Outside Podcast

It was an especially bold (and perhaps questionable) idea for a road trip: America’s most fabulous advice columnist, E. Jean Carroll, would drive to towns named Eden throughout the East and South, where she would ask people: “Have you ever made love outside—in Eden?” Her car was painted with blue polka dots and green frogs, her snacks consisted of cakes and pies and pretzels, her copilot was a giant poodle. But out there roaming the byways she learned something. First, that all kinds of people really do enjoy intimate moments outdoors. And second, that there’s nothing like a truly strange and daring quest to revive your spirit. This episode is brought to you by GoRVing. Don’t just go on a trip, go on a real vacation. To find out more about the incredible adventures waiting for you out on the road, visit gorving.com.

Every day, critters all around the planet break human laws. They steal food and destroy our stuff. They kill. And, naturally, humans take it upon ourselves to intervene—often with all kinds of unfortunate consequences. For this episode, fearless journalist Mary Roach shares wild tales from her new book, Fuzz, which had her traveling to animal crime scenes from Colorado to North India to investigate human-wildlife conflicts. As Roach tells it, thieving bears, murderous possums, and mugging monkeys are rarely to blame for their own behavior. It’s our fault—and it’s time we took a different approach to coexistence. This episode is brought to you by Bosch eBike Systems, maker of outstanding motors, displays, and rechargeable batteries that work seamlessly with the most reputable electric-bike brands in the world. Learn more at bosch-ebike.com.

In the United States, we rarely think about death—especially our own death. And when we do, it tends to make us sad and uncomfortable. But there are powerful benefits to regularly contemplating the fact that our time in this world will eventually come to an end. The shift in perspective can be profound and lead to a kind of deeply felt and enduring appreciation for life. In this first episode of a new series exploring pathways to happiness, we hear from journalist Michael Easter, who makes the case in his bestselling book The Comfort Crisis that, despite all the conveniences and ease of modern life, we are less happy than previous generations. A big reason for this, he says, is that we don’t think about death nearly enough. This episode is brought to you by Toyota, a company that wants to help you find joy by exploring America’s scenic byways. No matter what kind of adventure you’re after, there’s a Toyota designed to get you there. Learn more at toyota.com.

Earlier this year, two men set out do something that seemed impossible. And also just dumb. They would squeeze together onto a minibike—a vehicle roughly the size of a children’s bicycle and powered by an engine that can barely run a lawn mower—and drive 400 miles from a cornfield in Nebraska to the mountain town of Aspen, Colorado. If that sounds familiar, it should: this is the iconic road trip that Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels took in the cult classic Farrelly Brothers film Dumb and Dumber. Except this time, it was for real. And it hurt. This episode is brought to you by GoRVing. Don’t just go on a trip, go on a real vacation. To find out more about the incredible adventures waiting for you out on the road, visit gorving.com.

Alex Honnold is the planet's most famous rock climber, known for scaling massive walls without ropes. He’s at the absolute peak of his abilities. So it would seem rather surprising that his go-to climbing partner is Cedar Wright, ten years his senior and often not in the best physical shape. Honnold calls him “the world’s weakest professional climber,” and he’s only half joking. Yet despite their differences, the two friends share a unique bond that has them calling on each other for support on particularly daring projects. To understand why, we mic’d them up for a 5,000-foot free-solo climb in Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon. This episode is brought to you by Bosch eBike Systems, maker of outstanding motors, displays, and rechargeable batteries that work seamlessly with the most reputable electric-bike brands in the world. Learn more at bosch-ebike.com.

Here’s the often forgotten truth about road trips: the best moments are usually when everything goes sideways. We might dream of cruising open roads, rolling into authentic eateries, and blissing out to the perfect playlist, yet the magical experiences that really stick with us tend to involve blown head gaskets and getting very, very lost. More often than not, we depend on strangers to save our adventure from total disaster. But for the modern nomad, reaching out for help can be very different from flagging down a passing car or knocking on the door of a rural farmhouse. In this kickoff episode of a four-part road-trips special, we present two delightful case studies that show us how aid can arrive from the most unexpected places. This episode is brought to you by GoRVing. Don’t just go on a trip, go on a real vacation. To find out more about the incredible adventures waiting for you out on the road, visit gorving.com.

When Army captain Luke Bushatz returned home from the war in Afghanistan, he was seemingly in one piece. Yet he was struggling far more than either he or his wife, Amy, realized. The first signs of a problem were lapses in his short-term memory. Soon, though, he found it impossible to connect with other humans, especially those closest to him. He tried to numb himself with alcohol and sex, and ended up struggling with addiction. Then, at his lowest point, he sought out the one place where he could be himself again: the natural world. In this episode, Luke and Amy share the story of how their marriage crumbled, and how venturing into the wilderness together set them on a path to recovery. This episode of the Outside Podcast is brought to you by Tracksmith, a proudly independent running brand that makes high-performance products for amateur athletes striving to be their best. Learn more at tracksmith.com.

Elite runner Hillary Allen was at the top of her sport when she fell 150 feet down a mountain slope during a race. She was lucky to survive but suffered numerous serious injuries, and in the aftermath of the accident found herself struggling to get through the simple challenges of daily life. Even worse, she was now defined by a moment that she had almost no memory of experiencing. In this episode from our friends at the podcast DNF, from Trail Runner magazine, Allen recounts her long, winding journey back to competition—and how she ultimately found strength and purpose in the scars that she’ll have forever. This episode is brought to you by Stillhouse, the official spirit of adventure. Stillhouse’s award-winning spirits come in unbreakable stainless steel cans, so they can go places where glass can’t. Check out all their offerings at stillhouse.com.

Learning how to love to someone who is constantly pushing the edge of their physical abilities can be one of the strangest challenges to overcome in a romantic relationship. What does it take to stick with a partner who runs or rides dozens of hours a week? Who forgets to close the bathroom door before applying full-body sports lubricant? Who always leaves you in the dust? This week, Paddy O’Connell takes us deep inside his relationship with an endurance runner, and talks to partners of other elite athletes, to show us how to love someone who lives to sweat. This episode of the Outside Podcast is brought to you by Tracksmith, a proudly independent running brand that makes high-performance products for amateur athletes striving to be their best. Learn more at tracksmith.com.

When we head into wild places, we accept a certain amount of risk. Often, we don’t think much about it, because we’re excited to be in an extraordinary place. But then something happens, and we are forced to reckon with the potential costs of our quest for adventure. So it went for Kyle Dickman, whose life had been defined by a strong exploratory spirit until he was bitten by a rattlesnake in a remote section of Yosemite National Park during a trip with his wife and infant son. In this harrowing episode from our archives, Dickman recounts his desperate survival tale and the lingering questions he struggled with in the aftermath. This episode is brought to you by Stillhouse, the official spirit of adventure. Stillhouse’s award-winning spirits come in unbreakable stainless steel cans, so they can go places where glass can’t. Check out all their offerings at stillhouse.com.

Sweating is evolution’s most efficient cooling strategy, allowing humans to stay on the move far longer than most fur-covered animals. But how much sweat is too much? Where should we be perspiring the most? (Our armpits? The backs of our knees?) And why does some sweat smell so much? These are among the questions that journalist, amateur athlete, and heavy sweater Tom Vanderbilt has pondered for years. In this episode, he finally gets them answered by Canadian chemist Sarah Everts, author of the new book, The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration. This episode is brought to you by Sonos, maker of the Sonos Roam, the portable smart speaker for all of your listening adventures. Check out the Roam for yourself and discover sound made easy at sonos.com.

Today, Melinda Spooner is the founder and CEO of the SheTravels Adventure Company, which designs trips and experiences for women of color. It's the most meaningful work she could imagine—but getting here was a long journey. After growing up in subsidized housing in Chicago, Spooner committed herself to earning as much money as possible as a management consultant. She was successful, but also miserable and at a crisis point with her physical health. It took a series of powerful outdoor experiences for her to find what she really wanted in life. This episode is brought to you by Travel Texas, which invites you to visit a place where you can find authentic adventures at every turn. Learn more about the many unique adventures you can find all across Texas at traveltexas.com.

Every so often, Outside magazine publishes a collection of stories that fit into what we call a “zero to hero” package. The idea is to send our contributors out into the world to try something new that pushes them far outside their comfort zone. They might be asked to learn a new skill, break a bad habit, or even confront a long-held fear. For our most recent version of the package, our hope was to inspire our readers to set some ambitious goals for themselves after the long months of COVID-19 shutdowns. In this episode, six of our brave correspondents talk about their efforts to take on big challenges and why it’s pretty much always worth going for it even if you don’t succeed. This episode is brought to you by Eureka Springs, a one-of-a-kind destination nestled in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. People say the most curious things when they visit Eureka Springs. Come for yourself and find out why. Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Curious, indeed.

When we watch an elite endurance competition like the Tour de France, it’s easy to get caught up in the drama of moments that generate headlines—particularly the gnarly crashes that send riders slamming into the pavement. But while a crash is undeniably painful, the most agonizing part of professional biking is almost always the pedaling. If don’t believe that, talk to any racer who has dared to pursue the hour record—the longest distance cycled in an hour. In this favorite from our archives, we bring you the story of Italian cyclist Vittoria Bussi's excruciating quest to make history, and how the ordeal forced her to transform her relationship with pain. This episode is brought to you by Sonos, maker of the Sonos Roam, the portable smart speaker for all of your listening adventures. Check out the Roam for yourself and discover sound made easy at Sonos.com.

In May, professional climber Jordan Cannon celebrated his birthday by publicly announcing that he was gay. Getting to this point wasn’t easy for Jordan—he’d had a hard time coming out even to close friends. But something inside him began to change after he met legendary Yosemite climber Mark Hudon, who became his mentor as well as a father figure. The two men, who are separated by 38 years, soon agreed to work together on an ambitious climb of Yosemite’s El Capitan. But what began as an unlikely athletic partnership turned into a life-changing friendship for both of them, that rare kind that allows you to fulfill your dreams in ways you never thought possible. This episode is brought to you by Travel Texas, which invites you to visit a place where you can find authentic adventures at every turn. Learn more about the many unique adventures you can find all across Texas at traveltexas.com.

When our fathers tell us tales of their wild youth, we usually listen closely. This is partly because hearing about pop’s bolder, bearded past is entertaining. But more importantly, when your dad shares an experience from his younger days, you learn something about who he is—which gives you a glimpse into your own origins. This week, in the run-up to Father’s Day, we bring you the story of a family that wanted to better understand the meaning behind dad’s crazy stories. What they discovered is that his pursuit of adventure was all about transforming himself into the best kind of man and parent he could be.  This episode is brought to you by Eureka Springs, a one-of-a-kind destination nestled in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas. People say the most curious things when they visit Eureka Springs. Come for yourself and find out why. Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Curious, indeed.

When he was in his early twenties, Mason Earle was living the dream. After dropping out of college so he could climb full-time, he signed a sponsorship deal with a major outdoor brand and began taking climbing trips all around the world. But then, as he approached his 30th birthday, he was on a trip to Yosemite when he began experiencing flu-like symptoms that wouldn't go away. He would later be diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis, commonly called chronic fatigue syndrome. In this powerful episode from our friends at the Death, Sex & Money podcast, Mason speaks with host Anna Sale about going from being an elite athlete to spending most of his waking hours in bed, the pleasure he now finds in the littlest things, and why he actually doesn’t miss climbing. This episode was brought to you by 303 protectants and cleaners, designed to take care of the boats, trucks, RVs, and SUVS that you depend on for your adventures. Outside Podcast listeners get 20 percent off all 303 products for a limited time. Go t

Just how long can someone last in the desert without a drink of water? That’s something listeners asked us after last week’s episode about Claire Nelson (“Alone and Injured in the Wild”), a solo hiker who took a fall in Joshua Tree National Park and ended up spending days waiting on the ground for a rescue. In this episode, we provide the answer in the form of a remarkable story from our archives. In 1905, a gold prospector named Pablo Valencia reportedly wandered through 110-degree heat in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert for six days before stumbling into a geology camp. He was about as close to dead as you can get while still breathing. His tale forever changed our understanding of the limits of human endurance. This episode of the Outside Podcast is brought to you by the all-new 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, a 4x4 SUV with seven available G.O.A.T. modes that enable it to go over any type of terrain. Learn more at ford.com/bronco.

After years of family trauma, Kayla Lockhart was desperate for relief from the panic that plagued her. At her lowest moment, she picked up a fly-fishing rod and headed out to a stream—and for the first time in her life, she was able to quiet all the alarm bells in her head. For the final episode in our spring Wild Files series, we tell the story of Lockhart’s brave journey from a painful childhood to the healing waters that she now wants to share with everyone. This episode of the Outside Podcast is brought to you by the all-new 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, a 4x4 SUV with seven available G.O.A.T. modes that enable it to go over any type of terrain. Learn more at ford.com/bronco.

There’s a special kind of appeal to a solo adventure—being out on your own, away from everything and everyone. Unless, of course, something goes wrong and you find yourself in serious trouble. For the latest installment of our Wild Files series, we tell the story of Claire Nelson, who was seeking peace and solitude in the desert but ended up badly injured, all alone, and unable to call for help. To survive, she would have to hold on to the hope that eventually someone would find her. This episode of the Outside Podcast is brought to you by the all-new 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, a 4x4 SUV with seven available G.O.A.T. modes that enable it to go over any type of terrain. Learn more at ford.com/bronco.