Podcasts about Copper River

Hi Friend! Welcome to this week's party! If you'd like to Support the Podcast, you can buy me a glass of wine and get a shoutout on a future episode!The Scoop:We are diving into the world of wild Alaskan salmon (See what I did there!) with my guest Sena Wheeler. She and her husband Rich own Sena Sea, a company dedicated to delivering fresh, sustainably caught seafood right to your door. Listen as we laugh and learn from each other about the craftsmanship and similarities behind both fishing and winemaking. Sena shares her fascinating foray into the fishing industry, rooted in five generations of family tradition.She shares insights about the health benefits of certain fish including its high omega-3 content and anti-inflammatory properties and why we should all be eating more of it.Through their innovative packing and shipping methods, Sena explains how they're able to bring the highest qualityAlaskan fish into homes across the country, providing a taste of freshness that many might not have access to locallyShe passionately defends the rich, red hue of wild salmon, attributing it to the fish's natural diet and habitat. (and we laugh about what color most people THINK salmon should be...)We explore the concept of 'merroir', akin to 'terroir' in wine, which adds a unique flavor profile to the fish based on its geographical origin, down to the river!This leads us into a first ever dual Sip Spotlight + Fish Spotlight where we pair the gorgeous Copper River salmon with two very different wines a crisp Sauvignon Blanc and a light-bodied Pinot Noir, both chosen for their complementary qualities. Links and Resources for you:Check out Sena Sea's website to a la carte order, set up a subscription box, sign up for their email list (great recipes!) and be entered to win a monthly $50 gift card drawingTo learn more about this awesome family and their business, Follow Sena Sea on Instagram and FacebookFind today's Sip Spotlight Wines: 2024 Graywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2023 King Estate "Inscription" Pinot NoirDomaine Roy & Fils Willamette Valley Pinot NoirNikki's Links:Follow me on Instagram to get the scoop on upcoming episodes!The wine that I make, Sollevato Sangiovese is available to be shipped to most US States. (Use the code PODLISTENER for 10% off.) It's a delicious, medium bodied, aromatic red wine that is perfect with pizza, pasta and your charcuterie spread!You also NEED some delicious California Olive Oil from our awesome sponsor

Being a CEO is no joke. If you are running a business, you are a CEO. You may not think of yourself that way, but when you're a CEO, you must learn specific skills to make the business grow and remain healthy and strong. Today's guest Sena Wheeler has the best story about the one skill she doubled down on to increase her revenue to keep her family's business afloat. And it's something she still uses every single day. Her family's mission is to make sure that we get really healthy, pristine, beautiful food, specifically fish on our plates. It was on an eight-hour drive to Thanksgiving dinner, where she was talking to her husband and suggested how to market his fishing business, and he reeled her in.  It was a good fit; Sena had studied onboard handling techniques that correlated to flavor and quality attributes. She knew how to market the Copper River salmon he was catching. “I took [Marie Forleo and Laura Belgray's] B-School and just set up the business while we had the site going, and we were selling fish by the time he left for Alaska. … So it was actually like a pretty, pretty fast,” says Sena. “And if it hadn't gone fast, I think I probably would have overthought it.” Sena says that first summer was a lot of trial and error. There were weeks where Sena was tempted to quit, but she says her husband telling her, “You're the CEO” helped change her mindset. She would ask herself, “what would a CEO do?” when she felt like she wanted to quit.  “It forced me to be like, have we exhausted every avenue? Is there something else to try? Let's try this.” She started writing emails for her small but growing list every other week.  “I would get like $500 of sales on an email,” says Sena. “Very early on, I could see that that was the needle that's making the business move, you know, when not many other things are.” She leaned into writing and did The Copy Cure. It took a bit of time. Sena says when you're writing to a list there are levers, how good the email is and how many people are on the list.  “My best emails, I sit down to write one thing, and I write something else, and something else just comes out and, and it just starts going in a new direction,” says Sena, who finds consistency in imperfection. Getting a first draft done, even a terrible one, is better than not writing at all. Now she's sending emails every Monday and started a Fish Friday email, which is a recipe and link to the featured fish.  “I'm going to say like 30% of the time, I'm like, ‘oops, well, this is the email that came out. So this is what we're doing.' ” Sena says she sets a challenge for herself to see what she can tie back to her business when she writes. Writing helped open the door for people to understand where their food is coming from and that connection provides value.  “When we have kids over, I'm going to feed them fish, right? …  I will talk about Rich and how he caught it. And maybe my kid's right there. They were out on the boat, too,” says Sena. “Just bringing that connection immediately changes how they how they perceive the food.” Connect with Sena Wheeler and download free cookbook: https://www.senasea.com  The Copy Cure: https://www.marieforleo.com/the-copy-cure  Other GoG episodes you might want to check out: How to Write Sales Copy That Sells https://sarahwalton.com/how-to-write-sales-copy/ How to Use ChatGPT Without Losing Your Personality https://sarahwalton.com/how-to-use-chat-gpt/    Does Your Story Matter? (More Than You Know) https://sarahwalton.com/your-story-matters/  You can check out our podcast interviews on YouTube, too! http://bit.ly/YouTubeSWalton   Thank you so much for listening. I'm so honored that you're here and would be so grateful if you could leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, and clicking "Write a review." Then, we'll get to inspire even more people! (Watch this quick tutorial if you need help leaving a review.) #EmailMarketing #HowToBuildEmailList #EmailListBuilding #BusinessOwner #SmallBusinessTips #EmailList #AskExpert #WomenInBusiness  

Sena and Rich Wheeler join me to talk about Sena Sea Wild Alaska Fish and 60 North Seafoods, their commercial fishing business (based out of Cordova) that encapsulates all levels of a fish sale, from catching and processing to selling and shipping. We talk about the current state of salmon runs, proper care and battling Lower 48 stereotypes regarding farmed fish. 

#36: Welcome back to the Lenders Playbook Podcast, your source for knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration in private lending, real estate, and entrepreneurship. Today, we have Tim Stamps and Craig Gaudio from CopperRiver Funding. Listen to how they started CopperRiver, some of the values they hold true in business practices, and how they operated a successful commercial lending company as a team. This is very informative, as always, and it is a pleasure to speak with these gents.

Fish fanatics – this one is for you!  In episode 143 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we examine the fishing industry's operations in depth and help answer the question of whether wild-caught fish is the healthiest and most sustainable option.  Since I haven't eaten fish for most of my life, I am far from an expert on this topic. That's why I was stoked to learn from Adra Kusnirova.  Adra is a wild Alaskan fishmonger located right outside of Milwaukee, WI. When she met her Slovak husband, he ran a fish processing plant in Alaska. She lived up there with him for a few summers, and when they permanently relocated to the Lower 48, they started Alaska Fresh to sell their friends' sustainably harvested wild-caught fish.  She's always lived a low-waste minimalist lifestyle. Still, the culture shock of returning to civilization at the end of each summer in Alaska inspired her to take more action. Alaska Fresh was founded with a singular goal: to provide the world's best wild fish to the continental United States at an affordable price while supporting the long-established, artisanal traditions of a remote Alaskan fishing village and its fishermen. INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist ORDER THE BOOK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LISTENER SURVEY: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/jd8UCN2LL3AQst976⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----------------- Head to https://www.alaskafreshsalmon.com/ and choose from Copper River king salmon, wild Alaskan Halibut, all-natural wild salmon pet treats, Salmon burgers (my boyfriend's personal favorite), and many other wild-caught fish options.  Use the code OUTDOORMINIMALIST at checkout to get 10% off your next order. Alaska Fresh Website: https://www.alaskafreshsalmon.com/⁠ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alaskafreshsalmon/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaskafreshsalmon/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alaska-fresh/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alaskafreshsalmon --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outdoor-minimalist/support

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 1256, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: My Tv Dads 1: James Gandolfini led 2 types of families, each with their own unique sets of problems, on this HBO drama. The Sopranos. 2: In "Two and a Half Men", he was just Duckie playing Alan Harper, dad to the half-man. (Jon) Cryer. 3: On this show, Will moved in with his Auntie Viv and Uncle Phil, parents to Hilary, Ashley, Nicky and dance master Carlton. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. 4: Taiwanese immigrant Louis Huang makes a go of it in 1990s Orlando with his wife and 3 sons on this ABC sitcom. Fresh Off the Boat. 5: His 2017 Emmy award as dad and son on "This Is Us" was his second in two years--for your information, the "K" is for Kelby. (Sterling K.) Brown. Round 2. Category: That Book Was A Horror! 1: Anne Rice, 1976: "Interview with" him. the Vampire. 2: Ira Levin, 1967: her "Baby". Rosemary. 3: Stephen King, 2009: "Under" this. the Dome. 4: Shirley Jackson, 1959: "The Haunting of" this "House". Hill. 5: John Wyndham, 1951: "The Day of" these invading plants. the Triffids. Round 3. Category: The Brightest Stars 1: Regulus, from the Latin Rex, for "king", is in this king of beasts. Leo. 2: It's brighter than its twin, Castor. Pollux. 3: This brightest star in our night sky shares its name with a Keanu Reeves grunge band. Dogstar. 4: This red supergiant in Orion is over 300 light years away from you, but it's much closer to Michael Keaton's heart. Betelgeuse. 5: Proxima, a component of this constellation's brightest star system, is a super close 4.3 light years away. the Centaur (Centaurus). Round 4. Category: Nom Nom Nominations 1: Alaska's Copper River Fish Market got a 2023 Good Food Award nom for its locally sourced Copper River sockeye this. salmon. 2: From 2001 to 2006, Emmy voters didn't quite get the "essence of" this chef, but in 2017... bam! he got a trophy for "Eat the World". Emeril Lagasse. 3: A 2022 Beard nominee for Outstanding Restaurant, Brennan's in New Orleans is famed for this flambéed fruit and rum dessert. bananas Foster. 4: "Beat" this chef? as a 1991 and '92 nominee for Beard's rising chef of the year, yes, but in '93? Winner winner barbecue dinner!. Bobby Flay. 5: She got a BAFTA TV must-see moment nomination for her pronunciation of "microwave" on "Cook, Eat, Repeat". Nigella Lawson. Round 5. Category: Uniquely American Literature 1: A brutal 1959 mass murder was the basis of this Truman Capote nonfiction novel. In Cold Blood. 2: A battle to keep a girl from the clutches of Satan takes place in this William Peter Blatty novel that turned heads in '71. The Exorcist. 3: In this Tom Robbins novel, Sissy Hankshaw is born with enormous thumbs and hitchhikes across America. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues . 4: One of the 2 Erskine Caldwell novels of the 1930s that were censored for their portrayals of poor whites. Tobacco Road (or God's Little Acre). 5: This American's stories like "Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?" are in a style some have called K-Mart Realism. Raymond Carver. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!Special thanks to https://blog.feedspot.com/trivia_podcasts/ AI Voices used

Join Sena Wheeler from Sena Sea as she dives into the world of deep-sea fishing, a tradition spanning five generations in her family. Discover the numerous benefits of eating wild-caught fish, with a special focus on the prized Copper River salmon. Sena shares her expertise on cooking various types of fish, offering delicious recipes and essential tips on defrosting frozen fish. Learn how to introduce kids to the taste of fish and hear how Sena's own children have grown up helping in the family business. With stories and insights drawn from years of experience, Sena offers a behind-the-scenes look at wild-caught Alaskan seafood. We're so glad you're here! Visit www.comeoverfordinner.com for recipes, product links, and more!

Over the last year, fishing crews grappled with historically low prices, and processors sold and closed down plants over the winter. The Prince William Sound fishery is one of the most productive in the state, but fishing crews are also feeling the pressure.

The ever so popular Copper River Salmon are beginning to run! In this weeks episode, we're getting a masterclass in fishing and crabbing in Alaska with Sena Wheeler from Sena Sea as she walks us through their process of catching and shipping over some crab cakes and, you guessed it, Copper River Salmon!#HappyFriday! #ItsWineTime! #Cheersing #PulmonaryEdema #EasterEggWines this episode:2022 Hedges CMS ($14 at area stores)2021  Erath Pinot Noir ($16 at area stores)Sena Seas seafood this episode: Crab Cakes ($65 for 4 3oz crab cakes) Copper River Sockeye Salmon ($94 for 4 6oz portions) Don't take chances with your seafood purchases! Visit https://www.senasea.com and bring your seafood to the next level!**Some other wines to consider are wines from one of today's sponsors, Elsom Cellars. Their Albariño with these crab cakes and their Rosé of Cinsault would pair perfectly with this salmon!**Wine Time Fridays Charity Sips: A Toast to Good Deeds** - Copper River Watershed Project (CRWP) The Copper River Watershed Project (CRWP) is dedicated to enhancing the vitality and sustainability of the Copper River watershed's salmon-based communities, economies and cultures in North America. A HUGE thanks to our sponsors: 3D Kitchens by Design and Elsom Cellars! 3D Kitchens by Design: If you're ready for a complete kitchen upgrade, 3D Kitchens by Design is THE place for you. Visit https://3dkitchensbydesign.com for more information. Located in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; 3D Kitchens by Design: Dream, Design, DeliverElsom Cellars: Good times are meant to be shared and so are great grapes and great wines! Since 2006, Elsom Cellars has been producing brilliant Washington wines. For more information about Elsom Wines, please visit http://www.elsomcellars.com or call them at 425-298-3082.And of course, a HUGE thank you to Tod Hornby who wrote and recorded our official Wine Time Fridays theme music, which is ANYthing but average.  Please visit https://todhornby.com or contact him at veryaveragemusic@gmail.comThe CDA Gourmet Wine Word of the Week - Complementary This describes a pairing where the flavors of the wine and food enhance each other, creating a new and more complex flavor profile. For example, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc can complement the citrusy notes in a seafood dish. Mentions: Luke Marquis, Mollydooker, Rosemary Manor.Some Wines we enjoyed this week: Rocky Pond Stratastone White, Louis M. Martini Sauvignon Blanc, Harumph Cabernet Sauvignon, Mer Soleil Chardonnay, Elsom Cellars Isabella, David Duband Louis Auguste Bourgogne Hautes- Côtes de Nuits (red Burgundy) and a Lòfos Xinomavro Rosé. Please find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WineTimeFridays), Twitter (@VintageTweets), Instagram (@WineTimeFridays) on our YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/@winetimefridays and on Threads, which is @winetimefridays. You can also “Follow” Phil on Vivino. His profile name is Phil Anderson and will probably “Follow” you back! © 2024 Wine Time Fridays - All Rights Reserved

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/603  Presented by: FishHound Expeditions, TroutRoutes, Stonefly Nets, Togiak River Lodge Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors   Join us in this fascinating episode as David Coggins, a celebrated author and seasoned angler, shares his global fishing adventures and the stories behind his latest book. Discover the allure of chasing elusive fish in exotic locations and how David merges his keen sense of style with the practical aspects of angling. Whether you're curious about the nuances of fishing in Norwegian rivers or the challenges of catching permit in Belize, David's experiences offer invaluable insights and inspire anglers to dream big and fish with style.   Episode Chapters with David Coggins on Global Fishing Adventures 1:32 - David discusses his recent activities and his new book, "The Believer: A Year in the Fly Fishing Life." This book was inspired during the COVID-19 lockdowns as he aimed to maximize his fishing activities before potentially settling down with his girlfriend. However, many of his planned trips were canceled due to the pandemic. Despite these setbacks, he managed to continue fishing and incorporated these experiences into his book. 5:44 - He shares his passion for fly fishing and the personal joys it brings, particularly when introducing friends to the sport. He also talks about the challenging aspects of fishing, like learning new skills and overcoming difficulties, which make the experience rewarding. 11:41 - He highlights the joy of teaching and sharing experiences, particularly in locations like the Catskills. Coggins reflects on the variety of fishing styles among enthusiasts, from those strictly using dry flies to others who are more versatile. 19:26 - Coggins traveled to several dream destinations including Patagonia, Cuba, Belize, and Norway, where he pursued challenging fishing adventures. 23:13 -He talks about his fishing experiences in Belize, particularly the challenges of permit fishing, where he felt the intensity and unpredictability of trying to catch this elusive species. 29:57 - He shares his experiences fishing for steelhead. He mentions the challenges of blown-out rivers and the need to adapt plans, including an instance where they used a helicopter to access the Copper River. 31:22 - David expresses concern over the noticeable environmental changes observed by guides and the impacts on fish behavior, such as the timing shifts in the migration patterns of Stripe bass due to warmer waters. He highlights the work of conservation organizations like the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and the Atlantic Salmon Federation, stressing the necessity for those who love and utilize aquatic environments to contribute actively to conservation efforts. 33:57 - We dig into how he approaches writing for his audience, balancing the needs of both seasoned anglers and newcomers. He emphasizes his role not as a technical expert, but as someone who conveys the emotional and sensory experiences of fly fishing in different locales. 40:44 - He shares some insights from his experience with Tom Rosenbauer and discusses his approach to writing and journaling about fishing. David emphasizes the simplicity and authenticity necessary for capturing the essence of fishing experiences in writing. 46:51 - I ask about his thoughts on artificial intelligence (AI), particularly its implications for creative industries like writing. He acknowledges the fascinating and somewhat frightening aspects of AI technology, such as its potential to imitate human writing styles. 49:23 - We delve into his passion for traditional styles and tailored clothing, relating it to his interests in fishing and outdoor activities. He highlights his preference for durable, classic materials over overly technical, new fabrics, suggesting that style and practicality can coexist without constantly chasing the latest trends. David also mentions his involvement in writing about men's fashion, providing guidance on dressing through various platforms, including his newsletter and contributions to Esquire. 54:41 - He recounts a humorous and humbling incident in Patagonia, where he had to concede a better casting position to a friend due to being less skilled for the specific situation, highlighting the polite interactions with guides who play crucial roles in such experiences. 58:51 - David shares his early fly fishing experiences and the lessons he learned from older, seasoned fishermen. He stresses the importance of fishing with experienced anglers, like the two older men he knew in Wisconsin, who, despite their crusty exteriors, generously shared their knowledge and patience on the water. In terms of gear, David mentions his appreciation for small-scale, quality craftsmanship, exemplified by a Colorado man who makes durable fly fishing bags under Emerger Fly Fishing. 1:02:52 - He discusses his experiences with Orvis, especially their Helios rods and Mirage reels, noting a preference for gear that may not be mainstream but performs well. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/603 

This episode is brought to you by PureTax, LLC. Tax preparation services without the pressure. When all you need is to get your tax return done, take the stress out of tax season by working with a firm that has simplified the process and the pricing. Find out more about how we started.We "dive" into the world of fishing and entrepreneurship with our special guest, Sena Wheeler, the passionate force behind the family-run business that provides top-quality Copper River salmon to seafood aficionados.Sena not only shares the lore behind the highly sought-after Copper River salmon, known for its rich omega threes, lush red color, and exceptional taste, but she also peels back the curtain on the logistics and timing that make this fish a seasonal spectacle. As these prized salmon make their challenging journey back for spawning, we discuss the bustling activity during the premium weeks of freshness in May alongside the strategic approach of offering high-quality frozen fish to sustain demand throughout the year.In true entrepreneurial spirit, Sena delves into how her background in fish science and nutrition led her down the captivating path of fishing alongside her husband, Rich. They've coupled their expertise in quality control and commitment to maintaining standards to grow a business that not only sells fish but also honors the generational art of fish handling taught by Sena's Norwegian ancestry.We talk about peaks, valleys, and the pivotal role of internet access in scaling their online business. With a clear vision for maintaining manageable growth, Sena remains grounded in efficiency and quality even as she dreams of the future, whether it involves scaling back or taking full advantage of ecotourism opportunities.Be sure to visit Sena Sea for the true taste of the Copper River and subscribe for insider updates. Personal Storytelling in Business: "A big part of what I do is I write these, email newsletters, and they're very very personal, very story based, and it's really about our journey and about us." — Sena WheelerTop Takeaways1. **Quality Through Adversity**: The harsh environment of the Copper River requires salmon to develop high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, making them a premium product due to their fat content and taste.2. **Anticipation Builds Demand**: The seasonality of the Copper River salmon creates excitement and demand, illustrating the value of offering a "first of the season" product in a business model.3. **The Fresh vs. Frozen Debate**: Sena's business highlights that properly frozen fish can maintain quality akin to fresh fish, which becomes an important selling point during off-seasons.4. **Scaling the Business Wisely**: Sena Wheeler advocates for controlled business growth, preferring efficiency to unchecked expansion, illustrating the need for balance in business development.5. **Family Involvement & Legacy**: Sena imbues her passion for the business into the next generation, with her children actively involved in the business and highlighting the intergenerational aspect of entrepreneurship.6. **Seasonal rhythms in Business**: Acknowledging the peaks and valleys of a seasonal business allows for strategic planning and personal time, as exemplified by Sena using slower periods for family activities.7. **Logistics as a Superpower**: Sena Wheeler sees logistics, particularly efficient shipping, and portion control, as critical to the success of her business, emphasizing the importance of operational mastery for entrepreneurs.8. **Educational...

Hall of Fame Skater Chris Miller is still winning championships in his 50s with his iconically smooth, fluid style and precision against other legends like Tony "Birdman" Hawk. Growing up near the famous Pipeline Skate Park in Upland, California, Chris turned pro while still a high-schooler. He's since gone on to win about every competition on the circuit. Miller found an outlet for his prodigious and prolific artistic talents designing his own decks at an early age. He moved into the clothing side of the business through several iterations with partners and on his own, including the coveted Planet Earth brand. While living in north San Diego County, he partnered up with fellow entrepreneur Joe Kudla to create Vuori in 2014. The company made yoga and comfort wear for men, and was successful early. Nothing prepared them for the pandemic, which Miller describes as a scary time of uncertainty, but it didn't take long before home-bound people found Vuori's versatile and comfortable clothes irresistible. It is now valued at $4 billion. Chris Miller talks over the rise and fall and rise again of skating culture, how important it has become to youth all over, his early heroes Stacy Peralta and Tony Alva, how he came to Ojai and much, much more. He is married to Lauren Dollie Duke, another friend of the pod, whose book "Shithouse" has become a surprise hit. We did not talk about the Copper River sockeye salmon runs, the NFL playoffs or parcheesi. Check out one of the many magazine profiles of Chris Miller ... https://welcomeskateboards.com/blogs/news/chris-miller-the-chromeball-interview

Al Clayton describes growing up in Alaska and opening a new airstrip adjacent to Childs Glacier on the Copper River. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bill-mcglynn4/support

This week I'm talking to Sena Wheeler from our podcast sponsor Sena Sea: Wild Alaskan Fish, a small, fisherman-owned company run by a 5th (at least!) generation fishing family. They (sustainably) catch, process, pack, and even ship themselves. Sena teaches us ALL.THE.THINGS about Alaskan salmon: how it is caught, the importance of processing to retain premium quality, the best preparations, and she explains exactly why Copper River salmon is the best in the world. It's not the reason I expected and it's really cool!Links:Sena Sea: Wild Alaskan FishIG: @Senasea_SeafoodsTurkey MeatloafGround Beef and Potato SkilletHow To Cook Skirt SteakHow To cook Flank SteakHow to Roast PorkEmail: cookthestory@gmail.comIG: @COOKtheSTORYAll New Chicken Cookbook

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Getting ready for Copper River season with Sena Wheeler from a fifth-generation fishing family // What's in your pita pocket? Life beyond falafel // Owner of Fast Penny Spirits, makers of Amaricano, Jamie Hunt has some tasty cocktail ideas // Ordinary to extraordinary – Thousand Island Dressing // Lastly, we play Rub with Love Food for Thought Tasty Trivia!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we sit down with cycling travel industry veteran, Brad Sauber to discuss the new Alaskan Gravel Expedition trip from Raid Cycling. This point to point trip brings gravel cyclists to some of the most remote terrain in the United States for an incredibly memorable ride. Episode Sponsor: Hammerhead Karoo 2 (use promo code: TheGravelRide for free HRM) Support the Podcast Join The Ridership  Automated Transcription, please excuse the typos: [00:00:00] Craig Dalton: Hello, and welcome to the gravel ride podcast, where we go deep on the sport of gravel cycling through in-depth interviews with product designers, event organizers and athletes. Who are pioneering the sport I'm your host, Craig Dalton, a lifelong cyclist who discovered gravel cycling back in 2016 and made all the mistakes you don't need to make. I approach each episode as a beginner down, unlock all the knowledge you need to become a great gravel cyclist. This week on the show. We welcome Brad. Sobber from raid cycling to the broadcast. Brad is a veteran of the cycling industry. Having worked for a number of cycling travel businesses over the last few decades. Raid cycling focuses on putting together the most memorable trips to the most memorable destinations. You can imagine. When we get into this Alaskan gravel expedition that we're talking about on today's episode, I encourage you to augment your listening by visiting the raid cycling.cc website. To see some of the pictures as most of us can imagine, Alaska is a vast, vast wilderness. At a scale. That's really hard to describe. In an audio podcast. So I encourage you to, to take a look at the pictures, listen to the description of this particular trip, because it's absolutely amazing. Nice. Dais point to point in the Alaskan wilderness. Culminating with a prop plane trip back to your original starting point, the trip sounds absolutely spectacular. And I think you'll see from Brad's description, his whole emo in this cycling travel world has been to create once in a lifetime bucket list trips for his clients. I'm super excited to introduce you to red cycling in this broadcast today. I'm super excited to introduce you to Brad and raid cycling today. Before we jump in, I need to thank this week. Sponsor hammerhead and the hammerhead crew to bicycle computer. As I've become accustomed to hammerhead just recently sent another update to my career, to computer. They do this, I think every two weeks so they can keep you. In the latest and greatest technology that their minds over there can come up with. I noted in this week's edition, they're adding e-bike battery monitoring to one of the screens that optional screen for you. I've got an E gravel bike, supposedly on the way for testing. So I'm excited to integrate that directly into my hammer, head, head unit. So I will know when the battery is about to die. As you guys probably know hammerhead crew too, is the most advanced GPS cycling computer available today. It's got industry leading mapping navigation and routing capabilities. That set it apart from other GPS options, it's got free global maps and points of interest included like cafes and campsites. So you can explore with confidence with on the go flexibility. I recall in my recent trip to Jarana Spain, that before I left, I downloaded the maps of Spain and I was able to use the computer. Just as if it was in my local terrain here in California. I recently ran into a cycling neighbor of mine who was telling me about a new route that he had developed. That was a mixed terrain route through some local trails that I hadn't. Really explored that much. So I went over to Strava, found the route on his profile, downloaded it and saved it. I'm going to put that directly onto my career too, so I can go out there and ride with confidence. You know, if you're like me, anytime you actually have to navigate, when think about the navigation, it really slows down the overall route. So having those cues preloaded into my career too, is going to make that ride a lot more enjoyable. Right now our listeners can get a free heart rate monitor with purchase of a hammerhead crew to just visit hammerhead.io right now and use the promo code, the gravel ride. At checkout today, this is an exclusive offer for our listeners. So don't forget the promo code, the gravel ride. You'll get that free heart rate monitor with purchase of your career. To go to hammerhead IO today, add both items to your cart and use that promo code. Without business behind us. Let's jump right into that conversation with Brad, from raid cycling. [00:04:26] Craig Dalton: Brad, welcome to the show. [00:04:27] Brad Sauber: Hey, thanks Craig. It's great. Uh, great to be here. Looking forward to the [00:04:30] Craig Dalton: chat. Yeah, good to see you again. I appreciate you reaching out and uh, I love what I'm seeing on this Alaska gravel trip. So, we'll, we'll get into that in a minute, but we always start out with learning a little bit about your background as a writer. Where'd you grow up and how'd you find the bike? [00:04:48] Brad Sauber: Oh, I've lost you there. It cut out. Um, [00:04:52] Craig Dalton: yeah, no worries. Let me, can you, can you hear me now? Yeah. That was [00:04:56] Brad Sauber: weird. Wonder why I did that? [00:04:58] Craig Dalton: Yeah, no worries. I'll just, uh, I'll just start off again and I can, it's easy to, it's easy to cut. Things like that. Hang on one second. Cool. All right, shall we? Yeah. Okay. [00:05:10] Brad Sauber: Brad, welcome to the show. Hey, thanks, Greg. This is, uh, exciting to be here. I'm looking forward to, uh, the conversation. [00:05:16] Craig Dalton: Yeah, it's good to see you. It's probably been a couple years since we first connected in, in Mill Valley or shared somewhat [00:05:23] Brad Sauber: hometowns for you backyard. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was a good day. We went out for a ride. I remember that. [00:05:27] Craig Dalton: Yeah. So I'm, I'm, uh, really excited to get into the Alaska gravel Expedit. Seeing it, reading the overview just looks spectacular. But before we go there, yeah, let's just get a little bit about your background. Brad. Where did you grow up and how did you discover the bike originally? [00:05:44] Brad Sauber: Yeah, so I'm from the northwest, uh, Seattle is where I would call home. Um, lived my first 30, 35 years, um, in the Seattle metro area. Um, started out in high school as a, uh, as a baseball and basketball player. I, I preferred, uh, being on the bike, so I picked up the road bike a little bit and then, uh, kind of that early, early nineties, late eighties, uh, when mountain biking was blowing up. Uh, I took to that quickly growing up as a kid, I was on BMX bikes all the time in the neighborhood and enjoyed a little bit of that, of, of racing, but then really got into the mountain biking quite hardcore. So, Early nineties, um, a lot of big adventures on the, on the mountain bikes. And, uh, a lot of the 24 hour races, a hundred mile endurance events and things like that really led to a love of cycling. Um, and then, yeah, once I went off into college, um, fell in love with, uh, more road riding, more crit racing. Most of that was just to kind of stay fit for you can do bigger mountain bike races and such. And then that led me into 1992, decided to take off to New Zealand, um, with a buddy of mine. We got a six month visa and we took our mountain bikes and pan years and, uh, went and did six months of riding on the gravel roads and craziness and dirt roads in, uh, in New Zealand and hiking all over that amazing country. And, and as a result of that, I thought, man, I've gotta figure out how to do this for a living. I just fell in love with being on the bike guiding. doing all sorts of wonderful adventures and came back and applied for a, uh, uh, a degree program at a small state college in Washington called Central Washington University. They had an outdoor rec program, um, and then also a travel and tourism, uh, degree program. So I jumped into both of those and they were, they basically allowed me to create my entire curriculum around cycling and cycling. So even my senior thesis at college for my bachelor's degree was, um, about international cycling and international cycling tour operations. And then that just led from there one amazing adventure after the next, um, at a cross-country trip that I guided, um, boy, it was a 2006 or so across the United States, uh, that was 60 days of a small. . And then that just led to, uh, starting another mountain bike travel company. We ran that for a couple years and sold it. And yeah, that just kind of led into more expeditionary type stuff through Asia. Um, spent, um, quite a few years working, uh, in India, Nepal, Tibet and the Himalaya for a number of years, back and forth. Uh, doing mountain bike trips, cycling tours through India and um, some more high altitude trekking and things like. You know, I'm going back quite a few years, but you know, we're, I've been in this business for about 30, 35 years at this point, but that then finally led to me starting another, um, a travel company called Brad. So destinations, which I ran for a couple years until 2001. When nine 11 happened and it kind of shut that whole destination and that whole region for me down, I was focused on India and Nepal and those kind of areas, but unfortunately with uh, nine 11, I had to, uh, shift and kind of reinvent myself. And that's when I found a small bike touring company at the time called Bicycle Adventures. They were founded in 1984. Just the year after, um, Tom Hale started Back Roads and, uh, they were hiring tour guides. So I went through their hiring weekend and was hired. You know, in 1999, uh, 2000 and started guiding for them. Um, and that led to my goodness, uh, about six or seven years of full-time guiding about 150 to 200 days a year on the road. Um, working with anywhere from 250 to 300 clients each season on, uh, multi-day, uh, bike tours and multi-sport tours all over the western us, Canada, Hawaii, New Zealand. And then finally in 2003, 2004, they asked me to come on and run the operations for the business. And that was a booming time, 2004, 2005. If you remember back then, that's when Lance was, uh, doing quite well. Cycling was huge. And um, our business then went up to about 170 departures with over 2000 clients. So we had a lot of trips, a lot of equipment, and I was running the whole operation back in for the owner at the time. Uh, who was, his name was Bob Clark. And I did that all the way up until about 2011, um, you know, building that business up. Uh, then they decided to, uh, sell the, the business. Um, and I kind of moved down. I did move down to California with my wife at the time. who, and I had met actually on a bicycle Adventures tour back in 2004 and she was based in the Bay Area. So I moved down there and, um, met, uh, Joah Cara, who was an ex-pro, uh, living in Mill Valley. And he and I started riding quite a bit, getting to know one another. And one night, um, on a napkin at Beer Works in town, I said, listen, we should start a bike tour company. And his experience was, uh, training in Kiati in. and, um, he said, look, I'm gonna take some buddies over there. Why don't you to come and we'll have a look at this experience. And so we spent six days with a few people, uh, riding the roads that he used to train on, and we came back. We both basically quit our jobs. He quit LinkedIn and I had just had resigned from my role at Bicycle Ventures and we started in gamba. So that would've been, oh, probably 2011 was when we basically started that business and it was self-funded. We had a third partner, but Joel and I, Joel and I were the ones that basically got that thing up and running. And that was an amazing experience. You know, it was basically a, um, you know, a fantasy camper cyclist. We had all these amazing pros that were around us on all these cool trips in, in Italy. And then I was branching out into, uh, in France as well, doing some things around the Tour de France, and then also bringing some of the tours back, the United States. And, um, he had a great time. Um, but it was hard to self-finance a business. It was hard bit of a, you know, hard road as a, as a partnership as well. And at that time in, um, you know, after founding in Gamba, I'd had, uh, reconnected with, uh, Simon Matram over at Rafa, and he and I first met back in like 2004, uh, 2005. He'd just launched the Rafa brand and I did a small private ride with him in California when he came over to look at one of their first, uh, retail spaces. Studio Velo actually actually was the bike shop that was one of their first companies that carried their brand. And we went to dinner that night in Mill Valley. He en slated Olson and I and a few others. And I remember looking at him and saying, Hey, listen, I think you're primed to do some sort of a, uh, lifestyle travel vertical, if you ever want to do that within the Roth of space. You know, keep me in mind. So that was literally 2004, 2005. And then crazy enough when um, you know, Joel and I founded in Gama there 2011, 2012, um, that's when Simon reached out and said, Hey listen, we're ready. We've got a bunch of capital we're taking on Team Sky as well that same year in 2012, and we want to break into more of a lifestyle concept. And he asked if I was interested in. Leaving my wife in Mill Valley and moving to London and starting a travel vertical for Rafa. And that's really where everything really came together for me in many ways. It was an, an amazing experience, um, to have that kind of a mentor working side by side of Simon and it really refined. I guess for me, all those years of working in the, uh, multi-sport travel space, it, we just wanted to create really inspirational, hard and unique cycling trips around the world, and that's what we did. Our first season at Rafa, we launched five trips and they sold out overnight. Which was quite a surprise to me. Usually it's a bit of a hustle to get people to travel with you, but overnight, uh, we launched the website and in the morning we, uh, woke up and they, the sales had literally shut down the site. So we had to think about, geez, how can we do this? So off we were running on that very first year with five trips sold out, and in our five seasons of running tours, we worked our way up to over a hundred departures. So it was quite a bit of growth. All in-house, running the whole show out of our London office and building it in just all inside with our own team, all our own resource. We didn't outsource anything and we didn't work with any other contractors or vendors. Uh, we did everything in-house, so I helped build an an assemble, an extraordinary team of people. uh, in-house all the way from, uh, accountants to, you know, assistants and, uh, office staff, all to all the staff and guides out in the field. And then we started branching out, uh, all over Europe, the us, uh, Asia Pac, running trips in Japan. Um, and then it just kind of kept going from there. So it was a busy, uh, few years for me. Uh, and then I finally moved back, um, about 2000, uh, 2000. late two thousands I guess. Um, and finally Simon ended up, uh, selling the, the business. And so that just kinda led to me, uh, thinking about what else I wanted to do. And we had all these incredible people that came out of the Rafa travel space and they said, look, can we keep this going? And I said, sure, let's do it. So we started raid cycling at that point. [00:14:39] Craig Dalton: Got it. There's a, there's a ton to unpack there, Brad. [00:14:42] Brad Sauber: Yeah, there's a lot [00:14:43] Craig Dalton: there. . Yeah. Yeah. No, I think, I mean, it's, I appreciate you sharing that story because I think it's super interesting, at least to me, to sort of look at the travel industry from. What it's like to be a guide to what it's like to operating the business and to what it's like to operate a business at scale. Yeah, and as you've described, you've played all those roles, so just maybe to, I mean, to set the stage a little bit, guiding is something that a bunch of athletes do, typically, a young person's vocation, you get. Handhold and take care of the guides. Ideally share your local knowledge and your love of the sport. But typically people are staying in that role for, you know, I would guess like two to five years. Right? Does that sound [00:15:29] Brad Sauber: right? Yeah, that's right. I mean, that's how I started out in my early twenties guiding, uh, but I always knew that I wanted to do something more. My background really is more operational, uh, and logistics. That's what I kind of enjoy more. I of course, like being out in the field, I. Training staff. I like working alongside of them, but I also like to get them to that point where, , you know, they're just super confident. They have a lot of autonomy, they have a lot of freedom, and then they can run with it and run their own experience. And then I kind of, in the background, of course, working on other new departures, creating new trips. That's, that's kind of my sweet spot. Um, yeah, so I kind of left the full-time guiding, uh, thing, you know, probably by the time I was 30, 32. Um, I was in the background running, you know, a very large operation for many years. And then, back with Rafa Travel. I trained an amazing group of people, worked with incredible staff. They pretty much ran all those trips. And I would kind of be in the background and I'd float around a fair bit. Um, but [00:16:21] Craig Dalton: yeah. Yeah. And when you talk about the logistics, just so the, the listener is crystal clear on this? Yeah. You, you're typically get, you're going to have some local infrastructure, whether or not you're providing bikes, you're gonna have vans, you're gonna, you know, have to arrange hotels. There's a ton of work that goes into creating these experiences. and it has to be done pretty far in advance in order to lock down the accommodations, et cetera. Can you just go into some of like the logistics of what it was like at a bigger organization? What was that? What was the footprint of the, the logistics side of the organization? What did that look like? [00:17:00] Brad Sauber: Well, if you go back to bicycle adventures, I mean, that was, um, one of the largest players in the bike travel space. You know, 170 departures. We had a. 12,000 square foot facility, 700 bicycles, 18 custom vans, uh, 20 custom trailers, and all the equipment that goes along with each one of those, um, kind of operations. It's a moving bicycle shop. It's got full racks for all, every, you know, we carry 20 bikes on these R vehicles. You carry 15 people, A lot of equipment, a lot of investment into that overhead. So that was just a constant, you know, maintenance cycle on all of these vehicles and equipment. You're always moving bikes in and out of that operation and it's, it's pretty intense. The, the unique experience for me was when I went to Rafa and, um, you know, Simon said, Hey, we need to get some vehicles, let's get some Jaguars and, and Land Rovers. And I thought, wow, I didn't know we had the budget to do that. And he's like, well, what do we need a budget for? Let's just bring them in for a meeting and ask them for free vehicles. And I have to say, I don't think that happens with many of the other companies out there. I, I don't think, um, any of the other big players have ever been able to, uh, just call on any car manufacturer, especially one, um, , you know, like a Jaguar and ask for a whole fleet of private vehicles. And that's what we did. It was, it was quite unique because of the name and the brand recognition that Rafa had from around the world. You know, in walks the team from, uh, you know, Jaguar and they said, yeah, what do you guys need? And in exchange, really, they just wanted to have access for our client base a little bit. We would brand, you know, It was kind of a brand partnership deal. Um, but that first two years, what happened was because we were the main sponsor, clothing sponsor for Team Sky, Jaguar was supplying them all their vehicles. Well, they had to provide new vehicles to the team, team Sky every season. So then they would just take those custom vehicles from Team Sky and give 'em directly to us. So we got them a year after they were used by the team. So we had all these amazing, uh, Jaguar sport breaks, which were actually custom made vehicles from the ground up. They didn't even have VIN numbers. They were so unique. Um, these were vehicles that were made specifically for the Swanee team, uh, that worked at Team Sky and they had all these regulations on the width of the backend and how bad the, how tall the hatchback would come up. And so these were incredible, unbelievable, top of the line Jaguars. And so then they just gave us the whole fleet of these vehicles and we'd rebrand them, uh, under Rafa Travel. And then a few of the, uh, the most expensive high-end, um, you know, range Rovers as well. We had on board to pick people up and, and. Ferry people around on these experiences. But it was pretty amazing to have the Team Sky vehicles. You know, we always had a lot of issues. We had all these low profile racing tires I'd often pull into, in the middle of the tour, uh, I'd meet the team mechanics for Team Sky. I'd call 'em, I'd say, Hey, listen guys, I've, I've got these low profile wheels. They don't work very well on our trips. And they'd like, Hey, bring 'em in. We think the coolest things and we'll just swap 'em out. So there were a few times we'd show up and, you know, stage four of the tour niece and with three, four vehicles in the middle of. And I'd rock up and we would just swap the, the wheels and tires right off of their vehicles and put 'em on ours, It was pretty amazing to have that sort of relationship, uh, with Team Sky back in that day. So that was quite unique. But, you know, we had vehicles moving around all over the place. Um, I remember one time we had a vehicle breakdown in Corsica, uh, but the local Jaguar dealership wouldn't talk, it, wouldn't touch it because it was a, it didn't even have a VIN number on it, so they didn't even know what the heck this vehicle was. So they actually had to send a truck all the way from London, um, down through France Drive, take the ferry all the way over to Corsica to actually pick the vehicle up as it sat there for about a week and a half on the side of the road. And it was broken down. So there was a lot of logistics moving vehicles around, um, and having. You know, delivered into France. We had a big service course in, um, in Italy, and then also one in, in East as well. So bikes and gear moving around. It was, it was quite unique with, uh, Rafa Travel. Yeah, [00:20:46] Craig Dalton: it sounds like it. So, as you've described this kind of personal journey in the bicycle travel industry, you've, yeah. You've started out as a guide. You've, you've gone into a big enterprise with bicycle adventures. Then you had an opportunity to work with Rafa, which sounds like, would it be considered sort of a, a mid-sized. Travel. Provider at that point? [00:21:07] Brad Sauber: Well, you know, five season in into it, we became one of the, one of the larger bike travel companies out there that mainly just focused on bicycling tours. I mean, a hundred departures is a pretty good size, uh, operation. You know, that was literally in about the sixth season that we ran. Um, , we hit those kind of numbers. It's nothing compared to like the back roads, which are up a thousand departures a year. But they're very multi-sport and they do other things besides, uh, just cycling. Um, but I would say that Rafa Travel at the peak was probably one of the top one or two, uh, companies out there as far as size and in destination, um, you know, expertise. And we were kind of all over it. We were practically on every. From Africa, south America, um, AsiaPac us and so we were running quite a large operation. Um, At [00:21:51] Craig Dalton: that point. Got it. My line of questioning is really around, as you as the Rafa travel experience had to wind down for reasons totally unrelated to its success or presence in the market. Obviously when you moved over and decided to start raid cycling, you had seen big, small, you'd grown companies from small to big, et cetera. Sure. What was your, what was your vision for. , [00:22:18] Brad Sauber: well really raid came out of, uh, the, the combination of all those years, uh, guiding out in the field, working in a lot of the multi-sport things. I, I enjoyed those experiences. I, I think, um, working with people and, and facilitating really fun, uh, experiences for folks was really rewarding for me. But as soon as I got to work with, uh, Simon directly and, um, kind of had his mentorship and his support in taking, um, Rafa travel to exactly that, that. That point that I really wanted it to be at, which was, you know, really stretching the elastic for people, putting them in a little bit out of their comfort zone on the bike, um, but also wrapping a lot of care and attention around it so that people can accomplish something really unique and. You can do that anywhere in the world on a bike. There are beautiful places to ride everywhere. But I wanted to specifically keep it focused on destinations that had a history, uh, of cycling and cycling. Racing. So in the early days of Rafa Travel, I had a very narrow window of destinations that I really wanted to look at creating departures, but they always had to connect back to the sport of. Was really the, the endeavor. Yeah. Um, you know, we wouldn't go to Costa Rica for example. I mean, we, there were places that yes, we could go and ride, but there, if they didn't have a big, you know, history of the, of the connection to the sport of, of racing, we wouldn't do it. So Simon really allowed me to craft those experiences and those destinations, you know, being Japan being a really unique experience. I mean, that was two years of work for me to put together that, that point A to point B experience. And that's, that's really what I, I found my niche at, uh, Rafa really allowed me to, I guess, just distill down all those experiences, get very specific about what it is, of the experience that I was looking for and the challenges that I wanted to put in front of people, and we were able to refine it and. When we shut down Rafa, of course, a lot of people were disappointed, A lot of staff, but also a lot of our clients that have been traveling on this for all those years. I walked away with a lot of people emailing me saying, Hey, let's try to keep the spirit of this moving forward. And really that's where RAID came out of it. And. You know, the third year of, um, Rafa Travel, we actually broke our number of departures down to two different types of verticals. We had, we had a ronay, which is point A to point B. We had retreats, we had these climbing, uh, retreats as well. And then we also designed a, uh, a tour called a Raid, which is a French term for point A to point B cycling experience. And so I took. Kind of from the, the Rafa travel side of things is I like the spirit behind what the word ray, what, what the word Ray means. And that's how we founded that. And most of the team from Rafa Travel came over with me. My, all of my Japan staff that have been with us since 2000, well boy, 2014, 2015, they're still with me to this day. They've ran every departure that we've ever done, both as Rafa Travel and as as Raid. And we've developed new trips over there, uh, just for the RAID brand as. And then a lot of the US team, the Ben Lie's, um, a lot of the, kind of the guys that have been with Rafa for many years are still with me to this day. Um, you know, yeah, they're all, they're all there, they're all available. We, uh, run trips all the time. So that was really the, the impetus to starting raid was just after, uh, we shut down Rafa Travel. [00:25:30] Craig Dalton: Nice. Let's talk about when you started to see gravel become something interesting for you and how, obviously with Rafa you were known for creating unique, challenging experiences, which undoubtedly touched a little bit of dirt here and there, but when did you start thinking about gravel as its own unique opportunity to kind of create these adventures you like to. [00:25:54] Brad Sauber: You know, it's interesting. Um, I was hesitant in the beginning. Um, I harken back to my days of trying to develop a mountain bike travel company and we did that with a company called Bike Trucks International. Not many people had probably ever heard about it, but you know, we really struggled for a few years. The old saying that, uh, the old saying that goes, that has always stuck with me is the more specialized you r in your activity, the more independent you. , and if you apply that to cycling, mountain biking is a very specialized activity, and typically the people that love mountain biking, love the outdoors, love to be in remote locations and like to do it alone. right? Yeah. When we go out on these big adventures, we want the challenge, but we also like that solitude and so to create, um, mountain bike tours, there's only been a few companies in the world that have ever done it and done it well. You know, Western Spirit's probably the best name out there, and they've been doing it for 30 plus years. It's really hard to take that type of activity, which is more technical and create it for the mass. . Yeah. So, yeah, so when, when we really started seeing gravel come around and I started seeing all these huge events happening, um, you know, I think early on when I started doing some of the Grasshopper events, the early grasshoppers there in, uh, NorCal, which I know you're familiar with, you know, a lot of those were showing up and we were, you know, port road bikes through small creeks. We were hitting single track trail. You know, and finishing on, uh, Willow Creek on Little Dirt Trails and I thought, wow, this is really interesting. More road cyclists are kind of coming for these events. And that's when I started to kind of see an uptick in it. And I thought, why don't I include little bits of this in some of these Rafa travel experiences? But you also have to know that Rafa's travel, Rafa Rafa's history with gravel riding goes back quite a few days back in the old continental days, what were called the gentleman's races back in the day, the first, you know, one day. A hundred to 200 mile races that they used to put on. They always used to throw in a little, little touch gravel, little bit of technicality. And so when we finally did the whole Rafa travel thing, that's when I said, look, we should probably look at adding and peppering in these experiences with some of the, uh, the dirt roads that we used to ride in the continental events and things like that. And, you know, it worked pretty. Um, but y you know, I still experienced a lot of Hess hesitancy from people. Even though people were strong writers, they could ride 150 mile days. Yeah. You put five miles of gravel on them and they were like, wow, that's intense. I don't wanna do that again. . And then, you know, then we built a, um, uh, a Utah trip which had some, you know, 15, 20 mile sectors of gravel and they would come out of that going, wow, that's enough. I don't want any more. And then that just kind of led me to going into, into, uh, with raid cycling, let's, let's actually try to do some gravel specific things. So three or four years ago we launched our LA and Catalina Island Gravel Experience, which literally was a hundred percent gravel. And we had a great response and wonderful group of people that, uh, have done those trips. And that's when I kind of started seeing that as a result of the big events, the steamboat events and things where these thousands of people would show up. , it became somewhat the norm then for people to actually ride, uh, these styles of bikes on the roads [00:28:57] Craig Dalton: and trail. Yeah. It's certainly not without its challenges. I imagine just, you know, with, with road climbs, like everybody's gonna make it up the road, you know, they might be slower or faster that there's so many elements of gravel riding. You not just have to get up the hill, but you have to be confident going down the hill. Yeah. People's technical abilities, it always shocks me. You know, I can bring someone who's 10 times the athlete I am out on, on the road, bring 'em on the trail. All of a sudden I'm dusting them. They can't stay with me. Right. Yeah. So, I mean, I gotta imagine it's like it, it would've taken time for gravel travelers or cycling travelers to really understand what's ahead of them. To your point, experience things like S P T Gravel, do these big events and start to understand, like I've got, now I've got the skills to sign up for the LA to Catalina trip, for example. [00:29:48] Brad Sauber: Yeah, I mean, I've had a few trips where, you know, we've put, uh, people that are extremely strong cyclists. These are people that we're, uh, doing a hundred, 150 mile days with, you know, 10 to 15,000 feet of climbing and, and then we throw in five miles of gravel and they, they fall apart. We've certainly seen that on a number of experiences, but I think now with the level of bikes and the gearing that's out there, that's really made a big difference. Size of tires you can run. Um, I think it's just a fantastic sport and I'm noticing more and more people want to do it. Hence, you know, we've moved into the, uh, kind of Alaska experience and, um, yeah, we're really looking forward to these strips. [00:30:23] Craig Dalton: Yeah, I think that's a great segue to this Alaskan gravel expedition, such an ambitious itinerary. I'd love for you to first start off by just like give a, give the short overview of what this trip's [00:30:36] Brad Sauber: all about. Well in Covid, uh, one of my ride leaders, ride captains, um, Sean Martin, who's a native Alaskan from Anchorage, um, you know, our business basically shut down. And so we just kind of turned inward and started looking at maps and started thinking about where these destinations that we wanna ride. And he kept saying, Alaska, Alaska, this is where we need to go. You know, we need to look towards the, uh, this Great Northwest destination. And I thought, okay. I've only known a few businesses. There are companies that have ever ran trips there. They kind of focused on certain destinations within Alaska and did small, kind of four to six day trips. And I specialize in point A to point, kind of point B destinations. So I wanted to look at the distances. I wanted to look at all these gravel roads that, uh, existed there and see how we can kind of connect them and make them a more well-rounded experience. And because my clientele is, is global, they're from all over the world. I needed to be, I needed it to be more of a challenge than say four to six days of riding. So when I started penciling, this whole concept together with the help of Sean and peering out over all these maps and learning about some of these dirt roads, it all came together in a nine to 10 day package. And that's a really good fit for people to invest the time and energy to fly here from London or. Copenhagen and wherever a lot of these people are coming from Australia, New Zealand, it's gotta be enough for them to invest that time of energy and then money to get there. So it came, it came together quite easily once we kind of opened up our mind and looked at the grand distances between a hotel to hotel and, and, and in Alaska there, you know, there's one section, there's 165 miles of gravel road and there's only one. And so it just kind of landed in my lap that, wow, this place actually exists and I could book it and, um, we could break that 135 mile day or whatever it is, up into 2 65 or 70 mile days on gravel, which makes it quite approachable. And it just kind of fell in my lap. And then the further west or the further east, we kept looking, um, to the Wrangles St. Elias National Park, which I'm ashamed to say I didn't even realize was the largest national park in the United. Um, I thought, wow, this is amazing. And then learning about the McCarthy, uh, road, which is 65 mile gravel, one one way road out to a dead end to this extraordinary, uh, vast wilderness. It's possibly one of the most remote road roads in, in North America, um, to this little hamlet of McCarthy, uh, which then sits right next door to Kennecott, which was an old gold mining destination in the early 19 hundreds. Um, and it just started falling together for us. And, um, we added in, of course, the Denali Road inside the park. and I was just blown away, uh, by what this experience could do. Why these hotels [00:33:16] Craig Dalton: even exist [00:33:17] Brad Sauber: up there. , well, they're actually hunting lodges. Um, okay. You know, outside of Denali and, um, kind of that, that region that's just north of, uh, Anchorage, of course, that's a lot of bus tours and, and train goes up in Denali. People come to go to Denali. But once you go east on the Denali Highway, which is this, you know, dirt road, it's 135 miles of dirt. There's only one hotel out there. And. , you know, I called them up and it's a hunting lodge where they literally hunt for bear and caribou and moose. And it's a small family that run this place. They keep it open most of the year. And uh, I asked about two different dates in July and August and they said, yeah, they're available. So I had to book out the entire property. They're gonna be [00:33:57] Craig Dalton: scratching their heads when a bunch of like reclad cyclist [00:34:01] Brad Sauber: show. Exactly. I know, exactly. And I have a, I've had a great story. I actually met someone recently who had stayed there and he says, oh, it's an amazing experience. He said, one morning I woke up and I went out into the dirt parking lot and there was a guy Skinnying a bear. You know, in the parking lot, and it's a pretty wild experience, but I'm really looking forward to the wonderful people that own it. It's a family operation. You know, when we arrive, we're gonna have a big family dinner in their little, it's like their home. And they have a beautiful tavern inside this, uh, old, um, hunting lodge. And, uh, we'll have a great dinner. And the rooms are simple. The staff are actually sleeping in bunk beds, um, outside in an unheated, uh, no power. Little, little shack, uh, but the clients are inside the main lodge and they all, they'll have some nice clean, uh, ri for them as well. And then the other property, uh, that we go to on the next day got, Kona Lodge was built in 1914. It's actually the oldest Roadhouse in Alaska. Again, it's a family, uh, run operation. Um, Husband and wife run it with their small daughter, their young daughter. And this place has a lot of history. You know, back in the early 19 hundreds it was a gold mining, uh, rush there. And so it was just amazing adventurous and people that came to that region looking for gold, copper. And so we'll spend the night there and, uh, have a great glass of whiskey and a killer dinner that night. A big, um, beautiful festival of, uh, dinners that evening. I think the family's really looking forward to having this group there. And then the last two nights out in Kennecott is inside the national park at this old mine that the, you know, the national Park has, um, remodeled and made into this really, really cool um, I'd say semi luxury property, but have a great restaurant on site as well. And so we have to book two nights there cuz it's two night minimum. Um, but yeah, I was just kind of blown away by the whole itinerary and it's just come together so well. I mean, the distances are quite long between hotel to hotel and that's kind of what, how I advertise my trips cuz they're point A to point b, hotel to hotel. So yeah, we might have a distance of 130 miles from hotel to the next hotel. It doesn't necessarily mean we're gonna ride every inch of that. Um, but I think most days people are gonna be riding anywhere from 80 to a hundred miles each day. It's kind of what most people come to do. Um, and of course with all the, the sunlight. You know, we have plenty of daylight hours to, uh, tackle as much distance as they really want to. Yeah. Yeah. [00:36:12] Craig Dalton: That's great. That must be a luxury to have though. So much daylight hours. . Yeah. [00:36:16] Brad Sauber: I'm a, I'm nervous. I've never had that before. . [00:36:18] Craig Dalton: Yeah. I don't know how you guys are gonna sleep, but question. So you arrive in Anchorage, Alaska, and Yeah. Are you riding directly from Anchorage to start, or is there a [00:36:30] Brad Sauber: transfer? Yeah, so day one actually on arrival, um, we're going to take people, Sean's gonna take people on a little local loop of some single track and some kind of back country riding around Anchorage. It should be really cool. And then that evening we'll have a great dinner in town, but then the next morning we have about a a 45 minute transfer. We had just north, uh, where we come up to a little teeny town and we start from there. And our first, uh, major climb is up over Hatcher Pass, which is about a 12 mile climb, and most of that's on dirt with anywhere from 10 to 14%. Great pitching up here and there. And then we'll have, uh, on the backside of Hatcher Pass, it's an all downhill, uh, about I think 12 to 13 miles or so of gravel. Off of Hatcher Pass. If you looked up Hatcher Pass Road, you'll see these magnificent views of just this high alpine setting above the tree line, incredibly lush and green. This windy strip of, uh, one lane dirt road that just passes through this region is really spectacular. Um, that's day one. And then they'll cycle all the way into tna, which is kind of the, um, the kickoff, um, place for, you know, the climbers that go up into Denali. So we'll spend the evening in Ta Kitna, and then the following day, Is an all road day. Um, it'll be between, you know, 85 and 130 mile day for them as they make their way all the way up the highway, which is called a Parks Highway, which goes all the way up into Denali. And, um, then we'll spend two nights up there, uh, readying ourselves for our big day inside the park on the, uh, Denali Park Highway, which currently, um, in its current state. A year or so, year and a half ago, there was a big slide at mile marker 42 on the Denali Park Highway, and it wa it washed out this whole insection of road and it won't be, um, repaired for another two years. And so it's actually a good thing for us because I think it's going to limit the amount of park vehicles that are on the road. but that'll be literally an 84 mile out and back road, um, road ride that day inside the park. And about 55 miles of that will be on dirt road and hopefully with just limited vehicles. And it's an interesting logistic thing for me to consider because I can't take a, my personal support vehicle inside the park. And so people are gonna be, um, set up with all the gear and equipment and be prepared for an 85 mile day on their own. And there's really no water and there's no food out. And a lot of bears . So they're going to be, uh, ready with their bear spray and they're gonna ride inside the park kind of as much as they want or as little as they want. Um, there is an option where the park runs these, um, little shuttle buses and they each have two bicycle racks on each shuttle bus. And so I'm going to purchase bike passes for everyone. So anyone at any time can jump on these buses and, and move either further out or. Turn around and come back if the conditions get too crazy or if people just have had enough. But I think most of these riders are gonna ride all the way out to mile 42 and then all the way back, so it'll be over 80 plus miles with over 10,000 feet of climbing. It's a pretty big outing. [00:39:24] Craig Dalton: What type of equipment are you recommending that riders bring with them? Yeah, [00:39:28] Brad Sauber: it's just your standard gravel bikes. You know, disc brake is preferable. Um, the, the dirt roads in Alaska are hard pack and super fast and super smooth under the most ideal conditions. So you kind of have to be prepared for everything from warm days to, you know, possible, you know, high wind. Heavy rain as well. Just never know what you're gonna experience and weather changes there from, you know, minute to minute. So as far as gearing, uh, I'm mostly telling people to ride a double on their gravel bike if they can. Uh, there will be some just with a, with a single as well, and probably 700 by 42 at the smallest. I'd probably encourage people to probably go 45 to 48 on the tire size, uh, for the gravel bikes. and I'm not providing any of the gravel bikes. People tend to bring their own on these tours. You know, when you're riding a hundred plus mile days, 10,000 feet. I do recommend people have their own bike that they've trained on. I mean, just the slightest difference in a saddle position, you know, could give someone a pretty serious knee problem on day three of an experience like this and it just, they don't have the ability to ride the rest of the tour. So, yeah, rather than me just providing, you know, bikes, I think people really should bring their own and, and everyone is. So that makes [00:40:36] Craig Dalton: sense. Is there any technicality in terms of like the descending off some of those passes? Or is it pretty much, you know, as you described, these roads are pretty, pretty predictable gravel and you can, you can open it up without too much concern. [00:40:51] Brad Sauber: Yeah, I think, but as we all know, you know, driving on and or riding on gravel roads, you get those little marbles that, uh, that, that sit on the sides and down the center of these roots. So you do have to be careful of course, on that. And any of these roads are gonna be, Especially Hatcher Pass on day one. I mean, people will be excited and ready to really kind of throw down the hammer, I'm sure as often they do on day one. But we really have to keep them, you know, in control and safe and kind of really work with them on that descent. I mean, 10 plus miles on a gravel road is, is never easy no matter what the conditions are. Um, but you throw in a little bit of rain or something and then it could be turned a little bit slippery road as well. As far as the park road goes, um, it's always in great condition. They maintain that road quite a bit. The Denali Highway, which is the one that we ride for two days, the next day, that's gonna be a little different. That is above, um, the tree line, the entire distance. A lot of tundra, a lot of open wind, a lot of open, um, kind of just exposed scenery. A lot of potholes, I'm sure. Um, they do. It's not, not many vehicles drive that road. There'll be a few buses out there moving people around, but it's a very remote stretch of, uh, dirt road that we'll see very little traffic. And then the McCarthy Road is one that most Alaskan, um, rental car companies don't even allow rental cars to drive it. Um, I'm, I'm expecting, um, you know, lots of gravel, uh, a lot of potholes. Um, you know, all the people that have talked to me about driving that road say, you really can't drive more than about 20, 25 miles an hour. And that's 65 miles of gravel, just one way. So that journey will probably take me three to four hours just to drive up in there supporting people. Um, but yeah, I think in under ideal conditions, these roads are really amazing to ride and really fun. But if we do throw in some, uh, some rain and or some hail, uh, they could be a little, um, a little more difficult. Little sticky, little slippery, a little more of an adventure. [00:42:39] Craig Dalton: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yeah. We, we've sort of glanced over this a little bit, but I wanna make sure to drive the point home how remote. Does it feel when you're riding these [00:42:49] Brad Sauber: roads? Oh man, this literally every kind of animal that you could possibly think of from caribou to elk and bear are just gonna be everywhere from what I've been told. You know, when you ride out there on these long expanses of, uh, these dirt roads with very little, uh, vehicle, um, impact. I think you're gonna see everything from the smallest little weasel to rabbits to some really big intense animals. Uh, I've spent a lot of time on the phone with, um, Denali National Park Rangers talking about that experience of riding. Um, and, you know, from the local people that have looked over this itinerary, uh, from Outfitters that looked at it, I mean, people have randomly reached out to me and said, man, this is really ambitious and super exciting to have you guys come up here and, and attempt this sort of thing. and I'm really, really looking forward to it. And just the expanse of these, these gravel roads, the distances and the remoteness, it's really something. I mean, it's so remote that on the last day, on day nine of the trip, I have to charter two private sesnas to fly everybody out in a two and a half hour flight to get them back to Anchorage. So, and, you know, moving vehicles and, uh, 10 bicycles out of there is a seven hour drive just for me to get back to Anchorage while everyone will be riding in comfort in their own private planes. So two planes will be, um, chartered just to get people out of, uh, out of St. Elias National Park. It's a pretty remote area. As we're [00:44:09] Craig Dalton: riding on these each day, what is the scenery like? I mean, are we, are we sort of far enough off of Denali that we get a perspective of the size and scale of that? Amazing mountain for sure. You [00:44:23] Brad Sauber: will be, um, you'll feel very small in this landscape. I mean, it's, it's every mountain range you could possibly think of up there from the wrangles to the, the Alaskan range. We're riding along huge rivers like the Copper River. So yeah, you're gonna be just witnessing these incredible rivers, incredible mountain ranges. And of course, Dali's gonna be looming over us for the first three and a half to four days where in every direction that you ride and look, it's gonna be right there staring. And I mean, when we ride the Denali Highway going into the park, the Denali Park Road, I mean, you're looking at this massive mountain straight ahead the whole time. I mean, it's just right there. So that's your, your, your North Star. You might say, you know, for Alaska. Yeah. Combine that with just the remoteness and all the wildlife. Uh, this is really, truly gonna be a unique experience for people. And, um, people will feel very small. I think it'll be as close as you can get to a religious experience on a. Yeah. [00:45:11] Craig Dalton: It's so hard to describe in an audio podcast, , the visuals that I, you know, I've just, the, the basic visuals I've seen on your website, so I'll certainly direct people over there to kind of have a, a little visual guide to what we've been talking about this whole time. [00:45:25] Brad Sauber: Yeah, for sure. No, I appreciate that. That'd be great. [00:45:27] Craig Dalton: That's amazing. I, I appreciate the audacity of planning these trips. I can't wait to hear how the, the first two go off this year. I know, and we don't have a lot of time for this, but I know you do run a couple other gravel experiences throughout the year. Do you want to talk about those real quick? [00:45:42] Brad Sauber: Well, you know, I've ran them over years, over the years. Uh, we've specialized in some pretty remarkable gravel events in Utah along with the national parks. Um, that's a place I've been running tours for nearly 25 or 30 years. I do have a private trip coming up in April in New Mexico, which is one of my favorite destinations. And after I finished that nine day trip, I'm actually staying on board for another week and creating a point A to point B, uh, New Mexico gravel experience. and um, that is really interesting. Special. Yeah. That's gonna be connecting Albuquerque all the way through, um, out to, uh, Taos and then all the way to Santa Fe and then all the way back into Albuquerque. Super cool. Mostly dirt roads. It's funny, [00:46:20] Craig Dalton: you know, you hear about it, um, from a mountain bike perspective, a lot of people rave about New Mexico, but it hasn't really kind of tipped into the gravel market yet, to my knowledge. So that's, that's really interesting to hear you explore. [00:46:33] Brad Sauber: I'm really excited for that place. I've been running tours there for 30 plus years. I absolutely love. New Mexico as a destination. To me, it's one of the most unique states culturally, um, from a food perspective, the hotels, uh, the history, uh, it just blows people's minds and especially when people call me from Europe and ask me where they should go. I first say New Mexico. I think it's really a, a diverse place and it's also a place with a lot of value. You know, it's still not, it's not that expensive for people. So we can run some pretty affordable experiences there for people and make it very access. . Um, and the gravel riding is going to be, uh, phenomenal. It, it's gonna be a really special event. I mean, eight days of gravel riding, connecting, you know, Taos, New Mexico, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, all these remote places. Abaki, we are gonna come on this. We come into the backside of Abaki on a dirt road. Um, that I, from what I can tell and what I'm looking at, is just gonna be one of the finest rides that you could have in your life. Yeah. I [00:47:30] Craig Dalton: love it. Well, Brad, thank you for coming on and talking about what you're doing at Raid Cycling. I, I do love your passion and perspective to make everything you put and make available to cyclists incredibly memorable and that certainly shows in like the thoughtfulness of your comments and the trip design. So thanks for sharing all that with [00:47:49] Brad Sauber: us. Well, thank you for the time. I really appreciate it. I really enjoyed chatting with you, Craig. Look forward getting back on the bike [00:47:55] Craig Dalton: with. Yeah, exactly. You'll get back to Mill Valley one of these days, , for sure. Cheers. Thanks, [00:48:00] Brad Sauber: Brad. All right. Thank you, Greg. Cheers. [00:48:04] Craig Dalton: That's going to do it for this week's edition of the gravel ride podcast. Big, thanks to Brad and raid cycling for joining us and telling us about that spectacular Alaskan gravel expedition. Big, thanks to hammerhead and the hammer, head crew to computer for supporting the show. I remember, use the promo code, the gravel ride for that free heart rate monitor with your purchase of the crew to computer. If you're interested in connecting with me, please join the ridership. That's www.theridership.com. If you're able to support the show, ratings and reviews are hugely appreciated or you're welcome to visit. Buy me a coffee.com/the gravel ride. Until next time. Here's to finding some dirt under your wheels.    

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This week on Northwestern Outdoors Radio Sena Wheeler with Sena Sea Seafoods will share the excitement of the Copper River salmon opener that just happened a couple of weeks ago in Alaska and tell you why these fish are so prized by people around the world as the finest premium quality salmon you can get on your plate!  Sara DiRienzo with Wyoming Game & Fish has all sorts of trout related news for you, Bob Loomis invites you to participate in the Peter Flohr Memorial Salmon Derby near Wenatchee and we'll re-air an  interview with John McMillan from Trout Unlimited about saving our steelhead that just won an Excellence In Craft Award from the Outdoor Writers Association of America.  http://www.northwesternoutdoors.com    

Join SeafoodNews Podcast co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they break down some of the biggest stories of the week, including a Copper River salmon update and the market uncertainty facing the snow crab industry. Plus learn about some of the latest mergers and acquisitions. This week's episode of the SeafoodNews Podcast is brought to you by Urner Barry's Excel Add-In. Save time and improve your report building by streamlining supply and pricing data directly into your spreadsheets. Call 732-240-5330 to learn more about the Excel Add-In.

Portlock Alaska & Other haunted ghost towns   Today we're talking about a ghost town in Alaska that is rumored to have been abandoned because of…. Wait for it….a killer bigfoot!! dun dun duuuuuuuuuuun!!! We're going to look at Portlock Alaska and after that maybe take a look at other haunted and creepy ghost towns!    History of Portlock: As per wikipedia   Portlock is a ghost town in the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern edge of the Kenai Peninsula, around 16 miles south of Seldovia. It is located in Port Chatham bay, after which an adjacent community takes its namesake. Named after Nathaniel Portlock, Portlock was established in the Kenai Peninsula in the early-twentieth century as a cannery, particularly for salmon. It is thought to have been named after Captain Nathaniel Portlock, a British ship captain who sailed there in 1786. In 1921, a United States Post Office opened in the town.  The population largely consisted of Russian-Aleuts, indigenous people of the Aleutian Islands. Both the Aleut people and the islands are divided between the US state of Alaska and the Russian administrative division of Kamchatka Krai.   In the early 1900s there were a series of deaths and disappearances in the town. Many people started to blame this on a killer cryptid! It is said that this big bad beast is the reason behind the town being abandoned and left to become a legend.   Nantiinaq:   First off let's talk about the cryptid that is believed to be the cause of all of this mess.   Nantinaq is a large Bigfoot-like creature that is believed to be a key factor in the abandonment of the Alaskan fishing village Portlock. Elders from the nearby town of Nanwalek have kept oral traditions of the creature alive since Portlock's abandonment in 1950. Stories differentiate Nantinaq from the North American Sasquatch or Bigfoot through its abilities, which many believe to be supernatural and evil in nature.   The earliest descriptions and accounts of Nantinaq can be traced back to European expedition logs in the 1700's. When Native Alaskans began inhabiting the Portlock area stories and encounters with a mysterious creature began occurring with increasing regularity.   In the early 20th century, as Portlock's population grew, local and national sources began to record unexplained occurrences in the area. An abnormally high number of disappearances, catastrophes, and deaths eventually lead to village elders to move the population to nearby Nanwalek.    The physical characteristics of Nantinaq are typically described to be similar to the North American Sasquatch. Eye witnesses and historians describe the creature as being upwards of 8 feet tall and being covered in dark fur. Sharp claws capable of ripping mammals with ease have also been identified.   Despite the creatures imposing physical characteristics, many locals identify Nantinaq more through its invisible traits. Strange illnesses, smells and noises have all been recorded in the Portlock area with no known explanation. This has led many locals and elders to believe Nantinaq is spiritual in nature.   The craziness: Even before Portlock had even existed there had long been sinister stories told by the Natives of the area. They had long told of a creature stalking the wildernesses of the region, which they referred to as a Nantiinaq, roughly translating to “half man- half beast.” The Natives were apparently terrified of these creatures, and would avoid any area in which they were known to lurk. At first Portlock seemed safe, but whether the Nantiinaq had anything to do with it or not, strange things began happening in and around the area, not long after its settlement. In 1900, a group of hair-covered creatures ran at a prospector who had climbed a tree in an attempt to get his bearings near Thomas Bay. The prospector said they were, “the most hideous creatures. I couldn't call them anything but devils…” The prospector, upon seeing the creatures advancing on him, was able to drop down out of the tree, get to his canoe and make his escape in the nick of time. He had no doubt in his mind that, had he not seen the creatures when he did, they would have made short work of him. Another bizarre incident allegedly happened in as early as 1905, just a few years after the cannery had opened. At this time, many of the workers at the cannery suddenly stopped coming to work and refused to come back, but this wasn't due to poor pay or working conditions, but rather because the men were deeply spooked. They claimed that there was “something in the woods,” commonly reported by the men as being large dark shapes that would stare at them from the tree line at the shore and sometimes display menacing behavior. The workers were eventually convinced to come back the following season, but this was not the end of the town's problems.   In the 1920s and 30s there were several mysterious deaths in the area that seemed to have been caused by something very large and powerful. The first was a local hunter by the name of Albert Petka, who was out hunting with his dogs in the 1920s when he came across a massive hairy creature that materialized from the trees to strike him in the chest, sending him flying. Petka's dogs allegedly managed to chase the beast off, and when rescuers arrived he explained what had happened, before dying from his wounds later. Natives at the time saw this as a bad sign, believing it to be evidence that a Nantiinaq had come to haunt the area. Rumors like this persisted for years, only further perpetuated by stories of miners, loggers, hunters, or cannery workers finding huge tracks in the woods, or of seeing fleeting large dark shapes and sometimes hearing eerie howls at night. Making it even more ominous is that there were some reports from frightened Natives that there was a ghostly entity in the area as well, which took the form of a woman wearing a long black dress and who would appear at the top of the cliffs near town to scream and moan before vanishing.   Brian Weed is the co-founder of a group called Juneau's Hidden History that primarily keeps track of things through their Facebook page. He has traveled all over Juneau and many other Alaskan towns in search of natural history and stories. His group plans frequent hikes in the area to places that have some sort of story to tell or just to see the natural beauty of the state. He related another story of a mysterious death.                       "A logger was out working and something or someone hit him over the head with a huge piece of logging equipment, something that one man couldn't have lifted. When they found his body, there was blood on the equipment and there was no way that one person could have done it. He was a good ten feet from the logging equipment, so it's not like he slipped, fell, and hit his head. It looked more like someone picked it up and bonked him over the head."           In 1940 it was reported that a search party had been sent out to look for one such missing hunter, which would claim that they had come across his body in a creek, mutilated and torn apart in a way not consistent with a bear attack. Other bodies would reportedly be found as well, apparently washed down from the mountains into a nearby lagoon, with others still discovered washed up on the shores of Port Chatham, all of them ripped apart and maimed as if by some immensely powerful animal. At the time there were so many people turning up in that lagoon dead that it began to truly freak out the locals, to the point that they spent much time cowering indoors away from those creepy ass woods.   By the 1950s, locals were sick and tired of living in fear so they completely fled the town and left it abandoned. Years later when hunters returned, it is said that they reported seeing 18-inch long human-like footprints with patterns similar to a deer or wolf.   Former Portlock resident Malania Helen Kehl was interviewed by Naomi Klouda of the Homer Tribune back in October of 2009 and said things in Portlock started out well enough but degenerated to such a point that the family left their home and fled to Nanwalek.The family had endured the murder of Malania's godfather, Andrew Kamluck in 1931. Kamluck was the logger who was killed when someone, or something, hit him over the head.           "We left our houses and the school and started all new here (Nanwalek),” said Kehl.   Port Graham elder, Simeon Kvasnikoff told of the unexplained disappearance of a gold miner near the village during this time.   “He went up there one time and never came back,” said Kvasnikoff. “No one found any sign of him.”   Another interesting aspect of the Portlock story was relayed to Klouda by an Anchorage paramedic who preferred to remain anonymous.   “In 1990, while I was working as a paramedic in Anchorage, we got called out on an alarm for a man having a heart attack at the state jail in Eagle River. He was a Native man in his 70s, and after I got him stabilized with IVs, O2 and cardiac drugs, my partner and I began to transport him to the Native Hospital in Anchorage.” En route to the hospital, the paramedic and the Native man, an “Aleut'' from Port Graham, talked about hunting. The paramedic had been to DogFish Bay and was once stuck there due to bad weather.   “This old man sat up on the gurney and grabbed me by the front of my shirt. He got right up to my face and said, ‘Did it bother you?' Well, with that question, the hair just stood up on the back of my head. I said, ‘Yes.' “Did you see it?” was his next question. I said, “No, did you see it?” He said “No, but my brother seen it. It chased him.”   Ok so that's pretty jacked up….a killer bigfoot! That's one hell of a story. The town had been abandoned ever since and sightings continue to this day. In fact there is a TV series about this place called Alaskan Killer Bigfoot! The series followed a 40 day expedition to the area to try and see if they can get to the bottom of all the mystery! Moody hasn't watched it yet but I'm sure he'll get high and binge it soon.    So on the side of fairness we do have to disclose an interview we found. The interview was with a woman named Sally Ash. Sally is Sugpiaq of Russian-Aleut descent. She has lived in Nanwalek for most of her life and continues to speak her native language Sugt'stun. Her mother was born in Dogfish Bay, near Port Chatham.            “Our people were nomadic, went by the seasons, whatever was in season they would move from one place to another. They went through Port Chatham, Dogfish Bay, Seldovia, Homer, even to Kodiak.”               "Portlock was kind of a creepy place,” she admitted.  “They'd tell us don't go out on a foggy day.  That's when he's walking around. You could run into him and you never know what he might do.”   The ‘he' that she is talking about is their local form of Sasquatch, known as Nantiinaq.  Nantiinaq pronounced ‘non-tee-nuck,' is not your typical, everyday Sasquatch brute. Nantiinaq is more of a supernatural being.      “I think he is part-human,” Sally describes. “He lived with people and then didn't want to be around them anymore so he moved to the forest; away from everybody. He started growing hair and he looked like a bigfoot — scary… My uncles, my grandfathers, they all talked about him. They'd tell us they live far away from people. They don't mix with people.”   “My brother went up to the lake. He was tying off his skiff. He started smelling something really bad in the bushes, so he opened it, moving the branches. Something's going on here.  Then he looked in there and there was a man with his hands — in the back way (turned around). It looked like a man, but he was all hairy and he looked really scary. So he and our cousin took off running and didn't want to be up there.  He wasn't sure if it was a bigfoot, but there was a horrible smell,” she said.   “I think it's a he; he has been living for a long time,” Sally says. “He's old, he's tall, he's strong, he's hairy.  It lives in the woods and you can tell when he's getting near. You can smell him.  My mom used to talk about it a lot.  She'd tell stories of the bigfoot, like in Dogfish area, her and her brother would talk about how bigfoot was around. They were getting too close to him and they would be nice to him. Respect him. Keep distance. They live with him but not so close. He moved around — he was quick.”   Sally served as translator for her cousin, Malania Kehl during her historic interview for the Homer Tribune in 2009, that has since taken the bigfoot-believing world by storm. Malania told the reporter that the entire town evacuated Port Chatham in 1949 due to this murderous Nantiinaq. Her story has been perceived as being factual by authors, documentarians, and bigfoot buffs.   Buuuuuuuuttttttt…..   “My cousin Malania was being interviewed and we were sitting with her,” Sally recalls. “Malania kind of made up a story, because she was getting tired of people asking if this (story) is true. She made up this story about how Bigfoot was killing people. It wasn't true.  Everybody knows that, but it was not our place to say nothing. We all knew but we couldn't just stop her. We were brought up in a way where we can't tell our elders they are wrong.”   "And that was her story,” Sally giggles…  “we knew it. There was me and my sisters and my cousins and we all just sat there. We couldn't tell her, ‘Don't say that Malania,'  because she might get mad at us. We were younger than her and we were not allowed in front of her to say anything like that… Malania knew that we knew about her story that she made up and we all had a laugh about it with her.”   Sally said the reason for the exodus from Port Chatham was more practical in nature.   “People would see Nantiinaq, but that wasn't the reason why people moved this way to Seldovia and Nanwalek. They moved because of the economy, schools and the church.  There really was no killing of people.”     Well…that's disappointing…but we here at The train are gonna stick to the fact that there's a killer bigfoot to blame!   Wow so that's fun! But you know what…it's not enough. We strive to bring you the best in podcast entertainment here so we're going to do some of our patented quick hitters and throw in some more crazy ghost towns for ya!  Let's roll!   First up we're off to Italy. The ghost town of Craco to be more specific.    Craco is a ghost town and comune in the province of Matera, in the southern Italian region of Basilicata.    Haunted, surreal and moving, it's not surprising that the Craco ghost town and the beautiful surrounding landscape was chosen as the setting for several movies such as Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and 007 Quantum of Solace.   The first written evidence of the town's existence shows that it was under the possession of a bishop named Arnaldo in 1060 A.D. The town's oldest building, the tall Torre Normanna, predates the bishop's documented ownership by 20 years.   From 1154 to 1168, after the archbishop, the nobleman Eberto controlled the town, establishing Feudalistic rule, and then ownership passed onto Roberto di Pietrapertos in 1179.   A university was established in the 13th century and the population kept growing, reaching 2,590 in the year 1561. By this time, the construction of four large plazas was completed. Craco had its first substantial landslide in 1600, but life went on, and the monastery of St. Peter went up in 1630.   Then, another tragedy hit. In 1656, the Black Death began to spread. Hundreds died and the population dipped.   But Craco wasn't down for the count quite yet. In 1799, the town successfully overthrew the feudal system — only to then fall to Napoleonic occupation. In 1815, a still-growing Craco was divided into two separate districts.   After Italy's unification in the mid-19th century, the controversial gangster and folk hero Carmine Crocco briefly conquered the village.   Mother Nature had more in store for Craco. Poor agricultural conditions caused a severe famine in the late 19th century. This spawned a mass migration of the population — about 1,300 people — to North America.   Then came more landslides. Craco had a series of them — plus a flood in 1972 and an earthquake in 1980. Luckily, in 1963, the remaining 1,800 inhabitants were transferred down the mountain to a valley called Craco Peschiera.   Not everyone was willing to move, however. One man native to the tiny town resisted the relocation, choosing to live the rest of his more than 100 years in his native land.   Some houses still hold traces of the life that once was: old appliances, abandoned tools, a lonely chair in the middle of a room where no one will ever sit anymore. A few facades still bear the signs of their past beauty in what has remained of their decorations.   And of course there are the tales of hauntings that come with most ghost towns. While there isn't a whole lot on a cursory search, if you dig a little you can find some stories of late night expeditions finding some interesting things. There are stories of groups seeing shadow people and apparitions. People hearing strange sounds. Pictures containing orbs and other anomalies. It's a great looking place, definitely check it out.   Next up is Rhyolite Nevada.   The ghost town of Rhyolite and its remnants are definitely a popular destination among those who like seeking out Nevada's abandoned places. Home to many of the town's original and now crumbling buildings, it's a fascinating place to see and think about Nevada's past.    According to the national parks service This ghost town's origins were brought about by Shorty Harris and E. L. Cross, who were prospecting in the area in 1904. They found quartz all over a hill, and as Shorty describes it “... the quartz was just full of free gold... it was the original bullfrog rock... this banner is a crackerjack”! He declared, “The district is going to be the banner camp of Nevada. I say so once and I'll say it again.” At that time there was only one other person in the whole area: Old Man Beatty who lived in a ranch with his family five miles away. Soon the rush was on and several camps were set up including Bullfrog, the Amargosa and a settlement between them called Jumpertown. A townsite was laid out nearby and given the name Rhyolite from the silica-rich volcanic rock in the area.   There were over 2000 claims covering everything in a 30 mile area from the Bullfrog district. The most promising was the Montgomery Shoshone mine, which prompted everyone to move to the Rhyolite townsite. The town immediately boomed with buildings springing up everywhere. One building was 3 stories tall and cost $90,000 to build. A stock exchange and Board of Trade were formed. The red light district drew women from as far away as San Francisco. There were hotels, stores, a school for 250 children, an ice plant, two electric plants, foundries and machine shops and even a miner's union hospital.   The town citizens had an active social life including baseball games, dances, basket socials, whist parties, tennis, a symphony, Sunday school picnics, basketball games, Saturday night variety shows at the opera house, and pool tournaments. In 1906 Countess Morajeski opened the Alaska Glacier Ice Cream Parlor to the delight of the local citizenry. That same year an enterprising miner, Tom T. Kelly, built a Bottle House out of 50,000 beer and liquor bottles.   In April 1907 electricity came to Rhyolite, and by August of that year a mill had been constructed to handle 300 tons of ore a day at the Montgomery Shoshone mine. It consisted of a crusher, 3 giant rollers, over a dozen cyanide tanks and a reduction furnace. The Montgomery Shoshone mine had become nationally known because Bob Montgomery once boasted he could take $10,000 a day in ore from the mine. It was later owned by Charles Schwab, who purchased it in 1906 for a reported 2 to 6 million dollars.   The financial panic of 1907 took its toll on Rhyolite and was seen as the beginning of the end for the town. In the next few years mines started closing and banks failed. Newspapers went out of business, and by 1910 the production at the mill had slowed to $246,661 and there were only 611 residents in the town. On March 14, 1911 the directors voted to close down the Montgomery Shoshone mine and mill. In 1916 the light and power were finally turned off in the town.   Today you can find several remnants of Rhyolite's glory days. Some of the walls of the 3 story bank building are still standing, as is part of the old jail. The train depot (privately owned) is one of the few complete buildings left in the town, as is the Bottle House. The Bottle House was restored by Paramount pictures in Jan, 1925.   And according to only on your state, It also happens to be home to one of Nevada's spookiest cemeteries. After all, nothing says "creepy" like a ghost town graveyard! Known as the Bullfrog-Rhyolite Cemetery, it definitely looks the part of a haunted destination you probably shouldn't visit at night.   The Bullfrog-Rhyolite Cemetery was actually shared between two towns. Home to just a handful of rugged graves, including some that look like nothing more than a human-shaped mound of rocks, it definitely has a serene type of beauty to it...during daylight, that is.   There's no telling what kind of creepy experiences you could have in Rhyolite once the sun sets. In fact, paranormal enthusiasts make trips out here to challenge just that! Disembodied voices and orbs are often reported in this area. And while most of the action seems to be centered on this area there are also reports of the same strange goings on in the town itself. Strange sounds and voices and orbs, as well as strange shadows and apparitions. Sounds awesome to us!   Next up we head to Calico California.   Calico is a ghost town and former mining town in San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert region of Southern California, it was founded in 1881 as a silver mining town, and was later converted into a county park named Calico Ghost Town. Located off Interstate 15, it lies 3 miles (4.8 km) from Barstow and 3 miles from Yermo. Giant letters spelling CALICO are visible, from the highway, on the Calico Peaks behind it. Walter Knott purchased Calico in the 1950s, and architecturally restored all but the five remaining original buildings to look as they did in the 1880s. Calico received California Historical Landmark #782, and in 2005 was proclaimed by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to be California's Silver Rush Ghost Town.   In 1881 four prospectors were leaving Grapevine Station (present day Barstow, California) for a mountain peak to the northeast. After they described the peak as "calico-colored", the peak, the mountain range to which it belonged, and the town that followed were all called Calico. The four prospectors discovered silver in the mountain and opened the Silver King Mine, which was California's largest silver producer in the mid-1880s. John C. King, who had grubstaked the prospectors who discovered the silver vein (the Silver King Mine was thus named after him), was the uncle of Walter Knott founder of Knott's Berry Farm. King was sheriff of San Bernardino County from 1879 to 1882. A post office at Calico was established in early 1882, and the Calico Print, a weekly newspaper, started publishing. The town soon supported three hotels, five general stores, a meat market, bars, brothels, and three restaurants and boarding houses. The county established a school district and a voting precinct. The town also had a deputy sheriff and two constables, two lawyers and a justice of the peace, five commissioners, and two doctors. There was also a Wells Fargo office and a telephone and telegraph service. At its height of silver production during 1883 and 1885, Calico had over 500 mines and a population of 1,200 people. Local badmen were buried in the Boot Hill cemetery   An attempt to revive the town was made in about 1915, when a cyanide plant was built to recover silver from the unprocessed Silver King Mine's deposits. Walter Knott and his wife Cordelia, founders of Knott's Berry Farm, were homesteaded at Newberry Springs around this time, and Knott helped build the redwood cyanide tanks for the plant.   The last owner of Calico as a mine was Zenda Mining Company. After building Ghost Town at Knott's Berry Farm in the 1940s, Walter Knott, his son, Russell, and Paul von Klieben, who was Knott's art director, made a road trip to Calico. The three of them came back filled with enthusiasm. If they could build an imaginary ghost town at Knott's Berry Farm, would it not be possible to restore a real ghost town? In 1951, Walter Knott purchased the town of Calico from the Zenda Mining Company and put Paul von Klieben in charge of restoring it to its original condition, referencing old photographs.   Using the old photos, and Walter's memory and that of some old-timers who still lived in the area, von Klieben was able to not only restore existing structures, but also design and replace missing buildings. Knott spent $700,000 restoring Calico. Knott installed a longtime employee named Freddy "Calico Fred" Noller as resident caretaker and official greeter. In 1966 Walter Knott decided to donate the town to San Bernardino County, and Calico became a County Regional Park.   The site is now a thriving tourist attraction, and is quite interesting to visit despite being neither original nor very atmospheric, as only about four of the buildings are largely unchanged from the mining era, and the whole place is rather commercialized. Some of the replica houses have only a frontage, as if part of a movie set.    The best part?…yup…its friggin haunted. You can take ghost tours through the town to find out for yourself!    According to Haunted Rooms. Com, Amid the claims of paranormal activity, there are 3 main entities who have been identified as residing in Calico Ghost Town and these are the ones that visitors should be on the lookout for.   One of the most commonly spotted entities haunting Calico Ghost Town is said to be a woman by the name of Lucy Lane. History suggests that Lucy ran Calico's General Store alongside her husband John Robert Lane. Just like so many of the residents, the Lanes moved away from Calico when the town began rapidly depopulating. However, they ended up returning in 1916 after the town was abandoned and live the rest of their days in the town. Lucy was well into her 90s when she finally passed.   It seems only natural then that she would want to stick around in the town where she lived and died. Visitors to Calico Ghost Town have frequently reported seeing Lucy walking between what was once her home and the General Store. She is easily recognizable by her attire – the beautiful black lace dress in which she was buried. Although most of the reports describe seeing Lucy Lane walking from her home to the General Store, there have also been sightings of her inside both buildings as well. Her former home is now a museum dedicated to Lucy and John Robert Lane and she is sometimes seen sitting in a rocking chair slowly rocking back and forth. Some visitors also claim to have seen Lucy behind the counter in the General Store.   Another of the paranormal hotspots in the Calico Ghost Town is definitely the schoolhouse! The names of the teachers have long since been lost, but it is said to be their spirits who are responsible for the plethora of paranormal activity happening in the old schoolhouse. There are frequent reports that the teachers like to stand in the windows of the schoolhouse peering out at those passing by on the outside! There are also reports of a red ball of light moving around inside the schoolhouse. This phenomenon has been witnessed by many visitors to Calico Ghost Town.   The former teachers are certainly not the only ones who are up to mischief! There have also been reports of various ghostly students in the schoolhouse as well. These children's spirits can be seen flitting around inside the building. They do seem to keep themselves to themselves most of the time, but there is one girl aged around 11 or 12 who is far more outgoing. However, she is most likely to appear to children and teens who will often comment on seeing her only for their parents to turn around and the girl to vanish!   The most prominent ghost that roams around Calico Ghost Town is probably the entity known as ‘Tumbleweed' Harris. He is actually the last Marshal of Calico and it seems as though he has not yet stepped down from his duty! He is often seen by the boardwalks on Main Street and you will be able to recognize him by his large frame and long white beard. If you do visit Calico Ghost Town be sure to stop by Tumbleweed's gravestone and thank him for continuing to keep Calico's peace even in death.   And finally we double back and head back to Alaska for one more ghost town. Kennecott Alaska is our final destination.   In the summer of 1900, two prospectors, "Tarantula" Jack Smith and Clarence L. Warner, a group of prospectors associated with the McClellan party, spotted "a green patch far above them in an improbable location for a grass-green meadow." The green turned out to be malachite, located with chalcocite (aka "copper glance"), and the location of the Bonanza claim. A few days later, Arthur Coe Spencer, U.S. Geological Survey geologist independently found chalcocite at the same location.   Stephen Birch, a mining engineer just out of school, was in Alaska looking for investment opportunities in minerals. He had the financial backing of the Havemeyer Family, and another investor named James Ralph, from his days in New York. Birch spent the winter of 1901-1902 acquiring the "McClellan group's interests" for the Alaska Copper Company of Birch, Havemeyer, Ralph and Schultz, later to become the Alaska Copper and Coal Company. In the summer of 1901, he visited the property and "spent months mapping and sampling." He confirmed the Bonanza mine and surrounding by deposits were, at the time, the richest known concentration of copper in the world.   By 1905, Birch had successfully defended the legal challenges to his property and he began the search for capital to develop the area. On 28 June 1906, he entered into "an amalgamation" with the Daniel Guggenheim and J.P. Morgan & Co., known as the Alaska Syndicate, eventually securing over $30 million. The capital was to be used for constructing a railway, a steamship line, and development of the mines. In Nov. 1906, the Alaska Syndicate bought a 40 percent interest in the Bonanza Mine from the Alaska Copper and Coal Company and a 46.2 percent interest in the railroad plans of John Rosene's Northwestern Commercial Company.   Political battles over the mining and subsequent railroad were fought in the office of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt between conservationists and those having a financial interest in the copper.   The Alaska Syndicate traded its Wrangell Mountains Mines assets for shares in the Kennecott Copper Corporation, a "new public company" formed on 29 April 1915. A similar transaction followed with the CR&NW railway and the Alaska Steamship Company. Birch was the managing partner for the Alaska operation.   Kennecott Mines was named after the Kennicott Glacier in the valley below. The geologist Oscar Rohn named the glacier after Robert Kennicott during the 1899 US Army Abercrombie Survey. A "clerical error" resulted in the substitution of an "e" for the "i", supposedly by Stephen Birch himself. Kennecott had five mines: Bonanza, Jumbo, Mother Lode, Erie and Glacier. Glacier, which is really an ore extension of the Bonanza, was an open-pit mine and was only mined during the summer. Bonanza and Jumbo were on Bonanza Ridge about 3 mi (4.8 km) from Kennecott. The Mother Lode mine was located on the east side of the ridge from Kennecott. The Bonanza, Jumbo, Mother Lode and Erie mines were connected by tunnels. The Erie mine was perched on the northwest end of Bonanza Ridge overlooking Root Glacier about 3.7 mi (6.0 km) up a glacial trail from Kennecott. Ore was hoisted to Kennecott via the trams which head-ended at Bonanza and Jumbo. From Kennecott the ore was hauled mostly in 140-pound sacks on steel flat cars to Cordova, 196 rail miles away, via the Copper River and Northwestern Railway (CRNW).   In 1911 the first shipment of ore by train transpired. Before completion, the steamship Chittyna carried ore to the Abercrombie landing by Miles Glacier. Initial ore shipments contained "72 percent copper and 18 oz. of silver per ton."   In 1916, the peak year for production, the mines produced copper ore valued at $32.4 million.   In 1925 a Kennecott geologist predicted that the end of the high-grade ore bodies was in sight. The highest grades of ore were largely depleted by the early 1930s. The Glacier Mine closed in 1929. The Mother Lode was next, closing at the end of July 1938. The final three, Erie, Jumbo and Bonanza, closed that September. The last train left Kennecott on November 10, 1938, leaving it a ghost town.   From 1909 until 1938, except when it closed temporarily in 1932, Kennecott mines "produced over 4.6 million tons of ore that contained 1.183 billion pounds of copper mainly from three ore bodies: Bonanza, Jumbo and Mother Lode. The Kennecott operations reported gross revenues above $200 million and a net profit greater than $100 million.   In 1938, Ernest Gruening proposed Kennecott be preserved as a National Park. A recommendation to President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 18 Jan. 1940 for the establishment of the Kennecott National Monument went nowhere. However, 2 Dec. 1980 saw the establishment of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.   From 1939 until the mid-1950s, Kennecott was deserted except for a family of three who served as the watchmen until about 1952. In the late 1960s, an attempt was made to reprocess the tailings and to transport the ore in aircraft. The cost of doing so made the idea unprofitable. Around the same time, the company with land rights ordered the destruction of the town to rid them of liability for potential accidents. A few structures were destroyed, but the job was never finished and most of the town was left standing. Visitors and nearby residents have stripped many of the small items and artifacts. Some have since been returned and are held in various archives.   KCC sent a field party under the geologist Les Moon in 1955. They agreed with the 1938 conclusion, "no copper resource of a size and grade sufficient to interest KCC remained." The mill remains however.   Most of this historical info came from an awesome article called A Kennecott Story by Charles Hawley in the University of Utah Press.   So you know we love our history and we thought it was cool cus this was such an important town in Alaska's history and then boom…ghost town. But you know that's not why we're there…it's also haunted!   Reports of paranormal activity along the abandoned train tracks abound and have for decades. That's not all that makes it one of the most haunted places in America. Some claim to have seen old tombstones along the route. The gravestones then vanish by the time the visitors make their return trip. Others have reported hearing disembodied voices and phantom children laughing. Reportedly, a 1990s construction project here halted after workers were scared away by spooky sounds and inexplicable events.   Ok, last little tid bit of fact. There's actually a little town up in the far northwest territory of Alaska called Diomede which is located on the island of Little Diomede in the middle of the Bering Straight. During the winter months the water can freeze and you can actually walk… to Big Diomede … an island in Russia. The stretch of water between these two islands is only about 2.5 miles wide. There are two reported cases of people walking from Alaska to Russia in modern history. The last were Karl Bushby, and his American companion Dimitri Kieffer who in 2006 walked from Alaska to Russia over the Bering Straight in 14 days.   So there you have it…killer bigfoot and some cool haunted ghost towns! Maybe we'll drive into some more ghost towns in a future episode!   Bigfoot horror movies   https://filmschoolrejects.com/bigfoot-horror/

This week on the SeafoodNews Podcast co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione break down the USDA funding for seafood processors. Plus, get the latest news on Copper River sockeye, the snow crab market, Maine lobster landing value and more! This episode of the SeafoodNews Podcast is brought to you by Urner Barry, the trusted source for benchmark pricing in the food and agriculture industry for over 160 years. The company has successfully completed an independent review of its price reporting methodology and control procedures, confirming Urner Barry's processes are aligned with the International Organization of Securities Commissions Principles for Price Reporting Agencies. Call 732-240-5330 or go to urnerbarry.com to register for a free demonstration.

About Carol Hoover and Trio Now: With a long-standing career in the advertising, publishing and corporate identity arena, I have also branched out into environmental habitat-preservation and social justice fields of work. I have been principal of and have helped found several businesses. One, Triad Inc. was an internationally recognized corporate identity and design firm. Triad formed identities that lasted well into the future during the growth of the high-tech industry. Clients such as Electronic Arts, Novell, Bank of America, Torani Italian Syrups, Pacific Telesis and Fireman's Fund Insurance Companies have all experienced successful award-winning campaigns working with Triad. That business has morphed into an independent consultancy, which is called Trio Now. With a great interest in the eco-aspects of the burgeoning organic and sustainable food practices industries, I am proud to be a founding partner in helping 1foodsource maintain its commitment in promoting sustainable and environmentally conscious companies with their marketing and branding strategies. I have also helped to found and am active with a non-profit organization, the Eyak Preservation Council, based in Cordova, Alaska. Working with co-founder Dune Lankard, we have helped stop clearcutting practices, and preserved over 765,000 acres of rainforest so far, by offering viable economic alternatives, and halted short-term destructive development in one of the most pristine wild salmon habitat areas on the planet – the Copper River and Prince William Sound watersheds. Great design and long-lasting branding strategies for good causes and clients remain my passion. I strive for win-win-win solutions, for the long term. Trio is a concept-driven creative consultancy. We specialize in progressive branding, identity systems, naming, marketing, packaging, events, licensing, product development, nonprofits, social justice campaigns — and fine design. Our goal is to work with clients and campaigns that deliver successful results, and show a great respect for the environment, human rights, sustainable solutions, and social justice. Much of Trio's work has a “giving back” component.

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Eat, Drink & Be Merry" Show features Sena Wheeler of Sena Sea Wild Alaskan Fish and travel writer Linda Kissam "Food, Wine & Shopping Diva." Sena Sea is an online source for wild-caught and sustainable Alaskan fish, including Copper River king salmon, Copper River sockeye salmon, Halibut, Sablefish, and King Crab. Sena Sea offers individual fillets, bundles, meal kits, and the finest salmon shipped directly from Alaska. Browse and select with confidence. Fresh, never-farmed fish, and a commitment to ocean stewardship as they partner with ethical farms, fisheries, and producers around the world. Think delicious, high-quality sustainable food. Read Linda's full review of Sena Sea, and check out Sena's family recipe for Soy Sauce & Ginger Black Cod: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/sena-sea-wild-alaskan-fish/

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Eat, Drink & Be Merry" Show features Sena Wheeler of Sena Sea Wild Alaskan Fish and travel writer Linda Kissam "Food, Wine & Shopping Diva."Sena Sea is an online source for wild-caught and sustainable Alaskan fish, including Copper River king salmon, Copper River sockeye salmon, Halibut, Sablefish, and King Crab. Sena Sea offers individual fillets, bundles, meal kits, and the finest salmon shipped directly from Alaska. Browse and select with confidence. Fresh, never-farmed fish, and a commitment to ocean stewardship as they partner with ethical farms, fisheries, and producers around the world. Think delicious, high-quality sustainable food. Read Linda's full review of Sena Sea, and check out Sena's family recipe for Soy Sauce & Ginger Black Cod: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/sena-sea-wild-alaskan-fish/

Discussion about environmental education in Cordova, Alaska. How the programs at the Prince William Sound Science Centre address the legacy of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. We also talk about their summer programs. Bringing together kids from across the Copper River watershed, and allowing them to share their different experiences with the river and understand the connections between their communities. Prince William Sound Science Centre Full show notes

HOUR 1Tom and Rick talk weather and Hatcher's Pass Rick plays a clip of a city council name prankTucker Carlson and Brit Hume talk about why President Biden won't admit he screwed up with Afghanistan / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z71QyQyUJ-8Joe from Anchorage on the State Fair, Copper River, and Afghanistan6,000 National Guard deployed across Louisiana and Mississippi / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBhVAEyupYAAirlines are starting to ban cloth masks / https://www.fastcompany.com/90670465/rip-cloth-masks-why-airlines-and-governments-are-banning-them?How Purdue-Pharma launched a stealthy campaign to sway U.S. officials (DOJ) relating to OxyContin and Sackler Family lawsuit immunity and bankruptcy / (NPR) https://www.npr.org/sections/news/HOUR 2Pam Melin - running for Palmer City CouncilRep Sara Rasmussen - Special Session update Rep Kevin McCabe - Special Session update Tom McGrath on our budget and the Permanent Fund 

HOUR 1Tom & Rick talk a rainy first day of the Alaska State FairJeopardy Host abruptly resigns over past sexist comments / https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/20/business/mike-richards-quits-jeopardy.html?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20210820&instance_id=0&nl=breaking-news&ref=headline®i_id=78313692&segment_id=66776&user_id=0d6450a88091f9336b9867d8fc8d27b0Student records unhinged teacher in a tirade in class in Utah (FOX News - Tucker Carlson) / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u7U7KAU0Y4&t=119sT&R talk cameras in classrooms for parents to observe Air Force crew describes their flight out of Kabul, Afghanistan on C-17 / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0-eWPOLg0sState Representative Kevin McCabe reports on the Special Session and progress  (Starts at ) / https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2021/08/19/governor-adds-spending-bill-to-special-session-agenda-forestalling-a-walkout-by-state-legislators/Tom raves about the “Merlin” series on Netflix / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_(2008_TV_series)3,000 counterfeited COVID vaccination cards T&R talk Oklahoma the state and the musical HOUR 2Joe from South Anchorage talks about his recent Copper River fishing trip and cleaning 25 salmon and the. asked why Gov Dunleavy isn't more hard-lined on the PFD / https://copperriver.org/Todd from the Governor's office answers Joe's question and said Governor Dunleavy accepted the PFD amount initially recommended by the AK Legislature and it was not tied to the Earnings Reserve Account Adam Holz, Focus on the Family's “Plugged In” - overviews some of the latest movies “Paw Patrol” and “Reminiscent” with Hugh Jackman Alaska's State Pharmacist Coleman Cutchins joins Tom 

In this newscast: KTOO kicks off a week-long series about Juneau's unique urban avalanche danger; After a late snowmelt, Chilkat Valley brown bears are out of hibernation and looking for food; Chitina dip netters can no longer keep King salmon they catch in the Copper River personal use fishery.

Alaska doctors are seeing unvaccinated patients die of COVID-19; Copper River salmon fishery opener; Bronson set to win race for Anchorage mayor

It's Copper River salmon time! Yes, that annual traditional continues, even during our weird pandemic times. We discuss the outlook, plus some surprising new statistics about US seafood sales and retail, and the USDA's massive purchases.

On today’s episode, Sena and Rich Wheeler of Sena Sea return to teach me all about the that most magnificent of red-fleshed fish, the Copper River Salmon. What exactly is a Copper River Salmon, why are they different than other salmon, and what are some tips for preparing them? We’ll cover all that and more as we head to the delta of the Copper River in Alaska. For complete show notes on this episode, visit https://kitchencounterpodcast.com/184 Connect with the show at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kitchencounterpodcast Twitter: @TKCpodcast Email: feedback@kitchencounterpodcast.com

A federally recognized Tribe in the Ahtna region of the Copper River area hopes to buy more than 450 acres of its traditional homeland -- and return it to the Tribe. A permanent village of Tazlina... Visit knba.org/news to get more information.

In this episode of The Silvercore Podcast, Travis speaks with Brian Niska of Skeena Spey Riverside Wilderness Lodge in Terrace, BC. Brian is a fishing guide, certified fishing instructor and designated master castor and designer of the Metal Detector series of Pieroway rods.   If you have a story that would be of value to the Silvercore audience, or know someone who does, email us at podcast@silvercore.ca.  We would love to hear from you!   Topics discussed in this episode:   Intro [00:00:00 - 00:01:22]  Brian's passion for fishing & experiences as a kid [00:01:22 - 00:02:24] Master Castor Instructor Certification & guiding in Chile [00:02:24 - 00:06:35] Fly fishing, trolling & spey casting [00:06:35 - 00:08:56] Getting into spey fishing & equipment [00:08:56 - 00:12:39] Different types of people that fly fish [00:12:39 - 00:19:00] Pieroway Rods, other gear & trademarking the letter ‘X' [00:19:00 - 00:27:09] Brian's influence on spey casting & best fly fisheries in the world [00:27:09 - 00:29:37] Brians passion for fishing & building a business our of his passion of fishing [00:29:37 - 00:35:40] Fishing seasons around BC [00:35:40 - 00:37:56] Spey casting for pink salmon on the Fraser [00:37:56 - 00:39:08] Fishing Etiquette [00:39:08 - 00:46:52] Outro [00:46:52 - 00:47:23]    Explore these Resources In this episode, we mentioned the following resources which may be beneficial to you:   Silvercore [00:00:10] [00:00:21] [00:00:24] [00:00:31] [00:01:14] [00:32:01] [00:52:43] Brian Niska [00:00:53] Skeena River [00:00:54] [00:01:10] [00:17:32] [00:24:12] [00:32:23] [00:36:59] [00:37:12] [00:37:20] [00:41:22] [00:42:39] [00:45:32] [00:46:34] Spey Fishing [00:00:44] [00:07:06] [00:09:06] [00:35:42] [00:36:03] [00:36:29] Skeena Spey Riverside Wilderness Lodge [00:00:54] Metal Detector series [00:01:04] [00:22:49] [00:25:20] Pieroway Rods [00:01:05] [00:19:02] [00:19:07] [00:19:08] [00:25:28] [00:26:10] [00:26:18] DeBoville Slough [00:02:07] Pitt River [00:02:12] FFF Fly Casting Instructor Certification [00:02:32] [00:03:28] Grouse Mountain [00:03:02] Pete Caverhill [00:03:23] Kingdome [00:04:28] [00:04:33] [00:04:34] [00:06:05] Hexagraph Fly Rods [00:04:45] [00:05:02] [00:05:12] [00:05:17] Bruce and Walker [00:05:03] Walt Powell [00:05:07] Harry Briscoe [00:05:15] Mike & Denise Maxwell [00:05:56] [00:05:57] Bonaparte Lake [00:06:40] [00:12:43] Pennask Lake [00:07:22] Bow River [00:19:53] [00:26:19] X-Series [00:25:26] Sage Fly Fishing [00:25:29] Renegade series [00:25:58] Jerry French [00:25:59] Skagit Guides [00:26:02] Copper River [00:29:00] Nicklaus North [00:29:58] Squamish system [00:36:01] Fraser Valley Tributaries [00:36:11] Vedder River [00:36:15] [00:41:08] Kitimat River [00:36:51] [00:36:52] Bulkley River [00:37:17] [00:37:28] Mamquam River [00:38:34]   Follow us: Podcast YouTube Newsletter Instagram Facebook Follow our Host Instagram: @ Bader.Trav   Learn More about Silvercore Silvercore Club Online Training  Other Training & Services  Merchandise CORE Training Management Resources (TMR)  Blog Page

Tazlina, Alaska, an unincorporated village located 187 miles (301 km) northeast of Anchorage, is nestled along the banks of the Copper River. In 1991, 241 people lived in Tazlina. Eleven-year-old Mandy Lemaire, her parents, and brothers had just moved to Tazlina from Anchorage a year earlier. Mandy’s parents felt Tazlina would be a safer place to raise their children and a place where their kids could learn to hunt and fish and enjoy the Alaska outdoors. Soon after moving to Tazlina, Mandy made friends with Erin, a girl who lived three-quarters of a mile down the road. On August 22, 1991, with only a few days left before the beginning of the school year, the girls asked their parents if they could get together to play. Mandy invited Erin to her house, and with their parents’ permission, Mandy planned to walk halfway to Erin’s where the two girls would meet and then return to Mandy’s house. Mandy’s mother was reluctant to let her daughter walk by herself, not because she was worried about humans, but because they lived in the Alaska wilderness, and she was concerned Mandy might run into a bear or a moose. Mandy would not have to walk far, though, before meeting Erin, and Mandy’s mother watched her walk down the road. Mandy had long, blond hair and wore a pink jacket. Mandy’s mother knew Mandy would only be out of her sight for a short while before she rendezvoused with Erin. A half-hour later, Erin arrived alone at the Lemaire house. She said she saw no sign of Mandy during her walk. She waited for Mandy for several minutes at the halfway point but then decided to walk the rest of the way to Mandy’s house on her own. Mandy’s parents, Valerie and Dave, were not immediately concerned and guessed the two girls had somehow missed each other. They followed the path Mandy would have taken along a neighborhood airstrip, but when they saw no sign of their daughter, they alerted others in the small village, and soon neighbors organized a community-wide search. Sources Brennan, Tom. 2005. A Young Girl is Missing. Cold Crime. Epicenter Press ISBN 9780974501444. Fear Thy Neighbor. 1-14-2014. Ice Cold Killers. Season 2. Episode 2. Forensic Files. 10-8-2003. Share of Influence. Charles Smithart ____________________________________________________________________________ If you would like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club. Each month I will provide one or more of the following to club members. · An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier available only for club members. · Behind the scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness. · Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska · Merchandise or discounts on MMLF merchandise or handmade glass jewelry Become a Patron! __________________________________________________________________________ Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise. ___________________________________________________________________________ Subscribe to my free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska. Join me on: Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Visit my website at http://robinbarefield.com Check out my books at Author Masterminds ___________________________________________________________________________ Robin Barefield is the author of four Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, and Karluk Bones. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.  

Alaska’s latest plan to get North Slope natural gas to market has environmental approval from federal energy regulators. Also: The state says there's no timeline for bringing back its budget transparency tool. And the commercial Copper River fishery is on pause, with low fish returns.

The Gorton fisherman he's not. But I whenever we spoke, the image of a gnarled wind-swept chap standing at the helm in a yellow rain slicker kept popping in my head. Aaron Sechler is a supplier of Alaskan salmon and halibut to restaurants and direct to consumers via his version of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that he refers to as a CSF (Community Supported Fishery). He's leveraged his relationships with some of the boat captains who follow sustainable fishing practices in the waters off the rugged Southern Alaskan coast and river basins like Copper River to be a buyer of their just caught products. We talked about the fish supply chain, from water to table, and how he's trying to manage it now in the midst of the Coronavirus shutdown. We touched on how getting product to market is now and what it will be like as things start to loosen up and get back to the “new normal”, whatever that will be. Along the way, his open and generous nature gave us a peek at his life that took him from the restaurant business of the Twin Cities to the bays and inlets of Alaska.

The Gorton fisherman he’s not. But I whenever we spoke, the image of a gnarled wind-swept chap standing at the helm in a yellow rain slicker kept popping in my head. Aaron Sechler is a supplier of Alaskan salmon and halibut to restaurants and direct to consumers via his version of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that he refers to as a CSF (Community Supported Fishery). He’s leveraged his relationships with some of the boat captains who follow sustainable fishing practices in the waters off the rugged Southern Alaskan coast and river basins like Copper River to be a buyer of their just caught products.We talked about the fish supply chain, from water to table, and how he’s trying to manage it now in the midst of the Coronavirus shutdown. We touched on how getting product to market is now and what it will be like as things start to loosen up and get back to the “new normal”, whatever that will be.Along the way, his open and generous nature gave us a peek at his life that took him from the restaurant business of the Twin Cities to the bays and inlets of Alaska.

Tonight on the KRBD Evening Report: Ketchikan's school board discusses CARES Act funding — plus, the summer commercial salmon season kicks off today on the Copper River.

The Alaskast crew Austin Manelick of Mission Alaska and Landon Albertson come to you straight from the conference room of the brought to by sponsor Providence Imaging Center. Today the crew sits down with Mark Spencer of AK expeditions AKA black beard of the Copper river. AK expeditions the leading copper river dip net charter service. Topics discussed: Following dreams, peg legs and eye patches, Dip-netting the copper river, bachelor party fishing trips, Alaskans helping Alaskans, fighting a big King salmon, navigating the deadliest river in Alaska, how to dip net properly, why are copper river salmon the best tasting, buffalo hunting, spiritual hunting, bear guiding and 11 mile hike outs. Support the show (http://paypal.me/LandonAlbertson)

For this episode we take a slightly different path and speak to someone in the commercial fishing industry. Kinsey Justa is the global markets manager for 60 Degrees North Seafoods in Cordova, Alaska. We talk about her role there and a little about how the commercial fishermen operate on the Copper River up in Alaska. Before discussing that, we go over the interesting path that Kinsey took to get from her hometown to where she is now, including studying in Hawaii, backpacking throughout southeast Asia, and working as skiing/snowshoe guide among other activities. Enjoy!   Main Point: Everyone's unique perspectives are important in solving our current problems!

Adam is a 35-year-old lifelong Alaskan. When he's not working for Guardian Flight, he's probably out biking, skiing, climbing, reading or sleeping. If he's not doing any of those things, he's probably up to no good.

This week's IntraFish podcast dives into some high-profile departures, discusses sky-high salmon prices and the climate for seafood investments.

This is Jesika Reimer's presentation for Bats in the Attic: Studying Little Brown Bat Colonies Throughout Interior Alaska. (Note: the audio podcast is also posted in iTnes.) Jesika Reimer is a Zoologist at the Alaska Center for Conservation Science at UAA and has been studying bats in the north for last eight years. She is currently involved in bat research throughout interior Alaska and has been studying a network of little brown myotis maternity colonies in the Copper River basin and along the Tanana River, to assess seasonal activity, roost preferences, and how nocturnal bats survive in the land of the midnight sun. (Note: the presentation that accompanies the podcast is alos posted in iTunes.) Jesika Reimer earned a B.Sc. in Ecology and a M.Sc. in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Calgary. Everyone is encouraged to come and learn about Alaska bats.

Jesika Reimer presents Bats in the Attic: Studying Little Brown Bat Colonies Throughout Interior Alaska. ((Note: the presentation that accompanies the audio podcast is also posted in iTunes.)Jesika Reimer is a Zoologist at the Alaska Center for Conservation Science at UAA and has been studying bats in the north for last eight years. She is currently involved in bat research throughout interior Alaska and has been studying a network of little brown myotis maternity colonies in the Copper River basin and along the Tanana River, to assess seasonal activity, roost preferences, and how nocturnal bats survive in the land of the midnight sun. Jesika Reimer earned a B.Sc. in Ecology and a M.Sc. in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Calgary. Everyone is encouraged to come and learn about Alaska bats.

The Seafood News Podcast program is ready for a Memorial Day break but first Editor Michael Ramsingh talks about the significance of farmed Ecuadorian shrimp to the Asian market. Plus, Alaska’s Copper River salmon season is in full swing and with at least one harvest limit nearly reached. Meanwhile, Congress will have to waive off a grave error made during the construction of a new catcher processor and a lobster dealer in Nova Scotia is accused of stealing millions of lobster from four seafood companies. Sponsored by the James G. Murphy Company.

In this week’s Seafood News Podcast show Urner Barry and Seafoodnews.com Editor Michael Ramsingh talks about how Canada’s snow crab market appears to be stabilizing. Meanwhile, China’s era of high shrimp output appears to be over with the country poised to be a net importer by the end of the year. Plus, the USDA adopts the FDA’s definition of what a fish processor is; Walmart amends it lawsuit against the big three canned tuna producers and the first salmon harvest from Alaska’s Copper River season lands in Seattle. Sponsored by James G. Murphy Company. Music credit: http://freemusicarchive.org By Jahzzar- track title-schmaltz.

Today I am speaking with Ron Fortunato, President of Trillium Learning and employee of NASA AMES research center. Listen to learn how you can get more information about to get your students more engaged in REAL projects! Project-based vs activity-based projects. Coupling students with real-life working projects. If students are able to keep up with the real-world work, they are given an opportunity to be at the table. Relationships with NOAA, NASA, and other institutions. Identify real problems, and get students involved in those projects. How Ron got involved with NASA. Winning a proposal with NASA: Pick a project they would have done. Meeting with the scientists that put Viking on Mars. How predicting earthquakes works. First earthquake sensor ever created installed in Kodiak. Real world projects cross many disciplines. “We don’t learn a darn thing when we do something right!” Rapid prototyping process - iterate and learn piece by piece. How students have actually discovered that earthquakes were coming with up to 48 hours notice. NASA gave actual reviews to high school students. Life-saving potential of predicting earthquakes is very important. Kodiak, Ketchikan, Craig, Copper River, and Old Harbor have the earthquake systems installed. Tasks and organizations for students are similar to tasks given to scientists. NASA Directors sit in with students on status reviews. Other projects kids can get involved with. Nano-agriculture It looks like chaos at first, but then it becomes transformative. Challenges of doing real-time and real-world project-based learning. Teachers need to adapt to this new way of doing things. School board has to support the project. Build a foundation so the entire district can participate. Ramp Up! How to make it for more than just the gifted or smart kids. 6th grade class suggesting how to improve the sensor. The process of learning how to learn. Trainer of Trainers model. You move at the speed you can go. Contact Ron What to do to start: Look at local organizations and what problems they’re trying to solve. Loading... Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.  

Today I am speaking with Ron Fortunato, President of Trillium Learning and employee of NASA AMES research center. Listen to learn how you can get more information about to get your students more engaged in REAL projects! Project-based vs activity-based projects. Coupling students with real-life working projects. If students are able to keep up with the real-world work, they are given an opportunity to be at the table. Relationships with NOAA, NASA, and other institutions. Identify real problems, and get students involved in those projects. How Ron got involved with NASA. Winning a proposal with NASA: Pick a project they would have done. Meeting with the scientists that put Viking on Mars. How predicting earthquakes works. First earthquake sensor ever created installed in Kodiak. Real world projects cross many disciplines. “We don’t learn a darn thing when we do something right!” Rapid prototyping process - iterate and learn piece by piece. How students have actually discovered that earthquakes were coming with up to 48 hours notice. NASA gave actual reviews to high school students. Life-saving potential of predicting earthquakes is very important. Kodiak, Ketchikan, Craig, Copper River, and Old Harbor have the earthquake systems installed. Tasks and organizations for students are similar to tasks given to scientists. NASA Directors sit in with students on status reviews. Other projects kids can get involved with. Nano-agriculture It looks like chaos at first, but then it becomes transformative. Challenges of doing real-time and real-world project-based learning. Teachers need to adapt to this new way of doing things. School board has to support the project. Build a foundation so the entire district can participate. Ramp Up! How to make it for more than just the gifted or smart kids. 6th grade class suggesting how to improve the sensor. The process of learning how to learn. Trainer of Trainers model. You move at the speed you can go. Contact Ron What to do to start: Look at local organizations and what problems they’re trying to solve. Loading... Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.  

Told You So, 1984 Shirt, R.I.P. Robin Williams, Alaska Hiking, Not Being Scared, Alaskan Lexicon, Ruining A Shelter, Glennallen, Copper River, NEXT ADVENTURE, World Of Crazy, Courtney Stodden, Driveway Love, Spider Fire, Stuffed Sausage, Keith Birthday

Poet John Morgan's River of Light: A Conversation with Kabir, published by University of Alaska Press, is based on a trip down the Copper River with Alaskan artist Kesler Woodward. This lovely book folds words, sounds, and color into being for all to experience. At this event, John Morgan and Kesler Woodward also discuss their insights and connections to this magnificent, awe inspiring place called Alaska and home for over three decades.

Guest Anne Mosness, Captain of commercial fishing boats from Copper River to Bristol Bay, Alaska, will talk about the threat of genetically engineered salmon to wild fisheries, healthy coastal economies and ecosystemsCenter for Food Safety

Starting with an original Christmas story, “A Visit from Auntie Thresa Claus,” the show continues the holiday theme with “Christmas at Copper River” as Hovey Smith relates his experiences as a young Engineer Lt. in Alaska, cooking an Idaho turkey taken last week and a North Carolina swan hunt which provided the fowl for his Christmas dinner. … Read more about this episode...