When Alastair Humphreys was young, he craved something unknowable. 

That something - adventure, excitement, wisdom, whatever it was - was close. But he suspected that in order to find it, he'd have to step outside of the familiar shapes of his routines. He'd have to break free from the expectations of his friends and family, of advanced degrees and office jobs and apartment living. 

In his search for something, he moved to a rural village in Africa at 18. And after university, he cycled across 6 continents and pedaled the circumference of the globe. But he still hadn't quite found that something - and his quest for it would reveal a truth that would change everything.

Whether you're looking for an epic saga about a cross-continental bike trip or the wildest story about playing the violin you've ever heard, you're going to enjoy this episode about the many types of adventure that exist, how we can have them, and why we need them.

FIND ALASTAIR
Learn more about Alastair, his adventures, and his books at his website, AlastairHumphreys.com, or follow him on Instagram @Al_Humphreys. Find his latest book, Local, wherever books are sold (though we recommend ordering from your local bookshop!). 

SOCIAL
Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com.

CREDITS
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bicycles, Bad Violin Playing, and Blank Maps: Redefining Adventure With Alastair Humphreys

The world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style and set to music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience. 'Best travel podcasts 2020'- The Guardian, 'Thrilling Stuff'-Sunday Times, 'Ear Candy for Listeners' - Washington Post

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Documentary

Welcome to Utah: Life Elevated, the documentary podcast that will 
take you all around Utah on an unforgettable road trip. Today, we're 
diving into some of Utah's unique adventures...because if there's one 
word that defines Utah, it just might be adventure! 

From rappelling down canyon walls to churning up dirt on a mountain bike, 
there are so many ways to get a taste of the outdoors in this great 
state. Join us for some unforgettable experiences, from fly fishing in 
the pristine Flaming Gorge to riding mules through slot canyons to 
braving a 50-foot ski jump...directly into a pool.

Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode:

-Fly fisherman Ryan Kelly at Flaming Gorge
-Expert canyoner and guide Micah Mansfield with East Zion Adventures
-Pro mountain biker Eric Porter in Park City
-Trail guide McClain from Meecham Outfitters
-Ski coach Ryan Devine from Park City's Olympic Park
-Two-time Olympic medalist Shannon Bahkre

PLAN YOUR UTAH TRIP
If you want to learn more about experiencing the sights and attractions featured in this episode, go to VisitUtah.com or follow along on social media @VisitUtah. International listeners can also book this itinerary directly as a package, with lots of other bonus experiences too -- just visit AmericanSky.co.uk/Utah-Holidays or learn more about all the incredible destinations around the state at VisitTheUSA.com or on social media @VisitTheUSA.

SOCIAL
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. Want travel tips and advice? Questions about this episode? Message me! Sign up for the monthly newsletter at armchair-explorer.com.

CREDITS
This show was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the 
travel industry. Brian Thacker managed pre-production. Jenny Allison was
 the in-field producer. Jason Paton recorded, wrote, mixed, and sound 
designed the episode. Aaron Millar hosted and served as executive 
producer.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mule Riding, Canyoneering, and Skiing Into a Pool: Part One of Uniquely Utah Adventures

Writer Tim Moore is no stranger to the unusual and unique. In his 
early days as a travel writer, he rode a container ship to Iceland, 
biked across Italy in a period costume, completed the Camino de Santiago
with a donkey as his only companion, and more. So when Tim got a call 
out of the blue one day from his editor, asking if he'd consider biking 
the length of the newly established Iron Curtain Trail, he had two 
thoughts.

One was that he was absolutely not in shape to embark on this journey. First of 
all, nobody had ever done it before. Nobody could tell him whether it was five 
or six thousand miles long. It also wound through some slightly uncertain parts 
of the world which, in Tim's mind -- having grown up during the Cold War -- 
were inextricably tied to nuclear annihilation.

But two...was that he was absolutely going to do it.

Follow along for an adventure that will take you from chaotic Russian streets 
to frigid Finnish backroads, through dive bars and ancient ruins and 
military checkpoints. Along the way, Tim's wit and humor gives a fresh 
perspective on a part of the world that is still struggling to define 
itself and write its next chapter.

CONNECT

Tim's book featured in this episode is called The Cyclist Who Went Out in the 
Cold: Adventures Along the Iron Curtain Trail, and you can find it wherever 
books are sold. Tim has also written several other books, so we recommend 
checking those out too. You can also follow him on X / Twitter @mrtimmoore.

SOCIAL

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. Want travel 
tips and advice? Questions about this episode? Message me! Sign up for the 
monthly newsletter at armchair-explorer.com.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at 
armchair-productions.com.
Jenny Allison did the guest booking and wrote this episode, along with 
host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and 
sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap (on IG 
@the_sweet_chap).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cyclist Who Went Out in the Cold: Adventures Along the Iron Curtain Trail with Tim Moore

In Oregon, the natural world doesn't just inspire awe -- it gives a 
touch of the sublime. In the words of one guide, it's 
"timeless...important for the soul of humankind." 

And today, we're immersing ourselves in those sublime experiences along the 
Central Nature Trail in Oregon! Follow along as we snowshoe to the top 
of Watchman Peak, for the best view over Crater Lake in the park – “like
a sapphire embedded in the Earth”, as Aaron describes it. It’s exposed,
it’s hair-raising and it’s worth every shaky step. 

After that we head to Bend, one of Oregon’s premier adventure towns, for some
sunset paddling along the Deschutes River surrounded by thousands of 
swallows, baby ospreys and a surprise visit from Oregon’s state animal. 

Then it’s time to head underground for a spine-chilling 1000-foot descent 
into a lava tube, formed by a “River of Fire” over 7,000 years ago. We 
crawl through 18-inch-wide cracks, turn off our head lamps to experience
true darkness and marvel at the geologic forces that could create this 
uniquely beautiful landscape. 

We finish at the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation for some 
“river therapy” and a fly-fishing lesson from a native guide. We learn about 
conserving native first foods, experience some river therapy and even 
catch a fish.

Through it all, we’re going to explore the wonder and awe of the natural world 
in all its forms, from mile-high views to quiet moments listening to birdsong on 
the river. 

CONNECT
Interested in visiting Oregon and seeing the Central Nature Trail for yourself? 
Find out more at www.traveloregon.com or follow along on Instagram and 
Facebook @TravelOregon.

CREDITS
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the 
travel industry. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the top of Crater Lake to the bottom of a Lava Tube: On Location on Oregon's Central Nature Trail, USA

"Paradise: that elusive place where the anxieties, struggles, and burdens of life fall away. Most of us dream of it, but each of us has very different ideas about where it is to be found. For some it can be enjoyed only after death; for others, it’s in our midst—or just across the ocean—if only we can find eyes to see it." 

Thus begins the premise of Pico Iyer's journey in The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise. Pico is one of travel writing's most legendary and prolific authors. He's spent nearly half a century roaming the world, thoughtfully observing the people who live everywhere from the world's busiest cities to its most remote villages. 

And in his latest book -- and today's episode -- he's reflecting on what it means to search for paradise on Earth. Is the very idea of living in paradise an oxymoron? Or is it possible to indeed find heaven, in some way or another, during our own lives? 

From traveling as part of the Dalai Lama's personal convoy to being guided on a private tour of North Korea, Pico's anecdotes and insights into what it means to search for paradise will open your eyes and make you eager to explore this planet of ours.

CONNECT
Pico's book featured in this episode is called The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise, and you can find it wherever book are sold. He's also written dozens of other incredible books and articles, so check those out too on his website at PicoIyerJourneys.com . You can also follow him on X / Twitter @PicoIyer.

SOCIAL
Follow us Instagram and Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. Want travel tips and advice? Questions about this episode? Message me! Sign up for the monthly newsletter at armchair-explorer.com.

CREDITS
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison did the guest booking and wrote this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap (on IG @the_sweet_chap).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Search of Paradise with Pico Iyer

In the Florida Keys, the ocean isn't just part of the scenery. Because beneath those shimmering teal waters, there are adventures and discoveries just waiting to be found. 
And in today's episode, we'll explore two very different - yet equally captivating - gems of the Keys, with excerpts from two different episodes of the 30-part Florida Keys Traveler podcast. 
First, join host Elizabeth Harryman Lasley as she visits Marathon's Dolphin Research Center. Mandy Rodriguez co-founded DRC in 1984 as a research facility where dolphins are cared for and nurtured in a forever home. The results are something you'll have to hear to believe. (Hint: It really is possible to speak with them - and doing so has saved many lives).
Then, Elizabeth speaks with Kim Fisher. In 1985, Kim's father Mel Fisher finally found the object of a deep-sea search spanning nearly 17 years. The Atocha shipwreck was named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most valuable shipwreck treasure ever recovered, then worth an estimated $400 million. 
Join us for an episode that will have you eager to hop into the water by the time you're done. 

VISIT THE FLORIDA KEYS
If you want to learn more about booking your own trip to experience the sights and attractions featured in this episode, go to Fla-Keys.com. To call from the United States or Canada, dial 1 (800) FLA-KEYS or contact your travel advisor.

SOCIAL
For more details about Dolphin Research Center, and for details about this episode's featured dolphins, Pax and Talon, go to dolphins.org.
For more information about Mel Fisher's Treasures, go to melfisher.com. The Florida Keys History Center, itself a treasure trove of Keys history, is located in the Key West Library: keyslibraries.org.
And please help share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com.

CREDITS
This show was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Elizabeth Harryman-Lasley hosted and wrote the show. Jason Paton recorded, mixed, and sound designed it. Jenny Allison and Aaron Millar produced it.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bicycles, Bad Violin Playing, and Blank Maps: Redefining Adventure With Alastair Humphreys

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