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January 30, 2021

EP 21: HOW COVID AFFECTED COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT AND FORMER HOLLYWOOD PRODUCER, RUBEN GARAY

Special Guest: Ruben Garay

In this episode, pilot Ruben Garay shares his journey from Hollywood producer to pilot
for a major commercial airline affected by the pandemic. He was one of the many people in the airline industry who was furloughed. He reveals the journey to reaching his childhood dreams of flying and readjusting his life. He shares some valuable advice to aspiring pilots who now see the current state of the industry —- go for it. Things will change.

Update from when we recorded this: Ruben is flying again. For
more updates on his life, check him out on @californiapilot

My thoughts:

I’ve known Ruben for many, many years – over a decade and yet in that time, I’ve never had the chance to really sit down with my friend to hear his journey. It’s funny… you meet someone, you become friends, you have brief glimpses into their thought process and maybe have a quick chat about their lives, but it’s so rare to be able to have the opportunity to ask questions the way I get to when I do a podcast. It’s intimate. It’s real. It’s raw and you as the interviewer, get the chance to really find out who this person is because you just listen. And that is one of the most valuable lessons I have learned during this journey of podcasting… the value of listening. Ruben shared with me the ups and downs of his love for aviation. There were times in our friendship where I would hear him gush over the type of plane flying over us but it wasn’t until now and during this podcast where I truly learned his love for flying in the skies above me. He is one of the most hard working people I have ever met. In any industry he decided to take on, he succeeds. I don’t know why that is, but some people are made up that way. We have that in common. The undeniable desire to succeed in whatever we put our mind into. We don’t stop. We keep going and we only look back to share the gratitude we’ve had for the journey. I know his world has been turned upside down during this pandemic. We all have. It’s been such a crazy journey and at the end of it all, he has come out from the other side. He is again flying the skies since recording this episode.

And yet again, he proves how amazing he really is.

Thank you for sharing your journey with me, Ruben!

SHOW NOTES:

00:00 Ruben reads an excerpt from his travels

00:16-2:29

Drea introduces Ruben
Drea & Ruben discuss how long they’ve known each other and their background of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles
Drea & Ruben talk about Femme Fatality web series and how successful it became pretty quickly.
Ruben talks about his success as a pilot coming from very little monetary help and hard work. He talks about hard work and results that will come out of it if you keep going.
The power of believing in yourself and the American dream

9:20

The beginning of Ruben’s career with the World of Brittany www.worldofbrittany.com, which was the first fan site for any celebrity on the internet and it was all about Brittany Spears.

11:10

Ruben talks about the beginning of his life in aviation and his love for planes even as a child. Ruben talks about his early childhood living as an expat and meeting friends who had parents who were airline captains.
Ruben talks about Microsoft Flight Simulator in the 90’s and his progression to getting his pilot license.

15:02

The story of the day Ruben decided to become an airline pilot and the transition to Compass airlines, then JSX and then over to a major airline.

17:20

Ruben talks about the difficulty of getting hired by a major airline and how most of the hires come from the military
He shares the moment when he got the call that he got hired for a major airline and how surreal it felt.
He shares how excited he was to finally get hired and then covid-19 hitting the world a month after his hire
The Gala he was invited to after getting hired and then losing it all to Covid-19
While he was training, he saw the way the world started evolving in front him from pre-covid to post-covid
He discusses his time at the hotel where he was training and how there was suddenly no staff in the hotel except for the one man at the front desk.

27:25

Ruben talks about him and his wife getting sick with Covid

29:15

Ruben was one of the 40,000 airline staff who got furloughed. He discusses what this experience looks like.

31:52

Ruben talks about the pilot community and how they’ve supported each other.

33:58

Drea discusses the need for travel and the need for pilots as a result once the covid situation subsides
Ruben discusses the importance of travel and adventure.

36:58

Ruben shares his favorite place he’s traveled which is Cambodia
He really enjoyed Siem Reap, the quality of food and hotel – The Lotus Blanc $60 per night pre covid but now it’s even cheaper.
$50 for a 6 hour spa day.
He went to the Angor Kwat and loved the spiritual experience

41:08

Traveling is the best medicine for the soul

41:32

Ruben shares his most meaningful person he’s ever met on his travels

45:20

Ruben shares his most fulfilling moment as a pilot. He loves the fact that being a pilot means part of everyone’s life when he’s taking you somewhere on a journey.

46:00

Ruben shares his advice to any aspiring pilot who is passionate about it because it’s hard but it’s very rewarding

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January 25, 2021

EP 20: WALKING ACROSS THE USA – WEST TO EAST & SOUTH TO NORTH – WITH MIKE CROWLEY

Special Guest:
Mike Crowley

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In this episode, we hear about the long journey walking across the USA with Mike Crowley. Mike shares the inspiration that brought him to trek across the USA 2x and the lessons he learned during this mentally challenging but rewarding voyage.

If you’ve ever dreamed of selling all your belongings and living a life on the road indefinitely, then this is the podcast episode for you.

My thoughts:

I was first referred to Mike Crowley from one of my podcast guests, Alec Sills Trauch. During Alec’s time in the Grand Canyon he encountered this incredible human being, Mike Crowley. I didn’t know what to expect really when I talked to him except that I knew it was going to be something special. This man had hiked the entire USA from West to East and again decided to it a year later from South to North through multiple seasons. Thru hiking is very special and not for the faint of heart. There is nothing about it that is easy, not physically, mentally and emotionally. First thing I noticed from Mike was his calming presence. I at times have frantic energy especially when I’m stressed out with the many, many things that I do. Mike was the complete opposite and right away, his energy calmed mine. He was serene. He was complete. He was present. I loved talking to him. It reminds me of the simplest of things.. the things that really matter. Hearing his journey and how he got there, and all the people he’s met along the way, and all the roads he’s taken that were less trodden, reminded me of the important things in life. There were times during this interview that made me want to cry. Plenty of times, just the tone of his voice sounded so soothing and like a poem he would share his life. Though at this time, I don’t think I’ll do a cross country American walk but I do know that I’ll probably attempt a thru hike of some sort, and I do know that perhaps I’ll take some of his advice to remember the importance of silence and experience the universe and the appreciation to turn off time.

Thank you Mike Crowley!

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January 17, 2021

EP 19: THE HEALING JOURNEY, THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTION & #TRAVELINGWHILEBLACK WITH MARY CALLISTE

Special Guest: Mary Calliste

In this episode, we hear about the journey to healing and traveling the world as a black woman with travel blogger, Mary Calliste @_countitalljoy. Mary shares some amazing tips about her favorite locations to travel as well as some Interesting stories of the connections she’s made that has made a healing impact in her life. Talking with this bright, positive, and outgoing soul, I laughed and laughed, and learned so much about the important of connection and growth.

Mary’s love for travel started at the age of 16 when she left the Spice Island of Grenada for an extended visit to the U.K. Mary has traveled to several countries since and has been sharing her travel and faith journey by way of story-telling with hopes to inspire, empower and equip others for moments in their own journey.

Mary’s life is filled with more little moments than big, more abundant with quiet moments than loud, and colored by more lessons than losses. Having to navigate and survive challenges at a young age, Mary is choosing daily to live a life of meaning and inspiration. Travel inspired Mary to share stories with the world. She recently founded the Moments Unplugged Collective to provide a safe space for a global community of women who are interested in travel, not just external travel, but a deeper travel within themselves to find real connection and emotional healing.

My thoughts:

Upon meeting Mary, I knew I would love her. What a special and dynamic human being! I don’t think I have ever used the words to explain someone but she is all of this and more. I learned so much from my short time with her during our podcast interview. For one, I learned a little bit about her story and her journey to who she is now. In the episode, we hear about her healing journey with her past traumas. Coming from trauma myself, hearing her words really resonated with me in so many different ways. When you meet her, you immediately are greeted with a beautiful, powerful person who is so bright and optimistic about life it is contagious. She is outgoing, understanding, funny (we couldn’t stop our laughter), genuine and the list goes on and on. Genuine…. that is something that many people lack and being genuine just oozes from her very bones.

Now when it comes to her blog – I knew a little about it and was attracted to her positive energy. Her blog talks a lot about healing and connection, and finding that connection through meeting others while she travels. I myself, have found so much healing from my own traumas by serving others, by being a voice to those who do not have one, and I love finding those stories when I travel. Mary is another one that understands the weight and value of this important service. Thank you for the inspiration Mary. Thank you for sharing your important story. I hope if someone is out there listening, that her journey inspires you and empowers you as much as it did for me.

Show Notes:

00:00 Mary reads her excerpt from one of her instagram posts about #TravelingWhileBlack

1:49 Drea introduces Mary and shares her biography

3:07 Mary explains the instagram post she read about Traveling while being black. She has had many experiences that she found as an opportunity to educate different cultures.

6:27 Mary talks about an experience where she changed a man’s mind about using the “N” word so casually. She used it as an opportunity to educate this man who had no idea the history and origin of this word. Drea and Mary discuss how it’s just a lack of education why moments like this happen and how as Americans we also enter into countries where what we do might be considered insulting – Education is the gap to all of these differences. Mary talks about in Sri Lanka she loved the food so much that she licked her fingers. But in Sri Lanka that means you do not like the food and is very disrespectful.

9:15 Mary shares how she balances her work life/career and travel. She gives the advice of how to approach a full time job and make them aware of your priority for your passion for travel.

14:32 Mary shares what travel means to her – She is really passionate about meeting people and really understanding who they are. She enjoys spending the time to really talk to them and get to know them on a personal level. This passion for connection is what she loves about travel.

17:18 Drea talks about her trip to Nepal, talking to her Sherpa, Raj and hearing about his life.

19:38 Mary talks about how she discovered traveling and how it serves her.

23:40 Mary talks about living in England

24:08 Mary discusses her travel blog, Moments in Square and what she shares on her travel blog. She talks about her experiences on her travel blog vs. what to see or do.

26:08 In her blog, she also talks about her healing journey and how she used travel to help her. She speaks about traveling solo and reflecting on her life when she does travel.

30:02 Mary gives a piece of advice to someone who wants to go on a healing journey.

36:50 Mary loves to travel to a hotel but not a hostel (only nicer ones). She made a commitment to herself that if she can afford nice things, to treat herself. She doesn’t do luxury hotels usually but she does do the mid range hotels. She stayed in a tree house once called Rumah Pohon in Bali.

40:47 Mary talks about traveling solo and what that means to her.

43:43 Finding the ideal travel partner and the importance of finding your tribe

44:44 Mary talks about the challenges she’s had when she travels. One challenge she faces is her friendly personality. She talks about a negative experience she had in Morocco. Drea also shares her story in Fez, Morocco. Mary talks about the difference between Casablanca and Fez.

57:47 Mary discusses the most meaningful person she’s ever met on her travels. Her most meaningful connection is during a trip to India with her tour guide.

1:00 Mary’s most fulfilling moment is inspiring other people and also seeing a sunrise in a different country. And another moment was a sunset in Lake Pichola in India

1:04 Mary’s favorite location is Bali – She talks about some of her favorite places –

Peguyangan Waterfall (Nusa Penida)

1:06 Mary’s shares her favorite tip and tricks on staying in Nusa Penida, Bali. First off, she says that you should stay a few days and see the island by a scooter.

Stay at the Rumah Pohon Treehouse for the best view of the island for less than $50.

Buy your boat ticket in advance from Ubod because the lines get really long and it’s becoming a very popular destination.

1:08 Mary shares the things she always brings when she travels. Flip Flops.

1:09 Mary’s most valuable lesson she’s ever learned while traveling which is to leave your stereotypes at home and come open minded.

1:10 Mary shares her life advice to a younger version of her.

1:12 Find mary on instagram.com/_countitalljoy

www.momentsinsquares.com

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November 17, 2020

EP 12 – HOW TO TAKE EPIC LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHS & THE MAGIC OF YOSEMITE WITH VITOR RODRIGUES

Special Guest: Vitor Rodrigues

Vitor Rodrigues began taking photographs only three years ago and his photographs will stop you in your tracks. He has an obsession with photography and it shows in his work. He is avid traveler, backpacker and outdoor enthusiast. In this episode, he shares some of his tricks and tips, his camera & backpacking gear, and favorite locations.

My thoughts:

I have been in love with Vitor’s photographs for a while. His expertise in photography is something to be admired. I really enjoyed getting to finally see the face behind these epic photographs. When I see another photographers work, I love geeking out to the gear they have and how they create their incredible images. He shared some of this techniques.

He told me the reason why he wanted to get better at photography is because he wanted others to feel the way he did when he stood at those locations. Well, Vitor, you have definitely accomplished said goals. I only hope to aspire to be as good as you are in the world of landscape!

Show Notes:

00:00 Vitor reads an excerpt he’s written when he climbed Mt. Rainer

00:48 Drea introduces Vitor

1:08 Vitor shares why he is passionate about travel.

1:25 Vitor tells us how traveling runs in his family.

4:06 Vitor discusses his love for the outdoors and the beginning of his love for hiking

5:30 The most challenging hike Vitor has ever done was up to Iceberg Lake in the Sierras but he shares his love for the exhaustion

6:46 Vitor shares his favorite tips and tricks for backpackers. He is a big advocate about planning and Vitor shares his techniques on how he does that.

7:40 Vitor shares his favorite gear that he takes with him when he backpacks

9:02 Vitor shares the kind of camera gear he brings with him on the trails and how he creates the types of photos he has

10:29 We talk about how Vitor got started taking his incredible photographs. He has only been doing it for 3 years and his instagram is amazing.

12:03 Vitor’s biggest tip is shared right here. If you want to do what he does, he reveals his biggest secret on how he takes his stunning photographs

14:52 Vitor times his photographs according to the place. He doesn’t favor sunsets or sunrises, but favors how the location looks best in certain times of the day

12:52 Vitor’s favorite place that he has photographed

13:17 Vitor shares his love for photographs and how he approaches his photos with the intention of his edits.

14:51 Vitor shares one of his first hikes as a novice hiker and the decision to climb Mt. Washington, the tallest peak in the east coast.

17:08 Vitor shares his most fulfilling moment – the top of the mountain.

17:30 Vitor talks about his favorite mountain he’s climbed – Temple Crag

19:33 Vitor has a love for Yosemite and he shares his first experience at his favorite park – Tunnel View

Viltor also shares the need to watch “Free Solo” the documentary with Alex Honnold, if you ever plan on going to Yosemite

21:31 Tips and Tricks to travel Vitor’s favorite spot, Yosemite. He also shares the importance of picking up your trash

23:01 Drea and Vitor discuss the advantage of limiting the amount of people that can go into the park because of Covid restrictions and the beauty of winter in Yosemite to avoid the crowds.

24:31 Vitor shares his next destination – North Carolina and the Smoky mountains.

25:25 Vitor shares his one interesting item that he buys – a hoodie

26:25 Vitor’s favorite hike – Mount St. Helens

29:05 Vitor Life Advice

29:37 We can find Vitor on instagram on

www.instagram.com/V_Outdoors

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November 10, 2020

EP 11 – CHASING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS VIA CAMPER VAN IN ICELAND, THE ART OF EATING SUSHI IN JAPAN & JOURNALISM WITH ANASTASIA GORELOVA

Special Guest: Anastasia Gorelova

Anastasia Gorelova is a producer and journalist for Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. She is also a creative producer working in an international media company in Prague. She has worked with Reuters and the BBC. She has covered events such as the Pussy Riot Trials, the World Cup, the Olympics, and the NATO summits to name a few. She has a passion for music and many of her travels has been inspired by covering music events throughout the world.

My thoughts:

I have known Anastasia for 6+ years and as always, I am literally in love with this human being. She is one of those people that when you meet them, you realize that there is good in this world. Once upon a time, I ran an Airbnb in my 2nd bedroom in my apartment and in one fateful moment, I met Anastasia. We fell in love! She was into music. She was a solo female traveler. She was filled with my same energy. She was going to be part of my tribe.

At the time, my ex was moving out of my apartment and there was catching me as I cried my face off. Anastasia was my new best friend and at that pivotal moment where I was over this crappy relationship – Anastasia was my cheerleader. We spent many nights in Los Angeles, partying away and enjoying the incredible independent music scene.

So enough of our love story – Anastasia was not only such a wonderful friend, but she was a bad ass journalist. She was perfect for my show. She traveled the world searching for musically inspired stories. She since then transitioned into Creative Producing but I still see her frequenting the globe. She is filled with tons of helpful advice in regards to journalism and her favorite places to travel: Japan and Iceland. I hope you enjoy this fun episode.

Show Notes

00:00 Intro to Anastasia and Short Excerpt that she wrote

1:02 Drea and Anastasia talk about how they met through AirBnb

2:00 Anastasia talks about the excerpt she wrote. It was taken in Alabama Hills days before Coronavirus really hit the world. In the midst of airlines closing flights, Anastasia was traveling through California to get to Lake Tahoe during a snow storm.

7:59 “Travel is Life” Anastasia explains her reasons why she is passionate about traveling

9:30 Anastasia loves traveling in nature. She loved traveling on the 395 in California past Death Valley and the Ancient Bristlecone Forest

13:58 Anastasia shares her preferred way of traveling, via camper van. Anastasia and her fiance went to Iceland and toured the country in a camper van. During their visit, they were able to catch the northern lights twice! She explains what it’s like to see the northern lights in person.

16:52 Anastasia’s next travel plan- going to Japan and traveling the country via Camper Van. She discusses the interesting roadside stops in Japan. Anastasia also shares that New Zealand is an easy place to travel in a Van because of their loose regulations on being able to park your van anywhere and sleep in it.

19:17 Anastasia’s favorite two countries in the world are New Zealand and Japan.

21:10 Tips about traveling to Japan from Anastasia. The advanced toilets in Japan are one of her favorties- The Toto Toilet Gallery.

24:25 Her advice for first time travelers to Japan is not cramming everything in one trip. Focus on a few specific things. She explains some tips and tricks on what to see, transportation tips.

26:15 Anastasia shares one of the best premium dining experiences she’s ever had in Japan and the world. She explains the art of sushi in Japan and the dedication it takes to become a sushi chef. She also explains the type of dining experience it is at this special restaurant, Kidoguchi in Omotesando Area in Japan.

31:45 Anastasia shares her tips for New Zealand – New Zealand makes amazing Flat White Coffee.

31:50 Anastasia shares her favorite places in New Zealand – Lake Taupo and Waiotapu

34:03 Anastasia shares why she began to travel. It all began with her parents sending her out to the South of France for educational purposes. It was here where she realized there was a new way of living. But music, and following the band, “30 second to Mars” began her love to follow music shows.

37:10 Anastasia talks about her life as a journalist and the truth about journalism

42:00 Journalism and Music – The Difficulties of finding paid work for the music industry

44:46 Interviewing Aurora, Bastille and other famous musicians

47:06 Anastasia’s tips on how to interview

479:27 Anastasia’s tips on how to Pitch for an article

50:52 Anastasia shares her most fulfilling moments as a journalist – Seeing her work on the BBC

53:16 Anastasia shares her most interesting person she has ever met during her travels. She also shares an interview she did with an athlete that changed her stereotypes of athletes.

56:25 Anastasia shares some advice to herself.

57:45 Anastasia shares her one item that she brings and purchases when she travels.

58:33 We can find Anastasia on instagram

www.instagram.com/iamanastasialova

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November 4, 2020

EP 10 – LIFE AFTER CANCER MEANS SUMMITING MT. WHITNEY & THE GRAND CANYON RIM TO RIM WITH ALEC SILLS-TRAUSCH

Special Guest:

Alec Sills-Trausch

Alex Sills-Trausch

Alec Sills-Trausch’s love for the outdoors stems from his family. At a very young age, he was introduced into the world of adventure. From being dragged kicking and screaming as a kid, to now waking up before sunrise or staying up through the night to snag the perfect shot. He combines adventure travel and photography to inspire others to enjoy mother nature as much as he does. In November of 2018, he was diagnosed with Gray Zone Lymphoma but it did not stop him from enjoying the adventures of the outdoors. Through treatment, he was able to appreciate and enjoy daily activities. In April of 2019, Alec was declared Cancer Free. On July 4th, 2019, he summited Mt. Whitney in a day, he also the Rim to Rim Canyon trek also in one day, explored the backcountry of Wyoming and the adventures continue. At 28, he’s only been taking photos for two years but enjoys the perspective it has brought to his life and the ability to document the wonders of the world.

MY THOUGHTS:

When I saw Alec’s profile on Instagram, I had to take a pause. Did this man really do all of this post cancer treatment? Why, yes he did! I had to talk to him. I’ve known a few cancer survivors and actually, cancer runs in my family. I had a friend tell me once after his many months fighting cancer, “No one really talks about what happens after. How you feel after? I’m not all here. I’m not the same. People think… thank god, you are alive but they don’t see how it’s effected me. They are just glad I’m alive.” My friends feelings were valid. And for many, life after cancer, can be difficult.

This is why I had to talk to Alec. I really wanted to understand how shortly after his treatment, he decided he was going to complete the rim to rim on the Grand Canyon and then continue to climb to the highest mountain in the lower 48 states, Mt. Whitney (14,500+). These are not easy feats for most people and yet, he did it. Alec is impressive and is someone I’d love to meet face to face one day. His journey inspires me to keep moving no matter what lies before us. His goal is to change how people view cancer. I hope that this episode is one you can take with you when you’re climbing a mountain that seems impossible to climb.

Stay Wild,
Drea

SHOW NOTES:

Introduction to Alec – He reads an excerpt from his blog entry in February 2020 post cancer treatment.

1:05 Drea introduces Alec

2:47 Alec tells us about his love for traveling in the United States

2:51 Alec shares with us a little backstory about the excerpt he read out loud in the beginning and his cancer journey, and how shortly after remission he went on to climb Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the lower 48 and the rim to rim of the Grand Canyon and one day

9:27 Alec shares his passion for travel, his love for small towns, and Boise, Idaho. He even thought about moving to Boise because of the proximity to Mt. Rainier and other beautiful locations.

11:50 Idaho and the pristine landscape and milky way filled sky

12:20 Alec loves to go on road trips and he explains his perspective on the importance of being on the road.

13:35 Alec prefers to sleep in a tent and he shares the ease of what it can be once you learn the routine.

16:15 Alec shares a night at Island lake at 12,400 feet where he heard a howl at an elevation where there should be no life

17:40 Alec shares his love for backpacking and why he loves this type of travel. HE shares one of his favorite backpacking trips in Wyoming.

18:48 The Wind River Range and the Titcomb basin is one of Alec’s favorite backcountry trails. He shares the some of the difficulties of this “worth it” backpacking trek (i.e. mosquitos)

21:00 Alec shares his hike to the top of Whitney less than 4 months out of the Chemotherapy treatment. Alec summited Mt. Whitney through the infamous chute that people take when they cannot go up the traditional route on the 99 switchbacks due to snowfall.

23:25 Drea shares her difficulty with elevation and how she almost every time gets elevation sickness

24:45 Mt. Whitney after Trail crest – The longest last push up to the summit ever. Both Drea and Alec discuss that last push being the hardest part. Alec tells us how fast he got the permit and the last minute decision to climb the highest mountain in the lower 48 states.

27:10 Alec shares us why he began this type of lifestyle

29:53 Alec tell us the story of how he started to do photography. He bought his camera from Craigslist and it worked out great!

31:00 Alec also has a travel blog and journal in which he shares his adventures as well as his cancer journey. In the very beginning of his online blog, his purpose was to keep his family informed about his life but then it transformed into trying to help others experience the adventures he was having. Alec wanted to create a place where he can share advice to others. The blog started with wanting to share his adventures with his parents and now he gets 2-3000 new visitors to his site per month.

ExplorewithAlec.com

32:33 Alec shares his favorite places have been BANFF, CANADA and WYOMING.

33:10 He shares a few tips and tricks for those – Places to stay in Banff, Canada and The Grand Tetons

In Banff, he highly recommends the Banff International Hostel because of the bar in the basement. He also loved “The hostel” in the Grand Teton Village.

35:45 Alec shares with us some advice for anyone going through a similar journey.

37:22 Alec runs into a very interesting man in the Grand Canyon that ended up being a pretty remarkable person.

39:00 Alec shares his favorite fulfilling moment doing the rim and rim 2 months after all his cancer therapy

39:53 Drinking fermented shark in Iceland at a Big Lebowski themed bar.

40:41 Alec shares his life advice to himself.

41:19 Find Alec on

https://www.alecsillstrauschphotography.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ExploreWithAlec

https://explorewithalec.com/

IG: www.instagram.com/AlecOutside

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October 27, 2020

EP 09 – ALPINISM – MOUNT BLANC, MATTERHORN, & THE GOAL OF SUMMITTING ALL 82 – 4000 METER MOUNTAINS IN THE ALPS WITH CHARLEY RADCLIFFE

Special Guest:
Charley Radcliffe

Charley Radcliffe

Charley Radcliffe grew up in London with a family who loved to travel frequently. But it wasn’t until he was in university, that he began having the urge to not just visit places, but explore them extensively. For Charley, that came through living somewhere and learning the language. He lived in San Sebastian, in the north of Spain for a few years before moving back to London. He then discovered CLIMBING & ALPINISM. Naturally, the love for the mountains and the lifestyle that comes along with it, brought him to Chamonix, France, a town on the foot of the French Alps. The mountains of Chamonix caught his heart and soul. Six years ago, Charley moved to Chamonix full time to continue to pursue his love for the outdoors and the climb.

My Thoughts:

The photos of Charley Radcliffe hanging off the side of a snow filled mountain range was so dreamy. I couldn’t wait to speak to him! When I say climbing, I usually mean trekking but Charley actually does “Real Climbing.” Meeting such an amazing athlete and getting to speak to him was such a privilege. I’m not gonna lie, I was definitely, low key fan girl-ing inside. That wild crazy soul of mine was yearning for the views he sees on a pretty much daily basis. It’s not everyday, you get to meet someone with so much passion for what they do. It’s not everyday, you get to sit down and talk to an athlete that is so impressive. So if you’re reading this Charley – I can’t thank you enough. Your adventures continue to be a visitor to my brain every. single. day. In this episode, Charley shares with us some really helpful tips for those who want to follow his footsteps in chasing that true mountaineer dream. SPOILER ALERT: Charley shared his initial 2020 goal of climbing all 82 peaks in the Alps that were over 4000 meters (13,123 feet). With a little disappointment in his voice, he said he’s only done 52 of them because of Coronavirus. Um, Charley, outside of the impressive climbing community of Chamonix, France – most people summit 1-2 peaks a year. 52! FIFTY TWO PEAKS. I couldn’t believe my ears. Charley Radcliffe is one badass athlete. Charley has definitely inspired me to learn Alpine Climbing and I only hope to one day be able to climb one peak the way Charley scales them.

Stay Wild,
Drea

Show Notes:

00:00 Charley reads us an excerpt from March 26, 2020 – The beginning of Covid and how much he misses the climb.

00:50 Drea introduces Charley Radcliffe

1:35 Charley expands on his March 26, 2020 and strict 8 week lockdown in Chamonix, France. People could not go 1 km from home and 100 meters vertically which needed to be put in place to restrict climbers from going up into the mountains that tower above the town. Drea and Charley talk about how Coronavirus has affected the world.

8:25 Charley shares his love for travel, why he is passionate about it and how it has inspired him.

11:00 Charley shares his journey from London to living permanently in Chamonix, France the town right underneath the French Alps and why he moved to this adventure town

16:58 Charley explains the European style of climbing that he prefers to do – The single push. He also explains the advantages of doing the Single Push.

19:00 Charley shares his love for the outdoors and the the value of working hard for that “view”

22:04 Charley shares his goal to climb 82 peaks over 4000 meters (13123 feet). He has completed 52 because Coronavirus prevented him from climbing faster. He shares a rare winter climb in January above 4000 meters, watching the sunset and realizing that no one else was higher than them in all of Europe.

24:00 He expands more about his attempt to climb the 82 peaks

24:56 Charley shares his introduction into Alpinism and Mountain Climbing – Mt. Blanc

27:45 Charley shares his favorite peaks/climbs – The Matterhorn in 7 hours and 45 minutes

29:13 Charley shares the three types of fun in the outdoors

30:17 Charley shares an iconic climb with ice Axes and is very difficult.

34:08 Charley gives advice on how to find the perfect climbing partner

39:15 One of Charley’s most challenging climbs – The monte rosa massif and the linking up 13 out of the 18 peaks

46:22 South Face of Mount Blanc – Poor Quality Rock

48:32 Charley and compartmentalizing – boxing up your fears, learning from your mistakes, and re-evaluating

49:43 Charley shares some close calls – Gears, Crevasses, etc.

50:28 Charley shares how the mountains are falling down and the permafrost is melting. He is seeing Climate Change first hand in the french alps.

53:32 Charley shares how he prepares for his climbs

56:27 Charley shares his climbing heroes

57:49 Charley’s shares the amazing feeling of his climbing accomplishments

58:55 Charley shares his tips and tricks for someone who wants to climb and try alpinism

59:49 Charley shares his most meaningful person he has met on his travels/climbs

61:01 Charley shares his favorite climbs, The Matterhorn and Mount Blanc – Tips and Tricks to do those climbs

64:00 Charley shares his one thing he takes with him on his climbs – A happy snack

65:00 Charley shares a piece of advice for his younger self

66:00 Charley shares some advice on how to get sponsored as a climber and some his favorite brands that he has partnerships

67:00 Charley Radcliffe can be found on Instagram on

www.instagram.com/charley.radcliffe

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October 21, 2020

EP 08 – HIKING THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL WITH TIM STROEKS – INJURIES, FINDING YOUR TRAM-ILY, PLANNING, AND MORE

Special Guest: Tim Stroeks

Hiking the PCT – The Pacific Crest Trail

Tim Stroeks is an avid thru hiker, adventurer, and outdoorsman who currently resides in the Netherlands. He comes from a family of travel enthusiasts who enjoy hiking, climbing and cycling. This wanderlust that runs through his blood, has been a prevalent theme throughout his life. Tim has cycled Southern Sweden, completed the coast to coast walk in England, hiked the King’s Trail in the Arctic Circle, Finished the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu, the W trek in Patagonia, to name a few. And finally, in 2019, his long-desired dream to hike the Pacific Crest Trail was fulfilled…

My thoughts:

The Pacific Crest Trail is a dream for many hikers out there, but the difficulty of this trail and the length of time it requires prevents many from conquering it. It is a long thru hike that goes from Mexico to Canada. The total mileage for PCT is 2,650 miles and it usually takes anywhere from 5-6 months of time. With such a small window of hiking, a hiker needs to be able to complete an average of 20-30 miles a day of hiking in order to complete the trail and not deal with weather issues. With this being said, I have such a fascination for those who attempt to complete this trail and my goal was to search the internet for someone with an interesting story. That’s when I met Tim Stroeks. Tim shared with me his PCT hike in 2019, which for any of you don’t know this, 2019 was a high snow year in the Sierra mountains of California. This proved to be very challenging for most hikers. Tim shares some helpful tips and tricks on how to conquer this behemoth of a hike. Just like most people I’ve ever spoken to who have attempted this trail, it is their favorite hiking experience. This 5-6 month journey definitely changes your perspective on many things, I’m sure. Hope you all enjoy this very informative episode!

Stay Wild,

Drea

Show Notes

0:00 Tim Stroek’s reads from one of his instagram entries when he climbed the Sierras during his Pacific Crest Trail thru hike in 2019.

1:07 Who is Tim Stroeks? Drea shares his extensive adventure bio with us

2:31 25 years old and 32 countries. Tim shares his love for travel and where he found this passion.

4:41 How did Drea find Tim Stroeks? Instagram!

5:17 Tim shares how much he loves to rough it and how he likes to

8:08 Tim gets his love for travel from his parents and family. He started traveling adventurously very young and that love for the outdoors has stayed with him as an adult

8:17 Tim shares with us his favorite trails and why he chose these trails.

Spoiler Alert – the PCT

8:41 The King’s Trail in Sweden – The Arctic Circle and camping under the midnight sun – Tim shares with us some an experience with the locals that give you rides across the many lakes on this trail.

10:35 Tim shares with us what a TRAIL ANGEL is on the PCT – The volunteers who provide their time, food, rides and supplies for hikers along the PCT

14:01 What is the PCT – Tim explains what the Pacific Crest Trail – The whole hike is 2650 but changes from year to year. Tim shares the changes that happens in PCT that may increase the mileage

16:14 Tim shares his Mt Whitney detour off of his PCT hike, the craziness of mountain weather, and what it’s like to stand on top of it.

20:41 Drea asks Tim the average mileage of a PCT hiker, the importance of keeping up your mileage to meet your window of hiking, and he shares his highest mileage count – 40!

23:41 Tim discusses the excerpt at the very beginning

28:35 Tim has always challenged himself and the PCT pushed his boundaries. This is what drove him to attempt this trail.

30:51 Drea asks Tim how he prepared for the long journey on the PCT – Permits, Getting a Visa as a foreigner, organizing the gear that works for you, the importance of planning and also not planning, delivering packages to resupply.

38:05 Talking to other hikers to figure out a plan, where to send packages, and planning on the actual trail.

39:20 Tim used a very helpful app – Guthooks, that aided in helping plan where to resupply! Very important

40:42 Tim shares with us some of his fears in hiking the PCT. Tim was really afraid of failing and also getting injured early in the hike.

42:19 Tim tell us why he was unable to complete the PCT. He was only 150 miles short from the Canadian border.

44:37 The dangers on the PCT include some animals – Here is Tim and his rattlesnake story, a Black Bear and her cubs and a mountain lion!

46:50 Tim shares the challenges of crossing the Sierras during the high snow season – Having to break trail, The Snow Bridges, then the Higher River Crossings, etc.

48:20 Meeting people in the Sierras and starting a “Tram”ily

50:00 How you get your Trail Name? Tim was called Davey Jones and he shares the story behind it.

53:08 Tim shares his most fulfilling moment – Conquering the Sierras during a high snow year

54:43 Tim shares his Tips and Tricks for anyone who wants to attempt to do the PCT – Do not over prepare, do not get overwhelmed about how far you have to – take it day by day.

57:28 Tim’s BEST DAY was when his friend visited him from the Netherlands

59:45 Tim’s WORST DAY – The day he had to get off the trail.

61:01 Tim’s most meaningful person he met on the trail

63:00 Tim’s Advice to himself – “Stand still and look at what you’ve done already”

64:00 Where is Tim going to next – The List of the countries he plans on doing

65:00 Follow him on instagram on

www.instagram/timstroeks and he has a blog that he has started with his daily journal on his PCT hike on www.Strookyblogs.com

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October 6, 2020

EP 07: STARTING AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE TRAVEL MAGAZINE WITH CARSTEN COLES & RUN WILD MAGAZINE

SPECIAL GUEST: Carsten Coles
STARTING YOUR OWN TRAVEL MAGAZINE

New Zealander Carsten Coles has lived and worked across the world before settling in Sheffield, where he lectures in English and publishes travel mag Run Wild. The magazine was inspired by a course featuring talks by editors of Delayed Gratification and Cereal. ‘That was when I knew I really wanted to do my own magazine,’ he says. When asked to describe his magazine in three words, Carseten described it as “Travel. Adventure. And Environmentalism. This was an excerpt from a Magculture interview with Carsten.

My thoughts:

Carsten is a wonderful English gentleman and that became pretty clear right when I met him via zoom call. I got the opportunity to speak to Carsten about his travel magazine, RUN WILD. I think the creative producer/writer/documentary filmmaker part of me was really drawn to his story. This incredibly inspiring man, just one day decided he was going to create a magazine. That is not easy. In fact in this episode, Carsten touches on some of those ups and downs. Yet to me, the incredible rewards, highly outweigh the work. One of those rewards was the ability to create opportunities for others, specifically, for women travelers/explorers. Many adventure magazines fail to tell the story of women, so it is refreshing to see someone who is traversing into this rarely explored avenue.

It’s been great to meet all these like minded individuals who respect nature and the environment as much as I do. There is something to be said about dropping it all and going “both feet in” for your dream. And his dream was to create this magazine that would focus on 3 things I absolutely care about – Travel. Adventure. and Environmentalism.

But you know, many of us have these giant dreams that stay dreams because we either get too busy to actually pursue them, or we’re too scared to fail (or succeed), the work behind the dream is too hard, or the millions of excuses that come to mind when you just don’t want it bad enough. As a result, these dreams stay up in the clouds of our brains waiting to live their life out until it one day, fades away. I sure do hope that this episode inspires you to chase those dreams that float up there and drag them down to the reality of Earth. Carsten inspires me to do many things. Here are a few that come to mind, care even more about the environment, great risks equal great rewards, learn to be a better listener and be more like a fine Englishman, create your own opportunities. and here’s the big one, “Follow that damn dream – no matter what the outcome.”

Hope you like the episode!

Stay Wild,
Drea

SHOW NOTES:

Intro: Carsten shares his journey to climb a 12 pitch route to La Taillante (3,185m).

1:09 Drea introduces Carsten Coles.

1:57 Carsten continues to share his journey on this route. It was his third rock climb up real rocks up a 200 meter cliff.

3:15 Carsten started an Adventure Travel Based Magazine called RUN WILD. He shares why he created RUN WILD and what their mission is.

4:15 Carsten shares his inspiration in starting RUN WILD, his love for paper and dreams of being a writer

7:45 Carsten started the magazine in March 2019 and what it looks like

to begin a travel magazine.

9:05 The importance of following your dreams no matter how big they are.

9:53 Carsten shares the many challenges in starting a travel magazine. Learning to do everything from soup to nuts.

11:26 Carsten shares the most fulfilling moments in starting the magazine, one of which is hiring female writers.

14:00 Carsten shares some tips & tricks to start a magazine.

15:45 Carsten shares the number of countries he had been to and his favorite places he’s been to which is Columbia and Svalbard.

Carsten shares with us some Tips & Tricks of Svalbard is the Backpacker’s version of Antarctica.

20:23 Columbia Tips & Tricks. (i.e. how to find a cheaper tour, etc)

22:34 More Tips & Tricks for Svalbard

24:57 Carsten shares what travel means to him and why he’s passionate about it. Carsten tells us his favorite way to travel.

30:07 Carsten shares the way he likes to travel – Camping & Backpacking

31:16 Carsten just loved traveling and it started when he was young.

37:08 Carsten shares his 8 pitch climb in the Dolomites with his friend

39:03 Carsten shares with us his most interesting travel story in Greenland when he went hiking around the country.

43:00 Carsten shares his exciting experiences in maneuvering in Beijing, China.

45:38 Chatting with inuit reindeer Hunters in Greenland, discussing climate change in the areas, and how it is effecting their food supply

47:47 Carsten shares his favorite item that he brings on his adventurous trips – a Garmin Satellite Communicator.

51:52 Carsten believes in no regrets in life so his advice to himself is to take more risks, don’t get tied up with a job. Think about the life you want, and earn enough money to have that life.

52:29 Carsten’s favorite trails – The O in Patagonia & The Dusky Trail in New Zealand. He shares in detail about his love for these trails, and a few tips and tricks.

56:04 Carsten’s next plan – Hamburg and the issue with flights and covid and the Scottish Highlands!

57:58 Carsten and his work can be found on www.RUNWILDMAGAZINE.COM and on IG at www.instagram.com/RUNWILDMAG

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September 29, 2020

EP 06: GRAMMY AWARD WINNING PIANIST, RUSLAN SIROTA – THE LIFE OF THE NOMADIC MUSICIAN

Special Guest: Ruslan Sirota

Ruslan Sirota is a Grammy award winning pianist, composer and producer. Ruslan has been touring, performing and recording with major artists, such as Stanley Clarke, Black Eyed Peas, the Alicia Keys, Seal, Josh Groban, Ne-Yo, Chick Corea, George Duke, Kamasi Washington and countless others.

My thoughts:

Ruslan… Ruslan… Ruslan… I’ve known Ruslan for 6/7 years? Jeez! I cannot put into words how much this person inspires me. He is one of those real people, the salt of the Earth, as they call it. When I first heard Ruslan play piano, my heart sang. My love for music runs so deep. Many people don’t even know that I began this life as a singer so that first love has always been music. For a while, I actually didn’t know the accomplishments that Ruslan Sirota had under his belt. He was just a quirky, talented, kind human being that I wanted to be friends with. Soon, I’d learn who he was and that made him even more impressive. Ruslan is a grammy award winning pianist that has a boat load of crazy stories. And this episode, barely covers it all. BUT, with that said, it’s very rare that you get to actually sit down with your friend and ask questions about the beginning of his or her life. In this episode, I got to ask Ruslan all kinds of questions and learn even more about this remarkable human being, I’m proud to call my friend.

It’s funny – the coolest people I’ve met have been those that rise of adversity. Maybe my past and my own rocky beginnings, was what made me so drawn to you, Mr. Ruslan. I had no idea until now how truly amazing you are. Your story – Your Talent – Your travels. Thank you. I can’t wait to learn more as the years go on.

In this episode, Ruslan shares his beginnings in the Soviet Union during Chernobyl and then shortly after the Gulf War. He shares his destiny and journey with music, and some favorite experiences throughout the world.

Stay Wild,

Drea

Show Notes:

Intro: The episode opens with an article about Ruslan Sirota and his musical journey written by Adam Renn Olenn called “Finding a Balance”

3:04 Ruslan shares what it’s like to share the stage with the Dalai Lama.

10:46 Ruslan discusses finding his calling and the life of travel

17:25 Ruslan shares his early life during Chernobyl & the Gulf War. He goes in depth about the conditions of the Soviet Union and how his family had to escape. Upon reaching Israel, they were greeted with the Gulf War.

25:00 The melting pot culture of Israel and how it is to live there

27:28 Ruslan shares what it’s like to travel as Musician and the first time he was on a major tour

33:12 Ruslan shares his mishap on his first tour.

35:14 Ruslan shares his favorite spots in the world, some food experiences and more

1:10 Ruslan’s current plans during Covid

1:14 Ruslan’s advice to his younger self

Find Ruslan on:

www.instagram.com/ruslanpiano

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruslan_Sirota

https://www.facebook.com/Ruslanmusic/

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