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U.S. Senator Tim Kaine set out to create Virginia's version of a lifetime outdoor adventure — hiking the Appalachian Trail, cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive, and paddling the entire length of the James River. He completed all 76 days over 30 months that included COVID, January 6th, a contested presidential election, and a bout of long COVID he's still managing.

In his book Walk, Ride, Paddle, Senator Kaine chronicles what nature gave him when the world felt like it was coming apart — and why he hasn't been back to the Senate gym since his first step on the AT.

This conversation covers the Virginia nature triathlon, the community that forms on long trails, the story of Nanny at North Bend Plantation, why diversity on our trails matters and what we can do about it, and what every outdoor advocate can do right now to protect public lands.

In this episode: — The inspiration behind the Virginia nature triathlon — Nature as mental refuge during COVID and political turmoil — The community of the Appalachian Trail and the James River — The remarkable story of Nanny and North Bend Plantation — Why our trails aren't as diverse as they should be — and what to do about it — How to protect public lands right now — Senator Kaine's speed round answers (Mini Heath Bars are involved)

Links mentioned: 

• Walk, Ride, Paddle by Tim Kaine
• James River Association
• Appalachian Trail Conservancy
• Blue Ridge Parkway 
• James River State Park

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On December 7th, 1941, 2,300 military personnel and civilians were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Over 900 sailors and marines aboard the USS Arizona are still entombed there. It is their burial site.

Today, 1.5 million people per year come to pay their respects — and the National Park Service, working alongside active duty US Navy sailors, takes a boat out to the memorial every 15 minutes to make that possible.

David Kilton, Interpretation and Visitor Services Lead at Pearl Harbor National Memorial, joins The Parks Podcast to share the full story — the history, the logistics, and how to visit one of the most sacred and carefully managed sites in the national park system.

In this episode: — How Pearl Harbor National Memorial came to be — from the day of the attack through 1980 and the NPS partnership — The USS Arizona — why 900+ sailors are still entombed there, and what that means for visitors — The story of the salvage divers — and why the Arizona couldn't be saved — The "Arizona Detachment" — active duty US Navy sailors who consider themselves part of the Arizona crew — Roosevelt's Day of Infamy speech — and the handwritten edits on display in the museum that make history immediate — The virtual standby system — how it replaced hours in line with a text to your phone — How to get a boat reservation on Recreation.gov — and what to do if you can't — The no-bag policy — what you can and can't bring, and why — The USS Oklahoma and USS Utah memorial tours — 3x/week on Ford Island — The sister park relationship with Hiroshima Peace Park — student exchanges and the peace and reconciliation mission — The Japanese bombardier and the Marine bugler who became friends after the attack

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: nps.gov/perl — Boat reservations: recreation.gov (56 days in advance, $1/seat) — Virtual standby: sign up on-site via phone — USS Oklahoma/Utah tours: recreation.gov (Mon/Wed/Fri)

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John Goodwin was a National Park Service ranger for 27 years. He worked Rocky Mountain, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Everglades, and Golden Gate. He was struck by lightning twice. He battled PTSD for 10 years. He wrote a book about all of it.

And then he got on an Amtrak train, rode it across the country, and stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to read a speech about what rangers give — and what this administration is taking away.

John Goodwin joins The Parks Podcast to share stories from Echoes of the Badge, practical advice for visiting parks safely, and exactly what's happening to public land employees right now.

In this episode: — What park rangers actually do — the full scope most visitors never see — Two lightning strikes — what the first one felt like and how he made it back to Flamingo — The Golden Gate years and the PTSD battle that followed — Why John is so open about mental health — and what he wants other rangers to know — How John met Missy at the Lincoln Memorial protest — and what he read from the steps — Child safety in parks — the Hug a Tree principle and why a whistle saves lives — What to tell a ranger when you're going on a trail solo — How to plan a park visit right now — longer lines, fewer staff, and what to bring — Why the probationary firings are worse than they sound — losing your house when you lose your job — John's DC protest speech, read in full

The Lincoln Memorial speech: "I stand before you at this sacred place... A day may come when our public lands are lost, when those sworn to protect them are cast aside and when silence prevails over action. But it is not this day. This day we fight."

Links mentioned: — Echoes of the Badge: available at all major booksellers — John / Lightning Ever: @lightningever — Resistance Rangers: @resistancerangers

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Jessica Bowser is in her fifth season of Virginia Outdoor Adventures. She has gone ice climbing, caving, surfing, fly fishing, foraging for wild edibles, mountain biking, and birding — most of it for the very first time, on a podcast. Her rule: every episode is beginner-friendly. Her belief: you can do the outdoors any which way.

Jessica joins The Parks Podcast to share how to get started, how to find your outdoor community, how to prepare without over-gearing, and why connecting people to the outdoors is the best thing any of us can do for the future of our public lands.

In this episode: — How Virginia Outdoor Adventures started during the pandemic and took off — Jessica's approach: you can do the outdoors any which way, any pace, any goal — The gear trap — how to avoid it, and why consignment shops are your friend — Virginia State Parks' Let's Go Adventures program — try fly fishing, kayaking, archery, and more before you buy any gear — Finding your outdoor community — Girls Who Hike Virginia and the dozens of activity-specific groups across the state — The Avenza app — how to have offline trail maps ready before you need them — Three honest fears: gear cost, wildlife, and other people — and how to think about each one — What to do if a child gets lost in a park (hug a tree) — Why advocacy and conservation are inseparable from outdoor recreation — Jessica's favorite thing to do in a park — and why standing still counts

Links mentioned: — Virginia Outdoor Adventures: virginiaoutdooradventures.com — Let's Go Adventures: dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/letsgooutdoors — Girls Who Hike Virginia: girlswhohike.com — Avenza Maps app: avenzamaps.com

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Recorded March 14th — situations may have evolved.

At the time this conversation was recorded, the National Park Service had already lost 1,000 employees — archaeologists, historians, biologists, fire staff, interpretive rangers — many with 25 years of experience who had simply taken new positions and were in their acclimation period. The NPS was already down 20% on staffing before a single cut was made.

Sandra Ramos — the National Park Patch Lady, with 257 parks visited and 20 years in political campaigns — sits down with The Parks Podcast to explain what is happening and what each of us can actually do about it.

In this episode: — NPS vs. NPF vs. NPCA — what each organization does and where your donation goes — What "probationary" actually means at the NPS — and why it doesn't mean what you think — The economic case: $55 billion in revenue, $5 billion expended — and Big Thicket's $20 million local impact — Censorship: the banned words, the scrubbed history, the monuments at risk — Do protests work? Sandra's 30-person Big Thicket rally that reached 29,500 people on Instagram — The 27-9-3: your 27-word, 9-second, 3-point call script for your representative — A 20% decrease in funding. A 16% increase in visitation. The numbers to know. — Should you visit parks right now? Sandra's honest answer. — How to support parks without visiting — And a commitment from both Missy and Sandra: they will keep talking as things change

Take action today: → Call your representative: congress.gov/members/find-your-member → Join NPCA ($25/year): npca.org → Follow: @nationalparkpatchlady | @resistancerangers

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In 1919, the city of Detroit purchased land in the far northwest corner of Wayne County and built a tuberculosis sanitarium. The design philosophy: fresh air, exercise, community, and purpose heal people.

One hundred years later, that same land is one of the best urban parks near Detroit — 944 acres of 100-year-old oak trees, 16 miles from the edge of one of the largest cities in America, with a working farm, an ADA-accessible track chair program, cross-country ski trails, and a possibly resident ghost named Leslie.

Cale Leftwich, Park Supervisor at Maybury State Park, joins The Parks Podcast to share the full story.

In this episode: — How a tuberculosis sanitarium became a state park — and why the design philosophy still shapes the experience — William Mayberry — the financier who personally staked out the roads that are now the hiking trails — Maybury Farm — the barn fire, the relocated barn, the donated animals, and the Northville Community Foundation that brought it back — The Friends of Maybury — a fundraising and volunteer group that goes well beyond bottle drives — The track chair program — battery-powered wheelchair on tank tracks, volunteer guides, accessible trails — Cross-country skiing in winter — and how Cale's crew grooms the trails when there's four inches of snow — The new ADA-accessible playground that has 50 cars in the parking lot every single day — Leslie — the possibly haunted presence that every staff member for 30 years has a story about — Michigan State Parks fee structure — $13/year for residents, $10/day for out-of-state

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: michigan.gov/dnr (search Maybury) — Maybury Farm: mayburyfarm.org — Friends of Maybury: friendsofmaybury.org — Michigan Recreation Passport: michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/parks/rec-passport

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Eight thousand acres. Ninety miles of trails. Three lakes. A water park. World-class mountain biking. A Civilian Conservation Corps museum. And a million visitors a year — making it the busiest state park in Virginia. All of it 30 minutes south of Richmond.

Pocahontas State Park is Missy's home park — and Park Manager Nate Clark joins The Parks Podcast to explain why this urban gem is one of the most complete outdoor recreation destinations on the East Coast.

In this episode: — What it means to have 8,000 acres of protected land surrounded by one of Virginia's most developed counties — The Civilian Conservation Corps history — and the only CCC museum in the Virginia State Parks system — Mountain biking at Pocahontas — world-class trails recognized by the International Mountain Bike Association — The aquatic complex — a full water park open Memorial Day through Labor Day — Camping options from tent sites to full lodge — and why this park is perfect for first-time campers — Wildlife — black bears, 109 bird species, and 150+ butterfly species in 8,000 protected acres — How to avoid the crowds — the pool draws the visitors, but the trails stay peaceful — Interpretive programs, boat and kayak rentals, and the Friends of Pocahontas State Park — Year-round use — and why winter might be Nate's favorite season

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/pocahontas — Friends of Pocahontas State Park: fopsp.org

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Biscayne National Park is 95% water. Most people drive past it on the way to the Keys without stopping. That's a mistake.

Beneath the surface of Biscayne Bay lies one of the most extraordinary ecosystems in America. And above the water is one of the most remarkable untold stories in the national park system: Israel Lafayette Jones — a Black man who in the early 1900s became the largest private landowner of what is now Biscayne National Park, guided four U.S. presidents on fishing trips, sold $40,000 a year in key limes to fuel the cocktail boom of the Roaring Twenties, and sold his land for $1.2 million on the condition that he could live there for the rest of his life.

Gary Bremen, retired National Park Ranger with 29 years at Biscayne and naturalist at the Biscayne National Park Institute, joins The Parks Podcast to share everything.

In this episode: — Why Biscayne National Park almost became a city of condos and marinas — and how it was saved — The Jones family — Israel, Moselle, Arthur, and Lancelot — and 90 years of remarkable history on these islands — The Teapot Dome scandal connection — the Coco Lobo Club and the people who were there — What a mangrove actually is — and why mangrove forests are the best in the world for fighting climate change — Coral spawning — what it is, why it matters, and what rangers do in the middle of the night to help — Jones Lagoon — Gary's favorite place in the park, why paddleboarding there is the best experience in South Florida — Snorkeling in mangroves — the unexpected experience that Gary's friend had to drag him into — When to visit, how to plan, what to book and how far in advance — The Saltwater Underground Railroad — escaping slavery by boat to the Bahamas

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: nps.gov/bisc — Biscayne National Park Institute (tours, kayaking, snorkeling): biscaynenationalparkinstitute.org — Everglades National Park: nps.gov/ever

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On August 10th, 1874 — give or take a few hours around midnight — Herbert Hoover was born in a tiny two-room cottage in West Branch, Iowa. Five people lived in that cottage. Herbert Hoover called it "physical proof of the unbound opportunity of American life."

Today, Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa is one of the most serene and surprising stops in the national park system — a beautifully preserved prairie, a blacksmith shop, a Quaker meeting house, and the grave of the 31st president overlooking his birthplace.

Ranger Chelsea Nelson — who taught herself blacksmithing to get her dream job here — joins The Parks Podcast to share the full story.

In this episode: — The remarkable story of Jesse and Hulda Hoover — the blacksmith and the Quaker minister who shaped their son — How Lou Henry Hoover personally designed the restoration of the birthplace cottage in 1935 — The statue of Isis — why the country of Belgium sent an Egyptian goddess to West Branch, Iowa — The tall grass prairie — 80 acres, Iowa's largest, and what you'll hear if you walk through it in the early morning — The blacksmith shop — how Chelsea taught herself blacksmithing to become a park ranger — The gravesite — and why the view from there to the cottage was designed by Hoover himself — What it feels like when visitors arrive skeptical and leave moved — Dogs, snowshoeing, and why the grounds are open 24 hours a day

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: nps.gov/heho — Presidential Library and Museum (separate admission): hoover.archives.gov

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On August 10th, 1874 — give or take a few hours around midnight — Herbert Hoover was born in a tiny two-room cottage in West Branch, Iowa. Five people lived in that cottage. Herbert Hoover called it "physical proof of the unbound opportunity of American life."

Today, Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa is one of the most serene and surprising stops in the national park system — a beautifully preserved prairie, a blacksmith shop, a Quaker meeting house, and the grave of the 31st president overlooking his birthplace.

Ranger Chelsea Nelson — who taught herself blacksmithing to get her dream job here — joins The Parks Podcast to share the full story.

In this episode: — The remarkable story of Jesse and Hulda Hoover — the blacksmith and the Quaker minister who shaped their son — How Lou Henry Hoover personally designed the restoration of the birthplace cottage in 1935 — The statue of Isis — why the country of Belgium sent an Egyptian goddess to West Branch, Iowa — The tall grass prairie — 80 acres, Iowa's largest, and what you'll hear if you walk through it in the early morning — The blacksmith shop — how Chelsea taught herself blacksmithing to become a park ranger — The gravesite — and why the view from there to the cottage was designed by Hoover himself — What it feels like when visitors arrive skeptical and leave moved — Dogs, snowshoeing, and why the grounds are open 24 hours a day

Links mentioned: — Plan your visit: nps.gov/heho — Presidential Library and Museum (separate admission): hoover.archives.gov

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