Lestarya Molloy is the founder of Fridie Outdoors, an app that has easy, digestible camping tips that you can access from anywhere. In this episode, Lestarya is joined by REI's Green Vests and Experience Guides to share the best tips for your upcoming camping adventure.
Lestarya Molloy is the founder of Fridie Outdoors, an app that has easy, digestible camping tips that you can access from anywhere.
In this episode, Lestarya is joined by REI's Green Vests and Experience Guides to share the best tips for your upcoming camping adventure.
Connect with Lestarya:
Resources and products mentioned in this episode:
Thank you to REI's Green Vests & Experience Guides: Carlos Rodriguez, Jentry Schirmbeck, Mackenzie Anderson-Bell, and Elizabeth Nguyen.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Shelby Stanger:
You might already know this, but even though I host an outdoor adventure podcast, I'm not a very experienced camper. If you're anything like me and didn't grow up camping or you've never been camping at all, in this episode we've got you covered. For the next half hour, we're determined to take the stress out of camping. Instead of worrying about what you're going to eat or if you're going to be cold or get eaten alive by bugs, we want you to feel confident so that spending the night in nature is actually rejuvenating. I'm Shelby Stanger and this is Wild Ideas Worth Living, an REI Co-op Studios Production, brought to you by Capital One.
To help us dig into the joys of camping, we're talking to Lestarya Molloy. In 2022, Lestarya founded Fridie Outdoors, an app that has easy, digestible camping tips that you can access from anywhere, even if you're trying to learn how to make a fire at your campsite and you don't have cell service. Lestarya worked in the tech industry for many years and she started camping after work and on the weekends. Like me, she didn't grow up camping, but she's learned that even though it can be intimidating, camping is super fun.
Lestarya Molloy, welcome to Wild Ideas Worth Living. We're truly honored to have you on.
Lestarya Molloy:
Thank you for having me. I've been a fan and listen to many folks come on so it's such honor to be here with you.
Shelby Stanger:
Oh, that's really cool. Well, we just love what you're doing for camping and the outdoors because I'm one of those people that you think I look like I'm a camper, but I'm not. I didn't grow up camping. And I'm curious how you got into camping and specifically how you developed a love of the outdoors.
Lestarya Molloy:
I definitely relate to you in that I didn't grow up camping. I didn't really consider myself outdoorsy. But when I was 11 years old, both my parents passed away, and so for me, I moved in with family and that was really when I was introduced to hiking. And for me, hiking was healing. When I would go on a lot of these hikes, quite honestly, they would be at campgrounds, and that's when I started noticing people camping. I didn't quite get why you do that, but I was curious. And so quite honestly, it took years before I worked up the courage to go on my first camping trip. And once I did, that was when I fell in love with it, despite freezing in my sleeping bag the first time. But the thing is I saw what it could be and I just kept figuring it out time over time.
Shelby Stanger:
Wait, can we go back? I mean, my father died when I was 11, suddenly, so I somewhat relate, but both your parents passed away. That's heavy. Who did you go live with?
Lestarya Molloy:
I went to live with my cousins, who I'm so appreciative. They didn't have kids, and so they really took me in as their own.
Shelby Stanger:
You lived with your cousins and they hiked, which is really cool, but they didn't camp.
Lestarya Molloy:
Exactly, exactly. So I hadn't been camping and didn't really know anyone who did. Interesting enough, we would actually drive through the campground. After we'd go on a hike we'd go drive through and be like, "Oh, let's write down the campsites that look really good so we can come back." But we actually never did go and camp. But every time we did that, it did plant a seed of what would it be like to spend the night under the stars and in this tent and have that type of experience.
Shelby Stanger:
Lestarya put her camping curiosity on the back burner as she focused on getting her education. After school she got a job at Intel in Portland, Oregon, and simultaneously got a master's degree in psychology. This phase of her life was about building a career, but she also decided to follow her curiosity. Portland is known as an outdoorsy city, and Lestarya was excited to get out and go camping for the very first time.
Lestarya Molloy:
For me, that was a point where I was like, "You know what? I want to have a fulfilling career, but I also want to live this life of continuing this relationship that I had with the outdoors." So I liked hiking, so I was like, "Why not extend my time out in the trees?" And that's really what helped me say, "I'm going to go book this campsite." And I invited friends who also had never been camping before and we did it together.
Shelby Stanger:
So tell me about this first time camping with a bunch of people who didn't know how to camp.
Lestarya Molloy:
Yes, yes. So we were all just kind of young in our profession and just open to new experiences, and we came from all walks of life, quite honestly, different cultures, but what we had in common was curiosity and just wanting to explore. So I told everyone, I was like, "Hey, if you're in, let me know." And we all contributed $25 towards a shared tent, actually got two mansion size tents, and everyone just chipped in $25. And I got a camp stove and it just became this communal gear that we actually continued to share for eight years.
Shelby Stanger:
I love that. That's actually really smart.
Lestarya Molloy:
Yeah. And it was great. We didn't have all the things to get out there. I think we were just trying to figure out how much we would like it and then get more as we went. But I think I brought a folding chair from home. I brought, like in Asian cultures we have a hot pot that we do at home, so it's a single burner, so maybe it wasn't what you think of as picturesque camping, but it was fun and it worked. We had a great time. And it's amazing what you learn about people when you have extended time just out in nature. Now, I do have to say though, we made a faux pas as newbies. We got the tents and the sleeping bags, but we're like, "Oh, we don't need a sleeping pad." And so then just brought like yoga mats. And so the thing is I was like, "All right, if the one thing that I would do differently is bring a sleeping pad." I was like, "I'll go get that for next time." So there was a lot of things that I learned.
Shelby Stanger:
I did the exact same thing. I brought a yoga mat.
Lestarya Molloy:
Yes.
Shelby Stanger:
And then I was like rocks underneath me and ripped my yoga mat and it was awful. But I feel like that's just a pretty common mistake. The sleeping pad really is a game changer.
Lestarya Molloy:
It is. It is. We've actually found this to be a repeat incident. And the tough part is is that you can work up the courage to go out there. That's half the battle. I really want people to feel so prepared and have an amazing experience their first time so that way they want to go out again because it is magical. It just takes a little bit of preparation, some iterations here and there, but it's magical.
Shelby Stanger:
As Lestarya became an avid camper, she continued to build her career in the tech industry. She worked on early forms of artificial intelligence, including the latest car safety technology and AI chat. Her job was intense and although it easily could have taken over her life, Lestarya made sure she still got out into nature even if it was just for a night or two. Eventually, Lestarya came up with an idea that melded her extensive career in tech with her passion for the outdoors.
How did you know you wanted to make a career around nature?
Lestarya Molloy:
I just think that there's such an opportunity for people who are wanting to connect with nature and have extended time outdoors. I can't think of a better way to do that than camping. It's like it's good for our health, it's good for our wellbeing, and it's good for quality of life. And I just said, "It's so tough for people to get into these, even though people want to. So how do you get people access to the outdoor education that they need in the moments that they need it?" And so I just start mulling it over and I had an aha moment, quite honestly, while I was camping and seeing a family. They were new to camping and the dad was raising his phone up to the sky while he was trying to build a campfire, and he was like, "Oh." He's like, "I thought I'd be able to look this up outside."
Shelby Stanger:
Oh and his cell service didn't work.
Lestarya Molloy:
Exactly. And so I went over and helped and provided them some wood. They asked some questions. And after that conversation I went back and I was like, "I can solve this." And so I just became obsessed with how do you get people, the skills, the knowledge they need, in the moments that they need it? And sometimes that's when you're preparing for a camping trip, but oftentimes, unless you have a photogenic memory or you have someone to show you the ropes, you need access to resources while you're camping, because it's such an experiential learning experience. And so that's really how Fridie Outdoors came to be. It was a combination of my personal experiences, observing a lot of people, but then also coming from a technology space and just seeing that culturally we need to have more of us out here. And that's speaking to really diversity outdoors. And so that's what Fridie Outdoors is about.
Shelby Stanger:
When you download the Fridie Outdoors app, you answer a bunch of questions about your camping skill level and what you're hoping to learn. From there, Fridie provides a personalized curriculum that downloads to your phone. Hopefully you have time to explore this customized content before you leave on your trip, but if you need help once you're out there, you can also reference the information when you're in nature, even if there isn't cell service. The videos are straightforward and to the point so you can watch, get the information you need, and then put your phone away. And it's not just for car camping. Fridie has tips for all kinds of camping experiences.
I read on your Instagram there's 12 ways to camp. I didn't even think about this. Do you mind talking about those ways to camp?
Lestarya Molloy:
Yeah. So there are multiple ways to camp and part of the inspiration for Fridie Outdoors is to really show that spectrum of camping, because if people can really figure out, "Okay, here's what I like and here's the type of experience I want to have," then we can just help match them to the style of camping they want to do. For me, I love being able to pull up to a campground, park my car, set up my tent right there, but I also enjoy hike in sites where it's a little bit more like backpacking, but you maybe go a mile in and then set up camp. So you have privacy but you don't have to backpack as much. I've done a lot of backpacking, which is really fun. You literally have what's on your back and you get to these majestic places.
So there's quite a range. And I always love to talk about cabin camping because a lot of the state parks actually have these really cool one room, two room, cabins. And they have electricity, but the common areas, you still have to use bathrooms and showers outside. But what I love is that depending on my mood and what I'm looking for, I can go backpacking if I want to be remote, if I want car camping with some convenience and making my home away from home at the campground, I can do that, or I can just get this little one room cabin at a state park and still get the camping vibes. But maybe for whatever reason, I just want a little more luxury, but still very much down to earth camping.
Shelby Stanger:
And I've also been lately doing Hipcamp camping.
Lestarya Molloy:
Yes.
Shelby Stanger:
Where it's these cool little random yurts in the middle of nowhere. There's a bathroom, but there's kind of a bed in there. It's pretty nice.
Lestarya Molloy:
We've camped at a Hipcamp on a 40 acre winery that we had all to ourself. So really there's a style of camping for everyone. It's really just being aware of them and then just going for it.
Shelby Stanger:
What's your favorite style of camping right now?
Lestarya Molloy:
So my favorite way of camping right now, and it changes, but right now it's being able to go to a campground and just be able to pull up. I know at Mount Hood we have Timothy Lake and you can get campsites for like $26 a night. And I can wake up and the lake is right there. You can put a paddleboard out, you can put a kayak out. This is waterfront camping right there. But what I love about that is right now I have a three-year-old and this is a great way for my husband and I to be able to take her camping. It's just very easy. But we can be out there for days on end and just enjoy. And did I mention it's $26 a night? What a vacation. It's amazing.
Shelby Stanger:
You really can make camping as luxurious or as basic as you want. Yes, you can go on a 50 mile backpacking trip, but you can also find some beautiful waterfront sites or even check out some cozy cabins or yurts. That's what I love about getting outside. It's customizable.
When we come back, we get down to the nitty-gritty and hear some of Lestarya's tips and tricks for camping. We'll also hear some advice from REI store employees and outdoor experience guides.
Camping can be intimidating. You're sleeping on the ground, cooking your food over a fire, and being exposed to the elements and wildlife. But Lestarya Molloy is determined to make it as easy and accessible as possible. In 2022, Lestarya started the Fridie Outdoors app, which is basically a step-by-step personalized guide to learn how to camp. The app features how-to videos, packing lists, and even recipes. Although a lot of curriculum is designed for beginner campers, like how to set up a tent and build a fire, there's something for all levels of experience.
So if someone's going camping for the first time, what's your advice?
Lestarya Molloy:
I would say for folks who are getting out there, really the essentials come down to the tent, the sleeping bag, the sleeping pad, some kind of food, water, and just even knowing if you'll have access to more drinking water or if you need to bring it with you. And then one thing is layers. I learned that my first time camping. And you can bet every time I go, I always bring layers of clothes because it can be 80 degrees and gorgeous during the day, but then at night it could get down to 40 degrees. So I'm bringing short sleeves, long sleeves, a jacket, and I'll even bring my snow jacket just to have extra insurance that I'm going to be warm. And by doing that though, with my beanie or gloves, I'm prepared for all the conditions.
Shelby Stanger:
So through your work, you've become almost a camping expert. Are there any camping hacks that you really encourage people to do when they're camping?
Lestarya Molloy:
I would say three things. One is getting that sleep system down. I need my sleep. And most people do. So really just having that tent, that sleeping bag and sleeping pad really zoned in will just help ensure that you get a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed. I actually get my best sleep when I'm out camping.
I would say food. Make it easy on yourself. There's a lot of options that don't require any cooking. And then if you find you're like, "Oh, okay, I could do cooking." Next trip you can get that camp stove and then maybe build in some easy recipes.
And then the third I would say is there are a lot of places that you can camp, but pick a location that is close to home. Maybe it's like an hour or two drive. That way it's close enough that if you want or need to, you can go home. It just gives that extra sense of security. But then also we talked about people do go camping on Fridays after work, and so if you can leave work and then be able to get to your campsite before sun sets, then you give yourself time to get your tent set up, get your campsite set up, and really get acquainted with the campground or wherever you're camping before the sun goes down.
So those would be my three areas for folks to just focus, sleep, eating, and location.
Shelby Stanger:
I'm one of those people that definitely went home one night in the middle of the night. My campsite sucked.
Lestarya Molloy:
It can happen. That's the benefit, is you just give yourself some options.
Shelby Stanger:
I was training for a through hike, in canyon, in a slot canyon, I was like, "We just need to test this gear out." So we hiked from my house three miles to the beach camping grounds. And it's always hard to get a campsite, but if you're through hiking, which we were, even though we live like three miles away, the ranger was like, "Yeah, you can go camp at the communal site." And it was a Saturday night. It was loud. It was a full moon. We were right by the road and the train tracks. People were partying until 2:00 in the morning. We had cut our Thermarest in half. That's all we had, no pillow. And at 2:00 in the morning and we couldn't sleep. And I was like, "Let's just walk home. We're not that far." And so we walked home in the middle of the night. It was so funny. And that was pretty memorable.
Lestarya Molloy:
I love these stories. You got to have them.
Shelby Stanger:
It's fun. You got to have those. Okay, you talk about sleeping pads though. What kind of sleeping pads should people have? We know a yoga mat is not going to cut it.
Lestarya Molloy:
Yeah. I would say it depends on people's way of sleeping. For me, I really like to have a sleeping pad that is as comfortable as home. And so I did start with an air mattress for the first few years and that really did the trick quite honestly. But then after a few years I was like, "You know what? I'm into this, to camping. Let me get another one." And so I know there are these, I think it's NEMO Roamers or they're a bit thicker. It feels like I'm sleeping in my bed at home. And that just tells you that you don't have to get worse sleep when you're sleeping.
Shelby Stanger:
Okay, I'm going to go buy another thick pad. I think that's great advice and a great idea. What about your favorite tent hack? Any advice to setting up a tent with ease?
Lestarya Molloy:
Yes. For tents I definitely recommend setting up the tent at home. So even in my apartment, I was able to set up my first tent. And it did help have a bit more confidence when I got out there, but it just still takes some practice. I would say one of the things to remember is one, there is a footprint or a tarp that usually comes with it or you get in addition to the tent and the first thought is like, "Why would you put something under your tent? It's just going on the ground." But that footprint and tarp? That helps the tent lasts for a lot longer. The other piece I would say is a rain fly is very helpful. Sometimes you think picturesque, "I want to sleep under the stars." And that's totally cool. But the rain fly really does help you stay dry and your things stay dry in the tent and also keeps a little extra warmth in there. So this is the two pieces of a tent that get underestimated.
Shelby Stanger:
I was so confused the first time I went camping, and it was not raining, but I didn't have my rain fly on, and I woke up soaked and I was like, I didn't get it. It was so uncomfortable. And the next night I figured out I had to use my rain fly. That's a big one.
Lestarya Molloy:
Exactly. When you're growing up doing this, I think it just becomes second nature. But when you're getting into it first time, it's learning these different customs, these different ways of just setting up your home outside. And so once I figured that out, it's like, "Okay, great. I know that every time I go camping, I'm going to put my tarp down, I'm going to put my rain fly on." And so now it's second nature.
Shelby Stanger:
I love that. What about camping food? What's your favorite camping meal?
Lestarya Molloy:
Oh my gosh. Okay, so if I'm going minimalist, let's say just add water, then Itacate has been amazing backpacking food, and it tastes just as good as cooking the food at home, quite honestly. If folks don't even want to cook, then there's, I will say Pescavore has these tuna jerky that I will literally eat as a meal, and it's packed with protein, which is really important in my diet. And then when I want to be a camp chef, and that's when I'm pulling out the camp stove, I'm pulling out the pots and the pans, the seasonings, I'll make a coconut curry. And that is so good. It wins everyone over. It's five ingredients, and so I don't have to bring that many things from home, but it just gets the flavor, it's hot. Everything just tastes better when you're camping.
Shelby Stanger:
I love that. When we car camp, my go-to now is I get a thing of frozen homemade soup. There's this person at the farmer's market that makes pozole soup and it's delicious, and it comes in a bag and it's frozen, so I can put it in my Yeti and that's my ice. And then I get chips, guacamole, and salsa, and I'm good.
Lestarya Molloy:
You know what? Whatever people cook at home, you can cook it out there. If you have guacamole at home and chips and salsa, you can bring that out there. And I will say, one question we get is "How do you keep your food cold?" And that really just comes down to having a cooler and an ice pack. Just know there are options. If you don't want to cook, then there's options there, but if you do want to have a little something more, then there are ways that you can do that and have a delicious, I'm talking delicious, camp food when you're camping.
Shelby Stanger:
For Lestarya, that means she brings almonds, fresh fruit from the farmer's market, and her family even makes chili mac and cheese while they're out camping. Annie, our producer, also has some great easy car camping recipes like mushroom and onion foil packets, chicken teriyaki burgers, and of course pancakes. We'll link to these in our show notes if you're looking for ideas.
In the spirit of helping all of you be as prepared as possible for your summer adventures, we also asked some experts for their favorite hacks. REI experience guides Elizabeth, Gentry, Kenzie, and Carlos keep it simple, and I love their advice.
REI Employees:
My favorite camping tip is keep your feet happy. So at the campsite, after a good day of day hiking, trail running, or backpacking, treat yourself to some slippers, some camp slippers. This is where we want to relax. We want to feel good about ourselves. We want to give ourselves a treat.
My favorite thing to do when I'm camping is to wake up to the sounds of birds and identify them with the Merlin app. It's basically Shazam for birds.
If it's really chilly at night, you can boil water into a Nalgene and seal it tight and put it in your sleeping bag to keep you nice and toasty for a good night's sleep.
My favorite camping meal is gluten-free cornbread in the dutch oven and a one pot green chili stew. It's an REI classic.
Leave room for misadventure. You can plan everything, but unexpected shenanigans will pop up. I find that having a positive attitude and being present in the moment makes me enjoy my camping trip a lot more.
Shelby Stanger:
I love all these ideas. Another great tip is to keep your camping gear all together in a storage bin that's easy to load into your car. Clean your gear at the end of the trip, and put it right back into the tub so it's ready to go for next time.
I actually got so inspired while we were putting together this episode that I decided to go on a little camping trip with Johnny for the night. We booked a campsite an hour from our house and made sure we had a comfortable sleeping setup. I couldn't believe how pretty it was out there.
I know that this episode is information packed, so to make it easier on all of us, you can find the links to all of the resources mentioned in the show notes. Lestarya's Fridie Outdoors app is truly a game changer. Two of my producers are using it and they say it's the best $19 they've ever spent. We highly recommend it. You can find Fridie Outdoors in your app store on Apple or Google Play. Fridie is spelled F-R-I-D-I-E. You can also get in touch with Lestarya by following or messaging Fridie Outdoors on Instagram.
A huge thank you to REI green vest employees and experience guides Kenzie Anderson Bell, Elizabeth Nguyen, Gentry Shermbeck, and Carlos Rodriguez. If you want to learn more about REI's trips, we'll also link to those in the show notes. Also, we want to let you know that Lestarya and her company, Fridie Outdoors, was part of the 2022 REI Embark program, which supports BIPOC entrepreneurs in the outdoor industry. If you want to learn more about the program, check out rei.com/path-ahead/embark.
Wild Ideas Worth Living is part of the REI Podcast Network. It's hosted by me, Shelby Stanger, produced by Annie Fassler, Sylvia Thomas, and Sam Piers Mintzberg of Puddle Creative. Our senior producers are Jenny Barber and Hanna Boyd. Our executive producers are Paolo Mottola and Joe Crosby. We love it when you follow the show, take time to rate it, and write a review wherever you listen. And remember, some of the best adventures happen when you follow your wildest ideas.