Armchair Explorer

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The Legendary Tale of Bird & Jim: On Location in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Jan 29, 2024

Show notes

Today, we're returning to the mountains of Colorado to hear about the adventures of Isabella Bird, a British explorer who famously ascended Longs Peak in 1873 with her guide and companion Jim Nugent.

The story of Bird and Jim illuminates the early history and character of Estes Park, as her writings helped establish the town as a tourist destination, and parallels with the broader historic myth of the frontier and the American west.

Bird remains an inspiration to the locals of Estes Park, including restaurateur Melissa Strong. We visit her new restaurant Bird & Jim to hear of her near-death experience and learn how Isabella’s determination to break the conventions of the time was an inspiration for Melissa’s subsequent recovery.

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Share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, armchair-explorer.com, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website at APTpodcaststudios.com.

Flying Polar Bears and Charging Grizzlies: Beartrekking With Ecologist Chris Morgan Jan 24, 2024

Show notes

"There are eight species of bears on the planet. Six of them are threatened everywhere they live."

Thus begins Beartrek, a documentary which took Chris Morgan nearly 8 years to make. In Beartrek, he follows the lives of several individual bears around the world, from a friendly spectacled bear in Peru's arid mountains to a shy sun bear cub in the muggy rainforests of Borneo.

Chris, a British-born ecologist, conservationist, TV presenter, and podcast host, has spent most of his adult life learning about bears and telling their stories. His interest in ursidae began with one very interesting nighttime trip to a dumpster in New Hampshire (listen to the episode for the full story); now, he's one of the world's foremost bear storytellers.

Follow along with Chris as he recounts some of Beartrek's most memorable moments - some of which never made it to the screen - as well as the work he's doing today with bears around the world. You'll travel from Canada's icy Arctic tundra to the humid rainforests of the Indo-pacific, and you'll learn the names - and life stories - of some bears you'll never forget.

FIND CHRIS

Listen to Chris's incredible podcast, The Wild, wherever you find your podcasts, and follow it on IG @TheWildPod. You can also rent or buy Beartrek, his documentary featured in today's episode, on Amazon Prime. Finally, follow all of his work on his website, ChrisMorganWildlife.org, or on socials @ChrisMorganWildlife.

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CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap.

The Birth of Soul and Rock N' Roll: On Location in Memphis, Tennessee Jan 15, 2024

Show notes

"It was here, on the banks of the Mississippi River, where music changed the world."

In Memphis, music has always been more than a melody and lyrics - it's a movement. This is a city that launched some of the world's most beloved musicians, from Otis Redding to Isaac Hayes, Carla Thomas, Elvis Presley, and more. And in the midst of segregation and racial tension, the music of Memphis became a powerful tool for bringing people together - and creating the sound of a civil rights movement that would move the world.

Join host Aaron Millar and step into some of the world's most famous recording booths all around the city. It's in these rooms where the greats of soul and rock n' roll have shed blood, sweat and tears for decades. You'll hear how Elvis Presley was discovered completely by accident at Sun Studios; learn about Otis Redding and the joyous growth of soul at the Stax Museum; and go behind the scenes of pop music with Bruno Mars at Royal Studios.

WANT MORE TENNESSEE MUSIC?

Tennessee Music Pathways is a guide that connects visitors to the rich musical heritage of the state. Visitors can curate their own path based on interests using an interactive guide at TNmusicpathways.com. Follow the conversation on social using or searching hashtag #tnmusicpathways.

Thank you to our guests and musicians:

Hal Lansky, Lansky Brothers Clothing lanskybros.com
Crockett Hall, Sun Studio sunstudio.com
Jeff Kollath, Stax Museum of American Soul Music staxmuseum.com
Boo Mitchell, Royal Studios boomitchellmemphis.com and royalstudios.com
Dr. Noelle Trent, National Civil Rights Museum civilrightsmuseum.org
Visit Memphis memphistravel.com

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SPECIAL EPISODE: Surviving Thailand's 2004 Tsunami with Aaron Millar (Adventure Sports Podcast) Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

Today's episode is a little bit different - because our very own Aaron Millar is our guest! This re-released episode is one of the most memorable conversations he's ever had, and we're very excited to share it with you.

In this interview, which originally aired with the Adventure Sports Podcast in 2020, Aaron shares stories from his years as a travel writer - from doing a ridiculous 100-mile pub crawl in Britain to trekking with Shugendo monks in Japan. He also shares a never-before-shared story about surviving Thailand's devastating 2004 tsunami, which you won't want to miss.

If you've always been curious to learn more about the man behind the show, sit back and get ready for a conversation that is at times silly, at times sentimental, and at all times thoughtful.

FIND MASON AND THE ADVENTURE SPORTS PODCAST

Listen to the Adventure Sports Podcast everywhere you can find podcasts, or learn more on their website AdventureSportsPodcast.com. You can also find Mason on Instagram @alive_adventures.

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Revisiting the Herd at the End of the World: Christine Amour Levar's Journey With the Nenet Reindeer Herders of Siberia Dec 25, 2023

Show notes

It's hard to imagine Christmas without reindeer. But long before the beloved antlered animals were pulling Santa's sleigh, they were providing a way of life for indigenous peoples around the world, including the Nenets of Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula.

The Nenets of Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula are among the world’s oldest existing true nomads, making a living by herding reindeer in a place that literally translates to ‘the end of the world.’ And when Christine Amour-Levar learned that she had a third-degree connection to the tribe, she set about arranging an unprecedented trek to accompany them during their southward migration. Five months later, she was leading the largest - and only all-female - group that the Nenets had ever hosted, as they prepared to live, migrate, and journey alongside the tribe for a week.

Cozy up and get ready for an episode that celebrates this traditional symbol of the holidays in a decidedly non-traditional way...even including the occasional consumption of fresh reindeer blood.

FIND CHRISTINE

Follow Christine Amour-Levar on Instagram (@christineamourlevar) or visit her website at christineamourlevar.com for more incredible stories, photos of her expeditions, and more. You can also find her book, Wild Wisdom: Life Lessons From Leading Teams to Some of the Most Inhospitable Places in the World, online or at your local bookstore. Finally, we encourage you to learn more about her two nonprofit organizations, Women on a Mission and HER Planet Earth, where you can volunteer, donate - or even sign up for an upcoming expedition yourself!

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CREDITS

Bicycles, Bad Violin Playing, and Blank Maps: Redefining Adventure With Alastair Humphreys Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

When Alastair Humphreys was young, he craved something unknowable.

That something - adventure, excitement, wisdom, whatever it was - was close. But he suspected that in order to find it, he'd have to step outside of the familiar shapes of his routines. He'd have to break free from the expectations of his friends and family, of advanced degrees and office jobs and apartment living.

In his search for something, he moved to a rural village in Africa at 18. And after university, he cycled across 6 continents and pedaled the circumference of the globe. But he still hadn't quite found that something - and his quest for it would reveal a truth that would change everything.

Whether you're looking for an epic saga about a cross-continental bike trip or the wildest story about playing the violin you've ever heard, you're going to enjoy this episode about the many types of adventure that exist, how we can have them, and why we need them.

FIND ALASTAIR

Learn more about Alastair, his adventures, and his books at his website, AlastairHumphreys.com, or follow him on Instagram @Al_Humphreys. Find his latest book, Local, wherever books are sold (though we recommend ordering from your local bookshop!).

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CREDITS

Born Among the Black Hills: On Location With the Lakota Sioux Nation of South Dakota Dec 11, 2023

Show notes

“It's kind of interesting that people that come here to Crazy Horse Memorial, because it's almost like there's a spiritual calling. They don't know quite what it is. But they feel it.”

– Paul LaRoche, Lakota tribe member and founder of the band Brulé

The great Lakota Sioux Nation have become the international symbol of America’s native people. Over 60,000 Lakota Native Americans live in South Dakota, and they believe that their very creation began in the Black Hills.

Join us as we delve deep into South Dakota’s rich native American history and culture. We begin our adventure by stepping out onto the arm of the Crazy Horse memorial with head carver Caleb Zilokowski (the grandson of Korczak Ziolkowski, who started it back in 1947).

At the base of Crazy Horse, we join Paul LaRoche who has been coming to Crazy Horse for 25 years with his award-winning band Brulé. Through his music and dance we learn about Paul’s journey back into a Native American life he knew nothing about.

Along the way we uncover what makes Native American culture in South Dakota so unique. And as you hear these stories and the history of this fascinating and colorful culture, you’ll soon discover that you need to experience South Dakota for yourself.

Find out more at travelsouthdakota.com where you'll find lots of inspiration, ideas and everything else you need to know to plan your great South Dakota adventure.

Produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Learn more at armchair-productions.com.

Kite-skiing to Mars via Antarctica with Explorer Justin Packshaw Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

"Humans are meant to excel. And when you start pushing that and seeing how capable we are, it's phenomenal what you can actually go and do."

-Justin Packshaw

When Justin Packshaw was trekking in Antarctica several years ago, he noticed something disturbing: The ice shelf had visibly melted since his previous visit, just a few decades prior. "In the grand scheme of how old our world is, and its present state, that's a really quite frightening thing," he said. And with that, he had an idea. Not all scientists have the time, resources, or, frankly, the stamina to conduct invaluable in-person research in the heart of Antarctica, which holds the record as the world's coldest, windiest, and driest continent. But Justin did.

He and his adventure partner, Jamie Facer-Childs, proposed a data-gathering mission to several universities: They would cross Antarctica's heart and gather critical scientific data about climate change. But other agencies were interested in the trip as well.

As it turns out, pushing the human body to its limits - physically, psychologically, mentally - is one of the key areas of research for space agencies like NASA and the European Space Agency. Justin and Jamie's expedition would collect critical data on behavior, coping abilities, teamwork, endurance, even eyesight, that would be invaluable for future space missions in which astronauts will live for years in a space no larger than a studio apartment.

This is a good, old-fashioned adventure romp - but it's more than that too. It's also a story about science, psychology, Mars, and climate change. It's about how we cope with the most extreme physical challenges imaginable and ultimately how that defines us as humans.

FIND JUSTIN

Learn more about Justin and his adventures at his website, JustinPackshaw.com, or follow him on Instagram @JustinPackshaw. Find more details about the Antarctica expedition at ChasingTheLight2021.com.

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CREDITS

Slow Food Values in a Fast Food World: On the Farm-to-Fork Trail in Yolo County, California Nov 27, 2023

Show notes

Yolo County in Northern California is one of the world’s premier destinations for slow food. But that doesn’t mean waiting for your dinner - it means savoring every bite and building a connection to the land from which it comes.

We live in a fast world. 20% of all meals are eaten in cars. One third of Americans eat fast food every single day. That has consequences.

When we forget that food isn’t grown in supermarket aisles or materialized in drive-through windows, when we fail to remember that the true joy of food comes not from the instant gratification of everything all the time, but from the scarcity of the seasons, and the rhythms of the land, we sell ourselves – and our tastebuds – short.

That’s what this episode is about, and we’ll be unpacking what that means on a slow food road trip across Yolo County, exploring fresh organic farms, meeting the leaders in Yolo’s Slow Food movement, and eating one of the best meals you will ever eat.

“Slow food is a way of both reminiscing, and yet bringing food into the present with a shinier sense of purpose. It's allowing those who aren't privileged enough to be stewards of the land to enter into that world, even if only for a few hours. And through doing that, without listening to a sermon or reading a book, they are experiencing those values and then they can take it home.”

- Ann Evans

Ready for a delicious food and wine vacation in Yolo County? Plan your own road trip at VisitYolo.com.

Also, please share the show with your friends! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, and learn more about APT Podcast Studios on their website.

A Ridiculous Road Trip: Crossing India in a Three-Wheeled Rickshaw with Simon Parker Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

This week, we're digging into the Armchair Explorer archives to bring you one of our favorite - and most ridiculous - stories.

If Monty Python went on a road trip, this is what it would be. Follow along with journalist Simon Parker as he travels 2,500-miles and two weeks across the length of India …

...in a rickshaw.

You read that right.

The rickshaw is perhaps the least suitable vehicle on the planet for long distance travel. Used commonly across many parts of Asia, it’s basically a three-wheeled moped with a roof on it and room for a couple of passengers to squash in the backseat. It has no sides. It falls over often. It's essentially a glorified lawn mower.

Dreamt up by a load of nutters called The Adventurists, the Rickshaw Run is all about challenging yourself with proper adventure, whilst belly-laughing at your own ridiculousness at the same time. Simon and four of his friends traveled from the far reaches of northern India, in the shadow of the Himalayas, all the way to the steamy jungles of Kerala on the southern coast. There was no set route. No pre-planned stops or hotels. No convoy or safety car or back up of any kind. Smart phones are scoffed at; Google maps are barred. They simply set off with a pocket map of India and a vague sense of where the finish line was. What would happen in between? Nobody was certain - that was the point.

FIND SIMON AND THE ADVENTURISTS

Follow Simon's work and see his photography on his website, SimonWParker.co.uk, or on Instagram and social media @SimonWiParker. Considering a rickshaw run yourself? Learn more about all the crazy exploits of the Adventurists at TheAdventurists.com.

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