Day Fire Podcast

This week Clint and Dawson sat down with Pete Ripmaster. Pete is an adventurer, ultra-athlete, and the winner of the 2018 Iditarod Trail Invitational in Alaska. He is an in-demand motivational speaker and event organizer who spends his time inspiring others to fulfill their dreams, no matter how outrageous they may seem. When he is not speaking or competing in extreme athletic events around the country, he lives in Asheville, NC with his wife, two daughters, two dogs, and a backyard that is often visited by bears that come down from the mountain.

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This week Dawson and Clint got to catch up with Liz 'Mercury' Derstine! You may remember Liz from episodes 72 and 111; she is a distance runner and a trail hiker - oh, and she is fast! She started running at age 14 and has been immersed in running, hiking, and competing ever since. Liz has set FKT's (fastest known times) for the women's supported Smokies Challenge Adventure Run, for the Appalachian Trail (supported - northbound), Pinhoti Trail, and RECENTLY set the FKT for the oldest long distance trail in the US, the Long Trail! This was a great conversation about training, mindset, gear, and of course - lot's of stories!

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This week Dawson and Clint talked with Joshua and Amber Niven! They are authors of the book 'Discovering the Appalachian Trail: A Guide to the Trail's Greatest Hikes'. Even though their journeys and experiences on the AT came at different times - they found common ground in their love for the trail, its people, and the experiences it offers. Joshua completed the AT in 2013 with some friends and Amber backpacked over 1,400 miles of the AT with her dad and other family members after graduating Carson-Newman University. Amber is a lifelong journal keeper and Joshua is a professional and avid photographer - when they met it almost seemed like a book was inevitable. The layout and content of this book is very unique - offering some historical insights, character spotlights, and fantastic pictures that help the reader complete the journey. Our conversation took us through their AT experiences, their approach to their art, the writing and book development process, and as always - we got to hear some fantastic stories and perspectives. They currently live in Madison , NC with their two children and are living their dream as they become more self-sustaining and watch their kids develop the same love of the great outdoors as they have. A great episode about two people - two different AT journeys - becoming one book!

Learn more about them at www.discoveringtheat.com.

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This week Clint and Dawson have Chris and Sara back on the show. They were guests for ep.98. As you know they are digital nomads, van lifers, travelers, adventurers, business partners, husband and wife, and [most importantly] best friends. They are currently back from a 5 month trip to Mexico, Brazil, the Rocky mountains and then out to Oregon; what?!. We talk about their trips, food, language, a crazy purchase and.......... They have big big news. They are making a change so tune in for the details. Follow Chris and Sara on YouTube.

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This week Dawson and Clint sat down with Chattanooga native and avid cyclist - Spencer Whittier. In high school Spencer loved mountain biking and participated in most of the traditional sports but it was the high school cross-country coach that persuaded him to give running a shot. He did and those efforts landed him a scholarship to Tennessee Tech. After graduating Tech, with a degree in Civil Engineering, he rekindled his passion for mountain biking. To say he has been competitively active is an understatement: not only has he raced in triathlons and cyclocross races, but he has participated in the Everesting Challenge, Steamboat GRVL, Ouachita Challenge, Snake Creek Gap MTB, Big Frog 65, Rule of 3, Pisgah Mountain Bike Adventure Race, Belgian Waffle Ride - NC, and the Firecracker 50! He was also a cyclocross national age group champion in January 2016 in Asheville, NC. What's next - the 6-day Breck Epic MTB stage race in Breckenridge, CO! After that? Who knows! (Bonus - his story about a moth is worth the listen)

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This week Dawson and Clint caught up with owner and co-founder of HANDUP Gloves, Cody Wallis. Growing up in a little town in Neveda with less than 1,000 people, Cody fell in love with two things: off-road motorcycle racing and his wife, Jamie! After they moved to Chattanooga and they both fell in love with mountain biking and the community of people associated with it. They also noticed that the gloves available at the time had much to be desired in both function and design. With Cody's background in motorcycle racing and his newfound passion for mountain biking, they set out to build one thing - a better glove! With a leap of faith and their $6,000 dollars in savings, they started their side hustle - HANDUP! Since then, it has grown into a thriving company that is adding new glove designs and apparel. This was a great conversation!

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This week Dawson and Clint went in the studio and had a very fun conversation! Some outdoor adventure trivia and did you know facts! Some were fun, some were serious, some were unexpected, and some were down right shocking! They had fun and learned a few things - maybe you will enjoy it too?!

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This week Dawson and Clint talked with the 'Day Fire Podcast MKV' record holder (Most Known Visits) - Nancy East! This time they talked with Nancy about her Backpacking 101 workshops she is leading through the Blue Ridge Hiking Company! Answering questions that a lot of beginners may have about hiking and camping. What to take - where to go - when to go - safety - animal encounters - expectations - gear considerations - and much more! PLUS - they shared a few stories and laughs along the way.

Who is Nancy East?

She is the author of; 'Chasing the Smokies Moon' - she is a member of the Haywood County's Search and Rescue Team, a founding board member of the WNC Wilderness Safety Fund, a Gossamer Gear Ambassador, and a Southern Appalachian Naturalist. In 2019, she and her good friend, Chris Ford, set the fastest known time (FKT) for a mixed-gender team on the Tour de LeConte Challenge. In 2020, they set the overall FKT for the Smokies 900 Challenge. Nancy has hiked all the trails in the Smoky Mountains National Park four times, and she continues to go back for more.

Find out more about the Backpacking 101 Workshops (virtual and in person): Workshops | Blue Ridge Hiking Co.

Buy a copy of 'Chasing the Smokies Moon': Chasing the Smokies Moon by Nancy East

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This week Clint and Dawson discuss why city and county Parks are so important. City and County parks and open space in general improve our physical and mental health and make cities and neighborhoods more attractive places to live. With that said most cities are working to provide diversity, equity and inclusion. Not all Parks in our communities past have been "created equal" and there are real barriers to entry. Communities around the U.S. are working to address decades of neglect and inequality. Also, studies have shown the social, environmental, economic, and health benefits parks bring to a community and their people. So its critical that all communities level "the playing field".

Finally our city and county Parks attract tourists, serve as places to gather as groups, relax and provide all kinds of experiences that improve our daily health. They also offer a marketing tool for communities to attract businesses, conventions and host festivals, concerts and athletics events. Parks also serve to help us deal with stormwater and air pollution.

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Sunny Montgomery is back talking with Clint and Dawson. Sunny was a guest in ep. 58. Sunny Montgomery lives in Ocoee, Tennessee. Sunny is a writer and executive editor with Get Out Chattanooga and Chatter magazine. She is smart, funny and loves her life on the edge of the Cherokee Forest with her soon to be husband. On summer weekends, they run a taco truck on the Ocoee River. Her passion is whitewater canoeing. Discovering new creeks and rock smears make her happiest, but the Ocoee River, where she learned to paddle and where you'll find her any summer weekend (before opening the taco truck, of course) is among her most favorite places on Earth. If we could bottle Sunny's excitement for life the world would be a better place. She is a wonderful person.

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