If your life was a movie, would it be worth watching?There is a level of work and commitment that most of the couch-bound, screen scrolling masses will never understand. A level of achievement and satisfaction that will never be known by those who cower from the immensity of the task that is given to them by virtue of their dreams and ambitions. An inheritance that is theirs by birth, but they are beaten down by fate and circumstance. Separated from an infinite wellspring of potential futures by a world that told them “No.” and they believed it.Then there are people like Kelsey Pelletier of White Lightning Media. When I first saw Kelsey, he was hanging over the boards at a PBR Bull Riding event here in Grande Prairie, getting what must have been a sick shot of a local bullrider trying his best to hold on for 8 seconds. With his huge beard, broad stature, and cowboy hat pulled low, he looked as much a part of the rodeo as the riders and the stock contractors. A man in his element, doing his level best to capture the essence of such a powerful and primal event. His t-shirt read “White Lightning Media.” I looked it up on the spot, determined to find out who this person was, and why they were so at home with a camera in their hand.Shortly after the PBR event, I reached out to Kelsey, and after a few months of us trying to get our schedules to synch up, he joined us in the studio to tell us all about how he got started as a photographer, videographer, and filmmaker here in Grande Prairie, AB. It’s a heck of a story. A story about following your dreams. A story about allowing curiosity to pull you out of the rigid expectations of the "regular world” and to allow yourself to believe that your abilities and ambitions have value. To put in the work. Make the sacrifices. Take the long hours, and the low pay, and make your failures your most valuable lessons. To keep going.If I can take anything about Kelsey Pelletier’s story, it would be that this life is a heck of a ride. Here’s to holding on.-As always, we hope you find this episode as much fun to watch and listen to as we did while making it.If you did enjoy it, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment. That kind of thing really helps us grow. This podcast doesn’t exist without viewers and listeners like you!Check out our website!You can now check out the podcast, the writing, and our webstore at www.thegreyrange.comCheck it out and let us know what you think.We have shirts, hats, a few other cool things, and more stuff coming.A great way to support the podcast!“Momma’s Ghost” is a piece from my latest collection “Whiskey Painted Holocaust”, which is available in our webstore, as well as on Amazon. "Children of The New Unknown", my first collection, is still available on both platforms as well.You can find the podcast on social media as:Facebook - @thegreyrangepodcastInstagram - @greyrangepodcastX (Twitter) - @greyrangemediaThe Grey Range Podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, Castbox and Apple Podcasts.Kelsey Pelletier can be reached through his website www.whitelightningmedia.caOn Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook: @whitelightningmediaFor weddings: @whitelightningeleganceKelsey Pelletier provides photography for the Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves, has done work for the City of Grande Prairie, Government of Alberta, and for private businesses here in the Peace Country.Lucas Orich can be found on IG as @lucasorichOn X (Twitter) as @hobo_withashotgOr behind the gun counter at Barton's Big Country in Grande Prairie, Alberta.Lucas is Training Director for Barton's Back Alley Range, offering high quality firearms courses and safety training. Hit them up and get some top-notch training and experience!Come see.- DJR

The whole world is politics. It sucks, but it’s true.

 But I think there’s an antidote to the ragemob and the fear and loathing that permeates our brains, courtesy of the littlerage rectangle we so ubiquitously cling to these days.

Put it down.

Go outside.

“Touch grass.” As the kids say.

You don’t have to participate. Or, more accurately, you only have to participate as much as it benefits you. Once the discourse becomes unhealthy, or unproductive – you’re allowed to leave!

We all could do with a little disconnection these days. The world is reeling with the first few months of President Donald Trump’s second term, and here in Canada, the government funded Mainstream Media is spinning up all kinds of terror and propaganda to drive voters to keep the Liberal Regime’s newest appointed leader in power as Prime Minister. It’s not a good time to be a news junkie. Or it’s the best time. You pick. Maybe it’s just no time for the faint of heart.

Regardless, in Episode 31 of The Grey Range Podcast, my brave and intrepid co-host, Lucas Orich and I talk books, and gardening, and eventually, and somewhat exhaustively, politics. Are we just ranting, venting, and rambling on aboutthings we know nothing about? Probably. Is it entertaining and somewhat informative? You be the judge. We’re not experts, just two regular guys who have thoughts and opinions just like you. Feel free to share yours, in thecomments, online, or at the next family function. Remember, you are in control of how much you engage. It’s your time.

“This is the internet. You can ask a smart question and still get a stupid answer. Life’s like that.”

-

As always, we hope you find this episode as much fun to watch and listen to as we did while making it.

If you did enjoy it, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment. That kind of thing really helps us grow. This podcast doesn’t exist without viewers and listenerslike you!

Check out ourwebsite!

The podcast, books, blog, and webstore are at www.thegreyrange.com

Check it out and let us know what you think!

We have shirts, hats, a few other cool things, and more stuff coming.

A great way to support the podcast!

“It’s a Madhouse!” is a piece from my latest collection “Whiskey Painted Holocaust”, which is available in our webstore, as well as on Amazon. "Children of TheNew Unknown", my first collection, is still available on both platforms as well.

You can find the podcast on social media as:

Facebook - @thegreyrangepodcast

Instagram - @greyrangepodcast

X - @greyrangemedia

The Grey Range Podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, Castbox, and Apple Podcasts.

Lucas Orich can be found on IG as @lucasorich

On X as @hobo_withashotg

Or behind the gun counter at Barton's Big Country in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

Lucas is Training Director for Barton's Back Alley Range, offering high quality firearms courses and safety training. Hit them up and get some top-notch training and experience!

Come see.

- DJR

How much do you value your principles? How willing are you to lose everything based on the weight of your convictions, or your morals? Easy questions to ask. Harder questions to answer. Over the past few years, we have all been asked to take stock and measure what it is we truly value. It has lead us to an uncertain crossroads within many our own lives, our families, our communities, and our nation. Where do we really stand in relation to our beliefs? Are we willing to sacrifice for them? How much? How far are we willing to go?I don’t pretend to have answers for all of this. One thing I do know is that there are braver and more courageous people than me that I have been fortunate enough to meet over years. Pte (T) Landon Mortenson is such a person.Landon Mortenson is Alberta born and Saskatchewan bred. Raised on his family’s ranch in Southern SK, he grew up with room to roam and a firm basis in Faith and Family. It was these values that instilled in him a desire to serve, and because he believed in what was right, “…fighting bullies…” in his words, he joined the Canadian Forces in his early 20’s.By his account, it was his dream job. He excelled and earned honor and recognition amongst his peers. While Canada’s combat role in the world scaled down, he got to share his time and training with some of Canada’s seasoned warfighters. Men who had served in combat in Afghanistan during the Global War on Terror. You can see in his demeanor and hear in his voice how much his time in meant to him.In recent years, the Canadian Forces have come under a lot of scrutiny over their leadership. With dwindling recruiting numbers, accusations of over-emphasis on DEI policies and catering to the individual rather than the organization, and chronic supply and logistical problems, Landon tells a story of seeing, at least in his eyes, the military that he grew to love, being to decline. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.I’m going to stop here. I don’t think I can do justice to Landon’s words here. I suggest you listen to his story and his viewpoint and ask yourself how you might have reacted, and what kind of decision you may have made if faced with the same choice. I think we all would agree that it is indeed, in Landon’s words, “… a shame.”Landon Mortensen has no social media. He’s not looking for recognition, or chasing internet clout, or selling a book. He just wanted to tell his story and we are honored and grateful to have been able to give him the platform to do so.I have nothing but the highest respect and gratitude for his service, his trust, and his courage for speaking out.God Bless.(Also, “Son of Death” is such a badass surname.”-As always, we hope you find this episode as much fun to watch and listen to as we did while making it.If you did enjoy it, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment. That kind of thing really helps us grow. This podcast doesn’t exist without viewers and listeners like you!Check out our website!You can now check out the podcast, the writing, and our webstore at www.thegreyrange.comWe have shirts, hats, a few other cool things, and more stuff coming.A great way to support the podcast!“Taking The Hill” is a piece from my latest collection “Whiskey Painted Holocaust”, which is available in our webstore, as well as on Amazon. "Children of The New Unknown", my first collection, is still available on both platforms as well.You can find the podcast on social media as:Facebook - @thegreyrangepodcastInstagram - @greyrangepodcastX (Twitter) - @greyrangemediaThe Grey Range Podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, Castbox and Apple Podcasts.Lucas Orich can be found on IG as @lucasorichOn X (Twitter) as @hobo_withashotgOr behind the gun counter at Barton's Big Country in Grande Prairie, Alberta.Lucas is Training Director for Barton's Back Alley Range, offering high quality firearms courses and safety training. Hit them up and get some top-notch training and experience!Come see.

There is a quote that has always stuck with me. It comes from a conversation between punk rock legend Iggy Pop and one of my favorite humans to ever exist, the late Anthony Bourdain (RIP), from Season 5, Episode 2 of his program on CNN “Parts Unknown”.“Curious is a good thing to be. Y’know. It seems to pay some interesting dividends.”(Check out a clip from the episode on someone’s iPad here: Anthony Bourdain Iggy Pop Miami Interview - YouTube )They don’t come any more curious that City of Grande Prairie Counsellor Chris Thiessen. I have known Chris for many years, and when he first ran for municipal government, I would be lying if I said that I was surprised. When he lost, ran again next election and won, I sure was. Chris is not the type of person that one would expect to jump into the dark waters of politics, at least, if you don’t know him well.Chris’ tall frame and wild, curly hair, paired with his bohemian fashion choices give you a hint to his early (and still current) passion as a music festival organizer. His interest in community involvement occurred organically. Growing from music events to not-for-profits, to eventually setting his eye on municipal government. His love for all things environment, peace, love, and social justice drove him when I met him all those years ago and still drive him today.So, what does someone like Chris learn from three terms on city council and have him running for a fourth term here in 2025? Through cutting his teeth as a new councillor and learning that it isn’t easy as it seems to be a change agent, to governing through a pandemic, to being on the receiving end of the rage mob and cancel culture due to his participation in the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, On in 2022, Chris has learned some hard lessons, but he still retains the one thing that got him to where he is now – curiosity.Iggy Pop was right. It does seem to pay some interesting dividends.Thank-you, Chris for taking the time to join us. We appreciate you for all you do.Let’s go get that fluoride out!-As always, we hope you find this episode as much fun to watch and listen to as we did while making it.If you did enjoy it, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment. That kind of thing really helps us grow. This podcast doesn’t exist without viewers and listeners like you!We have a new website!You can now check out the podcast, the writing, and our webstore at www.thegreyrange.comCheck it out and let us know what you think.We have a webstore!We have shirts, hats, a few other cool things, and more stuff coming.A great way to support the podcast!“Daffodils” is a piece from my new collection “Whiskey Painted Holocaust”, which is available in our webstore, as well as on Amazon. "Children of The New Unknown", my first collection, is still available on both platforms as well.You can find the podcast on social media as:Facebook - @thegreyrangepodcastInstagram - @greyrangepodcastX (Twitter) - @greyrangemediaThe Grey Range Podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, Castbox and Apple Podcasts.Chris Thiessen can be found through his Instagram: @chris_to_the_teeOn Facebook under: Chris ThiessenAnd on the City of Grande Prairie webstite: Home | City of Grande PrairieLucas Orich can be found on IG as @lucasorichOn X (Twitter) as @hobo_withashotgOr behind the gun counter at Barton's Big Country in Grande Prairie, Alberta.Lucas is Training Director for Barton's Back Alley Range, offering high quality firearms courses and safety training. Hit them up and get some top-notch training and experience!Come see.- DJR

Some say that today’s youth are going to be feckless zombies programmed by AI algorithms and government and corporate propaganda. Plugged into the Virtual Reality, or Augmented Reality world, living off UBI and creating nothing of value. I think every generation thinks that the ones that come after them are lost and ineffectual. But is it true? In the case of 20-year-old entrepreneur, Charles Biegel, proprietor of Stewart Leather Goods, it sure isn’t.I first became aware of Charles while searching for a replacement belt for everyday use. About 15 year ago I had purchased a very nice leather belt from a leather smith out of Montana in the US, and it was about time to replace it. This time, I wanted something made in Alberta. Better yet, I wanted something local. After a few searches, I didn’t immediately find anything, so I moved on. Well, the social media algorithm remembered (it’s so convenient and not creepy at all how it does that.) After a few days, my social media feeds had dozens of leather products for sale, and one video that I saw on Instagram was from a young man right here in Grande Prairie, AB.The product is “The Man Belt”. A 1.75” wide piece of stiff bridle leather. I was impressed with the product, but I was equally impressed with the maker. The videos online were not your garden variety clips shot from a smartphone. There was real thought and intent behind them. I was curious about the person behind them, so I fired off my now boilerplate message asking Charles if he wanted to join us on the podcast, and here we are.Our conversation didn’t disappoint. From being one of 11 kids in his family, to playing faith based music in a band with his family (you can check out their music here: Four Seasons North - Biegel Family - YouTube ), to learning leathercrafting and e-commerce to launch his business, to aspirations of becoming an inventor, and possibly cracking the secret of “Free Energy” (check out the document “A Practical Guide to Free Energy” that we discussed here: A Practical Guide to ‘Free-Energy’ Devices ) Charles Biegel has a lot of runway ahead of him, and it seems like he intends to make the most of it. Kind of like the guy who made his own floating plastic island. (Check out that story here: https://youtu.be/El6AU3riRI8?si=0X7H62X3BuLeF1bl )-As always, we hope you find this episode as much fun to watch and listen to as we did while making it.If you did enjoy it, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment. That kind of thing really helps us grow. This podcast doesn’t exist without viewers and listeners like you!We have a new website!You can now check out the podcast, the writing, and our webstore at www.thegreyrange.comCheck it out and let us know what you think.We have a webstore!We have shirts, hats, a few other cool things, and more stuff coming.A great way to support the podcast!“Plastic Islands” is a piece from my new collection “Whiskey Painted Holocaust”, which is available in our webstore, as well as on Amazon. "Children of The New Unknown", my first collection, is still available on both platforms as well.You can find the podcast on social media as:Facebook - @thegreyrangepodcastInstagram - @greyrangepodcastX (Twitter) - @greyrangemediaThe Grey Range Podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, Castbox and Apple Podcasts.Charles Biegel can be found through his Instagram: @stewartleathergoodsOn Facebook under: @stewartleathergoodsAnd you can find “The Man Belt” on his store at: Stewart Leather - Mens Leather Belts - CanadaLucas Orich can be found on IG as @lucasorichOn X (Twitter) as @hobo_withashotgOr behind the gun counter at Barton's Big Country in Grande Prairie, Alberta.Lucas is Training Director for Barton's Back Alley Range, offering high quality firearms courses and safety training. Hit them up and get some top-notch training and experience!Come see.- DJR

Well, 2025 has sure started off with a tailwind! By the time this episode airs, Donald Trump will have been the 47th President of the United States for a couple of weeks, The Canadian Liberal Party will be most of the way to choosing their new leader, and the rest of the world is likely trying to hang on by its fingernails as the big wheel spins faster and faster. I imagine it like an old school playground merry-go-round. If you were ever on one of those as a kid, then you know the trauma.

What do you do when the world seems to push back at every effort you put forward? How do you reconcile your dreams, your plans, and your goals, when the very fabric of the reality you inhabit seems to resist your every move? How do you overcome the obstacles that seek to thwart your progress?

- DJR

The world is an uncertain place. These days it seems even more so. We inhabit a strangely dystopian present, where we no longer so easily carry the blind trust in our institutions and our social fabric that we once did. Some of this can be attributed to the downstream effects of the COVID pandemic and the seemingly endless rollout of draconian statutes, crackdowns on free speech, and the knowledge that each of us now has about how fragile our society is. We are acutely aware how quickly neighbors can be turned against neighbors for fear of being targeted by the government, or the media, or the mob.

What does it mean to live a life full of adventure? What separates those who climb mountains, travel unnamed rivers, and leave the life they know behind to sail unknown seas, from those who seek the calm, secure comfort of hearth and home? Well, if anyone can give us a hint, it’s Ben Brochu of Hinterland Outdoors.