In this week's podcast, Bob talks with Martin Palmaz about the sport of paragliding. They discuss the difference between paragliding, parasailing, hang gliding, and ultralight flying. Palmaz, who is an experienced paraglider, talks about what it's like to paraglide, what kind of training it takes before one can paraglide, including how much it costs to learn and then equip yourself for the sport  He also talks about where in the Pikes Peak region paragliding takes place, and the inclusion, but not yet implementation of, paragliding in the Blodgett Open Space Master Plan in Colorado Springs. Bob tells of his experiences seeing paragliders at two local open spaces.  U.S. Hanggliding and Paragliding Association website: https://www.ushpa.org/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob

On this week's podcast, co-host Wild Westendorf joins Bob for a wide-ranging discussion about the proposed 2026 federal government budget and it's effect on the National Park Service. Also, they discuss the pros and cons of various types of emergency beacons for hikers, and how one segment of the industry is using a flawed and incomplete statistic regarding other devicesto promote their own.  Regardless, the message is you should have something other than a cell phone to signal for help. Rounding out the show is Colorado Springs' city wide parks and cultural services master plan process that is starting up, what it means and how the public can participate. Colorado Springs PRCS Master Plan website: https://coloradosprings.gov/ParkSystemMasterPlan Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob

Bob does a short, unscheduled podcast to announce exciting news about the new home of his newspaper columns covering outdoor recreation! Also, May 1st marks an important anniversary in Bob's personal life. Pikes Peak Bulletin website: https://pikespeakbulletin.org/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob

On this week's podcast, Bob talks with Laurel Munson Boyers who spent 31 years as a park ranger in Yosemite National Park. She has written "Across Yosemite's Wilderness- A Trailblazing Woman's Career Protecting the Park's Backcountry" about her years patrolling and protecting the park's wilderness and backcountry. They talk about her childhood at Yosemite, then working her way up to being a wilderness ranger. Boyers compares the average backcountry hiker today and during the early years of her career and also how unusual it was for her to stay in one park for her entire career. They wrap up the conversation with a brief discussion about the current political climate in the country, including the massive budget and manpower cuts that have affected the National Park Service. The conversation is lively and informative, as is the book, which you can order here: https://tinyurl.com/mry8xuvz Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob

On this week's episode, Bob talks with frequent guest Mandy Horvath, a bi-lateral amputee, she has conquered the Manitou Incline, Pikes Peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, all under her own power.  In this episode, she tells the story of doing "No Legs, No Problem" (season 18, episode 1) of the TV show “Naked and Afraid” in which she and a male partner – both naked, and who had never met each other before - were dropped off in a remote rainforest and left to fend for themselves to get food, water and to create shelter, for 21 days. Mandy talks about the challenges they faced, the toll it took on her, and how they came to depend on each other. After, Mandy talks about what is in her future.  It’s a fun, informative and inspiring episode.  Mandy Horvath website: https://www.mandyhorvath.com/ "Naked and Afraid" show: https://www.discovery.com/shows/naked-and-afraid/episodes/no-legs-no-problem Mandy Horvath previous appearances on the podcast: https://hikingbob.com/curated-podcasts Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob

On this week's podcast, Kevin "Wild" Westendorf returns, and he and Bob catch up on what he's been doing since he was last on the podcast, including a brief review of his Garmin GPS watch and a comparison of it and his previous Apple watch. Then, they discuss the impacts the drastic federal budget cuts is having on our public lands, and also the collateral damage to the job market and local economies. Finally, Bob talks about a story in a local newspapers newsletter that quoted a Facebook post, which reported that an e-bike rider had to be rescued in the Texas desert after her e-bike battery went dead, and she then pushed the e-bike for twenty miles. As it turns out, other than a cyclist needing to be rescued from the Texas desert, most of the story is false. In an age where mis-information is rampant, Bob chastizes the newspaper and its newsletter for not doing basic fact-checking to ascertain the truth.  Bob's recent article about federal budget cuts: https://tinyurl.com/avzx325k News release about Texas cyclist rescue: https://tinyurl.com/bpzmasnp Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob

On this week's episode, Bob talks with popular author and survival expert Creek Stewart about his latest book "Disaster Survival 101 - The Essential Guide to Preparing and Surviving any Emergency Scenario". Stewart has appeared on a multitude of news programs, TED talks and more. They discuss how inadequately prepared most households are for any type of emergency that might last more than 3 days. whether it be a fire, flood, blizzard, or anything else, the small steps people can take to be better prepared, and some of the misconceptions people have about preparedness and survival. Creek Stewart website: https://www.creekstewart.com/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob

On this week's podcast, the topic is Artificial Intelligence generated photography, and images that are produced that are falsely labelled as being of specific places, such as the Garden of the Gods or other scenic attractions. In the first part of the podcast, Bob chats with Colorado Springs-based photographers Jason Fazio, Daniel Forster and Jae Jarratt. They discuss what "AI photography" is, if it is even an art form, the different types of AI tools, how it affects peoples perception and expectations of photography, and more. In the second part of the podcast, Bob talks with Melissa Williams from Visit Colorado Springs about how they use photography and the controls they place on the use AI imagery. They also discuss how they plan to manage visitors expectations when they see an image that is not actual reality. Links: Jason Fazio: https://www.jasonfaziophotography.com/ Daniel Forster: https://www.danielforsterphotography.com/ Jae Jarratt: https://www.distantlandsphototours.com/ Picture Perfect Colorado: https://pictureperfectcolorado.com/ Visit Colorado Springs: https://www.visitcos.com/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob

On episode 432 of the podcast, Bob chats with Todd Marts, Director of the El Paso County Parks and Community Services Department. They discuss what the department did in 2024, and plans for 2025. Topics include newly completed and updated master plans for Paint Mines Interpretive Park and Jones Park, a new trail in Pineries Open Space, continuted work towards building a nature center in Fox Run Regional Park, an assessment of the parks system in 2025 and more.  Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob

Bob talks with Alicia Filley, a/k/a "The Healthy Hiker" about hiking and building and maintaining balance and why it's important for hiker fitness. They discuss the proper use of hiking poles for balance, how to evaluate your balance, and what kinds of exercises help increase balance. The Healthy Hiker website:  https://www.thehealthyhiker.com/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, download and subscribe to this podcast: https://pod.link/outdoorswithhikingbob