Wild Ideas Worth Living | Interviews On Adventure, Outdoors, Travel, Health, Fitness, Running, Business, Surfing, Exploring

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:WebsiteInstagramLinkedInBehanceResources:Janji x Christian. Fall/Winter 21 season collectionLearn about Christian’s multimedia audio project, Unsettled SeriesEpisode Sponsor:Teva

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:More about Outdoor OutreachConnect with Lesford:TwitterInstagramResources:Resilience video with Hoka One OneOutdoor OutreachEpisode sponsor:Hoka One One

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. Connect with Ryan:WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramResources:Kinders KidsIronmanTour de Natchez TraceEpisode Sponsor:Teva

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:The Dark Divide with Tom PutnamPodcasts to listen to:Camp MonstersConnect with Cliff Barackman:WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramResources:Cliff’s Podcast - Bigfoot and Beyond with Cliff and BoboNorth American Bigfoot CenterTheodore Roosevelt’s book, The Wilderness HunterEpisode Sponsor:Teva + Cotopaxi

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.Connect with Pete:InstagramEpisode sponsors:Arc’teryxTeva

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. Connect with Alannah:FacebookInstagramEpisode Sponsors:Arc'teryxTeva

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. Connect with guests:WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramEpisode sponsors:Arc’teryxTeva

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.Connect with Dustlight Productions:WebsiteTwitterInstagramConnect with Misha:WebsiteTwitterInstagramResources:Hello, Nature Podcast from REI Co-op StudiosMisha’s Guide, How to Make a PodcastEpisode Sponsor:SonosTeva

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. Connect with Nicole Snell:WebsiteInstagramYouTubeConnect with Girls Fight Back:WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramResources:Outdoor Defense YouTube seriesEpisode sponsor:HOKASonos

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.Connect with Barney and Sandy: WebsiteFacebookInstagramEpisode Sponsor:Sonos

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.Connect with Mikah:WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramYouTubeResources:Outside Safe Space“Across” seriesEpisode Sponsor:SonosParks Project

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.Connect with Sika:WebsiteFacebookInstagramResources:Iron ManBlack MarathonersSeason Sponsor:FordEpisode Sponsor:SonosHOKA One One

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.):Website YouTubeTwitterInstagramResources:Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu Into the Trauma Factory YouTube SeriesSeason Sponsor:FordEpisode Sponsor:Teva Sonos

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.Connect with guests:Website Facebook TwitterInstagramResources:REI: The Trees Remember film seriesSeason Sponsor:FordEpisode Sponsor:SonosTeva

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.Connect with Susan:WebsiteFacebookTwitter InstagramSusan's books:Life’s Too Short To Go So F*cking SlowRunning Outside the Comfort ZoneSeason Sponsor:FordEpisode Sponsor:HokaSonos

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:WebsiteFacebookInstagram (Eliot)Instagram (Grow Cycling Foundation)Season Sponsor:FordEpisode Sponsor:Teva Sonos

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. Connect with Tyhree and Soul Trak:WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagram - (Soul Trak)Instagram - (Tyrhee)Resources:An American Ascent DocumentaryCity Kids Wilderness ProjectExpedition DenaliSeason Sponsor:FordEpisode Sponsor:SonosTeva

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.Connect with Parks Project:WebsiteInstagramFacebookResources:National Park ServiceSeason Sponsor:FordEpisode Sponsor:Parks Project

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.Connect with Brett:WebsiteFacebookTwitterInstagramResources:Mental Health AmericaSeason Sponsor:FordEpisode Sponsor:Teva