Carpe Diem: Live Your Dream

How Outdoor Adventure Improves Our Lives

The author of “Tough Broad” and “Gutsy Girl” knows a thing or two about adventure herself. She talks about the benefits of getting outdoors for adventure, about the power of awe, about leading with bravery in life rather than with fear, and about the 5 dimensions necessary for a long and fulfilling life. She’s inspirational for all, but is especially encouraging for women, old and young.

Ice Climbing Niagara Falls

You've heard of people trying to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, right? It's usually not successful. But here's a guy who seeks new and different adventures. He climbed Niagara Falls. In the winter. Up the ice. Successfully. And legally!  And while the half-day climb was challenging, the two years of seeking permission and arranging logistics was even more so. This guest is not only a world-class ice climber (he wrote the book on the sport), but also an all-around adventurer in unusual sports. Like, have you ever heard of vol-biv? It’s pretty cool. 

The Seven Summits - Squeezed Into a Busy Life

When I first met him, this doctor seemed like just a normal guy. It turns out he has climbed the Seven Summits while managing a career, raising a family, and maintaining a fantastic blog. His summiting of the Vinson Massif in Antartica was impressive, but so too were his two seasons on Mt. Everest – especially the first. Hear why, and how he squeezed so much into his life.

Adventures of a Chief Vibe Maker

An annual Great Norse Run across Iceland. Another across Tajikistan. A bicycle adventure from the UK to India. A charity relay across the U.S.  All with energy posing out at the seams. That's the kind of stuff a Chief Vibe Maker would do, and that's exactly what my guest this episode is - a Chief Vibe Maker. Tune in and hear what that's like. 

Packrafting Arctic Rivers

Four friends decide to try a new way to explore the Brooks Range above the Arctic Circle in Alaska. They stuff small whitewater rafts in their backpacks and spend a month pack-rafting hundreds of miles through seldom-seen wilderness. Listening to all four of them in this episode, it’s clear they had a great time!

500 Days in the Wild

My guest for this episode hiked, paddled, and skied the entire Trans-Canadian Trail connecting three oceans. She created a spectacular documentary film “500 Days in the Wild” from that adventure, naming the film before she realized her journey would actually require 6 years! Listen to this episode to hear why.

National Geographic Photographer: What Does It Take?

Here’s a dynamic, fascinating individual who picked up photography in his 30’s and has now had three National Geographic magazine cover stories. He’s roamed the Arctic and so many other far-flung places, capturing the essence of wildlife, scenery, and the indigenous cultures. If you think it just takes being a guru behind a camera lens to make it big with Nat Geo, listen in to this episode to hear the real story.

Antarctica - The Easy Way

I recently returned from my own Antarctic adventure – not of the “roughing it” type since I was aboard a National Geographic icebreaker ship rather than hauling a sled and pitching my tent in the snow. But the staff were an eclectic mix of polar explorers with a fascinating mix of backgrounds and polar experiences. I interview several in this episode. The scenery and wildlife in Antarctica were amazing. You can find some photos on my website https://gocarpediemnow.com/

A Woman of Polar Firsts

Ann Bancroft has a lifetime of amazing firsts in the world of polar exploration: first woman to reach the North Pole, first woman to reach both the North and South Pole, first woman to ski across the Antarctic continent, and many other big adventures. She has also accomplished so many other achievements in her life through her curiosity and determination. Hear about them in this episode.

Dirty Inspirations: Wisdom from an Adventurer

Here is a professional endurance athlete with adventures in 100 countries, including a 500-mile trek across the mountains of Bhutan. She is the author of Dirty Inspirations: Lessons from the Trenches of Extreme Endurance Sports among other books, and the sports psychologist who coached the 4 women in my podcast episode #39 who rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. In this episode, she shares her perspective on training your mind to keep up with your body.