Claim OwnershipWild Ideas Worth Living
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High-impact interviews for those who love adventure and the outdoors. Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews world-class explorers, athletes, authors, scientists, health experts and entrepreneurs about how they’ve taken their own wild ideas and made them a reality, so you can too. Some of the wildest ideas can lead to the most rewarding adventures.
416 Episodes
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Shane Schieffer is an endurance swimmer who spent more than 15 years dreaming of a full length swim of Lake Powell, the desert reservoir stretching from Utah into Arizona. In September 2025, he became the first person to complete it, covering 140 miles in 11 days while towing 215 pounds of gear. The route carried him through a remote landscape of sand colored canyons, rock formations, and isolated shorelines.
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Instagram
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Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
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Nikki Bettis turned a simple hike on the Appalachian Trail into an audacious plan to thru hike the entire trail with her fifteen kids, ranging in age from 4 to 21. As a single mom in rural Virginia facing financial and emotional strain, Nikki hoped the physical challenge and months spent outdoors together could help her family reconnect and find a way forward.
Connect with Nikki:
Website
Instagram
YouTube
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
AeroPress
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Adventurer Garrett Gee turned a four month family trip in 2015 into The Bucket List Family, documenting world travel with his wife, Jessica, and their kids. What began as videos shared on YouTube and Instagram became a global family travel brand with millions of followers, built on experiences from shark diving in South Africa to hot air balloons in Turkey and biking through shrines and gardens in Japan.
Connect with Garrett & The Bucket List Family:
Website
Instagram
YouTube
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Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
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In 2023, Dan Rubinstein completed a 1,200 mile stand up paddleboarding journey from Ottawa to New York City and back. His expedition followed rivers and waterways, turning a long distance paddle into a rare blue space adventure.
Connect with Dan:
Website
Instagram
Purchase Dan's book, Water Borne
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
Ocean Bottle
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Lauren Duke holds a master’s degree in psychology focused on physiology and body based behavior, and studies how movement helps us process emotion. In 2023, she tested that work on a 535 mile Camino de Santiago hike across Spain with her family. The month long trek surfaced unresolved family dynamics, leaving no real option but to keep walking and stay in relationship.
Connect with Lauren:
Website
Instagram
Listen to Lauren's Tedx Talk
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Explore the REI and Intrepid Travel collections
Thank you to our sponsors:
Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
Ocean Bottle
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Welcome back to Earth, Artemis II crew! In honor of Christina Koch becoming the first woman to travel around the moon, we're rereleasing her episode from 2024.
What if you had an opportunity to travel around the moon? Christina Koch has worked at NASA for the last 10 years, and has been a part of groundbreaking missions in outer space. In 2019, Christina embarked on a 328-day stay on the International Space Station, setting a record for the longest single space flight by a woman. Now Christina has a new assignment on the horizon. She was selected to join a crew that will travel around the moon.
Connect with Christina:
Instagram
Christina’s NASA bio
NASA Artemis Instagram
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John John Florence is one of the most accomplished surfers in the world. After a 15 year career on the World Surf League Championship Tour, three world titles, and two Olympic appearances, he stepped away from competition to pursue a new wild idea: sailing around the world with his family.
Connect with John John:
Instagram
Shop Florence
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Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
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Marathon legend Des Linden made history on April 16, 2018, becoming the first American woman to win the Boston Marathon in 33 years. Over more than a decade at the top of the sport, she raced the biggest marathons in the world, represented the United States at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, and set a 50K world record. Last year, on the morning of her 13th Boston Marathon, she announced her retirement from professional road racing. Now she is applying the same discipline and curiosity to new challenges, reshaping what a running life can look like beyond the marathon.
Connect with Des:
Instagram
Purchase Des' book, Choosing To Run
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Outside Days Early Bird Pricing
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
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In 2022, Thomas Bukowski took a risk that felt personal and professional by applying to The North Face athlete development program and pitching himself as a climber worth betting on. As a queer athlete from Hong Kong who found climbing later than most, he has long carried the feeling of being an outsider, then watched that narrative shift when he earned a place on The North Face climbing team. Since then, he has chased fear into major climbs in Argentina, Alaska, and Pakistan, and in 2024 he pushed into trail running by running the 211 mile John Muir Trail in four days.
Connect with Thomas:
Website
Instagram
Order Thomas' Tuolumne Guide Book
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Outside Days Early Bird Pricing
Explore the REI and Intrepid Travel collections
Thank you to our sponsors:
Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
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Jeff Garmire is a legend in the world of fastest known times with more than 20 FKTs on routes including the Appalachian Trail, Colorado Trail, Arizona Trail, and John Muir Trail. On September 21, 2025, he reached Mount Springer after setting a self supported FKT on the Appalachian Trail, completing the route in 45 days, 8 hours, and 37 minutes.
Connect with Jeff:
Website
Instagram
Listen to the Free Outside podcast
YouTube
Substack
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Outside Days Early Bird Pricing
Explore the REI and Intrepid Travel collections
Thank you to our sponsors:
Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
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Kimi Werner is a world champion spearfisher, ocean advocate, and chef whose life centers on sustainable fishing, food, and a deep connection to nature. After winning the largest spearfishing competition in the world in 2008, she stepped away from competition to focus on feeding her community and cooking with fish she harvests. Her upcoming cookbook, Kimi’s Kitchen, blends recipes and memoir to explore living well through the ocean, the land, and family.
Connect with Kimi:
Instagram
Website
Purchase Kimi's new book, Kimi's Kitchen
Outside Days Early Bird Pricing
Explore the REI and Intrepid Travel collections
Thank you to our sponsors:
Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
Teva
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Sofía Gómez Villafañe is a leading American gravel cyclist who broke through with a win at Unbound Gravel 2022 on her first attempt. The result cemented her place among the top gravel racers in the United States after a nontraditional start that began with a used bike her brother found on Craigslist. Sofía shares how her success is driven by clear goal setting, small process driven steps, and a systematic approach to long term performance.
Connect with Sofia:
Instagram
Outside Days Eearly Bird Pricing
Explore the REI and Intrepid Travel collections
Thank you to our sponsors:
Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
Teva
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Kai Jones is one of the most talented young backcountry skiers in the U.S., turning professional at just 13 years old. In early 2023, he broke both of his legs in a backcountry skiing accident, spending months in a wheelchair and questioning whether he’d ever return to the sport. Last season marked a major comeback, as Kai became the youngest skier to descend the Otter Body route on Grand Teton and released multiple ski films that document his evolution as a big‑mountain skier.
Connect with Kai:
Instagram
Outside Days Early Bird Pricing
Thank you to our sponsor:
Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard®
Photo Credit: Tucker Adams
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Rob Shaver has been living with stage four cancer for over 20 years. He's had multiple recurrences, been through multiple rounds of chemotherapy, and received more than 60 radiation treatments. In 2020, after he finished chemo to fight his third recurrence, Rob started running and ended up running for 1,175 days straight.About the film: The Life We Have is a short film about REI San Antonio employee Rob Shaver, who after two decades living with stage 4 cancer, made a pact to run at least one mile every day until he passes away. This film, his journey, and everything we learn along the way is meant to celebrate Rob, the Shaver family, and all of those inspired to live the life they have. It is a quiet reflection on mortality, resilience, and the choice to “live deeply, live thoroughly and with beautiful effort.” Watch the film: The Life We HaveJoin The Life We Have Strava ClubThank you to our sponsor: Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard® Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Adventurer Mardi Fuller made history in 2021 as the first Black person to hike all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000 foot peaks in winter. The White Mountains are defined by steep, exposed trails, deep snow, extreme winds, and rapidly changing weather that demand constant attention to navigation and risk.Connect with Mardi: InstagramThank you to our sponsor:Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard® Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Brother Phap Luu is a Zen Buddhist monk at Deer Park Monastery in Southern California, founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. He co‑authored Hiking Zen, which explores walking and hiking as mindfulness practices that cultivate presence, awareness, and connection to nature. Drawing from monastic life and meditation traditions, Brother Phap Luu shares how slowing down outdoors can help us reconnect with ourselves and the natural world.Listen to: Finding MasteryThank you to our sponsor:Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard® Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Ariana Luterman is an endurance athlete whose IRONMAN journey began after a year‑long battle with an unexplained illness that left her extremely weak and often bedridden. In 2023, she completed an IRONMAN just ten months into rebuilding her health and went on to pursue a Guinness World Record for finishing six IRONMAN races on six continents within one year.Connect with Ariana: WebsiteInstagramListen to: Finding MasteryThank you to our sponsor:Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard® Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Preet Chandi began her polar career in 2021 when she skied solo to the South Pole while hauling a 192 pound sled across Antarctica. At just 37 years old, Preet has already become one of the most accomplished polar explorers of our generation, completing three expeditions to Antarctica and setting a new Guinness World Record each time. She is currently training for a groundbreaking trip to the North Pole, which she hopes to set off for this spring.Connect with Preet: WebsiteInstagramListen to: Finding MasteryThank you to our sponsor:Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard® Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Anton Krupicka is one of the most iconic ultrarunners and long-distance trail athletes in the U.S. Known for his minimalist approach—shirtless miles, long hair, and a bushy beard—he became a defining figure in the sport. Over nearly three decades, Anton has won the Leadville 100 twice and earned podium finishes at ultramarathons around the world. Beyond racing, he’s set 28 fastest known time (FKT) records on notable routes, solidifying his reputation in endurance running.Connect with Anton: InstagramSubstackListen to: Finding MasteryThank you to our sponsor:Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard® Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Award-winning journalist Amy Martin has spent years tuning into nature’s hidden soundtrack. As the host and creator of Threshold, she explores the intricate ways life communicates beyond human perception. In its latest season, Hark, Amy uncovers how species from birds to dolphins—and even turtles—use sound to share information we’re only beginning to understand. Thanks to breakthroughs in acoustic research, these conversations are finally coming into focus.Scientists mentioned: Mike Parsons, Rex Cocroft, and Gabriel Jorgewich CohenPhoto credit: Nick Mott and Jed AllenConnect with Amy: WebsiteSubstackListen to ThresholdListen to: Finding MasteryThank you to our sponsors: Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard® Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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didn't see a link in the notes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYnl54nOpiE
I've listened since the beginning and this is the best guest yet.
so eloquent. great episode. fired up about running slow!
I'm a man and my "baby" is 18 years old. I found that episode very interesting, as even though a lots of friends shared with me a few challenges that pregnancy brings.... And didn't though about the training ones...
have to agree. this podcast was the bomb. thank you both for the knowledge & inspiration to think outside of the paradigm
Just bought a used copy of Ecology of Commerce at Amazon!