she realized that there were actual timber sports competitions that had actual prize purses, and even though it was a lot of the same women competing in all of those competitions, there were other women - period!
Alissa made some great friends on the circuit, and as she looked around at what some of the guys were doing in their off season, namely getting paid to demonstrate logging skills, her creative juices started flowing…
You can find more information about the Axe Women, becoming an Axe Women Pathfinder, upcoming events, all the things on the web at Axewomen.com, and you can follow them @axewomen on Instagram and Facebook as well, they share all kinds of pix from their travels and you might just be the first to know the next time Alissa has one too many shots and rolls a log down the Erie Canal or whatever...
Wrestling Your 'Dream Life' Demons: Tarin O'Donnell, Tarin It Up Podcast and TKO Yoga & Fitness
05 Apr 2024
01:12:07
Sliding in better late than never this week (DAMN POWER OUTAGE!!) with my fabulous new friend, Tarin O’Donnell of the Tarin It Up Podcast.
Tarin and I met through a women’s podcasting group, and even before I listened to her podcast, I realized I had to have her on because she’s been living a life that a lot of us glamorize and feel a little bit envious of…. Picture snowy woodlands, gorgeous mountains and lakes, skiing, snowmobiles, yoga, avy training at a craft brewery... It’s Lake Tahoe for crying out loud. You know the jam.
But - the reason I wanted to invite her on was NOT to give us an even worse case of FOMO - it’s because Tarin also keeps it totally real when it comes to talking about the hard and challenging things that can be part and parcel of “living the dream”.
There’s so much good stuff here - Tarin has spent almost her entire life tearing up the list of traditional expectations that society tries to guardrail girls and women with (spoiler alert: yes, she's a wrestler!!). She’s also been super creative in the way she’s crafted a life she can live on her own terms - up to and including recognizing and problem-solving for the burnout and financial challenges that pop up like annoying whack-a-moles as a result of her seasonal, outdoor-oriented lifestyle.
So listen up! And if you agree that Tarin would be the coolest online fitness coach and trainer ever, you can check out her offerings on her business site, TKOYogaFit.com, or connect directly with her on Instagram @tarin.k.o , she’s TKOYogaFit on Facebook, or TarinODonnell on LinkedIn.
And you most definitely should click on over to the Tarin It Up Podcast right now and subscribe or follow, maybe even queue a few up for this weekend’s drive up to whatever adventure you’ll be getting at once this stupid weather blows through. You’re welcome for introducing you to a new adventure bestie in your earbuds!
Hope to see you at Guides Gone Wild's Tuesday Meetup - April 23, 2024 @ 6:30pm - True North Ale Company, 116 County Rd, Ipswich, MA - head over to Guid
Reuse, Recycle, and Remember That Time You Didn't Wreck Yourself: Mischa Ostberg, Eastern Mountain Designs
19 Aug 2021
00:58:10
I’m amping up the creativity and inspiration today with my guest Mischa Ostberg of East Mountain Designs.
Mischa was a language polymath, lapsed artist, and occasional car camper who thought that ‘backpacking’ meant ‘wearing a backpack on a day hike’ - fast forward barely 5 years, and today's Mischa is an avid climber and new Maine transplant who just completed a celebratory trans-Acadia hiking traverse, and is feeding all of our outdoor FOMO with the most amazing pieces of upcycled art on their Instagram feed, @east_mountain_designs.
And yet, Mischa didn’t understand why I’d ever want to talk to her for the podcast. Like, really?!?
I think you’ll all agree that Mischa belongs on the pod (just like the rest of you do!)
Mischa really is the personification of one of their delicate line drawings - magnificent when viewed as a whole, but also comprised of all these minute but important details; the closer you look, the more interesting they get!
Emphasize Organic Fun (and Don't Worry About the 'Game Plan'): Sabra Davison, Little Bellas
12 Aug 2021
00:50:08
Today my guest is Sabra Davison, one of the founding powerhouse trio of women behind Little Bellas. Little Bellas should sound familiar to you by now if you’ve joined me for a pod or two before - it’s an organization creating opportunities for girls to build life skills and confidence through mountain biking fun.
As Sabra and her sister Lea started getting serious about mountain bike racing in college, they also started noticing what an anomaly it was to see more than a few women involved in most races. One fateful day, Angela Irvine happened to line up at a start with them (or should I say lined up behind them), and the conversation they struck up with her after the race turned into lots of Thai food and brainstorming about how to create a welcoming, supportive space for girls and women in the sport they all loved.
From its humble beginning in rural Vermont, Little Bellas has grown into a nationwide program that has served over 4,500 girls through camps and weekly programs for riders of all skill levels.
But don’t let all the bikes fool you - while programs encourage and support skill progression and developing greater comfort on two wheels, Little Bellas make just as many memories at snack time and through crazy games they make up and play in their groups.
I hope you’ll follow Little Bellas on Instagram or Facebook - you can also get tons of information about Little Bellas programs and mentorship opportunities on their website, LittleBellas.com.
Lea Davison (@leaeatsalot) on Instagram (forgot to mention, Lea is a two-time Olympian and has hit podiums at multiple World and National Championships. No moss growing on the Davison family!)
Listen to Your Body: Acadia Gantz, 'TrailRunningBabyCatcher'
05 Aug 2021
00:43:54
We are back in Maine this week with the kind of guest that made me start this podcast in the first place!
Acadia Gantz is an ultrarunner and running coach with the all around best Instagram handle I’ve ever heard - she’s also a certified professional midwife practicing in the Bridgton area with Sacopee Midwives, so she’s on social media @TrailRunningBabyCatcher. It didn’t take much arm twisting for me to want to talk with her, because really, how awesome is that?!?
Acadia started trail running about 5 years ago to dissipate some of the stress from the midwifery program she had come to Maine for, and proved to be quite the overachiever, moving quickly through the marathon distance and taking on increasingly longer ultra distances. But honestly, the whole midwife/home birth thing was so interesting, we barely scratch the surface of her athletic achievements.
I hope you’ll find this conversation as fascinating and informative as I did. Even if you’re like me and the ship has most definitely sailed on your childbearing years, Acadia’s advice about listening to your body and becoming your own healthcare advocate is still worth hearing and heeding.
Take a Leap of Faith and Put it Out There: Hayley Diep, "If You Give a Girl a Bike"
29 Jul 2021
00:35:02
We’re leaving New England and heading west this week to talk with teacher, author, and all around activity enthusiast Hayley Diep.
This year on March 8th, not coincidentally International Women’s Day, Hayley released her first book, an illustrated kid’s story called If You Give a Girl a Bike. The book takes you along on a fun romp with the main character and her two friends as they try new things, fail, learn, and try again - which all starts when a girl is given a bike. If the littles in your life have ever been obsessed with Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Moose a Muffin, you can probably guess what the girls are still doing at the end of their adventurous day.
Hayley’s journey to being a published author was hardly a straight, flowy line, though - more like an off-camber rock garden that had to be powered through. But just like her protagonist, Hayley didn’t let a few setbacks keep her down; she just picked herself up, regrouped, and tried a new line.
I love Hayley’s story; it’s not too hard to see where the inspiration for her tenacious main character came from!
Finally, school is starting soon, I hope you’ll think about picking up a few copies of If You Give a Girl a Bike and donating them to your local elementary or public libraries! Head over to hayleydiep.com, order there and throw a little extra toward one of her charity partners.
Storytime with Mr. Limata (in addition to his book reviews and live story times he hosts on Facebook, Mr. Limata has assembled an amazing linktree of social justice and literacy links - check it out!)
Be Your Own Advocate (and Someone Else's Too): Jenn Minery
22 Jul 2021
00:46:03
Bringing you episode ‘Jen Squared’ today! My guest is Jenn Minery, a mountain biking coach, gravel biking phenom, Regional Coordinator for Little Bellas, Creator-In-Chief of Indigo Sole, and Fun Team Hall of Famer...
I’m going out on a limb here with my similes, but talking to Jenn is like looking through a kaleidoscope that’s stuck in a salad spinner - she is all energy and rainbows and dynamism! Her commitment to the communities she loves shines through in her role with Little Bellas, her product company side hustle that’s designed around helping others, and her tireless efforts to bring new riders of all ages and stages into the biking fold.
Make sure to follow Jenn @MudSpeckledMin on Instagram, check out all of her fun and colorful products at Indigo-Sole.com, and last but certainly not least, head over to the Little Bellas website for more information about programs in your area that are perfect for all the 'Wild Guides In Training' you have in your life!
Links to some of the other people, places and things we talked about (come over to GuidesGoneWild.com for a complete list!):
Great Whites, 'That Other Kayak' Curriculum, and VHS Superstardom: Cathy Piffath, H2Outfitters
15 Jul 2021
00:50:41
Have you ever stopped to wonder when your favorite outdoor activity or hobby became mainstream? How lesson and training programs get started? Where the threshold is that gets crossed, making it apparent that training instructors or guides has to happen so that newbies stay safe and maximize their enjoyment?
My guest today, Cathy Piffath of H2Outfitters in Harpswell, Maine, is ready to fill you in.
Obviously people of the Wabanacki Nations had been paddling the coasts of New England for centuries before outdoor enthusiasts decided that sea kayaking was a hot new thing. But when those of us who didn’t have generations of experience to fall back on started tempting fate off-shore in tiny little plastic or fiberglass boats in the 80s, someone had to step in to protect us from ourselves.
Cathy Piffath and her partner, Jeff Cooper, were the people that The American Canoe Association turned to for intel specific to sea kayaking, since they had recently started taking groups out to paddle the waters around their home base on Orr’s Island. So if you’ve ever gone out sea kayaking, or taken a lesson from an ACA-certified sea kayaking instructor, you’ve got Cathy (and Jeff) to thank!
I so so SO love hearing and sharing stories from women who are just quietly living their best life, doing things they love, with people they love, in places they love! Totally got all the feels from this one.
I hope you’ll check out all of Cathy and Jeff’s cool offerings at H2Outfitters.com, or @H2Ooutfitters on Instagram and Facebook - they’ve got a very fun sounding Women’s Retreat coming up in mid-August, among a million other things. But be forewarned, once you go out with H2Outfitters you’ll probably be hooked, and have to go scrounging around for your own gear.... And kayaks are kind of a b*tch to squeeze into the gear closet, just sayin.
Learn How to Read the Map (and Maybe Leave the Pearls at Home): Laura Beebe, Sterling College
08 Jul 2021
00:42:17
Bringing you a little backcountry inspiration today with my guest, Laura Beebe!
Laura is on the faculty of Environmental Humanities at Sterling College in Vermont, and you might recognize that name, because I was introduced to Laura by Heidi Myers of Rasputitsa fame, whom I interviewed back on Earth Day. I've linked my conversation with Heidi up here because I just know you’ll want to go back and listen to that one too!
Anyway, I was fortunate to catch Laura in between a semester she spent in the desert and a field program she was heading to in Colorado for the summer. That’s already a super-cool reason to be connecting with Laura, but to make it even more incredible, wait until you hear the story of her first backpacking trip in the Tetons…. Let’s just say she was Reese Witherspoon’s doppelganger. Maybe I’m talking about Wild, maybe I’m talking about Legally Blonde, maybe I’m talking about some preternatural melding of the two - you’ll have to be the judge.
But all kidding aside, Laura’s story is a powerful testament to the importance of the right mentors and messaging, and how difficult it can be to see, never mind overcome, all the barriers we tend to build in front of ourselves.
I had the privilege of hosting some of the amazing members of LAC at Evans Notch Lodge back in early June for a weekend of hiking, biking, camping and chilling by the fire. I was so impressed with the way the weekend flowed, with the members dropping in and out, taking part in the stuff that was interesting or new to them, and not worrying about whether they were going to be able to keep up, or if they brought the right gear.
On Sunday of that weekend, I had the chance to hike Blueberry Mountain with the group. I decided to bring my little hand-held recorder with me so I could talk to some of the Ladies about the club, and a fantastic new initiative that LAC is involved in. The audio from these chats is what I’m sharing with you today.
If a weekend like this sounds like fun, and you want to pull together a group of YOUR besties to DIY some adventuring, I’d love to host you all at Evans Notch Lodge! We’ve still got a few open weekends left this summer and fall that will be perfect for biking, fishing, camping, hiking, and of course plenty of rosé-swilling around the campfire.
I’ve got about a million ideas for activities in the Evans Notch area, so if you’d like some help pulling together the perfect ladies weekend, or if you want to bring your neighborhood or your extended family somewhere new for some outdoor fun, drop me a line and we can start planning - email visitevansnotch@gmail.com, or come on over to evansnotchlodge.com and fill out our contact form, and let’s get your next group adventure on the calendar!
Find Something To Look Forward To: Paige Emerson of Chubby Hiker Reviews
24 Jun 2021
00:31:58
My guest today is Paige Emerson, the mastermind behind Chubby Hiker Reviews on Instagram and Facebook.
Paige’s story really resonates with me, because she took some hard stuff she was working on, mixed it with a dose of COVID, and is coming out the other end with an amazingly engaged and fast-growing community full of kind, fun, outdoorsy women – ummmm, sounds familiar?!?
Anyone who’s ever used AllTrails or read an AMC trail description knows that it can be hard to really know what you’re in for when you head to a trailhead. Sometimes you come out of a hike thinking the person who wrote the description or graded the trail difficulty had likely run across and consumed a few hallucinogenic mushrooms along the way, because the description bears little resemblance to what you just put yourself through.
Paige Emerson and Chubby Hiker Reviews to the rescue!
When Paige started writing about her hikes and trying to set realistic expectations, she struck a nerve with thousands of people who’d been feeling like the hiking community was giving them the cold shoulder.
Trying to figure out where to raise your Summits In Solidarity flag this weekend?? Paige has got you covered - she gives advice on where to go, which clothes to wear, and most importantly, where you can bring your 28-toed co-hiker cat!
Waiting is the Worst Thing You Can Do: Rebecca Sperry, Socked In Hikes (Part 2)
21 Jun 2021
00:51:27
Before you launch into Part 2 of my conversation with Rebecca Sperry, aka Socked In….. if this is the first time you’ve listened to Guides Gone Wild, or if you missed my last episode, I HIGHLY suggest you go back and listen to the last episode first.
This is the second part of a long-form conversation I had with Rebecca, and while you don’t necessarily need to hear her back story to appreciate what you’re about to hear, it will (for sure) give you even more context and make this episode that much more powerful and inspiring.
I also want to throw a trigger warning out there. Rebecca and I talk about cancer in this one. A LOT.
Please, please, follow Rebecca @SockedInHikes on Instagram, and from there you can access all of her good stuff from her bio links.
And please, PLEASE, get your mammograms and other preventative tests. A lot of us, myself included, put stuff on hold during COVID, but it’s time to stop making excuses, pick up the damn phone, and get on the schedule.
I hope you’ll share this episode with friends or family members who might need to hear Rebecca’s message, or direct them to RebeccaSperry.com. Don’t forget, she writes about all the things over there - hiking AND heroism.
A few more links to whet your appetite (come on over to GuidesGoneWild.com for the complete list):
If You Build It, They Will Bike (and Walk, and Ski...): Marianne Borowski, Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail
07 Mar 2024
01:12:44
Today we take a scenic ride through the intricacies of trail development, where the rubber meets the road in terms of community building, advocacy, grant writing, marketing... and bike riding!
For those of you who haven’t yet heard of it, the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail is an 83 mile long multi-purpose trail that spans northern New Hampshire, from Woodsville on the Vermont border to Bethel, Maine.
The Adventure Trail patches together pre-existing rail trails, bike paths, dirt roads and a few short pavement segments to create a fluid tour of the north country great for biking, hiking, cross country skiing, horseback riding, you name it - if it’s non-motorized, you’re probably good to go on this fantastic trail. AND you can get amazing support along the way, thanks to the countless resources available on the xNHAT.org website.
Such well-documented, well-thought-out trail networks don’t just magically appear out of the ether - there is always at least one extremely passionate advocate working behind the curtains to make their vision a reality for the rest of us to enjoy.
Marianne is just such a passionate, action-oriented visionary, and she was kind enough to invite me up to her hill-top perch in Bartlett to talk all things trail. I loved every minute of our conversation, so I’m sharing them all!
Head on over to xNHAT.org to get all the details about the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail, including links to the Story Map, the GPS links, even how to get your very own copy of the OG waterproof paper map, so you can start planning your own Cross New Hampshire Adventure! And if anyone is interested in joining Trish and me on the ride later this summer/fall, shoot me an email - guidesgonewildpodcast@gmail.com - who knows, maybe we can do a whole group thing! That would be SO FUN!
In the meantime, more great links from our conversation:
You Are Capable of More (Than You Acknowledge to Yourself): Rebecca Sperry, Socked In Hikes (Part 1)
17 Jun 2021
00:28:22
This week I’m doing something unprecedented in our short Guides Gone Wild history, I’m presenting a part one, and I’m going to keep you on the edge of your seats until Monday to hear the rest of the story.
My guest for the next two episodes is Rebecca Sperry, otherwise known as Socked In, from the phenomenal blog and Instagram account Socked In Hikes.
As you’ll hear in this conversation, Rebecca has gone through A LOT in the last 5 years. I’d originally set my sights on her for the podcast because of the inspiring, raw, truth-telling way she has been attacking a recent health crisis during COVID. But as I was editing our audio to prepare the episode, I realized that Rebecca’s ‘story before the story’ was just as compelling and inspiring.
Hearing Rebecca’s first-hand account of the mindset shifts and setbacks and cleared hurdles that led to her becoming a prolific solo hiker, the ways she has allowed her definition of achievement to evolve, is an amazing story in and of itself. And if you meet Rebecca this way, and then spend a few days letting some of the stuff she shares knock around in your brain, it’s going to make the stories she shares in Part 2 all that much more amazing and inspiring.
Listen in, let it marinate in your brain a bit, and be sure to come back on Monday for the rest of the story....
Selected links from our conversation (TONS more over at GuidesGoneWild.com!):
Live Mindfully (and Build Creatively!): Jen Deraspe of Nurture Through Nature Eco-Retreat
10 Jun 2021
00:48:51
Today we’re diving back into some of my favorite topics: outdoor business building, life-long learning, and personal evolution! My guest is Jen Deraspe, owner of a lovely off-grid retreat property called Nurture Through Nature, located on Pleasant Mountain in Denmark, Maine.
Jen is truly the hostess with the mostest when it comes to all she offers through NTN - healing arts workshops and retreats, wellness coaching, qi gong, sauna, as well as more (so-called) traditional outdoor pursuits like camping, hiking and paddling.
I’ve had Nurture Through Nature on my radar for a long time, since my early days of yurt obsession (like 15 years ago?!?), so it was a true honor and privilege to get a back-stage pass to hear Jen’s stories about living more intentionally, listening to her heart and honoring her feelings, taking leap after leap into new and different things, and starting over again and again.
She’s also my new Maine-resourcefulness idol, as you’ll hear! (Got some cable? Drop it here!)
You can get all the details on Jen and her team, her Spirals of Wellbeing coaching services, her adorable yurts and cabins, and everything else NTN has to offer at NTNRetreats.com.
Ally, Amplify, and Open Your Wallet Already: Summits In Solidarity, Serena Ryan
03 Jun 2021
00:40:06
We are coming up fast on June 19th, which marks exactly one year since I pushed ‘publish’ and officially released Guides Gone Wild into the world and pretty much threw up in my mouth.
I hope you are all also aware that June 19th is also Juneteeth. Some think Juneteenth is a holiday celebrating the so called end of slavery, but it actually commemorates the day that a group of slaves in Galveston, Texas were finally informed by Union troops of the fact that they’d been, at least statutorily, emancipated by President Lincoln over two years prior.
Juneteenth is a celebration, but also a very sobering reminder of how far we still have to go as an American society to achieve true emancipation from the social, cultural, political, academic, financial, white-centering factors that have anchored systemic racism so firmly in our country.
So today I’m bringing back Serena Ryan to the pod. Serena first visited us last November on Episode 24 to talk about white mountain hiking and her business, the Notch Hostel in North Woodstock NH. Serena is also one of the founders of a racial justice movement called Summits in Solidarity, which is organizing its second annual education, awareness and fundraising event that culminates with a hike day on June 26th. I mentioned Summits in Solidarity briefly when I talked to Serena last year, but we didn’t get a chance to get into it then, and I felt like it was high time.
One BIG thing worth noting - Serena and I talk about being an ally and an accomplice, and Serena shares some great resources for getting more informed and involved in social and racial justice initiatives. But please, please keep in mind - listening to a couple of white women prattle on about these issues is not enough. You really need to seek out, and LISTEN TO, the voices of the people who are directly impacted by our continent’s 500 year history of colonialism, racism, and white supremacist ethos.
Serena’s got some suggestions on her Resources page, but that should only be your jumping off point. I hope you’ll get your 28 Day Challenge underway, and head on over to SummitsInSolidarity.org to join the movement and most importantly, donate to support the great work that Panther and the Cowasuck Band are doing in NH to bring black and indigenous people’s voices and experiences forward.