Untold Tales from This Side of Nowhere

They say there's no such thing as too much of a good thing, and we agree. Here's an episode you probably haven't heard for a while--maybe for a few years! For your listening pleasure, Episode 1, Welcome to Poverty Flats.

"I love getting sick," said no one ever. Getting sick is the worst, and there are certain places and times when getting sick is even worse. In this episode I recount a friend's experience on a flight to go hog hunting in Texas. Let's just say it wasn't his best flight...

Merry Christmas! In this holiday special, Al spends Christmas a long way from Poverty Flats in sunny Southern California during his time as a missionary. You'll never believe what happens--it may even be called a Christmas miracle...

If you think this episode is about bears, you're right. If you think it's about another embarrassing event in the lives of Fred and Al, you are also right. Guess you better listen to this one!

Let's face it--everyone has a great story about getting stuck, and plenty of advice about how to get un-stuck. But does anyone have advice on how to actually get stuck in the first place? Introducing the first-ever (mostly) complete guide to getting stuck. Now you can really spend some quality time in the mountains!

In the first few days of the Jones' Charleston vacation they've seen the ocean, been saltwater fishing, and visited Fort Sumter, but there's still so much more to do in South Carolina! The best is yet to come, though, in the final part of this three-part story.

The South Carolina vacation continues in part two of West Meets South, and in this part, the Jones boys actually get to go fishing! But how will two country boys born a thousand miles from the nearest ocean fare saltwater fishing?

It's a long ways from Wyoming to South Carolina, and the two places couldn't be more different. One is bone-dry with frigid winters, and the other hot and humid. When the Jones boys and their spouses go to South Carolina, they bring a piece of the West with them, and they're more than pleased with what they find down South. The only question is--do people really fish for dolphins in South Carolina...

There are only four states in the US that don't have a professional sports team--minor or major--in at least one of the "big four": baseball, basketball, football, and soccer. Wyoming, unsurprisingly, is on that list, but that doesn't mean Wyomingites aren't sports fans, the Jones family included! So, if you don't have a home team, who do you cheer for? Join me and my special guest, my sister Brin...

When people say "we're building a house" they usually don't mean it. Very rarely does someone actually build their own house; most of the time they mean they're paying someone to build it. That wasn't the case with the Jones family... You'll see, er, hear what I mean.

The law of causality states that all actions are followed by a direct consequence. You might know it as karma. But did you know it applies to the outdoors, too? I'm sure you've been the victim of this particular brand of karma and its cousins. Like that one time...

Life is full of unsolved mysteries. Who actually built Stonehenge? Why doesn't the close door button on an elevator do anything? What's for dinner? These are just a few. In this episode, Al tackles a few unsolved mysteries and you're sure to be amazed by his deductive reasoning. Or maybe not...

Free pizza for life. Pickup trucks that get 45 miles to the gallon. That Nigerian prince who wants to give you five million dollars. There are lots of things that are too good to be true, and this story is about one of them. On a hike to Lost Lake, Al and the rest of Troop 41 are amazed by what they find at the lake--and it makes the effort of getting there worth it.

When your friends start interrupting you to say they've already heard the story you're telling, it's either time to get some new friends or time to get some new stories. Both can be expensive. But what if you had a story no one has heard yet? One even the person who knows you best has never heard?

There are watering holes. There are donut holes. There's even a Hole in the Wall gang, but if you grew up in the country, then you are probably also familiar with the swimming hole. This side of nowhere, there's no better place to be on a hot summer day, and Al, Fred, and the Trio of Trouble would have to agree.

It's not uncommon for the more experienced among us to spend a fair amount of time shooting the bull, but this episode isn't about that kind of shooting the bull, is it? When Al and Fred's cousins from the West Coast come to town, they find out that shooting the bull can a have a different meaning when Grandpa gets involved...

A breeze. A zephyr. A gale. Whatever you call it, Wyoming's got it, and it's taken more than a few people by surprise. Wind is just a part of life in Wyoming, and it would never make life's tasks more difficult, right?

Of the many pets owned by the Jones family over the years, one of the most memorable was Levi the Leviathan. His meteoric rise to fame and eventual fall from grace would result in a tragedy of dramatic proportions–or at least dramatic for a crawfish.

Some movies are just so quotable. From Star Wars to Monty Python, cinema is replete with lines that fit so many situations, and Al and his friends love dropping movie quotes whenever they get the chance. "I'm going in!" might just be one of the most infamous...

You'll never forget the day you got your first pocket knife--and everyone who knew you at the time won't forget it either. From your parents to the paramedics who assisted with the aftermath, everyone involved will forever have that day etched in their memories...

Every year, the graduating class of Poverty Flats' high school takes a trip to the nation's capital to broaden the students' cultural horizons and give them an appreciation for our nation's rich history and the workings of the US government. That isn't to say they don't have a good time or have to make some last-minute changes to their plans...

Taking a trip can be expensive--and painful. I should know since I have plenty of experience. You have probably taken a trip a time or two yourself. Parents trip over their kids' toys, construction workers trip head-first into manholes, and athletes trip on untied shoelaces. Everyone trips, but outdoor people probably trip more than anyone else. That's where trip insurance for the outdoors comes i...

It's spring in Northwestern Wyoming, and that not only means things are greening up, but farmers need to make way for new growth. So, they burn, and sometimes--just sometimes--things get a little out of hand...

Whenever you talk about the possibility of something happening shortly before it actually does, it's hard not to think there could be a connection between voicing your fears and seeing them come to life. Whether or not that really is the case, Al's opinion is that keeping your mouth shut is probably the best idea--especially when it comes to the weather...

If you wear corrective lenses, you know they aren't always the most convenient for hunting or fishing. From fogged up glasses to losing your spectacles, you can probably appreciate my reluctance to get a pair of glasses, but looking back, it might not have been such a bad idea! Join Al and his brother Caldwell for a story about why glasses, though inconvenient, are worth sacrificing a little pride...