Beach Bum

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I thought I was a mountain mama

Padre Island National Seashore (Photo by Bo Jensen)

 
“I didn’t just feel like I had to act as both mother and father. I felt like I was both.”
— Bo Jensen
 

Season 2 // Episode 8

It’s healthy to know who you are. But sometimes, defining yourself too rigidly can be problematic.

On this episode, Bo Jensen takes us from the Gulf of Mexico to the Camino de Santiago and explores what happens when you stop forcing yourself to choose a single identity.

It’s a story about embracing the totality of who you are — and falling in love with new environments, one beach at a time.

Episode Transcript

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Episode Notes

Credits

  • Story by Bo Jensen

  • Story editing and sound design by Willow Belden

  • Music includes selections from Blue Dot Sessions and Storyblocks

Additional Links

 

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Never Enough

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I thought I needed more from my relationship — and from nature

Shi Shi Beach (Photo by Paul Barach)

 
“I still wonder if there was something I could have said — some magic combination of words that, when put together the right way at the right time, could have kept her in this world.”
— Paul Barach
 

Season 2 // Episode 7

When we lose a loved one, many of us seek healing from the outdoors. But what happens when nature doesn’t cooperate — when the weather is bad, and your happy place is miserable? 

Today’s story takes us to “the most beautiful beach in Washington State” and explores what can we learn about grief and acceptance when nature is at its ugliest.

Read the full episode transcript.

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Episode Notes

Credits

  • Story by Paul Barach

  • Story editing by Forrest Wood and Willow Belden

  • Sound design by Willow Belden

  • Music includes selections from Blue Dot Sessions and Storyblocks

Additional Links

 
 

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[Un]Natural Selection

A special season of Points North from Interlochen Public Radio

 

Measuring Up

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I thought if I pushed myself harder, things would get easier

Christine Reed on the Colorado Trail (Photo courtesy Christine Reed)

 
“Now that I’m not always trying to get there, I can ... enjoy being here.”
— Christine Reed
 

Season 2 // Episode 6

It’s easy to measure our achievements based on what other people are doing. But how do you know what you should really expect from yourself?

This episode takes us from a mountain in Arkansas to an attempted thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail and explores how much better life can be when you realize your shortcomings might not be your fault.

Christine Reed has the story.

Read the episode transcript here.

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Episode Notes

Credits

  • Story by Christine Reed

  • Editing and sound design by Willow Belden

  • Music includes selections from AudioBlocks and Blue Dot Sessions

Additional Resources

 

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Escape

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I thought I needed a break from my problems

Paris McMillian participates in Live Action Role Play at Dammerung (Photo courtesy Paris McMillian)

 
“I feel very sure of myself and very confident. ... I never thought I would get there. It didn’t seem like something that was in the cards for me, but it happened.”
— Paris McMillian
 

Season 2 // Episode 5

We often go outside to get away from our problems. But escapism has its limits.

On this episode, we share the story of how Live Action Role Play, or LARP, taught one woman the importance of confronting your troubles head on.

Erin Phillips brings us the story.

Read the episode transcript.

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Episode Notes

Credits

  • Story by Erin Phillips

  • Editing and sound design by Willow Belden

  • Music includes selections from Blue Dot Sessions and Storyblocks

Additional Resources

 

Sponsors

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Pamper Your Brain

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I thought it was a waste of time to do nothing

Photos courtesy Ziyi Xu

 
“We all know not to over-exhaust our body, to get a massage or do some yoga when we don’t feel well. The same should go for our brains.”
— Ziyi Xu
 

Season 2 // Episode 4

Ziyi Xu was addicted to her smartphone.

It had started as a way to educate herself and keep up with her peers. But it soon took over her life, ruining her focus and her productivity. Then, one night in Texas, she tried stargazing.

On this episode, Ziyi tells the story of how she kicked the smartphone habit and got her creativity back.

Read the episode transcript.

Follow Out There on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you stream podcasts.

 

Episode Notes

Credits

  • Story and sound design by Ziyi Xu

  • Editing by Willow Belden

  • Music includes selections from Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound.

Additional Resources

 

Upcoming Events

Virtual Open Mic Night

March 31, 2022 // 5:30 p.m. PST, 8:30 p.m. EST

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America’s Best Idea?

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I thought I knew what a national park was

Denali National Park (Photo by Sam Baker)

 
“These parks are not untouched land. ... People have been here forever, and this land has been touched forever. And those people are still here.”
— Kiana Carlson
 

Season 2 // Episode 3

National Parks are often referred to as “America’s best idea.” And there’s a lot to love about them. But they also have a complicated history — a history of broken promises, displacement of indigenous people, and genocide.

And that history is not over.

So how do we move forward? Is there a way to right the wrongs of the past? Can we protect our wild spaces in a way that is also socially just?

This episode comes to us from environmental journalist Sam Baker, who's struggled for a long time with the paternalism of environmental movements in the US. But she sees a way forward that offers hope. She takes us from a young national park in Germany to Denali in Alaska and explores how we can start taking steps to create a better future.

Read the episode transcript here.

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Episode Notes

Credits

  • Story by Sam Baker

  • Editing and sound design by Willow Belden

  • Music includes selections from AudioBlocks and Blue Dot Sessions

Additional Resources

 

Upcoming Events

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March 9, 2022 // 5 p.m. PST, 8 p.m. EST

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Pandemic Sundays

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I thought the only place to find peace and community was at church

(PHoto courtesy Angie Chatman)

 
“As an African American woman, in an all-white upscale neighborhood, I am conspicuous. ”
— Angie Chatman
 

Season 2 // Episode 2

Church was Angie Chatman’s happy place. It was a space not only for reflection and worship, but also for community and inner peace. So when the pandemic began and she couldn’t attend services in person, there was a big void in Angie’s life.

Then, a friend suggested they go walking together. As a Black woman, Angie had never felt safe outdoors. But she agreed to give it a try.

On this episode, Angie shares her story. She takes us through the streets of Boston, unpacking her trepidation and ultimately discovering a new and surprising way to meet her emotional needs.

Read the full episode transcript here.

Follow Out There on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you stream podcasts.

 

Episode Notes

Credits

  • Story by Angie Chatman

  • Editing and sound design by Willow Belden

  • Music includes selections from AudioBlocks and Blue Dot Sessions

Additional Resources

 

Upcoming Events

Virtual Happy Hour

March 9, 2022 // 5 p.m. PST, 8 p.m. EST

Become an Out There patron by March 4 to receive an invitation.

Existing patrons: You’re automatically invited!

Virtual Open Mic Night

March 31, 2022 // 5:30 p.m. PST, 8:30 p.m. EST

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Indoor Kid

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I thought the only way out of depression was to become a different person

At age 20, Sarah Dealy attended a Wilderness Therapy program in Utah (inset). Eight years later, she decided to go on a solo backpacking trip on the Colorado Trail (background). // PHotos courtesy Sarah Dealy

 
“My life has been significantly better since I accepted that this is the brain, the personality, and the body that I have.”
— Sarah Dealy
 

Season 2 // Episode 1

Sarah Dealy was not outdoorsy. But at age 20, during a severe bout of depression, she enrolled in a wilderness therapy program. By the end of the program, she wanted to become an “outdoor girl.”

But becoming the outdoorswoman of her dreams didn’t come naturally. Sarah was an indoor kid at heart. She disliked many of the activities she imagined her outdoorsy self doing.

On this episode, Sarah takes us from the desert of Utah to the mountains of Colorado and explores what happens when the person you think you want to be doesn’t mesh with the person you are.

Read the episode transcript here.

Follow Out There on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you stream podcasts.

 

Episode Notes

Credits

  • This episode was written, produced and sound designed by Sarah Dealy.

  • Editing by Willow Belden.

  • Music includes selections from Blue Dot Sessions.

Additional Resources

  • You can see more of Sarah Dealy’s work here. Sign up here to be notified when her series about Troubled Teen wilderness programs comes out.

  • If you are a parent who is considering sending your kid to a wilderness program, Sarah recommends the book Help at Any Cost by Maia Szalavitz.

  • The apps Jessica Taylor recommended in this week’s Out There Favorites are Hip Camp, Campendium, and Harvest Hosts. In addition, here’s a little video Jessica made about Campendium, and here’s a Mother’s Day piece where they featured her.

 

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Things I Thought I Knew

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Season Trailer

Since 2015, we’ve been bringing you outdoor stories that help you make sense of your life and your world. This February, we’re launching a new season.

The season’s stories will still be the kind of personal, introspective narratives you know and love. But there will be a common theme: “Things I thought I knew.” Each episode, we’ll share a story about an outdoor experience that changed someone’s understanding about themselves, their humanity, or their world.

Here’s a sneak peak!

Follow Out There on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you stream podcasts.

Special thanks to Sheeba Joseph for editorial assistance on this trailer.