They say spending time in nature can change your life. But in a world packed with indoor life pressures, how can you make getting outside just a part of who you are?
Welcome to the Humans Outside podcast, where we explore life in the great outdoors from our perch in Alaska, all while hearing from fascinating outdoor-minded guests.
Remember my rim-to-rim hike in the Grand Canyon that became a dangerous disaster after another member of the group put us all at risk? Yeah, that wasn’t great. But when I shared that story, I immediately received a parade of messages from Humans Outside followers and podcast fans with their own stories of outdoor misadventures caused by someone else’s poor choices.
There’s some comfort in knowing my experience wasn’t unique. But it also made me think maybe there’s a lesson there on what we can all do better next time. If so many of us have had a similar problem, maybe we need someone to help us avoid it happening again.
Enter: Luc Mehl and Sarah Histand, adventure experts who happen to be married to each other.
You’ve probably heard Sarah here before, bringing insight on adventuring in ways that feel safe. Luc is a trip planning expert who has done major expeditions in Alaska and teaches courses on heading into the wilderness while having fun and not dying. Together they’re the perfect pair to help us with this problem.
In this episode hear:
Listen now!
[3:33] Sarah’s favorite outdoor space
[4:04] But wait, Luc has a different favorite
[4:50] Luc and Sarah’s outdoor stories (plus, how they met)
[8:05] What is risk management and why is it important?
[11:04] It sounds harsh, but are there simply people who shouldn’t be invited on adventures?
[12:20] How to figure out who is the right fit for your trip
[13:45] What to do when you thought your had it figured out, but actually you did not
[17:41] The role of people picking in trip planning
[20:24] What to do when you get into the adventure and now you’ve got real problems
[26:45] The fear of offending someone
[29:29] Think about it as “carrying pride”
[32:28] So you’re in a bad situation. Here’s what to do next.
[37:50] The rumors are true: don’t leave a buddy (or frienemy) behind
[41:40] How to avoid an emotional stress injury
[45:16] Luc and Sarah’s favorite outdoor moments
There are just certain outdoor things that drive me absolutely bonkers. They make my nerves feel like tattered edges, especially if they’ve been going on for awhile.
And that’s a problem, because I am committed to getting outside every single day, no matter what. … and that “no matter what” includes stuff I don’t like, and even stuff I hate.
So what do I do when this happens? I take these three steps.
Listen now.
[:35] I’m betting you have some outdoor thing you hate. Don’t be a hero about this.
[1:01] Here are some really good examples
[1:55] And here’s the thing I hate, thank you.
[2:04] I need you to hang on while I get this off my chest.
[4:06] Obviously, it’s not going to keep me inside
[4:34] Which means I have to take a few steps to move through it
[6:54] Here’s a fun fact about Amy in March
When I heard the saws, I should’ve known it was not a good thing, not just a trail crew clearing wood downed on the trail.
I never guessed the loss those sounds were bringing. And when I saw it, I stood in disbelief.
I guess that’s the risk brought by loving something. When it’s taken away, a piece of you feels gone, too.
Listen now.
[:35] Man-made destruction without warning
[1:45] I assumed it wasn’t major. Boy was I wrong.
[2:55] Only Treebeard has the words for this
[3:45] These trees were my friends
[4:50] It feels like a heavy loss
[5:12] My bad for trusting anyone on the internet
[6:22] But I do think this is a universal experience
Planning a visit to one of the many national parks or federally protected lands? You’ll be in good company. Visiting these spaces is more popular than ever before.
So how do you make sure the company isn’t too good? How do you avoid the crowded spots, still get to have that bucket list trip and make the most of the journey?
Matt and Karen Smith are national park travel experts because they’ve been there, done that, and share their journey in their podcast “Dear Bob and Sue” and books of the same title. Their show is packed with practical, clear advice on visiting the parks, and in this episode of Humans Outside they bring that help here.
In this episode hear:
Listen now!
[3:01] Matt and Karen’s favorite outdoor spaces
[6:38] How they got into visiting national parks
[11:30] What is it about the national parks that we love so much?
[13:26] How the heck can you afford that?
[16:46] Biggest national parks mistakes they see
[21:31] Their favorite parks
[25:41] How to avoid seeing too many people
[32:33] Where you really should go
[34:23] Their best tips for making the most of any national park trips
[40:00] Matt and Karen’s favorite outdoor memory
What would happen if you spent a handful of hours attempting to do every available outdoor activity in a certain area?
That’s the question I asked before a Do All The Things day I just did with a friend. We loaded up our cars with outfit changes, equipment and nowhere near enough snacks, and headed into Hatcher Pass for a packed five hours of outdoor fun.
Here’s what happened.
[:35] The siren song of a challenge, even it’s just one day
[1:09] Can we even do all the things?!
[2:16] A tiny edit, and then we set forth
[2:26] (Don’t get me started on my people and these ski passes)
[2:52] Here starts the activity check-check-check
[5:17] A few takeaways from attempting to do all of the things
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode of Humans
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode of Humans