Podcast appearances and mentions of jim martin

How to Choose the Best Camping Setup for the Way You RideBefore you start comparing motorcycle tents, sleeping pads, stoves, chairs, pack sizes, and weights, there is an important question to answer. In this episode, Ben Williams from Moto Camp Nerd talks about a simple way to think through your motorcycle camping setup before you start buying gear, so your choices are based on the way you actually ride and travel, not just someone else's packing list. Michnus and Elsebie Olivier of PikiPiki Overland and Turkana Gear also share lessons learned from years of motorcycle travel, including what they've overpacked, what they've replaced, and what has earned a permanent place in their kit. It's a practical conversation about choosing gear with purpose, not just following the latest trends.

Why Robert Pirsig's Famous Motorcycle Book Mattered to Him — And Why it Didn'tTed Simon is best known as the author of Jupiter's Travels, one of the most influential motorcycle travel books ever written. Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is another book that has long held a strange place in motorcycling culture: widely known, often recommended, and perhaps just as often left unfinished. In this conversation, Ted talks about finally reading Pirsig's famous book and why it matters to him in a way listeners might not expect. Is it really a motorcycle book? Why has it stayed in the minds of riders for so many years? And what does motorcycle maintenance mean when the machine beneath you is not just a symbol, but the thing that determines whether the journey continues? What begins with one famous motorcycle book soon opens into Ted's own memories of travel, breakdowns, repair, and the very practical reality of keeping a journey alive when there is no easy answer and no one else to do the work.

Solo Motorcycle Travel Through South America with Lala BarlowLala Barlow was working in musical theatre in Melbourne, Australia, when the pandemic brought the industry to a halt. Drawn to motorcycles, mountains, and Patagonia, she spent years preparing for a solo motorcycle journey through South America, including a four-month shakedown ride across Australia. Lala shares what it takes to plan a major adventure, travel alone in unfamiliar countries, manage fear and uncertainty, and ride through Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and Patagonia. A conversation about preparation, perseverance, and turning a dream into reality.Links & ResourcesPhotos, links, and resources for this episodeMore episodes: Adventure Rider Radio and RAWSupport the show: Support ARRFollow Adventure Rider RadioInstagramFacebookAbout the PodcastSince 2014, Adventure Rider Radio has shared adventure motorcycle travel stories, Rider Skills, Deep Trouble episodes, tech and gear features, and conversations with riders from around the world. New episodes of ARR are released every Thursday, with new episodes of RAW released monthly on the 21st. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

As we celebrate 12 years of Adventure Rider Radio motorcycle podcast, we're bringing back a story that still resonates today. Drawn together by motorcycles and a shared curiosity about the world, Maryna Matthew and Paul Knibbs left behind the security of established careers to pursue a life of adventure. Their journey is a powerful reminder that some of life's greatest opportunities begin with a single decision: to stop waiting and simply say yes.Links & ResourcesPhotos, links, and resources for this episodeMore episodes: Adventure Rider Radio and RAWSupport the show: Support ARRFollow Adventure Rider RadioInstagramFacebookAbout the PodcastSince 2014, Adventure Rider Radio has shared adventure motorcycle travel stories, Rider Skills, Deep Trouble episodes, tech and gear features, and conversations with riders from around the world. New episodes of ARR are released every Thursday, with new episodes of RAW released monthly on the 21st. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

One of the most frightening situations a rider can face is realizing the bike won't slow down on a long, steep mountain descent. That's exactly what happened to Seth Cooper in Costa Rica. In this episode of DEEP TROUBLE, Seth shares how a rented KTM 690 Enduro R, an unfamiliar mountain road, and a series of seemingly manageable decisions combined to create a genuine survival situation. It's a story about risk, assumptions, bike condition, route choice, and how options can disappear faster than you expect.Links & ResourcesPhotos, links, and resources for this episodeMore episodes: Adventure Rider Radio and RAWSupport the show: Support ARRFollow Adventure Rider RadioInstagramFacebookAbout the PodcastSince 2014, Adventure Rider Radio has shared adventure motorcycle travel stories, Rider Skills, Deep Trouble episodes, tech and gear features, and conversations with riders from around the world. New episodes of ARR are released every Thursday, with new episodes of RAW released monthly on the 21st. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

A Solo Motorcycle Journey Across Morocco, Europe, and the Sahara Desert in Search of Freedom, Simplicity, and a Slower Way of LivingWhat happens when someone who's spent a lifetime chasing schedules, productivity, and control suddenly trades it all for the uncertainty of the open road on a motorcycle? After retiring from finance, Rob Bridges set off alone across Morocco, Europe, and the Sahara Desert on a six-month motorcycle journey—only to discover that the hardest part of the adventure wasn't the riding, but learning how to slow down.Links & ResourcesPhotos, links, and resources for this episodeMore episodes: Adventure Rider Radio and RAWSupport the show: Support ARRFollow Adventure Rider RadioInstagramFacebookAbout the PodcastSince 2014, Adventure Rider Radio has shared adventure motorcycle travel stories, Rider Skills, Deep Trouble episodes, tech and gear features, and conversations with riders from around the world. New episodes of ARR are released every Thursday, with new episodes of RAW released monthly on the 21st. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Eva Strehler had already learned what drew her to the road on a motorcycle: freedom, movement, and a way of living outside the usual shape of things. Then she built a sidecar for her dog, Polly, and headed east. What followed was meant to be another long motorcycle journey — through Turkey, into Iran, and across landscapes that changed as quickly as the people she met along the way. But somewhere during the trip, the journey became about something else entirely. This is a conversation about travel, companionship, risk, solitude, and the moments that quietly change the meaning of a journey while you're still inside it.

What do you do when your adventure bike is buried in sand, lying sideways on a slope, or wedged deep in a rut miles from help? In this episode, Jim talks with Clinton Smout, Adam Owens, and Chris Birch about the mindset, techniques, and recovery tools riders use when things go wrong off-road. From smart trail-side decisions and energy-saving recovery methods to simple techniques that can turn a bad situation around, this episode is packed with practical knowledge every adventure rider should hear before they need it.

DL, Evil, and Rachel dig into Faith No More's The Real Thing (1989) — the album that accidentally invented nu-metal, made "Epic" a cultural phenomenon, and was written entirely by a 19-year-old Mike Patton who had never met the band before.The central debate: did Epic's massive MTV success actually hurt Faith No More's legacy by making casual listeners think they were a one-hit wonder? And is The Real Thing even their best album — or does Angel Dust win that argument by a mile?Along the way: the story of how Courtney Love almost got the singer job, the Chuck Mosley firing, why Billy Gould's bass on this album is the direct ancestor of Fieldy in Korn, how "Surprise You're Dead" at the 38-second mark contains one of the best gear shifts in rock, and a deep dive into why Epic's piano outro resolves a tritone (the "devil's interval") that the main riff deliberately left open.The influence argument: System of a Down have cited Faith No More as a direct influence — and the parallels between Serj Tankian and Mike Patton, and between Daron Malakian and Jim Martin, are hard to ignore. This episode sets up next week's Toxicity deep dive.Scores: Rachel 7/10, Evil 8.5–9/10, DL 8.3/10.Part of Verse Chorus Verse's influence-to-influence album arc.Faith No More,The Real Thing,Mike Patton,Epic,alt-metal,nu-metal,1989 albums,Angel Dust,System of a Down,album review,music podcast,funk metal

Clif Holland shares a father-and-son motorcycle adventure that took an unexpected turn shortly after arriving at Big Bend National Park. After a 700-mile ride to reach the start of their backcountry route, the decision to explore before staging their gear set the tone for what followed. Riding a heavily loaded BMW R1200GS on remote backroads, Clif quickly found himself facing the challenges of sand, weight distribution, and the limited margin for error on big adventure bikes, which led to DEEP TROUBLE. We talk about backcountry riding and the importance of preparation, training, and testing your setup before tackling routes like the BDR.

Luuk and Emma from the Netherlands are passionate dual-sport riders who have made it their mission to find that sweet spot between minimalist motorcycle travel and meaningful challenge. Riding their Honda CRF300L motorcycles, they're currently pushing themselves to travel as light as possible — aiming for just 9 kg of gear per person — while still tackling terrain that stretches their skills.

When the front tire starts to lose traction or the bike suddenly feels like it's about to go down, most riders react with some kind of defensive move that feels instinctively right. But is it? In this Rider Skills episode, Clinton Smout joins Jim Martin to look at what's really happening in those split-second moments when an adventure motorcycle starts to let go off-road — and why what feels like a save may not be one at all.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?sid=tindogpodcast&_pgn=1&isRefine=true&_trksid=p4429486.m3561.l49496 Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a 2001 American animated science fiction adventure film directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, produced by Don Hahn, and written by Tab Murphy. Produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, it stars Michael J. Fox, James Garner, Cree Summer, Don Novello, Phil Morris, Claudia Christian, Jacqueline Obradors, Florence Stanley, David Ogden Stiers, John Mahoney, Jim Varney, Corey Burton and Leonard Nimoy. Set in 1914, the film follows young linguist Milo Thatch, who gains possession of a sacred book, which he believes will guide him and a crew of mercenaries to the lost city of Atlantis. Development of the film began after production had finished on The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). Instead of another musical, directors Trousdale and Wise, producer Hahn, and screenwriter Murphy decided to do an adventure film inspired by the works of Jules Verne. Atlantis: The Lost Empire was notable for adopting the distinctive visual style of comic book artist Mike Mignola, one of the film's production designers. The film made greater use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) than any of Disney's previous traditionally animated features and remains one of the few to have been shot in anamorphic format. Linguist Marc Okrand constructed an Atlantean language specifically for use in the film. James Newton Howard provided the film's musical score. The film was released at a time when audience interest in animated films was shifting away from traditional animation toward films with full CGI. Atlantis: The Lost Empire premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on June 3, 2001, and went into its general release on June 15. The film received mixed reviews from critics. Budgeted at around $90–120 million, Atlantis grossed over $186 million worldwide, $84 million of which was earned in North America; its lackluster box office response was identified as a result of being released in competition with Shrek, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, The Fast and the Furious and Dr. Dolittle 2. As a result of the film's box office failure, Disney cancelled a planned spin-off animated television series, Team Atlantis; an underwater Disneyland attraction; and a volcanic Magic Kingdom attraction based on it. Atlantis was nominated for several awards, including seven Annie Awards, and won Best Sound Editing at the 2002 Golden Reel Awards. The film was released on VHS and DVD on January 29, 2002, and on Blu-ray on June 11, 2013. Despite its initial reception, reception in later years became favorable and has given Atlantis a cult following[5] and reappraisal from critics as a mistreated classic, due in part to Mignola's unique artistic influence.[6][7] A direct-to-video sequel, Atlantis: Milo's Return, was released in 2003. Plot In 1914 Washington, D.C., archaeo-linguist Milo Thatch obsesses over finding the legendary lost city of Atlantis, believed to have sunk thousands of years ago. His employers ridicule his theories, but he gains an unexpected ally in eccentric millionaire Preston B. Whitmore, a friend of Milo's deceased adventurer grandfather who also sought the city. Determined to honor his old friend's quest, Whitmore recruits Milo for an expedition to Atlantis, having recently uncovered the Shepherd's Journal, an ancient Atlantean manuscript that contains directions to the lost city. Aboard the submarine Ulysses, Milo meets his teammates: Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke, Lieutenant Helga Sinclair, demolitions expert Vincenzo Santorini, geologist Gaetan "Mole" Molière, medical officer Joshua Sweet, mechanic Audrey Ramirez, radio operator Wilhelmina Packard, mess cook Jebidiah "Cookie" Farnsworth, and a platoon of mercenaries. Upon reaching a cave entrance leading to the lost city, the submarine is destroyed by a massive mechanical leviathan, killing most of the crew. Milo and the survivors escape in smaller craft, navigating through the cave to emerge among ancient ruins. Milo translates the journal, guiding the team through caves beneath a dormant volcano until they reach the worn remains of Atlantis. There, they are greeted by Princess Kidagakash "Kida" Nedakh, who, despite being around 8,500 years old, has the appearance of a young woman. She leads them to her father, King Kashekim, who orders them to leave. Learning that Milo can read their language—a skill lost to the Atlanteans over millennia—Kida asks for his help in uncovering their forgotten history and highly-advanced technology, without which the city has declined and resources have dwindled. Milo learns that Atlantis is powered by the Heart of Atlantis, a massive crystal that grants longevity and health to its citizens through the smaller crystals they carry. Rourke betrays Milo and the Atlanteans, revealing his true intention to steal the Heart for profit, despite knowing the Atlanteans will perish without it. He mortally wounds the King while seizing control and uncovers the crystal's hidden location beneath the city. Sensing the danger, the crystal merges with Kida, who is then captured by Rourke. He departs with the crystallized Kida and his mercenaries, except for Vincenzo, Molière, Sweet, Audrey, Packard, and Cookie, who refuse to take part in the Atlanteans' destruction. Before dying, the King reveals that Atlantis was devastated by a megatsunami after he attempted to weaponize the crystal's vast power. To protect the city, the crystal merged with a royal family member, Kida's mother. This created a protective dome over the city's inner district, shielding it from total destruction as Atlantis sank beneath the waves, but Kida's mother never returned. To prevent the crystal from ever merging with Kida, the King hid it, inadvertently accelerating Atlantis' decline. He warns Milo that Kida will be lost forever if she is not soon separated from the crystal and pleads with him to save her. Alongside his allies, Milo rallies the Atlanteans to reactivate their long-dormant flying machines. Together, they eliminate Rourke and his mercenaries in the volcano. Milo and the others fly the crystallized Kida back to Atlantis as the volcano erupts. Kida ascends into the air and awakens Stone Guardians, who erect a barrier that shields the city from the lava flow. With Atlantis saved, the crystal separates from Kida and remains suspended in the sky. Milo chooses to stay in Atlantis with Kida, having fallen in love with her. Before returning to the surface, Vincenzo, Molière, Sweet, Audrey, Packard, and Cookie each receive a small crystal and a share of treasure. The six reunite with Preston on the surface and agree to keep their adventure a secret to protect Atlantis. Preston opens a package from Milo containing his own crystal and a note thanking him. The newly crowned Queen Kida and Milo carve a stone effigy of her father to join those of past rulers floating beside the Heart of Atlantis, as the city stands restored to its former glory. Voice cast Production layout sketch of Milo and Kida. Milo's character design was based in part on sketches of the film's language consultant, Marc Okrand. Michael J. Fox as Milo James Thatch, a linguist and cartographer at the Smithsonian who was recruited to decipher The Shepherd's Journal while directing an expedition to Atlantis. James Garner as Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke, the leader of the band of mercenaries for the Atlantean expedition. Cree Summer as Kidagakash "Kida" Nedakh, the Princess of Atlantis and Milo's love interest. Natalie Strom provided dialogue for Kida as a young child. Summer also voiced the unnamed Queen of Atlantis, Kida's mother and Kashekim's wife who was "chosen" by the Crystal during the sinking of the city. John Mahoney as Preston B. Whitmore, an eccentric millionaire who funds the expedition to Atlantis. Lloyd Bridges was originally cast and recorded as Whitmore, but he died before completing the film. Mahoney's zest and vigor led to Whitmore's personality being reworked for the film.[8] Claudia Christian as Lieutenant Helga Katrina Sinclair, Rourke's German-born second-in-command. Don Novello as Vincenzo "Vinny" Santorini, an Italian demolitions expert. Phil Morris as Dr. Joshua Strongbear Sweet, a medic of African-American and Arapaho descent. Jacqueline Obradors as Audrey Rocio Ramirez, a Puerto Rican mechanic and the youngest member of the expedition. Corey Burton as Gaetan "Mole" Molière, a French geologist who acts like a mole. Jim Varney as Jebidiah Allardyce "Cookie" Farnsworth, a Western-style chuckwagon chef. Varney died in February 2000, before the production ended, and the film was dedicated to his memory. Steven Barr recorded supplemental dialogue for Cookie. Florence Stanley as Wilhelmina Bertha Packard: an elderly, sarcastic, chain-smoking radio operator who is also the expedition's photographer. Leonard Nimoy as Kashekim Nedakh, the King of Atlantis and Kida's father. David Ogden Stiers as Fenton Q. Harcourt, a board member of the Smithsonian Institution who dismisses Milo's belief in the existence of Atlantis. Production Development The production team visited New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns to get a sense of the underground spaces depicted in the film. The idea for Atlantis: The Lost Empire was conceived in October 1996 when Don Hahn, Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise, and Tab Murphy lunched at a Mexican restaurant in Burbank, California. Having recently completed The Hunchback of Notre Dame,[9] the producer, directors and screenwriter wanted to keep the Hunchback crew together for another film with an "Adventureland" setting rather than a "Fantasyland" setting.[10] Drawing inspiration from Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864) and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870), they set out to make a film which would fully explore Atlantis (compared to the brief visit depicted in Verne's novel).[11] While primarily utilizing the Internet to research the mythology of Atlantis,[12] the filmmakers became interested in the clairvoyant readings of Edgar Cayce and decided to incorporate some of his ideas—notably that of a mother-crystal which provides power, healing, and longevity to the Atlanteans—into the story.[13] They also visited museums and old army installations to study the technology of the early 20th century (the film's time period), and traveled underground in New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns to view the subterranean trails which would serve as a model for the approach to Atlantis in the film.[14] The filmmakers wanted to avoid the common depiction of Atlantis as "crumbled Greek columns underwater", said Wise.[15] "From the get-go, we were committed to designing it top to bottom. Let's get the architectural style, clothing, heritage, customs, how they would sleep, and how they would speak. So we brought people on board who would help us develop those ideas."[16] Art director David Goetz stated, "We looked at Mayan architecture, styles of ancient, unusual architecture from around the world, and the directors really liked the look of Southeast Asian architecture."[17] The team later took ideas from other architectural forms, including Cambodian, Indian, and Tibetan works.[18] Hahn added, "If you take and deconstruct architecture from around the world into one architectural vocabulary, that's what our Atlantis looks like."[19] The overall design and circular layout of Atlantis were also based on the writings of Plato,[18] and his quote "in a single day and night of misfortune, the island of Atlantis disappeared into the depths of the sea"[20] was influential from the beginning of production.[9] The crew wore T-shirts which read "ATLANTIS—Fewer songs, more explosions" due to the film's plan as an action-adventure (unlike previous Disney animated features, which were musicals).[21] Language The Atlantean letter A, created by artist John Emerson. Kirk Wise noted that its design was a treasure map showing the path to the crystal, "The Heart of Atlantis". Main article: Atlantean language Marc Okrand, who developed the Klingon language for the Star Trek television and theatrical productions, was hired to devise the Atlantean language for Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Guided by the directors' initial concept for it to be a "mother-language", Okrand employed an Indo-European word stock with its own grammatical structure. He would change the words if they began to sound too much like an actual, spoken language.[16] John Emerson designed the written component, making hundreds of random sketches of individual letters from among which the directors chose the best to represent the Atlantean alphabet.[22][23] The written language was boustrophedon: designed to be read left-to-right on the first line, then right-to-left on the second, continuing in a zigzag pattern to simulate the flow of water.[24] The Atlantean [A] is a shape developed by John Emerson. It is a miniature map of the city of Atlantis (i.e., the outside of the swirl is the cave, the inside shape is the silhouette of the city, and the dot is the location of the crystal). It's a treasure map. — Kirk Wise, director[25] Writing Joss Whedon was the first writer to be involved with the film but soon left to work on other Disney projects. According to him, he "had not a shred" in the movie.[26] Tab Murphy completed the screenplay, stating that the time from initially discussing the story to producing a script that satisfied the film crew was "about three to four months".[27] The initial draft was 155 pages, much longer than a typical Disney film script (which usually runs 90 pages). When the first two acts were timed at 120 minutes, the directors cut characters and sequences and focused more on Milo. Murphy said that he created the centuries-old Shepherd's Journal because he needed a map for the characters to follow throughout their journey.[28] A revised version of the script eliminated the trials encountered by the explorers as they navigated the caves to Atlantis. This gave the film a faster pace because Atlantis is discovered earlier in the story.[29] The directors often described the Atlanteans using Egypt as an example. When Napoleon wandered into Egypt, the people had lost track of their once-great civilization. They were surrounded by artifacts of their former greatness but somehow unaware of what they meant. — Don Hahn, producer[30] The character of Milo J. Thatch was originally supposed to be a descendant of Edward Teach, otherwise known as Blackbeard the pirate. The directors later related him to an explorer so he would discover his inner talent for exploration.[31] The character of Molière was originally intended to be "professorial" but Chris Ure, a story artist, changed the concept to that of a "horrible little burrowing creature with a wacky coat and strange headgear with extending eyeballs", said Wise.[32][33] Don Hahn pointed out that the absence of songs presented a challenge for a team accustomed to animating musicals, as action scenes alone would have to carry the film. Kirk Wise said it gave the team an opportunity for more on-screen character development: "We had more screen time available to do a scene like where Milo and the explorers are camping out and learning about one another's histories. An entire sequence is devoted to having dinner and going to bed. That is not typically something we would have the luxury of doing."[16] Hahn stated that the first animated sequence completed during production was the film's prologue. The original version featured a Viking war party using The Shepherd's Journal to find Atlantis and being swiftly dispatched by the Leviathan. Near the end of production, story supervisor John Sanford told the directors that he felt this prologue did not give viewers enough emotional involvement with the Atlanteans. Despite knowing that the Viking prologue was finished and it would cost additional time and money to alter the scene, the directors agreed with Sanford. Trousdale went home and completed the storyboards later that evening after visiting a strip club where he boarded the new sequence on a napkin.[34] The opening was replaced by a sequence depicting the destruction of Atlantis, which introduced the film from the perspective of the Atlanteans and Princess Kida.[35] The Viking prologue is included as an extra feature on the DVD release.[36] Casting Kirk Wise, one of the directors, said that they chose Michael J. Fox for the role of Milo because they felt he gave his characters his own personality and made them more believable on screen. Fox said that voice acting was much easier than his past experience with live action because he did not have to worry about what he looked like in front of a camera while delivering his lines.[37] The directors mentioned that Fox was also offered a role for Titan A.E.; he allowed his son to choose which film he would work on, and he chose Atlantis.[38] Viewers have noted similarities between Milo and the film's language consultant, Marc Okrand, who developed the Atlantean language used in the film. Okrand stated that Milo's supervising animator, John Pomeroy, sketched him, claiming not to know how a linguist looked or acted.[24] Kida's supervising animator, Randy Haycock, stated that her actress, Cree Summer, was very "intimidating" when he first met her; this influenced how he wanted Kida to look and act on screen when she meets Milo.[39] Wise chose James Garner for the role of Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke because of his previous experience with action films, especially war and Western films, and said the role "fits him like a glove". When asked if he would be interested in the role, Garner replied: "I'd do it in a heartbeat."[40] Producer Don Hahn was saddened that Jim Varney, the voice of Jebidiah Allardyce "Cookie" Farnsworth, never saw the finished film before he died of lung cancer in February 2000, but mentioned that he was shown clips of his character's performance during his site sessions and said, "He loved it." Shawn Keller, supervising animator for Cookie, stated, "It was kind of a sad fact that [Varney] knew that he was not going to be able to see this film before he passed away. He did a bang-up job doing the voice work, knowing the fact that he was never gonna see his last performance." Steven Barr recorded supplemental dialogue for Cookie.[41] John Mahoney, who voiced Preston Whitmore, stated that doing voice work was "freeing" and allowed him to be "big" and "outrageous" with his character.[42] Dr. Joshua Sweet's supervising animator, Ron Husband, indicated that one of the challenges was animating Sweet in sync with Phil Morris' rapid line delivery while keeping him believable. Morris stated that this character was extreme, with "no middle ground"; he mentioned, "When he was happy, he was really happy, and when he's solemn, he's real solemn."[43] Claudia Christian described her character, Lieutenant Helga Katrina Sinclair, as "sensual" and "striking", and was relieved when she finally saw what her character looked like, joking, "I'd hate to, you know, go through all this and find out my character is a toad."[44] Jacqueline Obradors said her character, Audrey Rocio Ramirez, made her "feel like a little kid again" and she always hoped her sessions would last longer.[45] Florence Stanley felt that her character, Wilhelmina Bertha Packard, was very "cynical" and "secure": "She does her job, and when she is not busy, she does anything she wants."[46] Corey Burton mentioned that finding his performance as Gaetan "Mole" Molière was by allowing the character to "leap out" of him while making funny voices. To get into character during his recording sessions, he stated that he would "throw myself into the scene and feel like I'm in this make-believe world".[47] Kirk Wise and Russ Edmonds, supervising animator for Vincenzo "Vinny" Santorini, noted Vinny's actor Don Novello's unique ability to improvise dialogue while voicing the role. Edmonds recalled, "[Novello] would look at the sheet, and he would read the line that was written once, and he would never read it again! And we never used a written line, it was improvs, the whole movie."[48] Michael Cedeno, supervising animator for King Kashekim Nedakh, was astounded at Leonard Nimoy's voice talent in the role, stating that he had "so much rich character" in his performance. As he spoke his lines, Cedeno said the crew would sit there and watch Nimoy in astonishment.[49] Animation For comparison, the top image (panoramic view of Atlantis) is cropped to Disney's standard aspect ratio (1.66:1); the bottom image was seen in the film (2.35:1). At the peak of its production, 350 animators, artists and technicians were working on Atlantis[50] at all three Disney animation studios: Walt Disney Feature Animation (Burbank, California), Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida (Orlando), and Disney Animation France (Paris).[51] The film was one of the few Disney animated features produced and shot in 35mm anamorphic format. The directors felt that a widescreen image was crucial, as a nostalgic reference to old action-adventure films presented in the CinemaScope format (2.35:1), noting Raiders of the Lost Ark as an inspiration.[52] Because switching to the format would require animation desks and equipment designed for widescreen to be purchased, Disney executives were at first reluctant about the idea.[16] The production team found a simple solution by drawing within a smaller frame on the same paper and equipment used for standard aspect ratio (1.66:1) Disney-animated films.[52] Layout supervisor Ed Ghertner wrote a guide to the widescreen format for use by the layout artists and mentioned that one advantage of widescreen was that he could keep characters in scenes longer because of additional space to walk within the frame.[53] Wise drew further inspiration for the format from filmmakers David Lean and Akira Kurosawa.[16] The film's visual style was strongly based upon that of Mike Mignola, the comic book artist behind Hellboy. Mignola was one of four production designers (along with Matt Codd, Jim Martin, and Ricardo Delgado) hired by the Disney studio for the film. Accordingly, he provided style guides, preliminary character, and background designs, and story ideas.[54] "Mignola's graphic, the angular style was a key influence on the 'look' of the characters," stated Wise.[55] Mignola was surprised when first contacted by the studio to work on Atlantis.[56] His artistic influence on the film would later contribute to a cult following.[57] I remember watching a rough cut of the film and these characters have these big, square, weird hands. I said to the guy next to me, "Those are cool hands." And he says to me, "Yeah, they're your hands. We had a whole meeting about how to do your hands." It was so weird I couldn't wrap my brain around it. — Mike Mignola[56] The final pull-out shot of the movie, immediately before the end-title card, was described by the directors as the most difficult shot in the history of Disney animation. They said that the pull-out attempt on their prior film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, "struggled" and "lacked depth"; however, after making advances in the process of multiplaning, they tried the technique again in Atlantis. The shot begins with one 16-inch (40.6 cm) piece of paper showing a close-up of Milo and Kida. As the camera pulls away from them to reveal the newly restored Atlantis, it reaches the equivalent of an 18,000-inch (46,000 cm) piece of paper composed of many individual pieces of paper (24 inches [61 cm] or smaller). Each piece was carefully drawn and combined with animated vehicles simultaneously flying across the scene to make the viewer see a complete, integrated image.[58] Scale model of Ulysses submarine by Greg Aronowitz, used by digital animators as reference during production.[59] At the time of its release, Atlantis: The Lost Empire was notable for using more computer-generated imagery (CGI) than any other Disney traditionally animated feature. To increase productivity, the directors had the digital artists work with the traditional animators throughout the production. Several important scenes required heavy use of digital animation: the Leviathan, the Ulysses submarine and sub-pods, the Heart of Atlantis, and the Stone Giants.[60] During production, after Matt Codd and Jim Martin designed the Ulysses on paper, Greg Aronowitz was hired to build a scale model of the submarine, to be used as a reference for drawing the 3D Ulysses.[59] The final film included 362 digital-effects shots, and computer programs were used to seamlessly join the 2D and 3D artwork.[61] One scene that took advantage of this was the "sub-drop" scene, where the 3D Ulysses was dropped from its docking bay into the water. As the camera floated toward it, a 2D Milo was drawn to appear inside, tracking the camera. The crew noted that it was challenging to keep the audience from noticing the difference between the 2D and 3D drawings when they were merged.[62] The digital production also gave the directors a unique "virtual camera" for complicated shots within the film. With the ability to operate in the z-plane, this camera moved through a digital wire-frame set; the background and details were later hand-drawn over the wireframes. This was used in the opening flight scene through Atlantis and the submarine chase through the undersea cavern with the Leviathan in pursuit.[63] Music and sound Since the film would not feature any songs, the directors hired James Newton Howard to compose the score after they heard his music on Dinosaur. Approaching it as a live-action film, Howard decided to have different musical themes for the cultures of the surface world and Atlantis. In the case of Atlantis, Howard chose an Indonesian orchestral sound incorporating chimes, bells, and gongs. The directors told Howard that the film would have a number of key scenes without dialogue; the score would need to convey emotionally what the viewer was seeing on screen.[64] Gary Rydstrom and his team at Skywalker Sound were hired for the film's sound production.[65] Like Howard, Rydstrom employed different sounds for the two cultures. Focusing on the machine and mechanical sounds of the early industrial era for the explorers, he felt that the Atlanteans should have a "more organic" sound utilizing ceramics and pottery. The sound made by the Atlantean flying-fish vehicles posed a particular challenge. Rydstrom revealed that he was sitting at the side of a highway recording one day when a semi-truck drove by at high speed. When the recording was sped up on his computer, he felt it sounded very organic, and decided to use it in the film. Rydstrom created the harmonic chiming of the Heart of Atlantis by rubbing his finger along the edge of a champagne flute, the sound of sub-pods moving through the water with a water pick, while a ceramic pot from a garden store was used for the sounds of the movement of the Giant stone guardians.[66] Release Atlantis: The Lost Empire had its world premiere at Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on June 3, 2001[67] and a limited release in New York City and Los Angeles on June 8; a wider release followed on June 15.[4][61] At the premiere, Destination: Atlantis was on display, featuring behind-the-scenes props from the film and information on the legend of Atlantis with video games, displays, laser tag, and other attractions. The Aquarium of the Pacific also loaned a variety of fish for display within the attraction.[68] Promotion Atlantis was among Disney's first major attempts to utilize internet marketing. The film was promoted through Kellogg's, which created a website with mini-games and a movie-based video game give-away for UPC labels from specially marked packages of Atlantis breakfast cereal.[50] The film was one of Disney's first marketing attempts through mobile network operators, and allowed users to download games based on the film.[69] McDonald's (which had an exclusive licensing agreement on all Disney releases) promoted the film with Happy Meal toys, food packaging and in-store decor. The McDonald's advertising campaign involved television, radio, and print advertisements beginning on the film's release date.[70] Frito-Lay offered free admission tickets for the film on specially marked snack packages.[71] Home media Atlantis: The Lost Empire was released on VHS and DVD on January 29, 2002.[72] During the first month of its home release, the film led in VHS sales and was third in VHS and DVD sales combined.[73] Sales and rentals of the VHS and DVD combined would eventually accumulate $157 million in revenue by mid-2003.[74] Both a single-disc DVD edition and a two-disc collector's edition (with bonus features) were released. The single-disc DVD gave the viewer the option of viewing the film either in its original theatrical 2.39:1 aspect ratio or a modified 1.33:1 ratio (utilizing pan and scan). Bonus features available on the DVD version included audio and visual commentary from the film team, a virtual tour of the CGI models, an Atlantean-language tutorial, an encyclopedia on the myth of Atlantis, and the deleted Viking prologue scene.[72] The two-disc collector's edition DVD contained all the single-disc features and a disc with supplemental material detailing all aspects of the film's production. The collector's-edition film could only be viewed in its original theatrical ratio, and also featured an optional DTS 5.1 track. Both DVD versions, however, contained a Dolby Digital 5.1 track and were THX certified.[72][75] Disney digitally remastered and released Atlantis on Blu-ray on June 11, 2013, bundled with its sequel Atlantis: Milo's Return.[76] Reception Box office Before the film's release, reporters speculated that it would have a difficult run due to competition from Shrek and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Regarding the market's shift from traditional animation and competition with CG-animated films, Kirk Wise said, "Any traditional animator, including myself, can't help but feel a twinge. I think it always comes down to story and character, and one form won't replace the other. Just like photography didn't replace painting. But maybe I'm blind to it."[61] Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly noted that CGI films (such as Shrek) were more likely to attract the teenage demographic typically not interested in animation, and called Atlantis a "marketing and creative gamble".[77] With a budget of $100 million,[3] the film opened at #2 on its debut weekend, behind Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, earning $20.3 million in 3,011 theaters.[78] During its second weekend, it would drop into fourth place behind the latter film, Dr. Dolittle 2 and The Fast and the Furious, making $13.2 million.[79] The film's international release began September 20 in Australia and other markets followed suit.[80] During its 25-week theatrical run, Atlantis: The Lost Empire grossed over $186 million worldwide ($84 million from the United States and Canada).[4] Responding to its disappointing box-office performance, Thomas Schumacher, then-president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, said, "It seemed like a good idea at the time to not do a sweet fairy tale, but we missed."[81] Critical response Atlantis: The Lost Empire received mixed reviews from critics,[82][83][84] many of whom criticized its story.[85] The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports that 48% of 144 professional critics have given Atlantis: The Lost Empire a positive review; the average rating is 5.5/10. The site's consensus is: "Atlantis provides a fast-paced spectacle, but stints on such things as character development and a coherent plot".[86] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 52 out of 100 based on 29 reviews from critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[87] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[88] While critics had mixed reactions to the film in general, some praised it for its visuals, action-adventure elements, and attempt to appeal to an older audience. Roger Ebert gave Atlantis three-and-a-half stars out of four. He praised the animation's "clean bright visual look" and the "classic energy of the comic book style", crediting this to the work of Mike Mignola. Ebert gave particular praise to the story and the final battle scene and wrote, "The story of Atlantis is rousing in an old pulp science fiction sort of way, but the climactic scene transcends the rest, and stands by itself as one of the great animated action sequences."[89] In The New York Times, Elvis Mitchell gave high praise to the film, calling it "a monumental treat", and stated, "Atlantis is also one of the most eye-catching Disney cartoons since Uncle Walt institutionalized the four-fingered glove."[90] Internet film critic James Berardinelli wrote a positive review of the film, giving it three out of four stars. He wrote, "On the whole, Atlantis offers 90 minutes of solid entertainment, once again proving that while Disney may be clueless when it comes to producing good live-action movies, they are exactly the opposite when it comes to their animated division."[91] Wesley Morris of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote positively of the film's approach for an older audience: "But just beneath the surface, Atlantis brims with adult possibility."[92] Other critics felt that the film was mediocre in regards to its story and characters, and that it failed to deliver as a non-musical to Disney's traditional audience. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a C+ rating, writing that the film had "gee-whiz formulaic character" and was "the essence of craft without dream".[93] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times said the storyline and characterizations were "old-fashioned" and the film had the retrograde look of a Saturday-morning cartoon, but these deficiencies were offset by its "brisk action" and frantic pace.[94] Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote, "Disney pushes into all-talking, no-singing, no-dancing and, in the end, no-fun animated territory."[95] Stephanie Zacharek of Salon wrote of Disney's attempt to make the film for an adult audience, "The big problem with Disney's latest animated feature, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, is that it doesn't seem geared to kids at all: It's so adult that it's massively boring."[96] Rita Kempley of The Washington Post panned the film, calling it a "new-fashioned but old-fangled hash" and wrote, "Ironically Disney had hoped to update its image with this mildly diverting adventure, yet the picture hasn't really broken away from the tried-and-true format spoofed in the far superior Shrek."[97] In 2015, Katharine Trendacosta at io9 reviewed the film and called it a "Beautiful Gem of a Movie That Deserved Better Than It Got" and said that the film deserves more love than it ended up getting.[6] Lindsay Teal considers "Atlantis" to be "a lost Disney classic". Describing the film as highly entertaining, she praises the writing and characterisation – in particular, Sweet, Helga and Kida.[7] In particular, much praise has been given to the character of Kida.[98] Summer has regarded the character of Kida as one of her favourite roles and even considers the character among the official Disney Princess line-up. Themes and interpretations Several critics and scholars have noted that Atlantis plays strongly on themes of anti-capitalism and anti-imperialism. M. Keith Booker, academic and author of studies about the implicit messages conveyed by media, views the character of Rourke as being motivated by "capitalist greed" when he pursues "his own financial gain" in spite of the knowledge that "his theft [of the crystal] will lead to the destruction of [Atlantis]".[99] Religion journalist Mark Pinsky, in his exploration of moral and spiritual themes in popular Disney films, says that "it is impossible to read the movie ... any other way" than as "a devastating, unrelenting attack on capitalism and American imperialism".[100] Max Messier of FilmCritic.com observes, "Disney even manages to lambast the capitalist lifestyle of the adventurers intent on uncovering the lost city. Damn the imperialists!"[101] According to Booker, the film also "delivers a rather segregationist moral" by concluding with the discovery of the Atlanteans kept secret from other surface-dwellers in order to maintain a separation between the two highly divergent cultures.[102] Others saw Atlantis as an interesting look at utopian philosophy of the sort found in classic works of science fiction by H. G. Wells and Jules Verne.[103] Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water controversy When the film was released, some viewers noticed that Atlantis: The Lost Empire was similar to the 1990-91 anime Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, particularly in its character design, setting, and story.[104] The similarities, as noted by viewers in both Japan and America, were strong enough for its production company Gainax to be called to sue for plagiarism. According to Gainax member Yasuhiro Takeda, they only refrained from doing so because the decision belonged to parent companies NHK and Toho.[105] Another Gainax worker, Hiroyuki Yamaga, was quoted in an interview in 2000 as saying: "We actually tried to get NHK to pick a fight with Disney, but even the National Television Network of Japan didn't dare to mess with Disney and their lawyers. [...] We actually did say that but we wouldn't actually take them to court. We would be so terrified about what they would do to them in return that we wouldn't dare."[105] Although Disney never responded formally to those claims, co-director Kirk Wise posted on a Disney animation newsgroup in May 2001, "Never heard of Nadia till it was mentioned in this [newsgroup]. Long after we'd finished production, I might add." He claimed both Atlantis and Nadia were inspired, in part, by the 1870 Jules Verne novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas.[106] However, speaking about the clarification, Lee Zion from Anime News Network wrote, "There are too many similarities not connected with 20,000 Leagues for the whole thing to be coincidence."[107] As such, the whole affair ultimately entered popular culture as a convincing case of plagiarism.[108][109][110] In 2018, Reuben Baron from Comic Book Resources added to Zion's comment stating, "Verne didn't specifically imagine magic crystal-based technology, something featured in both the Disney movie and the too similar anime. The Verne inspiration also doesn't explain the designs being suspiciously similar to Nadia's."[110] Critics also saw parallels with the 1986 film Laputa: Castle in the Sky from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli (which also featured magic crystals, and Atlantis directors Trousdale and Wise both acknowledged Miyazaki's works as a major influence on their own work)[104] and with the 1994 film Stargate as Milo's characteristics were said to resemble those of Daniel Jackson, the protagonist of Stargate and its spinoff television series Stargate SG-1 — which coincidentally launched its own spinoff, titled Stargate Atlantis; the plot of the 1994 film is also paralleled involving a group visiting an unknown world, a fictional language made for the other world's people, the main protagonist having apparent knowledge of the people's culture, falling in love with one of the female locals and electing to stay behind when the others return home.[111] Accolades Award Category Name Result 29th Annie Awards[112] Individual Achievement in Directing Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise Nominated Individual Achievement in Storyboarding Chris Ure Nominated Individual Achievement in Production Design David Goetz Nominated Individual Achievement in Effects Animation Marlon West Nominated Individual Achievement in Voice Acting – Female Florence Stanley Nominated Individual Achievement in Voice Acting – Male Leonard Nimoy Nominated Individual Achievement for Music Score James Newton Howard Nominated 2002 DVD Exclusive Awards[113] Original Retrospective Documentary Michael Pellerin Nominated 2002 Golden Reel Award[114] Best Sound Editing – Animated Feature Film Gary Rydstrom, Michael Silvers, Mary Helen Leasman, John K. Carr, Shannon Mills, Ken Fischer, David C. Hughes, and Susan Sanford Won Online Film Critics Society Awards 2001[115] Best Animated Feature Nominated 2002 Political Film Society[116] Democracy Nominated Human Rights Nominated Peace Nominated World Soundtrack Awards[117] Best Original Song for Film Diane Warren and James Newton Howard Nominated Young Artist Awards[118] Best Feature Family Film – Drama Walt Disney Feature Animation Nominated Related works Main article: Atlantis (franchise) Atlantis: The Lost Empire was meant to inspire an animated television series entitled Team Atlantis, which would have presented the further adventures of its characters. The series would have been akin to an animated steampunk version of The X-Files and feature a crossover with Gargoyles. However, because of the film's underperformance at the box office, the series was not produced.[119] On May 20, 2003, Disney released a direct-to-video sequel titled Atlantis: Milo's Return, consisting of three episodes planned for the aborted series.[120] Disneyland planned to revive its Submarine Voyage ride with an Atlantis: The Lost Empire theme with elements from the movie. These plans were canceled and the attraction was re-opened in 2007 as the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, its theme based on the 2003 Pixar film Finding Nemo, which was far more successful commercially and critically.[121] In addition, after the Submarine Voyage's Magic Kingdom counterpart, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage, closed down in 1994, four years before Disneyland's, there were proposals of a new attraction that would take its place, with one of them a volcano attraction inspired by that film's Vulcania location, being approved for the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland area. Around 1999, during development of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, it was decided that it would be themed to the movie, with it taking place in 1916, two years after the film's events. The ride would have focused on Preston Whitmore, a character from the film, seeking to make Atlantis existence public and offer expeditions to visitors in newly developed vehicles. However, due to mishaps, the vehicles would be forced to make a detour through the lava-filled caverns of the volcano. The attraction would have used a unique hybrid ride system, in which it would start as a standard coaster before the trains hook up to a suspended track midway through to fly through the caverns. The attraction would have been accessed by a new canyon path in between Pirates of the Caribbean and a re-routed Jungle Cruise that would have led to a Whitmore Enterprises base camp at the edge of the Walt Disney World Railroad path, with the mountain itself being built outside the berm. However, like the previous Submarine Voyage retheme, the ride was cancelled due to the film's disappointment in the box office.[122]

Planning a motorcycle trip? Whether you're riding close to home or heading off on a long-distance adventure, the right advice can make all the difference. In this episode, we've curated the best motorcycle travel tips and adventure riding advice from past conversations—bringing together practical insights from experienced riders who have spent years on the road. Featuring renowned motorcycle adventurers Sam Manicom, Tiffany Coates, and Michnus andElsebie Oliver, this episode covers essential motorcycle trip planning, packing tips, travel mindset, and real-world lessons from life on two wheels. Whether you're preparing for your first motorcycle tour or you're a seasoned adventure rider, these expert tips will help you plan smarter, pack better, and ride with confidence. Because when it comes to motorcycle travel, the best way to prepare… is to learn from those who've already done it.

Putting together the right toolkit can make all the difference when you're out riding—especially on an adventure bike, where help isn't always close by. We talk about how to build an efficient setup, from choosing what actually belongs in your kit to organizing it so it's easy to use when it matters most. The conversation covers how to prepare for unpredictable issues like flat tires, leaks, and bent or broken parts, along with the often-overlooked supplies that can save the day during a roadside or trailside repair. Along the way, Jim talks with Clinton Smout from SMART Performance Centre about building a toolkit around the jobs you're most likely to face, and we're joined by Matthew Kunz from Obsidian Adventure Gear to look at compact, bike-specific tool systems designed to keep you prepared without carrying half the garage.

Mexico is one of the easiest international adventures for riders from the U.S. and Canada—close enough to reach without a major expedition, yet different enough to feel like true travel. From Baja desert tracks to mountain twisties, high country, and coastal roads, the riding is as varied as the culture, food, and landscapes. Spencer Conway has spent the past several years living in Mexico and riding more than 66,000 kilometres through 24 states. Speaking from his home in Oaxaca, he shares what makes Mexico such a compelling destination for motorcycle travel, why he stayed, what many riders miss about traveling there, and why the country offers far more depth and variety than most riders realize.

There's a side of motorcycle training almost no one talks about — the mental pressure of learning new skills in front of other riders. Why can training make you feel like you've suddenly gotten worse before you get better? Why does confidence sometimes drop even when your skills are improving? Through rider Erik Wilkinson's experience, along with insights from expert trainer Chris Birch and Monica Birch, we explore what's really happening in your mind during training — and how to manage it so you come out a stronger, more confident rider.

Motorcycles aren't meant to back up. If they were, they'd all come with reverse. Sometimes, turning around requires a little creativity—especially on dead-end trails, in parking lots, on hills, or even in your garage. In this episode of RIDER SKILLS, we have Clinton Smout walking us through a number of turnaround methods. Some you might expect, while others may raise your eyebrows—but all of them can be useful tools in your rider skills toolbox.

On a mountain road on Colorado's Guanella Pass, motorcyclist Adam Lamb spots a moose stepping out of the brush. Two seconds later, he's airborne, both arms broken and stranded off the road without cell service. Just behind him is Roger Matthews—a board-certified physician and search-and-rescue volunteer—who arrives and immediately begins managing the scene. In this episode, Adam recounts the moments leading up to the crash while Roger explains how he approached scene safety, organized bystanders, and assessed Adam's injuries as they waited for help to arrive. We explore wildlife hazards, speed and stopping distance, emergency braking, and why first aid training and preparation can make a critical difference when riding remote roads.

This week on a special, interview-only episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian talk with James Martin, S.J., editor at large for America, about his new memoir Work in Progress: Confessions of a busboy, dishwasher, caddy, usher, factory worker, bank teller, corporate tool, and priest.  Ashley, Sebastian and Father Jim discuss: The differences in writing an autobiography vs. a book on prayer Balancing ambition and meaning Jim's eventual decision to choose a life and career in the Jesuits  Links for further reading:  Buy Father Jim's book here Father James Martin: Lessons from mowing lawns, riding bikes and a fateful walk to school Check out the book's Spotify playlist here You can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.   You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical.  Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe Timecodes 0:00 Jim Martin has a new book: “Work in Progress” 2:13 Why Jim decided to write an autobiography on his jobs 8:19 The importance of menial labor and service  11:45 Getting free of our desire to be liked and popular 16:36 How Jim learned to distinguish ambition v. meaning 21:14 The impact of Thomas Merton on Jim's spiritual life 25:30 Jim's first mystical experience in the beauty of nature 35:36 Called to the Jesuits 42:15 Jim would canonize Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nasiru Ibrahim — an architect from Nigeria and a new adventure rider — sets out on his first true motorcycle journey with a simple idea: ride his Yamaha Ténéré to the Ténéré Desert. It's an ambitious first trip, fueled by equal parts curiosity and confidence. Heading north through regions where the language and culture feel familiar, he anticipates the usual challenges — long distances, fatigue, border crossings, and the uncertainties of travelling solo. Instead, a routine stop in a small desert town leads to his arrest and detention in a politically tense region. What follows is a two-week ordeal far from home, as he navigates uncertainty, bureaucracy, and the stark realization of how quickly an adventure can take an unexpected turn.

Motorcycles have evolved, and with that evolution comes more electronics — including CAN bus systems that many riders still misunderstand. If you've ever seen a mysterious warning light or struggled with adding accessories like auxiliary lights, you've probably heard CAN bus blamed. In this episode, we break down what CAN bus actually is, why it's not the enemy of customization, and how modern systems can actually create more opportunity for riders who understand them.

What happens when two seasoned overland riders trade full-size adventure bikes for 50cc, 50-year-old two-strokes? German engineers Bea Höbenreich and Helmut Koch set out to prove that real motorcycle adventure isn't about horsepower or gear—it's about mindset. From Australia's punishing outback to Cape York's legendary Old Telegraph Track, they battled bike drownings, deep sand, brutal creek crossings, and relentless headwinds on the smallest machines in the landscape.

Welcome to Episode 139 of Tablesetters. Steve and Devin are joined by Jim Martin, the first-year head coach of Stony Brook Baseball and just the second Division I head coach in program history. Jim steps into the role following the retirement of Matt Senk, who led the program for 35 seasons and helped establish Stony Brook as a national name, highlighted by the historic 2012 College World Series run. Unlike many coaching transitions, this one comes from within. Jim spent nearly a decade on staff, helping guide conference championships, NCAA appearances, and the program's move into the Coastal Athletic Association. As the Seawolves head into the 2026 season, they do so amid major changes across college baseball, from transfer portal movement and roster limits to NIL realities and a new CAA divisional format. The conversation begins with Jim reflecting on the moment the promotion became official and what it meant to step into a role shaped by decades of continuity. From there, we explore how his perspective has shifted now that every aspect of the program—culture, development, roster management, and long-term direction—ultimately falls under his responsibility. We dig into the 2026 schedule and what it demands, including an extended early road stretch that reflects the realities of Northeast baseball, the role of midweek games against regional opponents, and how coaches evaluate progress when early-season results can be misleading. Jim also breaks down the new CAA divisional structure, how repeated matchups and RPI factor into postseason access, and what consistency really looks like across conference play. We discuss roster construction in 2026, managing expectations behind the scenes, and the core principles of player development that have stayed constant throughout his career. Before wrapping up, we zoom out to talk about leadership, culture, and how success is measured in a first season beyond the standings. We close with quick hitters on Joe Nathan Field, lessons learned in Year One, and the message Jim wants fans and supporters to hear as this new chapter begins. Follow us for more:

There's something about being on a motorcycle that just feels right — in ways that are hard to explain, but easy to recognize. Not long ago on the show, cognitive scientist Mark Changizi, author of Motorcycle Mind, talked about how riding a motorcycle is unlike anything else we do, because the physics involved mean the bike responds directly to your body — your balance, your inputs, your movement — reacting instantly, almost like a hybrid of human and machine moving as one. That connection sharpens focus and pulls you fully into the moment, and according to Changizi, it can change how our brains process space, motion, and risk. Those changes don't necessarily stop when the bike is shut off, and for some people, riding becomes a place to return to — a way forward when other things aren't working, a focus when life is closing in — and that idea sits at the center of today's episode, as Rusty David shares his story.This episode contains a brief reference to suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

Adventure riding has a strange relationship with risk. We prepare, carry tools, research routes, ride with friends, and do everything we can to stack the odds in our favour on adventure motorcycle rides. But every now and then, something appears that wasn't on the map or in the plan, and it shows up faster than we can process it. In those moments, the problem isn't just the obstacle itself, but what happens next. This story takes place on a remote stretch of Nevada's historic Pony Express Trail, a well-known backcountry route for adventure riders—experienced riders, familiar terrain, and a route travelled for generations. It's the kind of ride where preparation feels like it should be enough, until it isn't, and decisions suddenly matter in ways you don't expect when riding far from help.

Gravel riding makes many motorcycle riders uneasy — not because the bike is out of control, but because it doesn't behave the way pavement has trained us to expect. The front wanders, the bars move, braking distances grow, and the instinct is to hold on tight and slow down — usually making things worse. On this episode of Rider Skills, we break gravel riding down into four clear lessons: how to let the bike move without panicking; how throttle, braking, and electronics change traction on loose surfaces; how to read gravel roads and choose lines intentionally; and why braking and cornering with limited traction is not only possible, but fun.

This month on RAW, the panel digs into four common ways motorcycle travellers end up carrying too much, and how to change the decisions that lead there. Instead of turning it into another gear list, the conversation looks at how we think about packing: what we're actually preparing for, what we realistically need to handle ourselves, and how destination and trip purpose change everything.

In 2003, Bryan Jones and his wife, Max, joined a guided motorcycle tour through Cambodia, expecting a challenging but well-run adventure motorcycle trip through jungles, villages, and remote roads. What they got instead was something very different — aging bikes, a guide who kept disappearing, and a journey that quickly became unpredictable.

In December 2019, Lisa and Simon Thomas left their motorcycles and gear in the United States, planning to return after a short trip home to the UK. More than six years later, those bikes are still there — and their lives have gone in a very different direction. This episode lives in the space between what was planned and what actually happened. We talk about building a life around long-term travel, what happens when health intervenes, and the emotional cost of stopping after years on the move. Lisa and Simon share what it's like to lose — and rebuild — identity, confidence, and purpose when the thing that defines you suddenly disappears. And through it all, we explore why motorcycles still matter.

Cody Weber and a small group of experienced motorcycle riders set out on a planned day ride near Green River, Utah, traveling through canyon country, dry riverbeds, and remote desert terrain. The ride appeared well prepared: riders who knew each other, a route that seemed manageable, and time taken beforehand to organize motorcycles, gear, supplies, and navigation.What unfolded next isn't unusual in the world of adventure motorcycling. Terrain gets misread, bikes go down, and riders get injured—especially in remote environments like Utah's canyonlands. What makes this story worth paying attention to is not the crash itself, but what happened afterward.In the minutes and hours following the accident, a series of decisions were made under pressure, shaped by limited information, physical injury, environmental conditions, and the realities of being far from help. Those decisions made sense at the time—but they also raise important questions about risk assessment, group dynamics, emergency response, and decision-making in remote motorcycle travel.This story offers practical lessons for riders who travel off-road and in isolated areas: what to consider after a crash, how judgment can shift under stress, and what might be done differently when plans unravel. It's a reminder that preparation doesn't end when the ride begins—and that the most critical moments often come after everything goes wrong.

In Kevin Staples' mind, there was always a point where the trip would end. He didn't expect to get through. The goal wasn't success — it was simply to go far enough to say he'd tried. To ride up to the wall, touch it, and be told to turn back. So he kept doing exactly that. Showing up. Asking the question. Taking one more step, fully expecting it to be the last. That isn't how it played out. By the time Kevin rode his motorcycle home, the road — and the world around him — looked very different than it had when he left.

This week, we're taking a brief pause before the next regular episode drops after Christmas. For many riders, this time of year isn't about motion or miles—it's about reflection. About looking back at where we've been, the choices we made along the way, and what still lies ahead. The road doesn't always demand constant movement. Sometimes, the most important moments happen when things go quiet—when we take stock, reconnect, and remember why we ride in the first place. Wherever you are, and however you're spending these days, we appreciate you taking the journey with us. Our regular episode comes out tomorrow. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode of the Smart Wealth & Retirement Podcast, financial advisors and retirement planners Jim Martin & Casey Bibb of Martin Wealth Solutions break down one of the most confusing — yet essential — components of retirement planning: bonds. Jim and Casey explain what bonds are, how they generate income, and why they behave differently from stocks. They dig into interest rates, bond ladders, risk vs. reward, and why bonds can either stabilize a retirement portfolio or hold it back depending on how they're used. Whether you're already retired or planning ahead, this episode clarifies the role bonds should play in your long-term income plan — especially in today's evolving interest-rate environment. http://retirewithmartin.com/ ← Learn about working with us www.planwellretirehappy.com Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Introduction: Why bonds matter in retirement 01:36 – What exactly is a bond? 02:58 – How bonds generate income 04:26 – Why bonds behave differently from stocks 05:58 – Interest rates and how they affect bond values 07:46 – The role bonds play in stabilizing a retirement portfolio 09:30 – When bonds can actually hurt your retirement plan 11:12 – Understanding bond duration and risk 12:58 – The pros and cons of bond ladders 14:40 – How to know if you have the right amount of bonds 16:12 – Bonds vs. CDs vs. annuities — what's the difference? 17:48 – Practical tips for building a bond strategy Disclaimer Opinions expressed herein are solely those of Martin Wealth Solutions, unless otherwise specifically cited. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources, but no representations are made by our firm as to another parties' informational accuracy or completeness. Content provided herein is for informational purposes only and should not be used or construed as investment advice or a recommendation regarding the purchase or sale of any security. There is no guarantee that any statements, opinions or forecasts provided herein will prove to be correct. All information or ideas provided should be discussed in detail with an advisor, accountant or legal counsel prior to implementation. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Indices are not available for direct investment. Any investor who attempts to mimic the performance of an index would incur fees and expenses which would reduce returns. Securities investing involves risk, including the potential for loss of principal. There is no assurance that any investment plan or strategy will be successful.

How has motorcycle travel changed over the past ten years — not just the gear and tech, but how does constant exposure to other riders' trips and highlight reels reshape our motivation? Comparison is everywhere now, whether we want it or not, and it has a way of steering our travel choices without us noticing. The panel reflects on what first sparked their desire to travel, how that spark has evolved, and how to stay grounded in their own reasons for riding instead of chasing outside influence.Listener Question from Briah Grohs: For your 10th anniversary show of RAW, ask each member of the panel what stands out in their mind that they learned from being on the show.

  Christy is a biographical sports drama chronicling the early boxing career of renown women's boxing champ Christy Salters who was almost murdered by her abusive husband/manager/trainer James "Jim" Martin.  The film stars Sydney Sweeney as Christy Salters and Ben Foster as Jim Martin. Check out our review to hear Phenom's strong reaction and opinions to what played out on the big screen with this film and the mess of a marketing debacle that led to abysmal numbers at the box office. Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc ♦♦ Director: David Michod Writers:  David Michod, MIrrah Faulkes, Katherine Fugate Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, Katy O'Brian, Ethan Embry, Chad L. Coleman, Jess Gabor, Naomi Graham Runtime:  135 Minutes Synopsis: Sports Drama chronicling the life of Hall of Fame Women's Boxing Champion Christy Salter. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Slow-speed skills matter — especially on heavy adventure motorcycles. But if that's where your training stops, there are real situations where it starts working against you. Because sometimes control doesn't come from crawling — it comes from the right momentum at the right time. Clinton Smout from SMART Performance Centre joins us to talk about what happens when the trail gets rough and the bike needs to do what it's designed to do: move. We explore how stability changes with motion, how traction and momentum work together in real terrain, and why timing — with throttle, clutch, and body position — is what separates bouncing through from riding cleanly through.

In this episode of the Smart Wealth & Retirement Podcast, financial advisors and retirement planners Jim Martin & Casey Bibb of Martin Wealth Solutions break down some of the most common — and costly — mistakes people make leading up to and during retirement. From emotional investing and improper risk management to underestimating taxes, Social Security timing, and overspending early in retirement, Jim and Casey explain why these issues show up so often… and what you can do to stay clear of them. They share real-world client experiences, discuss the habits that lead to long-term success, and offer practical steps to help retirees and pre-retirees avoid unnecessary stress, poor decisions, and financial regret. http://retirewithmartin.com/ ← Learn about working with us www.planwellretirehappy.com Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Introduction: Why retirement mistakes happen 03:05 – Mistake #1: Overspending early in retirement 06:14 – Mistake #2: Not having a written plan 08:10 – Mistake #3: Not investing your age 10:34 – Mistake #4: Working longer than you really needed to 13:29 – Mistake #5: Ignoring taxes until it's too late 14:23 – Mistake #6: Delaying big decisions 16:50 – Mistake #7: Not reaching out to our team  17:40 – Q&A with Casey 20:45 – Key takeaways & closing thoughts Disclaimer Opinions expressed herein are solely those of Martin Wealth Solutions, unless otherwise specifically cited. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources, but no representations are made by our firm as to another parties' informational accuracy or completeness. Content provided herein is for informational purposes only and should not be used or construed as investment advice or a recommendation regarding the purchase or sale of any security. There is no guarantee that any statements, opinions or forecasts provided herein will prove to be correct. All information or ideas provided should be discussed in detail with an advisor, accountant or legal counsel prior to implementation. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Indices are not available for direct investment. Any investor who attempts to mimic the performance of an index would incur fees and expenses which would reduce returns. Securities investing involves risk, including the potential for loss of principal. There is no assurance that any investment plan or strategy will be successful.

Riding a motorcycle through Laos pushes both nerve and skill—potholes big enough to swallow a car, sudden water crossings, deep mud, and even the possibility of an elephant stepping onto the trail. A team from Rally for Rangers, led by Steve Zuschin, recently tackled these extreme conditions as they crossed Laos to deliver new motorcycles to frontline Rangers. The ride blended rugged, technical adventure motorcycling with a mission that supports the protection of threatened wilderness. Steve talks about why these demanding routes keep pulling him back and what it takes to ride some of the toughest terrain in Southeast Asia.

Fogging is something most motorcycle riders just put up with — cracking the visor, wiping it, trying to manage it on the fly. But it's more than an annoyance; it's a visibility problem, and visibility is safety. What many motorcycle riders don't realize is that there are real solutions, not myths or quick roadside fixes, but tools and technologies that actually work when you plan ahead. In this episode, we look at why fogging happens, why helmets struggle with it, and what you can do to prevent it. You'll hear from Jason Eite of VISIN about a heated visor system based on aerospace technology, and from Clinton Smout about the practical approaches riders use every day. If you ride in weather — and eventually we all do — this is one topic that can make your ride safer and far less stressful.

On this episode of DEEP TROUBLE… two motorcyclists head to mid-Wales for a weekend of trail riding on the historic Strata Florida. It's November, it's wet, and Strata Florida is known for its water crossings. The plan is simple — get out, ride the lanes, and finally tick this legendary trail off the list. But as you'll hear, conditions in the Welsh hills can change fast… and what starts as a straightforward ride quickly becomes something far more serious.

This episode digs into why so many riders never take the big motorcycle trip they dream about. What's a real reason not to go — and what's just fear or over-planning? Are we putting too much focus on the bike instead of the experience? And if you love the idea more than the lifestyle, is that okay? The group wraps with what “leaving” really means: chasing freedom, time, and the adventure you actually want.

In 2022, long-distance riders Wendy Crockett and Ian McPhee set out on a world-record attempt to visit all 58 state capitols in Australia and the U.S.—in alphabetical order. But their carefully planned motorcycle trip quickly turned into chaos: mechanical failures, illness, animal strikes, wild weather, even hospitalizations. Despite everything, they kept pushing, driven by grit, humour, and sheer determination to finish what they started. But what they didn't expect was what happened when they finally hit a point where they couldn't push any farther—when they were genuinely stuck. In sharing their situation, they discovered something surprising, something they hadn't planned for at all… and it changed the course of their journey in ways they never saw coming.

This Rider Skills episode is a practical guide to roadside motorcycle tire repair for adventure and dual-sport riders. Instructor Clinton Smout shares hard-earned methods for plugging tubeless tires, patching or replacing inner tubes, breaking and seating beads without a shop, quick leak-finding, bent-rim workarounds, and true limp-home repairs. We compare compressor vs CO₂, talk what to pack (plugs, patches, tubes, irons, lube), and walk through the steps that get you rolling again when you're far from help. If you've searched “how to fix a flat motorcycle tire,” “tubeless plug on the trail,” or “adventure bike tire repair,” this episode gives you the real-world techniques that work in dirt, gravel, and backroads.

Some riders are planners, while others seem to thrive amid chaos. Israel Gillette fits into that second group. He grew up in Tennessee, working in his father's cabinet shop, and somehow that evolved into a life that has taken him between Romania, racing, carpentry, and motorcycle riding across continents. When we featured him on the show in 2023, he'd already experienced his share of close calls — time in jail, a bond set at thirty thousand dollars, and a border crossing in South America that ended with gunfire. Yet he still said it was the best thing he'd ever done with his life. Adventure, stubbornness, and perhaps a bit of trouble have shaped both his riding and his way of life. 

What started as a nine-day motorcycle trip through Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia took a sudden and serious turn. Riding the TET, Philipp Amann and his friends were well into their journey when one of the riders fell ill but insisted on continuing. When he made the decision to turn back, his friends chose to ride with him, unaware of how quickly his condition was deteriorating. It's a story about good intentions, missed signs, and the importance of recognizing when it's time to stop.

When the life she'd planned took an unexpected turn, Kathleen Perry had to find her footing again. The quiet retirement she and her husband had imagined was gone when he passed away — so she reached back to something she'd set aside long ago: a dream to wander. She set her sights on three places — Prudhoe Bay, Ushuaia, and Nordkapp — three dots on the map. And to connect those dots, she would ride a motorcycle.

Near the end of a month-long motorcycle ride through Spain, Mark and Lisa Schubert set out for what should've been an easy final day through the Pyrenees. But as they climbed higher, a mild forecast unravelled into chaos — winds strong enough to stop their motorcycle mid-corner, trees down, and power lines snapping. What follows isn't a story about recklessness or bravado, but about how easily ordinary choices and a little fixation can lead riders into real danger. It's about the thin line between pressing on and pulling back — and the single moment that changed everything.

Thinking about downsizing your adventure bike? In this episode we test the waters with a Suzuki DR350—what it really takes to turn a lightweight, simple machine into a workable mini-adventure bike, the choices (and costs) that actually matter, and a few surprises that show up on both pavement and dirt. We start with durability—mirrors and signals, featuring the Doubletake Mirror origin story with Ned Suesse—and wrap with a technique reality check on small-vs-big from Chris Birch.

ADV-X in Canada turned out to be far more than just another riding event. By the end of the first day, faces were caked in dust, grins were everywhere, and the sense of camaraderie was undeniable. From trail-side fixes and overnight repairs to long mountain days, it was passion in motion—riders looking out for each other and a crew ensuring no one was left behind. Combine a world-class terrain with smart logistics that kept everything seamless, a spirit of fun, and you have an event that showcased the very best of adventure motorcycling in Canada. In this episode, you'll learn how the framework came together from Ryan Austin, instructor and owner of Enduro Park Canada in British Columbia—and hear from riders who lived those moments on the trail.