What inspires a person to conquer big things outside or try for the seemingly impossible? Those are questions this week’s guest Darcy Gaechter had plenty of time to ponder as she became the first woman to ever paddle the Amazon River from source to sea. A journey now detailed in her new memoir, Darcy takes a break from her kayaking adventure business, Small World Adventures, to join us on the podcast to talk about that adventure and what she learned along the way.
[1:41] Darcy’s favorite outdoor space
[2:21] The problems with the Amazon River
[4:00] The challenges of taking on the Amazon
[5:35] Why Darcy decided to take on the Amazon
[7:10] Why Darcy likes going outside
[9:16] What Darcy learned on the Amazon
[11:05] Is defying stereotpyes an important part of Darcy’s “why?”
[13:36] How to become an amazing kayaker
[16:40] Did Darcy make the self-discoveries she thought she would?
[18:50] Is she could do it again, what would she do differently?
[20:35] How to mentally prepare for a big challenge
[25:15] Darcy’s favorite outdoor gear
[25:45] Darcy’s most essential gear
[26:12] Darcy’s favorite outdoor moment
