Backyard Road Trips

Jim and Zack welcome the curator of the Mattapoisett Museum, Connor Gaudet, onto the show. Connor walks us through the museum's fine collection, including a model of the ship, the Wanderer. He shares with us this backstory of his career in museum work, from Manhattan to Mattapoisett as well as his personal favorite backyard road trips. Located on the South Coast of Massachusetts, the Mattapoisett Museum showcases a fine collection of artifacts from the history of the town. 

Jim and Zack have two special guests on air today: Dave Lehan and Dan Carlon. Each year, Dave and Dan join Zack and two others for a guys weekend in Portland, Maine. They discuss their favorite Portland activities- which mainly consist of breweries. They detail the route they take, from Maine Beer Company, to the hotel to a night on the town. The group analyzes the perks of each stop and what they look forward to on their next journey. 

Now that spring is here once again, it's time to talk about rebirth, renewal, and re-energizing our travel plans. A few special guests join Jim and Zack- Jackie, Zack's wife and Danny, Zack's oldest son, as well as our buddy, Dave Lehan. Danny shares about his recent trip to Philadelphia including his visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and to a 76ers basketball game. Dave relates his recent travels to Upstate New York. And the whole bunch shares their most awkward situations. 

Zack and Jim welcome a very special guest, Jaclyn Lamothe, who is also Zack's wife. We're getting back to our roots here on Backyard Road Trips as we grill Jackie about her all-time favorite travel destinations. The places discussed include Quebec City, the Jungfrau mountain peak, Innsbruck and the Pacific Northwest. She shares how to navigate the Brenner Pass, how to deal with the sulfuric hot water smell in an Icelandic shower and the wonders of Tyrolean schnapps. Take a listen for the rest of her travel picks. 

Do remember back to the first season of the BYRT podcast? Way back in 2020 when Jim and Zack discussed their quirky holiday traditions? Of course you remember since you're a BYRT podcast completist. Just to jog your memory, the duo rapped about all the quirky weird stuff that they do to celebrate the holidays from Thanksgiving through New Year's. Five years later, they see how life changes traditions, or if it does, as they give an update on what they do for the holidays. Additionally, since it's mid-Winter, they chat about how to beat those winter blues. 

Zack, Jim and Drew chat with a very special guest, Valentinos Filippou. Valentinos is from the island country of Cypress and shares with us how to get to the heart of the country. He works to promote Cypress tourism. More than that Valentinos is also the founder of The Online Greek Tutor, an online approach to learning the Greek language. Additionally, he speaks to us about his family beekeeping business, Oros Maxaira. Drew, from Drew's Honeybees, and Valentinos talk all things bees.  If you'd like to check out Valentinos' businesses, here are discount codes for Backyard Road Trips listeners: Oros Maxaira- beesbackyarddiscount10% or The Online Greek Tutor: backyarddiscount10% 

You actually made it onto the airplane—and then one of the kids threw up! This show is all about travel mishaps—those times when something goes awry. It's not serious stuff, just mishaps, like when Zack's son fell down a few stairs in the Seattle airport, not the whole way. Jim and Zack are joined by Tim Lawless and Jim's wife, Katie Wheeler. Tim shares why he and Jim are officially banned from Canada and his plight to find his Mickey Mouse wallet at a seedy motel in Baltimore, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Special guest, Tim Lawless and BYRT co-host, Jim share all about their recent trip hiking Mount Katahdin, Maine's highest point. They detail their journey, from the drive to camping to packing. Zack interviews these two about their life-changing hike. For a photo journey of the Katahdin trip, check out this article on Backyard Road Trips. 

Jim and Zack reflect on a season of hiking, detailing their western Connecticut journey from this past summer. They also reflect on a season of drinking craft beer, including some of the least impressive beers that they've had. Jim previews his life-changing hike to the top of Maine's Mt. Katahdin, which will be further explained in a future episode. 

Time to get out your brown paper bags because we're having a malt liquor taste test. With three varieties to sample, Jim and Zack take a sip of three 40's. Find the winner between Colt 45, Steel Reserve and St. Ide's. Any guesses? 

Jim and Zack discuss their quintessential autumn playlists. From songs about the season to songs that just scream "fall", these selections conjure up memories of crunching leaves with a slight chill in the air. These tracks will take you from the warmth of September to the spookiness of Halloween through the dreary but bountiful late November.  Check out Zack's Autumn Spotify Playlist Check out Jim's Fall Spotify Playlist Among the songs talked about include:   September: Better Than Ezra- This Time of Year Neil Young - Harvest Moon Josh Ritter - Homecoming   October: Jens Lekman - Maple Leaves John Mayer - Edge of Desire Joseph Arthur - Black Lexus Damien Rice - Cannonball   November: Elliott Smith- Between the Bars  M Ward- Transfiguration of Vincent album   For the whole season: George Winston- Autumn album  Landon Pig- Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

Zack and Jim are glad to welcome acclaimed keynote speaker and author, Chris Dyer, onto the podcast. He delves into the dynamics of remote work and the importance of cultivating a strong company culture. Chris shares his company's transition to a fully remote model in 2009 due to the recession, emphasizing the need for a balanced satisfaction among clients, employees, and stakeholders. He identifies unique challenges leaders face in managing remote teams, advocating for different types of meetings tailored to specific purposes and highlighting the crucial role of transparency in organizational success. Chris introduces his Seven Pillar strategy for organizational improvement, enriched with personal anecdotes from his hiking adventures and musical background. The episode wraps up with insights on Chris's travel approach during work trips and how listeners can connect with him for further knowledge. For more information about Chris, please visit his website at www.chrisdyer.com. 

The whole crew is here on this one- Zack, Jim, Andy, Andrew and Danny, all discussing their recent travels. Jim's hiking trips, Zack's family vacations, Andy's trip to see the eclipse totality and Andrew's Vermont vacation. Looking for north east travel ideas? Give a listen! 

It's time to reflect on the past with Zack, Jim, Andy, Andrew, Danny and Jackie. The gang's all here for this one! No, not the dinosaur past but the recent past and how things have changed. Seat belt laws, smoking sections, sunscreen, drinking water, and 4H Camp stories. Listen up, you've Dirked! 

The boys are back drinking.... soda. Do you remember Season 2, when we investigated if soda is a dirty word? Three years later we're digging up this topic once again. Instead of sticking to the big soda guys (Coca Cola, I'm looking at you) we're drinking periphery soda brands- Fresca, Moxie, Jones, well you'll have to listen to find out whatever else. Joining Zack and Jim are Andrew Burnett of Drew's Honeybees, Andy Heist and Danny Lamothe. What soda do you like best? And is it still a dirty word? 

Ah! The flowers are in bloom and it must be spring. For our spring episode, we're lucky to have Andy Heist with us in studio. After begging him for many years to come on Backyard Road Trips, he finally graced us with his presence. In addition to Andy, Zack's son Danny, his wife Jackie and his mom, Linda stop by to say hello. The group talk about all fun things coming up this spring including a new walk series from the Last Green Valley, Plymouth's (MA) craft beverage scene, and readying the house and garden for the season. All the while they try Jim's homemade hot sauce (delicious!) with him describing what goes into the hot sauce making process. Along with the sauce, they're sipping beer from home brewer, Mark Winters. To cool their palate, they sample three local vanilla ice creams; Arethusa Farms, Batch, and Hood while hearing about Andy's solar eclipse trip. 

Zack and Jim have one thing to talk about, and that is Philadelphia. Zack recently got back from an outing to the City of Brotherly Love and shares with us the whole itinerary. From breweries to historic places, museums to Philly food, they talk about the best that the city has to offer. Along with travel tidbits of what to do in the present day, the duo share hilarious memories from Philly visits from yore. Toward the end of the show, another Philly traveler, Zack's son, Danny gives his two cents about what he likes to do for Philly phun. All while Zack and Jim sip on canned vodka sodas from Stateside Vodka of Philadelphia. 

Today we sit down with Ken Lamothe, Radio DJ/C-movie actor/slow pitch softball legend and Zack's dad to talk about his very favorite backyard road trips. The conversation touches on all of the most important topics; craft beer, vacations, ear piercings and backyard floods. Jim, Zack and Ken all discuss what surprising locations have made the best road trip destinations and how to enjoy the culture of a place. 

Jim and Zack bring in some hired help for this taste test; Danny and Ken- with three generations of Lamothes in all. They sit around and drink... milk substitutes. Tell the cows to stay in the barn because they sample Oat, Almond, and Soy. Which fake milk do you think came out on top? 

Leading off for Season 5 is a special two part combined episode, a before and after guide to New York City. In the first half of the episode Jim asks Zack about his upcoming overnight to New York City. For the first time and after much pleading by his oldest for years, Zack is bringing the family to the Big Apple. He gives a rundown of what they plan to see. For the second half, Jim and Zack get back together for Zack to give a play by play of what they actually did. Zack's son Danny helps detail their NYC adventure. Take a listen to New York City- the plan vs the reality. 

Author and educator, Ian Cheney joins Zack and Jim to showcase their new podcast project, Red and White at Silver. As graduates of the Norwich Free Academy (CT) Class of 2001, the three are in the midst of recording this new podcast. As a preview, Ian, Zack and Jim describe what the new podcast is all about. They also share their own experiences as students at Norwich Free Academy, what makes the school extraordinary and even get to the root of Ian's last name.  If any Class of '01 NFA graduates are interested in being a guest on the Red and White at Silver podcast, please email backyardroadtrips@gmail.com.

Annually Jim and Zack taste fall beers for this podcast. It dawned on them that they have never held an actual Oktoberfest-only beer taste test. Atoning for their past sins, this was remedied with a taste test with everything under the Oktoberfest umbrella. These include the namesake Oktoberfest beers, Fest Biers and Marzens. In sampling, the pair talk about the differentiation of styles, rank what they like, and additionally discuss a home project they are currently working on. 

Our friend Tim posed an episode idea for us, "What makes a backyard road trip enjoyable?" Zack misinterpreted and he really wanted us to discuss actual backyards. Anyhoo, Zack and Jim discuss what makes a backyard road trip enjoyable. The duo come to an agreement about some risk vs reward balance. They analyze what goes into a backyard road trip- how far is the location? parking? kid accessibility? cost? Through this they discuss trips that the reward certainly outweighs the risk. Also, Zack discusses some of his favorite restaurants, natural areas and beaches on the South Shore of Massachusetts and Jim details what there is to do in eastern and central Connecticut. 

Wipe away your negative "conn"otations of Connecticut, we're talking about all the positives of this small state. We've changed the name of the Nutmeg State and changed it to "Pronecticut" (get it, like the opposite of Con-necticut is Pro-necticut?). Redwoods, land locked sand dunes, and tobacco sheds- all found in this great state as well as historic preservation, wild parrots, and lobster rolls.  While they're chatting they are sipping on seven Connecticut craft beers. The episode features special guest Ken Lamothe, who is not only Zack's dad but a Connecticut enthusiast and a craft beer connoisseur. 

Zack, Jim and special guest, Danny, talk all about a recent trip to Seattle. They discuss which places that should be on your travel bucket list. Danny gives a kid perspective of the Seattle trip including plane travel, the Space Needle and going to a Seattle Mariners game. They also discuss interior Washington with forays into North Cascades National Park and Leavenworth. While talking about travel, they sip on four kinds of water: town tap water, well water, Smart Water and Clover Valley. As lifelong musicians, Jim and Zack also elaborate on current music listening tastes and playlist projects. 

We're talking summer travel, in particular trips to Prince Edward Island, the Portland area in Maine, Vermont and Saratoga Springs. Katie Wheeler, Jim's wife, joins us to discuss her recent visit to PEI seeking out all things Anne of Green Gables. Zack shares with the group his visits to Portland and Saratoga Springs. Zack's son, Danny adds his two cents about his travel this summer. All of this is discussed while sipping on an array of Connecticut's own Fox Farm beers. (pictured Saratoga National Historical Park)

Let's rev up that Husqvarna because it's time for a blind taste test of lawnmower beers. So what beers exactly? Not cheap a la Natural Light but certainly not craft. Jim and Zack try to find the best value beer. Jackie helps the boys by masterminding the operation aka pouring the beers in unmarked cups. Listen to see how poorly Zack and Jim guessed.    Zack Jim Actual Miller Lite Foster Miller Lite Bud Lite Bud Lite Coors Lite Corona PBR Bud Light Fosters Corona  PBR PBR  High Life High Life High Life Miller Lite Fosters Coors Lite Coors Light Corona

Jim and Zack catch up on their recent travels. Zack recently wrote a few articles about lighthouses on the Backyard Road Trips website. The pair discuss the lighthouse road trips- favorite lighthouses, and how the the articles were researched and written. As an aside, they also talk about Jim's issues with the Massachusetts RMV. Zack also explains the newest monthly BYRT posts which highlight one theme such as beaches in June, flowers in May, and so on. Hopefully, this will inspire your own summertime lighthouse tour! 

Adam "Barbarossa" Coletti is back for round two! Adam, or for this episode "Barbarossa" digs deep into his life as a biker and shares stories of his time on two wheels. He tells us about entry into his motorcycle club, club rituals, and how to get patched. Zack and Jim bring the heat as they grill Adam on club guidelines as well as do's and don't's. 

We warmly welcome the good reverend, "Fast" Adam Coletti. This is the interview you've all been waiting for and we've waited four years to get him on. This is part one of a two episode interview with Adam. Zack and Adam have been friends for roughly 40 years and Jim and Adam for a good 25. Adam shares the backstory of his nicknames "Fast Adam" and "the Reverend". He takes a walk down memory lane with stories of his quick tenure in Philadelphia, former jobs, and the time he pretended he was part of an organized crime syndicate. 

Jim and Zack bring in a special guest for this episode, Danny! Danny, Zack's seven-year-old son, shares his top backyard road trips with us. At seven, Danny tells all about his adventures including trips to Maine, Vermont, and Philadelphia. He weighs in on his favorite children's museums. Adam Coletti also drops in for a quick hello. The crew talks ice cream, Shamrock Shakes, and Disney World. 

Surf's up! It's time to catch a wave because Jim and Zack are surfing the web. Sometimes these road trippers hang up their hiking boots and travel virtually. Find out what websites they recommend for virtual exploration, travel planning, and fun diversions. 

The boys are sampling drinks once again. This time it's a truly informative hard seltzer taste test. Featuring special guest, Jaclyn "Jackie" Lamothe, they sample hard seltzer from Bud Light, Truly, Two Roads, and White Claw. Which do you think they will like the best? 

Zack and Jim welcome perennial guest, Drew Burnett of Drew's Honeybees to discuss his theory of male intimacy. Drew regales us with tales, both historically, literary, and even personally, of male bonding through sharing a blanket and a pipe. From Abraham Lincoln to Moby Dick, instances of this are highlighted by Drew who also dips into his own past. As Drew says, "we're nothing but social hominids, and we only need a pipe, a blanket, and a friend." 

Jim and Zack welcome back Drew Burnett of Drew's Honeybees to talk about cinnamon. He has the boys sample cinnamon trying to figure out which is the actual spice. Drew breaks down the difference in products all called "cinnamon" and the importance of quality ingredients in what we eat. 

Happy New Year and welcome to the kickoff of season four of the Backyard Road Trips podcast! As it is early January and (most of us) have kept our New Year's resolutions thus far, Jim and Zack thought it would be prime time for a non-alcoholic beer taste test. Many folks shoot for a "dry January" so what better to supplement the resolution than a few non-alcoholic beers from Athletic Brewing Company? Unlike many in the genre, these are actually tasty! Hear what the boys like the best in the latest episode. 

The conversation with Jon and Beth continues. More beer talk, Cincinnati talk, their respective careers, and favorite outdoorsy activities. Learn why you won't find them at Cincinnati Reds games and about the city's abandoned subway system. Find Jon at @echoingblue and Beth at @summer.loving.torture.party on Instagram. 

Jim and Zack catch up with an old friend, Jon Hnatiuk, and his wife, Beth Himburg. These two adventurers live in Cincinnati and share with us some of their favorite backyard road trips and favorite beers in and around the Queen City.  

Zack and Jim are back on the soda wagon, or off, whatever the one is that means you are drinking once again. Back by popular demand, the boys are drinking soda. This time the big gulps like Coke and Pepsi are off the table and we're focusing on local and smaller batch? brand? distribution? whatever the case may be, these are harder to find. From prebiotic soda to spicy Jamaican ginger beer, it's time to crack open a cold one and listen in. The competitors are Poppi, IBC, Foxon Park, Bawls and Goya. 

Last season, the boys took on the hamburgers of the Big 3 fast food restaurants (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's). This year, they're sampling the chicken nuggets from all three (plus sneaking a few french fries in there). Which nuggets are the best? Who has the best fries? Listen to find out! 

The boys brought this one upon themselves, they asked their respective wives to make a list of what annoys them about their husbands. Oh my! The ladies air their grievances with hilarious results. Jim and Zack skew each other by listing off the complaint while the other one defends their own position. Has Festivus come early?

Three times a charm so we're back for the third annual pumpkin beer taste test here at Backyard Road Trips! With pumpkin beer selections from Smuttynose, New Belgium, Timberyard, and Southern Tier as well as from others, Jim and Zack do the difficult research for you to determine the king of pumpkin beers for 2022!

Jim, Zack, and special guest Drew discuss all kinds of things, from tasting diet soda to camping, bears, and how they deal with telemarketers. Hang on tight, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

Jim and Zack bring in an old friend, Drew Burnett of Drew's Honeybees to chat about their hometown of Norwich, Connecticut, and eastern Connecticut on the whole. They discuss the natural wonders of the area including Sprague Land Trust, Mohegan Park, and Lantern Hill. They also talk about a bad time at a wine tasting, going into anaphylactic shock, and the Department of Public Works. Fun was had by all!

Author James Rourke stops by to say hello and chats with Jim and Zack about his new book, Stone Souls. The conversation touches on subjects including the writing process, Rourke's other published works, his upcoming book events, and even a few obscure sports references.  Check out James online at https://james-rourke-author.com/.  And as always, stay up to date with the latest backyard road trips at www.backyardroadtrips.com.

You can finish the rest of that song... But here we are, sweating with the oldies on a 90-something degree day, drinking, of all things, Bourbon barrel-aged beers! Maybe you associate these beers with cooler weather, and maybe we do too, but with Jim's collection complete, it was time that Zack and Jim dig into these fine Bourbon barrel-aged beers. They discuss the highs and lows of beers by brands including Goose Island, Founders, and New Holland. Cheers!

Yuck! Jim and Zack are drinking bad beer and talking about it. Well, let's be honest, are these actually bad? You have to listen to find out. Hear them imbibe and discuss, discuss and imbibe. Tell us what beer makes your bad beer list! And just wait until they eat the broccoli slaw...

Jim and Zack sit down with whiskey expert, Irene Tan. Irene, who is a Level 3 Whiskey Sommelier schools them about all things whiskey. She runs the consulting business, Whisky Mentors, and also owns the store, Canterbury Liquors. Irene talks to us about what makes a whiskey great (hint: it's not what you'd think) and about her worldwide whiskey travels. 

Let's get back to basics. This means let's talk travel. Jim and Zack share different road trips that they have gone on recently and others that are on the horizon including trips to New Hampshire, Vermont, and even to, gasp, Disney World, and Las Vegas! Zack also discusses his latest project, describing the research for his current book-in-the-works, Distilled in Boston. Foot in mouth, Zack also divulges some travel mishaps that have occurred along the way!

Jim and Zack have the pleasure to talk with an old friend, author, and historian, Ian Cheney. Ian recently released the book, "Who Made the West: A Ranking of the 30 Most Influential Figures in Western History." Just as the title says, the book countdowns from number thirty to number one, the individuals who have influenced western civilization the most. Cheney is also the author of the blog and podcast, Presidential Politics for America. The trio discusses history, politics, the art of teaching high school and they share a few laughs along the way. 

Zack and Jim sit down with two of Connecticut's premier historical preservation activists, Dayne Rugh and Regan Miner. As the region's historic power couple, Regan and Dayne share a lot of history and a lot of laughs with our hosts. With Regan's work at the Norwich Historical Society and Dayne's at Slater Memorial Museum and the Leffingwell House, they have dedicated their careers to promoting regional history and historic preservation. They share their favorite aspects of eastern Connecticut, why historical preservation matters, and dig into the life of Benedict Arnold. Look for a special guest cameo from the author, Ian Cheney at the end of the episode. For more information, please check out the following websites; www.walknorwich.org, www.norwichhistoricalsociety.org, www.leffingwellhousemuseum.org, and www.slatermuseum.org