Exploring Washington State

This episode features a visit with John Tillison, also known as Park Ranger John.

John grew up in a military family, and moving to Washington state as a kid, he quickly fell in love with the state. He describes himself as the kid that was always outdoors. John spent time in Boy Scouts, achieving Eagle (and yes, our producer Todd agrees that Citizenship in the Community merit badge was a pain). The monthly camping trips with the Scouts introduced him to the many parks and wilderness areas of the state.

First day at work for the Washington State Parks? 101 degrees cleaning up garbage after a raccoon attack.

Here's what I cover with John Tillison in this episode:

1. Exploring the Secret World of Park Rangers: A Day in the Life 

2. Uncovering the History Behind National Parks and Affiliated Sites 

3. Surviving Rattlesnake Bites and Other Outdoor Dangers

John has a wonderful website with tons of information about parks and special sites around Washington. Check it out at https://www.parkrangerjohn.com.

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Nancy Croisier joins us to discuss her career educating people about Washington state wines.

A former corporate HR career through a year of layoffs led Nancy to search for a new career that would bring happiness back into her life. She describes how she found her new passion through a local educational opportunity. A love of wine and food pairings led into helping wineries advertise their offerings and educate their customers.

Nancy also accomplishes the unheard of task of getting Scott to acknowledge our neighboring state to the South might actually do something better than Washington.

You will learn:

1. Biodynamic Farming: Discover the “woo woo” of a farming method that uses cow dung, phases of the moon, and teas to create nutrient-rich crops.

2. Washington Wine: Uncover the secrets of the region's high-quality, low-cost wines that are gaining traction in the industry.

3. Wine and Food Pairings: Explore the unique pairings of Washington wines and artisan cheeses that create an unforgettable experience.

Nancy Croisier is a wine writer and marketer from Washington State, turning consumers onto the exceptional wines of Washington and Oregon. She has a certificate in wine and food pairing from the Northwest Wine Academy and has been a wine buyer for a local kitchen shop.

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Bob Antone returns to talk Sasquatch and serial killers in Washington state.

Bob and his wife started offering Bigfoot walking tours in 2017. His interest began in his childhood, listening to family members telling stories and then later got his wife interested. They introduce the topic to people on their tours by familiarizing them with some of the names for these beings used by Native tribes and then launching into some of the traditional stories and folklore.

"Whenever children are in danger or being abused or whenever innocence is in danger, these beings, the Sasquatch, the benevolent form, will show themselves." - Bob Antone

No matter where you stand on the issue, Bob is a wonderful storyteller and has researched the subjects for many years. Bob shares some of the historical mentions of Sasquatch which form a documented part of our state history.

You will learn:

1. The connection between serial killers in the Northwest and the subject of Bigfoot/Sasquatch

2. Stories of Bigfoot sightings, including a strange occurrence during a walking tour 

3. The agreement between Bigfoot and the human world to protect and watch out for each other.

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Daniel Winlker, a passionate treasure hunter, embarks on a journey to explore the captivating and often overlooked world of mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest, a place of great abundance, but also of hidden dangers and cultural heritage.

You will learn:

1. What is the impact of colonial powers on native cultures and their foraging knowledge?

2. How does one safely identify and forage for edible mushrooms?

3. What is the history and culture of the Grateful Dead, and how has it influenced Daniel Winker?

Daniel Winkler is a mushroom travel researcher, author and photographer born in Munich, Germany and living in the greater Seattle area. He is the founder of the website Mushroaming, which focuses on the exploration of mushrooms and their ecology.

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Meet Kate Evans, a professor of horticulture at Washington State University campus in Wenatchee. Kate oversaw the development of the cosmic crisp apple, you’ll learn more about apples in this episode than you could ever possibly imagine. Kate Evans is an experienced apple and pear breeder. She is known internationally for her research in plant molecular biology and tree fruit breeding.

In this episode, you will learn the following: 

1. What process does a plant breeder use to create new varieties? 

2. How did Cosmic Crisp become one of the most popular apples in the US? 

3. What methods were used to come up with the name 'Cosmic Crisp'?

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Meghan Grah is our guest today. Meghan is an adventure elopement photographer in the Tacoma area. She got her start in photography while attending Pacific Lutheran University and has been a professional photographer over ten years now.

Meghan describes getting her start in photography and what a typical day looked like and then how that led into what she's doing today. We discussed the ins and outs of adventure elopement shoots, especially in terms of Washington's (ahem) predictable weather. There are descriptions of some memorable shoots involving bridal dresses and hiking boots as the parties get to some amazing locations.

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We're talking today with Amy Cross, sometimes known as the "Strawberries in a Jar Lady" host of the Cross Legacy blog. Amy has become widely known for her food storage hacks. And when we say widely known, he strawberries in a jar hack was shared over 18 million times within days.

Amy talks about being trapped at home early in the pandemic, and realizing that she has such good knowledge of how to keep produce fresh longer, and how to make it stretch as far as possible. Since then, she has been interviewed by newspapers all of the world to share her amazing techniques.

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Brandon Fralic joins us again to discuss his books, how he got started as a freelance writer, and what led to his hiking and beer guides. The journey began with the Beer at the Bottom blog, and naturally led to writing for an industry journal, and then to publishing the books.

The first post was a pairing of the Oyster Dome hike with Boundary Bay Brewing, a classic Bellingham pairing. From there, Scott and Brandon launch into a discussion of Brandon's favorite (and not so favorite) beers and hikes that appeared in the blog.

Brandon talks about reaching out to Washington Trails magazine about doing some articles, and got some experience as a published author. He talks about the long journey from blog and magazine articles to his first book, and how that became a reality.

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Scott talks with Washington native Bob Antone, musician and storyteller. Bob talks about his history growing up in North Bend, learning music from his time in musical kindergarten, and explains what the heck that is.

Bob has some interesting descriptions of how the local weather affects the creativity of locals and why so much of the local music is dark and brooding. Hint, if you live on the wet side of the mountains, you probably get it. He talks about picking up his family's violin from the 1800s and beginning that journey. He now plays 13 instruments, and teaches many of those.

Bob describes how his family history affected his songwriting, incorporating legends and folklore reaching back into industrial America building railroads, mining, and interacting with nature. Bob lists musical influences such as Rachmaninoff, Eraser Head, and hobo songs among others for his inspirations.

Aaron Mumford, Jesse Baker, and Whitney Brielle-Martin join Scott to talk about alternative travel in Washington. They go from the company origins through to the properties and services they offer today, from a 1957 family yacht to a treehouse, glamping, and more.

According to legend, Jet Hospitality got its name from the ever-present white noise of jet aircraft passing overhead above Jesse's Georgetown home in Seattle when the company began.

More recently, the company brought on four different properties in their new alt lodging model in 18 months as customers expressed their satisfaction with the flexible lodging style. Their model includes rehabilitating distressed properties into an opportunity for a relaxing stay and local benefits for the community.