Planning a wedding or raising a young athlete? Bobby Thompson joins me by the fire to expose the "non-negotiables" for your big day and the hard truth about the travel baseball industry.

Grab a seat for a deep conversation with my longtime friend and former teammate, Bobby Thompson. We dive into our shared history from the West Lebanon fields to the College World Series, discuss the challenges of impending fatherhood, and get real about "imposter syndrome" when chasing your high potential. Bobby also breaks down why coaching 11-year-olds changed his perspective on the game and what most wedding venues get wrong during speeches.

Support the Show!

Buy me a Log: https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch

Connect with Me!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meanderin_mitch/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/352103037956366

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576114107409

Relevant Links & Resources!

🥃 End shot of whiskey - https://www.tincupwhiskey.com/

⚾ Battleground Baseball - https://battlegroundbaseballgroup.com/

About Campfire Convos

Campfire Convos is where real conversations meet the outdoors. Hosted by Mitchel from Meanderin’ Mitch, this podcast blends the feeling of sitting around a fire with honest, unfiltered discussions about life, adventure, and everything in between.

Each episode brings a mix of outdoor topics, personal stories, and meaningful conversations with guests—from creators and adventurers to everyday people with something real to say. Whether it’s camping, travel, relationships, personal growth, or chasing a better life, nothing is off limits.

It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being real.

So grab a seat, relax, and join us by the fire…

When the fire glows, the convos flow.

CHAPTERS

0:00 - The First Spark (Intro)

1:15 - Meeting through Baseball & Wrestling

2:40 - The Recruiting Game: Commitment Regrets?

3:30 - Mason Miller & Battleground Baseball

5:15 - Life Update: Expecting a Baby Girl

8:00 - Legend of West Lebanon: Remembering Jackie

10:30 - The Saturday Sacrifice: Coaching vs. Family

11:30 - Marriage & Maintaining Your Identity

15:10 - The Notre Dame Obsession: Getting "Fired"

18:45 - Pro Sports vs. Playing for Pride

23:50 - The Lost Art of Hating to Lose

29:10 - The 2013 College World Series Journey

36:20 - Buy Me a Log: Jared & Trinity

38:00 - Keeping the Yard Baseball Name Alive

43:50 - Traveling: The Power of First Impressions

47:30 - Imposter Syndrome & High Potential Detriments

52:10 - Why I Left Walmart: Chasing the Sprint

56:20 - Rosemary Oil & The Reality of Getting Older

59:50 - Wedding Planning: DJ, Video, and "Okay" Food

1:06:20 - The Open Bar & Speeches Non-Negotiables

1:09:40 - Coaching History: Steve Klein & IUP

1:17:45 - Why Coaching 11-Year-Olds Is Euphoric

1:20:40 - The Travel Baseball Rant: Money vs. Development

1:28:40 - The Case for the Multi-Sport Athlete

1:34:40 - Pennsylvania Baseball: The Northeast Hub

1:40:15 - The "What If": Saltsburg & Blairsville 2013

1:44:30 - Tin Cup Whiskey & Final Toast

1:46:15 - Mystery Animal Sound Outro

On this episode of Campfire Convos, I sit down with Rene from Reform Mind, Body & Spirit—and this one goes deep.

We talk about hypnotherapy, past life regression, and whether the next generation is actually going to change the world.

Some of this stuff sounds crazy at first… but the more we talked, the more it made you think.

If you’ve ever been curious about:

– Hypnotherapy

– Past lives

– Personal growth and mindset

– Or just having real, honest conversations

…this one’s for you.

🔥 When the fire glows, the convos flow.

—

💬 Let me know in the comments:

Do you think past lives are real?

—

🎧 Campfire Convos is all about real conversations, good energy, and slowing things down—just like sitting around a fire.

If you enjoy the episode, make sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who would vibe with this.

—

🪵 Support the show:

Buy me a log - https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch

—

#campfireconvos #hypnotherapy #pastlives #podcast #selfgrowth #mindset #spirituality

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:20 Meet Rene (Reform Mind, Body & Spirit)

02:00 First Impressions & Conversation Start

08:30 What is Hypnotherapy?

18:45 Past Life Regression Explained

32:00 Is It Real or Just the Mind?

45:00 The Problem with Modern Marketing & Trust

55:00 Being Authentic in a Manipulated World

01:05:00 The Next Generation & The Future

01:12:30 Final Thoughts

01:14:00 Outro + Animal Sound Challenge

On this episode of Campfire Convos, I sit down with Kara and we talk about learning vs leading, finding your happy place, why small towns suck, and why they can still be such a special place to build something meaningful.
We also get into spring in Pennsylvania, skiing vs snowboarding, the value of community, the history of the Saltsburg canal, and why Canal Campout means so much to both of us.
If you’ve ever felt stuck between wanting more and still loving where you come from, this one should hit home.
SUPPORT / LINKS
Canal Campout:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/canal-campout-saltsburg-pa-tickets-1984323474930
Point Street Tavern:
https://www.facebook.com/PointStreetTavern/
TINCUP Whiskey:
https://www.tincupwhiskey.com/
Buy Me a Log / Support Campfire Convos:
https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a comment, and let me know:
Are you more of a sunrise person or a sunset person?
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:16 Spring in PA + favorite seasons
02:24 Skiing vs snowboarding
04:42 COVID, nature, and getting back outside
08:14 Camping, community, and finding your people
12:20 Learning vs leading
24:48 Competition, patience, and personality
43:44 Canal Campout + why Saltsburg matters
59:53 Big adventures, future goals, and what makes you happy
01:12:44 TINCUP toast + outro

Is therapy overrated? Or are we just thinking about it the wrong way?

In this episode of Campfire Convos, I’m joined by my buddy Jared for a real, unfiltered conversation recorded during the Canal Campout trial run in Saltsburg, PA.

We dive into:

Therapy and whether it should be long-term or temporary

Mental health, self-awareness, and personal growth

Learning how to deal with other people vs fixing yourself

Triggers, responsibility, and modern culture

Why negativity spreads so easily

The idea that everything happens for a reason

This one goes deep, gets a little philosophical, and stays real the whole way through.

🔥 SUPPORT THE SHOW

Buy Me a Log (Support Campfire Convos):

https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch

🍻 SUPPORT LOCAL

Brew Bank (Andy’s Shandy):

https://www.facebook.com/brewbankco

📍 FEATURED LOCATION / SHOUTOUT

Point Street Tavern (Saltsburg, PA) – shoutout to Joe

🎧 FOLLOW & CONNECT

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meanderin_mitch/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/meandermore

🔥 ABOUT CAMPFIRE CONVOS

Real conversations around a fire — about life, growth, the outdoors, and everything in between.

“When the fire glows, the convos flow.”

⏱ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro – What This Episode Covers

00:56 First Public Episode + Campout Setting

02:00 Work, Pressure & Being Hard on Yourself

05:06 Work-Life Balance & Family Impact

07:06 Therapy Experience & Mental Health Reality

10:09 Is Therapy Meant to Be Temporary?

13:19 Therapy as Ongoing Growth vs “Fixing” Yourself

16:02 Losing Access to Therapy & Real Cost

20:21 Where the “Therapy is Overrated” Idea Comes From

23:10 Bad Therapy vs Good Therapy

29:08 “Everything Happens for a Reason” Mindset

33:10 Negativity, Media & Environment Influence

41:15 Supporters, Sponsors & Community Callouts

On this episode of Campfire Convos, I sit down with my buddy Swan and we get into everything from growing up playing sports to the life lessons that come with it.We talk about:Baseball memories growing upPlaying multiple sports (football, golf, track, basketball)The impact of coaches and father figuresMental toughness in sports and lifeWhy team sports shape who you becomeCoaching experiences and long-term impact on kidsSmall-town sports cultureSoftball leagues, tournaments, and Ocean City tripsWe also share some hilarious stories, tough lessons, and moments that stick with you for life.If you’ve ever played sports, had a great coach, or learned something bigger than the game itself… this one’s for you.🔥 Campfire Convos — When the fire glows, the convos flow.🔗 LINKS & MENTIONS🍺 Brew Bank (Ridgway, PA)https://www.facebook.com/BrewBankPA📍 Ridgway, Pennsylvaniahttps://maps.google.com/?q=Ridgway,+PA⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 Intro & What This Episode Is About00:15 Trying Brew Bank Beer & Ridgway Talk01:55 Small Town Living & Exploring New Places05:00 Reconnecting & Starting the Conversation06:00 Early Baseball Memories & Getting Hit in the Chest09:00 Confidence, Mindset & Playing Loose14:00 Influence of Coaches, Parents & Life Lessons22:30 Adult Sports, Injuries & Tournament Stories26:00 High School Sports (Football, Golf, Track, Basketball)45:00 Coaching Impact & Why It Matters More Than Winning54:30 Ocean City Trips & Wrapping Up

Season 3 of Campfire Convos is here.

In this episode, I sit down with my brother Brady and we talk about becoming dog dads, family, growing up, wedding planning, cruises, camping, and what we’re both looking forward to this year.

This one is exactly what Campfire Convos is supposed to be: two brothers sitting around the fire, sharing a drink, getting interrupted by the outdoors, and having a real conversation.

We also introduce the new animal sound challenge at the end of the episode, so make sure you listen all the way through and drop your guess in the comments.

Topics in this episode:

life with Milo and Tucker

dog training and responsibility

why family comes first

marriage, support systems, and growing up

cruises, camping, fishing, and future plans

what we’re excited about this year

Chapters

00:00 Season 3 premiere intro

00:55 First sip and dog dad life

08:14 Dog training, routines, and responsibility

12:13 New season support and sponsor system

19:35 Why family comes first

29:14 Marriage, future family life, and support systems

33:45 Cruises, travel, and making memories

40:17 What Brady is excited for this year

49:14 Goals, camping, and future plans

01:08:49 Animal sound challenge

Welcome back to Campfire Convos — this episode is the Season 2 Finale.Season 2 was originally planned to be 22 episodes, but after reflecting and refining, I’m ending the season early so I can build a better, more consistent schedule going forward.Here’s what’s changing:Season 3 begins the first week of MarchAll seasons going forward will be 11 episodesA new episode will drop every week for 11 straight weeks on a set day and timeI’m using the break to batch episodes, raise quality, and avoid rushing guests or filler contentA full revamp is coming to the “Buy Me a Log” supporter systemI want to add a consistent intro + outroI want to add a small end-of-episode game for engagementI’m exploring light branding + animations (without losing the real campfire vibe)If you’ve been here this season — thank you. And if you want to keep me accountable, I’m officially inviting you to call me out in the comments if I don’t follow through on what I’m promising here.🔥 SUPPORT THE SHOW (Buy Me a Log)https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch🤝 SPONSORS & GEAR MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEPackFire Smokeless Fire Pithttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581396151542Cliq Chairs (Classic 1.0)https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-101445030-13868159Use code MEANDERIN_MITCH for 10% offBrew Bank – Ridgway, PAhttps://www.facebook.com/brewbankco💬 COMMENT + KEEP ME ACCOUNTABLEWhat do you want most from Season 3?Better guests?More structure?More campfire vibe?Games/segments?Better visuals?Drop your honest thoughts below — constructive criticism is welcome.⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Season 2 Finale intro + sponsor shoutouts00:34 Why Season 2 is ending early01:18 Season 3 start date (first week of March)01:38 New format: 11 episodes, weekly schedule02:03 Batching episodes + raising quality02:38 Hold me accountable (seriously)02:59 “Buy Me a Log” supporters revamp (tiers + appreciation)03:40 Intro + outro ideas + adding an end-of-episode game04:14 Restructuring the flow (less sponsor talk up front)04:39 Keeping the true campfire vibe05:16 Light branding/animations without being “too businessy”06:15 Feedback request + closing

Welcome back to Campfire Convos.In this episode, I’m joined by my buddy Evan, a professional dog trainer, for a long, honest conversation around the fire. We talk about dog training philosophies, behavior modification, discipline, consistency, and what it really means to bring balance into your life.The conversation expands into faith, personal growth, burnout, health, routine, and slowing down, along with some lighter moments about food, barbecue, cooking, and a bold challenge to cook a whole gator if this episode hits 100 likes.We’re posted up around the fire on Cliq Chairs, sipping Andy’s Shandy from Brew Bank, keeping warm with our sponsored fire pit, and ending the night with a Campfire Convos whiskey pour.If you’re a dog owner, thinking about getting a dog, or just trying to build a more balanced life, this episode is for you.🔥 SUPPORT THE SHOWBuy us a log and help keep the fire going:https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch🪑 GEAR & BRANDS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODECliq Chairs (Classiq 2.0)https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-101445030-13868159Use code MEANDERIN_MITCH for 10% offBrew Bank – Ridgway, PAhttps://www.facebook.com/brewbankcoPack Fire Smokeless Fire Pithttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581396151542💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATIONDrop a comment below:– Are you team routine or flexibility with dogs?– What’s the one meal everyone should learn how to cook?– Should Evan cook a gator at 100 likes?⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 – Campfire kickoff, chairs, beer & setting the tone06:00 – Dog training journey & behavior modification14:40 – Training philosophy, discipline & consistency26:00 – Burnout, balance, health & slowing down41:30 – Cooking, barbecue & food passion52:25 – Faith, fear, trust & life perspective58:30 – Advice, final thoughts & campfire toast

This episode of Campfire Convos is a cold one—literally and figuratively.I’m joined by Trey Tipton, and we sit around the fire to talk honestly about competition, identity after sports, discipline, mental health, faith, and what it means to grow into adulthood after athletics are over.We reflect on rivalries turning into brotherhood, how sports shape who you become, and the hard part of redefining yourself when the game ends. This conversation moves from football and basketball to purpose, consistency, and finding peace—especially when life gets loud.This episode also marks our first episode with Pack Fire, our new fire pit sponsor, and is fueled by beer around the fire from Brew Bank in Ridgway, PA.If you’ve ever struggled with discipline, identity, or figuring out who you are beyond competition, this one’s for you.🔥 SUPPORT THE PODCASTBuy a log and help keep the fire going:☕ Buy Me a Log (Ko-fi)https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitch🤝 EPISODE PARTNERS & LINKS(Only brands and people mentioned in this episode)🔥 Pack Fire Smokeless Fire Pithttps://packfire.com/products/packfire🍺 Brew Bank – Ridgway, PAhttps://www.facebook.com/brewbankco👤 GUEST LINKS – TREY TIPTON📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tretip06/🎵 TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@tretip06?lang=en

Welcome back to Campfire Convos!Today’s episode is special — my dad joins me again for a deep, fun, chaotic, and heartfelt fireside conversation.We talk hunting in the snow, foreign exchange students, raising a family, building strong teams, leadership lessons, holiday meaning, managing people well, supporting your kids, and what retirement might look like.PLUS a ridiculous chair collapse you won’t want to miss — the outtakes are at the very end of the episode.Grab a drink, throw a log on the fire, and join us for stories, laughs, wisdom, and family reflections.🔥 SUPPORT THE SHOWBuy us a log → https://ko-fi.com/meanderin_mitchJoin the Patreon → https://patreon.com/meanderin_mitchPodcast links (Spotify, Apple, etc.) → https://linktr.ee/CampfireConvosSubscribe on Substack (bonus episodes coming soon) → Coming soon🔥 FEATURED BRANDS & LOCAL SUPPORTRise Outdoor Tent → https://riseoutdoor.ca/?ref=meanderinmitchBrew Bank Ridgeway → https://www.facebook.com/brewbankco📬 GET INVOLVEDEmail inquiries or to be on the show → [email protected] to be a guest → https://forms.gle/U9aXSoKrJ2Rm2y4r9Merch Store → Coming soon🌲 FOLLOW MEANDERIN’ MITCHInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/meanderin_mitch/TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@meanderin_mitchLemon8 → https://www.lemon8-app.com/meanderin_mitchHigh Frequency Media IG → https://www.instagram.com/highfrequency_media/Campfire Convos TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@campfireconvos⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Chilly Day, Drinks & Back at the Fire01:15 – Hunting Stories, Snow & Nature06:00 – Foreign Exchange Students & Hosting Memories10:26 – What Podcasting Has Taught Me13:25 – Lessons From Guests & Shop With a Cop17:26 – Comfort Zones, Guests & The Future of CC21:53 – Holidays, Family & Losing Loved Ones28:00 – Sponsorships, Support & The Cyclers Log33:20 – Camping Events, People & Evolving Groups38:18 – Rise Airst Nest, Travel & Glamping Talks40:28 – Sponsors, Beer, Whiskey & Local Support46:17 – Work, Leadership & Building Teams53:16 – Watching People Grow + Coaching Styles57:30 – Life Lessons, Authenticity & Family Priority01:00:40 – Chair Collapse & The Return01:01:09 – Final Thoughts, Gratitude & Outro01:06:50 – Outtakes: Chair Fail Compilation