Wonder Outside

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DJ Shark is our Wonder Guide in Episode 9 where we look at the first 8 Where Art Meets Nature Segments.  A replaying of these segments will really inspire you to get outside...or write or song....or sing a song =)!  

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Camping is for Everyone

Michelle, Julie and Courtney are back to share their wisdom and tips on camping with their families.  From meal planning to realistic expectations to unplugging from devices to navigating the many personalities in any family, these Wonder Guides have a lot more value to offer all of us.

People Want to Help You

One of the most important themes to emerge from my conversation with Julie, Michelle and Courtney is that the barriers to getting outside are minimal.  They prove again and again that just a little bit of planning and not a lot of money can create a wonderful outdoor experiences for the entire family.

The Barriers are Imaginary

Don't let lack of gear or other financial limitations be a barrier to creating wonder for yourself and your loved ones.  Just listen to these camping savvy moms and you'll hopefully find the inspiration you need to plan your next adventure

Where Art Meets Nature with DJ Shark

In our music meets nature segment we look at three of the most talented women in all of music: Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt.  Their awards are too many to count. Their voices are too powerful to measure. Their contribution to music, art, other artists and fans is simply astounding.  In their second collaboration TRIO II they sing a song called, High Sierra.  Come along with DJ Shark and I as we discuss the highs and lows of love with these musical legends.

Where You Were When You Heard 'That' Song

I only recently found the track, High Sierra on Trio II. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trio_II

And I'll never forget it.  Because the combination of songwriting with these voices is simply perfect.  Here's a youtube video of High Sierra.

3 x 3 Main AVENUE is in Cleveland

In the 3 x 3 Main Street challenge we travel to the legendary city of Cleveland and start at McCarthy's Downtown. A "relaxed bar with pub grub and musical acts." 

https://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/mccarthys-downtown/Location?oid=24609271

A River on FIRE

That's correct. Many know the story. Many have wondered if it is true. The answer is that yes, the Cuyahoga river in Ohio caught fire.  MORE THAN ONCE.  The causes are obvious: systematic, unrelenting, unchecked and long term pollution from a variety of sources left a river that was truly dead.  Dead to animal life, dead to fish life and dead to a city that could hardly stand the smell of a vital waterway.

Just a couple minutes from McCarthy's Downtown is Heritage Park and the Cuyahoga River which has made an amazing comeback.

Lake Erie and Much More

There's a lot to explore along the Northeast Ohio shore and just 30 minutes from downtown Cleveland is the Headland Dunes Nature Preserve and the Headlands Beach State Park. 

Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve

Headlands Dunes is a 25-acre preserve just to the east of Headlands Beach State Park. 

Niagara Falls is less than 3 hours away?

Yes indeed. And that's not just if you're in Northeast Ohio. That goes for many people in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Canada.  There's too much to say about Niagara Falls.  But suffice to say there's a reason we all know about it and so many people visit it every year.

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Courtney Brown, Julie Pearl-Slater and Michelle Silver are our Wonder Guides for Episode 7 and boy do they know how to camp!  And with kids!

When Courtney moved from the ample and beautiful beaches of Orange County, California to Utah she embraced the opportunity to ‘stretch out’ and explore the mountains with her children.  All FIVE of them.

When Julie left Chicago for L.A. she had no idea she’d go camping ‘overnight’ let alone take regular camping trips to Joshua Tree, Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Michelle knows what happens when she gets outdoors regularly either alone or with her son: she feels better instantly.

These three women take us on a rewarding, insightful and inspirational camping trip today by sharing their stories about getting outside. Their advice, stories and insights are many and that's why my conversation with them will stretch over two episodes.

In this first episode we'll touch on a number of subjects such as how each of our guides grew to not just love the outdoors but see it as vital to the collective health and happiness of their families. We'll address the challenges of preparation and electronic devices. 

Over and over again, these Wonder Guides reinforce one main truth: getting outside and camping with their kids is liberating, inspiring and worth the effort.

3 x 3 Main Street Challenge

In our 3 x 3 Main Street Challenge we visit the lovely little town of Wheaton, Illinois. Starting at Five and Hoek Coffee at 112 N Main Street we just walk a couple of blocks to the expansive Illinois Prairie Path which goes for over 60 miles. Within 15-20 minutes one can be on another main street in Glen Ellyn and eating a cinnamon roll at the Blackberry Market at 401 N. Main Street. The 30 minute segment is solved quite easily by simply continuing along the wonderfully bucolic Prairie Path.

What's within 3 hours of Wheaton?  There's a LOT to choose from but today why don't we simply drive due west for under three hours to the mighty Mississippi River.  Two places of note include the Wildcat Den State Park which has one of the oldest operating grist mills!  Back across the river on the Illinois side is the Loud Thunder Forest Preserve which has more outdoor activities that I have time to list.

In our Art Meets Nature segment, DJ Shark leads us into the beautiful, evocative and melancholy masterpiece The Green Green Grass of Home. Written by Claude "Curly" Putman Jr., but of course made world famous by Tom Jones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytvcdSzzMds 

In There's No Planet B we look at the principles of Leave No Trace.   There is a wealth of information to explore at the website for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimize campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of other visitors

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Kristina Haddad is our Wonder Guide for episode six.  If you’re looking for some motivation, passion and commitment when it comes to the preservation and celebration of wild places look no further! If you’re looking for someone thoroughly versed in environmental activism and justice, you’ve come to the right place!

Kristina is currently the program director at the environmental non-profit organization, 7th Generation Advisors.  And while this job alone would be enough she also is an actor, teacher and life-long lover of nature.

Our conversation ranges from the big redwood trees of Northern California to her work to protect the Santa Monica Bay from pollution.  We talk about her one person show, Save Sheldon, which follows the journey of an environmental activist and her attempt to save an ancient tree. http://www.kristinahaddad.net/about.html

We also take a deeper look at how environmental racism continues to harm and perpetuate disadvantaged communities, specifically people of color.

Kristina reminds us that we’re out of balance as a society in terms of our relationship to the environment (or her preferred term “nature”) but also shares specific actions we can take right now to preserve, protect and defend our planet.  

In the Where Art Meets Nature segment, DJ Shark and I discuss the great Talking Heads song, Nothing But Flowers. Again, DJ Shark points out the magnificent subtleties of another song that has nature at its center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2twY8YQYDBE
DJ Shark's radio show can be found at http://www.alltimeisnow.com/All_Time_is_Now.html

In the There’s No Planet B segment Kristina and I look at two important non-profits doing magnificent work to empower communities and preserve forests.  They are The Fund for Wild Nature and Sequoia Forest Keeper. http://fundwildnature.org/
http://www.sequoiaforestkeeper.org/home0.aspx

 In the 3x3 Main Street Challenge we go to the glorious city of Juneau, Alaska.  We start at the iconic restaurant The Hanger on the Wharf.  https://www.hangaronthewharf.com/
3 minutes from there is the Mount Roberts Nature Center. https://www.stepintoalaska.com/about-us/mt-roberts-nature-center/

Less than 30 minutes away is the Mendenhall Glacier, https://www.alaska.org/detail/mendenhall-glacier-visitor-center

And if you get on the ferry in Juneau also known as the Alaska Marine Highway you can be in the great city of Haines and observe the thousands of American Bald Eagles there.
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/southeast/chilkatbep.htm

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Enrico Colantoni is back for the second half of our conversation in episode five. If you like ghost stories then look no further! We'll touch on some of the rather spooky and unexplainable events that occurred in the mountains in the Lake Arrowhead area of Southern California.

But since I get scared easily by ghost stories we'll turn our attention to other topics including Canada, hockey and planting potatoes based on the cycles of the moon. One of the more poignant moments comes when Rico talks about his father and that his father had a connection to the earth and the moon - the environment. Rico's father didn't realize this dormant urge to be part of his surroundings again until he retired from his work in Toronto and moved back his native Italy.

This contributes to one of the dominant themes of my conversation with Rico: how we can get trapped in a paradigm of survival. How we become sucked into a vortex that limits our ability to see more important things such as meditating under a tree or appreciating the outdoors as real and necessary.

Finally, we'll have some fun with the 'Where in the World are You?' and 'What in the World Would You Do?' games.

In our 3x3 Main Street Challenge we'll head to Flagstaff, Arizona and visit the good people at the Wanderlust Brewery and Flagstaff Climbing right there on Main Street in Flagstaff.

 Just 15 minutes from there is Walnut Canyon National Monument and a short 84 miles away is one of the seven wonders of the world also known as the Grand Canyon.

 In Where Art Meets Nature with DJ Shark we'll talk about one of the most important songs I've ever heard or will ever hear about our environment. It's time to look at Joni Mitchell's, Big Yellow Taxi. Here are the lyrics and a concert video to one of the most iconic and brilliant songs of the last 50 years by a true genius.

 In There's No Planet B we re-visit the Amazon rainforest in both Brazil and Peru. 
Chevron lost a major court case more than once BUT STILL HASN'T PAID THEIR FINES OR CLEANED UP THEIR MESS. Attorney Steven Donzinger is currently under a house arrest on a charge so ludicrous that any rational human would throw it out of court. But since it was manufactured by Chevron who has a oil-friendly judge in New York city, Donzinger continues to be unjustly restricted. The President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro is doing everything in his power to intimidate, invade and otherwise destroy the Amazon rainforest and the indigenous peoples who live there and have a guaranteed right to that land.

There is a lot of fascinating evidence here and I encourage you to dive in. Steven Donzinger's story is here: https://theintercept.com/2020/01/29/chevron-ecuador-lawsuit-steven-donziger/

His website and legal defense fund that could use your attention is here: https://www.donzigerdefense.com/

 A great summary of just how obscene a crime Chevron has gotten away with so far to the detriment of both the rainforest and the lives of real people who live there and continue to suffer from their crimes of which they were convicted.https://www.makechevroncleanup.com/

A long record of President Bolsonaro's violations exists. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/28/world/americas/brazil-deforestation-amazon-bolsonaro.html

And much more is here for you on the only variety s

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Bryna Campbell and Mike Murawski keep the joy of exploration at the center of what they do: providing useful, engaging and fun outdoor trail guides and activities for kids and families. They created Super Nature Adventures out of a need to keep their son less resistant and more engaged on their outings. And it really worked.

Even more than that, Mike and Bryna have and undeniable passion for going outside. They talk about the outdoors in ways that make you want to get on the trail immediately. They eliminate any feelings of intimidation or nervousness and simply allow people to find their own paths.  So while their materials are focused on kids ages 3-12 years old, their philosophy of engaging with the outdoors is for everyone.

Supernatureadventures.com is a valuable resource for any parent or teacher looking to engage their children outdoors in creative, imaginative and empowering ways.  Their affordable, hand-illustrated, downloadable pdf guides, activities and maps are sure to help you and your loved ones get outside more easily, more often and more confidently.

In my conversation with Bryna and Mike we're all reminded of some basic truths about going outside.  One, it's about the here and now.  Two, children have some things to teach us about going outside. Three, stickers and snacks help!

Mike and Bryna echo many of the same philosophies that I talk about and use on my nature hikes with both young and old.  If we pay attention more to an animal or bird's behavior and worry less about getting its name right, we'll create a stronger connection to our environment.  If we worry less about achieving a destination point and instead be more present to our immediate surroundings (from the micro to the grandiose) we'll have a more rewarding experience.

Mike and Bryna and their son have trail tested these materials and I can't recommend them enough.  They have also pivoted with the Covid-19 realities and created materials that can be used right now and in any location.  Their Explore Your World and Create Your World materials are available, affordable and are a perfect addition to any home, school, homeschool or distance home school!

We have a great conversation that covers Mt. Saint Helens,
Rachel Carson, Yosemite, Portland, iNaturalist and much more. 

All of their resources can be found at http://www.supernatureadventures.com

ALSO in this 4th episode are all the amazing segments!
The 3x3 Main Street Challenge takes us to Denver Colorado. Specifically Jake's Brew Bar on Main Street in Littleton, CO.  Just a short distance away is the S. Platte River, Bowles Grove Park, Legault Mountain, Rocky Mountain National Park and Tin Cup, Colorado.

In There's No Planet B we talk about the need to maintain biodiversity and the great work of the Center for Biological Diversity.

In Art Meets Nature, DJ Shark takes us on a road trip with Paul Simon in Graceland.  It's all there for you in this episode of Wonder Outside and it's all sponsored by the Nature Coach.

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In this variety show for nature, today's special Wonder Guide guest is Enrico Colantoni.  You may know his extensive work as an actor on Veronica Mars, Just Shoot Me, Contagion and Galaxy Quest. But his reason for being on the show is to highlight just how passionate he is about the outdoors and how much nature has influenced his art and his life. We cover a wide variety of subjects from the vortex of Los Angeles to Vancouver B.C. to the great playwright Anton Chekhov.  Rico has a gift for cutting to the simplicity of nature and the healing properties of being outside and his experiences are good reminders on how we too can find inspiration and meaning outside. All opportunities to share with this community can be found at www.wonderoutside.org

Wonder Outside is much more than just an interview show. It's a variety show that's specifically designed to keep discussions about the outdoors fun, useful, practical and motivating. In the 3 x3 Challenge we look at some nature escapes starting from the Red Wing shoe store or the Caribou Coffee shop in Red Wing, Minnesota.

In his 'One minute for Wonder' opening Ted talks about the iNaturalist app and its usefulness for people of all ages.  For more information on that go to www.inaturalist.org

The Where in the World Are You game tests your knowledge of geography and weather.  DJ Shark is our musical expert as we discuss how the great outdoors influences our art and specifically Peter Gabriel's song Solsbury Hill.

There's No Planet B gives you practical steps you can take to protect our planet and all its inhabitants. This episode highlights the importance of the Amazon Rainforest and one of the best advocacy groups working hard to protect it and its indigenous peoples. https://www.rainforesttrust.org/

Every episode of the Wonder Outside podcast features an examination of a song or piece or art that is influenced by the great outdoors.  None other than DJ Shark talks with Ted about Peter Gabriel's masterpiece, Solsbury Hill which is rich both with outdoor references of a real place but also with how nature can help when we're at a crossroads.
DJ Shark is a prolific musician, DJ, composer, song writer and hosts his own radio show called All Time is Now.  Podcast episodes from his show can be found at http://www.alltimeisnow.com/All_Time_is_Now.html

Ranger Ted has been building community his entire life. That's especially true in this podcast where you can access a wide variety of experts to help you experience the great outdoors in more meaningful ways. 

In episode 3, you'll hear about Super Nature Adventures www.supernatureadventures.com and their downloadable adventure kits.  You can also look forward to hearing from Mike Murawski and Bryna Campbell,  founders of Super Nature Adventures, as they'll join Ranger Ted in a later episode as guest Wonder Guides.

Also Ranger Ted talks about the wonderful people at Save Our Monarchs. www.saveourmonarchs.org who help people everywhere plant milkweed and thus save our monarchs.  

http://supernatureadventures.com
http://saveourmonarchs.org

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New York Times best-selling and award winning author, master carpenter and longtime fan of the great outdoors joins Ranger Ted for Episode 2 of the Wonder Outside Podcast. They sit down in the sunny, pre-Covid, Silverlake meadow in Los Angeles for a ranging conversation from Elk baths, Rocky Mountain inspirations and meandering Iowa rivers. Tim is a master storyteller and that's on full display in this episode. 

Tim discusses how the environment of the Rocky Mountains helped him find the characters and eventually the story that would become his best-selling novel, Descent. http://www.timjohnston.net/book/descent/ His latest novel is set in a place near and dear to us both, the rivers of Minnesota and Iowa. http://www.timjohnston.net/

Tim and Ted have worked on cabins together, seen giant bald eagle nests and agree that when a storm kicks up its time to get yourself and your canoe off the river. They also talk about their profound experiences of riding bikes, eyes closed, at Burning Man. 

Wonder Outside is much more than just an interview show. It's a variety show thats specifically designed to keep discussions about the outdoors fun, useful, practical and motivating. In the 3 x3 Challenge we look at some nature escapes starting from a Main Street in Ventura, California. In the opening segment, Ted talks about how to use a naturalist journal when exploring the outdoors.

The Where in the World Are You game tests your knowledge of geography and weather.  DJ Shark is our musical expert as we discuss how the great outdoors influences our art and There's No Planet B gives you practical steps you can take to protect our planet and all its inhabitants.

Every episode of the Wonder Outside podcast features an examination of a song or piece or art that is influenced by the great outdoors.  None other than DJ Shark talks with Ted about Woody Guthrie's iconic 'This Land Is Your Land' song written in 1940. This song maintains its truth and relevance even today.

DJ Shark is a prolific musician, DJ, composer, song writer and hosts his own radio show called All Time is Now.  Podcast episodes from his show can be found at http://www.alltimeisnow.com/All_Time_is_Now.html

Ranger Ted has been building community his entire life. That's especially true in this podcast where you can access a wide variety of experts to help you experience the great outdoors in more meaningful ways. 

In episode 2, you'll hear about Super Nature Adventures www.supernatureadventures.com and their downloadable adventure kits.  You can also look forward to hearing from Mike Murawski and Bryna Campbell,  founders of Super Nature Adventures, as they'll join Ranger Ted in a later episode as guest Wonder Guides.

Also Ranger Ted talks about the wonderful people at Save Our Monarchs. www.saveourmonarchs.org who help people everywhere plant milkweed and thus save our monarchs.  Contact them now and get planting this Earth Day!

http://supernatureadventures.com

http://saveourmonarchs.org

Global Climate Change poses the biggest threat there is to the planet and all its inhabitants. Please visit www.350.org to become better educated and to get involved with switching from fossil fuels to renewables before it's too late. http://www.350.org

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In the Earth Day launch of the Wonder Outside Podcast, naturalist and outdoor educator, Ted Mattison, also known as Ranger Ted, talks with Annabeth Gish about how to find simple, practical and available adventures in the great outdoors. Covering a wide range of topics from New Mexico to Iowa; from hikes with kids to finding solace in the vast expanse of the prairie, from walking in our own neighborhoods with our senses open to remembering where the biggest strawberry in the world is located, Ted and Annabeth highlight the need to get outside regularly for our physical, mental and spiritual health.

Annabeth comes to the show prepared! She brings a wonderful, truly grounding and much needed in these times, poem by William Stafford, Being A Person.  Many people know her excellent work as an actor in scores of television including series regular roles on: The X-files, Halt and Catch Fire and The Bridge. She's appeared in several movies including Mystic Pizza and Before I Wake.   

She also talks about her first voice over opportunity on the documentary, America's Lost Landscape, The Tallgrass Prairie. 

Wonder Outside is much more than just an interview show. It's a variety show thats specifically designed to keep it fun, useful, practical and motivating. Ted talks about asking the question, 'What do you notice?' over 'What do you know?' in the opening segment. In the 3 x3 Challenge we look at some nature escapes right in the middle of Brooklyn, New York. The Where in the World Are You game tests your knowledge of geography and weather.  DJ Shark is our musical expert as we discuss how the great outdoors influences our art and There's No Planet B gives you practical steps you can take to protect our planet and all its inhabitants.

Every episode of the Wonder Outside podcast features an examination of a song or piece or art that is influenced by the great outdoors.  None other than DJ Shark talks with Ted about John Denver's iconic Rocky Mountain High for this debut episode on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Ranger Ted has been building community his entire life. That's especially true in this podcast where you can access a wide variety of experts to help you experience the great outdoors in more meaningful ways. 

In episode 1, you'll hear about Super Nature Adventures www.supernatureadventures.com and their downloadable adventure kits.

Also he'll talk about the wonderful people at Save Our Monarchs. www.saveourmonarchs.org who help people everywhere plant milkweed and thus save our monarchs.

http://supernatureadventures.com

http://saveourmonarchs.org

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