The Joy Trip Project

An interview with climber/artist Jeremy Collins

There’s a point in the human experience when thought, emotion and action combine. It’s at that moment when we create a unique expression of utter and sublime beauty. Share it with others and it becomes art. In the world of adventure, on high mountain peaks or across vast tracts of rocky desert, art takes the form of photography, filmmaking, poetry and literature.

But in the hands of Jeremy Collins, a self-described climber artist, the thoughts, emotions and actions of climbing combine to become breathtaking paintings, drawing and illustrations. A rare and emerging talent in the world of adventure art, Jeremy is a frequent contributor to magazines and books. He also creates prints for commercial distribution. In this video edition of the Joy Trip Project Jeremy shares the story behind his passion for the outdoors and inspires those who see his work to follow along on the journey.

New music this weeks by Sufjan Stevens and Jake Shimabukro.

The Joy Trip Project is brought to you thank to generous support of our sponsors Recreational Equipment Inc. and Patagonia. We don’t take many from just anyone. Sponsors of the Joy Trip Project support our mission of an active lifestyle through outdoor recreation and community involvement. Support us by supporting them.

Thanks for listening. But y we want to hear from YOU! Please drops us message by email at [email protected]. Or find us on Facebook. Share your pictures, your stories, share your passions for outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving, and practices of sustainable living. You just might inspire our next Joy Trip together. But most of all don’t forget to tell your friend! Until next time, take care.

In 1978 Rick Ridgeway was on the first American team to reach the summit of K2, the second highest mountain in the world. After a long career as a professional adventurer Ridgeway is now vice president of environmental initiatives at the outdoor clothing company Patagonia. Today he’s devoting his life to the preservation of wildlife corridors across North America. Working with a coalition of environmental protection groups and major corporations Ridgeway is helping to establish and maintain clear pathways that allow animal species to travel freely from one habitat to another. Called Freedom To Roam this program aims to raise awareness for the importance of wildlife protection by telling the stories of the animals themselves.

Like humans animals have the same inherent need to move from place to place. Species such as caribou, wolves, elk and mountain lions traverse the landscape traveling hundreds of miles between grounds used for breading, hunting or grazing. And in some cases just like humans, to simply live out their lives in the joyful pursuit of happiness. But in our rush to develop and civilize the natural world human beings are disrupting wildlife corridors through which these animals pass from one habitat to the next. And in the process we’re putting at risk our own future on the planet. In this edition of the Joy Trip Project environmental activist Rick Ridgeway shares the story behind his work to protect these passageways while defending our Freedom to Roam.

Music this week by Sly Joe and the Smooth Operators

The Joy Trip Project is brought to you thank to generous support of our sponsors Recreational Equipment Inc. REI and Patagonia. We don’t take many from just anyone. Sponsors of the Joy Trip Project support our mission of an active lifestyle through outdoor recreation and community involvement. Support us by supporting them.

A Joy Trip Flashback: Remembering Todd Skinner

I got an email from an old friend, Amy Skinner.We hadn’t connected in a while so it really good to hear from her. Her message read, “Thought you might get a kick out of my son's third grade writing assignment. We're going to have to have a little talk about plagiarism, but it's apparent that he has listened to your podcast many times.  I have it on my ipod and he loves to listen to it.”

In the body of the message Amy included a scanned image of her son Jake’s writing assignment. Written in pencil on wide ruled paper, the little boy liberally quoted without attribution from a story I produced in 2006. I have to say I didn’t mind at all. In fact I was touched to point where I was almost brought to tears, because Jake’s writing assignment quoted from the story I produced on his father’s memorial service.

They say that imitation is the sincerest from of flattery. Jake’s use of my words from this story let me know that in a small way I’ve helped him to remember his father. Todd Skinner was a good friend and three years after his death many people still remember him and what he meant to the outdoor community. And just so we don’t forget in this special edition of the podcast I’m bringing you a Joy Trip flashback, a celebration of a life well lived.

 

 

Music by the band Hot Buttered Rum and Jake Shimabukuro.

This podcast was originally produced in 2006 for the outdoor industry online trade magazine Specialty News, also know as SNEWS find them online at www.SNEWSnet.com

The Joy Trip Project is brought to you thank to generous support of our sponsors Recreational Equipment Inc. REI and Patagonia. We don’t take many from just anyone. Sponsors of the Joy Trip Project support our mission of an active lifestyle through outdoor recreation and community involvement. Support us by supporting them.

An interview with mountaineer Peter Athans

We’ve explored much of the modern world. Today very little is left to tempt the imagination. We’ve succeeded in climbing the highest mountains. We’ve traveled to the depths of the ocean. There’s not much of our planet that we haven’t seen. It would seem then now that what remains of adventure, at least on earth, isn’t to discover where human beings have yet to go but instead where we’ve been.

A new film by produced in cooperation PBS and National Geographic takes a look at the discovery and exploration of an ancient civilization. The new film The Secrets of Shangri-La: Quest for Secret Caves premiered at the 2009 Banff Mountain Film Festival.  In this edition of The Joy Trip Project producer and professional mountain guide Peter Athans takes us on an amazing journey to reveal the great mysteries of a long-ago culture once forgotten.

New music this week by Chad Farran from his album Another Ride. Find his online at www.chadfarran.com.

This podcast is brought to you thank to generous support of our sponsors Recreational Equipment Inc. REI and Patagonia. Special thanks to the New Belgium Brewing Company for underwriting in part travel expenses to Banff to make this edition possible. We don’t take money from just anyone. Sponsors of the Joy Trip Project support our mission of an active lifestyle through outdoor recreation and community involvement. Support us by supporting them.

An interview with Banff Mountain Literature Award winner Steve House

Leading alpinist Reinhold Messner once called Steve House “the best high altitude climber in the world today.” That’s no small praise coming from the first man to solo the summit of Everest without oxygen.

In his late 30s House has had a distinguished career ascending the most challenging routes on many of the highest mountains in the world. Just after the release of his new memoir Beyond the Mountain House shared his thoughts on his earliest days in the sport.

"The real turning point for me in my climbing career, and I talk about this in the book, and I think it was an important moment for me," House said. "I decided after high school to take a year and do a student exchange. And got sent to Yugoslavia."

Originally House I had hoped to go to France. Instead he spent a year in the mountain region once known as Slovenia.

"I was there for a couple of months, super board! As a kid I didn't understand the language having a really a hard time making friends. And climbing was my deliverance from all that," he said. "You don't need to communicate that much with language when you're going climbing with somebody. I found and joined a climbing club there and I wound up dropping out of school and spent that whole summer climbing."

House said that it was at this point when for him the hook for climbing was set. He’d go one to earn an ecology degree from Evergreen State University in Olympia Washington and from there he’d become a professional mountain guide, leading expeditions and climbing solo while pushing the boundaries of high altitude adventure.

In this edition of The Joy Trip Project Steve House tells the story behind his award winning book.

Music this week by Jake Shimabukuro from the album Dragon. Find him online at: www.jakeshimabukuro.com

The Joy Trip Project is brought to thanks to the generous support of our sponsors Recreational Equipment Inc. REI and Patagonia. We don’t take money from just anyone. Supporters of this podcast share our mission of better living through an active healthy lifestyle in balance with nature and the communities in which we live. Special thanks this week to New Belgium Brewing Company for underwriting travel expenses during The 2009 Banff Mountain Film Festival.

Empowered women like Kim Reynolds call themselves what they like. This Chick runs a business out of Colorado showing other women how to climb rock and ice called Chicks Rock.

"It’s fun. I think sharing life experiences, climbing experiences, there’s a certain comradery," Reynolds said. " Someone might have the same challenges or same talents or whatever as I as do and it’s nice to experience that with other women."

A few weeks ago Kim, a certified mountain guide and life coach, lead a small group of women on a rock climbing trip to a local crag about 40 miles north of Madison, Wisconsin,  a spot called Devil’s Lake. I only came out for the day to take pictures and ask a few questions. Because on this trip there were no men allowed.

"I think men are fun. I don’t want to leave them out, but there’s also a trend toward more and more women’s trips I think," Reynolds said. "And women wanting to do things with other women and learn from other women and have that opportunity."

In the world of adventure women are busting out on their own. They’re leaving husbands, boyfriends and children at home to discover their strengths and celebrate the feminine side of the wild. Hear their story in this edition of The Joy Trip Project.

New music this week by:

If you’ve been watching television or checking your favorite web sites lately, you’ve noticed one number keeps popping up. On October 24rd in particular people around the world have been plastering the number 350 on billboards, marching with it on signs and performing physical stunts to share this number with as many people as possible. Groups numbering in the thousands have gathered across the U.S. and in many countries to spell out 350 on surfaces from grassy fields, to mountain summits, to the open ocean. Writer and environmental activist Bill McKibben says 350 is a number we all need to be aware of.

"It’s the most important number in the world. It’s the amount of carbon, that’s measured in parts per million, that the scientists now say is the most we can have in the atmosphere and maintain the civilization that we now enjoy," McKibben said. "We’re past that number already. We need to get back to it. That’s why the stakes are so urgent."

Back in 1988 McKibben made one of the earliest cases outlining the modern crisis known now as global warming. His book “The End of Nature,” chronicled the research that followed the rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to human activity and the resulting temperature increase around the world. Today this climate change threatens life on our planet putting at risk every plant and animal species including human beings.

As CO2 levels exceed 350 parts per million McKibben warns that we have past the point where we can do nothing and not face dire consequences. Through a program called 350.org he aims to lead an international movement to raise awareness for the plight of global warming and what individuals, institutions and governments can do the stop it.

Music this week by The Ahn Trio from the album Lullaby For My Favorite Insomniac . Find their playlist and a schedule of upcoming shows online at www.AhnTrio.com.

The Joy Trip Project is brought to thanks to the generous support of our sponsors Recreational Equipment Inc. REI and Patagonia. We don’t take money from just anyone. Supporters of this podcast share our mission of better living through an active healthy lifestyle in balance with nature and the communities in which we live. You can support us by supporting them. Visit their websites:

There’s a good chance that you’re one of those creative types. I’ll bet you’re the kind of person who derives a great deal of satisfaction from what you can make or do with your hands. You might play an instrument or you draw or maybe you like sing. And sometimes while you’re cooking I imagine you’ve been known to dance a little to the music on your CD player while you stir a pot of spaghetti sauce.

And if don’t have one those jobs where paint, design clothes or build models, or even if you do in spare time you probably like to hike or climb or maybe mountain bike. All these are the many things we do express ourselves, how we perform to show the world who we really are.

Knowing how to express yourself is an incredible gift and a talent Carr Hagerman learned to develop at early age.When he was 14 Carr started working as a street performer at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Using improvisational comedy and a host of characters he played off the energy of the crowds he entertained to create something special out of nothing but human interaction.

Today Hagerman is the creative director for Ontend Creative Partners, a corporate consultation firm, and he uses his experiences as street performer to change how people in the professional world think about the whimsical spirit of playful creativity. He's also the co-author of the book "Top Performer: A bold approach to sales and service." I had the pleasure of meeting Hagerman a few months ago at the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market in Salt Lake City Utah. In this interview he shares some pretty amazing ideas on the serious business of play.

Music this week by Cirque Du Soleil is from the album and show Alegria.

The Joy Trip Project is brought to thanks to generous support of our sponsors

An interview with ultra-distance runner Diane Van Deren

It’s been my pleasure to interview some of the best endurance athletes in world. I’ve spoken to high altitude climbers like Conrad Anker and Ed Viesturs, extreme skiers like Scott Schimdt and ultra marathon runners like Tim Twietmeyer and Dean Karnazes. These men are incredibly tough individuals.  And with humility and grace all have made their mark on the world by pushing their bodies past the breaking point to achieve amazing feats of strength against incredible odds. But I have to tell you that one of the most inspiring stories I’ve ever heard is that of a woman named Diane Van Deren.

Diane is consistently among the top finishers in some of the most rugged and challenging long distance trail running events in the world. She most recently completed the Yukon Arctic Ultra, a 430 mile unsupported race in Alaska along the dogsled route of the Iditarod. As she ran in temperatures 40 degrees below zero, Diane hauled over  50 pounds of food and equipment behind her in a sled.

But what’s more impressive to me is that this wife and mother of three accomplished this and most of her career highlights after a long and painful battle with epilepsy. This 2007 interview with Diane Van Deren first ran on the outdoor industry podcast SNEWS-Live. Two years later Diane is still going strong and is now traveling the country on a speaking tour. In advance of her appearance here in Madison, I’m rerunning our conversation to share with you her amazing journey.

Diane will be speaking in Madison, Wisconsin  on October 7th at the Orpheum Theater at 7PM. For Tickets visit: http://thenorthface.inticketing.com/events/45213/DIANE-VAN-DEREN-KARINA-HOLLEKIM--Beyond-the-Edge-Risk-R-

New music this week by Sly Joe & the Smooth Operators comes courtesy of the podsafe music network

For more information on the treatment of spinal cord and brain injuries at Craig Hospital visit www.craighospital.org.

At the turn of 20th century more than 400 members of the 9th and 10th Divisions of the U.S. Cavalry, African-Americans know as the Buffalo Soldiers, actively patrolled the newly designated National Parks of Yellowstone, Yosemite and Sequoia. These men performed many of the same duties tasked today to the National Park Service. The Buffalo Soldiers were in effect among the world's first park rangers.