HOLY CRAP WE ARE BACK SORT OF! Its been a tough 2 years but hopefully I can get this podcast going again!
This episode is a church talk I gave a while back about spiritual insights I have gained from fire making in the wild.
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/
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
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
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
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!
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
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
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/
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
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
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
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.