Why We Hike (Ford Erickson)

Lana Strathearn is an amazing photographer, seasoned Anasazi Trailwalker and dinosaur impersonator. In this episode, Lana shares some hilarious and moving experiences she has had working with at-risk youth in the wild. Seriously, I cracked up and “loled” 5 times while editing this episode. That is unusual for me. Lana is amazing. Hear her words.

Follow Lana!:

IG: @LanaRosePhoto

      @HealingSycamore_

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Lindsi Lake is an avid rock climber, cyclist, runner and maple flavored oatmeal eater. We had a marvelous conversation about how to navigate the sometimes toxic comparision culture in outdoor sports and Lindsi tells a miserably scary story she experienced while climbing in southern Utah, and we can overcome things that scare us in our lives. She invented the saying "you go through what you go through." Lindsi is a genius. Lindsi is gr8.

Also her last name is Lake, and a little known fact is that a Lake is actually a body of water in nature. WOW!

FOLLOW LINDSI:

Instagram: @lindsilake

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Fjord talks about the strange events the guided him to an ever growing passion for the outdoors in his mid twenties. Aliens were involved. Not really. But do you believe in Aliens? I do. You can follow Ford (me) all over the internets: www.FordThunder.com/merch Instagrams: @Why_we_hike_podcast @Ford_Thunder_Erickson YouTube:  Ford Thunder Erickson ( https://www.youtube.com/fordthundererickson ) Patreon: www.Patreon.com/FordThunderErickson Facebook:  Ford Erickson  Ford Thunder Erickson Venmo: @Ford-Erickson --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Cindy Davis is a fascinating human specimen. She has gone from hating nature in her teen years to now spending 7 days a week in the mountains. She is a former wilderness therapy guide turned snowboard instructor and has an unmatched love for the at-risk youth she has worked with over the years in her various jobs. Her first tattoo was a big and bold "BOYS BAND" on her leg referring to a group of boys she worked with at the Anasazi Foundation.

Follow Cindy!:

IG: @CiindyDaviis

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In this episode you will join my comrades and I as we venture, for the first time, into the ominous Wind River Mountains in Wyoming. In addition, toward the end of the episode there is an interview with Alex, who we stumbled upon out there. He was severely sick with altitude sickness and couldn't stop throwing up. Fun times! Join my Patreon cult to help keep this podcast ad-free!: https://www.patreon.com/FordThunderErickson --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Abi Scoma is a long time river raft guide, outdoor adventure junky, but overall a very insightful and incredible human being. She tells her story of self discovery and how the wilderness is helping her continually learn more about herself and her place in the world around her. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Bob Donoho is an incredible human lifeform. He has had all kinds of wild experiences in the backcountry as a wilderness therapy guide for many years. He is an, in my opinion, expert woodworker and crafter of all kinds of things from nature. But beyond all those things, Bob has a golden heart and the wisdom of an ancient Greek philosopher. And he really likes bengal spice tea. 

Follow Bob!

@GoodPeopleFanClub

Follow Bob's Dog!

@My.Dog.Pancho

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I caught up with Arizona Trail thru-hikers Kelli Oswald and Lexy Newby for a spur of the moment interview in the parking lot of Red Robin. Kelli and Lexy had just reached the half way point in the nearly 800 mile long Arizona Trail that starts at the Mexican border and goes all the way to Utah. They share some of the highlights of their glorious but rugged journey thus far. I then attempted to continue the interview inside Red Robin while the gals consume their burgers, amid the chaos of loud music, and constant visits by Tim, our wonderful waiter. If Lexy sounds familiar its because I have already had an episode with her! Its episode #7! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Caitlyn Nalder is one of the most pure hearted, down to earth people I have ever known. She is one of my Anasazi trail mothers, who taught me how to be a trailwalker at Anasazi.

She has been backcountry guide at the Anasazi Foundation for several years, a wilderness survival instructor for California Survival School, a contestant of the TV show ‘Bushcraft Build Off’, and backpacked 700 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail with Lexy Newby. It is possible that I have spent more time in the wilderness with Caitlyn than any other person on earth, and I have no complaints about that!

Part 1 of my interview with Caitlyn was in the cold, snowy Wasatch mountains, and Part 2 was done in Caitlyn’s home because it was too cold out there for us to continue to form logical words from our frozen brains.

Follow Caitlyn!

IG: @caitlyninis

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Abi Ayres is a REAL LIFE Instagram influencer (@AbiAyres) and draws people in with her genuine, bright, goofy personality. She recently took it upon herself to train for and attempt to hike 24 miles from Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon in one day. Abi says this was WAAAY out of her comfort zone. Abi talks about why the heck she felt compelled to do this and what the incredibly hard trek taught her about taking the power back in her life. Abi is the greatest.

Follow Abi!

Instagram: @AbiAyres

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Ford interviews Clutch Lambert while camped in the forest of northeast Washington state. They talk about primitive skills, primitive skill gatherings, finding Native American ruins, eating cheetos.

Want more of Clutch? Follow him here:

Instagram: Thunderstone86

YouTube: Thunderstone Wilderness Ventures

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Dana Anderson is a lifelong outdoor survival skill practitioner and is an especially expert flint knapper AKA arrowhead maker. Dana estimates that he has made over 50,000 arrowheads in his life and can bust out a beautifully crafted and useful arrowhead in 1 minute. Maybe a world record? Dana is one the wildest, kookiest and warmest people I have ever met. He has a DEEP knowledge and connection to nature and a nearly unparalleled zest for life and love of people.  Come hither and meet the man once known as "Dangerous Dan the Mountain Man"! Follow Dana! Facebook: Dana Anderson --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

This episode is an excerpt from a live talk I recently gave at church. I talk about ways I believe I have seen God working with me and others in the wilderness.

I recognize that a lot of you may have had difficult experiences with religion and I don't want this podcast to be a specifically religious or Christian podcast at all. I just want to hear about all people's meaningful experiences in the outdoors, however they interpret them.

I just hope that these experiences I share in this episode do not offend or trigger anyone, and if they do I am very sorry.

I love you all!

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Matt Graham is a globally recognized wilderness survival expert, best known for his TV shows Dual Survival, Dude You’re Screwed, and Bushcraft Build Off. Matt’s unique skill set that combines primitive/traditional style ultralight long distance running with his outdoor survival experience sets him apart. Matt brought me and a few others on one of his multi-day backcountry running survival adventures in southern Utah, where we brought little more than the clothes on our back and a diaper-looking bed sheet wrapped around our waists. It was amazing. Hear his words.

Connect with Matt!:

Instragram: @mattgraham_earthskills

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Nic Quilter is a seasoned field staff in the wilderness therapy world with Wingate and Anasazi Foundation wilderness therapy programs. Nic is an articulate and deeply insightful man, and In this interview he shares how he overcame his fear of dirt, and how working in the wilderness expanded his personal view of God. This interview was held while camping near the Escalante River in Southern Utah and you can hear Nic carving a beautiful spoon throughout the episode. He did not chop his fingers off. Follow Nic! Instagram: @quiknilter --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

In this episode, Ford takes you with him on his solo backpacking trip in the High Uintas Wilderness where he experiences the scariest night he has ever spent in the backcountry. 

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Tamra “Ramblin Tam” Hyde is one of the best communicators I know. Her ability to thoughtfully articulate her words consistently edifies my soul, and in this episode she does not disappoint. Tamra has gone through a massive conversion process to the wilderness. She has gone from being an anti-camping “indoorsy cat”, working in the beauty industry, with a self proclaimed shopping addiction to living a minimalist life in a school bus, bathing in rivers, working in wilderness therapy for 10+ years and being featured as a wilderness survival expert on several TV shows such as Alone, Bushcraft Build Off, and Kicking and Screaming. HEAR HER WORDS.

Follow Tamra!:

Instagram: @RamblinTam

Facebook: Tamra Hyde - RamblinTam

Gr8 video tour of Tamra’s bus-home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85iv_O2NUSk

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Lexy "Heatwave" Newby is an unsuspecting warrior of a woman. She is a finisher of the Pacific Crest, Appalachian, and Continental Divide hiking trails. Finishing all three trails is roughly 7,000+ miles and is known as the "Triple Crown" of hiking. She talks about how she never camped or knew how to set up a tent before all of this and how each trail taught her something different about herself. 

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Good ol' Dan Rosenberg spent 21 days in the wild on the show Naked and Afraid, completed a self-directed 40 day solo 'walkabout' in the northeast Utah wilderness which included a 5 day fast from food in hopes of finding clarity and newfound purpose to his life. Dan is also a seasoned wilderness therapy backcountry guide.

 Dan is a thoughtful, spiritual and jovial beast of a man. Hear his words.

Follow Dan!

Facebook: Daniel Rosenberg

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In this episode Elizabeth Baird demands to interview the normal podcast host, Ford Thunder Erickson. She prevails. Ford talks about his most meaningful wild places he's been, a powerful experience he had on the John Muir Trail annnnd why he hikes. What else would he talk about? Ford's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FordThunderErickson Instantgraham: @Ford_Thunder_Erickson --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Cary Judd co-produced an award winning documentary called 828 that follows Cary Judd as he attempts to ride his e-skateboard around the ring road of Iceland - 828 miles. Ultimately it’s a story about mental health and coping with grief. Like a lot of us, Cary Judd had a rough 2020. On top of the global pandemic and civil unrest, Cary dealt with the deaths of his mother, father, aunt and close friend, as well as losing his job.  Cary has had a lifelong battle with depression but in 2020 it became crippling. The only thing that would get him out of the house was hopping on his electric skateboard and going for a ride. Gradually he started doing more and more miles until he was doing 100 mile days on remote mountain roads in Idaho. Then he got an idea about being the first person to ride an e-skateboard 828 miles on the Ring Road around Iceland. Follow Cary and the 828 Documentary! Facebook/Instagram: @828Documentary 828 Trailer:  https://vimeo.com/643232947 Listen to Cary's Music! https://open.spotify.com/artist/7B1WIks0LyZNF8mNh4GqH2?si=cLn2YQNQTQOf_lDfIkS_CQ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Good ol' Clutch Lambert was on the 2nd episode ever on this podcast but it was definitely the worst interview I have ever done....not because of him but because of my crappy interviewing skillz. In this episode Clutch and I discuss the ethics of killing animals as well as the sacredness we will exists on ancient ruins of all kinds. FOLLOW CLUTCH: Thunderstone Wilderness Ventures @Thunderstone86 @ClutchFootSnakeHands --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Benjamin Pete Allred is a mad scientist that loves pushing himself in the outdoors. We talk about his trip to climb the tallest peak in North America -Denali Peak- , which was formerly known as Mt. Mckinley. It is only fitting he climbed a mountain with 2 names while he is a man with 2 names. It is very confusing. Benjamin Pete has climbed and hiked all over the world now while also having some wilderness therapy experience. He also is currently hiding symbolic artifacts in the Wasatch Mountains for an upcoming riddle-filled treasure hunt. Like I said this man is a mad scientist. Seriously. He scientifically figured out which tortilla chip is the consensus best tortilla chip of all. For real. It was the greatest thing I have ever witnessed. This has nothing to do with the outdoors but man oh man is it great. Join Benjamin Pete's Treasure Hunt! https://sixsilversaturns.space/ Watch Ben's Scientific Tortilla Chip Experiment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbJ8tUQW9E4 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Michael Braman is a speedy ultramarathon runner and farms microgreens for a living.

Michael didn't start running and farming until after the age of 30! He tells his story about rediscovering himself through farming and ultra running and how he overcame self doubts to create the life he wanted. He is great and we love him.

Follow Michael!:

Instagram: @RunnerFarmer

                @BrickhouseGrowers

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Dan Santovin is a jovial, insightful, compassionate beast of a man. He has been working as a Trailwalker for the Anasazi Foundation wilderness therapy program for at-risk youth, on and off since 2011.  He shares what got him into wilderness therapy, how his first week nearly killed him, and the positive changes he experienced in himself while working with the youth in the Arizona wilderness.

Follow Dan on Instagram: @the_barrio  (https://www.instagram.com/the_barrio/?hl=en)

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Elisabeth Baird is an experienced wilderness therapy guide as well as a middle school art teacher. She once did an internship combining art therapy and wilderness therapy together, which I have never heard of anyone else doing before.

Elizabeth is one of the most thoughtful people on earth and every human being would benefit from hearing the insights and experiences she shares in this episode.

Follow Elisabeth!

@Elisabeth_Ruth_Baird

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Sheesh where do I start? Jessie Krebs runs an outdoor survival school specifically for women (OwlsSkills.com), was an Air Force SERE instructor for many years, is THE ONLY wilderness survival instructor on Masterclass , yes you read that right. 

Take a breather because we are only getting started here... 

Jessie has also been featured on many survival TV shows such as: National Geographic's Mygrations, Kicking and Screaming, and the upcoming Season 9 of History Channel's Alone show!

Jessie has also spent over 10ish years working in the wilderness therapy industry. 

Jessie has a contagious passion for the wild and bringing the wilderness healing she has experienced to women and other underrepresented demographics in the outdoor survival scene.

Jessie changed my life in this conversation. Be careful, because she is about to change yours.

Follow Jessie!

OWLS Survival School for women!

https://www.owlsskills.com/

Take Jessie's Masterclass on wilderness survival!

https://www.masterclass.com/classes/jessie-krebs-teaches-wilderness-survival/chapters/meet-your-instructor-jessie-krebs

Instagram:

@Owls.Skills

Facebook: 

Jessie Krebs

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Melanie Stone is an actor, film producer, rock and roll goddess and passionate nature lover. In this episode Mel talks about her recent backpacking trip to Paria Canyon in Southern Utah which at one point caused her to seriously wonder if she might actually die in that Canyon. We have an incredible conversation about the benefits of being humbled by nature and whole bunch of other stuff.

I played in Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera with Mel for nearly 10 years. Listen to the end of the episode to hear a lil' snippet of Mel killing it at a live Deep Love performance.

Follow Melanie!

@MelanieSt0ne

Watch ALL of Melanie's movies:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5752523/

• He's Dead & So Am I
• V/H/S/99
• Deadstream
• Cupid for Christmas
• Love, Lost & Found
• Scarlett
• Retreat to Paradise
• Gone Hollywood
• Shattered Memories
• We're Alive: Frontier
• Christmas Wonderland
• My Christmas Inn
• Devil's Got My Back
• Little Women
• Chasing Shadows
• Extinct
• The Killing Pact
• GruntSlingers
• Lunchtime Battle: A Mobile Strike Story
• Mythica: The Godslayer
• Nocturne
• In the End: Sketch Comedy
• Mythica: The Iron Crown
• Mythica: The Necromancer
• Riot
• Miracle Maker
• Waffle Street
• Mythica: The Darkspore
• He Knows My Name
• Be My Frankenstein
• Wildlife
• Mythica: A Quest for Heroes
• The Christmas Dragon
• One Shot
• Survivor
• Chronologic
• Christmas for a Dollar
• No Precedence

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Callie Russell is a long time outdoor "surTHRIVAL" practitioner and instructor as well as nomadic goat herder, and wilderness therapy backcountry guide, but is perhaps best known for her appearance on season 7 of History Channel's Alone show, where she survived and thrived for 89 days completely alone in the Arctic. In this interview Callie talks about her journey from a typical middle class angsty teen from the city to a full time nomadic goat herder living almost entirely off of goats milk! Follow Callie! Instagram: @CapraKhan --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

This is PART 2 of my interview with Caitlyn Nalder. We migrated back to her house in this part of the interview because we were getting frost bitten brains.

Caitlyn Nalder is one of the most pure hearted, down to earth people I have ever known. She is one of my Anasazi trail mothers, who taught me how to be a trailwalker at Anasazi.

She has been backcountry guide at the Anasazi Foundation for several years, a wilderness survival instructor for California Survival School, a contestant of the TV show ‘Bushcraft Build Off’, and backpacked 700 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail with Lexy Newby. It is possible that I have spent more time in the wilderness with Caitlyn than any other person on earth, and I have no complaints about that!

Part 1 of my interview with Caitlyn was in the cold, snowy Wasatch mountains, and Part 2 was done in Caitlyn’s home because it was too cold out there for us to continue to form logical words from our frozen brains.

Follow Caitlyn!

IG: @caitlyninis

--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Paul Bird is a fan favorite. Maybe THE fan favorite. I had Paul on the podcast earlier in 2022 right before he was about to leave on his first through hike on the Arizona Trail, an 800ish mile wilderness trail spanning from the Mexican border to Utah. 

So on this episode we talk about how he survived being all alone for so long as an extremely extroverted person as well as his change of heart toward "spiritual journeys." All hail Paul Bird!

Want a shirt/coffee mug/shower curtain with Paul Bird's face on it? 

https://fordthunder.threadless.com/

Follow Paul!

Insta: @PostModernPastoral

Facebook: Paul Bird

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My dear friend Stephanie Owen goes hiking ALL THE TIME. We have a great conversation in the middle of a Utah thunderstorm.

Follow Stephanie!:

https://www.bravelyoutdoors.com/stephanie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bravelyoutdoors/

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Natalie DeMartini began working with horses at Gunstock Ranch in Hawaii, and eventually moved on to the therapeutic side of working with horses at the Arivaca Equine Therapy program for at-risk boys. Natalie has spent a lot of years in wild places on the back of a horse or on her own 2 non-horse feet, as she is now a Trailwalker at the Anasazi Foundation.

Natalie talks about the therapeutic healing power of horses that she has seen help herself and many others.

Natalie has broken her back, several bones in her hand, and several bones in her ankle in foot as a result of some of her adventures. She explains why the heck she keeps literally “getting back on the horse” despite the injuries she has had. Natalie is gr8.

Follow Natalie!

IG: @NatalieDemartini

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Dan Baird is the creator of California Survival School, and has traveled throughout the world learning and teaching ancient survival skills. Dan is a dear friend and one of my favorite people to listen to spout off fascinating information he has learned first hand about survival skills used by many cultures on earth today, including some hunter gatherer tribes. Beyond just learning these practical hard skills, Dan talks about the driving force behind his passion for the natural world and what he gets out of being uncomfortable out there. Oh Dan, what a man!

Connect with Dan!

Instagram:

@DanBairdSurvival (https://www.instagram.com/danbairdsurvival/?hl=en)

@California_Survival_School (https://www.instagram.com/california_survival_school/)

@WilderSkills (https://www.instagram.com/wilderskills/)

See Dan on National Geographic’s show “Mygrations” (https://www.amazon.com/Mygrations-Season-1/dp/B01G2GA604/ref=tmm_aiv_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=)

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Shanae Foster is a wilderness therapy veteran, wilderness EMT, avid rock climber, ancestral living skills enthusiast, incredible sour dough bread baker, and hopeful marathon runner, ultra marathon runner and through hiker. 

Shanae recently signed for her first marathon ever and we dig deep to understand why the heck she paid 100+ dollars to suffer. We also delve into a life altering conversation about the lessons she has learned from seeking to perfect sour dough bread baking. You may say bread baking has nothing to do with hiking...and you might be right...but actually you are wrong. 

Follow SHANAE!

Insta: @ShanaeFoster

Buy a shirt with Shanae's face on it: https://fordthunder.threadless.com/designs/shanae

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Hazen is the host of National Geographic TV's "Primal Survivor". He has been living with and learning from various tribes throughout world since he ventured out on his own to Ecuador when he was 19. His passion for wildlife and learning about plants is infectious. He makes me want to study nature more so I can get more out of my experience hiking, aside from just the peace and serenity of nature.

Connect with Hazen!:

Instagram: 

@HazenAudel

@primalsurvivortvshow

"Primal Survivor" can be seen on Disney + !!!

Here's an awesome teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CixLHvfBkHY

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Lori Guthrie is a former police officer, park ranger, Anasazi Trailwalker, and forever destroyer of all wilderness trash. She also co-teaches an outdoor survival class at Mesa Community College with her husband Greg. 

Lori talks about how hiking helped her work through her divorce and gain self confidence and healing. She is still very involved at Anasazi as a "carpet walker" and serves as a mother-figure to many trailwalkers, especially the ones who live in her basement. Long Live Lori!

Follow Lori:

Instagram: @IrisEmber

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Growing up in foster care, Sam Smith had a confusing and challenging childhood. He explains how engaging with the wilderness has helped him overcome and heal from the past and how it continues to do so for him. He once found himself stranded in the Mountains and decided to live out there alone for 2 months. He now lives outside in a Wikiup (AKA primitive living shelter made of sticks) full-time while attending a primitive skills university in Montana called Green University. What a guy!!!!

Follow Sam!

Facebook: Sam Smith

Instagram: @Backcountry_Runaway

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Lauren "Lala" Pedersen has the unique perspective of experiencing wilderness therapy as a struggling teen client not only once but TWICE (a combined 4 months), AND she has been a backcountry wilderness therapy guide on and off for the last 6 years with the Anasazi Foundation. This is a ultra unique perspective I had been wanting to dive into for many moons!

Over the course of this interview Lauren also makes the most delicious biscuits and chili I have ever eaten in my life. Someday I hope to hire her as my personal chef.

FOLLOW LAUREN!

@lala_pedersen

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Paul Bird is a fascinating human specimen. He spent 32 months IN A ROW working rigorous wilderness therapy at the Anasazi Foundation and he is now about to start an 800 mile trek, on foot from the Mexican border to Utah, known as the Arizona Trail.

Paul talks about how coming out as gay has led him to pursue other new experiences AKA adventure.

 Paul was also worked with dead bodies as a mortician for several years before he started working at Anasazi. 

Death is still one of his favorite things. 

Behold Mr. Tuscon Arizona himself, Paul Bird.

FOLLOW PAUL BIRD!

Insta: @PostModernPastoral

Facebook: Paul Bird

PAUL BIRD T SHIRTS: https://fordthunder.threadless.com/ 

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Val Erickson is my dad. Although he says he is not a "hardcore" outdoorsman, he has a deep respect and love for nature. I believe he is the one that laid the foundation for me learning to love the outdoors later in my life. Outside of being a wise, down to earth and insightful Idaho boy, he is also a talented singer songwriter. At the end the podcast there is a snippet of one of his songs "Archer Road" about growing up in Archer, Idaho.

To hear more of Val's music click on this dang link:

https://www.reverbnation.com/valerickson/songs

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Nathan Donnelly is best known for surviving 72 days in the Northern Canada wilderness on Season 6 of History Channel's Alone Show. Nathan is the only person in the history of the Alone Show to choose NOT to bring a modern fire starting device, and chose instead to rely on his expert friction fire building skills. This is what initially drew me to Nathan! Nathan is a man of great wisdom and deep experience living in harmony with and in wild places.  In the past, he has been a wildlife biologist, backcountry park ranger, wildland firefighter, search and rescue team member, builder, outfitter, and homestead caretaker. Follow Nathan! Insta: @Northwest.Resilience Email: NWresilience@gmail.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ford-erickson/support

Bartle is a ultra long distance walker/hiker/runner and has great expertise and passion for surviving and thriving off the land. 

Bartle tells the story of what led her from her pre-professional life as a Ballerina in Ohio to running across the wilderness of the west wearing a buckskin skirt she made, and eating roots and rendered deer fat for nourishment along the way.

She would be known as an "ultra marathon" runner by most, but she prefers the title "Freedom Runner." She has never ran in any kind of official race but instead chooses to participate in what she calls "Adventure Runs." What the heck is that? Listen and find out. Also you may be wondering, is Bartle her real name? What's the deal with that? Listen and find out. 

Follow Bartle!: 

Instagram: @BartleEmily

Facebook: Emily Bartle

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Meg Evans or “Ol’ Meg” is a former winter olympic-hopeful figure skater turned rock climber turned experienced wilderness therapy backcountry guide turned desert dwelling, spirit following, earth loving, animal skull collecting, wilderness woman. She has gone through a massive life transformation and has developed one of the deepest connections to the earth of anyone I know.

Hear Meg’s amazing story about how getting in touch with nature helped her overcome depression, an eating disorder and find her truest identity as a part of the nature that surrounds her.

Gotta love Ol’ Meg!!

Follow Meg!

Instagram: @gemsnave

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Heidi Hydrick is amazing. She has done a lot of stuff outside. We have an amazing conversation on the banks of the Verde River. Heidi also tells the TRUE story of what REALLY happened with her and the legend of the rattlesnake.

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