Carpe Diem: Live Your Dream

Sharing a Dream on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

Bike touring what might be the longest and most beautiful mountain bike route in the world was not in the plans for this guest – she really had no interest. But when her husband said he was going regardless, she decided to tag along. And what happened? She had the most gratifying experience of her life. This episode is a great example of the try-it,-you-just-might-like-it advice. And the description of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is wonderful.

The Ultra Ultra Runner

To run a marathon is a great accomplishment. If you do that, then it’s just 5 more miles to complete a 50k race. Then a mere 19 more to knock out a 50-miler. Now it sounds really hard, but double that and you have a 100-miler. Well, this guy has shaped his life around doing these 50- and 100-milers, a couple dozen of them. Hear how (and why) one does that, and what it feels like. And he might even convince you that it's not as difficult as most people think!

Skiing the Swiss Haute Route

Finally, for you skiers out their, our first episode about the sport. But this isn’t just your typical downhill or cross-country skiing. This is a ski touring adventure done by throwing a big pack on your back and forging a trail deep into the Swiss Alps to travel for a week from hut to hut. There's the famous Haute Route and other destinations, and plenty of descriptions of what you can expect if you give hut-to-hut ski touring a try. An adventure with a mix of most everything.

Frog Mom Swims the English Channel

This middle-aged mother of two found open-water swimming to bring solace to life’s challenges. Listen to how one thing led to another until – much to her own great surprise – she ended up swimming the English Channel. It took over 19 hours, but proved a world of confidence for her and set the path for more great dreams to pursue.

Winter Racing the Arrowhead 135

A middle-age working mother who does ultra-distance winter racing by foot, bike and ski in the depth of winter in the coldest parts of North America. There's the Arrowhead 135 that she has completed nearly a dozen times, and the Iditarod Trail Invitational where she's pushing her bicycle for days through the snowy Alaskan trail used by the Iditarod dog sled race. Her grit is admirable, and her explanation of how these challenges benefit her everyday life is noteworthy. It might make you want to bundle up and try a winter adventure race!

Ironman Racing in Your 70's

As we age, it becomes easier and easier to fall into a sedentary lifestyle as the body gradually atrophies. But it doesn’t have to be that way – at least not as soon and fast as we tend to allow. Listen to this man in his 70’s, how he went about qualifying for the Ironman World Championships, and how he deals with the challenges of aging. He's quite inspiring.

Design Your Own Bike-Packing Adventure

The best kind of adventure is one you make up on your own. This active, outdoor-loving retiree designed his own 1,700 bike-packing adventure with a unique twist that gave him a whole new appreciation of his home state. He also gives a beautiful explanation we can all use for defining what an "adventure" is, and he describes the slightly modified "Carpe Diem" philosophy that he and his wife have lived by for years. Listen in, and come away with creative ideas for your own self-designed adventure.

Thru-Hiking Triple Crown

The 2,190 mile Appalachian Trail. The 2,653 mile Pacific Crest Trail. And the 3,100 mile Continental Divide Trail. These three epic trails traversing north-to-south across the U.S. are known collectively as the Thru-Hiking Triple Crown. The guest for this episode is a young woman who accomplished all three trails and she shares an amazing perspective on her adventures and on humans’ connection to nature.

Season 1 Podcast Recap

Listen to a short summary of each of the 17 episodes from Season #1 of the Carpe Diem: Live Your Dream podcast. It will remind past listeners of the great adventures and lessons they heard once already, and provide new listeners a guide to the entire season. My guest's adventures included summiting Mt. Everest, sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, Swimming the English Channel, cycling across America, racing down the Yukon River, mushing in the Iditarod dog sled race, canoeing the length of the Mississippi River, competing in an Ironman triathlon and the Leadville 100 ultra-marathon, and much more.

Freestyle Highlining to Cure Fear

Listen to how this world #4 ranked freestyle highliner cured her fear of heights and rose to the top of this rapidly emerging sport. The tricks are amazing and you’ll learn a lot about this fascinating world of balancing high in the air.