Miles & Mountains

He built 13 video rental stores, brushed up against pop culture history, then watched streaming wipe out an entire era. Instead of letting that loss define him, Bill “Epic Bill” Bradley turns reinvention into a sport and then chooses the most unforgiving arenas he can find to prove one point: you can keep going even when the odds say you shouldn’t.

We talk through the entrepreneurial origin story, including the rejection from banks and the scrappy credit-card strategy that got his first store open. Then we follow the pivot into sobriety, running, and extreme endurance, from Badwater 135 to the escalation of double Badwater and a jaw-dropping quadruple crossing of Death Valley. Along the way, Bill shares what failure actually feels like up close: underestimating the Grand Canyon, getting pushed off course in the English Channel, and coming within 600 feet of Aconcagua’s summit before his body shuts down in the thin air.

The heart of the conversation is mindset. Bill explains why he chases what scares him, how he uses mantras like “I’m doing the best I can do, and the best I can do is good enough,” and why “chunking” a giant goal into small milestones keeps him moving. If you’re searching for resilience, mental toughness, ultrarunning motivation, or a real-world blueprint for not quitting, this one delivers. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review with the goal you’re ready to take back.

Instagram: 

@epicbillbradley

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@epic_bill_film

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Shoutout to:

Epic Bill Bradley 

The Bradley Family 

Ultra Running Community 

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The camera doesn’t care if you’re exhausted, sunbaked, or doubting yourself, it still asks for the truth. We sit down with Amber Myers, a photographer whose work threads through trail running, family life, and the intense world of ultra marathon racing. Her story starts with a borrowed beginner camera and a single fall photo that proved she could capture mood without forcing it. It eventually pulls her into endurance sports photography, where the stakes are higher and the moments are far more fragile. 

We talk about what it’s really like to document races such as Badwater 135 and Cocodona 250 from the crew side: file dumps at checkpoints, hiking out for more honest angles, and learning how to stay invisible while still getting the shot. Amber shares the surreal reality of extreme heat, how crews keep runners safe, and why the ultra community often wants the gritty frames the ones that show the hard minutes, not the highlight reel. Along the way, she opens up about imposter syndrome, earning trust around big names, and how supportive photographers helped her level up fast. 

Health is the turning point. Autoimmune issues and adrenal stress force her to let go of personal racing goals, including a 100-miler dream, but not her place in the sport. We also dig into why jiu jitsu became a better fit for her body, how training teaches calm “one inch at a time,” and why constant wearable metrics can create more stress than clarity. If you’re into ultra running, trail culture, endurance mindset, or sports storytelling, this conversation offers a grounded way to keep moving forward when your plans change. 

Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a friend in the endurance community, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Instagram: 


@ambermyersphoto

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Shoutout to:

Amber Myers 

The Myers Family 

Ultra Running Community 

Ben Light

Mike McKnight

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A PRCA bullfighter isn’t there to look fearless, he’s there to be trustworthy when everything goes wrong in a split second. We talk with Colt Steggell about what bullfighting really is: reading cattle, attacking the bull’s line at the right moment, and taking responsibility for a rider’s safe exit. If you’ve ever wondered how rodeo athletes protect each other while still competing, his answer lands hard and clear. 

Colt breaks down the realities people never see on camera: broken ribs, cracked sternums, and how a bullfighting vest helps but doesn’t save you from bad decisions. He also walks us through the PRCA pro card process step by step, from getting NFR level signatures, to paying for evaluations, to fighting pro rodeos on a permit while you’re still being scored. Failing twice nearly crushed him until blunt feedback forced a reset: be more aggressive, and stop doing it like you’re not having fun. 

Then the conversation turns to the topic he most wants in the open: veteran suicide and mental health. Colt shares losing a fellow soldier, surviving two suicide attempts, and why dissociation and depression can hit even if you never deployed. We also talk about community-driven support through WarriorsnRodeo and Operation VetNow, and how brotherhood can be a real lifeline, not a slogan. 

If this hit home, share it with a friend, subscribe for more real stories from the rodeo and military worlds, and leave a review so more people who need these conversations can find them. What part of Colt’s story stayed with you?

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@the_stegg45

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Shoutout to:

Colton Steggell

The Steggell Family 

Rodeo Community

Jace Angus 

Riley Riddle 

Operation VetNow

Warriors and Rodeo 

Ag-Gear Store 

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We sit down with Josh Sprague, founder of Orange Mud and Seven Clay, to unpack the hard pivot from jack-of-all-trades operator to disciplined builder. He shares how a simple birthday joke at his office turned into a serious wake-up call, and why implementing EOS, org charts, and SOPs let him stop being the bottleneck without lowering standards.

From there we go deep on the craft behind endurance gear. Josh explains the biomechanics that drive a truly stable hydration pack, why stability prevents chafing, and how fabric choices, breathable spacer mesh, ripstop nylon, and YKK zippers add up to durability you can trust for long trail runs, ultramarathons, gravel rides, and adventure races. He also tells the unfiltered startup story: ugly early prototypes, the mystery of tech packs, factories that will not call you back, and how one good connection can change everything.

We also tackle the complicated economics of “Made in USA” versus overseas production, plus the exact kind of frustration that sparks new companies. When local shops could not deliver quality embroidery, Josh built Seven Clay and scaled it nationwide. If you care about product design, manufacturing, small business scaling, customer feedback loops, and endurance performance, this conversation delivers real decisions, not vague motivation. Subscribe, share this with a founder or athlete friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway: where are you still being the “fixer” in your own life?

Website:

https://www.orangemud.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorJsXpTkD5q-ZFa8rT3EU-qgw4jKNmhh79Eo2LUkrk3otAxOc5R

Instagram: 


@orangemud

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@sevenclay

https://www.instagram.com/sevenclay?igsh=eGNoYzIzY2NrZmIw

Shoutout to:

Josh Sprague

The Sprague Family

Ag-Gear Store 

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Raising Awareness:

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He’s not trying to look perfect online. He’s trying to tell the truth about the road.

We sit down with Andrew, a traveling rodeo photographer and videographer who’s built a reputation for showing the whole story. That means early mornings, midnight edits, flat tires, long drives, and the unglamorous reality behind the “one great shot.” We talk about what the job actually demands, why communication earns patience, and how his background in fashion photography helped him create better rodeo storytelling for brands, sponsors, and rodeo organization's.

Then the conversation turns personal. Andrew explains the meaning behind “Howdy Friend,” the phrase that became his mission and merch line, and why it’s rooted in inclusion, kindness, and mental health awareness. He shares how heartbreak and loneliness spiraled into depression and suicidal thoughts, and how small, ordinary moments in rodeo community became the turning points that saved his life. If you’ve ever wondered how community shows up when you don’t ask for help, this will hit home.

We also dig into the practical side of building a creative career in the Western industry: chasing a PRCA pro card, networking, earning trust, learning horses to be safer and more useful around the chutes, and defining success as respect rather than hype. If you care about rodeo photography, Western lifestyle media, travel photography, or honest conversations about mental health on the road, you’ll get real takeaways here.

Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with someone who needs a “Howdy Friend” moment, and leave a review telling us what part of Andrew’s story stayed with you.

Instagram: 


@avaranch_rodeo

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Shoutout to:

Andrew Van Asselt aka AVA 

Howdy Friend 

Emma Folz

Rodeo Community

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Eight seconds is the easy part to talk about. The hard part is what happens when the rider comes off wrong, the bull turns back, and a bullfighter has to choose a gap with no guarantee he’s walking out clean. That’s where Riley Riddle lives, and he joins us to explain what real preparation looks like in professional rodeo bullfighting. 

We get into the daily work most people never see: training five to six days a week, staying “old school” with weights and time in the dirt on practice bulls, and treating the gym as mental training as much as physical. Riley also calls out a trend he’s watching closely in bull riding and local rodeos, where some people want the photos and the TikToks more than the reps. He breaks down why that mindset does not just limit performance, it can put bullfighters in a bad spot when riders don’t commit and the arena gets unpredictable. 

Riley shares what 36 years in rodeo has taught him about professionalism, reputation, and being the same person at the day job, at the airport, and behind the chutes. We also talk rodeo content creation, how he actually gets filmed, why editing takes time, and how he chooses music that stays clean and watchable for every age. Then we go straight into the danger: a hospital trip, a horn to the head, and the kind of decision-making that keeps riders safe even when it costs you. 

If you care about rodeo fitness, bull riding safety, the realities of the rodeo lifestyle, and what it means to give 110% when it counts, you’ll get a lot from this one. Subscribe, share the episode with a rodeo friend, and leave a review with your take: is practice the real separator or is it something else?

Instagram:

@official_starch_rileyriddle

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Shoutout to:

Riley Riddle

The Riddle Family 

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Barrel racing looks like a blur of speed, three tight turns, and a clock that doesn’t care how far you hauled to get there. The truth is messier and more interesting. Arley Hughes joins us to talk about what it really costs to compete in rodeo, why so many athletes do it anyway, and how a “hobby” can turn into a lifestyle built around horses, hauling, and grit. We get honest about the overhead most people never see: the truck and trailer, diesel, feed, farrier work, vet bills, and the reality that “profitable weekend” is the exception, not the rule. 

Arley also shares her story of starting on horses as a little kid, stepping away when life and support made it hard, then jumping back in decades later when her husband opened the door. From buying tack again to running jackpots and quickly grabbing a WPRA permit, she explains how passion can outrun perfection and why momentum matters more than waiting until you feel “ready.” We also dig into the questions every rodeo family faces: how to enter rodeos around T-ball, cheer, business demands, and travel, and what would change if a once in a lifetime horse put bigger goals on the table. 

You’ll hear practical road-life details too: what she does before and after a run, how she thinks about fitness and core strength, the calendar systems that keep everything moving, and the food strategies that make long weekends doable with kids in the rig. If you love barrel racing, WPRA rodeos, or just want a real look at rodeo work life balance, this one delivers. Subscribe for more conversations, share this with a rodeo friend, and leave a review with the part that hit closest to home.

Instagram: 


@arleyann1017

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Shoutout to:

Mrs. Arley Ann Hughes

The Hughes Family

WPRA

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A city background does not prepare you for a morning that starts with milking a cow, scanning for rattlesnakes, and measuring your day in half-day chunks because there are no shortcuts. We sit down with the co-owner of SISU Farms, to talk about how she went from urban convenience to a full-on homesteading experiment on remote land, and why she believes you can change your entire life faster than you think.

The story begins with a family health crisis and a growing distrust of “business as usual” solutions. That pressure turns into a deep dive into self-sufficient living: sourcing ingredients directly, learning food preservation and fermentation, and building a farm-to-table routine where milk can go from cow to table in hours. Along the way, we get honest about the unfiltered realities of rural life: wildfire risk, fire breaks, livestock management, predators, and the kind of small mistakes that can lead to big consequences.

We also talk about the parts people rarely post, including the heartbreak of animal loss, the grind of long workdays, and the decision to delete negativity on social media instead of feeding the outrage machine. She shares what helps her stay steady, from running quiet rural roads to sauna culture and learning to sit with her own thoughts. If you’re curious about homesteading for beginners, off-grid mindset, and what it really takes to build a self-reliant family life, this conversation will give you both the inspiration and the reality check.

If this gave you a new way to think about your own life, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s craving a reset, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What part of homesteading would you try first?

Instagram:

_sisufarms_

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Shoutout to:

SISU 

The SISU Farms Family 

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The crowd sees the run. We live everything wrapped around it: the midnight departures, the feed stops, the horse-first priorities, and the mental snap from exhausted to locked in when it’s finally time to compete. From Centralia to Port Angeles to the next town, we talk through what a real rodeo weekend looks like when you’re hauling, swapping slack, sleeping in fragments, and still expected to perform like nothing hurts. If you’ve ever wondered how rodeo athletes survive the travel grind, this one puts you in the passenger seat. 

We also get into the part people avoid saying out loud: rodeo finances can feel like gambling on yourself. Entry fees, fuel, repairs, and those weekends where you go home broke. We break down how competitors think about payouts, why guaranteed money from pickup work is hard to turn down, and what it means to choose between chasing competition and staying financially stable. Along the way, we talk steer wrestling, team roping, the culture behind the chutes, and why the best talent really does look like “D1 athletes” when you watch them up close. 

Then the conversation turns raw and personal. I share what cancer remission, grief, and burnout taught me about fake support, real friendship, and putting family first. We talk faith without the performative stuff: showing up, sitting in silence, and the emotions that surface when you’re trying to rebuild yourself with discipline, training, and honesty. 

If you got something from this, subscribe, share it with a friend who respects the grind, and leave a review so more people can find these stories. What part of the road life would break you first: sleep, money, or mindset?

Instagram:

@wileyjackcoyote_22

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Facebook:

@wileyjack.karas
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Shoutout to:

Wiley Jack Coyote Karas

The Karas Family

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We bring Jaxi back to answer the questions we missed: how she picks a show pig, trains with simple routines, navigates judges’ preferences, and handles the emotions of sale day. The story blends genetics, mentorship, and grit, with laughs about marshmallows and sandwiches.

• why part two matters and what we missed
• how genetics and breeder trust guide selection
• the role of the ag teacher in sourcing pigs
• earning trust through consistent feeding and work
• when a pig “goes sour” and what to do
• the three-week break-in and desensitising plan
• using marshmallows as rewards without wrecking diets
• slop, attitude shifts, and daily handling
• deciding between selling and butchering after the big show
• setting boundaries to manage attachment
• encouragement for new FFA and 4-H families

Shoutout to :

Jaxi Long 

The Long Family 

FFA 

Ag-Gear Store 

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Raising Awareness:

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW)

Mental Health 

Send us a text