Day Fire Podcast

This week we are talking with Michael Wurzel. Michael grew up in Nashville, Tennessee climbing at Kings Bluff and the now defunct Classic Rock Gym. When he turned 16 and bought his first car, you could often find him camping out at Rocktown and Zahnd on the weekends. His early climbing exploits led him to attending Sewanee for college and earning a degree in Environmental Policy. After a few years of being a climbing bum in Chattanooga, Michael earned a Master's in Environmental Science at UTC, and worked as the Executive Director of the Southeastern Climbers Coalition during its 20th Anniversary and beyond. Michael also worked at the Lula Lake Land Trust and the Friends of Moccasin Bend, always embracing the spirit of Chattanooga to make the place better. Eventually, Michael got a job at Summit County Open Space and Trails in Breckenridge, Colorado, and gave up the good life in Chattanooga for the high rockies. Now, Michael is the Sustainability Coordinator for Summit County Government, responsible for imple

According to Wikipedia the definition of Highpointing is: the sport of ascending to the point with the highest elevation within a given area. Well, what if your 'given area' changed? All the time! That is where the Bargo Brothers come in! Brandon and Greg Bargo are two adventurous, and competitive, brothers from Texas who explore the United States by climbing the highest points in all 50 states. Their passion for the outdoors is not limited to climbing and their adventures have taken them all around the world. They have also launched a successful TV series 'The Highpointers' on PBS that follows them on their journeys and documents the climbs, the cities, and the personalities they encounter along the way. We loved having the Bargo Brothers on Day Fire! They are natural storytellers and it's easy to understand why viewers tune in to each episode. Find out more about Branndon and Greg at: www.thehighpointers.com. Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenC

This week Dawson and Clint talk with health and human performance coach - Mark Fasczewski! Mark is the CEO of Vantaggio Fitness and Nutrition and has spent much of his time focused on coaching cycling athletes. He shares stories from competing, training, and coaching! Mark has been a personal trainer for over twenty five years and has great insights on how to push and fuel the body. Their conversation covers a lot of ground - working with parents of young athletes, how to buy your first bike, the lessons learned from competition, and much more. Whether it's cycling on the road or gravel - for fun or medals - this was a fun podcast! Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This week Clint and Dawson talk with Chris and Sara who are a husband and wife duo who share their travels and adventures over on Youtube. Their wildly popular channel is called, "Let's Be Us", While their passion and primary content is travel related, their channel features life as digital nomad entrepreneurs as well as life at their new home in Chattanooga, TN. Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This week Dawson and Clint welcome Jake Wheeler back to Day Fire! Jake is the Social Media Manager for Aspen Snowmass. Did you know mountains and ski slopes have personalities? Well they do - and they talk about the different personalities and characteristics of each mountain in the Aspen Snowmass family. Plus, they talk about art, diversity, marketing, hosting the X-Games and other events, and yes - sticking with the Day Fire tradition - they shared some stories. When Jake isn't working with his social media marketing team to produce the best content possible, he loves to take advantage of all that Aspen has to offer, which usually involves something outdoors. Good times were had by all on this episode of Day Fire! Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This week Clint catches up with Dawson as he wraps up his annual ski trip out west and before he heads home. How has COVID affected the trip? How was the snow? They talk about gear and the resorts Dawson has visited. PLUS - Dawson and some of his companions took some time and went exploring in the desert and the Canyonlands! Stories from the slopes with Dawson Wheeler! Thanks to our sponsors: Rock/Creek Outfitters and the Mountain View Auto Family Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This week Dawson and Clint revisit one of their most popular topics – THE VAN LIFE! Clay Watson and Justin Shipp rejoin Day Fire to talk about the buildout options and the features centered around the Ford Transit! Gadgets – Comfort – Efficiency – Purpose – everything that goes in and on the Transit! Plus – they share some stories about where the van can take you and the memories you can make! Clay Watson, who was born and raised in Southeast TN, has been employed at Mtn View Ford Lincoln for 24 years and is currently a Partner in the Mtn View Auto Group and serves as President of Mtn View Motorsports. He is an avid fisherman and van life adventurer. Justin Shipp is the Founder and Owner of Site Seven Campers and an all-around van guru! Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This week Dawson and Clint talk about search and rescue with Nancy East. Whether you are someone who enjoys a quick hike on your favorite trails or someone who likes to disappear for days at a time – this podcast is important. What can you do to prepare for the unknown to happen? What do you pack? Who do you share your plans with? What happens when things do NOT go as planned? Nancy and Dawson share stories and give advice that will help you go into the great outdoors and get back home safely. Nancy East has been an avid hiker and backpacker for over 25 years. She has completed three 900-miler maps of the Smokies, and she and her friend Chris Ford achieved a fastest known time (FKT) record during the last Smokies-900 map. and thru hikes of the Tahoe Rim Trail, the Wonderland Trail, Tour du Mont Blanc and many regional trails. Nancy is also a member of Haywood County's Search and Rescue Team, is on the founding board for the WNC Wilderness Safety Fund and is a semi-retired small animal veterinarian. Staying s

This week Dawson and Clint talk all things elk with Brad Miller and Jason Finnell. Brad serves as the Elk Program Coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Jason is an avid outdoor adventurer and hunter. The elk population in Tennessee is estimated to be between 400-500 and the ERZ (Elk Restoration Zone) covers 670,000 acres centered around the North Cumberland Plateau. They discuss how and why elk were introduced back into Tennessee, keeping the population healthy, the relationship between residents and the elk, why controlled hunts are important, the strategic plan moving forward, and much more! Brad Miller serves as the Elk Program Coordinator based out of the North Cumberland WMA work center. Brad came to TWRA in 2016 from the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) where he worked as the Regional Biologist for Tennessee and North Carolina. Prior to working for the NWTF, Brad was the Assistant Chief of Wildlife at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission where he also served as the Deer Prog

This week Dawson and Clint talk with Nancy East on how to avoid and deal with hypothermia. What is it? How does it affect us? What are the warning signs? What should I look for in my hiking buddies? Whether you are just out for a short hike or deep in the woods on a big adventure - preventing and dealing with the elements is vital. Who is Nancy? Nancy East has been an avid hiker and backpacker for over 25 years. She has completed three 900-miler maps of the Smokies, and she and her friend Chris Ford achieved a fastest known time (FKT) record during the last Smokies-900 map. and thru hikes of the Tahoe Rim Trail, the Wonderland Trail, Tour du Mont Blanc and many regional trails. Nancy is also a member of Haywood County's Search and Rescue Team, is on the founding board for the WNC Wilderness Safety Fund and is a semi-retired small animal veterinarian. Staying safe is a key component of enjoying our adventures! Great info and insights from Nancy on Day Fire Podcast! Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes a

This week another great guest. We sat down with Meg Landymore. Meg is a 34 year old ultra-runner, busy wife and mom of 2 young boys, veteran, business owner, Physician Assistant and ultrarunning coach. She has been running for 20 years and has been running ultra marathons for 9 of those years. She has had the privilege of gaining course records and podiums at a number of courses and races from 50K distances up to a recent FKT on the 144 miles of Double SCAR in the Smoky Mountains. She considers herself blessed to have seen a great deal of success but also her fair share of failures, injuries, medical complications and chronic pain. She has overcome a few surgeries and significant amounts of physical therapies in her continued search to heal and move/ run well. She has a special interest in mobility, functionality and anti-aging/ longevity. Meg believes simply, that the human body was made to move, that we are made to explore, to learn and to adapt. Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodca

This week Clint and Dawson sat down with Steve Scarborough. Before the show Dawson was telling Clint what a legend Steve is and how excited he was to do the podcast. Steve is one of few who shape shifted the canoe and kayak industry. Steve Scarborough escaped from his Dublin, Ga. roots to the Chattooga River of Deliverance fame after serving five years as an engineer and manager with AT&T in Atlanta. He survived as a river guide, canoe instructor, and wood paddle builder at his Dagger Paddle Company, a precursor of Dagger Canoe Company, which he, along with Joe Pulliam, Roy Guinn and Pete Jett, founded in Tennessee. Having previously designed canoes for Blue Hole Canoe Co., Steve served as the main boat designer for Dagger and produced canoe and kayak designs for whitewater, recreational flatwater, and sea kayaking. He also worked with the USA National and Olympic whitewater teams. With dozens of designs to his credit, his RPM kayak design is considered the best selling whitewater kayak in history. Steve

Dawson and Clint revisit some more great stories from Day Fire in 2020! Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Dawson and Clint recount some of the best stories from the year! Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This week Clint and Dawson talk with Dr Nancy East. Nancy is a Veterinarian in NC. We talk about taking your dogs out on the trails. The do's and don't of hiking with a dog. What you need to do for your pup while hiking from food, water, clothing to even a funny discussion on footwear. Dr. Nancy East is an avid hiker and backpacker for over 25 years. She has completed three 900-miler maps of the Smokies, and she and her friend Chris Ford achieved a fastest known time (FKT) record during the last Smokies-900 map in Sept of 2020. Nancy is also a member of Haywood County's Search and Rescue Team and is on the founding board for the WNC Wilderness Safety Fund. Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This week Clint and I talked with Cynthia Ord. Cynthia is a native of Denver, CO, a world traveler, and an outdoor adventurer. Her day job is doing marketing strategy for local businesses. But in her free time, she likes to plan her next bicycle trip. You can see where her bicycle takes her at www.littlemissbiketour.com. In September of 2018, Cynthia hatched the idea to ride her bicycle across the country. This feat was accomplished less than a year later in the summer of 2019 when she cycled the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail by herself. Cynthia chose the most famous cross-America bicycle route and started planning. Here are some facts about the route, as well as the answers to the most common questions people have about her adventure. TransAmerica Bicycle Trail by the numbers Distance: 4,223 miles (6,796 kilometers) on paved roads and country highways Total climb: 219,855 feet (67,012 meters) States crossed: 10 (Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Virginia)

This week we sat down with Nancy East and talked about the 10 essentials you need to carry in your daypack or backpack. The 10 Essentials are absolutely vital to every hike you go on, no matter what the environment or season, it’s important to individualize the rest of what you take in your pack, to suit your specific hike. Nancy walks us through each item and why it is necessary in our packs. Nancy East has been an avid hiker and backpacker for over 25 years. She has completed three 900-miler maps of the Smokies, and she and her friend Chris Ford achieved a fastest known time (FKT) record during the last Smokies-900 map. and thru hikes of the Tahoe Rim Trail, the Wonderland Trail, Tour du Mont Blanc and many regional trails. Nancy is also a member of Haywood County's Search and Rescue Team, is on the founding board for the WNC Wilderness Safety Fund, and is a semi-retired small animal veterinarian. She spends a substantial amount of time these days advocating for and teaching hikers and backpackers how

This week we sat down with Derick Lugo. Derick is the author of The Unlikely Thru-Hiker. The Unlikely Thru-Hiker is the story of a young black man setting off from the city with an extremely overweight backpack and a willfully can-do attitude. What follows are lessons on preparation, humility, race relations, and nature's wild unpredictability. Through it all, Derick refuses to let any challenge squash his inner Pollyanna persevering with humor, tenacity and an unshakeable commitment to grooming that sees him from Georgia to Maine. Thanks for listening! Find all our episodes at dayfirepodcast.com This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This week we talk with Tara Dower, which is her God given name, but her trail name is Candy Mama. She procured the nickname during her thru hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2019. 7 years prior, after watching an Appalachian Trail documentary in her d... This week we talk with Tara Dower, which is her God given name, but her trail name is Candy Mama. She procured the nickname during her thru hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2019. 7 years prior, after watching an Appalachian Trail documentary in her dorm room at East Carolina University she became focused on living a full and adventurous lifestyle. At 27, she worked in the outdoor industry since graduating and is always searching for her next active pursuit. As a competitive runner and avid hiker the Mountains to Sea Trail seemed perfect for her to explore completing as a Fastest Known Time. 29 days 8 hours and 48 minutes was what it took for her to complete all 1175 miles in the month of September 2020. Thanks for listening! Find all our epis

This week we sat down with Laurel Creech. Laurel is an enthusiastic, self-motivated and entrepreneurial leader: locally, regionally and nationally . She currently serves as Nashville Tennessee's first Assistant Director for the Division of Sustainabi... This week we sat down with Laurel Creech. Laurel is an enthusiastic, self-motivated and entrepreneurial leader: locally, regionally and nationally . She currently serves as Nashville Tennessee's first Assistant Director for the Division of Sustainability in the Department of General Services. She oversees environmental initiatives including renewable energy, energy efficiency, green infrastructure, waste reduction practices and outreach/education. Laurel was asked to serve on a US delegation to the EU last year to visit 8 different EU cities to learn about what they are doing to combat climate change--regulatory, programs, and social norms. We talk about why the trip was put together, differences in policies, social norms and best practices. A