Mon, 9 November 2009
Climber and Diaries contributor Kelly Cordes is what you would call an early adopter. Kelly may live in a shack at 8,000 feet, but the guy is no cretin. He’s had an email account for four years now. He knows how to program a VCR. He’s even considered buying one of those new-fangled Blueberry phones. What can I say? Kelly is a mover and a shaker. The guy’s approach to new technology is as cutting edge as his alpine endeavors, but even seasoned pros have the occasional misstep. Two and a half years, Kelly signed up for a Facebook account, promptly forgot the password and found out that negotiating social media can be every bit as difficult as picking a path through gaping crevasses, rotten ice and snow-covered rock. It’s certainly just as time consuming. Comments[2] |
Sun, 8 November 2009 Here are the cuts from our Facebook episode... from "Pacific Dust" (Camera Records) from "Water For Mars" (Hometapes) from "¡AYA! Remix EP" (Antenna Farm Records) from "We Moved Like Ghosts" (Deep Elm) Category: music -- posted at: 12:41 PM Comments[0] |
Tue, 27 October 2009 Our sports, our passions provide a special opportunity to visit the natural world's wildest places. This tradition began with climber, writer and godfather of conservation John Muir. He was a dirtbag before he was an icon. Now, there are members of our community -- boaters, skiers and photographers -- who are following in Muir's footsteps. They don't necessarily come from traditional activist roots, but have chosen to take stand for little places and big ideas. Today, we present three stories. A city girl sheds caution to start a farm. A kayaker becomes a journalist. An adventure photographer forgoes a career traveling the globe to run for office back at home. I am John Muir. You are John Muir. We all have a Yosemite. Comments[3] |
Mon, 26 October 2009 Here are the cuts from the New Conservationists. I think I accidentally called St. George...St. Gross in a section of the episode. Total mistake. Freudian slip. from "...And The Ever Expanding Universe" (Arts & Crafts) from "Don't Lie About Me!" (Everloving) from "Rivers Arms" (Western Vinyl) from "Egadz is Dead" (Kid Without Radio) from "Other Truths" (Constellation) Category: music -- posted at: 9:56 PM Comments[0] |
Tue, 29 September 2009
Can you insure
adventure? Last summer, climber
and writer Majka Burhardt embarked on an adventure two years in the making. In
the last moments before leaving, Burhardt decided to purchase travel insurance.
Her trip to Namibia was an insurance underwriter’s nightmare. It turns out that
climbing is blacklisted. On top of that, while abroad Burhardt couldn’t partake
in sleigh rides, play American Football or Zorb. She didn’t even know what
Zorbing was, but suddenly she wanted to try it. After all the work to make her
trip happen, she wanted more than insurance. Burhardt wanted assurance that her
adventure would be a success. The
thing is – you can’t plan adventure. Comments[0] |
Wed, 23 September 2009 Music from Underwriting Adventure.... from "Imidiwan: Companions" (World Village) from "Still Life" (Brick Records) from "Selva de Mar" (Whatabout Music) Category: music -- posted at: 10:05 PM Comments[0] |
Wed, 16 September 2009
It was a tough summer in the climbing community. We lost
heroes, friends, mentors, legends, sons and parents. We celebrate their lives
with stories and memorials, but after the glasses are raised and the happy
times recounted, those closest to the deceased are left in the vacuum their
lives once inhabited. The living
confront hard questions and dark emotions. This year, 22-year-old Evan Piche’s
world turned upside down. He discovered, that even in the worst moments there are seeds of growth.
Comments[3] |
Tue, 15 September 2009 Here are the cuts from Episode 31... from "Music for Falling from Trees" (Western Vinyl) from "These Four Walls" (Fat Cat Records) from "Cameo" (Kanine Records LLC) Category: music -- posted at: 5:23 PM Comments[0] |
Mon, 24 August 2009 I hope everyone is out on vacation. At the moment, I'm running around gathering stories and trying to keep up with my tomato plants. This fall we will have some familiar voices and some new ones. There will be some laughter and one very serious story. There will be tales from afar and ones a little closer to home. I'm excited. I've also been working on a new project -- one that will compliment what I've been trying to do with the Diaries. It will go live in January, but you can grab a sneak peak here. In the meantime, here are some cuts to close the summer with. Tracks are listed below. Bands: Publish the Quest -- the new project from long time collaborator Jacob Bain. The Secret Life of Sophia -- This Brooklyn-based band created a concept album centered around the hopes and stories of alpinist. from "Strange Journey Volume One" (QN5, Inc.) from "IODA SXSW Opening Day Bash Sampler 2009" (ioda) from "Self Titled" (iheartcomix) from "The Midnight Organ Fight" (Fat Cat Records) from "Born on Flag Day" (Partisan Records) from "Raiding The Vaults" (RAC) from "Feel.Love.Thinking.Of." (Friendly Fire Recordings) Comments[2] |
Fri, 24 July 2009 Some of us were lucky enough to hoist a bulging pack onto our shoulders, stumble into the mountains and return changed at a young age. Some of us heard the mountains’ calling later in life. That doesn’t mean the passion burns any less bright. When writer Sarah Wroot took her first hike through Scottland’s craggy hills, she was overwhelmed with a surprising notion. “If I had a pack and a tent, I could keep going. I could be free to go wherever I want,” she thought. The idea took hold. Today, Sarah takes us all the way the Scottish Highlands and a journey that changed her life. Enjoy the rest of the summer. We’ll be back this fall with a whole new season of stories. Direct download: The_Shorts_--_Knees_and_Weather_Permitting.mp3 Category: podcasts -- posted at: 4:02 PM Comments[0] |
Tue, 14 July 2009 “The planks of my boat are three eighths of an inch thick. Three eighths – this is the distance between myself and the depths,” writes surfer and adventurer Christian Beamish. Two years ago, Beamish crafted an 18-foot-long sailboat in his San Clemente garage. His obsession with sailboat-assisted surfing began with small week-long voyages and evolved into preposterous idea – sail the entire length of Baja looking for waves. It would be a solo mission. The proposed trip left his friends questioning his mental state and his mother in tears. It would require big, open-water crossings in rough seas, and in the end it would leave Beamish changed. How far would you go to find the physical and mental limits of human endurance? How raw does your soul have to get before you find peace? Comments[3] |
Mon, 13 July 2009 Here are the cuts from today's show. Remember we're looking for leads on some of my story projects this summer. If you've got a tip please pass it along.... from "Born on Flag Day" (Partisan Records) from "We Believe" (Origami Music) from "Wave North" (Outside Music) from "Sinkane" (Emergency Umbrella) from "Field Studies" (Magic Bullet) from "Carved By Glaciers" (Magic Bullet) Category: music -- posted at: 5:34 PM Comments[0] |
Mon, 29 June 2009 Up in the Northwest, we say that summer doesn’t actually start until July 4th. Right now, we’re experiencing our annual June gloom. So I thought it was time to invoke blue skies and warmer temps. A season’s worth of summits, single track and lounging on the riverbank is just around the corner. It’s time for me to do my part in the changing of the seasons. Happy summer. Comments[1] |
Fri, 26 June 2009 here are the cuts from Summer Invocation.... from "Carved By Glaciers" (Magic Bullet) from "The IL2 Word" (Quickstar Productions) Category: music -- posted at: 9:06 PM Comments[0] |
Thu, 25 June 2009 The Summer break is coming up in August and I will be out gathering stories. We’ve got some cool stories already planned for next fall, but there were a couple of ideas I wanted to work on and I’m hoping to get people’s input. So if you’ve got an idea or a story that fits within these concepts, let me know by dropping us an email. The Dirtbag Diaries is driven by listener input. Your thoughts matter. 1. Partners – I’m hoping to compile a story about partnerships. We rely on our closest friends and our significant others to motivate for adventures and endure epics. Those shared experiences can result in some funny and serious moments. If you’ve got a story about a favorite climbing partner or a story you’ve heard, it would be great to here about them. 2. The Economy – I’m curious. How has the economic downturn impacted the Dirtbag Nation? In difficult economic times have the mountains and rivers become more important or something that you can’t afford. For most of us, wilderness has always provided us a viewpoint on which to reflect on our lives. The natural world can provide important perspective on life in the flatlands. Has the economy impacted you directly? Let me know. I know we are all looking for escape, but sometimes it’s worth covering important topics from our perspective. After all, who else out there is going to do it? Category: general -- posted at: 1:12 PM Comments[1] |
Our sports, our passions provide a special opportunity to visit the natural world's wildest places. This tradition began with climber, writer and godfather of conservation John Muir. He was a dirtbag before he was an icon. Now, there are members of our community -- boaters, skiers and photographers -- who are following in Muir's footsteps. They don't necessarily come from traditional activist roots, but have chosen to take stand for little places and big ideas. Today, we present three stories. A
I hope everyone is out on vacation. At the moment, I'm running around gathering stories and trying to keep up with my tomato plants. This fall we will have some familiar voices and some new ones. There will be some laughter and one very serious story. There will be tales from afar and ones a little closer to home. I'm excited. I've also been working on a
“The planks of my boat are three eighths of an inch thick. Three eighths – this is the distance between myself and the depths,” writes surfer and adventurer Christian Beamish. Two years ago, Beamish crafted an 18-foot-long sailboat in his San Clemente garage. His obsession with sailboat-assisted surfing began with small week-long voyages and evolved into preposterous idea – sail the entire length of Baja looking for waves. It would be a solo mission. The proposed trip left his friends questioning his mental state and his mother in tears. It would require big, open-water crossings in rough seas, and in the end it would leave Beamish changed. How far would you go to find the physical and mental limits of human endurance? How raw does your soul have to get before you find peace?
The Summer break is coming up in August and I will be out gathering stories. We’ve got some cool stories already planned for next fall, but there were a couple of ideas I wanted to work on and I’m hoping to get people’s input. So if you’ve got an idea or a story that fits within these concepts, let me know by dropping us an 





