That's a wrap on lucky season seven! Join host Shelby Stanger to celebrate the 50 phenomenal guests who shared their adventures with us this year as well as listeners who let us in on the wild ideas they have planned for 2024!
That's a wrap on lucky season seven! Join host Shelby Stanger to celebrate the 50 phenomenal guests who shared their adventures with us this year as well as listeners who let us in on the wild ideas they have planned for 2024!
Projects & episodes mentioned in this episode:
Shelby Stanger:
It is the end of the year and we're wrapping up lucky season seven. I don't even think I've ever dated someone for seven years, until I met Johnny of course. This was a huge year with a lot of wild ideas, including my biggest wild idea yet. In June I published a book and gave a TEDx Talk all in the same week. It nearly crushed me, but both of these things were on my bucket list and I'm so glad I got to cross them off. I'm not the only one who had a major wild idea this year. We talked to more than 50 phenomenal guests and we also heard about your wild ideas. We love hearing from you and we'll be sharing some of those messages later in the episode. I'm Shelby Stanger and this is Wild Ideas Worth Living, an REI Co-Op Studios production.
Before we look forward, we have to look back. 2023 was an emotional year for the podcast. We laughed. I cried. Some things surprised us and some things made us reflect. Who knew an adventure show could cover so much terrain? One of our highlights was interviewing legendary mountaineer Conrad Anker at the beginning of the year. Conrad has truly experienced the highs and the lows of adventuring outside, and has learned to have gratitude through it all.
Conrad Anker:
Mostly in the morning as I wake up and I get ready to go out and be in the woods, it's gratitude and just for the simple things after. If you've been on a long expedition, you come back and you're like, wow, a cup of tea is really nice, because if you've been on expedition, you have to find snow, melt snow, get the stove going, brew this tea. It takes quite a bit of work, and so when you come back after these self-imposed journeys of hardship, you have a greater appreciation for the quotidian things that we kind of take for granted in our day-to-day life.
Shelby Stanger:
Conrad also surprised us with a fun little peek into his preparations. We learned that before he leaves for an expedition, Conrad likes to get a pedicure. I guess you got to keep those feet supple on Everest. More than a few of our guests this year were climbers and mountaineers. Lisa Thompson published a book about her experience climbing K2, the second-highest mountain on earth. She told us how the expedition took her to the edge of her comfort zone. Climbing mountains for you teaches you how to go to your limits.
Lisa Thompson:
Yes, yes. And find those limits, and that was a very important thing I had to learn. I remember at one point someone looked at me very seriously, it was a former boss and he was like, how do you know what your limit is? And I was like, I don't know. I need to figure this out. And so that was a lot of what K2 was about, figuring out what that limit is.
Shelby Stanger:
Some of our guests pushed limits of scientific knowledge above and below the earth's surface. We interviewed Susan Casey, a journalist exploring the deepest parts of the ocean, an astrophysicist, Sarafina El-Badry Nance. Both of these guests study untouched worlds and it's changed their perspective on life. Here's Sarafina.
Sarafina El-Badry Nance:
I think I was drawn to astronomy in large part because I have anxiety and I sweat the small stuff, and I feel afraid a lot of the time. And I think astronomy, all you have to do is walk outside and look up at the sky and you are reminded of the vast scales that exist in our universe. And to me that's a really comforting feeling. I mean, it puts everything in perspective. Our trials and tribulations that we deal with every day suddenly don't seem so overwhelming or so important, and I think that can be, it could be defeating or sort of nihilistic, but I think to me it just means that everything that we value and cherish about life and about existence is infinitely more precious.
Shelby Stanger:
I'm always reminded by our guests that there is so much beauty on earth worth protecting and fighting for. In order to raise awareness for endangered species, Erchana Murray-Bartlett ran a marathon a day for 150 days across the continent of Australia. We also had two guests who ran across the United States. Cal Dobbs spent 101 days running from California to Florida to advocate for trans rights, and Greg Nance ran from New York to Washington to support youth mental health.
Greg Nance:
I'm proud of the progress I've made to be able to make healthier choices and try to lift myself and lift others up while doing it. Running is freedom, running is empowerment. Running is a vehicle to be the best version of me, and I love trying to share that message far and wide because every one of us is capable of more than we realize. Every one of us has a better, stronger version that we can work toward.
Shelby Stanger:
We talked to a lot of runners this year who participate in all different types of the sport, from road running to trail running to marathons. I was extremely excited to interview one of the world's best athletes, ultra marathon runner, Courtney Dauwalter. Courtney was a joy to talk to and not just because we both passionately love nachos. Courtney also shared her unique mindset, especially when it comes to failure.
Courtney Dauwalter:
I've dropped out of races. I've not made it to finish lines, and when you put in so much work for something and you don't get it, it feels like a big let down. When I fail at something, it's not like I'm immediately pumped about everything. It feels like a bummer. But what I usually do when I fail or am bummed about some sort of result or something is I'll give myself a couple days to just sit in that and feel all of those feelings of like, we worked really hard, we didn't get it, that's disappointing. It feels like a let down. But then after those few days of sitting in those feelings, I'll just pivot and start thinking through what I learned from that failure that I can now move forward with. So not dwelling any longer on the what happened or didn't happen result, and now taking it on as a springboard instead of something that drags you down.
Shelby Stanger:
There was a lot of discussion around mindset this year and how the way you think impacts your performance. Sports psychologist Michael Gervais talked about the fear of other people's opinions and how it can hold us back from pursuing our wild ideas. Cory Maria Dack, who paddled the length of the Mississippi in a canoe, came up with a unique way to push through her doubts and insecurities.
Cory Maria Dack:
I was leaving voice messages for myself on my phone, just like little diaries throughout the whole trip, and every day when I finished talking about my day, I would say, I love you Cory Maria. You're doing your best and I'm proud of you.
Shelby Stanger:
We also spoke with world renowned highliner, Faith Dickey. Highliners balance thousands of feet in the air, suspended between buildings or over steep canyons. To be successful in such a risky sport, Faith has learned to breathe deep, and quiet her inner critic.
Faith Dickey:
For me, highlining can be different day to day. There could be one day that I can lock into the flow really easily, and other days I find it a lot harder, even if it's the same exact line. The experience I always was striving for and still do is this total pure focus where that chatter in my mind, that inner dialogue has just faded into the background or disappeared altogether and it's like I become hyper aware of everything around me. It's like I can simultaneously notice the sky, the breeze, the space beneath me, and also what each little muscle in my body feels like, what it feels like for the ball of my foot to roll onto the line as I take a step, what it feels like for my pinky to just shift in space.
Shelby Stanger:
Some of my favorite guests this year were scientists and researchers, people who are studying our planet and helping preserve it. We heard from climate scientist Lonnie Thompson about trekking up mountains to collect glacial ice samples. In the 1970s, the scientific community was skeptical about Lonnie's approach, but his persistence led him to some truly impactful findings on climate change. Urban forester, Cecil Konijnendijk, told us about his 3-30-300 rule to help create greener healthier cities. As a reminder, the rule is that people should be able to look out their window and see three trees, have 30% tree canopy in their city, and live within 300 meters or a 10-minute walk to a park or a green space. Biology professor and researcher Nalini Nadkarni is also passionate about the magic of the tree canopy. Nalini reminded us that learning about science is a whole other way to go after a wild idea.
Nalini Nadkarni:
Number one, if you think there's something cool and important going on, you can pursue it and you should pursue it no matter what your major professor tells you. And secondly, that there are unknown pieces of the earth that are yet to be discovered, and if we pursue them, if we explore them, we will find out more about them in order to better understand how these systems work, how they can be sustained, and ultimately what are the consequences of disturbing them.
Shelby Stanger:
The scientists we talked to aren't the only ones advocating to change our world for the better. We also interviewed a number of activists who are working to make sports and outdoor adventure more accessible and diverse. Free diver and artist, BJ griffin, facilitates workshops that make diving more accessible to everyone. Rachel Heaton led the first all-native climbing team up Tahoma, also known as Mount Rainier. Vasu Sodritra and Alvaro Silberstein create opportunities for adaptive athletes and people with disabilities to get out on the slopes and trails. And gravel cyclist Izzy Sederbaum cares deeply about getting more people into biking.
Izzy Sederbaum:
I want more people on bikes. I want more trans people and more Black and brown people and more women and more older people and more disabled people to realize that they deserve access to the outdoors. Riding a hundred miles on gravel is not for everybody, and that's fine, but maybe it's just riding your bike in your neighborhood or maybe it's doing a 5K. But regardless of what you're doing, I just want to get people out there. We need more people who are actually connecting to the outdoors and realizing that sometimes even just walking in a park is really lovely and will actually improve your mental health. And so I want to aid people in getting outdoors and getting outdoors in a way where they don't feel like they have to edit themselves or code switch or kind of assimilate to what has always been the outdoor person. I think that if you recreate responsibly and get out, that's the best thing.
Shelby Stanger:
This year we also interviewed several people who set records or made history. Ice swimmer Melissa Kegler broke the American distance record for the ice mile. She swam a mile and a half in 39 degree water. Dom Mullins climbed Mount Everest with the first all-Black mountaineering team to summit the mountain. We also interviewed a whole team about a record-setting adventure. Sophia Denison Johnston, Brooke Downes, Libby Costello, and Adrienne Smith told us about becoming the fastest all-female team to row across the Pacific Ocean. For them, the physical challenge of rowing thousands of miles wasn't even the hardest part. Before they left, these women had to train mentally too. They learned to work together and lean on each other in the hard moments.
Brooke Downes:
Our mission statement was to elevate each other's greatness and get to Hawaii as fast as possible. When you're making any decision, big or small, sometimes you'll all be in agreement on what should be done, but sometimes you might be pretty split on it and it kind of just took the emotions out of the decisions, especially because when you're in the middle of the ocean, no matter how bad you want a world record or how bad you want to get to Hawaii, when you're that tired and exhausted and frustrated, it's a lot easier to kind of fall into picking the easier route. And so it was just a really good reminder to have out there. We understood that this crossing is very challenging and that supporting each other was going to be the thing that was going to get us to Hawaii.
And so we really wanted to make sure that we were doing everything that we could for each other. We really wanted to create an environment that was really accepting and open so that we had the opportunity to be really transparent and honest about how we are feeling so that our teammates could help us.
Shelby Stanger:
There's a reason they say teamwork makes the dream work. Listening to the rowers talk about how they supported each other out on the water was really inspiring. We also heard from adventurers who were chasing incredible feats on their own. Jason Hardrath is the king of the fastest known times or FKTs. For his 100th FKT, Jason set out to climb the 100th tallest peaks in Washington. He did it in just 50 days, besting the previous record by almost a year. Jason is a middle school teacher. While he goes on wild adventures for his own sense of joy and accomplishment, in the back of his mind, he's always thinking about his students.
Jason Hardrath:
It's a big reason I am ... I mean, it's the reason I am a PE teacher today is to hand those experiences to kids that set them on fire for a lifetime. It's like that's how I orient everything I do in the classroom is to provide those initial experiences in different sports and skills. And I'll model. They get to walk the corners on the track and jog the straight stretches, and I'll run the whole time. But every single year, about halfway through as the weather's getting warmer, there will be kids that ask, can I just run with you the whole time? And then they get to have this experience of going around the track with me and I'll have a conversation with them like, yeah, this is what did it for me. All the successes I've had, the adventures I'm able to go on that I tell you guys and show you pictures of, it's because I made the choice to do the extra that wasn't required of me. And that to me is like a powerful moment to be able to share that with a young mind and a young spirit.
Shelby Stanger:
It's great that Jason is always thinking about how to inspire young people. This season, we actually did an entire episode about raising the next generation of wild ones. We shared insights from past guests who are adventurers and parents, and we even spoke with author Lindsay Conchar about her tips for getting kids outside. I'm not a parent myself, but I am an aunt, so of course I had to ask my nephew Harrison what he loves about being active outdoors. Harrison, what do you like best about hiking?
Harrison:
I like the-
Shelby Stanger:
Wait, wait, wait. We can't have noise in the background. Podcasts are quiet, so come sit here next to me. Come sit right here. Okay, ready? Harrison, what do you like about hiking?
Harrison:
I love the views.
Shelby Stanger:
You like hiking to get to the views?
Harrison:
Yep.
Shelby Stanger:
What did you see in the views?
Harrison:
I saw water. I saw lots of lovely birds.
Shelby Stanger:
Okay, so besides hiking, Harrison and I like to go surfing. Harrison, what do you like best about going in the ocean and sand?
Harrison:
I like falling off and the waves pushing me back to shore.
Shelby Stanger:
And what about snorkeling?
Harrison:
Well, I like snorkeling a lot because you go deeper into the water and it allows you to see different animals that you see in the shore.
Shelby Stanger:
While actually getting your kids out the door can be challenging, many guests told us it's worth it to see their little ones exploring our natural world. Being outside gives kids the same benefits it gives us, it's good for us both physically and mentally. That's another thing that we've heard over and over again on Wild Ideas Worth Living. Whatever we're going through, whether it's loss, trauma, transitions, nature is healing. Author Emily Pennington came on the season to talk about her trip to all of the national parks, and this was one of her biggest takeaways.
Emily Pennington:
There are few things in life like the wilderness that are actually big enough to hold the enormity of our human emotions like grief and rage and joy, and I came away from the trip a completely different person, but also so, so much more in love with the national parks than I think I ever had been.
Shelby Stanger:
If you're going through a hard time or even a great time, remember that nature's here for you. Many of our guests from this past year have already embarked on their next wild idea. Ultra runner Greg Nance was appointed to the Washington State House of Representatives. Cold water swimmer Melissa Kegler made a movie called Ice Mermaid that came out earlier in December. Artists and free diver BJ Griffin was on America's Got Talent. Scientist Nalini Nadkarni was named Explorer at Large by National Geographic. Professional ultra runner Courtney Dauwalter ran an ultra marathon with her mom. And you guys are up to some wild things too.
Taylor Prokes:
Hi Shelby. This is Taylor Prokes. So I did a 100 mile race this year. I didn't really start doing big physical challenges until recently. I didn't run more than three miles until then, and I thought this year what gets me excited and really scares me, but also that I just think in my head I could do, and I picked a 100 miles. But I trained for it for six months really hard and just the whole time I could visualize the end and it was one of the best experiences of my entire life.
Mike Gunderloy:
This is not as wild as many of the ideas you featured, but it was wild enough for me as a guy in my mid 60s. I retired a couple of years ago and decided at the start of this year that I was going to hike 1,000 miles in 2023, which is two or three times the maximum I ever did as a scout leader even. And then I went and did it. Turns out I can in fact easily walk 20 miles in the morning if I just go out and walk. So I'm happy to say I finished it in September, so I'll be at more like 1,200 miles for the year, and maybe next year I'll do 1,500.
Robert Brown:
Last November, I went trekking in Nepal and experienced what I thought was extreme altitude sickness. A couple months later I got an MRI to diagnose some headaches that I was having after the trek and found out that I had a brain tumor. Fast-forward a month or two later and got it removed, found out thankfully that it was benign, and really my wild idea right now is to document my journey from what happened, the symptoms that led up to it, the recovery process, the surgery process, and then training to go back to Nepal and reattempt this trek again.
Lauren Connolly:
Hi, my name is Lauren Connolly. My wild idea happened this year when a book I was working on with a few friends fell through. I was so discouraged. I took the money that I had invested for the publisher and instead took my son to St. Pete Beach, Florida for two weeks where we volunteered with the sea turtle trackers. The coolest part ever, we discovered and reported four sea turtle nests and became part of a very cool community. We are totally going to vacation with a purpose more often.
Jake Yaeger:
Hey, Wild Ideas community. This is Jake from Northern New York and my 2024 wild idea is just to encourage others to get outside, have them check out their backyard, and more importantly, take somebody with you when you go outside. A lot of people might not know what's right in their backyard, whether it's in the winter, it's in the summer, it's in the fall, it's in the spring. My wild idea 2024 is to take somebody outside, encourage others to get back to our roots, and to just take a deep breath. A lot of times we don't give ourselves that small moment to just reset, recollect ourselves, and be human.
Shelby Stanger:
We also heard from people like Nick who started the Nebraska Adventure Society and Erin who did her first solo trip on the Inca Trail in Peru. Jim started living the van Life and Ellen sold everything and took her daughters to travel the world. There are even a couple of people whose stories were so wild that we're going to interview them next season. One of my favorite voice messages we got reinforced one of the coolest things about wild ideas. They're exponential. One wild idea leads to another, which leads to another. This year, runner Cal Dobbs came on the show to talk about his run across America. Cal is also a regular listener and he sent in a voice note to tell us about his next adventure.
Cal Dobbs:
Hey, Shelby, it's Cal Dobbs. I actually have a new wild idea and this one is more wild and crazy than anything I've ever done. It is three times as crazy, three times as long as anything I've hiked or run in the past, and that is next year I will be running every single street in Los Angeles. It amounts to about 8,000 miles. I'm going to try to average about 20 to 22 miles a day, which no days off would clock in around one year to complete this. I have so much more I want to tell you, but this is 60 seconds long, so bye.
Shelby Stanger:
Wow, 8,000 miles. I'm so excited to follow Cal's journey and hear what else people have in store for 2024.
Our podcast had some achievements of its own this year. I'm proud to announce that thanks to you, this year Wild Ideas Worth Living placed in three different categories at the Signal Awards. It was an honor to be recognized by the podcast industry and we even won the Listener's Choice Awards for Best Branded Lifestyle Show. A huge thank you to everyone who voted. But just in case you worried that I was getting a big head, my team is here to bring me back down to earth with a few bloopers from our recording sessions this season.
I'm Shelby Stanger, and this is Wild Ideas Worth Living, an REI Co-Op Studios production. And if you listen to this episode and you quit your job, please don't blame us.
Called Lure of the Nerth. Nerth. Lure of the Nerth. And she talks about her guiding company, Lure of the Nerth. Okay, sorry. It's so sad I can't do it. Okay. What am I doing? There's spit. It was awkward. It's okay. Cool. Perfect.
All right, that's enough of that. We're already knee-deep in production for next year, and we have some amazing guests coming at you. We're also hoping to connect with you, our listeners, a little bit more, including at some in-person events, so keep your ears and your eyes peeled. If you ever have an idea for someone you'd like to hear on the show, you can email us at podcast@rei.com or you can write us a review and put it there. We read them all.
If you want to stay in touch and see what's coming up next season, follow me on Instagram at @ShelbyStanger. That's S-H-E-L-B-Y S-T-A-N-G-E-R. If you want to get your hands on my book, Will to Wild, you can get it wherever you buy your books. The best part about releasing a book is that I finally got to meet so many of you face-to-face. Thank you to everyone who came out to Warwick's in San Diego, REI and the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City, The Conrad in La Jolla, and Barnes & Noble in Encinitas. Writing a book was definitely a wild idea I've been holding onto for many, many years, and I really appreciate all the support from my partner, Johnny, my family, my friends, my REI team, and especially you, the listeners. 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 Pierce-Nitzberg of Puddle Creative. And our senior producers are Jenny Barber and Hannah Boyd. Our executive producers are Paolo Mottola and Joe Crosby. As always, we love it when you follow the show, 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. Wild Ideas Worth living is done.