Guides Gone Wild

Are you like me, struggling with the overwhelming urge to punch something about 25 times a day right now, for sure every time you read a news headline?!!? Time to put your foot down. Literally!Today I'm catching up with Serena Ryan of Summits in Solidarity, to learn about the latest iteration of the grassroots hiking initiative she co-founded that continues to break down barriers to outdoor access by raising critical funds for BIPOC-led organizations.The 2024 Summits in Solidarity Hike-a-Thon launched March 20th with an ambitious goal: collectively hiking 5,000 miles between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice to raise $50,000 for two remarkable organizations: MANA (Maine Association for New Americans), that supports immigrants in connecting with nature and community resources; and Unlikely Riders, that creates welcoming mountain sport spaces for BIPOC Vermonters in skiing, snowboarding, and beyond.My 2025 hike-a-thon is underway, and I hope you'll pop in @GuidesGoneWild on Instagram or Facebook to follow my progress this spring!There will be no talk of FKTs or thru hikes or 24 hour traverses, and I might not even go to the White Mountains, because I honestly don't have time for that right now! Instead, I'm going to be getting ALL of my 75 pledged miles on my local trail systems - a few of the hikes I intend to do are less than a mile long! Whether you support my hiking efforts, do your own thing solo or with a team, or donate to win some swank raffle items, it's all good! Join me in supporting Summits in Solidarity, Maine Association for New Americans, and Unlikely Riders this spring over at summitsinsolidarity.org.A few more useful links:Solidarity Night - June 7th - Join me!The Notch Hostel (N. Woodstock, NH)Hear the origin story of the Notch Hostel and Summits in Solidarity from Serena on Guides Gone WildRead more about white supremacy, the impacts of colonialism and privilege here“Me and White Supremacy” Challenge - save the date for February, 2026Kokanee Trail Half Marathon (CA)Hayduke Trail (UT, AZ)Hyperlite 35L backpacksArc'teryx BostonULA Circuit Backpack (Serena's current favorite!)Stio”Finding Philip” Carcia - @findingphilipPresidential (“Presi”) Traverse (NH)The Roost Hike in Evans Notch (ME)Send us a text

Last Sunday, I stopped doomscrolling long enough to make it down to the Boston Outdoor Expo, and I can't overstate how great it was to spend a few hours fan girling with many a pod guest, including today's repeat interviewee, Jen Klein!I first spoke with Jen back during the early months of COVID, when she was with the Trustees of Reservations in Massachusetts as the Director of Outdoor Experience. I realized I had to have her back on about six months ago, when I happened to see on LinkedIn that she had made a job transition, and was now Executive Director for the Friends of the Blue Hills. I have the utmost respect for smaller, member-funded non-profits that are enhancing conservation and stewardship efforts in public spaces - in this case for the Blue Hills Reservation, which is one of the largest parcels of undeveloped conservation land in the Greater Boston area.So of course we are chatting all about the Blue Hills and the countless events and activities Jen and her team have been hosting there, as well as the super exciting new development that's hopefully right around the corner. But we're also digging deeper into the challenges of outdoor program administration and community engagement, the differences between statewide and local roles, and along the way, Jen drops a few kernels of hope and strategies for making an impact, even in the midst of the dumpster fire raging around us.Regardless of where you live, I hope you'll consider supporting the Friends of the Blue Hills with a donation or membership, or if you're local, please make sure to sign up for some programs or volunteer events over at friendsofthebluehills.org, or @friendsofthebluehills on Instagram and Facebook.And don't forget to lock in to some of this local goodness!:Blue Hills Reservation (MA) - download guide & trail mapInternational Women's Day ‘Women's Wave' with Two Maine Mermaids - March 8, 2025The Trustees of Reservations (MA)Which Charles Eliot are we talking about?DCR (Department of Conservation & Recreation, MA)Elevate Youth (MA)NEMBA - New England Mountain Bike AssociationPlus, more Outdoor Expo-related rock stars for your listening pleasure!:Jana Olenio, SupYo Adventures on GGWTraci Bisson, Golden Dog Adventure Co. on GGWAlicia Heyburn, Teens to Trails on GGWMardi Fuller talks Winter Hiking for Beginners on NHPRNicole Freedman, NEMBA on GGWPaula Burton, NEMBSend us a text

I don't know about you, but I've been in a bit of a funk lately, waking up day after day watching the flames of the dumpster fire we're living in get higher and higher… so today's conversation is just the dose of perspective that I needed, and I'm guessing it'll put a bit more of a smile on your face as well.My good friend and pod partner Tricia Harmon is back to talk about life changes and new beginnings (and by new, I mean re-new, like deciding to start again for the 15bazillionth time!)As long time listeners might remember, Trish is a 'hobby jogger' with 11 marathon finishes under her belt (!!), and the first person I tap to do whatever silly, stupid, and/or fun new thing I want to try... because even though she hates being seen in a bathing suit, and always thinks she's the only newbie on the trail, she's also the first to cold plunge, and she'll ride, hike or run-walk to the top of any hill, come hell or high water!Trish is now managing the Marathon Sports specialty running store in downtown Portsmouth (104 Congress Street). Today we're chatting about what it means to start, re-start, and start again and again - doing hard things, doing things that make us feel good, you name it. Trish also fills us in on all of the community events and initiatives she's got up her sleeve this year at Marathon Sports, so if you're local to the Portsmouth, NH area and are looking for cool people to hang with, Marathon Sports might have to be one of your new weekly haunts!Check it all out at MarathonSports.com, @marathonsports_nh on Instagram, or search for Marathon Sports or Runner's Alley on Facebook.Plus a few more links from our conversation:Jen & Trish Talk About Vertical (GGW Episode)Heidi Myers on Guides Gone WildThe Winter Warrior Challenge with Asics Market Square Day 10K (NH)Seacoast Half Marathon (NH)Sandy Hill Farm (ME)P.S. Hi Molly!!!Send us a text

Let's kick off 2025 with this joyful conversation with an old pod friend, Caitlin Hopkins!I first introduced you to Caitlin as one of the Two Maine Mermaids, way back in May 2021. At the time, Caitlin (aka Flow) and Kelsy Hartley (aka Ebb) were spreading the gospel of cold water dipping, which they'd started in earnest at the beginning of the pandemic. Since then, they've built a large and dedicated community around them in Portland with their dips, fun events and what's become a total freaking movement, their International Women's Day celebration held every March at Willard Beach in South Portland.We're going to talk about cold water again today, but for a very different reason - Caitlin is preparing to travel to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco next month to compete in the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) World Championship!!!So we are talking about ice swimming, of course, but also oyster farming, lightning bolts, creativity, entrepreneurship, mentorship, joy, intention, alignment…. Caitlin has inspired some new thinking in me for 2025, and I know you'll get something out of this too.Give Caitlin a follow in one of her many places:@caitlin_virginia@twomainemermaids  - www.twomainemermaids.com@cascobaycuties@evenkeelcardco - www.evenkeelco.comAnd of course, I hope you'll join me in supporting Caitlin's World Championship effort on February 8th:www.spotfundme.com/MaineToMoroccoIceSwimFinally, it wouldn't be a GGW pod without a few more fun links from our conversation:International Ice Swimming Association (IISA)Memphremagog Winter Swimming Festival (VT)Coelle TravelPeaks to Portland Swim for Kids (ME)Alcatraz Open Swim (CA)Tri for a Cure (ME)Happy New Year! Let me know what you thought of the episode, or let me know who else you'd like to hear from on the pod in 2025!!:Send us a text

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to attend the Maine Outdoor Economy Summit that was held at Sunday River, and not only did I run into SOOO MANY of my favorite pod people, I also had the opportunity to finally corral a guest I'd had on my wish list for a while - because celebrity fly tyer Selene Frohmberg, aka Selene of Maine, owner of Selene's Fly Shop in Gardiner, Maine, led two special add-on sessions at the Summit, and was nice enough to sit down with me for a chat at Evans Notch Lodge before she left town.So we're celebrating Women-Led Wednesday and Small Business Saturday a little early this year! Selene and I talk about her fishing, tying and guiding origin stories, entrepreneurship and entomology, floods and flies - and best of all, she shares some awesome tips and gift ideas for the wanna be fly fisherperson on your list, even if that person is YOU.Head on over to SelenesFlyShop.com to check out the huge variety of supplies, equipment, events and experiences that Selene has curated for us all, and make sure to follow Selene's Fly Shop on all the socials as well.And speaking of socials, I hope you'll come on over to the Guides Gone Wild Instagram or Facebook accounts this week, I'll be fast-tracking you to hours of inspiring content to fuel your long drives and cooking marathons this long holiday weekend! Whether you're spending some special time with family or framily, I hope you get plenty of fresh air and take advantage of every opportunity to get a little wild this week!Selene's Fly Shop: https://www.selenesflyshop.com/Selene of Maine: https://seleneofmaine.com/@SelenesFlyShop: https://www.instagram.com/selenesflyshophttps://www.facebook.com/seleneofmaineflytyerLinks to fishy fun and more!:‘Lefty' KrehCasting for RecoveryCarrie StevensGrey GhostDave WhitlockGardiner Main StreetDette Flies (NY)Johnson Hall Opera HouseTrout UnlimitedEcho Lift KitMiss MayflyPoly leaderAngler's Entomology PodcastSign up for Selene's email newsletter here to keep on top of local hatches and conditions!

Genuine Climbing: https://genuineclimbing.org/ Support climbing retreats for breast cancer survivors!: https://genuineclimbing.org/donate/Join Anyssa & Moira at Climb for a Cause, October 23rd from 3-9pm at GOAT Climbing Gym, Hackensack, NJIn honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, today I'm talking to my long-time pod friend Anyssa Lucena of Genuine Climbing, as well as Dr. Moira Christoudias, a breast surgical oncologist with Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care in Paramus NJ.Anyssa and Moira have joined me today to talk all about their amazing new initiative, Genuine Climbing.org, which will be providing FREE climbing experiences to women affected by breast cancer. Genuine Climbing's mission is hugely personal for both of these women, as you'll hear - as Anyssa writes on the website, the lump she felt became the seed for this vision. And now that vision has turned into lots and lots of action - as of early fall 2024, they've achieved non-profit status for Genuine Climbing, they've got all their ducks in a row, and are now accepting applications for the three amazing climbing retreat events they've got confirmed on their calendar already for 2025. I hope you'll join me in supporting this wonderful organization, the link to donate or volunteer is above - get on it!!Even if you're not a climber, you'll want to listen in today - Dr. Christoudias drops more than a few truth bombs and dispels many myths about breast cancer risk. One in eight (!!) women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Let's all educate ourselves on our risks, encourage our friends and family to do the same, and do everything we can to detect it as early as possible!!A few more links for you:Anyssa's first appearance on Guides Gone WildAnyssa updates Guides Gone Wild on her diagnosis and first Climb for a Cause fundraiserValley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care (NJ)GOAT Climbing Gym (NJ)Casting for Recovery

Back in July, I posted my episode with Nicole Freedman, the executive Director of NEMBA, and she was the one who introduced me to Paula Burton, a long-time mountain biker, NEMBA CT chapter founder, and instructor for NEMBA Trail School.Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to meet Paula in person at the trail school I attended back in June, but we did connect over Zoom for an article I was writing for the NEMBA Single Tracks newsletter. We hadn't been talking for long before I realized that Paula was just the kind of guest I love, love, LOVE to have on this podcast - a real person doing really integral work that is constantly improving the outdoor experience for newbies and weekend warriors like me!Paula's been riding since before mountain biking was really a “thing”, and she's got tons of stories to share that serve to highlight how far we've come in outdoor representation in the last 30+ years…. but also how not everything has changed quite so much.Enjoy this special Friday Funday Feature!NEMBA (New England Mountain Bike Association) - https://nemba.org/IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association) - https://www.imba.com/And a few more fun links:Thunder Mountain Bike Park (Charlemont, MA)Appalachian Mountain ClubConnecticut Greenways CouncilGeorge Waldo State Park (Southbury, CT)What is a pump track?Rockhouse Hill (Oxford, CT)What is a Class 1 Ebike?Bluff Point State Park (Groton, CT)Highland Mountain Bike Park (Northfield, NH)Pittsfield State Forest (Pittsfield, MA)Building your Biking Bucket List? Paula's recs:Baja California (Mexico)Bear Ears National Monument (UT)Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument (UT)Moab (UT)Grand Junction (CO)Fruita (CO)

Today I am so ridiculously excited to be talking to Lia Lucine and Nicki Ripple, two of the three women behind a film project that is unfolding right now, somewhere off the coast of Maine - it's called Beyond the Compass, and is documenting a group of women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s who are on a four-day Outward Bound sailing expedition.According to Nicki and Lia, ”this short film will chronicle the journey of an all-women crew on Outward Bound Hurricane Island's Women over 65 sailing course - emphasizing their resilience through challenge and adventure, as well as the practice of enjoying life at any age. While mainstream media often underscores the importance of enjoying youth, these women serve as a reminder that while advancing in age presents its own difficulties, it does not preclude a fulfilling life.”PREACH! Obviously as someone knocking on the door of 60 (albeit as gently as possible at this point), I am over the moon at the idea of these every-women's stories being highlighted as they navigate the physical, mental and emotional challenges of this multi-day adventure.So let's get this documentary onto the big screen already! You can support the production of Beyond the Compass at https://gofund.me/587bfc42 - make a donation, then tell your inspiring-story-loving-friends to do the same.And bonus points, if you work for a brand or organization that plays in outdoor spaces, let your colleagues know about this awesome film, and maybe YOU will be the reason Beyond the Compass gets the huge corporate underwriter it needs to tear up the outdoor film festival circuit in 2025!Links to learn more:Lia Lucine on Instagram: @lialucine (https://www.instagram.com/lialucine/)Nicki Ripple on Instagram: @nicki.ripple ( https://www.instagram.com/nicki.ripple/)Go Fund Me site for Beyond the Compass: https://gofund.me/587bfc42Short 2019 Maine Public piece about the Burnt Island sailing program  Hurricane Island Outward Bound School  (ME)Learn more about Burnt Island (ME)

The Summer Olympics in Paris kick off in mere hours, so how appropriate that today I'm going deep with the first Guides Gone Wild former Olympian, Nicole Freedman, now the Executive Director of NEMBA, the New England Mountain Bike Association.As you'll hear, Nicole's Team USA experience is impressive, but even more amazing to me are the decades of devotion she's applied to making bikes, and bike transportation, a bigger part of our everyday lives.Nicole was the city of Boston's first-ever 'Bike Czar'; during her tenure, she helped transform Boston from the three-times designated 'worst cycling city in the country' (according Bicycling Magazine), into a national leader in cycling accessibility and safety.After some additional stints leading both urban and rural active transportation initiatives, in 2022, Nicole took the helm of NEMBA - only the third Executive Director in that  organization's 35 year history. NEMBA is a community of mountain bikers committed to creating epic riding experiences, preserving open space, and guiding the future of mountain biking in New England through its 35 chapters across all six New England states.It's almost like we're e-biking our way through this conversation, we cover so much ground! From metro-west to Stanford to Sydney to Seattle, with multiple boomerangs back to the Boston area, all with the goal of making bikes the new normal for commuters, conservationists, and casual riders alike (no hot dog costume required!!)Links from our conversation (not chain, the other kind!):New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA): https://nemba.org/Elevate: https://elevatemtb.com/Guides Gone Wild talks with Sabra Davison, Little BellasVermont Mountain Bike Association: https://vmba.org/Kingdom Trails Association (VT): https://www.kingdomtrails.org/Hub on Wheels (not happening any more, likely a victim of COVID, sigh - but here's link to a Hub on Wheels FB page showing info and images from 2019): https://www.facebook.com/HubOnWheels/Toole Design GroupCo2 Inflator KitsBear Brook State Park (NH)

Today I'm welcoming one of my wild new Western Maine friends, Julie Sloan, an owner and the lead instructor at Maine River Runners (https://www.maineriverrunners.com/) in Bethel, Maine.Maine River Runners came to town the summer of 2023, and jumped right in to the local business community with their fleet of kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards, and accessories for rent, as well as a lesson program and shuttle service that brings paddlers up and down the Androscoggin from their riverfront home base in Bethel.But this is no ‘Julie-come-lately' story - even though her business just celebrated its first birthday, Julie Sloan has more than 20 years of experience teaching (both in classrooms and on the water), and holds certifications in swift water, coastal kayaking, SUP yoga teaching, and as an ACA Paddle Sports Safety Facilitator.Julie's story is one that fills me with joy because she has managed to meld her many interests and curiosities into a life she loves, that's also creating so much good in the world and in her community as a result.So get that river adventure on your calendar ASAP!:Maine River Runners : https://www.maineriverrunners.com/Evans Notch LodgeAre you a registered Maine Guide itching to get your community and clients on the water this summer? Let's talk paddle retreats!: https://www.evansnotchlodge.com/retreatsOr are you a land-lubber looking for some fun (and fabulous fundraising!) hiking opportunities this summer? :Join or Support the Guides Gone Wildcats hike for Alzheimer's - July 27thJoin or Donate to a Summits in Solidarity hike: https://givebutter.com/SummitsInSolidarityOr has Julie inspired you to start your own outdoor business? Check out my Guide for Guides on Liability Insurance and Social Media Marketing!A few more links from our conversation (come on over to GuidesGoneWild.com for the complete list):Ari Leach - Blackbird Guide ServicesAndroscoggin River Watershed CouncilHALA inflatable paddle boards (CO)Zapstix Surf Shop (NH)

Today we celebrate the decade anniversary of one of the most storied and epic bike races in the east, the Rasputitsa, with race co-founder and co-director Heidi Myers.So what exactly is Rasputitsa, you might be asking? Short answer is, it depends. This year it was a whole weekend of events built around a 50-ish mile gravel bike ride/race that based itself at Jay Peak in Vermont, and included 4,500 feet of climbing.For the long answer, PLEASE go back and listen to my earlier episode with Heidi, and follow @rasputitsadirt on Instagram to let the energy and ethos of this amazing person (and the event she helped to create) wash over you.Content warning - audio is admittedly not great. Heidi lives in a rural spot in northern Vermont, and her service left a lot to be desired... so I ask you to bring the same level of intentionality to listening to this podcast that Heidi and the Rasputitsa team bring to every little, tiny detail of their race planning. Find a quiet place where you can focus on her words, you won't regret it.And one final note - spoiler for those who haven't yet listened to Heidi's first appearance on this podcast - she's been battling early onset Parkinson's for years. She is the last person to expect (or desire) any kind of sympathy or extra attention for what she's going through, but I do think it's important to consider when you look at how intentional she is, particularly regarding this race and community. She really does blow me away.Prepare to be inspired.And some links before we go:Rasputitsa - https://rasputitsadirt.com/@rasputitsadirt - https://www.instagram.com/rasputitsadirtHeidi Myers on Guides Gone Wild (debut!)Trish & Jen talk about VerticalSpecializedWHOOPBourne's EnergyZero GravityJay PeakMidSouth Gravel - @midsouthgravelGroundedNE - @groundedneBig Red Gravel Run - @bigredgravelrunFor the Love of Food CateringBivoTrash Gear Co (bike fenders and mud guards made in VT from recycled plastic!)Julbo EyewearCastelliPlink!Columbia Forest Products

In honor of it being National Volunteers Week, today we're talking to Cindy Hession - scientist by day, hiker and volunteer chair for the 48 Peaks Hike to End Alzheimer's every other waking moment she can manage!Cindy and I talk about her love affair with the White Mountains and hiking, her personal connection with Alzheimer's, and how the 48 Peaks fundraiser grew out of one man's devotion to his wife. Her enthusiasm and dedication to this event will pour through your earbuds and make it obvious why Cindy was recognized with a national award earlier this year for her volunteerism.To lend my support to Cindy AND the 48 Peaks initiative, I have started a fundraising team called Guides Gone Wildcats, and we are going to hike Wildcat A (and D on the way there, for all you peak-baggers!) If you want to join me on this epic hike, or support our team's fundraising efforts with a donation of literally any amount, you can do both over on our Guides Gone Wildcats Team Page: http://act.alz.org/goto/guidesgonewildcats. Let's DO THIS!I hope you'll hang with us until the end on this episode, because I've got a special offer for the Longest Day 48 Peakers out there, too!But first, a few key links:Alzheimers Association - alz.org - 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-272-390048 Peaks - A Longest Day EventLongest Day FundraiserNewsCenter Maine feature on 48 PeaksGuides Gone Wildcats Team PageRekLis Brewing Celebration (Bethlehem, NH) - June 8th, 2024AND - what would a podcast about hiking be without TONS of great hiking links (and even more over on our episode page at GuidesGoneWild.com!):Mt. Sugarloaf (South Deerfield, MA)NH48 (list of the 48-4,000 foot mountains in NH)Pioneer Valley - a hidden gem? (MA)Seven Sisters (MA) 52 with a ViewPemi Loop vs. Mt. Pemi (there's a difference!)The BelknapsMt. Moriah (NH)Mt. Watatic (MA)Wapack Range (MA/NH)Kula ClothHike Safe Card (NH)

Sliding in better late than never this week (DAMN POWER OUTAGE!!) with my fabulous new friend, Tarin O'Donnell of the Tarin It Up Podcast.Tarin and I met through a women's podcasting group, and even before I listened to her podcast, I realized I had to have her on because she's been living a life that a lot of us glamorize and feel a little bit envious of…. Picture snowy woodlands, gorgeous mountains and lakes, skiing, snowmobiles, yoga, avy training at a craft brewery... It's Lake Tahoe for crying out loud. You know the jam.But - the reason I wanted to invite her on was NOT to give us an even worse case of FOMO - it's because Tarin also keeps it totally real when it comes to talking about the hard and challenging things that can be part and parcel of “living the dream”.There's so much good stuff here - Tarin has spent almost her entire life tearing up the list of traditional expectations that society tries to guardrail girls and women with (spoiler alert: yes, she's a wrestler!!). She's also been super creative in the way she's crafted a life she can live on her own terms - up to and including recognizing and problem-solving for the burnout and financial challenges that pop up like annoying whack-a-moles as a result of her seasonal, outdoor-oriented lifestyle.So listen up! And if you agree that Tarin would be the coolest online fitness coach and trainer ever, you can check out her offerings on her business site, TKOYogaFit.com, or connect directly with her on Instagram @tarin.k.o , she's TKOYogaFit on Facebook, or TarinODonnell on LinkedIn.And you most definitely should click on over to the Tarin It Up Podcast right now and subscribe or follow, maybe even queue a few up for this weekend's drive up to whatever adventure you'll be getting at once this stupid weather blows through. You're welcome for introducing you to a new adventure bestie in your earbuds!Lots-o-Links:TKO Yoga & Fitness: https://www.tkoyogafit.com/Tarin It Up PodcastWork out with Tarin on YouTubeWild Women Podcast SocietyEmily Holland on Guides Gone WildAngie Marie's 'For The Love Of' PodcastSwell by Outspring :   https://www.theoutspring.com/Crystal Mountain (WA)What is a ‘tender'? Wild RyeDovetail Workwear : https://dovetailworkwear.com/Black Diamond Rechargeable HeadlampHope to see you at Guides Gone Wild's Tuesday Meetup - April 23, 2024 @ 6:30pm - True North Ale Company, 116 County Rd, Ipswich, MA - head over to GuidesGoneWild.com/meet for more details!

Today we take a scenic ride through the intricacies of trail development, where the rubber meets the road in terms of community building, advocacy, grant writing, marketing... and bike riding!Marianne Borowski is the absolute force of nature behind the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail.For those of you who haven't yet heard of it, the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail is an 83 mile long multi-purpose trail that spans northern New Hampshire, from Woodsville on the Vermont border to Bethel, Maine.The Adventure Trail patches together pre-existing rail trails, bike paths, dirt roads and a few short pavement segments to create a fluid tour of the north country great for biking, hiking, cross country skiing, horseback riding, you name it - if it's non-motorized, you're probably good to go on this fantastic trail. AND you can get amazing support along the way, thanks to the countless resources available on the xNHAT.org website.Such well-documented, well-thought-out trail networks don't just magically appear out of the ether - there is always at least one extremely passionate advocate working behind the curtains to make their vision a reality for the rest of us to enjoy. Marianne is just such a passionate, action-oriented visionary, and she was kind enough to invite me up to her hill-top perch in Bartlett to talk all things trail. I loved every minute of our conversation, so I'm sharing them all!Head on over to xNHAT.org to get all the details about the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail, including links to the Story Map, the GPS links, even how to get your very own copy of the OG waterproof paper map, so you can start planning your own Cross New Hampshire Adventure! And if anyone is interested in joining Trish and me on the ride later this summer/fall, shoot me an email - guidesgonewildpodcast@gmail.com - who knows, maybe we can do a whole group thing! That would be SO FUN!In the meantime, more great links from our conversation:Katy Trail (MO): https://bikekatytrail.com/Erie Canal Bike Trail (NY): https://bikeeriecanal.com/C&O and GAP (Great Allegheny Passage) Trails (PA, WV, MD, DC): https://bikecando.com/Cross Vermont Trail: https://www.crossvermont.org/Ride with GPS: https://ridewithgps.com/Read more about bicycling in Québec, and the ‘Bienvenue cyclistes!' program: https://www.bonjourquebec.com/en-us/to-see-and-do/outdoor-activities/cyclingBike Friendly New York: https://www.ptny.org/cycle-the-erie-canal/bikefriendlyDero Fixit: https://www.dero.com/product/fixit-plus/Spencer Hawkes: https://www.spencerhawkes.com/Israel River Campground: https://israelrivercampground.com/Lamoille Valley Rail Trail: https://railtrails.vermont.gov/trails/lamoille-valley-rail-trail/Great American Bike Tours: https://www.cycletheusa.com/

Today I bring you another dose of practical, relatable, do-able inspiration with my special guest Val Hopkins from 365 Mile Challenge.Val's business is all about meeting people wherever they are, bringing them into a supportive community, and providing them with tools, resources and motivation to build a movement habit that works within the limitations of their life, time and physicality - whatever those look like. That would be inspiring enough, but wait until you hear about how Val, the tech-challenged nurse forced to retire early because of an injury, decided that she and her biologist daughter-in-law were JUST the people who should swoop in and save an internet-based movement community on the brink of shutdown…  literally weeks before COVID locked us all inside, by ourselves.The same drive that gets Val and her community moving "a mile a day, their way", served the 365 Mile Challenge business well, and Val and Kayla recently started their fifth year as stewards of the company and its app, offshoot communities, ambassadorships, and virtual races.I hope you'll check out Val's website, 365milechallenge.org, as well as #365MileChallenge and @365MileChallenge on Instagram - and maybe even get involved in the challenge, or a virtual race, or just take advantage of all the useful resources and tips she's curated on her fabulous website!When you're stuck in a rut, or life is going sideways for whatever reason, sometimes it only takes a teeny little prod to get a teeny little dose of movement to get you redirected to a brighter place. So why wait for the rut?? You can start building a movement habit now, in community with Val, Kayla and 365MileChallenge.org!Links to the good stuff:365 Mile Challenge: https://365milechallenge.org/@365 Mile Challenge on Instagram, @Official365MileChallenge on FacebookOutspring: https://www.theoutspring.com/Swell: https://www.theoutspring.com/events/ - watch the 2023 highlights hereAmy Hopkins, Saltwater Mountain Co. on Guides Gone Wild (Sept 2023)Join us for our next Last Tuesday Virtual Meetup on 2/27!: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/meet

Today we head OUTside with another fabulous wild guide, Rae-a Moughty, Founder and Director of Campfire Institute, an amazing organization that offers wilderness enrichment adventures for girls and LGBTQIA+ youth.I connected with Rae-a right after she'd wrapped up the Institute's OUT on the Snow program held at Evans Notch Lodge over MLK weekend. We were both so fired up by the great time had by the teens, and we wanted to harness that energy to try to spread the word about Campfire Institute and all of its programs still on tap for 2024.Rae-a is an educator, registered Maine Guide, and all around ray of sunshine, as you'll hear. Her passion for her work literally pours out of her, and she can't grow her programs fast enough to keep up with the demand from all corners of Maine. After you're done tuning in today, make sure to click on the link below to watch the beautiful video Jenny Woodward created with Rae-a (aka "Cricket"), featuring some of the teens that have found their voice and powerful connections through Campfire Institute programs. These kids are amazing and totally, authentically themselves, right down to the classic teen eyerolls!It is NOT too late to sign up for Campfire Institute's fabulous 2024 programming, so head over to CampfireInstitute.org - and even if you aren't actively looking to register YOUR child or young adult for a program, you might just think of smashing that DONATE button and helping to sponsor another.Please also follow @campfireinstitute on Facebook and Instagram - and there's even a @campfireinstitute TikTok for the youth in your life to get their stoke on without having to stoop to joining you on the old folks' socials!And finally - if you are a retreat leader or guide looking for a low-key, affordable and comfy place to basecamp YOUR next group adventure, I hope you'll check out Evans Notch Lodge - it's a sweet spot for groups like Campfire Institute, and we will work with you to achieve your vision for your event, retreat, bootcamp, whatever. Contact  @evansnotchlodge on Instagram or Facebook, or come on over to EvansNotchLodge.com for more info.Make sure to check OUT these links from our conversation!:Campfire Institute:  https://www.campfireinstitute.org/@campfireinstitute on InstagramThe OUT Retreat Weekend 2024Check out the amazing work Campfire Institute does in this video: http://vimeo.com/jennywoodward/campfireOUTdoor Leadership Training with Maine Tourism & Campfire InstituteEquality MaineGive the gift of Equitable Wilderness!Ari Leach of Blackbird Guide Services on Guides Gone Wild

What you need to know RIGHT THIS SECOND is that we are kicking off the Last Friday of the Month Virtual Meetup - for any and all Guides Gone Wild peeps - starting NEXT TUESDAY, January 30th, at 7pm. How can you join the virtual meetup, you ask? CLICK HERE or head on over to GuidesGoneWild.com/meet and sign up for the calendar invite and Zoom link!At this first meetup, we will be talking about visions and goals and hopes for 2024 - and the rest of the year, we'll be inviting in the guides and conversations and accountability we need to actually get all the fun stuff done!So where did this idea come from, you might ask? Well, grab a cup of hot tea, close your eyes, and picture yourself cozied up by a lovely woodstove in the Maine woods.... That's where I was a few weeks back with my trusty sidekick Trish and Guides Gone Wild all star listener and guest Bethany Cass, on a spontaneous adventure at the Flagstaff Hut (Maine Huts & Trails). I just happened to bring my little recorder with me so I could pick their brains about what they find valuable about these little adventures. Apologies for the janky audio, but I hope you enjoy a little eavesdropping into why little spontaneous spurts of nature are so AMAZINGLY amazing!And in case you want to hear more of us talking all the feels!:Bethany's inspiring episode on Guides Gone Wild: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/bethany-cass-ggw146 Trish and I talk about Vertical: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/ggw068-vertical-weekend-recap-with-trish-and-jenTrish and I talk about Rooted: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/rooted-mtb-festival-recap-ep111

Read more about Emily's decision about GearME:  https://www.gearmeoutdoors.com/sale-of-businessIf you or someone you know wants to learn more about the GearME business sale, please contact Michael Hall, Commercial Real Estate Broker with The Jordie Lee Company:  207-773-1111 (office) or email mhall@jordielee.com**Way back in March 2021, I talked to Emily Kirkton, the owner of GearME, a fabulous outdoor consignment gear and apparel store in Freeport, Maine.As of this month, after 5+ years of running this awesome business, Emily has made the difficult decision to move on to new challenges (and honestly, more family time), so she is looking for a buyer and starting to plan for a transition toward the end of February.I would love to help Emily in any way I can - so I'm replaying this conversation in the hopes that I can make one of the following options manifest: Someone listening will know someone who would be STOKED to take over this amazing business;Someone listening will be STOKED to take over this amazing business themselves; and/orEVERYONE listening makes a point of getting to GearME in the next month to stock up on their outdoor needs, support the circular economy, and give Emily the most financially rewarding send-off possible!Plus, this conversation is tons of fun to listen to - whether you're a newbie adventurer, a small business owner, or a grown-up trying to get a kid outdoors, Emily shares great tips and tricks that are as applicable today as they were back in March 2021.**Timestamps for the impatient :-)0:02 -- GearMe Outdoor Consignment Store Transition10:15 -- Overcoming Challenges in Becoming a Guide14:32 -- Starting an Outdoor Retail Store27:29 -- Outdoor Adventure With Kids33:30 -- Changing Perspectives and Parenting Outdoors38:09 -- Gear Recommendations for Outdoor Activities42:01 -- Consignment and Gear Buying TipsEnjoy!

Hopping into the Wild One Wayback Wagon this week to take a quick look back at 2023 - and while we're at it, grab some last minute gift ideas, giving thoughts and gritty inspiration to take us through this darkest day and into the light of the new year!GIFT IDEAS:https://backcountryfoodie.com/ - use code WILD at checkout to save 20% on membershipshttps://navitour.com/ - support local Maine Guides and trip leadershttps://www.cedargrovesauna.com/ - sweat and soak up and down mid-coast Mainehttps://saltwatermountainco.com/ - treat your bestie to a luxurious DryRobehttps://www.arcticlynxmaternity.com/ - help those moms-to-be stay active and warmhttps://www.carolinesdream.com/ for all the natural skincare (chamois cream is a fave!)CAN'T MISS EVENTS:https://www.summitsinsolidarity.org/ Me & White Supremacy Challenge kicks off January 30; watch for Solidarity Hike Day in Junehttps://camdensnowbowl.com/toboggan-championships/ Cheer on A Flying Flock - February 2-4https://somersetsnowfest.org/ and Skijor Skowhegan- February 16-24https://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/adirondack90miler/ September 6-8INSPIRATION TO SHARE:Anne Parmenter - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/anne-parmenter-ems-climbing-everest-mountaineer-ggw122Bethany Cass - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/bethany-cass-ggw146Anyssa Lucena - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/climb-for-a-cause-anyssa-lucena-ggw147Tori Gray - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/tori-gray-the-wilderness-guru-ggw137Lindsay Currier - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/lindsay-currier-bikepack-maine-ggw149Kat Ripley -  https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/kat-ripley-juniper-moss-guide-services-ggw150CAUSES TO CONSIDER:https://diversifywhitewater.org/https://latinooutdoors.org/https://protectourwinters.org/https://www.mainegearshare.org/What did I miss? Who do I need to interview? What are you looking forward to in 2024? Let me know - guidesgonewildpodcast@gmail.com!Happy Solstice, happy holidays, peace and love to you all :-)   ~Jen

Today we get back to my wild fan-girling business with Renaissance woman and Registered Maine Guide, Kat Ripley.Kat and I recently worked together on an amazing event hosted by Anna Heath and We Built This, where eight wanna-be carpenters were brought together for a weekend of learning, building, mending, yoga and outdoor mindfulness - that last part was where Kat came in for this event.One of Kat's most potent talents involves bringing people into nature in a meaningful way, which she's now doing through her Juniper Moss Guide Services. Kat walked us all through an amazing exercise at the end of our weekend, which she is generous enough to share again today. But that's just the tip of the iceberg of value and inspiration this exceptional woman brings - Kat's many interests and multiple resets and restarts might just get you fired up to try something new yourself in the new year, or at the very least, start putting yourself first in ways that truly matter!As a gift for yourself this holiday season, make for darn sure that you follow Kat Ripley everywhere: check out her website, JuniperMossGuideServices.com, where she's already got some very fun-sounding stuff brewing for 2024; then head over to Instagram and give her a follow @junipermossguideservices and @kat_rip so you can bask in her thoughtful longer-form captions and the fun pix of her adventures and yurt life!**IMPORTANT NOTE: Content warning for this episode - we don't get into a ton of detail, but we do discuss domestic abuse and child abuse. If those topics will be hard for you, maybe take this week off - but let me also say that your home should be a safe place, and if you ever feel even remotely like that is not the case, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Help is available, please keep yourself and your family safe this holiday season and always.You can also find help locally:In Maine - https://www.mcedv.org/get-help/In New Hampshire - https://www.nhcadsv.org/ In Massachusetts - https://www.mass.gov/info-details/list-of-domestic-violence-services-by-massachusetts-county In Vermont - https://www.vtnetwork.org/ In Connecticut - https://www.ctcadv.org/ In Rhode Island - https://ricadv.org/ In New York - https://www.nyscadv.org/find-help/program-directory.html A few more links from our conversation (many more on the  episode page over on GuidesGoneWild.com!):Bikepack MaineFlagstaff Lake HutLindsay Currier on Guides Gone WildWe Built ThisThunder Ridge Ski Area (NY)Maine Huts & TrailsMerino Wool Neck Gaiters by BuffEvans Notch Lodge

Today I've got an awesome conversation with just the kind of everywoman superhero I love to talk to on the pod - Lindsay Currier, a registered Maine guide, mountain bike coach, enduro racer, trail builder, ski patroller, total mom goals and the force behind Bikepack Maine.Lindsay's lived on both coasts and a few places in between, and has spent a bunch of years doing a bunch of stuff to lift up women in biking, whether as her full-time gig or as a side-hustle-on-steroids.We don't talk a ton about how Lindsay got into biking in the first place, or what brought her into racing and coaching initially, but I've linked up a fantastic blog post here (https://www.josiebikelife.com/2015/11/women-involved-series-lindsay-currier.html) that will give you a window into her life and back story as of 2015, when it was written. There's still lots of ground to be covered today, though, and while a lot of things have changed for Lindsay in the past decade (mostly driven by the fact she now has a daughter, Saffron, and lives in Maine instead of out West), there are still a few golden threads that are woven all the way through - among them her commitment to promoting women on and around bikes; her innate drive to foster community; and her desire to help others avoid all the costly and borderline critical mistakes and slipups she made as she learned how to ride big. And as an added bonus for any of you who dream of riding big with your little rippers, Lindsay shares some mindset tricks and gear tips that will help set you up for success!Follow Lindsay's (and Saffron's!) adventures:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaybethc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindsay.currier.50Bikepack Maine: http://www.bikepackmaine.com/A hint of the single track miles we cover can be found in our extensive link list (come on over to the episode page on GuidesGoneWild.com for even more)!:Packraft MaineRolling Fatties (Kingfield, ME)How to become a Registered Maine GuideChariot Bike TrailerCarver Bikes Maine Huts and TrailsBurley PiccoloStowe Leaf Blower - Stowe Trails Partnership (VT)Kingdom Trails (VT)Kids Ride Shotgun Bike SeatShotgun PogiesEDT - Eastern Divide TrailKatie Holden - Red Bull ‘Formation'Devinci Mountain/Enduro BikesEastern States Cup EnduroTrans New England EnduroSteep & Cheap

Today we're embarking on a culinary thru-hike with registered dietitian and logistical powerhouse Aaron Owens Mayhew, the founder of Backcountry Foodie and the trail mom we all wish we had!I'm not even a long distance hiker (yet?!?), and can count on one hand the number of times I've backpacked for consecutive days sleeping outside, honestly - but I've been OBSESSED by the Backcountry Foodie business for years, since Aaron was doing Facebook Lives sitting outside in her vanlife days... and as COVID was lingering on, I listened to countless podcasts featuring Aaron telling her hiking back story, and the origin story of Backcountry Foodie.  (Link below to one of the many good ones from friend of the pod, Meg Carney of The Outdoor Minimalist Podcast!)So we're not going to talk much Backcountry Foodie history today - I'm much more stoked about the brilliant power move Aaron started leaning into this year, when she began experimenting with ways to more directly support backpackers in their thru-hiking attempts.We'll also hear about the trials and triumphs Aaron experienced on her recent Tour du Mont Blanc - SOOOO MANY good takeaways for traveling backpackers, so make sure you listen to the end!AND THEN - head on over to BackcountryFoodie.com to check out all of the amazing free resources and recipes available to get you fired up and fueled up. OR BETTER YET - level up into one of the Backcountry Foodie membership programs, which will get you  access to the entire library of recipes and nutrition guidance, as well as a discount in the Backcountry Foodie online shop! BUT WAIT, THERE'S EVEN MORE!  Take advantage of a special discount Aaron is extending to all friends of Guides Gone Wild - use code WILD at checkout to get 20% off any Backcountry Foodie membership - woot!!Get a little WILD, use code WILD, and start eating right on the trail, river, campground, wherever and whenever you find yourself fueling up far from your kitchen home base!More fun links:https://backcountryfoodie.com/Subscribe to the Backcountry Foodie YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@backcountryfoodieKeep an eye on the BCF blog for a recap of Aaron's Tour du Mont Blanc in September 2023: https://backcountryfoodie.com/blog/Backcountry Foodie Shop: https://backcountryfoodie.myshopify.com/@backcountry_foodie on IG: https://www.instagram.com/backcountry_foodieMeg Carney, The Outdoor Minimalist, on GGW: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/meg-carney-outdoor-minimalist-ep115Brittany Haas - Alpenventures Unguided: https://www.alpenventuresunguided.com/Condor Trail Info: https://www.condortrail.com/Favorite cold-soak recipe: https://backcountryfoodie.com/sun-dried-tomato-pesto-pasta-ultralight-backpacking-recipe/Frogg Toggs Emergency Poncho: https://www.froggtoggs.com/frogg-toggsr-emergency-poncho-4734

On Guides Gone Wild, we talk to lots of women who do extremely brave things - but I have to say, being vulnerable and open about a life-changing diagnosis and treatment (and the mental *ss-kicking you are still going through as a result), is the bravest kind of bravery in my book.Anyssa Lucena first graced the Guides Gone Wild airwaves in April 2022, when she was in the early days of building her business, Genuine Climbing, through which she provides guiding, instruction, coaching and community around her passion for rock climbing.Literally a month after we first spoke, Anyssa's life and business got turned completely upside down when she found a lump in one of her breasts.So a few trigger warnings for today: very salty language; cancer; survivor guilt; trauma. If those kinds of things cut a little too close right now, skip this and come back next time.But whether you're in for this week's audio ride or not, please do check out Climb for a Cause, an event that Anyssa is hosting Thursday, October 26, 2023, at the GOAT Climbing Gym in Hackensack, NJ from 7-9pm. If you're able to attend in person, you'll have a fantastic time learning and climbing and learning some more, and will be welcomed with open arms by the amazing community that Anyssa has around her. If you can't be there in person, I hope you'll consider donating to the same causes that Anyssa will be supporting with her proceeds from the event: For the Breast of Us, the first online community dedicated to women of color affected by breast cancer; and The Ellie Fund, which provides essential support services like transportation to appointments, housekeeping, grocery assistance, childcare reimbursement, that kind of thing for breast cancer patients, to ease the stresses of everyday life, so that they can focus on recovery, healing, and spending time with family. And a final reminder that early detection can make a HUGE difference - get the mammogram, check yourself out once in a while, and if anything seems to be changing or is concerning you - ANYTHING! - waste no time, make sure to talk to your doctor.All the links, all together:Climb for a Cause (Thursday, October 26th; 7:00-9:00pm)GOAT Climbing Gym (Hackensack, NJ)For the Breast of UsThe Ellie FundThe Big Cs: Chicks, Climbing and Cancer (FB Group)Anyssa's first episode on Guides Gone Wild (April 2022)

Today I'm talking to Bethany Cass, an awesome new friend I met around this time last year when she and her daughter Maddie attended the Guides Gone Wild Iron Chef weekend that I hosted with Ari Leach of Blackbird Guide Service. At the time, as you'll hear, Bethany was kind of treading water in a sea of discontent, but getting ready to take some bold strokes in new directions - and less than one year later, things are poppin' off for her, as the kids would say!WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR what she is doing in 2024!!But the point I want you to come away from this conversation with is NOT that you have to go big or stay home. There is more than one right way to seek - and hopefully find - fun, inspiration, and fulfillment.Bethany's soul was called toward meditation, yoga, and spending quiet time in the wilderness - yours might be finding a dozen friends for a whitewater or ski trip, or dangling from ropes on a rock face or splashing in a waterfall, or maybe hanging out with your favorite four-legged friend at your local land trust trail. It's all good! If it's outside in nature and it makes you feel good, it's worth doing!Some of the cool stuff we talk about - come on over to GuidesGoneWild.com to see the full list!:We Built This Workshop - come build a tent platform with us!AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) HutsREI OutletGreenleaf Hut (AMC)What are energy therapies?How long is a Half Ironman Tri?SupYo AdventuresJana Olenio on Guides Gone WildBackroads TravelSupYo Machu Picchu trip (August 2024)Sherpa of SoulsPemi WildernessPolly Mahoney on Guides Gone WildMahoosuc Guide Service (Newry, ME)Maine Huts & TrailsKula Cloth - Kula's amazing Instagram!

I've got another special encore for you this week to remind all of us of the absolute power and beauty that can come from making connections, staying curious and just saying YES! (despite your nagging doubts...)Picture yourself in April 2020, flailing around in and out of lockdown, wondering if the world was legit ending. That's about the time I decided to use some of MY newly found free time to start reaching out to Maine guides to eventually recommend to visitors of our Lodge property, refusing to believe that we'd never be able to travel again. And the very very first person to whom I reached out - who eventually took an even bigger leap and agreed to be interviewed by me, for purposes that weren't even 100% clear to me at the time - was Alicia Heyburn.Alicia is the Executive Director of Teens to Trails, a registered sea kayak guide, she's on the boards of Maine Island Trail Association and Maine GearShare, she's basically the Kevin Bacon of Maine, I think everyone in the state is, at most, two or three connections away from her. I've stopped counting the number of guests I've had on Guides Gone Wild that were direct or indirect referrals from Alicia. And guess who reached out a month or so ago to let me know that a space had opened up on a trip she was going on with PackRaft Maine?!?My kneejerk reaction was "I don't think so, that sounds kinda hard and complicated, plus it's a far drive, blah blah blah no blah...." And then I was like, "Jen, you have spent the last four years talking a big game about getting outside, being a beginner, trying new things with new people, moving into the life you want to live - so shut the **** up, figure it out and make it happen!"So last weekend I drove 4 ½ hours and shared a tent and two days of end to end outdoor amazingness with someone who was a complete stranger less than five years ago, whom I randomly connected with on LinkedIn. Alicia is one of a kind, as was this trip: Alejandro Strong, the founder of PackRaft Maine, shepherded our group of complete newbies through the process of packing all our gear and led us as we biked the Penobscot River Trails, into Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, where we camped at Lunksoos Campground, then paddled the East Branch of the Penobscot back to our starting point on Sunday. It was a weekend of sparkling water, the darkest skies and epic stargazing, making new friends and trying lots of new things.And all because I talked to someone cool many moons ago. And said yes.Enjoy this encore! And come on over to GuidesGoneWild.com to see all the links from Alicia's debut episode!

Coming in HOT this week! Amy Hopkins is the founder of Saltwater Mountain Co., a cold-water dipping and wellness outfitter based in York, Maine, so I was stoked to talk to her, hoping that a tiny bit of thinking about all the cold water would translate into cooling me down in the crazy humid September summer we're experiencing! We do indeed talk a lot about cold water dipping today - and so much more. Amy brings a unique compendium of skills and life experiences to her latest entrepreneurial endeavor, which should serve as great inspiration for all of us - basically a reminder that it's really never too late to change your mind and try some new and different things.This is a timely message for all those high school seniors/college freshmen out there - I hope they listen to this one and realize they doesn't have to have their whole life figured out at 17! There will be plenty of opportunities to expand, grow and pivot to come - and bottom line, trying something new and challenging yourself with a little discomfort can have some hugely positive effects on your mental health!Make sure to follow Amy's Instagram page @dipdowntoriseup for her schedule of community dips, and be sure to check out the SaltwaterMountainCo.com website for more information on retreat offerings and all of the other fun ways Amy is blending her loves of cold water, yoga, bodywork, and more into uplifting experiences for her growing community. And of course, grab a super-cozy Saltwater Mountain Co. Dry Robe or some other fun merch from her online store while you're there!Laps of links!:Saltwatermountainco.com@dipdowntoriseupNational Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) - https://www.nami.org/Tops'l Farm Petite Pause RetreatsMaine Outdoor Economy Summit (November 29-December 1, 2023)dryrobe™Casting for RecoveryCressi Isla Booties (Amy recommends 7mm)Patagonia explains YulexAnd some related fun listens:Two Maine Mermaids on Guides Gone WildBonnie Holding, Casting for Recovery on Guides Gone Wild

I've got a special encore for you this week. Back in June of 2021, I talked to Rebecca Sperry, aka SockedInHikes on Instagram, as a result of the powerful story she was sharing on social media at the time about her cancer diagnosis, treatment, and desire to continue to hike (mostly solo) despite, and kind of because of, the mental and physical challenges she was facing as she fought for her life. Literally.Pulling that two-parter back together into a single episode gave me a very justifiable reason to spend time reading through all of Rebecca's blog posts from the past many months of her tracing. For those who don't know, a White Mountain Trace is an attempt to walk every mile of every trail in the White Mountain trail guide. A daunting lifetime goal, for sure, because with all the backtracking and spur trails, a Trace amounts to over 2000 miles of hiking.And Rebecca is currently trying to complete the trace in just 15 months, which would make her the fastest female on record ever to do so.It has been NUTS to follow her progress, even if you didn't know that this is Rebecca's third attempt at this fastest known time, because the first two attempts were stymied by COVID, and then a life threatening battle with breast cancer. Let that sink in for a minute.Her amazing blog, Rebecca Sperry.com, has a meticulously documented recounting of her White Mountain Trace efforts. It's hugely inspiring, but also often very raw, and so truthful, and a remarkable window into the soul of someone who spends many, many hours alone with themselves in nature.Despite the powerfully difficult circumstances of Rebecca's last few years, she has continued to persevere, putting one foot in front of the other (and a bazillion miles on her car), and sharing a peek into her internal landscape that wanders from inspirational to devastating to relatable, probably an unintended metaphor for some of the trails she's been bushwhacking through over the past year.Rebecca is just a few weeks away from either finishing and achieving her goal, or not. But regardless of the outcome, her words, whether here or in writing, will completely rock your soul. This conversation is from June, 2021, but I think it's an even more powerful listen today, knowing all that Rebecca has undertaken and achieved since then. I know it's a long one, but I promise, take a nice long walk or two and listen end to end, you won't regret it.When she writes a book about this experience - and she better freaking turn this into a book! - I'll be first in the pre-order line, I can tell you that much. And I'm hoping to have Rebecca back on the pod very soon to talk about some of her last 15 months - but only if she wants to, because one thing is very clear by now, she is writing her own damn story, and none of us have any right to it unless she decides to share it.Some links to share:RebeccaSperry.com - click here to jump right to the trace entries@sockedinhikes on InstagramWhite Mountain Trace objectiveFastest Known Time siteAnd SO MANY more here!: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/rebecca-sperry-socked-in-hikes-you-are-capable-of-more

Summer is winding down, school and fall sports and work obligations are winding back up, and that has me thinking about winter! Or should I say, what passes for winter these days in New England (which at least last winter, was three months of rain and chilly gray skies, followed by 87 snowstorms in like 2 weeks...)So what better time to bring on my guest today, Torey Brooks, who is one of my original backcountry ski inspirations, a former ski racer and coach, a climber, an engineer, a climate warrior, and a basic bad*ss who decided she wanted to ski the entire length of Vermont earlier this year.We are talking about the Catamount Trail - 300+ miles of nordic ski trails that were strung together in the early 80s by a few guys who were stuck in their tent on a rainy camping weekend, probably had had a few too many beers, and decided it would be an awesome idea to ski from Massachusetts to Quebec. I may have made up that part about too many beers, but not about this trail system being awesome - the Catamount Trail really is an amazing network of public and private lands, laced together by ski trails that are conveniently broken down into 31 manageable segments, which is how most people experience the Catamount Trail.But not today's superstar guest! As you'll hear, Torey decided to go for a thru ski - yes, that means all 300+ miles in a single go - this past winter - yes, the winter that basically didn't decide to happen until the end of February. So how did she do? You'll have to tune in to find out!If you're not already, you should absolutely be following Torey's latest adventures over @tleeski on Instagram, and while you're at the whole online thing, make sure to check out (and maybe even donate to!) Torey's purposeful pursuits over on Summit4Something.comAnd some other important stuff!:Protect Our WintersCatamount Trail (VT)Craftsbury Outdoor Center (VT)Eastern Adventure  - @easternadventureVermont Social  - @vermontsocialMeg Pierce (Torey's co-leader on my original backcountry ski inspo experience) on Guides Gone WildZ pad>> Make sure to follow Torey for all the up-to-date deets on the premiere of 300 Miles Melting - Friday, September 16th, 5:00-8:00pm at Hula, Burlington VT!

The last few weeks I've enjoyed checking in with some of my guests from WAY BACK - like, 2020-2021 - to find out what they're up to now, and I've been reveling in all the growth and expansion (and sometimes pivoting!) that's occurred since our initial conversations. Today is no exception - I'm checking back in with Jackie Stratton, a registered Maine guide who featured prominently in the early days of the podcast. Jackie first shared her guiding origin story in January 2021, and she was one of the awesome panelists for our "Maine Guide Q&A"  in May of 2021.But fast forward 2+ years. While Jackie's interest in the outdoors hasn't waned, her business interests have completely refocused as a result of the overwhelming success of what started out as a side hustle, to keep some cash coming in during the off season.Cedar Grove Sauna is now actually THREE saunas: two anchored in beautiful spots on Jackie and her partner Nate's sprawling homestead property in Montville, Maine; and a third that's a modified horse trailer, that Jackie tows around mid-coast Maine and plants for days at a time in spectacular waterfront spots.Jackie and I talk about the explosion of her sauna business, how it's impacted her guiding, and why she spent six weeks in Europe this summer in various states of undress. How's that for a teaser?!? Listen in for all the steamy stuff!You're going to want to take advantage of one of Cedar Grove Sauna's Summer Tuesdays, or be among the first to know about the where/when of Jackie's mobile sauna season coming up, so you absolutely MUST sign up for the Cedar Grove Sauna email list over at CedarGroveSauna.com.And of course, a few more hot links from our convo:Trish, Paula & Jen at Cedar Grove Sauna - listen in!Jackie's Chicken Barn on Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/43701826International Bath Academy (Lithuania): https://bath.academy/enSpinney's:  https://www.spinneysmaine.com/ (Phippsburg, ME)Glidden Point Oyster Farms: https://www.gliddenpoint.com/ (Edgecomb, ME)Craignair Inn: https://craignair.com/ (Spruce Head, ME)Steelhouse: https://www.rocklandsteelhouse.com/  (Rockland, ME)One source for Lithuanian linen bath towels - no dyeing required!Cedar Grove Sauna - Instagram @cedagrovesauna - sign up for the email list!

Long time listeners, first time callers might remember a conversation I had with Paige Emerson of Chubby Hiker Reviews, back in June 2021. At the time, Paige seemed to be on the cusp of absolutely blowing up on social media with her inspiring and relatable posts about hiking, and her trail reviews that highlighted things most of us care about, like bathroom access, parking, whether our butts would get totally kicked or just partially kicked.But with social media, sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for - all the attention Paige was getting kind of brought her down for a bit, and she fell off the radar.Never fear! As of summer 2023, Paige is back with a VENGEANCE, with all kinds of activities on offer AND the beginnings of a structure that will (hopefully!) allow Chubby Hikers to blow up without taking her down again.You can be part of Chubby Hiker's growth and get to know Paige and her team in a bunch of ways - Follow @ChubbyHikerReviews on InstagramJoin the Chubby Hikers of Maine Facebook GroupCheck out the new Chubby Hiker chapters in Waldo County, Cumberland County, Androscoggin County (Maine), plus now ConnecticutSign up for the Chubby Hiker Email List to keep up with all the fun!If you haven't heard Paige's story, check out our first Guides Gone Wild conversation here: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/paige-emerson-chubby-hiker-reviews-ggw056Read about Paige and Chubby Hiker Reviews in the Portland Press Herald: https://www.pressherald.com/2022/06/05/just-because-youre-bigger-you-can-still-be-a-hiker-there-shouldnt-be-barriers/Join the July 30th Kindling Collective x Chubby Hikers Portland (ME) hike here:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kindling-collective-x-chubby-hiker-tickets-608730849357Join Paige, Tori Gray and Greg Sarnacki on their All Bodies Canoe Trip (Baxter State Park, ME - August 3rd): https://thewildernessguru.com/shop/ols/products/chubby-hiker-reviews---all-bodies-canoe-tripAnd a enjoy a few more bonus links from this episode:Kindling Collective (queer-centered gear library)The Wilderness Guru (and Tori Gray's episode of Guides Gone Wild!)Forage River Outfitters - Greg Sarnacki

Last week I mentioned the Diversify Whitewater Community River Float happening up in Veazie, Maine this Saturday, July 8th - and today, we're hearing more from a true force of nature behind this event, Saige Purser.Saige is a citizen of the Yakama Nation, a whitewater guide and the Director of Future Generations program for Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, a community-driven, culturally centered public health and social services agency supporting all Wabanaki communities and people while honoring Wabanaki cultural knowledge, cultivating innovation, and fostering collaboration.Saige is a tireless advocate for indigenous representation in outdoor spaces - literally tireless, she's been on the road non-stop for the past two months, which we're going to talk about today. Her summer itinerary so far sounds exhausting, but so, so amazing!Saige has landed back in Maine for now, and she'll be one of the leaders for this weekend's Diversify Whitewater event - and guess what, it might actually be nice out for a change! So I hope a bunch of you are planning to attend! And it's not too late to volunteer to help out at the event, link here to sign up.Quick warning, the audio is a little rough here and there, because Saige was sitting in the middle of a gallery at the Smithsonian when we were recording this - literally! I resurrected it the best I could given my minimum viable editing skills.. don't worry, you will still come away with plenty to think about and be inspired by.Follow Saige on Instagram @saigelinsay and prepare to get a face-full!All the links:Get more information about the Diversify Whitewater Community River Float here: Bit.ly/DWMaineOr email acstrong@packraft.me or saige.purser@maine.edu for more information.Learn more about Diversify Whitewater here: https://diversifywhitewater.org/Wabanaki Public Health and WellnessYakama NationWhat was the ‘Scoop Era'?Read a little bit about Saige's Greenland trip and the upcoming “A Taste of Two Worlds” cookbook developmentNational Unity ConferencePenobscot Nation Youth CouncilThe Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art MuseumPackraft MaineWest Forks River FestRead more about Nyle Sockbeson's AT thru-hikeWhat is a flip line?Canyonlands Field Institute (Moab, UT)Native Teen Guide in Training Program

Outdoor Women Lead (OWL) fundraiser at Fogtown Brewing Company, Ellsworth, Maine - Thursday, June 29, 2023Enjoy a special spritzer release made from locally foraged and harvested deliciousness, all to benefit OWL programming and OWLette summer camp for girls!Get more info about Outdoor Women Lead and Women for Healthy Rural Living here:  https://whrl.org/programs/owl/Or join OWL on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/outdoorwomenlead/–Diversify Whitewater Community River Float at Veazie Salmon Club, Veazie, Maine - Saturday, July 8, 2023All BIPOC, Queer, and allied paddlers (and wanna-be's!) are encouraged to join in this FREE event, to encourage and celebrate more diversity on Maine's waterways!Register for the Diversify Whitewater Community River Float here:  Bit.ly/DWMaineOr email acstrong @ packraft.me  for more information.Learn more about Diversify Whitewater here:  https://diversifywhitewater.org/

Welcome to a special in-between-isode of Guides Gone Wild - I'm going to get right to the chase with this one for a change!This Saturday, June 24th, is Summits in Solidarity's annual Solidarity Day fundraiser, which is designed to get everyone outside to celebrate and support BIPOC in outdoor spaces.One of the recipients of this year's Summits in Solidarity fundraiser is the Boston chapter of Latino Outdoors, an organization dedicated to fostering connection with nature that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. And today I've got the pleasure of speaking with Cyntya Uriegas, one of the volunteer leaders for Boston chapter - she's going to tell us a bit about herself, Latino Outdoors, and why this partnership with Summits in Solidarity is an exciting opportunity to build on the momentum this great group has generated in just a few short years in the Boston area.I hope you'll follow Latino Outdoors Boston on Instagram and at their Eventbrite link, and don't forget about Solidarity Day, head on over to Summits in Solidarity.org to donate and sign up for a hike! It's not too late to adopt a peak of your own, or tag on to one of the hikes and peaks that have already been claimed by another ally (or learn more and plan to do a fundraising hike of your own another day, just because it's not officially Solidarity Day doesn't mean you can't still stand in solidarity, right??) Let's help Summits in Solidarity reach the top of all of the 4000 footers in New Hampshire, AND their $35K fundraising goal! Latino Outdoors website@latinooutdoors_boston on InstagramLatino Outdoors Boston - Eventbrite>> Summits in Solidarity - Solidarity Day sign-up 

Ever wondered how to blend your passions into a successful business?  Today, we're getting one approach - allow me to introduce you to Tori Gray, a registered Maine Guide for the past few years who is going into her second full season of business as The Wilderness Guru.In creating The Wilderness Guru, Tori has taken advantage of the rising tide of demand for recreational guiding, and created a fabulous business that melds together all of the things she loves.Lots of Tori's offerings center around Baxter State Park, which holds a very special place in her heart, because of its unique management philosophy, that prioritizes wilderness preservation over recreation. It's also where she first started considering a nature-based career, when she served as a wildlife educator and ridge runner during summers away from her pursuit of dance in college.Today, The Wilderness Guru offers guided group and private hiking and backpacking trips, yoga retreats, foraging workshops, forest therapy walks, and integrative health and wellness coaching.  The Wilderness Guru Katahdin trips are pulled together with the utmost respect for the mountain and its sacredness - and Tori even looks for ways to integrate Citizen Science efforts into these adventures, to contribute further to our knowledge of the special flora and fauna that she loves so much.Head to TheWildernessGuru.com for more information about upcoming trips and events, click a trip link below, or get the expanded list of coolness over on the episode page at GuidesGoneWild.com.@thewildernessguru on InstagramGuruWilderness on Facebook@GuruWilderness on TikTok@GuruWilderness on TwitterOther Gear Lists (constantly evolving & growing)Training for Katahdin TipsConcierge ServicesYoga Day RetreatsKatahdin Flora WorkshopKatahdin Group HikesBendable Maine Community Collection (A few resources surrounding Baxter State Park that Tori put together for Maine's Online Library system)The Glorious Backpacking SporkBaxter State ParkWhat is an AT Ridge Runner?How do I get involved in Citizen Science?

Spandits Adventurewear Pop-Up at the Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race - Saturday, June 17, 2023Get more info or buy Spandits Adventurewear here:https://www.spandits.com/Get more info about the Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race here:https://mt-washington.com/mount-washington-road-race/Listen to Sarah Doscinski & Kelley Cullenberg of Spandits on Guides Gone Wild: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/ggw069-spandits-kelley-cullenberg-sarah-doscinski–Kennebec River Whitewater Rafting Day with The Girls Trip Adventure Co. - Saturday, August 5, 2023https://thegirlstripadventureco.com/pages/upcoming-trips for more details, or call North Country Rivers at 1-800-348-8871 and ask to join “The Girls Trip” on August 5th.Listen to Jackie Lastinger on Guides Gone Wild:https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/jackie-lastinger-the-girls-trip-adventure-co-ep094

Summits in Solidarity - June 24, 2023 (Solidarity Day)https://www.summitsinsolidarity.org/ for more details or to register for a Solidarity hike!Listen to Serena Ryan on Guides Gone Wild: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/ggw024-serena-ryan-the-notch-hostelhttps://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/ggw052-summits-in-solidarity-serena-ryan--'Tall' Ashley's Guide Service - Ashley Leedberg, Registered Maine Guide https://www.guidedbytall.com/  for more details on Women's Adventure Weekends, retreats and more!Listen to 'Tall' Ashley on Guides Gone Wild: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/ggw070-tall-ashley-leedberg

We're back with Part 2 of the latest Guide for Guides, all about insurance!Today we're talking to Angela Ziogas of Cross Current Insurance, which at its very core came out of a woman guide's need for insurance for her fly fishing business. Cross Current now offers all kinds of options for fishing and hunting guides, outfitters, lodges and even outdoor equipment manufacturers.Angela's going to fill us in on what kind of coverage to look for, questions to ask, information to gather, and things that you can do proactively to protect yourself, your business, and most importantly, your clients.Get more information about Cross Current Insurance at https://crosscurrentinsurance.com/If your guiding business features more forest bathing than field dressing, make sure you go back and listen to the first part of this Guide for Guides, when we talked to Miriam Ball of Alternative Balance, a member-based insurance group that will help you find the right coverage for activities such as yoga, Pilates, nutrition coaching, forest bathing, reiki, and more.I hope you'll let me know if you find these 'Guides for Guides' useful - shoot me an email (guidesgonewildpodcast@gmail.com), share your feedback, and let me know if there are other topics you'd like to hear about that would help you and your guiding business! And speaking of helping your guiding business, if you're guiding or leading trips in Maine, the Maine Wilderness Guides Organization (a great professional organization that gave me the idea for this mini-series) can provide you with a supportive community, pro deals, and other resources that will set you up for success in the field (or on the water, or in the woods....)Final call out goes to Evans Notch Lodge, our sponsor for the Guide for Guides series - and not a bad place for you to base the next fly-fishing (or forest bathing) group you lead!

Skills4Lumberjills - June 10-11, 2023axewomen.com for more detailsListen to Alissa Wetherbee on Guides Gone Wild: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/ggw065-alissa-wetherbee-axe-women-loggers-of-maine--F**k Cancer Fondo - July 15, 2023susan @ carolinesdream dot com or DM Jen @GuidesGoneWild for more details!Listen to Susan Shashok on Guides Gone Wild: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/susan-shashok-carolines-dream-ggw127

It's the topic most of us love to hate or avoid... insurance.But for anyone who's thinking of taking folks outside, out of their comfort zones and into the wild (even if the wild is a nicely manicured campground just off a main road), you NEED to protect yourself from the random things that might happen!My guests for the next two episodes are here to help you find your path through all the regulations and jargon, so you can be confident you're covered - so you're able to spend your limited time and resources on things that you love (and are also important to your business!) like creating memorable and amazing experiences for your clients.Today's guest is Miriam Ball from Alternative Balance, a NH-based membership group that provides guides and practitioners with access to professional and general liability coverage in health, beauty and wellness spaces that fall outside traditional business liability models. If you're an outdoor guide or trip leader who offers (or wants to start offering) outdoor fitness or yoga instruction, nutrition or wellness coaching, massage therapy, reiki, forest bathing, energy work, etc., Alternative Balance can be a great option, and Miriam has LOTS of insight to share today.(Or if your guide offerings include fishing, hunting, boating, that kind of thing, you're going to want to tune in to Part 2 next week, because those service lines are right in the crosshairs for Cross Current Insurance - yes, pun absolutely intended - and next week's guest Angela Ziogas has tons of great tips and perspective to offer as both an advisor and sportswoman herself.)Listen, learn, enjoy!And then check out an awesome option to get yourself and your business some top-notch liability insurance:https://alternativebalance.com/See profiles of Alternative Balance members here:  https://www.instagram.com/alternativebalance/Special thanks to our series sponsor Evans Notch Lodge: https://www.evansnotchlodge.com/And if you're guiding or leading trips in Maine, consider joining the Maine Wilderness Guides Organization!

Whether your affinity for water involves multi-day backcountry paddling or just grabbing a cold beverage and a tube for some floating (while you watch the bald eagles and kingfishers fly by), the Northern Forest Canoe Trail has a spot for you to put in and play!Karrie Thomas joined NFCT in 2014 and serves as the organization's Executive Director - but that doesn't mean she spends all of her days holed up in her corner office talking strategy and grant-writing. If you're planning your paddle and decide to call NCFT, Karrie might just be the person who picks up the phone and gives you the inside scoop you're looking for to help you plan a fantastic weekend or longer distance trip.And beyond the amazing trip-planning resources they provide, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail hosts events and unique opportunities for stewardship that get paddlers of all ages out enjoying and caring for 740 miles of pristine waterways that cross the highest reaches of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.You can tap into NFCT's endless wealth of planning resources at NorthernForestCanoeTrail.org, and make sure to follow them on Instagram  @northernforestcanoetrail.But the fun and useful links don't stop there!:@PaddleNFCT on FacebookWhat NFCT co-founder Kay Henry's been up to latelyLake Memphremagog (VT/Quebec)Mack Truax (Downriver Paddle Plan)Northern Forest Canoe Trail Paddlers (Facebook group)Waterway Stewards ProgramNorthern Forest Explorers (includes info about NFCT's new partnership with Teens to Trails)West Branch Penobscot and Lobster LakeThe 90-Miler (NY/Adirondacks)Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal (VT)Packraft MaineNemo BugOutAlite Camp Chair

We are back with Part 3 of our Social Media Marketing Guide for Guides series - Jaimie Crawford and I are picking right up where we left off last time, and discussing how showing up on social media is basically the same lift as being a decent human and friend. We're also getting into community connections, collaborations, and the most important thing of all - action taking!If you're an aspiring, new or seasoned guide, I'd love to hear how this series landed with you, and if more topics related to growing a guide business would be of interest to you (actually, who am I kidding, I welcome feedback from anyone at any time!)Email guidesgonewildpodcast@gmail.com, contact me through the Guides Gone Wild website, or of course, send me a DM through Instagram or Facebook, my current social media channels of choice (that I'm now vowing to show up on more consistently - thanks, Jaimie!)And finally, if you'd like Jaimie to be YOUR guide for storytelling, developing a tactical road map to achieve your specific marketing goals, or even figuring out how to be scrappy and get lots of bang for very few marketing bucks, you can connect with Jaimie on LinkedIn.Here are some additional links to some of the resources we've mentioned throughout this series:CanvaLinktr.eeSCOREJaimie's debut on Guides Gone WildJaimie's LinkedInJaimie's personal Instagram, @jaimiexplainsitallFinally - special thanks to our title sponsor, Evans Notch Lodge!

And we are back - welcome to the second installment of our three part Social Media Marketing Guide for Guides, featuring Jaimie Crawford. In Part 1, we started at the beginning, going over some foundational concepts of marketing and brand building, so if you missed that episode, you might want to go back and listen to that one first.Today, we'll be diving into more details, especially around that bane of many of our existences, social media. Can't live with her sometimes, but these days it also seems like you can't live without her, especially if you're trying to build your business presence and attract new clients online. But how much of her do you really have to put up with? What makes a good post? What matters more, reach or engagement? What do those terms even mean? What's the point of it all? Pull on those waders, we're going in deep today!Here are some links to helpful resources you'll hear about throughout this series:CanvaLinktr.eeSCOREJaimie's debut on Guides Gone WildJaimie's LinkedInJaimie's personal Instagram, @jaimiexplainsitallAnd before we go - special thanks to our title sponsor, Evans Notch Lodge!

Today we are kicking off a special series called 'Guides for Guides'. This idea boinked into my brain back last year when I talked with Jaimie Crawford, one of the marketing and social media brains behind the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce's fantastic “Hire a Guide” campaign and profiles.Jaimie, as luck would have it, is super knowledgeable about social media marketing, and how it can be effectively applied to launch and build small businesses - and she also happens to have an affinity for working with guides and small businesses in the outdoor space. So Jaimie's back, and we dorked out for a VERY LONG TIME about marketing and social media - so long that I broke this into three parts to keep it manageable for you. (But you are DEFINITELY going to want to listen to them all, because whether you're a budding guide, building a personal brand or startup, or have been running your business for years, there will be more than a few nuggets of pure gold for you in these episodes, I promise!)Here's what we'll be covering:In Part 1, we're going to set up the foundation of basic marketing knowledge and terminology that will lay our groundwork for the next two episodes - all about brand, storytelling, target markets, funnels, etc.In Part 2, we'll be diving into social media specifically, and the role it can and should (and should not?) play in your overall marketing strategyFinally, Part 3 will round us out with a discussion of community building and strategic action takingHere are some links to helpful resources you'll hear about:CanvaLinktr.eeSCOREJaimie's debut on Guides Gone WildJaimie's LinkedInJaimie's personal Instagram, @jaimiexplainsitallAnd before we go - special thanks to our title sponsor, Evans Notch Lodge!

One of the things I love most about doing this podcast is the way that almost every guest seems to spiderweb into more cool connections that I get to make, and today's another great example of that.Last time I hit the podwaves, I encored a conversation with Heidi Myers of Rasputitsa, who also works at Sterling College, where she met the wonderful young woman I'm talking to today, Anna Dye.Anna grew up in the outdoor industry, working at her family's outdoor gear and apparel store in Red Lodge, Montana. But it was here in the east that she found herself in a cohort of college students hitting the road to apply their newly acquired gear repair skills to real life problems at races and festivals around northern New England.Anna is a breath of fresh air in an often cynical world, and she shares a few tips and hacks that might just help you out in a pinch when your gear gets…..well…pinched (and damaged) in the backcountry.Lots of links for this one!:@gearrepairguru on InstagramHeidi Myers on Guides Gone WildSterling CollegeRasputitsaVermont Gear Makers FestivalSylvan Peak Mountain Shop (Red Lodge, MT)Alpine Luddites & John CampbellTenacious TapeSeam GripSmuggs Ice Bash (Smugglers Notch, VT)New England BKL Festival (Craftsbury, VT)SailRitePatagonia Worn WearSpeedy StitcherBirdieBlue (the women-owned VT company Anna mentions that recycles old ski gear into new bags!)Kula ClothAnd for more empty landfill vibes:Jenna Vanni of Woods + Waters Gear Exchange in Brunswick, MEEmily Kirkton of GearME in Freeport, MEEmily McKeown of Maine GearShareMeg Carney, The Outdoor Minimalist

Huge thanks for joining me today! I've been noticing a lot of new ears around these parts lately (plus I'm on the road and a bit time starved this week, to be honest), so I decided it was a good time to hop into the Wayback Machine and encore a conversation with one of my favorite people and one of the best connector friends this pod has ever had, Heidi Myers.If you've been listening for a little bit, you've probably heard Heidi's name plenty of times, because she's connected me with a ton of fantastic women who've been great pod guests. Heck, just a few weeks back we had Susan Shashok of Caroline's Dream Skincare on the pod and guess how I knew about her? Yup, that's right, I met her at an amazing women's bike and fly fishing event organized by none other than Heidi Myers!Heidi is one of the founders of Rasputitsa, a spring gravel bike "race" and sufferfest for the rest of us hosted in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. This year, 2023, the event will be on Saturday, April 29th, and while the race itself has been sold out for months, it's one of the best spectator takes and party weekends around, so don't put those Kinco gloves away yet, you might want them for the tailgate!Heidi also serves as the Associate Dean of Marketing and Communications for Vermont's Sterling College, and is one of the most inspiring people - and Instagram feeds - I've ever encountered. She shows up like no one else, and I'm so grateful to know her. Hop over and check out @RasputitsaDirt on Instagram or RasputitsaDirt.com and you'll see what I mean.I'm so excited to bump this conversation from almost two years ago, so YOU get to know Heidi Myers too - enjoy!

If there's one thing I love almost as much as getting active outside, it's sitting inside with a giant coffee, watching it snow and geeking out about start-uppy stuff with an outdoor industry entrepreneur (who also happens to be a woman)!My guest today is Michelle Boyer, the founder and visionary behind Arctic Lynx Maternity Activewear, based in Portland, Maine.Like many of us who become pregnant and retain some hope of getting outside once in a while in the Northeast, when Michelle transplanted to Maine from the south and found herself pregnant, she needed some appropriate clothing to keep her warm, dry and comfortable while she tried to stay active. When the best she could find on offer were her husband's old, ratty long undies, she did what any self-respecting woman would do - decided to take matters into her own hands and solve the problem!Michelle's scrappy journey from a law firm to the Outdoor Retailer show is what we're talking about today - and how she's evolving personally and professionally as she goes. Whether you've been pregnant, are thinking of it, or even just care one iota about your pelvic floor - and spoiler alert, you'd better care! - you're going to want to listen all the way to the end of this one.You can check out the Arctic Lynx Maternity capsule collection and accessories over at ArcticLynxMaternity.com, or @arcticlynxmaternity on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest. And when you're done shopping for the mom-to-be, check out some more fun links from our conversation:Emily HarringtonMaine Outdoor Brands(and check out MOB's Executive Director Jenny Kordick on Guides Gone Wild!)Outdoor Retailer ConferenceSCORE MaineFirst Pier (Portland, ME)Check out the Arctic Lynx Scarf and Baby Onesie here!Hills & Trails (Biddeford, ME)@expectingpelvichealthLD 1357 Acadia Gantz, Trail Running Baby Catcher

Today's guest, Susan Shashok of Caroline's Dream Handcrafted Skincare, based in Middlebury Vermont, has three big goals for 2023 - and she is already well on her way to nailing them all. Never mind that she spent the last few months of 2022, as she puts it, in "a game show where the prizes behind doors 1, 2, and 3 all suck."Trigger warning for this one - our conversation starts out all rainbows and flowers (or should I say herbs), talking about Susan's fabulous natural skincare company, Caroline's Dream. But we do take a sharp turn into some serious talk about what it's like to be diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. I hope you, personally, have not had to navigate this yourself or with a loved one. But if you have, I know you will relate. And if you haven't, yet (because, let's be honest, this disease is likely to touch all of us, in some way, at some point in our lives), this is required listening. You probably know a handful of people who should hear this conversation, so I hope you'll share it with them. Susan and I talk about this in our conversation - the power of shared stories can not be overstated. It's so valuable to be able to identify with others who are living the struggles that you are getting lost in. Any sliver of shared experience brings people together, and fast-tracks the ability of a community of support to coalesce around you. Sharing is caring, people!But first things first - head over to CarolinesDream.com to load up on all the lotions and salves and creams and good vibes you need to chase winter's dry darkness away... and if you want in on next fall's ginkgo gambling, make sure to follow @carolinesdreamvt. (And don't forget Skijor Skowhegan - this weekend!)A few more things to share:Check out Susan's sweet ride (her delivery ebike!) and more on her YouTube channel! Chamois Cream (for all the chafe!)Calendula CreamRasputitsa (Burke, VT) - coming right up on April 29th!Rebecca Sperry (aka Socked In Hikes) on Guides Gone WildMore Vertical ladies bringing the inspiration!:Embrace the Suck and Make Some Magic Happen with Heidi MyersLive a ‘No Drop' Life with Cail CasserlyDon't Worry About the Game Plan with Sabra DavisonLean Into Your Life (AND the Downhill) with Christsonthy DrellosStart Your Life Again with Cori BragoBiking Through Loss and Building a Legacy with Sandy NobleBe Your Own Advocate (and Someone Else's Too) with Jenn Minery

We are embracing mid-winter with a giant Yeti hug again this week over here on Guides Gone Wild!Repeat listeners will recognize one of the voices - Kristina Cannon of Main Street Skowhegan is back today with her marketing maven sidekick Mary Haley of MXH Marketing, and we are talking skijoring, and Somerset SnowFest FUN!Equestrian skijoring is a big hit out west, but it was a novelty on the east coast when bright eyed and bushy tailed Mary Haley proposed proposed it to Main Street Skowhegan in 2018. Her proposal was initially met with blank stares, but they wound up going for it, even though none of them had heard of it before, and 2019 marked the start of what's now the annual Skijor Skowhegan race--the first one to ever happen in Maine!Skijor Skowhegan is an action-packed event, with tons of spectators jammed into the Skowhegan State Fairgrounds cheering on over 50 teams - each made up of one person on a horse, and the other on skis or snowboard being towed behind, as they fly at speeds up to 35 mph along a 1000-foot course, navigating gates, jumps, and collecting ring points. Yes, it's as bonkers as it sounds.This wild ride is coming up on February 25, 2023, but you don't have to wait until then to sample the fun, we are talking about it today, along with all of the other super-fun offerings that make up Somerset SnowFest, which runs from February 17th - 26th. Get more details by visiting SomersetSnowfest.org, or Skijorskowhegan.org, or best of all, just listen in now!Some more quickie links to skijoring (and skijoring-adjacent) fun!:Lake George Regional Park (ME)What is Equestrian Skijoring?Skijor Maine Facebook GroupSkowhegan OutdoorsJim Browne FoundationDownhill Kayak RaceBox Sled DerbyIceHole World Championship Bigelow BrewingBaxter BrewingWeston Woods and Waters (Madison, ME)Maine Grain AllianceHight Family of DealershipsSomerset Public HealthSomerset Woods TrusteesLakewood Golf Course (Madison, ME)

Welcome to the latest Guides Gone Wild special release! Today we're hyping A Flying Flock, the intrepid all women team who'll be layering up in their bright pink and yellow snowsuits this weekend (February 4-5, 2023) to compete in the U.S. National Toboggan Championship taking place at the Camden Snow Bowl in Camden, Maine.The flamingos and ducks that make up this fabulous flock include five Mainers - Maile Buker, a marketing junkie from Portland; Tricia Tobey, an interior designer from Kittery Point; Marianne Naess, an aquaculturist from Cape Elizabeth; Helene Dicesare, a nurse from Arundel; and Deanna Smith, a lobster woman from Tenants Harbor - and a lone New Hampshire-ite, Lisa Teague, an interior designer from Portsmouth. Maile, Lisa, and eventually Deanna joined me  for an impromptu chat to talk about the history of the toboggan championship; their fundraising recipients, Trekkers; and why a handful of women 'of a certain age' would decide to impersonate a pink puff pastry with yellow cream filling and take their lives into their hands hurtling down a 400' long ice chute onto a partially frozen, rockpile strewn lake.It's freaking nuts, and I absolutely love it.Whether you're on Team Flamingo or Team Duck, you're going to enjoy these ladies' meteoric flight pattern.  So layer up, grab a balaclava and those cowbells, and head over to Camden Snow Bowl this weekend - the teams will be running all day on Saturday and Sunday morning in the hopes of making the finals.Check out the schedule and get information about parking, shuttles, the bands, the fun, all the things over at camdensnowbowl.com. And I hope you'll consider supporting Trekkers in honor of these brave ladies, you can go to @a_flying_flock on Instagram and use the link in bio to donate.**P.S. Maile wasn't kidding, apparently there was a flamingo-duck. And Chute Master Stuart Young has his own inspiring story!

Today we are catching up with another new friend I made at the Maine Outdoor Economy Summit last fall, Emily Mackeown, who is the outreach coordinator for Maine GearShare, a Brunswick-based gear library that completed its pilot year in 2022 and supported tons of youth groups and non-profits successfully in their quest to get more people outside safely and comfortably.It's clear from our conversation that Emily's truly unique upbringing informed her love of the outdoors, which eventually led to her becoming a registered guide. As she puts it, she's always interested in talking to strangers, hearing their life stories, taking them somewhere outside their comfort zone, and being in that moment with them. So it's no surprise that she got involved with an organization like Maine GearShare, which strives to bring more and more people into those moments.As Emily sees it, Maine GearShare is trying to fire up the spark of a societal shift in thinking - maybe we don't all have to own everything. And maybe, just maybe, access to the outdoors is a fundamental human right that shouldn't be limited only to those who can afford the “right” gear, clothing and equipment.I love this business model, I love geeking out listening to people with a passion talk about bringing their visions to life, I love that organizations like Maine GearShare are acting to expand access to the fun and adventure that can be had outdoors. All.The.Love.You can get more information about Maine GearShare at mainegearshare.org - check out the kinds of equipment they have in inventory, find out about membership, maybe even make a donation to support their work right there on the website! (And if you happen to find yourself on Route 1 heading into Brunswick any time soon, maybe hit the Aroma Joe's first and bring Jackson a treat, he is definitely earning it with all the stanky middle school camping gear that man has to manage!)Before I go, some fun upcoming events and links:Maine GearShare - @me_gearshareU.S. National Toboggan Championship - February 4-5, 2023 (Camden, ME)Skijor Skowhegan - February 25, 2023 (Skowhegan, ME)MOES (Maine Outdoor Economy Summit)Matinicus Island (ME)Nature Based Education ConsortiumMillinocket Gear Library (ME)Kindling Collective (Portland, ME)Solar string lightsBlack Diamond headlamp

I purposely picked this conversation with Anne Parmenter to kick off the year, because I need to hear so much of this right now. For someone who was told by a middle school teacher that she wasn't going to amount to much, Anne has done pretty ok for herself. She will blow you right off your feet. Literally!Anne is a Hall of Fame field hockey coach that took her team to the NCAA tournament multiple times. She's done multiple marathons, is an AMGA rock climbing instructor and ice climbing instructor, and oh, did I mention she's also a mountaineer who's climbed a bunch of 8000 meter peaks around the world - including summiting Mt. Everest in 2006?BUT - this isn't a story of some extreme, unrelatable, genetically superior athlete ticking things off a bucket list. (Although Anne's 90 year old mum is still working out every day and went snow tubing over the holidays, so maybe there is a teeny bit of genetic superiority at play here after all....)The day I spoke with her, Anne was on the brink of retiring from an almost 40-year career as a coach and educator to embark on her next act - as a full-time climbing guide with EMS in North Conway, New Hampshire. Never mind 'bucket list'; Anne is more of an opportunist who  doesn't shy away from epic adventure potential that drops into her lap. Rather than using her age or job or busy life as (justifiable) reasons to put things off indefinitely, Anne cranked up her mountaineering in her 40s, summited Everest in her late 40s, and decided to lean in to more technical ice climbing in her 50s. She is truly the inspiration I thought we all could use to start the year off in the right frame of mind!Learn more about Anne, her Everest expeditions, and lots more good stuff here (and even more over at GuidesGoneWild.com!):Anne Parmenter - National Field Hockey Hall of FameAnne Parmenter on NBC CTHigh Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed by Michael KodasEMS Climbing GuidesAMGA - American Mountain Guides AssociationAnne Parmenter on Finding Mastery with Michael GervaisRagged Mountain Foundation (CT)Who was Fritz Wiessner?What are traprock ridges?Exum Mountain Guides (Jackson Hole, WY)Ama Dablam (Nepal)Laurie Watt on Guides Gone Wild (more climbing goodness)Kanchenjunga (India/Nepal border)Dolomites (Italy)Cuillin Ridge, Isle of Skye (Scotland, UK)Anne's essay about her ‘Summer of Fun' when she turned 60Women's Climbing Coalition ice climbing on Jan 21st & 22nd (Woodstock, NH)