Exploration Local

Send us Fan Mail Jared Lee's tale is a testament to the power of community and perseverance. From advocating for a skatepark at town hall meetings as a youngster to seeing the fruits of his labor in the form of a state-of-the-art facility, his journey underscores the significance of mentorship and communal effort. His influence extends beyond the skatepark; it's felt in the passion he in...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I sit down with Laura Blythe, a citizen of the Eastern Band Cherokee Indians, as she shares her transformative experience through mountain biking. We delve into the Seven Moons Mountain Biking program, where Laura intertwines her vibrant Cherokee heritage into every pedal stroke on the Fire Mountain Trails system. Discover how this program transcends fitness, servi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we're hitting the trails with Mike Doble , the driving force behind SkiSoutheast.com . We'll dive into the heart of the region's ski industry, guided by Mike's passion and dedication. From the humble beginnings of his websites to their current status as community pillars, Mike's honest reporting has kept skiers and snowboarders informed wi...

Send us Fan Mail When Brent Nelson swapped his corporate badge for the wild call of entrepreneurship, little did he know that his family RV trip would spark the creation of Tentrax , a beacon for adventurers seeking the ultimate in compact, customizable camping trailers. His story, infused with the warmth of a community brought together by a love for the outdoors, unfolds in our latest episode. We...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I sit down with Valerie Frapp, General Manager of the Historic Tapoco Lodge. We delve into the rich history, timeless design, and unparalleled craftsmanship that define this haven, virtually unchanged since its establishment in 1930. The Lodge's spacious and inviting layout, featuring the Tapoco dining room, Laurel Lounge Whiskey Bar, grand fireplace, library,...

Send us Fan Mail The trout streams in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and Great Smoky mountains of North Carolina make North Carolina a premier fly fishing destination. In fact, North Carolina is the most popular destination in the entire Eastern United States for trout fishing boasting over 3,000 miles of streams teaming with fish. In this episode I sit down with David Stelling, the owner of High Count...

Send us Fan Mail What if you had the keys to unlock the beauty of North Carolina's outdoors responsibly? Today, I'm thrilled to take you on a journey with Amanda Baker, Partner Marketing Manager for the innovative Outdoor NC program. Together, we'll uncover the program's genesis, its three major components, and its key partnerships. The program is a trailblazer, centered around...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to break barriers and invite more Black folks into the great outdoors? In this episode we unpack that, and a whole lot more as I sit down with Earl B Hunter, Jr. with Black Folks Camp Too to recap all the happenings since the last time Earl was on the show. Only this time, we go deeper. We reflect on Earl's transformational journey and how his high school fo...

Send us Fan Mail As a person of color, SAV's experiences in the outdoor world have not just shaped him, but also profoundly transformed his outlook on life, community, and identity. His inspiring journey is a testament to the power of the outdoors in fostering a sense of belonging, and why it's essential to extend this inclusivity into the workplace. From his humble beginnings with a wee...

Send us Fan Mail Join us in a captivating journey with Witt Tuttle, the Executive Director of Visit North Carolina, as we unravel the scenic beauty and cultural diversity that makes North Carolina the sixth most visited state in the country. We pry into the heart of responsible tourism marketing, focusing on how it caters not only to the visitors but also to the culture, people, and picturesque lo...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready to get inspired! Meet our guest for today, Matt Godfrey, the Executive Director of the Outdoor Business Alliance, a man who wears many hats - advocate, business leader, educator, and much more. Matt is no stranger to the outdoor industry, he's been instrumental in shaping it from his early days as a founding board member of the Outdoor Business Alliance. Experience...

Send us Fan Mail With unmatched natural assets and a community intimately engaged in the outdoors, Western North Carolina is the outdoor industry hub of the east, and in 2021 a campaign was launched to develop a regional brand that celebrates and grows the outdoor industry across 24 counties.  Today, that campaign has blossomed into a full blown partnership called MADE X MTNS (Made by Mountains)....

Send us Fan Mail North Carolina is undeniably home to the best traditional rock climbing in the South. From beginners' routes to multi-pitch thrillers, North Carolina has it all, including the tallest rock face on the East Coast. In this episode I sit down with one of Fox Mountin’s Guides, Forrest Stavish. He started climbing in 2004 after being introduced to bouldering at Rumbling Bald, NC,...

Send us Fan Mail Nestled between Little and Big Sandy Mush Balds, at an elevation of over 5,000 feet above sea level, lies one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited in the Blue Ridge Mountains; The Cabins at Sandy Mush Bald, an off-grid and authentic Appalachian experience, located on 500 private acres atop the Newfound Mountains in Western North Carolina. The Cabins at Sandy Mush start...

Send us Fan Mail So, what do you get when a talented photographer who creates one of a kind visual content for companies like Patagonia, Land Rover, Our State, and numerous Tourism Authorities - partners with an award-winning creative director who develops designs and messages for organizations like Explore Brevard, Biltmore Estate, Earth Fare and a broad range of tourism, outdoor adventure nonpro...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I sit down with very special guests Layla & Stacey Hildenbran, and Jay Hardwig from BRAVO which is Blue Ridge Adventures – Vision Optional, whose mission is To provide outdoor enrichment programsto youth with blindness and low vision.  This is an especially fun episode for me because I have been hearing about Layla’s story since my wife taught her in first grad...

Send us Fan Mail Pat Keller is known for his waterfall first descents as well as being a repeat winner of the coveted Green Race, winning the Great Falls Race and the inaugural Rey del Rio Waterfall World Championships in Mexico where he battled the world’s top boaters over three back-to-back waterfalls—a 25-footer, a 55-footer and a 35-footer.  Accolades also include being a two-time Teva Mountai...

Send us Fan Mail Jason Bowman grew up in the mountains of Southwestern Virginia chasing brook trout and working on trucks. Today he lives in Brevard, N.C. and still chases trout and works on trucks. The only difference today is that he’s a little bit older, LIVING with Stage 4 prostate cancer, a USMC Veteran, family man, business owner and creator in the outdoor gear space, and he spends as much t...

Send us Fan Mail The NC Year of the Trail celebrates North Carolina’s vast and diverse collection of trails, greenways, and blueways which showcase its diverse landscapes – grand mountain vistas, quiet rivers, vibrant urban greenways, coastal forests, and the rolling hills of the piedmont. These trails not only help make NC a healthier, more accessible, and fun place to live, they also strengthen...

Send us Fan Mail The North Carolina Fraser Fir Christmas tree is the most popular Christmas tree in North America, but did you know they are shipped into every state in the U.S. as well as the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, Japan and other points all over the world. The cool temperatures and large amounts of rainfall in the mountains of North Carolina create the perfect climate for Fr...

Send us Fan Mail Although widely accepted in Europe since the 1960’s, the thought of a gap year in our western culture makes many people, especially parents, uneasy and questioning whether the experience will be fruitful. But a 2015 study at Temple University found that the gap year experience had proved fruitful and unanimously positive: 98% said their year had helped them develop as a person, 96...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I sit down with Andrew Garcia, who is the Managing Partner of Outdoor Adventure Partners. His company purchased the Wilderness Cove Campground along the lower Green River last Thanksgiving, and immediately began making improvements to the property in January of this year.  We talk in depth about the new vision for this property and their desire to be good stewards...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I sit down with Mike Poggioli, who is one of these rare photographers who truly meditates on his subject before shooting, and his passion for the craft is obvious. While living in Chicago in 2015, Poggioli's love of photography grew, fueled by the city's singular architecture and its orange-hued streetlights in the rain. Winding career paths eventually le...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode I sit down with Emily Jackson and we unpack how her adventurous childhood created such a solid foundation for her own life, that she couldn’t comprehend a different way of life. She is an accomplished professional kayaker, mom, wife, businesswoman, co-host of The Great Family Adventure TV series , and friend to so many.  We talk about how her most clear recollectio...

Send us Fan Mail Sonya and Necota Staples started their camping journey just a few short years ago and it quickly snowballed into off-roading and overlanding. With their newfound love of glamping, they wanted to share it with their friends and family, but no one understood why they wanted to “rough it” outside. So they started making YouTube videos to educate and encourage friends, family, and the...