Episodes

In this episode I sit down with Mike Poggioli, who is one of these rare photographers who truly meditates on his subject before shooting, and his passion for the craft is obvious. While living in Chicago in 2015, Poggioli's love of photography grew, fueled by the city's singular architecture and its orange-hued streetlights in the rain. Winding career paths eventually led him to Asheville, North Carolina, where he found a new appreciation for landscapes entirely devoid of skyscrapers and blurry ...

In this episode I sit down with Emily Jackson and we unpack how her adventurous childhood created such a solid foundation for her own life, that she couldn’t comprehend a different way of life. She is an accomplished professional kayaker, mom, wife, businesswoman, co-host of The Great Family Adventure TV series, and friend to so many. We talk about how her most clear recollection of her family’s happiness stemmed from a decision to live fulltime in a RV to pursue life together, forged on a miss...

Sonya and Necota Staples started their camping journey just a few short years ago and it quickly snowballed into off-roading and overlanding. With their newfound love of glamping, they wanted to share it with their friends and family, but no one understood why they wanted to “rough it” outside. So they started making YouTube videos to educate and encourage friends, family, and the Black and Brown community to experience the life-changing effect of the outdoors. Their newfound love and passion to...

In this episode I sit down with Lee Trebotich, aka “Natty”. He created Food For Adventures for the outdoor athletes and weekend warriors who seek adventure, and to share the stoke of eating well in the outdoors. We talk about the long line of cooks he comes from, and how he grew up helping his mom in the kitchen where he learned how to cook exclusively with cast-iron. Besides being an amazing Outdoor Chef, Natty is just an all around awesome guy to be around. He’s the type of person that just m...

In this episode, I sit down with Steven Reinhold, The Appalachian Adventure Company Co-Founder + Steward of the Stoke, who has been a force in the outdoor industry for many years. He is an avid explorer and adventure philanthropist who has been fortunate to pursue his passions around the globe. After climbing several of North America's most iconic peaks with the industry's leading guide services, Steven determined that mountain guides were the coolest people on the planet. One of the greatest ou...

This is a special episode because it is a story of a remarkable place and fascinating history, told through the eyes of third generation resident, John Nichols III, whose grandfather helped restore Lake Toxaway to its former glory in the early 1960s. We talk about John’s earliest recollections of growing up in Lake Toxaway, living in what is now known as the Greystone, warm days summer & cool nights, lightning bugs, the sounds of nature, and a simpler way of life. There is an atmosphere surround...

In this episode, Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins owners Joe Balcken and Shelton Steele dropped by the studio to hang out and talk about their love and vision for Wrong Way, the transformational qualities of the outdoors, and the intentionality of creating a sense of place. Both are former whitewater raft guides turned trailblazing entrepreneurs. They came up with the idea for Wrong Way over the shared desire to get back on the river and encourage others to connect with the outdoors, have inspirin...

The word community is, without question, central to the human experience. It conveys a sense of togetherness and positivity. Being a part of a community can make us feel as though we are a part of something greater than ourselves. And in some outdoor pursuits, community is key for a safe and enjoyable experience. That is definitely true when it comes to whitewater kayaking. In this episode I travel down to the Green River Ranch to take part in the Inaugural GRASS Festival, and I sit down with C...

Damascus is a small town with a big claim to fame: Seven nationally known trails, including the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Creeper Trail intersect within the town’s borders. The Damascus lifestyle is adventurous and creative, yet laid-back and well-paced. It’s a place where you can be super-active, or where you can reconnect with nature, rejuvenate, and find your inner peace. Damascus is also a gateway town to Mount Rogers, the highest point in the state of Virginia with a summit elevat...

I recently had the privilege of attending the 4th Annual Outdoor Economy Conference in Cherokee, North Carolina, where 600 outdoor industry businesses, conservationists, public land managers, development experts, nonprofit & government leaders, and entrepreneurs are looking to grow the outdoor industry in their communities and craft an economy that’s intimately tied to the quality and health of their places. I had the distinct honor of sitting down with D. Reid Wilson, Secretary of the North Ca...

The Hickory Nut Gorge is a magnificent jewel in the mountains of Western North Carolina. This 14-mile-long canyon cuts a picturesque pass exposing spectacular sheer granite cliffs, and contains an abundance of undisturbed forests. In this episode, I sit down with Peter Barr who led the development of more than 20 miles of new sustainable trails as well as the legislative authorization of the planned 130-mile Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail network. He is a two-time national award-winning trail de...

Nearly 10.2 million Americans today consider themselves digital nomads—people who travel and explore while working—and that number is only expected to go up. In fact, when COVID started to wreak havoc in 2020, the number of digital nomads in the US increased by nearly 50% from 2019. In the case of fulltime RV’ers Peter and Allison Barr, they started making plans for a 5-year journey around the United States long before the COVID Crisis. Drawing on years of extended summer excursions, spring brea...

It’s no surprise the last couple of years have been a challenge for small businesses. And it’s likely that we all know someone whose life and business has been adversely affected by the pandemic. We’ve seen longtime businesses struggle, companies pivot, bankruptcies filed, and doors closed. But thankfully there are also positive stories and good that has come about because of the pandemic too. There are stories of communities rallying to support local business, people looking to the outdoors as ...

In this episode, I head to Banner Elk, NC to visit with Tracy Tilley & Sheri Moretz for a behind the scenes look at the iconic Mast General Store. We take a trip back in time and learn how the Mast's down-home way of doing business is still alive today. Drawing on it's own story of resurgence, its no surprise that part of what adds to the nostalgic charm of the Mast General Store experience is their intentional alignment with areas undergoing revitalization. Buildings at every Mast location have...

Our public lands are among the most visited in the Southern Blue Ridge. The Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests receive over 10 million visitors annually, and the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are in the top 3 most visited parks in the Country. DuPont State Recreational Forest had its most crowded year ever last year, recording 1.3 million visitors. People love coming here and we can’t blame them. But declining budgets have stressed the U.S. Forest Service and led ...

In this episode, I sit down with Kieran Roe, Executive Director of Conserving Carolina and we talk about how this organization works to protect & restore natural resources, as well as inspire others to love and care for our natural world. We talk about some of the areas that make up the 46,000 acres Conserving Carolina has helped to protect like Chimney Rock State Park, DuPont State Recreational Forest, Headwaters State Forest, as well as additions to the Green River Game Land and Pisgah Nation...

We have a special episode in store for you today as we focus in on our Top 5 Most Listened To Episodes of 2021…but with a little different twist. This year I hit rewind and invited our guests back on to bring us up to speed with anything new they have going on. You are DEFINITELY going to want to listen in because there are some pretty RAD things happening here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This episode is going to mark the end of 2021, but I’ll be back in late January to kick off 2022. I cannot ...

The mountains of North Carolina offer some unexpected treats for skiers and snowboarders. Snowmaking capabilities are outstanding and allow for a constant supply of fresh snow and great conditions. They emphasize family skiing, with a good mix of beginner runs to get first timers interested in the sport, and more advanced trails and surprisingly good vertical to provide ample stoke for even the most experienced skiers and riders. In this episode I turn my attention to Beech Mountain Ski Resort,...

Gorges State Park, located about halfway between Cashiers and Brevard, is set in the midst of plunging waterfalls, rugged river gorges, sheer rock walls and a high concentration of rare species. The Park receives over 80 inches of rain each year which is enough rain to qualify the area as a temperate rain forest. Most people are drawn to the park to explore Rainbow Falls, and Turtle Back Falls which lies just upstream, as well as Bearwallow Falls which lies in the northern section of the Park. B...

In 1975, 80% of the clothes Americans purchased were made in the USA, but in the 1980’s, the decline in American made apparel began. By the 1990’s almost no apparel was manufactured in the USA. Western North Carolina fell victim to this overseas manufacturing trend. In the ’70s, there were five manufacturers operating within the limits of Old Fort. They made furniture and clothes and car parts, but they started closing in the ’80s, when the Old Fort Finishing Plant, a textile company, shut down...

The Blue Ridge Mountains are synonymous with beauty, adventure, ruggedness, exploration, & discovery. They are filled with iconic trails and highways, and home to a rich biodiversity. They contain the most incredible waterfalls & wildlife, trails, and rivers, hunting and fishing…and our quaint, throw-back mountain towns are growing increasingly popular as people look to escape urban spaces. These are precisely many of the reasons that international wildlife photographer & Canon Explorer of Light...

The Green River Game Lands contains just over 18,000 acres of wilderness and lies along the Blue Ridge Escarpment in Henderson and Polk counties. It is home to the Green River which cuts a rugged chasm as it descends the Blue Ridge escarpment providing numerous whitewater sports opportunities like kayaking, canoeing, tubing, and fishing in wild trout waters. At its most impressive point, the Green River drops 400 feet in just over 1.5 miles running through a crevice known as the Narrows, which i...

In this episode I sit down with the G5 Trail Collective, US Forest Service, People on the Move for Old Fort, and the Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation to discuss plans to expand the trail system in the Grandfather District to include 40+ miles of new multi-use trails. We talk about how expanding the trail system will allow for greater recreation opportunities for the community and visitors alike. We also discuss how this community driven project has been fueled by a passion for inclus...

The 100-Mile Fonta Flora State Trail will connect Morganton to Asheville with hiking and biking trails along the Catawba River, creeks, around Lake James, through the mountains and into our charming downtowns like Morganton, Marion, Old Fort, Black Mountain, and Asheville’s River Arts District. It will provide an unparalleled experience for people of all ages and abilities. The full scope of the Fonta Flora State Trail will take many years, but the 32 mile loop around Lake James, as well as othe...