Podcasts about Alps

Episode 218 of The Adventure Podcast features writer, journalist, and adventurer, Adam Weymouth. Over a decade ago, Adam undertook a year-long journey, walking from England to Istanbul. What grew out of burnout from frontline climate activism became a personal experiment in pilgrimage, slowness, and meaning. Adam talks about canoeing the length of the Yukon River while following the salmon run, and walking across the Alps in the footsteps of a lone wolf whose thousand-mile journey helped repopulate parts of Europe. Together with Matt, he explores his earlier years as an environmental activist, including arrests, a high-profile trial, and the emotional toll of sustained direct action. And how it pushed Adam to search for new ways of communicating environmental stories. This is a conversation about walking away from the noise. Slow travel, pilgrimage, storytelling, and how adventure can create empathy rather than spectacle.For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.Photo credit: Ulli MattssonChapter Breakdown00:00 - 01:00: Adam reflects on freedom, curiosity, and the privilege of pursuing big questions through journeys.01:00 - 03:00: Adam's childhood love of writing, environmental awareness, and early pull towards activism.03:00 - 07:30: Protests, arrests, climate camps, and the long legal battle.07:30 -10:30: Why direct action stopped feeling sustainable, and the realisation that storytelling might reach people in a different way.10:30 - 17:00: The origins of Adam's year-long walk from England to Istanbul.17:00 - 24:00: What pilgrimage offers that ordinary travel doesn't.24:00 - 27:30: Why fast travel is the historical anomaly, and what is lost when movement becomes frictionless.27:30 - 30:30: Canoeing the Yukon to explore ecological collapse through human stories and lived experience.30:30 - 33:30: Adam explains his fascination with wolves and how one animal's journey opened wider conversations about fear, politics, and coexistence.33:30 - 37:30: The remarkable thousand-mile journey of a wolf that helped re-establish packs across Europe.37:30 - 41:30: Why rewilding is deeply contested, how it's been poorly communicated, and why nuance matters.41:30 - 45:30: How arriving on foot changes conversations, builds trust, and creates space for hospitality and honesty.45:30 - 49:30: Why Adam chooses to include himself in his writing.49:30 - End: Reflections on openness, chance encounters, and why adventure is often about how we move through the world, not how far.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

VOV1 - Ngày 27/12, Chính quyền các vùng núi tại Pháp và Italia vừa phát đi cảnh báo khẩn cấp về rủi ro lở tuyết ở mức cao nhất sau khi những trận bão tuyết dữ dội đổ bộ vào khu vực này trong vòng 24 giờ qua.

Forget cozy Coca-Cola Santas, this is the original dark side of Christmas.In this episode, we dive into the terrifying folklore of Krampus, the horned Christmas demon of the Alps who beats bad children with birch rods, stuffs them in sacks, and drags them off into the winter night. We trace his roots back to the brutal midwinter Rauhnächte, the terrifying goddess Perchta and her Perchten, and the way the Church shackled these pagan spirits to Saint Nicholas to create the ultimate good cop / bad cop duo.hauntedamericanhistory.comPatreon- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/hauntedamericanhistory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LINKS FOR MY DEBUT NOVEL, THE FORGOTTEN BOROUGHBarnes and Noble -   https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-forgotten-borough-christopher-feinstein/1148274794?ean=9798319693334AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQPQD68SEbookGOOGLE: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=S5WCEQAAQBAJ&pli=1KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-forgotten-borough-2?sId=a10cf8af-5fbd-475e-97c4-76966ec87994&ssId=DX3jihH_5_2bUeP1xoje_SMASHWORD: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1853316 !! DISTURB ME !! APPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disturb-me/id1841532090SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/3eFv2CKKGwdQa3X2CkwkZ5?si=faOUZ54fT_KG-BaZOBiTiQYOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@DisturbMePodcastwww.disturbmepodcast.com TikTok- @hauntedchris LEAVE A VOICEMAIL - 609-891-8658  Twitter- @Haunted_A_HInstagram- haunted_american_historyemail- hauntedamericanhistory@gmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ötzi is the name of a frozen man discovered in the Alps. He lived after the tower of Babel, but before the time of Abraham.

Episode 61: La Toussuire & Les Sybelles – A UK Buyers' Inside GuideIn this festive Christmas Day episode of the Alpine Property Podcast, Steve and Lesley Thomas are joined by client Richard Kenee, who shares his personal journey of buying an apartment in La Toussuire, part of the Les Sybelles ski area.Richard and his family, based in Essex, made the decision to purchase a ski property after years of travelling and skiing across the US, Japan, Canada, and Europe. In this conversation, Richard explains why they chose La Toussuire, a resort that was not originally on their radar, and what ultimately made it the right fit for their family.Together, they explore what makes La Toussuire and the wider Les Sybelles area so appealing for UK buyers, including ski in ski out access, village atmosphere, ease of travel from multiple airports, and its strong appeal as a dual season resort for both winter skiing and summer activities such as cycling and hiking.Richard shares honest insights into:Why he looked beyond the Three Valleys and ParadiskiHow quickly the buying process moved from viewing to completionWhat it feels like owning a home in the Alps for the first timeLife in La Toussuire across winter and summer seasonsRestaurants, village life, and family friendly skiingThe advantages of buying new build property direct from a developerSteve also highlights current property opportunities in La Toussuire, including brand new apartments nearing completion and an upcoming chalet development offering larger ski in ski out homes.This episode is a valuable listen for anyone considering buying a ski property in France, particularly those looking for an authentic Alpine resort that still feels undiscovered, while offering excellent skiing, strong lifestyle appeal, and good long term value.Find Out MoreInterested in seeing and renting Richard's apartment? Please find below the link to browse further details and how to book:https://www.altitude1750.com/en/apartment+holiday-rental+toussuire+73+r29490520.html?marche=1&transaction=3&com=toussuire&dep=73&chambres=4For the two properties mentioned in the podcast please find below the relevant links:Apartment link https://www.alpinepropertyinvestments.co.uk/properties/004605/Chalet link https://www.alpinepropertyinvestments.co.uk/properties/004954/To view available properties or register your interest in upcoming developments, visit:www.alpinepropertyinvestments.co.ukIf you would like to arrange a property viewing during your ski holiday, or simply discuss your options for buying in the French or Swiss Alps, Steve and Lesley would be delighted to help.Website links and contact details can be found below.Thank you for listening to the Alpine Property Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider rating and reviewing the show, as it helps others discover the podcast.Subscribe to our newsletter www.alpinepropertyinvestments.co.uk/newsletter-signup/ to learn more! For more information, visit www.alpinepropertyinvestments.co.uk and contact us at:

Merry Christmas! As promised here's the second of three festive treats. Whilst Kylie Minogue may have landed the Christmas Number One - the most surprising entry in the running for top of the pops this year was Denise Welch. It marks the end of an extraordinary year which started in a very dark place, saw her die at least three times (according to social media), get lost flying over the Alps in a hot air balloon (it's a long story!) and get reinvented as the undisputed Queen of the Huns. When flags are being flown at Glastonbury featuring your name and face - you know you've become an icon. In this extremely honest interview Denise talks about the highs and lows of 2025, her love of reality TV, her flirtation with a pop career and why she things everything has suddenly come good for her. We've saved Noddy Holder for pudding on Christmas Day, and we'll be back with a brand new episode on New Year's Day. Thanks as always for listening - have a fabulous festive season. Cheers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt and Eric zipline into the Alps, diving deep into excellent Phase One outing CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER! Peggy, Bucky, Puny Steve, Red Skull, the Tesseract, and more... 

Missão recente da agência confirmou que a descarga de água tratada com o sistema Alps da central nuclear de Fukushima Daichi está em conformidade com normas de segurança.

Well.  It is here!  The 2025 Christmas Spectacular has arrived and it is jam packed with Christmas cheer.  First, Scott, Mike, Harry, and Dom take a trip down memory lane and receive gifts from the 1984 Sear's Christmas catalog.  Then, a true Christmas miracle occurs.  The guys participate in a game entitled "The Santa Clause 4" where they must compete to see who is the next Santa.  You won't believe who joined the show to judge the answers.  The big man from the North Pole himself, the one and only, Santa Claus!  Listen as the guys compete and help raise money for charity. A must listen for the holiday season. For more info on the best Santa around, make sure to visit www.SantaPeteNj.com  Our Christmas episodes wouldn't be complete without a unique Christmas guest.  This year, we are joined by a man who has spent a lifetime excavating the bone-chilling folklore of the Alps and the arcane traditions of the past. He is the preeminent authority on the Krampus, the host of the hauntingly brilliant Bone and Sickle podcast, and the author of the definitive guide to the winter's darkest spirits. Please welcome... Al Ridenour."  For more info on Al and his work, make sure to visit https://www.alridenour.com/  

In March 2024 Anna Wells became the fourth person, and first woman, to complete all 282 Munros in a single winter season. She started on Dec 22nd 2023 and took a little under 83 days, equalling the record set by Martin Moran in 1985. Helen Rennard has subsequently lowered the time to 80 days and 9.5hrs in winter 2024-25 (Episode 47). For related episodes see also Ep 12, 15, 35, and future Ep 58.Anna was introduced to indoor climbing at the age of 12, and was a member of the GB Ice Climbing team for 4 years, competing all over the world in dry tooling events. As well as climbing extensively in the UK, she has climbed on Yosemite's El Capitan, the high summits of the Alps, and even on the chalk cliffs of the Isle of White.Anna talks us through her several careers - in which she has worked as a doctor, an alpine babysitter / transfer driver, a mountaineering instructor, and as a risk model analyst. She enjoys the sudden inspiration of a 'spark' of an idea which has led her to adventures such as attempting to climb all the 4000m peaks of the Alps in one summer, as well as the Winter Munro round.We talk about her Munro round and her unique approach which involved choosing 'unbreakable loops' of hills to fit the weather conditions throughout the season - big loops with many Munros in good weather, smaller loops in difficult weather or when fatigued. She preferred to do bigger days and then return to the comfort of a bed, rather than relying on bothies or van dossing. Anna found her voice particularly as a role model for women, and had many positive interactions and generous offers of support throughout her trip.Struck down by a lurgy in the final stages of the round, she lay ill while frustratingly good weather reigned outside. Recovering quickly she returned to the hills and finished her final Munro on Cairn Gorm, equalling Martin Moran's record of 83 days (rounded up in both instances).Anna's book 'Breaking the Snowline' tells her Winter Munro Round story and can be purchased via her website at: shop.rocksandtrails.com/If you want to buy me a cuppa to help support the podcast, thank you and please do at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/finlaywild⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Beneath Antarctica's icy surface lies a hidden mountain range as tall as the Alps — the mysterious Gamburtsev Mountains. Formed over 500 million years ago, this ancient range has been buried under kilometers of ice, preserved like a time capsule. Discover how scientists uncovered this lost world using radar and seismic data, and what these ancient peaks reveal about Earth's dramatic past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Antarctica is like a giant frozen mystery, hiding incredible secrets under all that ice!

WhoRyan Brown, Director of Golf & Ski at The Mountaintop at Grand Geneva, WisconsinRecorded onJune 17, 2025About the Mountaintop at Grand GenevaClick here for a mountain stats overviewOwned by: Marcus HotelsLocated in: Lake Geneva, WisconsinYear founded: 1968Pass affiliations: NoneClosest neighboring U.S. ski areas: Alpine Valley (:23), Wilmot Mountain (:29), Crystal Ridge (:48), Alpine Hills Adventure Park (1:04)Base elevation: 847 feetSummit elevation: 962 feetVertical drop: 115 feetSkiable acres: 30Average annual snowfall: 34 inchesTrail count: 21 (41% beginner, 41% intermediate, 18% advanced)Lift count: 6 (3 doubles, 1 ropetow, 2 carpets)Why I interviewed himOf America's various mega-regions, the Midwest is the quietest about its history. It lacks the quaint-town Colonialism and Revolutionary pride of the self-satisfied East, the cowboy wildness and adobe earthiness of the West, the defiant resentment of the Lost Glory South. Our seventh-grade Michigan History class stapled together the state's timeline mostly as a series of French explorers passing through on their way to somewhere more interesting. They were followed by a wave of industrial loggers who mowed the primeval forests into pancakes. Then the factories showed up. And so the state's legacy was framed not as one of political or cultural or military primacy, but of brand, the place that stamped out Chevys and Fords by the tens of millions.To understand the Midwest, then, we must look for what's permanent. The land itself won't do. It's mostly soil, mostly flat. Great for farming, bad for vistas. Dirt doesn't speak to the soul like rock, like mountains. What humans built doesn't tell us a much better story. Everything in the Midwest feels too new to conceal ghosts. The largest cities rose late, were destroyed in turn by fires and freeways, eventually recharged with arenas and glass-walled buildings that fail to echo or honor the past. Nothing lasts: the Detroit Pistons built the Palace of Auburn Hills in 1988 and developers demolished it 32 years later; the Detroit Lions (and, for a time, the Pistons) played at the Pontiac Silverdome, a titanic, 82,600-spectator stadium that opened in 1976 and came down in 2013 (37 years old). History seemed to bypass the region, corralling the major wars to the east and shooing the natural disasters to the west and south. Even shipwrecks lose their doubloons-and-antique-cannons romance in the Midwest: the Great Lakes most famous downed vessel, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, sank into Lake Superior in 1975. Her cargo was 26,535 tons of taconite ore pellets. A sad story, but not exactly the sinking of the Titanic.Our Midwest ancestors did leave us one legacy that no one has yet demolished: names. Place names are perhaps the best cultural relics of the various peoples who occupied this land since the glaciers retreated 12,000-ish years ago. Thousands of Midwest cities, towns, and counties carry Native American names. “Michigan” is derived from the Algonquin “Mishigamaw,” meaning “big lake”; “Minnesota” from the Sioux word meaning “cloudy water.” The legacies of French explorers and missionaries live on in “Detroit” (French for “strait”), “Marquette” (17th century French missionary Jacques Marquette), and “Eau Claire” (“clear water”).But one global immigration funnel dominated what became the modern Midwest: 50 percent of Wisconsin's population descends from German, Nordic, or Scandinavian countries, who arrived in waves from the Colonial era through the early 1900s. The surnames are everywhere: Schmitz and Meyer and Webber and Schultz and Olson and Hanson. But these Old-Worlders came a bit late to name the cities and towns. So they named what they built instead. And they built a lot of ski areas. Ten of Wisconsin's 34 ski areas carry names evocative of Europe's cold regions, Scandinavia and the Alps:I wonder what it must have been like, in 18-something-or-other, to leave a place where the Alps stood high on the horizon, where your family had lived in the same stone house for centuries, and sail for God knows how many weeks or months across an ocean, and slow roll overland by oxen cart or whatever they moved about in back then, and at the end of this great journey find yourself in… Wisconsin? They would have likely been unprepared for the landscape aesthetic. Tourism is a modern invention. “The elite of ancient Egypt spent their fortunes building pyramids and having their corpses mummified, but none of them thought of going shopping in Babylon or taking a skiing holiday in Phoenicia [partly in present-day Lebanon, which is home to as many as seven ski areas],” Yuval Noah Harari writes in Sapiens his 2015 “brief history of humankind.” Imagine old Friedrich, who had never left Bavaria, reconstituting his world in the hillocks and flats of the Midwest.Nothing against Wisconsin, but fast-forward 200 years, when the robots can give us a side-by-side of the upper Midwest and the European Alps, and it's pretty clear why one is a global tourist destination and the other is known mostly as a place that makes a lot of cheese. And well you can imagine why Friedrich might want to summon a little bit of the old country to the texture of his life in the form of a ski area name. That these two worlds - the glorious Alps and humble Wisconsin skiing - overlap, even in a handful of place names, suggests a yearning for a life abandoned, a natural act of pining by a species that was not built to move their life across timezones.This is not a perfect analysis. Most – perhaps none – of these ski areas was founded by actual immigrants, but by their descendants. The Germanic languages spoken by these immigrant waves did not survive assimilation. But these little cultural tokens did. The aura of ancestral place endured when even language fell away. These little ski areas honor that.And by injecting grandiosity into the everyday, they do something else. In coloring some of the world's most compact ski centers with the aura of some of its most iconic, their founders left us a message: these ski areas, humble as they are, matter. They fuse us to the past and they fuse us to the majesty of the up-high, prove to us that skiing is worth doing anywhere that it can be done, ensure that the ability to move like that and to feel the things that movement makes you feel are not exclusive realms fenced into the clouds, somewhere beyond means and imagination.Which brings us to Grand Geneva, a ski area name that evokes the great Swiss gateway city to the Alps. Too bad reality rarely matches up with the easiest narrative. The resort draws its name from the nearby town of Lake Geneva, which a 19th-century surveyor named not after the Swiss city, but after Geneva, New York, a city (that is apparently named after Geneva, Switzerland), on the shores of Seneca Lake, the largest of the state's 11 finger lakes. Regardless, the lofty name was the fifth choice for a ski area originally called “Indian Knob.” That lasted three years, until the ski area shuttered and re-opened as the venerable Playboy Ski Area in 1968. More regrettable names followed – Americana Resort from 1982 to '93, Hotdog Mountain from 1992 to '94 – before going with the most obvious and least-questionable name, though its official moniker, “The Mountaintop at Grand Geneva” is one of the more awkward names in American skiing.None of which explains the principal question of this sector: why I interviewed Mr. Brown. Well, I skied a bunch of Milwaukee bumps on my drive up to Bohemia from Chicago last year, this was one of them, and I thought it was a cute little place. I also wondered how, with its small-even-for-Wisconsin vertical drop and antique lift collection, the place had endured in a state littered with abandoned ski areas. Consider it another entry into my ongoing investigation into why the ski areas that you would not always expect to make it are often the ones that do.What we talked aboutFighting the backyard effect – “our customer base – they don't really know” that the ski areas are making snow; a Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison bullseye; competing against the Vail-owned mountain to the south and the high-speed-laced ski area to the north; a golf resort with a ski area tacked on; “you don't need a big hill to have a great park”; brutal Midwest winters and the escape of skiing; I attempt to talk about golf again and we're probably done with that for a while; Boyne Resorts as a “top golf destination”; why Grand Geneva moved its terrain park; whether the backside park could re-open; “we've got some major snowmaking in the works”; potential lift upgrades; no bars on the lifts; the ever-tradeoff between terrain parks and beginner terrain; the ski area's history as a Playboy Club and how the ski hill survived into the modern era; how the resort moves skiers to the hill with hundreds of rooms and none of them on the trails; thoughts on Indy Pass; and Lake Geneva lake life.What I got wrongWe recorded this conversation prior to Sunburst's joining Indy Pass, so I didn't mention the resort when discussing Wisconsin ski areas on the product.Podcast NotesOn the worst season in the history of the MidwestI just covered this in the article that accompanied the podcast on Treetops, Michigan, but I'll summarize it this way: the 2023-24 ski season almost broke the Midwest. Fortunately, last winter was better, and this year is off to a banging start.On steep terrain beneath lift AI just thought this was a really unexpected and cool angle for such a little hill. On the Playboy ClubFrom SKI magazine, December 1969:It is always interesting when giants merge. Last winter Playboy magazine (5.5 million readers) and the Playboy Club (19 swinging nightclubs from Hawaii to New York to Jamaica, with 100,000 card-carrying members) in effect joined the sport of skiing, which is also a large, but less formal, structure of 3.5 million lift-ticket-carrying members. The resulting conglomerate was the Lake Geneva Playboy Club-Hotel, Playboy's ski resort on the rolling plains of Wisconsin.The Playboy Club people must have borrowed the idea of their costumed Bunny Waitress from the snow bunny of skiing fame, and since Playboy and skiing both manifestly devote themselves to the pleasures of the body, some sort of merger was inevitable. Out of this union, obviously, issued the Ultimate Ski Bunny – one able to ski as well as sport the scanty Bunny costume to lustrous perfection.That's a bit different from how the resort positions its ski facilities today:Enjoy southern Wisconsin's gem - our skiing and snow resort in the countryside of Lake Geneva, with the best ski hills in Wisconsin. The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa boasts 20 downhill ski runs and terrain designed for all ages, groups and abilities, making us one of the best ski resorts in Wisconsin. Just an hour from Milwaukee and Chicago, our ski resort in Lake Geneva is close enough to home for convenience, but far enough for you and your family to have an adventure. Our ultimate skier's getaway offers snowmaking abilities that allow our ski resort to stay open even when there is no snow falling.The Mountain Top offers ski and snow accommodations, such as trolley transportation available from guest rooms at Grand Geneva and Timber Ridge Lodge, three chairlifts, two carpet lifts, a six-acre terrain park, excellent group rates, food and drinks at Leinenkugel's Mountain Top Lodge and even night skiing. We have more than just skiing! Enjoy Lake Geneva sledding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing too. Truly something for everyone at The Mountain Top ski resort in Lake Geneva. No ski equipment? No problem with the Learn to Ride rentals. Come experience The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva and enjoy the best skiing around Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.On lost Wisconsin and Midwest ski areasThe Midwest Lost Ski Areas Project counts 129 lost ski areas in Wisconsin. I've yet to order these Big Dumb Chart-style, but there are lots of cool links in here that can easily devour your day.The Storm explores the world of North American lift-served skiing year-round. Join us. Get full access to The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast at www.stormskiing.com/subscribe

It's that time of year where a chill in the air can be so cold that it permeates everything, eventually  settling deep in one's bones. Luckily, we have friends, fire, and ghost stories to keep us warm. Alyssa of the The Silver Scream Podcast joins Joe to discuss Kier-La Janisse's hauntingly good adaptation of "The Occupant of the Room", an eerie tale of a man just trying to find a safe place to sleep. Did the crew survive the night or were the spectral happenings in the Alps just too much to overcome? Tune in to find out!

Drop us a message with any questions you may have :)INTROEarly-season legs are back. Gym-fit doesn't mean ski-fit, and Dom and Rob kick things off with a familiar first-week-on-snow reality check. Take it easy, warm up properly, stretch after skiing, and accept that skiing fitness only really comes from skiing. Expect useful advice, unnecessary movie references and the usual White Out chaos.NEWSIn the news, there's good news for anyone driving to the Alps this winter. The EU Entry/Exit System has been delayed again, easing fears of Channel crossing delays at peak times. The Post Office Travel Money Ski Resort Report also lands, with Italy once again dominating the value charts, while Nordic resorts continue to rise as strong, family-friendly alternatives. We also look at a new report revealing where celebrities ski — Aspen, Courchevel, Verbier, St Moritz, Zermatt and Whistler Blackcomb — and why these resorts continue to attract the A-list.WHERE IS BEST TO SKI NOWSnow-wise, the Alps are delivering solid piste skiing despite recent warmth, while attention shifts west. Conditions in British Columbia are shaping up well, reinforcing its reputation as one of the world's great ski regions.GEAR BUYERS GUIDE WITH ELLIS BRIGHAM MOUNTAIN SPORTSGear time, in association with Ellis Brigham, covers standout kit for the season including the Rossignol Arcade W 84, Nordica Unlimited 94, Dalbello Veloce Space boots, Scott's Women's Ultimate GTX jacket and Dolomite's 54 High FG Evo GTX. Dual BOA boots, ZipFit liners, Thermic insoles and slope comms all get a mention as winter shopping ramps up.DESTINATION BCThe Destination Guide is all about British Columbia this week. We're joined by Jamie from Panorama Mountain Resort, who describes the resort in three words: destination, friendly and adventure. Panorama offers big vertical, wide-open terrain and uncrowded skiing high above the Columbia Valley — a proper Powder Highway classic.We then head further along the Powder Highway to Fernie Alpine Resort, joined by Powder Matt. Fernie is renowned for its five alpine bowls, legendary tree skiing and consistent snowfall, paired with one of Canada's best-loved ski towns.If the Powder Highway isn't already on your list, it probably should be.Ski Independence: https://www.ski-i.com Post Office Ski Resort Report: https://www.postoffice.co.uk/skireport2026 Ellis Brigham: https://www.ellis-brigham.com Panorama Mountain Resort: https://www.panoramaresort.com Fernie Alpine Resort: https://www.skifernie.comSupport the showIn the meantime Enjoy the mountains :) And Please do leave a review as it's the only way other like minded travellers get to find us! And don't forget to check us out on the following channels inthesnow.cominstagram.com/inthesnowTikTok@inthesnowmag youtube.com/inthesnowmagfacebook.com/inthesnowTo contact us with your suggestions for further episodes at dom@InTheSnow.com / robert@ski-press.com

Patrick's new book, Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World, launches May 5th, 2026! Check out this audiobook preview chapter on two murders around 5,300 years ago, hear about everything we can learn from Otzi the Iceman in the Alps and Gebelein Man in Egypt, and be sure to preorder the book in your medium of choice through the link here: https://bit.ly/PWLostWorlds.Patrick launched a brand-new history show on December 3rd! It's called Past Lives, and every episode explores the life of a real person who lived in the past. Subscribe now: https://bit.ly/PWPLA And don't forget, you can still Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge. Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Befähigen statt lähmen. Inspirieren statt erstarren. Das Projekt «CultureAlps: connect, share, act» bringt Organisationen aus den Bereichen Kunst, Kultur und Klimaschutz zusammen, um neue Formate zu entwerfen, die planetaren Krisen verständlicher und greifbarer zu machen. In dieser Folge besuchen wir die Gemeinschaftsakademie La Foresta, die inspirierende und auch unkonventionelle Wege geht, um gemeinsam das Leben im italienischen Vallagarinatal sozial- und umweltgerechter zu gestalten. Weitere Informationen zum Projekt: www.cipra.org/de/projekte/culturealps Moderation und Redaktion: Anna Planitzer Musik (cc) Blue dot Sessions - Lumber down Foto: CIPRA International

In Part 1 of my conversation with Henry Druce, we explore the early experiences and career moments that shaped one of the most influential voices in UK snowsports journalism. From discovering skiing on a formative trip to Italy, to working ski seasons in the Alps, to building a career across newspapers, magazines, and some of the most widely read ski publications in the country, Henry shares how passion for the mountains led him into storytelling.We talk about journalism before the digital age, the responsibility that comes with influence, and how trust, independence, and camaraderie became cornerstones of ski media. Follow Henry on IG @Henryskier Check out www.snow-camp.org.ukwww.vip-chalets.com____Show NotesIn Part 1 of my conversation with Henry Druce, we step back to explore the roots of a career that has helped shape the UK snowsports industry for more than two decades.Henry reflects on his earliest skiing memories, discovering the sport through an organised trip to Italy and quickly realising that skiing offered something far beyond just the sport itself — community, camaraderie, and a sense of escape. From ski seasons in Méribel and Megève to working resort jobs and carving fresh tracks long before the lifts were busy, these experiences laid the foundation for a lifelong relationship with the mountains.We trace Henry's path into journalism, from teenage work experience on local newspapers to studying in Bristol, where writing, creativity, and a slightly mischievous sense of humour played an important role in shaping his voice. Henry shares how early opportunities in magazines and newspapers helped him learn the craft properly — rewriting copy, sharpening headlines, and understanding the responsibility that comes with the written word.The conversation also explores the shift from arts and general journalism into outdoor and snowsports media, including Henry's time at specialist magazines and his eventual involvement with major national titles. We discuss how ski journalism once operated in a very different media landscape, and how trust, independence, and credibility were essential when a single review could influence buying decisions across the industry.This episode sets the scene for Part 2, where we dive deeper into ski testing, industry responsibility, and the evolving relationship between media, brands, and skiers.Key Themes in Part 1:Early skiing memories and falling in love with mountain lifeSki seasons, camaraderie, and resort cultureLearning journalism before the digital eraTrust, credibility, and influence in ski mediaHow passion for skiing shaped a career in storytellingSetting the foundations for Henry's role in UK snowsports journalismFollow Henry on IG @Henryskier Check out www.snow-camp.org.ukwww.vip-chalets.com

Hi everyone. I'm Rio Laine, the Director of Strategic Partnerships at ALPS Insurance. Welcome to our latest installment of the Alps In Brief Podcast. I am joined today by our Chief Financial Officer, Sara Smith, and she is also the president of the Montana Society of CPAs.  Her theme for her term as president is connection, which is a value that runs through both her leadership and her life. So at ALPS, Sara helps guide a growing company that's redefining what it means to lead with purpose. And when she's not leading finance teams, she's often on a mountain bike trail somewhere in Montana. So exploring new terrain, both literally and figuratively.  So thank you so much for joining us, Sara.  Sara Smith:  Thanks, Rio. Thanks for having me.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, it's a pleasure. I'm happy we got this chance to sit down and chat about all the exciting things you have going on, and I'm really looking forward to our discussion.  Sara Smith:  Yeah, me too.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  So okay, let's start with your story, the beginning. What first drew you to accounting and being a CPA?  Sara Smith:  That's a great question.  When I was in high school, I took accounting and they taught the class with a packet, right? And it had the balance sheet and income statement and all the journal entries. And it was such a neat and clean process, and I really enjoyed that. But when I went to college, I thought, "I am much too exciting to be an accountant. I have way more things that I would like to do and this seems really boring." So I went the long way. I got my undergraduate in marketing and management and got my MBA, and then discovered accounting and pursued my CPA after that.  Rio Laine:  Oh, awesome. And did you kind of revisit that love of that kind of order and the balance sheet and all the nice orderly parts of it?  Sara Smith:  Yeah. I think the thing ... There's a misconception about accounting that it is very black and white. And in reality, it's really messy and it has a lot of shades of gray, which make it much more challenging than it looks on paper.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Oh, interesting.  So before joining ALPS, you spent a lot of time working for a variety of companies, including Target and Montana Rail Link. So I'm very curious, can you tell us a little bit about that path and what eventually led you to ALPS?  Sara Smith:  Absolutely.  So I was an intern at Target when I went to college here at the University of Montana. It was such a fun internship. I mean, we just basically ran around that store and did whatever we wanted. And I thought, "Oh, well, if this is how the work turns out, then I want to join this team." And there weren't a lot of good job prospects when I graduated from college, so I moved to Colorado with Target and went through their store management training program, which was a lot of hands-on management, which was great. I really enjoyed it.  It wasn't long into that process though that I realized that this was not for me. Retail was not going to be a long-term career. And I utilized their program to pay for graduate school and I went and got into my MBA program.  So I did that for a couple of years, and then 9/11 happened and decided to move back to Montana; and had a friend of a friend that worked at Montana Rail Link and got in the accounting department there. And I didn't love it, to be honest. It was not my favorite place, mainly because of culture.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  And so my advisor suggested that I try ALPS, and I've been there 22 years.  Rio Laine:  Wow. Yeah, it's true. I mean, culture is such an important part of a workplace.  And so in terms of ALPS, I mean, obviously the culture was appealing, but also is there anything else that made you feel like it was the right fit?  Sara Smith:  Yeah. I came in in a strange part of time in ALPS' history. They were on this really kind of creepy second floor and the doors were closed all the time, and it wasn't actually a very welcoming type atmosphere. And so I really found solace in the accounting department. They liked to have fun, they played jokes on each other. There was just a lot of laughing.  Rio Laine:  Mm-hmm.  Sara Smith:  And so that's something that I really, really enjoyed.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Oh, that's awesome.  And I mean, there's still a lot of laughing at ALPS, which is really nice. I mean, now we're on a different floor and it's much more open and nice, so ...  Sara Smith:  Yes.  Rio Laine:  Oh, that's awesome. Well, we're obviously very happy that you're part of the ALPS team.  Sara Smith:  Thanks.  Rio Laine:  And you're a really important part of it. I mean, really, you literally make the numbers work, so ...  All right. So let's shift our focus a little bit and talk about the idea of connection and how that plays into your kind of leadership philosophy. You know, you made connection the central theme of your leadership this year kind of personally, but also at the Montana Society of CPAs. So I'm curious to know what inspired you to make that your theme?  Sara Smith:  So there were three things that actually fed into that. First was just from an organizational perspective, people weren't coming to things in person, right?  Rio Laine:  Oh yeah.  Sara Smith:  They were choosing the online option. And then my guess is they were likely multitasking, right?  Rio Laine:  Yes.  Sara Smith:  And so they're missing that opportunity to connect in person.  And then the second thing is the people that did come, you would go to a table and they'd all be on their phones. Right?  Rio Laine:  Oh yeah.  Sara Smith:  And so that is also very challenging. It's hard to connect when you literally have your nose in your device.  And then earlier this year, I was on a flight, and I had a woman sitting next to me and she started to talk to me. And I just wasn't sure if I was going to take the bait, if I was in that place to have that sort of conversation on a plane, and I ultimately decided, "Yes." And we had such a rich conversation and had a lot of connections about a lot of different things that I didn't anticipate, and I actually went and had coffee with her a few months later after she got back from her travels.  Rio Laine:  Oh, really?  Sara Smith:  And so if I had not said yes to that, I wouldn't have formed that new connection. And so that really has just stuck with me, right? You got to say yes in order to engage.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, absolutely. I love that.  I love that you made a new friend on the plane too-  Sara Smith:  Right?  Rio Laine:  ... Because yeah, you never know sometimes.  Sara Smith:  Yeah.  Rio Laine:  I travel a lot and you're like, "Am I going to have this conversation?"  Sara Smith:  Yeah. Right. Exactly.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, yeah. I'm happy you did. That's pretty amazing.  So it sounds like kind of your approach to connection is the idea that it not necessarily comes from doing more, but from being present and kind of saying yes to that. So I mean, what does that mean for you in practice as a leader, but as a person? I mean, aside from saying yes to airplane conversations. Yeah.  Sara Smith:  Yes.  I think that one of the most important things is just not being distracted. And whether that means you put your phone away, you turn it off, you put it someplace where you can't access it, I think that's step number one.  Rio Laine:  Hmm.  Sara Smith:  And then you really intently listen with your whole person and try to understand what that person is really saying to you. I think those are the two things that I really try to take into practice. And it can be hard some days.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. So unplugging and active listening.  Sara Smith:  Yes.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Both of which, yes, are definitely difficult, especially we live in a time when we're so tied to our devices and we're just expected to be available every second of every day, and yeah, that's a difficult thing to accomplish. So it's ... Yeah, kudos for making that a priority.  Sara Smith:  Right?  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  So in your role as kind of CFO for ALPS, how does that idea of connection show up in how you lead and make decisions?  Sara Smith:  Right. So I think one of the pieces of my job that is really important is building trust, right? You have to trust the numbers, you have to trust what the data that we're looking at is saying, and just the overall data set that you're looking at. And in order to get comfortable with the numbers, you have to be comfortable with the person, right? And you have to have that trust.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  So I think building and establishing strong relationships with the people that I work with is the number one way to build that trust and connection.  Rio Laine:  Mm-hmm. Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, that is a really, really good point. If you don't trust the person, you're not so sure about those numbers.  Sara Smith:  Right?  Rio Laine:  Yeah. And when you're growing, the numbers are really important, so ...  Sara Smith:  Mm-hmm.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Oh, that's pretty awesome. I love how that kind of plays such an important role in your life, but also your leadership. Yeah, that's pretty great.  So let's kind of shift again. I want to transition a little bit and talk about growth and how connection kind of plays into that as well.  So ALPS has been growing pretty rapidly over the last few years, and growth can sometimes make it really hard to stay connected, particularly as we have more remote staff like myself and things move faster and change quickly. But it sounds like obviously for you connection is part of that formula for sustainable growth. And so in terms of kind of ALPs, what does sustainable growth mean to you, like financially and culturally?  Sara Smith:  Well, I think at the core of our business is we have to be financially stable and sound in order to pay claims and make sure that our insureds are in a safe place, right?  Rio Laine:  Mm-hmm.  Sara Smith:  And so I think that is at the foremost thought all the time is, are we financially stable, are we growing responsibly to help grow that base, and are we in it in the long term, right? I'm a big believer in long-term thinking, not short-term gains.  Rio Laine:  Yes.  Sara Smith:  And so in order to be sustainable, you have to think more long-term.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. And I love that. I mean, I've come from companies that have been in kind of hyper growth, they've grown very, very quickly, and it does tend to be quite shortsighted and really come at the cost of the people who are doing the work.  Sara Smith:  Correct.  Rio Laine:  And it makes me really happy to hear that we're thinking about it in terms of, is this sustainable for the long term? Because I think that's when you really find success, in that balance between financial success, building revenue, but also people success and culturally and having a strong company.  Sara Smith:  Absolutely.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  So how do you and kind of the larger leadership team at ALPS keep that sense of connection alive as the company grows?  Sara Smith:  Yes. So I think the senior leadership team, we've been through some ups and downs, and so we have a really good, solid understanding of who we are and how we interact. We have a dedicated Teams channel that we joke and talk on, and that helps form that sense of connection, especially when people are traveling so much. It's hard, right? We're not always in the office together at the same time.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  So that's great. And I think that also transcends down as well, right? Having just connection with your teams and building those cross-functional relationships is really important.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And it's definitely difficult when everyone's on the go all the time and trying to stay connected to that central hub.  What's one kind of practice or habit that you think ALPS has embraced that's kind of maintaining that strong connected culture?  Sara Smith:  Yeah. I think there's probably different things in different departments that help kind of foster their own identity and culture, but overall holistically, I think that ALPS does a Coffee Talk every two weeks and that helps bring all the information together. We get to understand our employees a little bit better. We have an Employee Spotlight, we get to learn more about each other. And I think that only helps build that kind of connection.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I'm a big fan of the Coffee Talk too, especially when we do the Employee Spotlight, getting to see everyone's pictures of their pets and their family and the fun stuff they do.  Sara Smith:  Right?  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I think that's a really good thing that we do. Yeah.  So as a finance leader, how do you see connection influencing business outcomes, whether is it through collaboration, innovation, decision making?  Sara Smith:  I think it's everything.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  I think the one misconception about finance is that we don't know what's going on in the business, but we know everything that's going on in the business. We have to. We have to understand the drivers and the levers that are bringing the numbers into focus and telling a story. So I think that collaboration between departments to get the story behind the numbers is really, really important. And so I think that's where we really serve our purpose, is storytelling among the different groups.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. And I find that misconception so interesting, because I mean ... I don't know, I'm a big true crime aficionado, but if you want to understand what happened, you look at the numbers, you look at the money.  Sara Smith:  That's correct.  Rio Laine:  What are they spending the money on?  Sara Smith:  Right.  Rio Laine:  That's how you know what's going on. So yeah, I would think that you'd know all the things that are going on.  Sara Smith:  That's right. You got to follow the pennies.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Yeah, exactly.  Awesome. So okay, let's kind of shift our focus and talk a little bit more about your personal life and how you spend your free time.  Sara Smith:  Hmm.  Rio Laine:  So you've mentioned that you love to get out in nature and you love to hop on your mountain bike and sometimes be completely off grid. So how does that help you kind of reconnect with what's important? Like how does that help you connect with, I guess, the things that are important in your life?  Sara Smith:  Right, right.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  Well, so part of the mountain biking pieces that I've done is bike packing, right? Where you go in the woods and the only thing you have to do that day is ride your bike. You have to get from point A to point B without crashing, keeping yourself hydrated and fed, and not have any animal encounters. But that's all you have to do, right? That is your job for the day. And that really puts things into focus and simplifies your outcome.  And so that, I have really appreciated because it really ... I mean, you could die out there, right? So you get hyper focused on what you need to do today and nothing else really matters at that point.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. And I guess that's a really good time to kind of put down your phone and to be focused, and to practice that kind of active paying attention and being aware of where you are in your surroundings.  Do you feel like that experience kind of teaches you anything in terms of leadership or how you approach it?  Sara Smith:  Oh, absolutely. I feel like there are lessons to be learned every time you do something like that.  As an example, this one trip I did this summer, we found ourselves lost.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  And not really lost, but we had three different mapping devices. We had already gone 20 miles, we had to go 20 more, and what the trail was telling us, it just didn't sit right. It didn't seem right, right? And so one of the big decisions was what to do. "What do we do?" Right? "There's no one we can ask. We have no cell service. We are out in the woods."  And I think trying to make a decision collectively, and when that can't be done, just making a decision and sticking to it and doing it. Because inaction is also a decision and one that doesn't generally work out very well.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And especially if you're in the middle of the woods.  Sara Smith:  Yes. Exactly.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  So it sounds like kind of mountain biking teaches a lot about obstacles and trusting your instincts and maybe builds confidence?  Sara Smith:  Absolutely.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  Absolutely.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  What was it that first drew you to mountain biking? Like how did you first decide, "I'm going to get on a bike and do this?"  Sara Smith:  Well, I grew up in rural Montana and I didn't have any friends that lived anywhere near me, and so the only way to get anywhere was to get on a bike. I had to ride three miles to see my closest friend.  And then as I got older, my brother and I shared a car, which also was not awesome, and so I could either ride the bus, which was not very cool when you were 16 years old, or I could ride my bike to school. And so I just started riding my bike and I haven't looked back.  Rio Laine:  Nice. Oh, that's awesome. That's awesome.  Whereabouts have you gone mountain biking? Is there one place that really stands out to you that was your favorite?  Sara Smith:  Oh boy. They're all so different.  There's a trail in Beartooth called the Line Creek Plateau, and you start riding at 10,000 feet and there's no trees.  Rio Laine:  Oh, wow.  Sara Smith:  And so it feels like you're riding on the moon. It's like all tundra.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  The first time we did it, there wasn't much of a trail, and so the wisdom was, "Stay right. You'll know the end when you get there."  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  And so it felt very kind of mystical in this journey.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  And then it drops to about 3000 feet in very short miles.  Rio Laine:  Oh, wow. Wow.  Sara Smith:  So it's a great ride. It's one of my favorites.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Oh, that's awesome.  I love that kind of idea of like the mystical journey. It kind of sounds like your leadership journey too, right?  Sara Smith:  Right.  Rio Laine:  Like just moving through the world, like, "This is mystical, crazy times." Yeah.  Sara Smith:  Exactly.  Rio Laine:  So speaking of kind of like the leadership journey and lessons in leadership and life, you've held many leadership roles in that span; finance, kind of strategy. So I want to kind of talk a little bit about what you've learned along the way and really what you see for the profession ahead, I mean in terms of CPAs.  So I think my first question would be, how has your view of leadership evolved over time?  Sara Smith:  Yeah, boy. I think that ... That's a great question. And I think about how much you learn from people that you work for and other leaders. And so you take some of that in yourself about either what to do or what not to do.  Rio Laine:  Yes.  Sara Smith:  So that's been a big journey.  And I think as a young person, I thought, "Oh, you eventually figure it all out, right? You got it." And as you get older, you realize you never will have it ever and that the pursuit is constant.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  You're continually growing and evolving as you go along.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, which is kind of a beautiful thing about life. I mean, it'd be kind of boring if you got to a point and you're like, "I have this all figured out. I don't have to think anymore."  Sara Smith:  It's probably just so much easier, but ...  Rio Laine:  Yeah, but it's-  Sara Smith:  [inaudible 00:18:00].  Rio Laine:  Yeah, but it's kind of fun that you don't. Yeah.  So kind of along that lines then, what advice would you give to leaders, especially maybe in a data driven or finance role?  Sara Smith:  Yeah. I think that when you look back at your life and you think about all the things that you've learned, most of that learning has come from making a mistake. And so giving yourself some grace when you do make a mistake. Just don't make the same mistake again, but really be willing to take a look at yourself, why you did it, and then how do you evolve to make it so it doesn't happen again?  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Yeah, that kind of personal accountability is really important.  Sara Smith:  Yes.  Rio Laine:  I think it's also something that's very difficult for a lot of people too. It can be a humbling experience to learn that you're not perfect and that you have to improve some stuff. Yeah.  Sara Smith:  Yes.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, that's really good advice. Yeah.  As the president of the Montana Society of CPAs, what do you hope to accomplish under your term this year, kind of in terms of connection?  Sara Smith:  Yeah. It's so hard because when you start this ... My presidency is only a year, and so you wonder how much you can actually get done. But then I also go back to my experience on the airplane and how just one small interaction can make a big difference.  Rio Laine:  Hmm.  Sara Smith:  And so I think that my challenge to our group is, "What kind of connection can you make? Can you make one connection this year that's new or different? How do you engage?" And my hope is by next year at our annual meeting, we have more people there, and more people talking to each other and I see less phones out.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. That's a good goal. It's a good goal to have.  And I know they say ... Well, a lot of professions are evolving quickly, but the accounting profession is definitely one.  Sara Smith:  Mm-hmm.  Rio Laine:  You know, technology, automation, new expectations. How do you think connection can help the profession stay resilient and human?  Sara Smith:  Yeah. Well, I think the one thing is, I was just at a conference with a bunch of other CFOs and there is a lot of hesitancy to allow an AI bot to tell us what the numbers look like, right?  Rio Laine:  Hmm. Mm-hmm.  Sara Smith:  And it's that fundamental question about trust again.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  How do you get trust from something that's not alive and real, and how do you trust that number? And that's going to take some time, and you're going to have to have not accuracy of 60%, but accuracy of 100%. And we're just not there yet, but we're going to get there eventually. And so I think it's still continuing to build that trust one day and one person at a time.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Yeah. Agreed. And also, I mean, AI can't even figure out how many fingers a human has. So I feel like it probably shouldn't be trusted to run the numbers just yet.  Sara Smith:  Not yet.  Rio Laine:  It'll get there, but yeah, not quite yet.  Sara Smith:  Yeah. Not yet.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  So what is one piece of advice that you would give your younger self starting out as a CPA? What would that be?  Sara Smith:  Yeah. I think, again, I would come back to just being open to learning constantly and then not being so hard on yourself when you do mess up, right? I think early in my career, I took things really personally, and that's not ever going to work out well.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  You have to forgive yourself once in a while when you screw up and just give yourself some grace.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Yeah, I think that's really good advice. We could all use a little more grace from ourselves. You're your own worst critic, they say, so ...  Sara Smith:  Absolutely.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  All right. So we've got just a couple more minutes. I'm going to wrap it up with one more question kind of tying into your theme of connection for this year. So how do you plan to make space for more connection in your own life this year?  Sara Smith:  Yes. You know, it would not be great if I set that theme and then I didn't do anything myself.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  So a couple of things that I've been working on is just when I am going to conferences or meeting new people is being the one that says hello first.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Sara Smith:  Right? Which is hard for me.  Rio Laine:  It's hard.  Sara Smith:  I'm not a super extroverted person. And so taking that first step is one that's hard, but really important that I do it.  I've been reaching out to old friends that I haven't talked to for a long time, and that's been really fun to reconnect with them; and just having really good, deep conversations about hard things, I think is really important.  Rio Laine:  No, that's fantastic. And it is really hard to be the first person to say hello. For myself, I have a very public facing job and, yeah, it is difficult. You're just like, "Oh."  But it's nice to remember that everybody is probably feeling that way-  Sara Smith:  Exactly. It's so true.  Rio Laine:  ... And they're so thankful that somebody did it.  Sara Smith:  Yes.  Rio Laine:  So it's good work to be doing.  Sara Smith:  Yes.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  Awesome. Well, Sara, thank you so much for sharing your time and your insights. I'm really, really happy that we got to sit down and have this conversation, and it's really impressive how you've shown that connection isn't just a personal goal, it can be a leadership philosophy and a business advantage really. So yeah, I mean, I think from the trails of Montana to the boardroom, your message definitely reminds us that slowing down and being present often leads to the strongest momentum.  So yeah, thank you so much for joining me today.  Sara Smith:  Thank you, Rio. I enjoyed our conversation.  Rio Laine:  Yeah.  All right. And that's a wrap, folks. Thank you so much for joining us on this installment of the ALPs In Brief Podcast. We will see you again for the next round. 

DAMION1In our 'Oracles are fine but emperors and popes are icky' headline of the week. Charlie Munger Warned That BlackRock Holds Too Much Power And Didn't Want Larry Fink Becoming An 'Emperor'“We have a new bunch of emperors, and they're the people who vote the shares in the index funds. Maybe we can make Larry Fink and the people at Vanguard Pope.”In our 'What we do is totally ok but what they do is totally icky' headline of the week. Schwab CEO Rick Wurster Draws a ‘Bright Line' Between Investing and Gambling In our 'Bob Iger Says "Water skiing is the new productivity"' headline of the week. Europe's Alps on track to lose 97 percent of glaciers by century's end"Creativity is the new productivity": Iger used this phrase during interviews to reframe how AI is reshaping work and entertainment, suggesting that while AI handles efficiency, human creativity becomes the primary value driver.In our 'You're going to love Will. He's really good at kickball.' headline of the week. Union Pacific Appoints Will to Board of DirectorsUnion Pacific appoints CF Industries CEO Tony Will to board of directorsIn our 'First they were better at ice cream and now they are better at board independence? Show-offs' headline of the week. Ben & Jerry's Plans to Set Board-Term Limit, Removing Three DirectorsMATT1In our 'Milestones include dinner with tech bros, phone calls with tech bros, giving gold plated fake awards to tech bros, hiring other tech bros' lawyers, and bricking your old phone' headline of the week. Tim Cook's $74.6M 2024 Pay Ranks 7th Among US CEOs Amid Apple MilestoneIn our 'To put that into context, Tim Cook is JUST shy of 30 PBS's' headline of the week. Arkansas becomes first state to cut ties with PBS, saying $2.5 million membership dues ‘not feasible'In our 'Also, climate change will make your backyard irrelevant.' headline of the week. Sorry, six-figure earners: Elon Musk says that money will ‘disappear' in the future as AI makes work (and salaries) irrelevantIn our 'Also fading: cakes on birthdays, barbecues on July 4th, giving thanks on Thanksgiving, and water in water coolers.' headline of the week. The taboo against holiday layoffs is fading.In our 'When 2034 is just too soon.' headline of the week. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary plans to step down by 2035DAMION2In our 'Ryanair board is officially told it doesn't matter' headline of the week. Michael O'Leary to Step Down from Ryanair Leadership by 2035In our 'Hey Ma, Fortune ripped off those dumb dudes at Free Float! Tell Dad!' headline of the week. Apple CEO Tim Cook out-earns the average American's salary in just 7 hours—to put that into context, he could buy a new $439,000 home in just 2 daysIn our 'McDonald's median employee delivers blunt reaction to career advice from McDonald's CEO that may 'hurt his feelings' in new Instagram video: "Fuck you and your 1,014:1 pay ratio."' headline of the week. McDonald's CEO delivers blunt career advice that may 'hurt your feelings' in new Instagram videoMcDonald's median employee for 2024 had total compensation of $17,492.In 2021, Kempczinski addressed the shootings of 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams and 13-year-old Adam Toledo to Lightfoot, who had visited McDonald's headquarters earlier that day. Kempczinski wrote: “p.s. tragic shootings in last week, both at our restaurant yesterday and with Adam Toldeo [sic]. With both, the parents failed those kids which I know is something you can't say. Even harder to fix.”In our 'Actor becomes more powerful voice than entire ESG industry' headline of the week. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt wonders why AI companies don't have to ‘follow any laws'In our 'Freddy Fiffle and Billy Boffle named as interim CEOs while Donny Duffle has been named independent lead director' headline of the week. Barry Biffle Steps Down as Frontier Airlines CEOMATT2In our 'Remember, no one cares as much about you as you. In fact, I don't care at all about you or your career. I'll take it a step further: I hate you, you're basically the worst. This might hurt your feelings, but your mother hates you, too. You might as well be Hitler. But this is just tough love if you want your career to flourish as a cashier at McDonald's. Also, you're fired.' headline of the week. McDonald's CEO delivers blunt career advice that may 'hurt your feelings' in new Instagram video"The advice I would give is: remember, nobody cares about your career as much as you do," Kempczinski said. "So this idea that there's somebody out there who's looking out for you, who's going to make sure that you get that opportunity, who puts you in the right thing — great if it happens — but at the end of the day, nobody cares more about your career than you do."In our 'Man who said “You should fire the assholes,” “I have a lot of friends who are Democrats, and they're idiots,” and "I'm not mad at you. You can be mad at me. It's a free country, you can walk with your feet." says emotional intelligence and communication are keys in AI future' headline of the week. Jamie Dimon says soft skills like emotional intelligence and communication are vital as AI eliminates rolesIn our 'Is AI an immigrant? Does that count?' headline of the week. Rich, western countries face a stark choice: 6-day workweeks or more immigration, top economist warnsIn our 'Most people aren't fretting about an AI bubble. What they fear is mass layoffs' headline of the week. ‘A very hostile climate for workers': US labor movement struggles under TrumpIn our 'Trump issues executive order 323: the Banning of Woke Sea Grasses' headline of the week. A secret weapon for fighting climate change comes surging backCapturing carbon 35 times faster than the Amazon, seagrasses have faced centuries of decline. Now restoration projects across North America are seeing their meadows quadruple in size.

We discuss whether Europe can shirk its rather submissive reaction to Trump’s second administration. Then: we hop on a new train to the Alps and pick out design gifts for the holidays.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The year winds down, but our maps are just getting interesting. After a warm reset in Florida, a birthday pilgrimage to Iceland, canyon time in West Texas, an Austin do-over, and a passport-stacking cruise, we took a hard look at what actually made 2025 travel feel good—and what didn't. The frenzy cooled, flight deals quietly returned, and a new mindset emerged: go with intention, spend smarter, and skip the crush.From that lens we reveal seven destinations we're excited about for 2026, all chosen with solo women in mind: Albania's affordable Riviera and rugged Alps, Taiwan's festival-rich culture and flawless transit, Uzbekistan's Silk Road splendor stitched together by high-speed rail, Poland's overlooked mix of medieval squares and Baltic breezes, Slovenia's lakes-and-Alps perfection anchored by walkable Ljubljana, South Korea's Seoul where palaces meet neon and late-night eats, and Mongolia's vast steppe, monasteries, and wild horses that reward guided exploration. Each pick balances safety, value, and texture, offering big experiences without elbowing through the usual lines.We also share why revenge travel finally ran out of steam, how to spot mistake fares without chasing noise, and when shoulder seasons stretch budgets while keeping the magic. If you're ready to trade overdone itineraries for places that still surprise, this guide is your green light. Listen to map your next move, then tell us where you're headed. Subscribe, share with a friend who travels solo, and leave a review with the destination you want us to tackle next.Support the showhttps://www.cherylbeckesch.com hello@cherylbeckesch.com Instagram @solotraveladventures50

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports on a tragedy in the Slovenia section of the Alps.

When most people think of Christmas, they picture cozy lights, warm cocoa, and jolly Saint Nick. But in parts of France and Belgium, children grew up with a much darker figure stalking the snowy streets: Père Fouettard, the “French Krampus” — Saint Nicholas' brutal Christmas punisher. In this chilling episode of Terrifying & True, we unwrap one of Europe's scariest Christmas legends, where miracle stories, war, and fear-based parenting all twist together in the shadows of the holiday season.We travel from the glowing Saint Nicholas Day festival in Nancy, where modern light shows retell the butcher's crime, back to the Middle Ages, when tales of three boys butchered, salted, and resurrected turned Saint Nicholas into a protector—and doomed their killer to walk forever by his side with a whip and a sack for bad children. Then we follow the story into the 1500s and the Siege of Metz, where a grotesque, whip-wielding effigy of Emperor Charles V helped transform a political insult into a permanent Christmas bogeyman.As the legend spreads, Père Fouettard becomes the nightmare shadow of Saint Nicholas Day: chains clanking on cobblestones, a hooded figure in filthy black, a bundle of switches in one hand and an empty sack in the other, ready to terrorize misbehaving kids while the saint hands sweets to the good. Along the way, we meet his terrifying cousins across Europe: Krampus in the Alps, Hans Trapp in Alsace, Knecht Ruprecht and Belsnickel in Germany, Schmutzli in Switzerland, and Zwarte Piet in the Low Countries—a whole dark Christmas folklore universe built on the promise of gifts… and the threat of pain.Inside this episode:The butcher of Nancy – How a medieval story of murdered schoolboys, salted flesh, and a miraculous resurrection birthed one of the most disturbing Christmas horror tales in Europe.Saint Nicholas and his punisher – Why the beloved gift-giver needed a Christmas enforcer, and how Père Fouettard became the terrifying counterpart to holiday joy and presents.From siege to street parade – How a mocking effigy during the Siege of Metz slowly evolved into the ragged, terrifying figure marching beside Saint Nicholas in winter festivals today.Krampus and the other Christmas monsters – The wider world of scary Christmas creatures, from horned demons to scarecrow cannibals haunting the Advent season.Fear as a Christmas tradition – How generations of parents used whips, sacks, and coal as holiday pressure to keep kids “good” before Christmas morning—and why that idea is finally being questioned.Folklore in a changing world – The modern controversies over blackface portrayals, Zwarte Piet, and racist imagery, and how some communities are trying to keep the tradition while shedding its ugliest parts.If you love Christmas horror, spooky folklore, dark European legends, and the idea that not every Christmas story ends with cozy cheer, this episode drags you straight into the shadow side of the holidays—where Saint Nicholas brings the gifts… and Père Fouettard brings the whip.

Episode 217 of The Adventure Podcast features photographer, IFMGA guide, writer and artist, Ben Tibbetts. In this episode, Matt sits down with Ben to explore a life shaped by isolation, long-term creative projects, and a deep need for structure in the wild. The conversation begins with Ben's 18 months living and working in Antarctica, which quietly rewired how he thinks about solitude, landscape, and meaning. That experience sparked an enduring obsession with small huts in remote places, and ultimately led to years-long projects photographing bivouac huts and high mountain environments across the Alps. Ben also explains why he needs projects, the discipline behind producing large-format books, the thousands of hours of unseen work, and why these projects make little financial sense but enormous personal sense.They touch on modern creativity, the 'junk food' nature of clickbait content, changing industry, and the quiet rebellion of stepping away to make work that lasts. Depth over noise. A meaningful life one long project at a time.For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.Chapter Breakdown00:00 - 01:30: Ben reflects on spending 18 months in Antarctica, the psychological effects of extreme isolation, and how that experience planted the seed for his fascination with tiny huts in wild places.01:30 - 09:00: Back to his beginnings - exploring whether creativity or mountains came first, and how a fine art background shaped his photographic eye.09:00 - 26:30: A deep dive into Ben's approach to photography, mastery of light and colour, and how understanding his artistic roots reframes his mountain work.26:30 - 34:00: Why huts are not destinations but “scaffolding for journeys.”34:00 - 40:30: Ben opens up about using long-term projects to maintain mental health, purpose, and motivation - and why structure is essential for him to function creatively.40:30 - 45:30: They discuss why Ben prioritises books over guiding or brand work, despite the financial reality.45:30 - 52:30: A candid conversation about social media addiction and clickbait culture.52:30 - 59:30: They explore the challenges facing photographers and filmmakers today.59:30 - 01:06:30: A broader reflection on reinvention, relevance, and why diversification is now essential for survival in creative careers.01:06:30 - 01:12:00: The episode closes with reflections on passion, privilege, persistence, and why doing work for the right reasons, even selfish ones, often leads somewhere meaningful.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Escaping Tokyo: Rediscovering Tranquility in the Japan Alps Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-12-15-23-34-02-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 冬の日本アルプスの道路は雪に覆われ、静かで美しい景色が広がっています。En: The roads of the Nihon Arupusu, or Japan Alps, in winter are covered with snow, creating a quiet and beautiful landscape.Ja: この風景の中に、車がゆっくりと進んでいます。En: Amidst this scenery, a car is moving forward slowly.Ja: 車の中には三人の友達がいます。彼らはリナ、タクミ、そしてハルトです。En: Inside the car are three friends: Rina, Takumi, and Haruto.Ja: リナは東京の忙しい生活からしばしの休息を求めていました。En: Rina was seeking a brief escape from the busy life in Tokyo.Ja: 彼女は最近仕事を変えたばかりで、心の中にたくさんの不安がありました。En: She had recently changed jobs and had many anxieties in her heart.Ja: そんなリナは、新年を迎える前に心をリフレッシュしたいと思っていました。「雪の温泉に行こう」と、リナは友達に提案しました。「そこで新しい気持ちになれるかも」En: Wanting to refresh her mind before the new year, Rina suggested to her friends, "Let's go to a snowy hot spring. Maybe we'll find a new feeling there."Ja: 彼女は地図と友達からの手書きの指示を持っていました。En: She had a map and handwritten directions from friends.Ja: でも、アルプスの山中、GPSの信号は届かず、道を見つけるのは簡単ではありませんでした。En: However, in the mountains of the Alps, GPS signals couldn't reach, and finding the way was not easy.Ja: 「この道で合っているのかな？」タクミは心配そうに言いました。「戻るべきかな？」En: "Is this the right road?" Takumi asked worriedly. "Should we turn back?"Ja: 「うーん、進んでみようよ」とリナは答えました。「冒険の始まりだよ！」En: "Hmm, let's keep going," Rina replied. "This is the beginning of an adventure!"Ja: 彼らは進むことに決めました。En: They decided to continue.Ja: 古い地図を頼りに車を走らせると、空から雪が舞い始めました。En: Driving with the aid of an old map, snow began to fall from the sky.Ja: 少しずつ強くなる雪は、すぐに激しい雪嵐に変わりました。En: The gradually strengthening snow quickly turned into a fierce snowstorm.Ja: 「リナ、これ大丈夫？」ハルトは心配そうに聞きました。En: "Rina, is this okay?" Haruto asked with concern.Ja: リナはハンドルを握りしめ、心を決めました。「大丈夫、行けるよ。ここを切り抜ければ、温泉が待っている」En: Clutching the steering wheel, Rina made up her mind. "It's fine, we can make it. The hot spring is waiting beyond this."Ja: 雪嵐の中、視界はまったくなくなり、道はますます険しくなりました。En: In the snowstorm, visibility disappeared completely, and the road became progressively more treacherous.Ja: リナの心臓はドキドキしましたが、彼女は勇気を出しました。En: Rina's heart pounded, but she mustered her courage.Ja: 車はゆっくりと、しかし確実に進みました。En: The car moved slowly but surely.Ja: やがて、雪嵐が少しずつ静まると、彼らは不思議な感覚に包まれました。En: Eventually, as the snowstorm gradually calmed, they were enveloped by a mysterious sensation.Ja: 目の前には静かで雪に囲まれた温泉が現れたのです。En: Before their eyes appeared a quiet hot spring surrounded by snow.Ja: 彼らは車を降りて、ゆっくりと温泉に近づいていきました。En: They got out of the car and slowly approached the hot spring.Ja: 「見つけたよ！」リナは嬉しそうに叫びました。En: "We found it!" Rina shouted happily.Ja: 彼らは温泉に体を沈め、雪の降る空を眺めました。En: They immersed their bodies in the hot spring and watched the snow fall from the sky.Ja: 静かな冬の夜、彼らは新しい年を迎えることを祝ったのです。En: On that quiet winter's night, they celebrated welcoming the new year.Ja: 「ここにきてよかった」とリナは心の中でつぶやきました。En: "I'm glad we came here," Rina whispered to herself.Ja: 「勇気をもって進むことが、こんなにも素晴らしいことをもたらすんだ」En: "Having the courage to move forward brings something so wonderful."Ja: 温泉に浸かりながら、リナは自分の選択が間違っていなかったことを知りました。En: While soaking in the hot spring, Rina realized that her choice was not wrong.Ja: 新しい年に向けて、彼女は新たな希望と力を感じていました。En: For the new year, she felt a renewed sense of hope and strength. Vocabulary Words:landscape: 景色amidst: 中にscenery: 風景anxieties: 不安refresh: リフレッシュdirections: 指示adventure: 冒険fierce: 激しいvisibility: 視界treacherous: 険しいmustered: 出しましたenveloped: 包まれmysterious: 不思議なimmersed: 沈めcelebrated: 祝ったcourage: 勇気renewed: 新たなstrength: 力covered: 覆われseeking: 求めてsuggested: 提案しましたgradually: 少しずつcalmed: 静まるとapproached: 近づいてshouted: 叫びましたpounded: ドキドキclutching: 握りしめtremendous: 素晴らしいwhispered: つぶやきましたprogressively: ますます

“…and today we're talking about a high fly star that's not Taylor or D'andre… But more on that later. High above the Alps, where even eagles take snack breaks, there's a bird that laughs in the face of gravity, sleep schedules, and layovers. It's a feathered jet stream, a sky-soaring insomniac that treats “touching grass” […]

In this episode we bring you an interview with Doug Mayer -writer, ultra runner, and founder of Run the Alps. Hear Doug’s thoughts on cultivating an endurance mindset, new trends in trail running, and what it's like to run in the Italian Dolomites. Plus, Trevor shares key takeaways from his journey to North America’s largest trade show for runners. Links Mentioned in This Episode 2026 Running Retreat in the Italian Dolomites with Run the Alps. See this page for details. The tour starts on June 16th 2026. (8-nights, 9-days). Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA running Coach. UCAN -get the Trial Sample Pack for free with our link, just pay shipping! Altra Running -Altra shoes are designed to fit the natural shape of feet with room for your toes, for comfort, balance, and strength. So you focus on what really matters:  Getting out there. IQBAR brain and body-boosting bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Their Ultimate Sampler Pack includes all three! Get 20% off plus FREE shipping. Just text “MTA” to 64000. Drury Hotels -Get 10% off your stay with our link! Doug Mayer grew up skiing in New Hampshire's White Mountains and in a past life he worked as a Producer for the NPR show Car Talk. Today he is the owner of Run the Alps and writes for a number of trail running media outlets, including Outside, Trail Runner, and Ultrasignup. His latest book is ‘The Last of the Giants’, a graphic novel about running Italy's 330-km long Tor des Géants trail race. He also wrote ‘The Race that Changed Running: The Inside Story of UTMB‘.  He lives in Chamonix, France, with his partner and dog Izzy.

This year is our 5th annual Holiday Movie Bingo Marathon. For this mission, our Agents watch three Christmas movies, including An Alpine Holiday, Merry Christmas Ted Cooper!, and A Keller Christmas Vacation. We unintentionally chose the theme of siblings, but there are still miscommunications, almost smooches, and European settings. And we learn that just about anyone can climb mountains in the Alps if you carry your yoga mat. Grab your Bingo Cards and get ready to play with us. Annette Wierstra with Erika Ensign, Steven Schapansky, Kirsten Goruk and Sandra Wong.

In this episode, we find out more about Livigno, the host resort for the freestyle events for the 2026 Winter Olympics, plus we make our recommendations for the best ski gloves and ski socks for this winter.  We also have snow reports from across the Alps plus the early results from our 2025 Listener Survey. Iain was joined in the studio by Betony Garner and Al Morgan.  ---------  Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we're are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl' – that you'll find there. --------- SHOW NOTES Betony was last on the show in Episode 256 discussing ski touring in Tromso (1:00) Listen to our episodes on the Best Skis, Ski Boots, Helmets and Goggles for this winter (2:00) Dave Burrows from Snowpros Ski School reported from Pila, Italy (5:15) Alex Armand from Tip Top Snow Coaching is in Les 2 Alpes, France (6:20) James and Sinead Hanson from Sauzeonline are in the Via Lattea / Milky Way ski region in Italy (6:50) Complete our 2025 Listener Survey and you could win £400 of prizes (8:00) ‘The Secret Ski Seasonaire' is a good stocking filler for anyone who worked in Chamonix, Tignes or Alpe d'Huez in the 2000s (9:00) Mia Brookes took first place in the Snowboard Big Air in China (9:15) Txema Mazet-Brown was 7th in the men's Snowboard Big Air - a career best (9:30) Betony will be working for Team GB in Livigno during the Winter Olympics (10:15) Find out more about which events are taking place in which resort (11:45) Find out about Livigno (14:00) Aquagrande leisure centre in Livigno (14:45) Team GB best chance of medals (16:15) Listen to Iain's interview with Vicky Gosling (18:00) What to look for when buying ski gloves (19:00) For more technical info, listen to our 2024 episode on gloves (22:15) Glove v. mitten v. lobster claw (22:30) THE BEST SKI GLOVES | WINTER 2026 Kombi Tactical Gore-Tex Leather Glove, £180 (23:45) Level Iris Glove, £110 (26:00) Dare2b Indicator Index Waterproof Gloves (3-Finger), £70 (but currently on sale at £35) (27:30) THE BEST SKI SOCKS | WINTER 2026 Sidas Ski Protect V2, £40 (29:30) Darn Tough Edge Over-the-Calf Midweight, £37 (31:30) Stance Jimmy Chin Ultralight Ski Socks, £27 (33:15) Find out more about heated gloves and socks in last year's ‘Best Ski Socks' episode (35:00) Feedback (36:45) If you've enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn't like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com  You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast.  Henry Smith: “Thank you for your dedication to bringing us the pod every week, it's much appreciated. As a resident in the Canary Islands, we normally ski in Andorra or the Northern Spanish resorts.” Judy Mathews: “Thank you for this wonderful podcast! Absolutely love it and hope to get to meet you one day on or off the slopes.” Rachel Maffeis: "I loved the interview with Krishan in Episode 266. I enjoyed his approach is to creating ski experiences in Gulmarg, rooted in a sense of place. That mixture of extreme altitude...but not yet hugely developed makes it sound intriguing." Colin Tierney: “I enjoyed Episode 264. It was great to hear Al again.”  There are now 285 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you'd like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you're bound to find something you'll find interesting to listen to.  If you'd like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:      -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode    -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify    -          And, if you're booking ski hire this winter, don't forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST' when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

This week, we're digging into The B1M's recent video "Inside Europe's New Mega-Tunnel Under The Alps". Together, we discuss Fred's trip to BENEATH The Alps as we chat about one of the world's biggest megabuilds.This episode is sponsored by Sky Systemz. Learn more about Sky Systemz here

⁠⁠Support us on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---At the dawn of the Middle Ages, small numbers of Jewish families ventured across the frozen Alps, seeking a new life in a foreign land they called Ashkenaz. In their workshops, at the market, and around the shabbat table, these people created a new language in secret: one that joined together the Hebrew writing system of ancient Palestine with the Germanic vocabulary of their Christian neighbors. Despite its obscure and polygenic medieval origins, this neighborhood speech would grow to become a fundamental element of Jewish history and identity and a true world language: Yiddish.This episode of Gladio Free Europe explores the origins and development of Yiddish with the help of Wilf, esteemed circumpolar Yiddish scholar and longtime friend of the pod. Wilf guides Liam and Russian Sam through the complexities of the language's development and grammar. The many influences on Yiddish, from its Semitic alphabet to its Slavic grammatical structures and its unexpected Romance loans, tell the story of the Ashkenazi Jewish people. So too does the resilience and growth of Yiddish in spite of centuries of hostility and, in the 20th century, near-total annihilation. Putting Yiddish in the context of the rise of rabbinical Judaism and the expansion of the diaspora, we see how this Germanic vernacular developed alongside the liturgical language of Hebrew. While widespread bilingualism meant Yiddish and Hebrew would influence each other throughout their history, the two languages were often perceived in conflict. Yiddish would be demeaned and degraded throughout its history, both by vicious bigots who hated its Jewishness and pious scholars who thought it not Jewish enough. Yet despite centuries of hardship, the language would blossom across the medieval period into a literary language along the lines of French and Italian. Medieval Jewish writers eagerly took part in the broader European tradition of chivalric romance. Yiddish adventure stories about Jewish knights, Jewish princesses, even a Jewish King Arthur were widely read and have some lingering influence on Jewish folklore to this day. As Yiddish spread eastward, out of the German lands and into the kingdoms of the Slavs and Hungarians, the language of the Ashkenazi Jews ceased to be a medium of communication with Christians, but instead an ethnolect that could only be understood by Jews. The unique situation of Eastern European Jews, more numerous and more culturally distinctive than their Western European neighbors, would be fundamental to the later development of Yiddish.Listen to the newest episode of Gladio Free Europe to understand what makes Yiddish, the heymish mother tongue of the Jewish hearth, unique among the languages and such a treasured aspect of the Jewish experience. Borek-habo!

From iconic routes like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express to charming towns, winter boat rides, and festive markets, winter in Switzerland offers a travel experience that feels straight out of a postcard.In this episode, I'm joined by Swiss rail expert Andy Nef to break down one of the most beautiful winter routes in the country, highlighting train travel in Switzerland at its best. We walk through a stunning Swiss itinerary inspired by the Grand Train Tour, including Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt, and St. Moritz, all easily explored with the Swiss Travel Pass.You'll learn which panoramic trains operate in winter, when to book seat reservations, how to pair rail journeys with scenic lake cruises, and how your pass unlocks perks like discounted mountain excursions and free museum access. Andy also shares practical winter travel tips to help you stay warm, flexible, and stress-free while moving through the Alps.If you want a smooth, scenic, and unforgettable winter journey, this episode gives you a clear path to planning a stunning Swiss winter adventure without the hassle, all while maximizing comfort and value.Happy travels,Carolyn

In this episode I sit down with Alex Bornhoft of Wander We Go Co. to talk all things Switzerland. Hut-to-hut trekking, planning alpine adventures, Swiss trail systems, what makes hiking there so unique, and how to do it confidently. If exploring the Alps is on your bucket list, this episode will give you tips, inspiration, and insider insight you won't find on Google.CONNECT WITH ALEX:Website: www.thewanderwegoco.comInstagram: @wanderwegonextBlog: www.wanderwego.comFit For Hiking Guides  — Workouts to get you trail-ready.Mountain Metabolic Coaching — Fat loss, body recomposition, nutrition, hormones, performance, all with full 1:1 coach support. More Resources — Wellness tips, hiking + travel guides, and blogs.Shop My Favorite Gear — Amazon storefrontFit For Hiking Instagram Bradee Instagram 

Terrifying & True returns with dark Christmas horror rooted in real Alpine folklore and chilling winter horror stories. Long before cozy Hallmark snowfalls, families in the high Alps spent the Twelve Nights of Christmas fearing a “Christmas Witch” who might reward your hard work… or split you open and stuff you with straw if you broke her rules. This is the terrifying legend of Frau Perchta and her horned horde, the Perchten – where festive lights, fasting days, and spinning wheels turn into a deadly checklist for survival.  In this holiday special, we dive into the eerie, mature side of winter tradition, where spooky stories, urban legends, and brutal morality tales kept entire villages in line through the darkest nights of the year. If you crave Christmas horror that feels older and sharper than anything under the tree, this is your episode.Inside this episode:The rules of the Christmas Witch: Why Alpine families raced to finish their spinning, scrub their homes, and eat a strict Twelfth Night meal before Epiphany, terrified that one broken tradition could invite Perchta's knife.Belly-Slitter punishments straight out of horror stories: From trampled weaving to the infamous eviscerations stuffed with straw and stones, we unpack how this gruesome myth drove real-world discipline in a brutal winter landscape.From Bright Goddess to winter monster: How a once-benevolent “Bright One” and Lady of Epiphany was demonized by the Church into a sinister Christmas hag, complete with goose-foot, ragged robes, and a curse-laden black cloth.Wild Hunts and haunted Alpine nights: The chilling tales of Perchta's ghostly procession screaming across the winter sky, dragging lost souls and unbaptized children in her wake, and why villagers locked doors and clutched charms when the wind howled.The Perchten, Krampus, and other holiday terrors: Meet the beautiful and ugly Perchten, see how they inspired modern Krampus runs, and compare them to figures like Belsnickel and Père Fouettard in a full-blown Christmas rogues' gallery.Living traditions in the spooky season: How today's Perchtenläufe—massive parades of horned masks, cowbells, and towering headdresses—keep this eerie anthology of winter legends alive in the mountains, blending folk horror with festival fun.This episode is perfect for listeners who love folklore, chilling stories, and mature themes that turn cozy Christmas nostalgia into something far more eerie, scary, and unforgettable. When the holidays get too sweet, remember: in some places, kids didn't just fear coal in their stocking—they feared Frau Perchta at the door.We're telling that story tonight.

Ready for some romance? Join Geoffrey by the fireside as he continues the story of Luke and Clare, amongst the snowy peaks of the Swiss Alps. This special episode was originally created for our Night Falls Premium listeners, but by popular request, we're re-releasing it for everyone to enjoy. If you'd like an extra touch of calm, you can also watch this episode on Spotify, complete with soothing visuals

Phones Show Chat 835 - Show Notes Steve Litchfield and Ted Salmon with Jeremy Harpham MeWe Groups Join Links PSC - PSC Photos - PSC Classifieds - Steve - Ted Discussion LineageOS 22 is Available - for our Razer Phone too Ted's Original Razer Phone Review Eleven becomes Twelve Music Player Device Week Samsung Galaxy S23+ Google Pixel Fold Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 Microsoft Surface Duo Microsoft Surface Duo 2 Google Pixel 4a 5G Google Pixel 8 Pro Apple iPhone 12 Nothing Ear Sony XF-W1000XM4 Ted's Phone of the Year for 2024 - the Motorola Edge 50 Neo Pocket Tripod PROv2 DJI Neo Drone Nokia N93 Nokia N93 part 1: smartphone video capture jumps into the next realm: glorious VGA! Nokia N93 part 2: perfecting the photo and video-taking experience Nokia N93 part 3: Four reasons why it crashed and burned! App of the Week Reddit - Reddit Phones Show Chat Group Photo of the Week from MeWe PSC Photos Group Balloon Wallpaper by Maticek using an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and 5x Lens. No information about where it is. The Alps? Links of Interest PodHubUK - Steve on Bluesky - Ted on BlueSky - Ted on Mastodon - MeWe PSC Group - PSC Photos - PSC Videos - WhateverWorks - Camera Creations - Tech Talk UK - TechAddictsUK - Chewing Gum for the Ears - Projector Room - Coffee Time - Ted's Salmagundi - Steve's Rants, Raves, and Reviews - Steve's YouTube Shorts

Fluent Fiction - French: Sparks of Creativity: A Winter Tale of Art and Affection Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/fr/episode/2025-12-07-23-34-01-fr Story Transcript:Fr: Le vent hivernal soufflait doucement, emportant avec lui un parfum de pins et de neve fraîche.En: The winter wind blew gently, carrying with it a scent of pines and fresh snow.Fr: Le chalet, niché au cœur des Alpes, était illuminé par de petites lumières et vêtu de décorations de Noël.En: The chalet, nestled in the heart of the Alpes, was illuminated by small lights and adorned with Christmas decorations.Fr: À l'intérieur, le festival d'hiver battait son plein.En: Inside, the winter festival was in full swing.Fr: Les rires et la musique créaient une chaleur réconfortante, contrastant avec le froid extérieur.En: Laughter and music created a comforting warmth, contrasting with the cold outside.Fr: Chloé, une artiste de Paris, s'avançait prudemment.En: Chloé, an artist from Paris, moved forward cautiously.Fr: Elle était venue chercher l'inspiration dans ces montagnes majestueuses, mais depuis son arrivée, elle n'avait trouvé que solitude.En: She had come to seek inspiration in these majestic mountains, but since her arrival, she had found only solitude.Fr: Sa récente rupture l'avait laissée hésitante, et son pinceau semblait refuser de bouger.En: Her recent breakup had left her hesitant, and her brush seemed to refuse to move.Fr: Son amie Marie, toujours optimiste, l'avait encouragée à venir au festival du chalet.En: Her friend Marie, always optimistic, had encouraged her to come to the festival at the chalet.Fr: "Va voir le monde, amuse-toi," disait-elle avec un sourire.En: "Go see the world, have fun," she said with a smile.Fr: À l'autre bout de la salle, Antoine, le chef local, s'affairait en cuisine.En: At the other end of the room, Antoine, the local chef, was busy in the kitchen.Fr: Chaque plat qu'il préparait était une œuvre d'art, et ce soir, son menu spécial faisait saliver tous les invités.En: Every dish he prepared was a work of art, and tonight, his special menu was making all the guests salivate.Fr: Sa réputation dans le village était solide, mais ce soir, c'était le regard perdu de Chloé qui attira son attention.En: His reputation in the village was solid, but tonight, it was Chloé's lost look that caught his attention.Fr: Marie, sachant que Chloé avait besoin d'un petit coup de pouce, l'entraîna vers le coin gourmand.En: Marie, knowing that Chloé needed a little push, led her to the gourmet corner.Fr: "Antoine, voici Chloé.En: "Antoine, here is Chloé.Fr: Elle cherche l'inspiration.En: She's looking for inspiration.Fr: Peut-être que ta cuisine peut allumer une étincelle," rit-elle.En: Maybe your cooking can spark something," she laughed.Fr: Antoine sourit, tendant à Chloé une assiette de tartiflette fumante.En: Antoine smiled, handing Chloé a plate of steaming tartiflette.Fr: "Vous aimez l'art, n'est-ce pas ?En: "You like art, don't you?Fr: Ma cuisine aussi raconte une histoire."En: My cooking also tells a story."Fr: Chloé, surprise par cette approche, goûta le plat.En: Chloé, surprised by this approach, tasted the dish.Fr: Le mélange de saveurs réchauffa non seulement son corps, mais aussi son cœur.En: The blend of flavors warmed not only her body but also her heart.Fr: La conversation entre Chloé et Antoine coula aussi naturellement que le vin chaud.En: The conversation between Chloé and Antoine flowed as naturally as the hot wine.Fr: Ils parlèrent de tableaux, de recettes, et, sans même s'en rendre compte, Chloé retrouva cette flamme intérieure perdue.En: They talked about paintings, recipes, and without even realizing it, Chloé rediscovered that lost inner flame.Fr: Antoine, avec sa passion et sa démonstration de créativité culinaire, avait touché quelque chose en elle.En: Antoine, with his passion and demonstration of culinary creativity, had touched something within her.Fr: Plus tard, à l'extérieur, la neige tombait doucement.En: Later, outside, the snow was falling gently.Fr: Antoine proposa à Chloé de faire un tour autour du chalet.En: Antoine suggested to Chloé to take a walk around the chalet.Fr: En marchant sous les lumières scintillantes, Chloé réalisa qu'elle souriait.En: Walking under the twinkling lights, Chloé realized she was smiling.Fr: Elle se sentit envahie par une douce chaleur, malgré l'hiver environnant.En: She felt enveloped by a gentle warmth, despite the surrounding winter.Fr: "Ça te dirait de peindre ça ?En: "Would you like to paint this?"Fr: ", Antoine demanda, désignant le paysage alpin.En: Antoine asked, pointing to the alpine landscape.Fr: Chloé hocha la tête, les yeux brillants de nouvelles idées.En: Chloé nodded, her eyes shining with new ideas.Fr: La nuit se termina dans une douceur nostalgique.En: The night ended in a nostalgic sweetness.Fr: Chloé savait maintenant qu'il était temps de tourner la page.En: Chloé now knew it was time to turn the page.Fr: Elle avait trouvé bien plus qu'une simple muse ; elle avait découvert quelqu'un avec qui partager sa passion.En: She had found much more than just a muse; she had discovered someone to share her passion with.Fr: En repartant du festival, main dans la main avec Antoine, Chloé était prête à créer, à aimer, et à avancer.En: Leaving the festival, hand in hand with Antoine, Chloé was ready to create, to love, and to move forward.Fr: L'élan créatif était de retour, et son cœur, prêt à se rouvrir, battait au rythme des nouvelles promesses de la vie.En: The creative momentum was back, and her heart, ready to reopen, beat to the rhythm of life's new promises. Vocabulary Words:the winter wind: le vent hivernalgentle: doucementa scent: un parfumthe pines: les pinsnestled: nichéthe Alps: les Alpesilluminated: illuminéadorned: vêtulaughter: les riresmajestical: majestueusessolitude: la solitudea breakup: une rupturea brush: un pinceauhesitant: hésitantethe guests: les invitésa muse: une musea flame: une flammesurrounded: environnanta landscape: un paysagea walk: un tourgently: doucementa corner: un cointhe chalet: le chaleta reputation: une réputationlost: perdua sparkle: une étincelleculinary: culinaireto spark: allumerthe cuisine: la cuisineenveloped: envahie

Photographer and storyteller Leon Butler joins me for Part 1 of a two-part conversation exploring his journey from the Isle of Wight to Whistler. Leon shares how a single school snow trip opened the door to a life of adventure, how climbing Kilimanjaro reshaped his sense of the world, and why he's drawn to capturing the moments in between — the honest, human moments that happen before and after the hero shot.We talk about travel, creativity, snow sports, mountain biking, and his “lens to pen” approach, where photography and writing work together to tell deeper stories. If you love mountain culture, action sports, or thoughtful conversations about craft, this episode is for you.__In Part 1 of my conversation with photographer and storyteller Leon Butler, we explore the origins of a creative life built on adventure, curiosity, and a love for the outdoors. From growing up on the Isle of Wight to discovering snow sports on a school trip at sixteen, Leon shares how a single experience planted the seed that eventually led him to the Alps, to Africa, and ultimately to Whistler, British Columbia.Leon reflects on shifting from traditional team sports to mountain life, describing how the Isle of Wight's outdoor culture shaped his early sense of exploration. A formative trip to Tanzania — climbing Kilimanjaro on one of the toughest routes — expanded his worldview and sparked his passion for travel, meeting new people, and embracing the unknown.We talk about how these experiences shaped his approach to storytelling: capturing not just the “hero shot,” but the moments before and after — the subtle, human moments that reveal who a person really is. Leon explains why he prefers candid, unguarded pockets of truth over staged perfection, and why “being invisible” is often part of the craft.From ski seasons in France to competing in freeride events, from film photography roots to discovering writing as part of his creative voice — Leon shares what “lens to pen” truly means in his work, and how pairing words with images helps him tell stories with depth and empathy.This episode is full of adventure, honesty, and reflections on the creative philosophies behind capturing powerful human stories.Growing up on the Isle of Wight & discovering the outdoors lifestyleFirst encounters with snow sports and the trip that changed everythingThe Kilimanjaro expedition that reshaped his sense of the worldLeaving the expected path (university, architecture) to pursue adventureHow storytelling became his anchor: focusing on the “moments in between”Why candid, unposed moments reveal more than any hero shotThe journey from snow sports to mountain bikingFrom lens to pen — pairing photography with writingBuilding a craft, not just creating contentFind out more about Leon at:https://www.visualyarn.com/ Connect and follow him:IG: @leon.butler1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonbutler1/

Yodel-ay-hee ... what?! Those famed yodeling calls that for centuries have echoed through the Alps, and more recently have morphed into popular song and folk music, could soon reap a response—from faraway Paris. Switzerland's government is looking for a shout-out from the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO, based in the French capital, to include the tradition of yodeling on its list of intangible cultural heritage. A decision is expected by year-end. Modern-day promoters emphasize that the yodel is far more than the mountain cries of yesteryear by falsetto-bellowing male herders in suspenders who intone alongside giant alphorn instruments atop verdant hillsides. It's now a popular form of singing. Over the last century, yodeling clubs sprouted up in Switzerland, building upon the tradition and broadening its appeal—with its tones, techniques, and tremolos finding their way deeper into the musical lexicon internationally in classical, jazz, and folk. U.S. country crooners prominently blended yodels into their songs in the late 1920s and 30s. About seven years ago, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts became the first Swiss university to teach yodeling. "For me, actually, in Switzerland we have four languages but I think really we have five languages. We have a fifth: The yodel," said Nadja Räss, a professor at the university, alluding to the official German, French, Italian, and Romansh languages in Switzerland. Yodeling exists in neighboring Austria, Germany, and Italy, but Swiss yodeling is distinctive because of its vocal technique, she said. In its early days, yodeling involved chants of wordless vowel sounds, or "natural yodeling," with melodies but no lyrics. More recently, "yodeling song" has included verses and a refrain. The Swiss government says at least 12,000 yodelers take part through about 780 groups of the Swiss Yodeling Association. In Switzerland, Räss said, yodeling is built on the "sound colors of the voice" and features two types: one centering on the head—with a "u" sound—and one emanating from deeper down in the chest—with an "o" sound. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Today's episode is with someone who is regarded as one of the best ski coaches on the planet, yet this is not a conversation about skiing. The things my guest has experienced over the years through teaching, coaching, and working in the mountains in unpredictable conditions hold valuable lessons for us all. Warren Smith is one of Britain's leading professional free skiers, an Internationally Qualified Performance Coach, creator of the Warren Smith Ski Academy and someone who has spent several decades helping people understand their bodies better to help them move and ski with more freedom. Warren has been a sponsored Volkl athlete for over 10 years and is one of the most innovative instructors working in the Alps and is held in high regard for the research and development he carries out combining Ski Technique, Ski Biomechanics and Ski Physiology. As well as coaching tens of thousands of recreational skiers, he is also well known for being the ski instructor that many high profile individuals seek out when wanting to improve their skills, including Prince Harry, Heston Blumenthal, Laurence Dallaglio and Bradley Wiggins. I myself have known Warren for around two decades having sought him out in my mid 20s when I first started getting into skiing because I was deeply fascinated by his philosophy, which made a lot of intuitive sense to me.  In our conversation, we discuss: Why so many of us feel limited by our bodies and how simple, five-minute functional exercises can help Why differences in strength or mobility between the two sides of the body are incredibly common, and how they affect everything from skiing to running to daily movement. What Warren's injuries have taught him about resilience, patience and rehabilitation. Why fear on the mountain mirrors fear in life, and how breaking challenges into smaller steps can help us stay calm and move forward. The mental and emotional benefits of elevation and nature, and why gaining perspective from a higher vantage point can help us reset and unwind. The life lessons Warren learned from surviving an avalanche and losing friends in the mountains Warren's incredible life story from growing up in a council state to living in one of the most prestigious ski resorts in the world. This is not just a conversation about skiing, but one that reminds us that when we prepare well, stay curious and look after ourselves , we can keep doing the things we love for longer. I hope you enjoy listening.  Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.  Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://thriva.co/ https://airbnb.co.uk/host https://www.boncharge.com/livemore   Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/600   DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Time for bookmarks now, the feature where an interesting person shares their favourite cultural picks with us and today we're joined by American singer and songwriter Santigold She's headlining this year's Rhythm and Alps festival in Wanaka - which is taking place from the 29th to 31st December

Harry Broad reviews Over Alps and Plains in Cobb's Name by Peter Savage, published by Peter Savage.

When the pandemic hit, cancer researcher Jean Hausser found himself alone in a Stockholm apartment, watching the world shut down. The fragility of life became glaringly clear — and he made a bold decision: if life is short, he wanted to do the one adventure he had dreamed of since childhood. He would sail across the infamous Southern Ocean to Antarctica, then spend weeks ski touring among the continent's massive glaciers, remote peaks, and untouched landscapes. In this episode, Jean shares the full story — from early inspirations in the Alps to discovering a newfound clarity and sense of purpose on the deck of a small sailboat. He talks candidly about seasickness, massive waves, group dynamics in cramped quarters, surviving without the digital world, and the humbling beauty of Antarctica's ice and wildlife. This is a conversation about adventure, mortality, risk, wonder, and what it really means to feel alive.  

Australian adventurer Juliana Fontana shares her bikepacking experiences having just returned from a massive solo journey across Europe. That adventure began  in Hungary, saw her riding over the Alps, and continuing all the way to Norway. Once there she realised she was having so much fun so she decided to ride all the way back again.Now back in Australia Juliana has been continuing with her bike adventures and we also discuss her taking on sections of the Hunt 1000 bikepacking route from Canberra to Melbourne through the challenging Australian high country. Her reflections on bikepacking in Europe vs Australia, overcoming fear when camping alone, and the generosity of strangers make this a must-listen for anyone dreaming of their first bike adventure or planning a long-distance tour.You can follow Juliana via her instagram account - @juliana_ftOther guests mentioned in this episode:Sheelagh DaleyClaire WyattCheck out Zorali for all your outdoor adventure needs! Support the showBuy me a coffee! I'm an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:

 Listen to the Show Right Click to Save GuestsCrown Theatre & The Scottish Rite Laura Stone and the Lost Relics of St NickAustin Playhouse Peril in the Alps What We Talked About  

As John returns from yet another triumphant, nay groundbreaking eye-climbing tour of the Alps, there are a few questions on everybody's lips: What records did he break this time? Was he able to stick to the confusing speed limits of Swiss roads? And more importantly, what would the future of the BBC look like under the tutelage of the great eye-climber himself, Johnny JR? Wins are totted up, losses are struck off, and a new future for the BBC is hammered out. Watch out prime-time TV, Wordle is coming for you. A major player in the new BBC will be Ania Magliano, who stops by to get pelters about her boggle gameplay. In the vein of all good guests she comes bearing gifts; a cracking Made Up Game that gets the boys' brains and feet working. Send in your suggestions for a BBC backed by its youngest broadcaster John Robins to elisandjohn@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp 07974 293 022.

My guest today is a Canadian podcaster, writer, and traveler from Ontario who has spent much of her life exploring the world. She has trekked through the Alps, ridden a chicken bus across Central America, paraglided over the mountains of Nepal, and even lived in Australia as a child. In 2010, at the age of 35, she made the bold decision to leave her life in Toronto behind for several months to travel across Southeast Asia and China. That life-changing journey became the basis for her travel memoir, The People You Meet: Luxury, Leeches, Love, and Lao-Lao with a Host of Interesting Characters in Southeast Asia. We'll be talking about that adventure and much more today. Please welcome Melissa Rodway! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora, and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  Please visit her website: The People You Meet: Luxury, Leeches, Love, and Lao-Lao Her Instagram Fly Travel Media: Instagram  

In this episode we take you to Charm City Run in Frederick, Maryland, to speak with store owner Josh Levinson about running shoe tech and terminology. How are running shoes engineered these days and what is the insider terminology you should know? Learn about stack height, heel-to-toe drop, stability, energy return, carbon and nylon plates, midsole foam durometer, torsional rigidity, gusseted tongue, and more. Josh and Kara Levinson opened their first specialty running store in 2002. Charm City Run now has 7 locations (six in Maryland and 1 in Delaware) and 200 employees! Special thanks to Academy member Stephanie Smith for arranging this interview! [powerpress] [box] Links Mentioned in This Episode Run Coaching. Work with an expert MTA running Coach. Altra Running -Altra shoes are designed to fit the natural shape of feet with room for your toes, for comfort, balance, and strength. So you focus on what really matters:  Getting out there. Joint Health Plus by Previnex -prevention is the best medicine and you need to protect your joint cartilage from breakdown. Get 30% off during their Black Friday Sale (no coupon code needed) or use code MTA for 15% off your first order the rest of the year. IQBAR brain and body-boosting bars, hydration mixes, and mushroom coffees. Their Ultimate Sampler Pack includes all three! Get 20% off plus FREE shipping. Just text “MTA” to 64000. The Virginia Credit Union River City Half -March 7 in Richmond, Virginia. 2026 Running Retreat in the Italian Dolomites with Run the Alps. See this page for details. Athens 2026 Marathon Tour with MTA and Dean Karnazes. It's going to be epic! [/box]

Exciting news, the Noiser Podcast Network has released a new book. It's called A Short History of Ancient Rome. The book is everything you love about the podcast, but a deeper dive. 18 chapters - each one following the story of a remarkable person or event that changed Rome's history. Today, as a special bonus, we're bringing you a sample chapter from the audiobook, narrated by John Hopkins. This sample chapter follows Hannibal, the legendary Carthaginian military leader. We'll follow him as he takes his mighty army - including a contingent of war elephants- over the snow-capped Alps. His mission? To attack Rome. If you enjoy this sample chapter, grab a copy of A Short History of Ancient Rome, written by Noiser founder Pascal Hughes – in your local book shop. A great Christmas gift for family or friends. Or, you can buy the audiobook – narrated by John Hopkins. Head to www.noiser.com/books to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices