Ep. 536: Building the First Climbing School in Iraq - Ryan Shuler and Milosz Pierwola

Todd from team Latitude35 is joining us today via satellite phone to give us an update on the team’s race across the Atlantic Ocean via rowboat. They’re currently in second place with less than a week to go! Just a few days after this call the team experienced one of the most bizarre and wild mishaps I’ve ever heard of. Listen to the episode to hear what happened…Let’s wish them luck and a continued safe journey to the finish line in Antigua. Follow their progress by downloading YB Races app and @at35atlanticchallenge2020Learn more about Athletic Brewing's award-winning non-alcoholic craft beer at AthleticBrewing.com.Our Sponsors:* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/ASPSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

14 Jan 202130min

After needing a break from her career in film and TV, Sophie took a very fortuitous turn in her life by finding the most random job she could, milking camels. If you didn’t realize camels could be milked, neither did I. To make a long story short, Sophie fell in love with camels and never went back to her old career. Her ongoing 5-year passion for camels has taken her to places like The Flinders Ranges, Lake Eyre and The Tirari Desert, Uluru, Michigan USA, Texas, and Rajasthan India. At some point in the pursuit to learn more about these amazing creatures, Sophie got the idea to cross Australia on foot while being accompanied by 5 wild (or “feral”) camels. This would not only entail catching and taming 5 out of upwards of a million wild camels that roam Australia but also walking thousands of kilometers across the vast and void Australian Outback. Keep in mind, Australia is the geographic size of the US with 1/10th of the population. A wild idea indeed!Today Sophie joins us from just over the halfway point of the journey in the bizarre little town of Coober Pedy. Jude, Delilah, Charlie, Clayton, and Mac will all continue the journey in March. www.sophiematterson.comInstagram: @sophiemattersonFacebook Coast-to-Coast-to-camel-trekOur Sponsors:* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/ASPSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

11 Jan 20211h 3min

After years of being in the biggest road cycling races in the world a devastating and life-altering injury left Pete’s career path felt shaken up and in need of more stability. Growing up in Colorado and now residing in the Tahoe area, the outdoors were the places he felt at home and at peace. That’s when Pete started to explore the idea of leaving the world of road cycling for the up-and-coming gravel scene. It was a place that accepted newcomers, valued community and good beer, but also gave the edge to not just the fastest riders, but the toughest. An unlikely full recovery is what even made this dream of going gravel possible. In today’s episode, we’re hearing a story of endurance, optimism, and the power of betting on yourself. To find out more about Pete:Instagram: @pstetinastetinaspaydirt.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/ASPSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

7 Jan 202141min

In 2014, Jessica and Will decided a “normal” life in Boston wasn’t enough for their family of four. After several potential ex-pat experiences fell through with Will’s job, the family had an appetite to try something new. That idea? Instead of calling one place home why not call the whole world “home”? To dip their toes into this way of living they spent a year in Costa Rica, then a year in Educador, and 9 months in France. Those first few years included experiences like hiking the Inca Trail, traveling around the Galapagos Islands, and dance classes deep in the Costa Rican rainforest. To continue explorings their new “town” they hopped into an RV and visited every country in Europe for another two and a half years while homeschooling their kids, completing a thru-hike of the Camino De Santiago. Now that COVID has interpreted the original plan of traveling around Asia, the family is taking to the seas to experience life aboard a sailboat while growing their business, WorldTowning and WorldTowning Voyages, wherein small groups of travelers embark on shared experiences and adventures to travel the world as locals on roads less traveled with their family as the hosts.worldtowning.comyoutube.com/worldtowningInstagram: @worldtowningFacebook: @worldtowningOur Sponsors:* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/ASPSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

4 Jan 20211h 11min

Soon after turning 30, Ray, a self-described “two pack a day smoker”, was tired of the direction his life was heading. His younger brother, who was pursuing a healthier lifestyle, was his inspiration to make a change. Ray quickly set his eyes to try to complete a 100-mile ultramarathon. He won. Within the next few years he put his life on a trajectory of adventures and purpose, combining feats as large as running across the Sahara Desert and taking scores of young adults on adventures through founding impossible2possible.com, an organization that aims to inspire and educate youth through adventure learning, inclusion, and participation in expeditions. www.facebook.com/rayzahabwww.instagram.com/rayzahabwww.rayzahab.comwww.impossible2possible.comwww.kapik1.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/ASPSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

28 Dec 202056min

After starting out delivering other people's boats, and then training them, Vivian and Nathan began to realize there may be something there and started offering offshore sailing adventures aboard our 47' sailboat, Ultima. Ultimately, they’ve turned their passion into a career giving them a great mix of travel, excitement, endurance, and a sense of satisfaction helping others achieve their sailing goals. sailoceanpassages.comFB & IG: @oceanpassagesVivian is also a photographer. She worked on a couple of documentaries and started a photo business before venturing into sailing. Now, she is a sailing photojournalist. Find her work at vivianvuong.com.IG: @vizamediaOur Sponsors:* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/ASPSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

21 Dec 202049min

Vincent is joining us from Norway to discuss his and Børge Ousland’s journey to cross the 20 world's largest glaciers in what they are calling the IceLegacy Project, a way for them to share to the world the need to preserve these special places. From IceLegacy.com“Glaciers are in fast decline due to rising temperatures, causing threat of long-term sea-level rise. They are crucial as a freshwater source for millions of people worldwide. This is why glaciers need to be better known, considered, and protected. The world needs to find technical and political solutions to the environmental crisis. This long-term expedition is meant to be an incubator to that process, a visual example, and a window to what is happening.The project combines athletic prowess, human adventure, and the sharing of knowledge about the polar environment with as many people as possible, so that future generations may enjoy the fascinating and priceless legacy of glaciers and icecaps.” Instagram: @VincentColliard@icelegacyprojecticelegacy.comOur Sponsors:* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/ASPSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

14 Dec 202051min

Hear some of our plans for changes to the show moving forward. Our Sponsors:* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/ASPSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/adventure-sports-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

10 Dec 20203min