Imagine moving between three oceans, all under your own power. For six years. Visiting hundreds of communities, seeing the wildest parts of a country.

Connecting. Growing. Learning.

This is what Dianne Whelan did for six years as she traversed the Trans-Canada Trail. Dianne just finished in August of 2021.

What did she uncover about Canada, about its people and about herself? Tune in to find out.

Some 16 years ago, my mom gave me the book "Prisoners of the North," by Pierre Berton.

I loved it. I became fascinated by Canada’s north, and knew I’d go there soon.

In 2008, I crossed the Arctic Circle for the first time. Then again in 2010. Back in the Arctic in 2014, 2016 and 2017. (And I even squeezed another trip to Yukon in there too.)

I’m a prisoner of the north.

And maybe, so is my guest, Joel Hibbard.

Joel comes from a family of northern guides—he currently operates Canadian River Expeditions and Nahanni River Adventures, running raft trips down some of the most storied waterways of Yukon and Northwest Territories.

Here’s the thing—I’m a tourist in the North.

Joel lives and works there.

So he joined me on a call to chat about the North, river travel, the future of guiding and what it means to run an ethical, sustainable and community minded business in the 21st century.

It has me yearning for my next trip north—and I’m double-vaxxed and ready to go!

Stay tuned for Joel Hibbard.

Ever wanted to walk on water?

Well, the closest you’re likely to come is by stand-up paddleboarding (SUP).

I love stand-up paddleboarding. I first tried it almost 10 years ago. I was hooked—although, to be honest, I’ve kept it fairly casual.

I love the perspective it offers over the water. I love the relaxing, comfortable nature of the sport.

And I love that you’re very much in the water—sometimes right in the water—rather than detached from it. 

Today, I’m chatting with two people who are far, far more experienced in stand-up paddleboarding than I am: Bruce Kirkby and Norm Hann.

Both are experienced explorers and avid paddleboarders—Norm is a instructor and guide based in Squamish, British Columbia; and Bruce plies the dynamic waters around his mountain home of Kimberley, BC.

They’re also both Mustang Survival ambassadors—and they’re multi-day stand-up paddleboard expeditioners.

That’s right—this isn’t pushing around a pond on vacation. These guys do open-water crossings and weeklong self-supported missions on a SUP.

How do they do it? And why? And how can you follow in their paddle-strokes? Stay tuned for Bruce Kirkby and Norm Hann.

My guest today is Benjamin Jordan. Ben’s an adventure paraglider and filmmaker based in southeastern BC…

Among many trips, he recently completed a flight expedition from the Mexican border, across the continental US, right up to Canada…

Following the migration path of the monarch butterfly.

He filmed this adventure for an upcoming documentary…

Hoping to learn about monarchs—and flying—along the way.

At nearly 2,850 km—which included some 600 km of hiking—through regions he’d never flown or even been in…

As a pandemic broke out around him…

...It was a challenge.

But he learned a lot…

So stay tuned as we chat about how he started in the world of paragliding…

About long-distance expedition travel…

And the plights and flights of the monarch butterfly.

What load do you carry? Is it, at times, too heavy to lift?

How do you balance a yearning for adventure with what can seem like an ever-building load of responsibilities: parenthood, career, mental health…

Do you ever look back to simpler times and wish you were there?

And what role does outdoor adventure play in your personal growth, and perhaps the development of your family?

Heady topics right? Well don’t worry—my guests are good at making this stuff fun.

Today, I’m talking to Izzy Lynch and Tessa Treadway. They are British Columbia-based pro skiers, and mothers.

Izzy, along with her sister Zoya Lynch, recently made a documentary called "Motherload."

It follows Izzy and Tessa as they wrangle with topics like grief, personal growth and a yearning for adventure—all framed around family life, and the “load” they must carry, as mothers, to guide their families through the life they are striving for.

The documentary is available for free on YouTube, and it’s a 14-minute film that’s at times comical, at times gut-wrenching, at times inspiring as it looks at subjects of loss—Tessa lost her husband, famed skier Dave Treadway, to a backcountry accident three years ago, and Izzy’s marriage dissolved, a loss of a different kind—as well as the absurd reality that any parent who’s tried to get young kids outdoors can relate to.

So let’s jump into conversation with Tessa treadway and Izzy Lynch!

The new year is starting. So let’s talk about goals.

Let’s talk about fitness.

Let’s talk about what it takes to achieve at a high level for many years.

Let’s talk about aging. And shoes, too.

Today, my guest is Malindi Elmore.

Malindi is a Canadian endurance athlete. She’s an Olympian, a teacher, a mom. She has reinvented herself numerous times, athletically and personally.

Perhaps most notably, she competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in the 1500 metre and is planning a return to the 2021 Summer Olympics in Marathon.

Malindi joined me on a call to talk about this journey, the nature of reinvention, how we can support people on their path to achieving goals and so much more.

You're lost in the wilderness. You're scared. Maybe hurt?

Who do you call?

Well, if you're on the North Shore of Vancouver, BC, you call North Shore Rescue—the busiest search-and-rescue team in Canada.

Today, I'm chatting with the team leader of NSR, Mike Danks.

We discuss NSR's new docu-series on Knowledge Network (Search & Rescue: North Shore), how search-and-rescue functions, how you can join and how you can avoid being the next call.

Let's talk about adventure. About first descents of rivers like the Amazon and the Yenisey. About a human-powered circumnavigation of the globe. About resilience and determination.

And let's talk about what you can learn from such adventures. Where they can lead you—after you return home.

Today, I'm on conversation with Colin Angus. Colin is an Explore Magazine contributor and a renowned global adventurer—as well as the CTO of a fascinating new tech startup.

How does one transition from barefoot sailor to corporate leader? Stay tuned to find out.

What is "active transportation?" What does it mean to you?

Why are bikes more popular in 2020 than ever before?

How can we make our cities and highways safer for all users—while contributing to a healthier populace and lowering our overall carbon footprint?

Let's talk about bicycling with Colin Stein—Executive Director of the BC Cycling Coalition for the answers to these questions and so much more.

Let's talk about context. Travelling deeper. Finding meaning within new experiences, and experiences you thought you knew.

Today, I'm chatting with Brenda Baptiste, chair of the board of directors for Indigenous Tourism BC.

ITBC is the organization that empowers Indigenous tourism operators around the province to achieve their potential. 

But what is Indigenous tourism? What can you expect? And what does it look like in the time of COVID-19? Let's find out.