On Adventure Podcast with Josh Self

In this episode of the On Adventure Podcast, I sit down with Joe Gray, an exceptional athlete who turned challenges into triumphs. Joe shares his journey from growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, and attending the Tennessee School for the Blind to becoming a world-class athlete. With the support of dedicated mentors and his unwavering determination, Joe excelled in wrestling and track and field, ev...

Welcome back to the On Adventure podcast! In today's episode, we have an inspiring and candid conversation with Pete Ripmaster. Pete, now a seasoned ultra-endurance athlete, shares his journey from the highs and lows of his athletic pursuits to his personal battles and triumphs. In fact, it all started with a Couch-to-Marathon run, and he kept going from there!  We delve into his history, includin...

Welcome back to another episode of the  On Adventure Podcast , where I dive deep into the extraordinary tales of endurance and personal growth, probing why everyday explorers continue to push their own limits. In this episode, I reconnect with Van Fletcher, a dad, a real estate professional, and, oh yeah, a world class triathlete AND an ultraman competitor. Van's story isn't just about physical en...

*Credit Elia Saikaly - Kenton on the Everest summit In this episode of the On Adventure Podcast, I sit down with Kenton Cool, a legendary high-altitude climber with an incredible record of Everest ascents and a storied career in mountain exploration. Dive into a conversation that explores not only the physical heights of the world's most formidable peaks but also the profound depths of personal am...

In this captivating episode of the On Adventure podcast, host Josh Self interviews Robbie Lenfestey at his remarkable retreat, Mandala Springs, located in the scenic mountains outside Asheville, North Carolina. Robbie, a man of profound wisdom and thrilling life experiences, shares his extraordinary adventures that have taken him from being kidnapped in Argentina to climbing the towering peaks of...

I didn't know these fellas before our chat, but by the end it was clear we all come from the same tribe.  In the latest episode of the On Adventure Podcast, we dove into a wild group conversation that ventured beyond the beaten path. Joined by Adam Hill, Shaun Pope, Ryan James, and Mark Looney, the dialogue unfolded amidst the rustic charm of Black Mountain, North Carolina, a sanctuary for those w...

In today's episode of the On Adventure Podcast , we took a deep dive into the great outdoors with the remarkable Heidi Nisbet. Heidi is a friend of a friend, but by the end of the conversation, I felt like we had known each other forever.  We gravitate toward a similar tribe.  As someone who shares my passion for the Appalachian Trail, Heidi brought a fresh perspective on merging art, adventure, a...

In today's episode, we embark on a deeply personal journey with Tim Matthews, a seasoned adventurer and outdoor enthusiast who just happens to be a retired Navy one-star Admiral. In this conversation, Tim shares his profound insights and experience, both personal and professional, offering a glimpse into the transformative power of outdoor pursuits in shaping his life. From heart-pounding rock cli...

I can't say that I have spent enough time in a bike saddle to consider the merits of cycle touring.  In fact, until I met my next guest, I really didn't understand cycle touring at all.  Rick Steeves has it down to a science, though.  What started as a time-filler during a gap year in college eventually turned in to a life long pursuit of adventure on two wheels. Rick is a veteran of cycle touring...

Love these podcast conversations, but this one came home a little closer.  This conversation is with my friend and business partner, Mike Perkins.  Mike knows everyone.  He has lived his life wide open, and has lots of stories about lots of different people because of it.  He also has a huge heart.  So the combo of being outgoing and a bleeding heart, it is obvious why people love to be around him...

It is a treat to be surprised to learn something amazing and interesting about someone you have known for a long time.  My hour or so conversation with Thom Asta fits this description perfectly.  I have known Thom for going on 20 years but the things we discussed blew me away and gave me a new level of respect for a man that I had a ton for already.  This podcast is about how and why the Everyday...

We are getting the second season of the On Adventure podcast off to a bang with my first conversation.  Adventure can come at all ages, and I know my next guest knows this very well.  Because he is my son, Eli.  Eli is in his second year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  During the holiday break, we got to sit down for a couple hours and pretend that I am not dad but a professio...

I love all of these conversations, but I am particularly fond of this one because I have known Rachel for many years. I have watched her grow and mature in to the Everyday Explorer she has become, which has been fun.  Rachel is an old soul.  She has insight in to people, places and experiences that are unusual for someone her age.  Some of this comes natural, some of it is from being with people o...

Not many of us have spent near as much time below the Earth's surface as Dr. Ken Walsh has.  Ken is a Senior Environmental Engineer at Leidos Inc., but that is not who he is.  Ken is an Everyday Explorer at hear.  He started his love of exploration under ground early in his life, and it has taken him deeper and deeper in to exploring the beauty that exists above and below ground.  It also has been...

The Peace of Wild Things When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I...

What do you get when you pursue adventure in your life with abandon to push to the edge of growth? Rob Angst knows....peace.  This is such a cool conversation.  Rob has through hiked the Appalachian Trail (AT), the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT) and spent many other long days and weeks on adventure in other spaces around the world.   His accomplishments are beyond impressive, but I think I learned more...

My guest today is Eric Clarke.  Eric might be best known in business world as CEO at Orion Advisor Services.  But Eric also embodies the idea of the Everyday Explorer as well!  He is a man of many talents as you will find out, but exudes widsom and humility with each word.  What became clear to me is that Eric is made for doing hard things.  He has built a mantra around doing the 'easy things' fir...

Folks, this is a cool conversation.  There is always something interesting to me about capturing wisdom and experiences from an elder.  It seems to be missing in our suburban spread, face paced, instant gratification culture, but I think we all desire to hear it at some level.  My conversation today with Connie Grant fits right into this.  Now at 91 years old, Connie has some great stories about a...

What do you do when your favorite uncle dies suddenly and leaves you 3 different businesses to run?  You move to the Caribbean, of course!  Lynne Culbreth is my guest today, and she has a pretty cool story of how to follow serendipity in life to find the next adventure.  I am not going to give up too much of the story, so you will just have to listen, but lets just say that the Covid time period h...

The On Adventure Podcast is about the Everyday Explorer and how she plans and pursues adventure in her life.  The pursuit is never easy, but the valuable lessons from the journey are always priceless.  And you don't get them without the suffering.  So how do we push through our perceived limits to get to the treasure?  Well, mindset plays a key role. The conversation today with Jenny Richardson is...

What do you do when reach to edge of your mental capacity?  According to Steve Sanduski, you take one more step.  And then you take one more step after that.  Eventually, your body proves to your brain that there is more left in the tank in pursuit of the summit (literal or metaphorical). Steve has been a very important mentor for me so I really hung on every word to hear what he learned from his...

The Everyday Explorer comes in all shapes, sizes, ages and background.  JW Eades is one of those characters. Who would have thought that a boy from rural North Carolina would end up hiking Mount Kilimanjaro or become an expert skiier traversing some of the most extreme slopes in the United States?  JW certainly did not.  So how does a country boy turn himself in to an international man of mystery?...

Explore, Learn and Transcend...guiding values that Hannah Thornton has etched on herself as a constant reminder of how to live.  There is wisdom from experience in this conversation so pay attention.  Hannah has packed her 30 years as she explores the far reaches of the globe.  I am both inspired by this conversation and in awe at her drive to continue exploring.  But her global explorations are s...

Welcome back to the On Adventure Podcast.  So Van Fletcher...Van is one of the smartest, most focused and reslilient people I have ever met.  Like my last guest, Van and I go way back but he told me things in today's conversation that I had never heard.  If you have ever met Van, you know he is a legend and a force of nature.  This is obvious.  What is not so obvious is the intense suffering that...

Welcome to the first edition of the On Adventure Podcast with Josh Self.  I'm joined today by Brew Davis.  Brew and I have known each other for many years, and I have watched from a distance the last two decades as he and his wife, Jen, have built their lives around adventure.  He's the perfect guest to launch the podcast with.  I think you're going to love this. Brew is also a fantastic musician...