Wild Ideas Worth Living
Episodes
Unconventional Ultra Running with Katie Arnold
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 2018, writer and journalist Katie Arnold took the ultrarunning community by surprise when she won one of the toughest ultramarathons in the country...
Making Art Outside with David Zinn
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chalk artist David Zinn is known for leaving anonymous work on sidewalks, under rocks, and in other unexpected places. He walks around Ann Arbor, Mich...
Finding Yourself in Climbing with Mario Stanley
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mario Stanley started rock climbing in his early twenties and quickly fell in love with the sport. He became a climbing coach and an outdoor guide, an...
Adventuring at Any Age with Laurie Watt
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Laurie Watt is an ice climber and mountaineer who became a professional adventure guide at age 55. She spent most of her adult life indoors- parenting...
Healing in the Mountains with Silvia Vasquez-Lavado
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Silvia Vasquez-Lavado summited Mt. Everest in 2016, and was the first Peruvian woman to do so. Her trip up the world’s tallest mountain was part of ...
Building a Running Community with Iman Wilkerson
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Group runs changed Iman Wilkerson’s life and contributed to the confidence she needed to go after her wildest ideas. Now, she is channeling her insp...
Adventuring Outside with Miranda Webster
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Getting outside can be intimidating — it feels like there’s a lot that can go wrong. Luckily, Miranda Webster, host of the REI YouTube series Mira...
Photographing Home with Mylo Fowler
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mylo Fowler is a landscape photographer who takes pictures of his homeland, the Navajo Nation. The images he captures are stunning - they feature the ...
Life on the Road with Noami Grevemberg
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Noami Grevemberg is an activist, podcaster and entrepreneur. In 2016, she and her husband Dustin left their home in New Orleans and moved into a 1985 ...
Adventure and Business with David Sacher
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When we get out in nature, we can come up with ideas that change the course of our lives. For David Sacher, a 19,000 mile bike ride from the top of No...
Embracing Adventure with Brittany Washington
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 2019, Brittany Washington was burnt out. She was ready to pursue something a little more wild, and she was thirsty for knowledge. In January of 202...
Wayward with Chris Burkard
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For Chris Burkard, photography has always been more than just taking spectacular pictures. He’s used his craft as a way to tell stories, inspire peo...
Getting Kids Outside with Raquel Gomez
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For Raquel Gomez, getting outside has always been a way to be playful and adventurous. She’s done a lot of hiking, rock climbing and camping around ...
Cave Diving with Rick Stanton
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the summer of 2018, many of us were glued to news for updates on the Tham Luang cave rescue. A Thai youth soccer team and their coach were explorin...
Creating Thousand with Gloria Hwang
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Helmets reduce the likelihood of getting a serious head injury by 60%. Even though they make it safer to ride your bike, skateboard, one-wheel, or eve...
Remembering Our Mothers with Steph Jagger
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Steph Jagger’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2015. Despite their complicated relationship, Steph decided to take her mom on one...
Making Gear for Good with Davis Smith
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Davis Smith is an outdoor adventurer and mission-driven entrepreneur. That’s why he founded Cotopaxi in 2014. Best known for their bright colors, Co...
Running for Change with Nicole Ver Kuilen
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
At 10 years old, Nicole Ver Kuilen was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, that led to the amputation of her lower left leg. Nicole has a...
Torn with Max Lowe
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Max Lowe is an adventure filmmaker whose award-winning films have screened at festivals like Cannes and Tribeca. He’s also the son of the famous mou...
An Inclusive Outdoors with Lucienne Nicholson
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lucienne Nicholson is passionate about the inherent human right to spend time in nature. Lucienne discovered her love of the outdoors during her child...
Heartbreak with Florence Williams
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Florence Williams is a science journalist known for examining the relationship between nature and our mental health. A painful divorce prompted Floren...
Seven Summits with Erin Parisi
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Erin Parisi is on her way to becoming the first openly trans person to climb the highest mountain on each continent, a series known as the Seven Summi...
How to Suffer Outside with Diana Helmuth
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When we’re fantasizing about our next outdoor trip, we often conveniently forget about the less-than-glamorous parts. Backpacker Diana Helmuth talks...
Cook Out with Chef Maria Hines
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Maria Hines is an award-winning chef and an avid rock climber and adventurer. In 2005 Maria was named one of Food & Wine Magazine’s 10 Best New Chef...
Celebrating Women's History Month
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You can find new episodes every Tuesday with these guests and others on Wild Ideas Worth Living. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you ge...
Unity Runners with Nicol Hodges
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Life coach and author Nicol Hodges is a lifelong runner. In high school and college, running track taught her discipline and training techniques. As a...
Diversifying Design with Angela Medlin
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Angela Medlin is a legendary outdoor and athletic gear designer, with a resumé boasting positions at the Jordan brand at Nike, Adidas, The North Face...
Climbing Everest with Eddie Taylor
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This spring, Eddie Taylor will be one of the climbers making history on the first all-Black team to attempt to summit Mount Everest. Their trek is cal...
Growing a Garden with Marcus Bridgewater
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When facing struggles in his own life, Marcus Bridgewater found solace in the garden. By taking care of plants, he was inspired to take better care of...
Embracing the Unexpected with Tim Brown
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adaptive athlete and podcast host Tim Brown is a lifelong outdoor sports enthusiast. But an accident while working ski patrol in 2011 rendered him qua...
Deeply Moving with Elena Cheung
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Elena Cheung first took a yoga class, she didn't like it. It was harder than she had anticipated and she wasn't flexible. She started to love it ...
Spirit of the Peaks with Connor Ryan
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Connor Ryan is a professional skier and proud Hunkpapa Lakota. As an athlete who spends his days in the mountains, Connor is always exploring how he c...
Welcome to Wild Ideas Worth Living
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wild Ideas Worth living features high-impact interviews for those who love adventure and the outdoors. Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews w...
A Look Back at 2021
31 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our guests this season were all about breaking boundaries, shaking things up and challenging the norm. There were some wild ones: the most enthusias...
Bonus Episode: Recovery with On Running
28 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The third and final episode in our series with On Running is all about recovery with professional steeplechaser Leah Falland. In combination with grea...
Bonus Episode: Training with On Running
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The second episode in our bonus series with On Running is all about training. Sometimes when you’re working on improving your endurance, speed, or f...
Bonus Episode: Nutrition with On Running
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As the new year rolls around, there’s a lot of talk of resolutions. For some of us, that means creating new goals that help us get outside and move ...
Trail Sisters with Gina Lucrezi
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When Gina Lucrezi fell in love with trail running in her 20s, she didn't see many other women out on the trail. Gina craved a community of female runn...
Connecting with Indigenous Roots with Christian Gering
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Christian Gering is a multimedia artist and one of the fastest ultra runners in America. Even though he’s built a career as a sponsored athlete, he ...
Outdoor Outreach with Lesford Duncan
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When he’s not running, Lesford is the Senior Director of Programs at Outdoor Outreach, an organization that connects kids to the transformative powe...
Making Room to Dream with Ryan Kinder
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan Kinder isn’t your average Nashville musician. In addition to recently releasing his full length album Room to Dream, Ryan is an endurance athle...
Finding Bigfoot with Cliff Barackman
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is the subject of campfire stories and heated conversation as people ponder Bigfoot’s existence. You can go down a...
Cold Water Surfing with Pete Devries
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Professional surfer Pete Devries surfs waves that not many have experienced. That’s because he lives in Tofino, B.C., and spends most of his time su...
Climbing on the Global Stage with Alannah Yip
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Climber Alannah Yip spent her summer competing on the international stage in Tokyo, Japan. Even though she’s been a competitive climber since she wa...
The Power of Nature with Florence Williams
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Florence Williams has spent years researching the physical and mental impact of spending time outside. She’s a journalist, author and podcaster whos...
Exploring National Parks with Misha Euceph
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In early 2021, Misha Euceph spent six weeks on the road visiting national parks and recording a new podcast series for REI Co-op Studios called Hello,...
Outdoor Defense with Nicole Snell
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When we’re alone in nature, all of our senses are heightened — which can be wonderful, but it can also be intimidating. There's a lot of messaging...
Being a Trail Angel with Barney and Sandy Mann
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Any long distance hiker will tell you about a magical encounter they had with a trail angel. Trail angels are awesome people who provide support to th...
Bonus: The KEEN Effect
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of KEEN, you probably think of their iconic sandals, the ones with bungee cord straps and big rubber toe caps. Over the years, KEEN has...
Road-tripping with Mikah Meyer
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mikah Meyer is a record-breaking road tripper. His cross-country adventures started at 19 years old when his dad passed away. On Mikah’s first trip,...
A Triumphant Return to Triathlon with Sika Henry
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sika set this goal 6 years ago and was aiming to achieve it in 2019. But nothing could have prepared her for the bike accident she experienced in that...
Mental health, music and the wild with Joseph Mulherin
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Joseph Mulherin is known by his stage name nothing,nowhere. He’s a musician who has worked with celebrities like Travis Barker from Blink 182 and Pe...
The Trees Remember with Angela Tucker
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Angela Tucker is a writer, director and Emmy-nominated producer who makes narrative and documentary films. For her new series, The Trees Remember, Ang...
Running Slow with Susan Lacke
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and professor Susan Lacke never anticipated becoming an endurance athlete. But when her boss Carlos Nunez offered her an opportunity to improve...
Grow Cycling with Eliot Jackson
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Professional mountain biker, Eliot Jackson, is no stranger to reaching big goals. He started riding motorcycles before he was in kindergarten, and end...
Climbing Mountains with Tyrhee Moore
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tyrhee Moore is a mountaineer, outdoor guide and founder of the non-profit, Soul Trak. Growing up in Washington D.C, Tyrhee first fell in love with th...
Preserving Our Parks with Keith Eshelman and Sevag Kazanci
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Using their backgrounds in apparel and marketing, Keith and Sevag launched Parks Project, a brand that donates its proceeds to conservation projects w...
A Good Day with Brett Eldredge
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Country singer Brett Eldredge was at the top of his game. He had released four chart-topping records and performed with stars like Taylor Swift and Bl...
Healing in the Outdoors with Adam Campbell
24 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Campbell is an accomplished mountain runner with some of the fastest known times on many Canadian mountains and trails. But being an athlete come...
Freeskiing with Michelle Parker
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Michelle Parker is a professional freeskier. She takes helicopters, snowmobiles, or hikes up to steep snowy peaks and skis down them, launching off ...
Connected by Speed with David Brown and Jerome Avery
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
David Brown is one of the world’s fastest blind runners, a two-time record breaker, and the first totally blind athlete to run 100m in under 11 seco...
Running the AT and PCT with Karel Sabbe
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In 2016, Karel beat the record for the fastest known time to complete the Pacific Crest Trail. Then in 2018, he ran the Appalachian trail and broke ...
For the Love of Birding with Corina Newsome
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of exciting outdoor activities, bird watching probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But in the words of today’s guest ...
Learning Something New with Dylan Efron
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Trying a new sport or skill for the first time can be scary. Nobody wants to look like an awkward newbie in front of the pros, but Dylan Efron is lear...
A Look Back at 2020
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
2020 has been quite a year. We had a plan for what this season of Wild Ideas Worth Living would look like, but a few months in we had to change course...
Backcountry Skiing with Noah Howell
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Noah Howell is one of the greatest backcountry skiers to date, and he has been named one of the “50 Icons of Backcountry Skiing” by Backcountry Ma...
Ally Coucke: A Girl and Her Dog
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Ally Coucke adopted her white German Shepherd, Bailey, she had no idea what she was getting herself into. Ally was just a kid looking for a big, ...
The Dark Divide with Tom Putnam
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Putnam is a filmmaker known for writing and directing documentaries and short films. After reading Robert Pyle’s book, Where Bigfoot Walks: Cros...
Running for a Cause with Clare Gallagher
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Clare Gallagher is an accomplished trail and ultra runner who made history when she won the Leadville 100 in 2016, a notorious 100-mile trek through t...
Building Products to Last with Christiane Dolva
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Now that Christiane is Head of Sustainability at Fjallraven, she wears “the grandma jacket” regularly as a reminder of the brand’s mission to ma...
Designing Gear for Women with Edita Hadravska
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Historically, outdoor apparel and clothing brands have shrunk the same designs that they use in their mens’ lines and dyed them a supposed "girly" c...
Cycling is for Every Body with Kailey Kornhauser
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Kailey Kornhauser is a fat cyclist. Those two words didn’t come easily to her. But as she has claimed her place in both the cycling community and th...
Diversifying Surfing with Textured Waves
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Textured Waves is a surf collective that aims to introduce more women of color to riding waves. The co-founders of Textured Waves, Chelsea Woody, Da...
Cycling Through Changes with Laura King
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There is a lot of confusing, conflicting information around exercise and pregnancy. When pro cyclist Laura King became pregnant, she didn’t want to ...
Gambling in the Winds with Jesse Huey
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jesse Huey is a professional climber who spends much of his time clambering up icy mountains, frozen waterfalls and other alpine landscapes. Climbing ...
Holistic Lifestyle and Business with Joe Kudla
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Kudla seems like one of those people who has 36 hours in a day. He’s dedicated to yoga and breath work, he loves being a dad and he is the CEO a...
Meagan Martin: Climbing Warrior
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Years of hard work and training have landed “Mighty” Meagan Martin as a mainstay on the NBC show American Ninja Warrior, where she completes hardc...
Amber Pierce - Reframing Competition for Women
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Amber Pierce started cycling in her early twenties, and within a year, she went pro. She signed her first professional contract with the WEBCOR Builde...
GirlTrek: Black History Bootcamp - Nina Simone
25 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With more than 740,000 active members and counting, GirlTrek is the largest health movement and nonprofit for Black women and girls in the country. Th...
Challenging the Status Quo with Joe Gray
22 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Gray is an accomplished trail, mountain, and snowshoe runner. He was the first Black athlete to make the Team USA World Mountain Running Team and ...
Wildlife at Yosemite with Park Ranger Jamie Richards
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While the COVID-19 pandemic has been keeping a lot of us humans indoors, the wildlife is taking advantage of the lack of human presence. Animals have ...
The Greatness of Dogs with Ben Moon
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Having a dog during the COVID-19 pandemic seems like a blessing: they provide an excuse to get outside (safely!), they are always up for some quality ...
Favorite Outdoor Memories
18 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate REI's 82nd anniversary and our Anniversary Sale, we asked some past guests to share their favorite stories about being in the great outdo...
Finding Humor with Brendan Leonard
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
During these weird times of the COVID-19 Pandemic, one thing that can make us all feel a bit better is laughter. Sometimes the best thing you can do f...
Baking Bread with Eric Wolfinger
27 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With everyone spending most of their time at home during this COVID-19 Pandemic, many are turning to their kitchens to provide comfort and entertainme...
Redefining Routine with Latoya Shauntay Snell
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you are struggling to adapt to the physical and emotional challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, you are not alone. Latoya Shauntay Snell is a pro at...
Breathwork with James Nestor
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
James Nestor’s new book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art dives deep into the art and science of breathing. He participated in experiments, spok...
Changing Course
27 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Like many of you, we had some big plans for spring and summer, and we got ahead on the podcast, but life happens and things shift. So, we're taking th...
Mike Posner: Becoming Someone You're Proud Of
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Mike Posner is a Grammy-nominated pop artist who decided to walk across the United States to see if a cross-country walk would help him become someone...
Ben Finley & Art Clay: Brotherhood of Skiing
02 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In 1974, Ben Finley and his friend Art Clay founded the National Brotherhood of Skiers, the largest group of African American skiers in the country. T...
Shanti Hodges: Getting Kids Outside
19 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Shanti Hodges had her son Mason, she knew she wanted to share her love of nature with him. She saw a lack of organized outdoor activities for fam...
Latoya Shauntay Snell: Running Fat Chef
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When a heckler disrespected plus-size runner Latoya Shauntay Snell during the 2017 New York Marathon, she couldn’t help returning fire. After her pe...
Jeremy Jones: Protect Our Winters
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re an adventurer who likes to get out into the mountains, you’ve probably noticed first hand that our winters are being impacted by climate...
Chris Fagan: South Pole Quest
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The total isolation you encounter in Antarctica can be monotonous, but the profound beauty Chris Fagan discovered there made her realize silence isn’...
2019 Recap
16 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the 2019 season of Wild Ideas Worth Living we dove a little deeper. Instead of just focusing on individuals, we talked about themes—mindfulness, ...
Whole Health with Melissa Hartwig Urban
02 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Melissa Hartwig Urban is the powerhouse founder of the Whole30 program which, in the last decade, has amassed a huge following and helped thousands of...
Not Impossible with Mick Ebeling
18 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Mick Ebeling believes that nothing is impossible, forever. In 2009 Mick met Tempt One, a graffiti artist who had been ...
Recycling with Helen Lowman
04 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to recycling, it can be difficult to know what you can toss in that blue bin. Luckily, there are plenty of resources and organizations t...
Running with Donkeys with Chris McDougall
21 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chris McDougall is the author of the bestselling books “Born to Run” and “Natural Born Heroes.” His new book, “Running with Sherman,” docu...
Finding Your True North with Emily Miller
07 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt lost — literally or metaphorically? There’s an event that happens every year, created by former rally and off-road racer Emily ...