The Ryan Pyle Podcast

Sunny Stroeer returns to talk about completing the Iditarod Trail Invitational, a 1,000-mile winter race across the Alaskan wilderness.

This is my second podcast with Sunny, so if you want to learn about the background to Sunny's life and transition into an endurance athlete, please watch Episode 22 of my podcast. This current episode deals entirely with Sunny's successful completion of the Iditarod Trail Invitational, a 1000 mile endurance race through the Alaskan wilderness in winter.

The Background: Sunny is an absolute free spirit and adventurer. After a Harvard MBA and hard-charging strategy consultant in her twenties, she turned her back on material possessions and her career at age 30 in order to live in an Astro Van so she could run and climb full-time. Her specialty is the high altitude endurance realm; she holds speed records on Aconcagua and on the Annapurna Circuit and has excelled on high trails in the Colorado Rockies. Join us for this conversation on speed records, management consulting, empowering women and the magic of Utah.

To learn more about Sunny: https://www.sunnystroeer.com

Chapters
0:00 Welcome back Sunny Stroeer
2:30 From Aconcagua to Alaska
5:07 Fifty kilometres a day
7:38 Turned down the first time
10:08 Why not the short distance?
12:43 No mandatory gear list
15:19 Learning a new skill set
17:55 Like a summit for 30 days
20:25 When it rains
22:59 The famous dog sled race
25:29 Choosing skis
28:00 Wind with nothing to break it
30:35 The red lantern
33:08 Feet, temperature and energy
35:40 Riding it with her husband
38:14 A selfish journey with a loved one
40:48 Limping to the finish on a bike
43:24 Packing for 1,000 miles
45:54 A stress fracture and little training
48:31 Who made it to McGrath
51:03 Fixing a crown before the race
53:34 A rest day with her husband
56:04 150 miles of nothing
58:37 Frostbite
1:01:09 The air drop she didn't know about
1:03:43 A ten-egg omelette
1:06:20 The weight of the food
1:08:54 Racing in those conditions
1:11:28 Burning a glove by the fire
1:14:03 When every glove is wet
1:16:34 Out on the sea ice
1:19:06 Skiing together for safety
1:21:38 Two feet of fresh snow
1:24:09 Rescues near Nome
1:26:42 Slow and steady
1:29:18 A trail partner in 2021
1:31:50 Re-entering society
1:34:20 A thousand miles in 30 days
1:36:50 One day at a time
1:39:22 Alcohol in Arctic communities
1:41:56 The South Pole again
1:44:27 What the race costs
1:46:58 Not knowing if she'd make the cut-off
1:49:29 Ryan's 14,000 km around Brazil
1:52:04 Appreciating simple things
1:54:35 Real endurance versus selfies on Everest
1:57:05 Where to find Sunny

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Former flight attendant Joel David Bond on 20 years living overseas and why travel can build a more empathetic world.

Joel is dedicated to helping people navigate their cultural world with mindful intention, fostering empathy and understanding across borders. With a profound belief in the power of travel to create a more empathic world, Joel brings a unique perspective to every journey, drawing from over 20 years of overseas living and cross-cultural experience, as well as a master's degree in education and a background as a global flight attendant.

To learn more about Joel: https://linktr.ee/bondventures

Chapters
0:00 Welcome Joel David Bond
2:34 The middle of America
5:04 A week in Dubai versus a month in Iraq
7:40 Teaching in northern France
10:12 Becoming a British citizen
12:43 Brexit
15:16 Election year in the US
17:46 Foreign spending and Congress
20:20 The cost of defence
22:52 Seven years in outdoor adventure sports
25:26 A villa in Tuscany with an outhouse
27:57 Working as cabin crew
30:28 Pilots and family life
33:00 A one-year contract that lasted seven
35:31 A call from the State Department
38:02 Leaving Iraq overnight
40:36 Why he had to go
43:09 Doing good work
45:42 Boots on the ground
48:13 Ryan's 2002 trip through the region
50:51 Was it our place?
53:25 Knowing where you stand
56:00 We are who we are through relationships
58:34 Ryan on Russia
1:01:05 Ryan on China today
1:03:35 Man On The Run and 1MDB
1:06:11 Shell-shocked at home
1:08:46 Ryan's livelihood depends on travel
1:11:18 Ryan covering the 2008 Sichuan earthquake
1:13:54 When the sentiment changes
1:16:25 A new continent and his French
1:19:00 Tolerance bred overseas
1:21:33 His memoir set during quarantine
1:24:07 Finding a place to call home
1:26:43 Ryan's 10,000-mile drive around Saudi Arabia
1:29:17 Content suppression during Covid
1:31:53 Lockdown on a Greek island
1:34:29 Talking about the experience
1:36:59 Prince of the Marshes
1:39:32 Where to find his books

The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle

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Creative jack-of-all-trades Russ Farnsworth on working as a carney, building kit cars, serving papers on dirty cops, and political cartooning.

A well-informed intellectual; a world traveler; an inventor and a champion of democracy and justice. Russ, a creative jack-of-all-trades; is involved in music, filmmaking, photography, writing, comedy and political cartooning. Russ has had a wealth of interesting life experiences, which came from working as a carney, building kit cars and staking out and serving legal papers on dirty cops, as well as other unusual experiences.

To learn more about Russ: https://mindatwrest.bandcamp.com

Chapters
0:00 Welcome Russ Farnsworth
2:33 Growing up in Siskiyou County
5:09 Leaving for San Luis Obispo
7:44 Music versus Ryan's sporting family
10:16 A pickup basketball game
12:46 What education delivers
15:20 Back pain from age 22
17:54 The easement dispute
20:25 Going public
23:01 Months of public records
25:33 A natural spring on the land
28:05 Documents versus assumptions
30:38 Trees across the road
33:12 Stocked for six months
35:44 Ryan's question about Ozark
38:14 The neighbours who helped
40:45 What does he think is going on?
43:20 Theories about the land
45:55 The cabin burns down
48:32 Defending your property
51:03 Raising it with Cal Fire
53:37 Family heirlooms lost
56:09 Watson the dog
58:41 Nobody wants to look
1:01:18 Stories in the homeless camps
1:03:51 Keeping people out?
1:06:23 His siblings and the battle ahead
1:08:58 Adverse possession
1:11:30 A hiker with pack goats
1:14:04 Will he write a book?
1:16:38 Old Fogy Yoga
1:19:10 Asking for pro bono help
1:21:41 Is there a bigger play?
1:24:12 Is ten acres worth the fight?
1:26:48 Small claims court
1:29:25 Living in an RV trailer
1:32:03 Come back when it's resolved
1:34:38 Marijuana grows in the area
1:37:09 Where to follow the story

The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle

Ryan's TV series are streaming around the world.

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Musician and composer Andy Rehfeldt on growing up in a family of musicians and 25 years making music for commercials and films.

A native of California, Andy grew up in a family of musicians and mastered most instruments before the age of ten. His musical successes in school propelled him into the professional world playing keyboards and singing in various rock and pop outfits throughout Southern California. For over 25 years, Andy composed and produced music with Elmassian at Endless Noise on award-winning commercials and feature films. You can hear Andy's vocal, and amazing instrumental versatility on national and international spots for Nike, The Gap, Audi, Honda, Lexus, The U.S. Postal Service, and Jiffy Lube, to name a few. Today, Andy continues to work freelance as a musician, composer, producer and teacher.

To learn more about Andy: https://www.youtube.com/@AndyRehfeldt

Chapters
0:00 Welcome Andy Rehfeldt
2:33 Moving to California as a kid
5:09 Discovering rock and roll
7:45 Begging for a drum set
10:16 Elton John and the piano
12:52 Record shops and Foreigner
15:27 Genesis and early concerts
18:03 Studying music composition
20:39 Hair band mania
23:10 Cutting his hair and waiting tables
25:45 Living in the living room in Van Nuys
28:22 Covers versus originals
30:58 The hard rock life on stage
33:30 From bars to composing for commercials
36:07 Resident composer and Capitol sessions
38:41 Co-writing for a big company
41:12 Carole King and session legends
43:49 Ryan on Justin Bieber
46:24 Commuting from Orange County
48:57 Twenty-seven years until the pandemic
51:27 Ryan's career stops in 2020
54:04 AI writing jingles
56:34 Showcase gigs
59:09 The Andy Rehfeldt Variety Show
1:01:42 Parodies and Lamb of God
1:04:15 Getting paid for instrumentals
1:06:50 The business brain
1:09:21 How the YouTube algorithm works
1:11:51 Staying away from politics
1:14:24 Touring Canada
1:16:57 Stone Temple Pilots and the Chili Peppers
1:19:35 The blues and shredding
1:22:05 Postcards From Earth at the Sphere
1:24:40 LA nightlife in the 90s
1:27:16 Not holding back
1:29:52 Metallica smooth jazz and Mary Poppins death metal
1:32:26 How people find his videos

The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle

Ryan's TV series are streaming around the world.

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Dr. Karen Semien-McBride on taking the Operational Style Assessment from business into romantic relationships.

Leveraging her profound understanding of operational styles in business, Dr. Karen has developed a transformative approach to enhance romantic connections. Through her pioneering work with the Operational Style Assessment, Dr. Karen offers couples invaluable insights into communication preferences, conflict resolution strategies, and emotional dynamics, empowering them to navigate relationships with clarity and harmony.

To learn more about Dr. Karen: https://www.mkcircle.com

Chapters
0:00 Welcome Dr. Karen Semien-McBride
2:34 Knowing each other's operational style
5:08 Jeans and a sports coat
7:41 Growing up in California
10:15 Maths, music and a singing group
12:47 Creating the Operational Style Assessment
15:18 The two hardest relationships
17:48 Commonalities aren't common
20:24 Her first business sale
22:54 Comfortable at work or at home?
25:25 Ryan avoids sensitivity training
27:59 Generations in the workplace
30:32 Technology and boundaries
33:06 You don't have to reply at 6am
35:36 Coaching CEOs and directors
38:10 Operation, generation, culture
40:42 Executives and staff in their 30s
43:13 Life is not a sport without a coach
45:45 Can you coach what you haven't lived?
48:17 How she chooses her coaches
50:51 Building the relationship, then pushing back
53:21 A sounding board at every level
55:53 Not a one-and-done
58:23 Agreeing to disagree
1:00:53 Letting go of grudges
1:03:30 Regulating emotion
1:06:00 Deciding how you'll shift
1:08:31 Bringing the past into relationships
1:11:01 Raising a family today
1:13:32 Careers that change
1:16:07 Do opposites stay together?
1:18:43 Personality is fluid, operation is not
1:21:17 Divorce and unhappy marriages
1:23:48 Aha moments
1:26:21 Couples sign-ups and MK Circle
1:28:56 Wrapping up

The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle

Ryan's TV series are streaming around the world.

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Emily Montgomery on leaving law after a 600-mile walk on the Camino de Santiago, and founding HiLU, an app for sharing words of affirmation.

Emily Montgomery is the founder of HiLU, the first pro-social app for sharing and collecting words of affirmation. A recovering attorney, Emily's journey took a pivotal turn when she decided to leave her legal career and C-suite position after a transformative 600-mile walk across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. Inspired by mentors who influenced her life's direction, she incorporated those lessons into the app, aiming to make this valuable practice of affirming others accessible to everyone.

To learn more about Emily: www.teamhilu.com

The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle

Ryan's TV series are streaming around the world.

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Retired parole agent Mike Knox on prison life and his move into acting, writing and comedy.

Mike Knox is a retired Parole Agent and full-time actor, writer, comedian. Tune in for a wide-ranging conversation on prison life and transitioning into a life in the arts.

To learn more about Mike: https://linktr.ee/mikeknox

Chapters
0:00 Welcome Mike Knox
2:30 Raised in a cement box
5:02 Lost in the system
7:38 Why he joined: health insurance
10:14 Collecting shanks for art shows
12:45 A maximum security prison at 27
15:16 A universe unto itself
17:51 Already dead, so deal with it
20:26 People who don't want to be on the team
22:59 An old-world model
25:29 Mind-numbing days
28:01 The same culture across 33 prisons
30:34 Kicking the can down the road
33:05 Classification and time in the cell
35:40 Release with no ID
38:14 Walking his application to headquarters
40:45 Bumped back toward the prison
43:17 Powerless to help
45:52 A culture of punishment
48:27 Co-workers who saved his life
50:59 Nothing good happens after midnight
53:31 Home visits as a parole agent
56:04 Eighteen years and a man in a tent
58:37 Mental illness and parole
1:01:08 Plotting his retirement
1:03:40 Parolees' rights
1:06:13 Writing a book about it
1:08:43 Bosses versus leaders
1:11:15 Leaving for good
1:13:45 State-run versus private prisons
1:16:18 Acting at last
1:18:55 Ryan's guests are rarely from California
1:21:25 People who give up on LA
1:23:58 Coming out the other side
1:26:33 Veterans coming home
1:29:08 Humour as survival
1:31:46 Fencing classes and all the things
1:34:17 Stand-up as therapy
1:36:52 A controversial episode

The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle

Ryan's TV series are streaming around the world.

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Esports founder Titus Walker on building the Ultimate Endgamers League, seven seasons, a million viewers a season and more than $200,000 in prizes.

Titus Walker is the visionary CEO of the Ultimate Endgamers League (UEL), a trailblazing esports organization he founded in 2019, which is swiftly redefining the global gaming landscape. Under his leadership, the UEL has celebrated seven thrilling seasons, captivating over a million viewers each season and distributing over $200,000 in prizes.

To learn more about Titus and UEL Games: https://ultimateendgamersleague.com

Chapters
0:00 Welcome Titus Walker
2:33 Early gaming days
5:04 Sports are just games
7:36 Twitch is only a niche
10:11 What a gaming league is
12:42 Dropping out of college
15:20 A UFC approach to gaming
17:53 100,000 gamers and 30-plus games
20:23 Drafting players by discipline
22:59 A million-dollar season
25:33 Contracts and drug testing
28:09 Targeted marketing for developers
30:44 The research behind the idea
33:19 Bringing gamers along slowly
35:50 The average player's age
38:26 Fifty-two teams
41:03 Expanding overseas
43:38 The CEO as chief marketing officer
46:12 Choosing the games
48:47 Starters and bench players
51:22 Matches of five to ten minutes
53:56 PCs and sponsors
56:30 Tony Hawk on the wheel
59:02 The end of the regular season
1:01:40 Testing players with a Space Force doctor
1:04:17 Keeping the community's trust
1:06:49 Healthy products for gamers
1:09:21 Staying loyal
1:11:55 Going public one day
1:14:30 A stake in the games
1:17:02 Colleges and high schools
1:19:32 Gamers' health
1:22:04 When a game disappears
1:24:38 The bigger picture
1:27:09 Where to follow the league

The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle

Ryan's TV series are streaming around the world.

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Bob Ross on running six careers at once: entertainment, EMS, comedy, set medic and therapist, and growing up in a family of morticians.

With just six careers simultaneously overlapping Bob is a very busy man. We talk Entertainment, EMS, Comedy, Motion Picture Set Medic and Therapist work. Oh, and his father and grandfather were morticians. Tune in for a wide ranging conversation.

To learn more about Bob: www.TheHiddenSecretToHealing.com

Chapters
0:00 Welcome Bob Ross
2:33 Growing up in the family funeral business
5:03 A house call with the gurney
7:38 A family of inventors
10:14 How an MRI works
12:50 Physics for healthcare
15:27 The business of medicine
17:57 The immune system and cancer cells
20:31 Finding the tumour
23:06 Twenty and in graduate school
25:39 Leaving the field
28:13 Removing the cause
30:49 Ryan on healthcare around the world
33:26 Music and the brain
36:03 Singing on a gospel album
38:40 Ryan learning Chinese with musicians
41:14 Set medic for Arnold Schwarzenegger
43:44 Medical cover at the Rose Bowl
46:17 A heart that stopped
48:55 A sense of humour in the ambulance
51:30 Six jobs at once
54:05 Teaching first aid
56:40 What people remember when they come back
59:14 Medic, comedian, musician, CPR teacher
1:01:47 A set medic on a film
1:04:17 How to call 911
1:06:48 Local dispatch
1:09:22 Fentanyl and Narcan
1:11:57 A pill-popping society
1:14:33 East Vancouver
1:17:03 Tapping and the nervous system
1:19:37 Eye movement and migraines
1:22:12 Trauma and the body
1:24:50 Remembering the faces
1:27:20 Attacked while cycling
1:29:51 Emotional roots and forgiveness
1:32:24 Reprogramming the subconscious
1:34:57 When a fever needs care
1:37:28 When attention keeps someone ill
1:40:02 Laughter is medicine
1:42:35 Faith and intuition
1:45:05 The placebo effect
1:47:35 The thermometer story
1:50:12 A breathing exercise
1:52:42 Writing a book
1:55:15 Always learning
1:57:46 Covid and fear
2:02:49 Health in the Middle East
2:05:21 Healthy skepticism
2:07:54 Wrapping up

The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle

Ryan's TV series are streaming around the world.

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Documentary photographer Patricia Fortlage on her belief that investing in women and girls raises whole communities, and the work it has taken her to.

Patricia Fortlage is an award-winning documentary and fine art photographer. From her core belief that if you invest in women and girls, entire communities will be raised, Patricia has focused much of her international documentary photography career working with organizations doing just that. Tune in for a wide ranging conversation.

To learn more about Patricia: https://www.patriciafortlage.com

Chapters
0:00 Welcome Patricia Fortlage
2:37 A Southern California surfer girl
5:07 A carpool to the HOV lane
7:42 Documenting programmes overseas
10:19 Respecting the people in the frame
12:50 Her first camera
15:23 Invest in women and communities rise
17:58 Coming home with a different view
20:34 Spending time in another culture
23:10 Ryan's university basketball schedule
25:42 Ryan's early freelance years in China
28:16 Ryan's exit from China
30:53 Forty-six assignments, then four
33:27 Ryan's Tibetan pilgrimages series
35:59 Adventure that educates
38:34 Dreamers and doers
41:05 Working with local organisations
43:37 A taxi conversation about money
46:12 Generosity in the poorest places
48:42 Navigating the US medical system
51:12 Ryan sharing photos with students
53:43 What one picture can do
56:16 Choosing her doctors
58:47 Finding joy in the ups and downs
1:01:21 Upcoming exhibitions
1:03:57 Where to find her work

The Ryan Pyle Podcast is ad-free by choice. If you enjoy these conversations, you can buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/ryanpyle

Ryan's TV series are streaming around the world.

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