Way Back When

Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise joins Terri and her pilot husband Ron Guthrie on this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Travel with Terri Podcast" for a special Veterans Day conversation about a journey most of us will never take: out into space and safely back again. Fred, a native of Biloxi, Mississippi, was the lunar module pilot on Apollo 13 in 1970. When an oxygen tank exploded two days into the flight, a Moon landing became what Terri calls the greatest survival story in space exploration history. In his own words, Fred takes us inside the crisis: the crew change just days before launch, the Moon landing he lost, powering up a spacecraft that was never meant to be restarted, and the thousands of people on the ground who tested every fix before it was ever sent up to the crew. Because it's Veterans Day, Fred also reflects on his service as a Navy aviation cadet, Marine Corps fighter pilot and Air National Guard pilot, with three honorable discharges framed in his office. Ron, a retired fighter pilot, shares stories of his own. The conversation also covers Fred's test flights of Space Shuttle Enterprise, the EAA Aviation Museum and AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, his advice for young people choosing a career, and how Apollo 13 compares with today's Artemis missions. Fred turns 93 on November 14, 2026. To learn more about his life story, read his book, "Never Panic Early." LEARN MORE ABOUT FRED HAISE - Follow Fred: https://fredhaise.space/   - "Never Panic Early" Book onAmazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1588347133  - EAA Aviation Museum: https://www.eaa.org/eaa-museum  - NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/  TRAVEL WITH TERRI - Terri's website: https://travelwithterri.com  - Travel with Terri Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/travel-with-terri  - The Luxe Explorer digital podcast magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/the-luxe-explorer-magazine 

This shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Wanderers Compass" Podcast heads to Slovenia, a small Central European country with big mountains, fairy-tale castles and a story of independence that is still young.  Travel writers Joelle Machia and Ryan Slough have visited twice and take us from the lively riverfront of Ljubljana to Lake Bled, the quieter Lake Bohinj, and the hairpin turns of the Vršič Pass in the Julian Alps. Along the way you’ll meet the Lipizzaner horses at Brdo Park (yes, you can pet them), wander Ljubljana’s dark and fascinating public art, and find out why Slovenia is such an easy, affordable and safe place to travel. They also talk about how a country that has seen so much history is now protecting its rivers, forests and bees, and what travelers can learn from that. LINKS & RESOURCES: - Read Joelle and Ryan’s Slovenia article, plus resources and links: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/slovenia-small-country-extraordinary-story  - More epsiodes of Wanderers Compass Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/wanderers-compass-podcast  - Wanderers Compass Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/wanderers-compass-magazine  - Follow Wanderers Compass: https://www.wandererscompass.com 

Step inside one of the South's grand historic hotels with this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Travel with Terri" Podcast. On location in downtown Mobile, Alabama, travel journalist Terri Guthrie sits down in the lobby of the Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa with General Manager Margo Gilbert, who has led the hotel since 2004. Margo shares the hotel's remarkable story: built in 1852, lost to fire in 1905, rebuilt in 1908, shuttered in 1974, and brought back to life as a Historic Hotels of America member and AAA Four Diamond property. You'll hear about the two-story lobby and its hand-painted trompe l'oeil portraits, the whispering arch where there are "no secrets in the lobby," and the Crystal Ballroom, where Mobile locals still stop by to remember their proms. Terri also explores the amenities: 238 rooms, restaurants and bars, a 10,000-square-foot European spa, a pool deck with pickleball and tennis, and a location right on the Mardi Gras parade route. Along the way, Margo shares the movie stars who have stayed here, and Terri explains why this one is now a favorite. This episode is part of Terri's Mardi Gras Train series along Amtrak's route from New Orleans to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and Mobile. Coming up next: what to see and do in Mobile. LINKS  & RESOURCES: - Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mobbr/  - Start the series with Knox Ross of the Southern Rail Commission: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/mardi-gras-train-gulf-coast-amtrak  - Last time, Bay St. Louis by Train: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/bay-st-louis-mississippi-mardi-gras-train  - Plan your ride on the Mardi Gras Train: https://www.amtrak.com/mardigras  TRAVEL WITH TERRI - Travel with Terri on Big Blend Radio: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/travel-with-terri  - Travel with Terri: https://www.travelwithterri.com  - The Luxe Explorer Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.travelwithterri.com/magazine 

Pittsburgh has long carried a reputation as a gritty steel-mill town with not much to see or do. Travel writer Debbie Stone grew up in Chicago hearing exactly that, but she kept hearing whispers that the city had changed, so she went to see for herself. On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "Global Adventures" Podcast, Debbie shares the museums, art and views that changed her mind. Debbie takes us through the Heinz History Center, where six floors cover everything from Pittsburgh's inventions to the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood puppets, the story behind Heinz's 57 varieties and an eleven-foot ketchup bottle. Then it's the seven-story Andy Warhol Museum and his famous silver wig, the Mattress Factory's site-specific installations, and the colorful public art of Randyland. Debbie also explains why Pittsburgh is the city of bridges, shares tips for getting around, and visits the Fort Pitt Museum and Point State Park. She rides the historic Duquesne Incline up Mount Washington, cruises the three rivers with Gateway Clipper, and stays at the Drury Plaza Hotel, a historic Federal Reserve Bank building. RESOURCE LINKS: - Read Debbie's article and see her photos: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/pittsburgh-buzz-worthy-museums-attractions  - Plan your Pittsburgh visit: https://www.visitpittsburgh.com  - More from Debbie Stone: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/debbie-stone-travel-writer  - Global Adventures Podcast: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/global-adventures-debbie-stone  - Global Adventures Digital Podcast Magazine: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/global-adventures-travel-magazine  New episodes of Big Blend Radio's Global Adventures Podcast with Debbie Stone air every 4th Tuesday at 7pm ET. 

In honor of Global Diversity Month, explorer and author James Michael Dorsey takes us to Papua New Guinea, the most linguistically diverse country on earth, with more than 800 indigenous languages and thousands of dialects.  On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Before They Vanish" Podcast, James talks with producer Lisa D. Smith about attending the Sing Sing festival, where as many as 150,000 people from dozens of tribes gather in feathers, face paint and towering headdresses, and about the Asaro people, the famous Mudmen. Many people picture the Mudmen as brutal savages in huge clay masks, but James calls them one of the most peaceful tribes in Papua, and shares the story behind the masks: a river, gray mud, and attackers who thought they were seeing spirits. Today the Mudmen are moving from ancient warriors to modern entrepreneurs, with a television commercial, perfume ads, music albums and a website for booking performances.  James also covers Papua New Guinea’s headhunting history, the Papuan litter bearers who helped Australian troops in World War II, travel tips for Port Moresby and Goroka, village life with roast pig and cassowaries, and why traditional peoples are never “backward.” The episode ends with a preview of his upcoming trip to Mongolia. MORE: 🌍 James Michael Dorsey’s website: https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/  🎙️ More episodes of Before They Vanish: https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/before-they-vanish  New episodes of Before They Vanish air every 4th Monday on Big Blend Radio.