In 1986 a ragtag team of twelve explorers attempted to kayak the Amazon from source to sea. Their journey began 16,000 feet up in the Peruvian Andes and ended 4,200 miles away at the Atlantic Ocean. They faced death at every turn, running class 5+ rapids, grappling with drug runners, negotiating with guerrilla armies, and overcoming a mutiny.

For the author Joe Kane the trip was transformative. "So all I can say is this. For a while at least the Amazon sucked me out of my cocoon and my life has been the better for it. To anyone seriously considering a flying leap into the void I say, go."

Throughout her teens and twenties Blair Braverman proved to herself that she could survive some of the coldest environments in the world while learning to drive sled dogs. Norway continuously beckoned and she made a second home in a tiny village north of the Arctic Circle ingratiating herself with the locals. Christine and Kyle discuss what it was like for a young woman in male dominated circumstances, dog sledding, and the world famous Norwegian sense of humor.

Would you quit your dream job for an epic bike ride? Does travel result in life changing epiphanies? What impact do your parents have on who you become as an adult? The Roamers discuss Jedidiah Jenkins's sixteen month cycling trip from Oregon to Patagonia and answer every last question about religion, sexuality, and the simple beauty of cycling.

In Travels with Charley John Steinbeck wrote, "Once you are in Texas it seems to take forever to get out and some people never make it." Our Texas correspondent, MK Paulsen made it out, but will always be a Texan at heart and was kind enough to share his thoughts on the Lone Star State.

How does the current state of America compare to that of the 1960's? Has progress been made? Are cities doomed to fail? What great adventure is on your bucket list? Christine and Kyle attempt to answer these questions and more as they dive into John Steinbeck's book Travels with Charley: In Search of America. ROAD TRIP!

In 1960 John Steinbeck embraced van life hitting the open road in a camper-truck accompanied by his poodle Charley. Travels with Charley is a travelogue of that journey with Steinbeck musing on the country he built a career writing about. It was an election year; political and racial unrest was sweeping the nation and Steinbeck made remarkably prescient observations about America that took shape in recent history. The book was published in 1962, the same year Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for literature and made it to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list.

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Music provided by Ross Bugden, Without Limits and Chris Haugen, Tumbleweed Texas

This month the Roamers Book Club read "Soaring to Glory: A Tuskegee Airman's Firsthand Account of WWII." It is the remarkable story of Lt. Col. Harry Stewart Jr., one of the last surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen (the African-American pilots and airmen that trained in Tuskegee, Alabama). From a young age Harry dreamt of flying and his story raises the question - To what lengths would you go to achieve your dream? The Roamers discuss this enjoyable book, Harry's improbable success, their own dreams and fears of flying, and the lasting legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Join us next month for "Travels with Charley" by American heavy-hitter and Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck.

Following the death of his wife, Peter Matthiessen set out on a journey in 1973 through the Himalayas of Nepal with the goal of spotting the elusive snow leopard, but was he searching for something more? Would hiking through the snow covered trails among the world's greatest peaks bring clarity to his life?

Christine and Kyle get spiritual as they dive into The Snow Leopard, discuss air burials, and hear a book club member's first-hand account of what it was like to travel in the region.

The next book on the club's reading list is Soaring to Glory: A Tuskegee Airman's Firsthand Account of World War II

We received a passionate opinion from a loyal Roamers member about Robyn Davidson's Tracks and we learned more about camels! Next week we'll be releasing our third episode which covers Peter Matthiessen's Snow Leopard. Call in to be featured on the show.

"The most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision." We discuss Tracks by Robyn Davidson and her empowering 273-day, 1700-mile trek across the western Australian desert with four camels and a dog. Why she did it, what total solitude in the desert (without screens) would be like, why people care so much about names, and how exciting it is to get to know plants! Includes a can't-miss scary camel story from Uncle John.

This episode of Roamers covers Kon Tiki which was a 1947 expedition where the author, Thor Heyerdahl and five others set out on an adventure as they sailed on a log raft from Peru to the Polynesian islands. When it was first published Kon Tiki was a best seller and footage from the expedition was used for a film that won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 1951. Book club participants featured in this episode include Katy Haas and Paulette Peterson. The next book we'll be reading and gabbing about is Tracks by Robyn Davidson. For the latest book club updates subscribe to the podcast and follow us on Instagram @blackgoldcabin