The Dirtbag Diaries

The Shorts -- Trekker's Blues

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 01:36:00 GMT

More people reach the top of Mount Everest than hike the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail. It asks a lot of the human body. When writer Alissa Bohling and her longtime boyfriend Paul set out of the trail, they thought a trip of that significance would leave a mark on their relationship. They didn't foresee that it would leave Paul hobbling and struggling to get healthy years after they reached the Canadian border. In today's Short, Alissa puts pen to paper and imagines a pain-free life for Paul. If we write it down does it become true? I hope so.

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Fueled By Strawberry Jam

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:53:00 GMT

Ski filmmaker Nick Waggoner knew what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to be a skier of the diehard variety. There were two obvious hurdles. First, he lived in New York City. Second, he was 11 years old. He found a way to make it work and before he was legally behind the wheel of a car, he was squeezing adventure out of skiing. In the last decade, his passion for skiing evolved into a passion for making films about skiing, but his approach has remained the same. Today, we bring you another Year of Big Ideas -- a time to turn daydreams into concrete goals. Professional athletes, weekend warriors, and full time dreamers present their goals for 2010.

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Music from Episode 34

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:08:00 GMT

Here are the cuts from The Year Of Big Ideas 2010....Thanks Ioda Promonet and Sub Pop. If you go to Sub Pop's artist's page there is a bunch tracks for free download.

Artist: Wolf Parade Track: Shine a Light

Artist: Vetiver Tracks: Everyday, More of This

Efterklang, The Danish National Chamber Orchestra
"Illuminant" (mp3)
from "Performing Parades"
(Rumraket)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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Mason Lindahl
"Serrated Man Sound" (mp3)
from "Serrated Man Sound"
(Porter Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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Happy New Year! This is what I've been working on

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:52:00 GMT

For the last year and change, when I haven't been finding stories for the Diaries I've been working on a new project -- one that I've kept pretty quiet about. Yesterday, The Season kicked off. It's a 22-episode web television series shot in HD. It begins in earnest the last week of January. The idea, or maybe the question, behind the series is this: Could we take compelling stories from our community, combine it with tightly crafted footage and create small installments that reveal a bigger story? I teamed up with Bryan Smith, who you may remember from the New Conservationists, and we set off with this goal in mind. We followed five athletes -- men and women a lot like you -- through the course of a single season in the Northwest. These athletes aren't setting out on their seasons goals because there is monetary reward or they expect to get famous. They chased these goals because they are deeply passionate about their pursuits. I'm thrilled to introduce them to you.

The Season won't replace the Diaries; we've got great season of episodes planned for you. The Season is merely a sister to what you have helped me create here. In April, the Season will run its course. The Diaries will continue. In the meantime, I hope you like what you see and that you continue to support independent media by subscribing, telling your friends about The Season (if you like it) and spreading the words. You are and have been my greatest allies in trying to bring stories back to outdoor media. I hope you enjoy.

Forty Miles A Poem

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Whether you swing a hammer or hammer on the keyboard, we all find ways to stay sane during the workweek. Maybe itâs a particularly good post-work bouldering session or an hour of yoga, which has been the case for me lately. When Scott Harveyâs poem â40 Miles of Inspirationâ showed up in my Inbox, it was a like a breath of fresh air. Itâs hard not to smile at this refreshing cure for the mid-week blues. Farm dogs. Wayward bats. Coyotes. All in a dayâs commute.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from 40 Miles

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:56:00 GMT

here are the cuts from 40 miles...

By Divine Right
"Que Paso?" (mp3)
from "Mutant Message"
(Hand Drawn Dracula)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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Mo Rooneh
"April" (mp3)
from "Cinematographic"
(Monochrome)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
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Track A Tiger
"Don't Let The Nightlight Dance" (mp3)
from "I Felt The Bullet Hit My Heart"
(Deep Elm)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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Fun Divided By Three

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 23:01:00 GMT

As outdoor types, we love rating systems. We'll rate anything. Rapids. Climbs. Ski runs. Now, we've gone and tried to rate the unrateable -- fun. Fun divided by three -- it's this concept that has been floating around campfires for years. It dictates that there are three types of fun. There is type one fun and type two fun, but today, we are going to explore type three fun. This is the epic. The suffer fest. This is collarbone breaking, giardia-getting, soaked-to-the-bone, carnage. If it sounds horrible, that's because it probably is. What does type three fun entail? Why do some people seem particularly drawn to these types of adventures and what could possibly motivate us to embrace type three fun? Today, we bring you answers.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music From Fun Divided By Three

Sun, 6 Dec 2009 21:42:00 GMT

here are the cuts from today's show...enjoy.

Andrew Jackson Jihad
"Heartilation" (mp3)
from "Can't Maintain"
(Asian Man Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

These United States
"I Want You To Keep Everything" (mp3)
from "Everything Touches Everything"
(United Interests)

Buy at Napster
Buy at Amazon MP3
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General Elektriks
"Raid the Radio" (mp3)
from "Good City For Dreamers"
(Quannum Projects)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
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This Morning Call
"Whistle" (mp3)
from "Tides"
(Substream)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Napster
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Egadz!
"Going Home" (mp3)
from "Egadz is Dead"
(Kid Without Radio)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
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The Shorts -- Friends In High Places

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 17:33:00 GMT

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. Heâs had an email account for four years now. He knows how to program a VCR. Heâs even considered buying one of those new-fangled Blueberry phones. What can I say? Kelly is a mover and a shaker. The guyâs 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. Itâs certainly just as time consuming.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from the Shorts

Sun, 8 Nov 2009 17:41:00 GMT

Here are the cuts from our Facebook episode...

The Mother Hips
"One Way Out" (mp3)
from "Pacific Dust"
(Camera Records)

Buy at Rhapsody
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CYNE
"Pretty Apollo" (mp3)
from "Water For Mars"
(Hometapes)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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Sugar & Gold
"Slice Me Nice" (mp3)
from "ÃÂAYA! Remix EP"
(Antenna Farm Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
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Track A Tiger
"Light" (mp3)
from "We Moved Like Ghosts"
(Deep Elm)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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The New Conservationists

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:11:00 GMT

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.

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Music from Episode 32

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:56:00 GMT

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.

The Most Serene Republic
"Heavens To Purgatory" (mp3)
from "...And The Ever Expanding Universe"
(Arts & Crafts)

Buy at Rhapsody
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Herman Dune
"Don't Lie About Me" (mp3)
from "Don't Lie About Me!"
(Everloving)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
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Balmorhea
"The Winter" (mp3)
from "Rivers Arms"
(Western Vinyl)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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Egadz!
"Have Some Guts Kid" (mp3)
from "Egadz is Dead"
(Kid Without Radio)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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Do Make Say Think
"Do" (mp3)
from "Other Truths"
(Constellation)

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The Shorts -- Underwriting Adventure

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:55:00 GMT

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 underwriterâs nightmare. It turns out that climbing is blacklisted. On top of that, while abroad Burhardt couldnât partake in sleigh rides, play American Football or Zorb. She didnât 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 â you canât plan adventure.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from the Shorts

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:05:00 GMT

Music from Underwriting Adventure....

Tinariwen
"Imidiwan Afrik Temdam" (mp3)
from "Imidiwan: Companions"
(World Village)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
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Mantis
"What? (feat. Justis)" (mp3)
from "Still Life"
(Brick Records)

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Selva de Mar
"Reggae Ehad" (mp3)
from "Selva de Mar"
(Whatabout Music)

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Seeds

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:13:00 GMT

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 Picheâs world turned upside down. He discovered, that even in the worst moments there are seeds of growth.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Seeds

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:23:00 GMT

Here are the cuts from Episode 31...

Peter Broderick
"The Path to Recovery" (mp3)
from "Music for Falling from Trees"
(Western Vinyl)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
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We Were Promised Jetpacks
"Ships With Holes Will Sink" (mp3)
from "These Four Walls"
(Fat Cat Records)

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ZAZA
"Sooner or Later" (mp3)
from "Cameo"
(Kanine Records LLC)

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Music From Dirtbag Diaries Vol 4

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:32:00 GMT

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.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

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.

CunninLynguists
"Don't Leave (When Winter Comes) [feat. Slug]" (mp3)
from "Strange Journey Volume One"
(QN5, Inc.)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Blind Pilot
"Go On, Say It" (mp3)
from "IODA SXSW Opening Day Bash Sampler 2009"
(ioda)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody

Matt & Kim
"Yea Yeah" (mp3)
from "Self Titled"
(iheartcomix)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Frightened Rabbit
"Head Rolls Off" (mp3)
from "The Midnight Organ Fight"
(Fat Cat Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Deer Tick
"Easy" (mp3)
from "Born on Flag Day"
(Partisan Records)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody

Rae & Christian
"Play On (feat. The Jungle Brothers)" (mp3)
from "Raiding The Vaults"
(RAC)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Faunts
"Feel.Love.Thinking.Of." (mp3)
from "Feel.Love.Thinking.Of."
(Friendly Fire Recordings)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The Shorts -- Knees and Weather Permitting

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:02:00 GMT

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 mountainsâ calling later in life. That doesnât mean the passion burns any less bright. When writer Sarah Wroot took her first hike through Scottlandâs craggy hills, she was overwhelmed with a surprising notion. âIf I had a pack and a tent, I could keep going. I could be free to go wherever I want,â 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. Weâll be back this fall with a whole new season of stories.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Three Eighths to Eternity

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:58:00 GMT

âThe planks of my boat are three eighths of an inch thick. Three eighths â this is the distance between myself and the depths,â 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 â 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?

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music From Episode 30

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:34:00 GMT

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....

Deer Tick
"Easy" (mp3)
from "Born on Flag Day"
(Partisan Records)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody

West Indian Girl
"Beach" (mp3)
from "We Believe"
(Origami Music)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Sunparlour Players
"Battle Of 77" (mp3)
from "Wave North"
(Outside Music)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody

Sinkane
"Apache Beat" (mp3)
from "Sinkane"
(Emergency Umbrella)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Lymbyc Systym
"Processed Spirits" (mp3)
from "Field Studies"
(Magic Bullet)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Lymbyc Systym
"Lotan Baba" (mp3)
from "Carved By Glaciers"
(Magic Bullet)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The Shorts -- Summer Invocation

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:25:00 GMT

Up in the Northwest, we say that summer doesnât actually start until July 4th. Right now, weâre experiencing our annual June gloom. So I thought it was time to invoke blue skies and warmer temps. A seasonâs worth of summits, single track and lounging on the riverbank is just around the corner. Itâs time for me to do my part in the changing of the seasons.

Happy summer.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

music from the shorts

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:06:00 GMT

here are the cuts from Summer Invocation....

Lymbyc Systym
"Carved By Glaciers" (mp3)
from "Carved By Glaciers"
(Magic Bullet)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Seekret Socyetee
"For Whom The Bell Tolls" (mp3)
from "The IL2 Word"
(Quickstar Productions)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Call for Stories

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:12:00 GMT

The Summer break is coming up in August and I will be out gathering stories. Weâve got some cool stories already planned for next fall, but there were a couple of ideas I wanted to work on and Iâm hoping to get peopleâs input. So if youâve 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 â Iâm 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 youâve got a story about a favorite climbing partner or a story youâve heard, it would be great to here about them.

2. The Economy â Iâm 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 canât 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 itâs worth covering important topics from our perspective. After all, who else out there is going to do it?

The Dreamers

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:44:00 GMT

âI had convinced myself at that point that my goal was so important it was worth dying for,â says alpine master Steve House about his 15-year-old dream of climbing the Rupal Face. Big Dreams require big commitment. We may not all dream on the same scale and commitment levels, but we all share dreams. They pull us through our lives on solid ground. Today writer and climber Sarah Garlick presents: The Dreamers â reflections from four generations of the worldâs best climbers: Steve House, Henry Barber, Steve Schneider, and Colin Haley. In the process Sarah found out a little bit about herself. Do you have a life long dream? What if you completed it? What if you never realized it?

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 29

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:55:00 GMT

Today's music came from our friends, The Secret Life of Sofia. This Brooklyn-based band aren't your typical indie rockers -- they've got an affinity for the wide open space and big mountains. Their latest album Seven Summits is featured here today.

"It is in some ways a concept album - part historical fiction, part personal experience. Its writing was largely influenced by an obsession with the mountains and my relationship with them," lead singer Kyle Wilson told me. You can purchase the album through their myspace page linked above.

On a personal note, I really dig this album. It's very difficult to write songs that speak to the power of high places without falling into ridiculous cliche. I've listened to this album dozens of times and at each listen I find some new historical reference or emotion I recognize from my own connection to the mountains. It is in some ways as much a novel as it is a record and Wilson avoids the cliche by sticking to inventive images that we all know and recognize but would never think to include in a song. Seriously, check it out.

Sixty Meters to Anywhere

Wed, 27 May 2009 01:58:00 GMT

âIs there a statute of limitations on finding something youâre passionate about? Is there a certain age when learning something new becomes too much to take on, or we become to afraid to fail or afraid to let others see us fail?â writes Brendan Leonard. A few Christmases back, Brendan received a rather strange gift from his brother - an old rope. Brendan wasnât a climber. He had no intention of becoming of climber. Sometimes though gifts can change our lives. It turns out that 60-meters of climbing rope has taken him farther than he could have ever dreamed.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 28

Tue, 26 May 2009 00:42:00 GMT

here are the cuts from the latest show. You can download them by left clicking on the mp3 link.

Clues
"Perfect Fit" (mp3)
from "Clues"
(Constellation)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Clues
"Remember Severed Head" (mp3)
from "Clues"
(Constellation)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Kokolo
"Trouble Come, Trouble Go" (mp3)
from "The Rough Guide To Afrobeat Revival"
(Rough Guides/World Music Network)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Rodriguez
"Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour" (mp3)
from "Coming From Reality"
(Light In The Attic)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel
"Hesitation Blues" (mp3)
from "Willie And The Wheel"
(Bismeaux Records)

Buy at Willie and the Wheel Website
Stream from Rhapsody

The Shorts -- Great White Book

Fri, 8 May 2009 14:42:00 GMT

âLife isnât a bolted sport route,â says writer Scotty Kennedy. âThe gear is sketchy and the route is difficult to read.â In 2001, Scott and his wife Sophie were living in the States. Scott was interning at a magazine. Sophie was dirtbagging it in Camp Four. On weekends, they would meet up to climb in Yosemiteâs high country, Tuolumne. Sometimes small choices reverberate through our lives. Something as simple as the dayâs route can carve the bedrock of our personalities. On the Great White Book, Scott was offered a chance to look inside. What he saw was too difficult to share even with those closest to him.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Great White Book

Thu, 7 May 2009 18:54:00 GMT

here are the cuts from the show

CunninLynguists
"Don't Leave (When Winter Comes) [feat. Slug]" (mp3)
from "Strange Journey Volume One"
(QN5, Inc.)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Dengue Fever
"March of the Balloon Animals" (mp3)
from "Dengue Fever Presents: Sleepwalking Through the Mekong"
(M80)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Great Northern
"Warning" (mp3)
from "Remind Me Where The Light Is"
(Eenie Meenie Records)

More On This Album

Update: Climbing for Cancer Research

Tue, 5 May 2009 23:48:00 GMT

Megan Sturdy first wrote me about a year ago. She had two distinct and seemingly incongruent passions â climbing and curing cancer. In Sturdyâs mind, there was no reason that her dual passions had to conflict. I invited her to participate in 2009âs Year of Big Ideas.

A PhD student in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Illinois in Chicago, Sturdy has figured out how to harness the energy of our community to further her labâs research into Cyanobacteriaâs potential role in curing cancer. Sturdy created a system for climbers to help collect water samples from high alpine lakes in order to test chemically unique strains of Cyanobacteria. Now, she has targeted the remote and isolated island of Samoa and its alpine lakes for her next collecting trip. The trip will require grants, a little dirtbag ingenuity and a good-old-fashioned climberâs gathering.

On Saturday June 6th, Sturdy, with the help of Muir Valley owners the Webers (Rick Weber is in the midst of his own struggle with cancer), will hold a climbing scavenger hunt and fundraiser. Teams of two will start climbing. At the top of each route, competitors will find clues that will lead them towards their next route. âI want to throw the angst, fear and competition dread out the window,â Sturdy wrote. âThis is about climbing camaraderie.â

There will be prizes, BBQ and events to keep the little ones busy. So if the Red River Gorge is in your neck of the woods, check it out. Itâs events like these that make our community so special. The dirtbag youâre tied to might be curing cancer when sheâs not cragging.

When: Saturday, June 6th
What: A scavenger hunt to raise money for cancer research.
Suggested Donation: $20

For more information, links and directions to the event visit Climbing for Cancer Research.

The Cowboy and the Maiden

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:41:00 GMT

In September 2008, Chad Kellogg and climbing partner Dylan Johnson stood atop 6250-meter Siguniang in Western China after completing the 10,000-foot-long SW Ridge. It was a mind-bending ascent through a massive big wall, a razor edge ridge and high altitude ice climbing. The two friends endured days without water and several sleepless nights. Dylan lost 30 pounds over the course of their ascent. If that sounds epic, it pales in comparison to what Kellogg went through to even return to the mountain that had filled his thoughts for years. During a prior trip, Chad was called home after his wife Lara died in Alaskaâs Ruth Gorge. Four months later, he was diagnosed with cancer. Summits fade, routes disappear into alpinistsâ memory, but occasionally mountains extend back into life on level ground. Sometimes we donât just want to climb a mountain. We need to.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music From Episode 27

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:30:00 GMT

Here are the cuts from The Cowboy and the Maiden.

Balmorhea
"Harm & Boon" (mp3)
from "All Is Wild, All Is Silent"
(Western Vinyl)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
"Malbicho" (mp3)
from "La Luz Del Ritmo"
(Nacional Records)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Egadz!
"Grim Advantage Pt. 1" (mp3)
from "Shining Hours"
(Kid Without Radio)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Suburban Dark
"Comms" (mp3)
from "Expeditions"
(The Frequency Lab)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Home Video
"Sleep Sweet" (mp3)
from "No Certain Night or Morning - iTunes Exclusive"
(Defend Music Inc.)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

The Outdoor Parent

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:45:00 GMT

Today, The Dirtbag Diaries launches a new companion site â The Outdoor Parent. Our goal: provide stoke. Stoke to get you out of bed before dawn for a long run through the woods or a solid surf session at a favorite break. Stoke to rally the kids out for a weekend of camping beneath dark, starry skies or just around the corner to the edges of your local park. We celebrate skinned knees, hand-me-down jeans and big smiles. We believe in unchecked imagination and learning by doing. Already, weâve got some posts up and running. Please have a look around. Leave a comment and let us know what you think. The Outdoor Parent is looking for contributors so if youâre interested or know someone who might be, please drop us a line.

Here is what you can expect from us.

    * Perspective from climbers, skiers, surfers and modern explorers who have embarked on the ultimate adventure â parenthood.
    * Interviews with athletes who prove that chasing the dream and instilling a love of the natural world in kids are one and the same.
    * Creative tips for turning the natural world into an outdoor classroom.
    * Thoughtful discussion on topics that concern you â balancing personal goals with raising a family, risk, the environment.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from the show
The American Analog Set
"Make It Take It" (mp3)
from "Hard to Find: Singles and Unreleased 2000-2005"
(Hometown Fantasy)

More On This Album

Beginner's Mind

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:50:00 GMT

âAs beginners, the foreign language of awkward body movements communicates a commonality and leaves an ego naked. In this fragile moment, we are able to lay a foundation, a connection,â writes Becca. Itâs hard to forget the first time you wedged fingers into a granite crack or careened wildly out of control down a ski slope. I bet you remember who was alongside of you. In the outdoor world, as we age, we can become picky. We are able to discern choss from splitter granite or hard packed moguls from Utahâs finest snow. Opportunities to return to that beginnerâs wonder can be rare. Sometimes it is as simple as trading two planks for one.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Burton Chill/Music from the Show

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:54:00 GMT

The Chill Program is a non-profit, learn-to-ride program for under-served youth in urban areas across the U.S. In short, it's a kick-ass program started by Jake and Donna Burton of Burton Snowboards fame that gets 2,200 youth who have never ridden before and probably wouldn't have the opportunity to do so other wise out on the slopes. It's not some photo-op program either. The Chill people do it right. This isn't just a chance to try snowboarding; it's a chance to learn. The program last six weeks. Participants receive lift tickets, rentals, transport to the mountain, lessons and most of all a pretty unforgettable time.

I've been involved as a volunteer for Chill for about three seasons now, and am always blown away by the impact it can have (You might remember this Story). Snowboarding isn't going to solve the world's ills, but this program can have a pretty powerful influence on some (certainly not all) of it's participants. Most of all...it's a frickin blast to volunteer. Check out their site for locations. I'd highly recommend it for people looking to get involved in their communities.

Music Today

Matt & Kim
"Yea Yeah" (mp3)
from "Self Titled"
(iheartcomix)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

The Blakes
"Two Times" (mp3)
from "The Blakes"
(Light In The Attic)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Substantial
"Day in the Life (feat. Steph)" (mp3)
from "My Favorite Things"
(QN5, Inc.)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Urgent Update: Rio Baker Dam Construction Begins

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:35:00 GMT

International Rivers emailed last night. The construction of dams in the Rio Baker watershed is underway. Despite not having formal approval to begin the project, HidroAysen has built a workers encampment, started blasting and building tunnels.

Please, if our latest episode, the Adventurer's Parable rang true, please take a moment to help. Here is some more information from International Rivers:

....express your outrage at HidroAysÃn's flagrant disrespect of corporate environmental responsibility by taking part in our ongoing on line actions with Home Depot and ENEL. Home Depot is our US target, and we are insisting that they take a stand on this issue (Dam Home Depot Not Patagonia) by refusing to purchase wood from the Matte Group, the main Chilean partner in the Patagonia dam proposals. Our latest internet action is focused on ENEL, the Italian energy multinational that controls more than 90 percent of ENDESA. For those of you who have already written to these companies, now is the time to get more friends involved to tell Home Depot and ENEL to protect Patagonia!

Thanks for your time.

The Adventurer's Parable

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:51:00 GMT

Todayâs episode has it all. Steep descents. A battle to save South Americaâs pristine rivers. Backyard adventure. Eye candy. Photographers and activists Brian Mohr and Emily Johnson present stories and photos from wild ski terrain and their struggle to become a piece of the conservation puzzle rather than a cog in the problem. If adventure is the reflection of the human spirit, do we need to travel half a world away to find it in distant ranges, wild rivers and unpaved roads? And if the very act of traveling harms the places you hold dear, is going justifiable? The answers to those head jarring questions donât always come easy.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WITH PHOTOS

For audio only, click here.

Rio Baker and Music

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:44:00 GMT

The Rio Baker hangs in a delicate balance. I won't get to into depth here as numerous groups have gathered together to fight the dams. Please click on the links. You too can contribute to the preservation of the Aysen Region. Numerous groups have taken up the cause. Conservacion Patagonica has already helped preserve a half million acres and established a National Park in Argentina.

Consider taking a few moments to draft a letter to Enel, the Italian power giant that is now spearheading the power project. Berkley-based International Rivers has a wealth of information and resources for getting involved without ever having to get up from your desk. The Diaries sponsor, Patagonia, also has information for contacting the Chilean government and helped Brian and Emily return to the Rio Baker in 2006 with a generous Dirtbag Grant. We can make a difference.

Here are the cuts from the latest edition....

Ultre
"Struggle and Nothing" (mp3)
from "The Nest And The Skull"
(Audiobulb Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Blind Pilot
"Go On, Say It" (mp3)
from "IODA SXSW Opening Day Bash Sampler 2009"
(ioda)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Gentleman Reg
"We're in a Thunderstorm" (mp3)
from "Jet Black"
(Arts & Crafts)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

The Books
"When we're fishing" (mp3)
from "I Land"
(Tratore)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Marching Band
"Don't Go" (mp3)
from "IODA SXSW Opening Day Bash Sampler 2009"
(ioda)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

731 Days Later...

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:20:00 GMT

Two years ago, I was staring fruitlessly at a computer screen. In between half-hearted stabs at the keyboard, I thought about going back to grad school even though I had sworn that when I finished my undergrad at UW, I wouldnât be back. I wanted to simultaneously feel alive and afraid atop a 1,500-foot ribbon of Tahoe snow. I wished I was shaking my way through fragile hook placements on El Capâs flanks. I wanted to be a malnourished and under-washed 22-year-old again, whose only appointment was watching the sunlight move across Western Australia. The grass was greener. The skies above were gray. I was looking back and stumbling forward, while the present slipped by.

I was sick of daydreaming. I dropped the commissioned piece I was working on that day and started writing, guided by the same intuition that leads seasoned alpinists through hazardous terrain or pulls long-distance runners through the dark streets of cities. I wanted to explore, to grow, to learn. If the computer was going to be the vehicle â so be it.

The keyboard clicked like chattering teeth. I pulled out a mic left over from my days of playing in bands. Audio cords coiled around desk legs like creeping vines. I duct taped the mic to the battered stand (I used to rock pretty hard) and without having any idea of where it might lead, I hit the big red record button, stood up, cleared my throat and decided it was time to find my voice.

Two years later, Iâm still a struggling outdoor writer. Whatâs the difference then? Iâm a happy, struggling outdoor writer. The Diaries have swelled to encompass a variety of voices and viewpoints. They have become larger than one man broadcasting from a coat closet. Thank you for taking this journey with me. Today, we present The Monoboard Revisited. Hereâs to another two years of dreaming, tinkering and coming up with ways to get into trouble.

Click Here To Listen

PS It also happens to be my brother, Walker's, birthday. Happy Birthday dude.

Music From the Monoboard

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:12:00 GMT

music from the Monoboard remixed....

Andy McKee
"Art of Motion" (mp3)
from "Art of Motion"
(Candy Rat Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Gregory & The Hawk
"Grey Weather" (mp3)
from "Moenie And Kitchi"
(Fat Cat Records)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody

The American Analog Set
"Born On The Cusp" (mp3)
from "Set Free"
(Arts & Crafts)

Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at Rhapsody

Into the Dark

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 18:38:00 GMT

"Climbing -- this one act saves me," says Portland rock climber Bob Grunau. Throughout his life, Grunau has struggled with the lingering clouds of depression. Until he discovered climbing, the only way to weather the darker cycles was to retreat inward into his mind. That approach worked until he became a part of a family. Grunau had to be present. In those hard moments, he turned to climbing.

High, lonesome places can provide respite and joy. We can love them deeply, but ice and rock will not love us back. Ultimately, our tenuous connections with the vertical life are not nearly as delicate as our relationships with those we love.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from the Shorts

Sun, 8 Feb 2009 22:47:00 GMT

Benjamin Dewey is Portland musician and friend of today's contributor Bob Grunau. Dewey is also an artist and has some pretty cool comics over at Melee Comics.

Also appearing on todays show.
The Hylozoists
"Bras d'Or Lakes" (mp3)
from "L'Ãïle De Sept Villes"
(Outside Music)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Red Room Cinema
"The Nation Is On Fire" (mp3)
from "The Black Friday Session EP"
(New Granada Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Y La Bamba
"Alida St." (mp3)
from "Alida St"
(GypsyPop Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

News and Notes

Fri, 6 Feb 2009 18:55:00 GMT

I've gotten a bunch of emails pointing out I had overlooked something. In Mr. Smart Goes Big (Year of Big Ideas 2009), two of the contributors have really cool projects in the works.

Megan Sturdy is a climber and scientist working at the University of Illinois Chicago. She has figured out a way to incorporate here two seemingly incongruent passions -- cancer research and climbing -- into a singular project. Last year, Sturdy launched Climbing for Cancer Research. Her mission is two-fold. First, Sturdy is hoping to travel to Samoa where she can employ her climbing skills to reach lakes containing rare strains of cyanobacteria, which she uses in her research (I'd explain but it's above my pay grade). Second, she wants to get climbers involved in the collection process. Check out what you can do to help. Sounds kind of fun.

Also Shane Robinson of Episode 15 fame is taking part in The Kamchatka Project. A team of ripping boaters who also happen to be scientists, photographers, filmmakers and marketing types hope to shed light on the world's richest wild salmon spawning grounds deep inside Kamchatka Peninsula. Kayaks will be the vehicle. Conservation is the mission.

Mister Smart Goes Big

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:46:00 GMT

Rangi Smart was riding a small spur of his favorite single-track trail when he stumbled upon a perfectly designed mountain bike jump. A platform of two by fours and plywood launched a rider outward and 20-feet down the steep hillside. It was the kind of thing Rangi had only seen pro riders stomp on mountain bike videos.

The 33-year-old math teacher thought to himself, âWhat kind of nut-job rides off something like that?â

Then Rangi imagined that he was that nut-job.

We can bide our time, wait patiently for our chance to shine, but more often than not, the moment chooses us. Itâs our job to answer. Hereâs to another year of big ideas, another year of slaying giants, bearing down, not giving up, chasing daylight, paddling in and fostering change. We bring you the hopes, dreams and goals of professional athletes, regular joes, parents, soldiers and students. Hereâs to the dirtbags. Hereâs to Mr. Smart.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Publish the Quest

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:10:00 GMT

You may remember Jacob Bain from Episode 5. He's got a a goal for the new year -- get serious about making music. His new band -- Publish the Quest -- is the real deal. Visit the band's site or their myspace page to stream cuts and buy the album.

The Peach

Fri, 9 Jan 2009 15:40:00 GMT

Taco Bell. Pizza Hut. Climber and writer, Kelly Cordes had one hell of resume by the time he applied for a position baking bread. The work was simple, came with food and the early starts would teach Cordes to like the dreaded 3 a.m. starts demanded of cutting edge alpinism. It was an ideal job for a dirtbag who lived and breathed climbing, and once resided in a 77-square-foot shack. Then Cordes ran into Bosszilla.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Support the Dirtbag Diaries! Look Good Doing It!

Wed, 7 Jan 2009 21:30:00 GMT

The Dirtbag Art Department just sent this over -- T-Shirts are available. Finally...I know you all have been asking for some time now. Visit Walker's Etsy Site, which implements Pay Pal for easy payment. He has a few different designs, so check them out. All proceeds go to supporting the Diaries. Think of it as an NPR tote bag but way cooler...

Pre-Order by the end of the month to be the first to get one.

A note from Walker:

100% genuine Dirtbag Diaries paraphernalia is here. Fitz Cahall, the brains behind DBD, asked me to make some shirts. He yelled from the mountain tops "Yo Little Brother, make some shirts, and make 'em good." Mind you this was from a mountain top so it might have gotten a little garbled.

If you enjoy looking good and shredding the gnar or sitting under a tree watching the wildlife then this may be the shirt for you. I hope you enjoy it.

* Please specify your size! (XS-XL)

* The Dirtbag Diaries shirt is printed on a 100% cotton t-shirt (sweatshop free) using water based inks and environmentally friendly cleaning chemicals.

* This shirt is pre-order only. Once we get enough orders we will print a batch. At the very most it might take a month. Thanks for your patience.

New Year Goals and Music

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 22:13:00 GMT

"Give the people what they want," my little brother told me. For the last couple weeks there have been calls for another edition of the Year of Big Ideas. Little brother had a point. They grow up so fast.

In the next week I'll be collecting goals and dreams from friends, weekend warrior and professionals alike. This year though, I wanted to include the Dirtbag Nation. If you got something to say, drop us a line via email. I'm not big on resolutions -- to me the word sounds like a limp-wristed Congressional process or a marketing point for an Hi-Def TV. I want honest to goodness goals.

In the meantime, here is a little New Years treat....Volume Three of the Dirtbag's Playlist.

In Order

Delta Spirit
"Trashcan" (mp3)
from "Ode to Sunshine"
(Rounder Records)

More On This Album

School of Seven Bells
"Half Asleep" (mp3)
from "Alpinisms"
(Ghostly International)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Windmill
"Tokyo Moon" (mp3)
from "Puddle City Racing Lights"
(Friendly Fire Recordings)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Feral Children
"Billionaires vs. Millionaires" (mp3)
from "Second to the Last Frontier"
(Sarathan Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Frightened Rabbit
"Old Old Fashioned" (mp3)
from "Liver! Lung! FR!"
(Fat Cat Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Elliott Brood
"Oh, Alberta" (mp3)
from "Tin Type"
(Weewerk)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody
Alias
"Well Water Black (feat. Yoni Wolf of WHY?)" (mp3)
from "Resurgam"
(anticon)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

Marching Band
"Gorgeous Behavior" (mp3)
from "Spark Large"
(U & L Records, Inc.)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Bedtime Stories for Wanderers

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 23:43:00 GMT

If stories are the currency of travel, then writer Ryan Nickum is a very wealthy man. By the time he turned 30, Nickum's passport was chock full of the brightly colored patchwork of entry and exit stamps from dozens of distant countries. He was consumed by a desire to travel and haunted by the inability to sit still. The gaps in his resume developed into oceans between jobs. Cynicism grew. The overwhelming urge to quit the job and pack a bag sprang up every six months like a song that would not leave his ears. With his career stalling and idealism flat lining, Nickum looked into his past to search for the seed of the travel affliction. There was only one person to blame -- his father.

What makes the traveler's feet restless? Is it nature or nurture? Writer Ryan Nickum presents Bedtime Stories for Wanderers.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 24

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:25:00 GMT

here are the tracks from the latest show....enjoy!

Hauschka
"Freibad" (mp3)
from "Ferndorf"
(Fat Cat Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Frightened Rabbit
"Old Old Fashioned" (mp3)
from "Liver! Lung! FR!"
(Fat Cat Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
"Backrow Politics" (mp3)
from "Act Your Age"
(Immergent)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The Coast
"Tight Rope" (mp3)
from "Killing Off Our Friends"
(Aporia Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Frontier Ruckus
"Orion Town 2" (mp3)
from "The Orion Songbook"
(Quite Scientific Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Twilight Hotel
"Viva la Vinyl" (mp3)
from "Highway Prayer"
(Corazong Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The Tones
"The Movemeant" (mp3)
from "Dreamtalk"
(PLUG Label)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

O Tannenbaum

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 03:23:00 GMT

Warning: This episode contains radio nudity and Christmas carols.

Christmas trees are a massive business. Americans spent $2.5 billion on Christmas trees in 2007. For the last five years, I have been stingier than Scrooge when it comes to a Yule Tree. In 2008, Iâm a changed man. Armed with a handsaw and empowered by a National Forest permit, I wandered out into the Cascades to search for the perfect Christmas tree. Sometimes in the darkest days of winter, a little light isnât a bad thing.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 23

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:04:00 GMT

here are the cuts from the latest episode...

Mahalia Jackson
"Silent Night" (mp3)
from "Christmas Remixed 2"
(Rock River Music)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

+/- {Plus/Minus}
"Snowblind" (mp3)
from "Xs On Your Eyes"
(Absolutely Kosher)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Blitzen Trapper
"Christmas Is Coming Soon" (mp3)
from "I'll Stay 'Til After Christmas"
(Animal World)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

School of Seven Bells
"Connjur" (mp3)
from "Alpinisms"
(Ghostly International)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The Shorts -- Friendship is a Used Bicycle

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:21:00 GMT

ââYou should get a bike. It will change your life,â my friend Nick said. I heard this over and over again like a nagging brake pad rubbing on the one wobbly spot on a dented wheel,â writes Colorado-based writer Brendan Leonard.

Leonard wasnât a believer until his friend showed up his doorstep with a gift â a 1989 red Trek bicycle. As he began riding, Leonard found his life falling into the smooth order of a finely tuned bike. To find a center, some people practice Yoga. Others meditate. All Leonard needs is a dark road and no particular destination. As he says, âThere is rhythm and with the rhythm comes a clear line of thought.â

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Fear Squared

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:40:00 GMT

What scares dirtbags? Global warming? Nine to five? Johnny Law? The unequivocal answer â bears. After sifting through the entries for the âNight of the Living Dirtbagâ, it became clear â bears scare the daylights out of you all.

To celebrate Halloween, we bring you two tales of terror. Contest winner Chris Peters explains why it pays to listen to the safety talk and a very special guest remembers a family vacation to the Alaskan wilderness gone wrong. Fear is a funny thing. Whether the threat is real or imagined, the emotion of fear â heart-pumping terror â is just as powerful.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 22

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:45:00 GMT

here are the cuts from the latest show...

John Carpenter, Alan Howarth
"Chariots of Pumpkins" (mp3)
from "Halloween III: Complete Original Motion Picture Score"
(Halloween Music)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Charlie Hunter
"Welcome to Frankfurt" (mp3)
from "Baboon Strength"
(reapandsow, Inc.)
clear="all">
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

adcBicycle
"And Who Could Love A Man She Couldn't See?" (mp3)
from "adcBicycle"
(Noise Factory)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Marching Band
"For Your Love" (mp3)
from "Spark Large"
(U & L Records, Inc.)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

+/- {Plus/Minus}
"Snowblind" (mp3)
from "Xs On Your Eyes"
(Absolutely Kosher)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The Shorts -- Balance

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:44:00 GMT

The Bohrer clan isnât your average Idaho Falls family. âOur neighbors have trampolines to break neighborhood childrenâs ankles and wrists. Weâve installed a slack line for that purpose,â writes father of five, Steve Bohrer. Juggling goals in the mountain with parenting is no simple task. Sometimes balancing competing passions requires combining them into a lifestyle. After all, whether youâre old or young, everyone likes to play hooky if there is snow on the hill.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Muisc from the Shorts

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:28:00 GMT

here are the countrified cuts from the latest show.

Walt Wilkins
"Seven Hillsides" (mp3)
from "Rivertown"
(Palo Duro Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Elliott Brood
"Oh, Alberta" (mp3)
from "Tin Type"
(Weewerk)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Also featured:
Sub Pop Records' singer/songwriter Sera Cahoone.

No Car No Problem

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:27:00 GMT

A 1,200-foot rock wall in a wilderness area â thatâs standard summer fare. In a day and back before dinner? Sounds easy. Without a car? Thatâs when my climbing partners stopped returning my phone calls.

Even with growing environmental pressures and climbing gas prices, weâll drive hundreds of miles to exist in landscapes devoid of gridlock and angry horns. The irony can be hard to ignore. Recreating without a car might seem impossible, but this summer I set out to test the preconceived notion. What happens when you find yourself trapped in the Urban Jungle? You blaze your way out.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 21

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 22:15:00 GMT

Here's the playlist from the latest show.

Michna
"Swiss Glide" (mp3)
from "Magic Monday"
(Ghostly International)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Starfucker
"Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second" (mp3)
from "Starfucker"
(Badman Recording Co)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Delta Spirit
"Trashcan" (mp3)
from "Ode to Sunshine"
(Rounder Records)

More On This Album

Windmill
"Tokyo Moon" (mp3)
from "Puddle City Racing Lights"
(Friendly Fire Recordings)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Alias
"Well Water Black (feat. Yoni Wolf of WHY?)" (mp3)
from "Resurgam"
(anticon)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody

The Shorts: The Simple Joy of Moving Upward

Fri, 5 Sep 2008 12:15:00 GMT

If you plan on calling Craig DeMartino inspirational, he would prefer you wait to see if he can even drag his butt off the ground. After loosing his leg in a climbing accident, DeMartino had to retrain his body and learn his craft all over again. He hoped one day he would compete against the able-bodied, but taking on Chris Sharma in a World Cup? That was beyond dreams.

Craig DeMartino takes us to Vail and the Teva Mountain Games. Behind the bright lights, big names and massive crowds, climbingâs everyman gets his moment in the sun.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from the Shorts

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 23:03:00 GMT

Music from the show...

Numbers
"New Life" (mp3)
from "Now You Are This"
(Kill Rock Stars)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Feral Children
"Jaundice Giraffe" (mp3)
from "Second to the Last Frontier"
(Sarathan Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Also...we're very lucky to have The Helio Sequence song "Can't Say No." I'm not sure if this Portland-based act has made it out of the Northwest, but everyone up here has been rocking out to this album for the last six months.

The Dirtbag Playlist Vol. 2

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:13:00 GMT

August has arrived and it's time for me to get out and enjoy some of the summer weather before gray skies return to Seattle. That means hitting the road to record some stories. I'll be back on the air with a whole new season of stories the first week of September, but in the meantime I wanted to leave you with a little tide me over....The Dirtbag Playlist Vol. 2 -- my favorite music from the last six months' episodes. Enjoy.

Tracks

1. Music for 18 Musicians - GVSU New Music Ensemble

2. Martha Ann - David Karsten Daniels

3. Video Tapez -- AmpLive

4. In the Hole -- Ken Christianson

5. Friends Like These -- Mobius Band

6. Golden Soldiers -- Golden Shoulders

7. I'm Gone - Bradley Carter

8. L.E.S. Artistes - Santogold

9. Pack Up Remix -- Latyrx

The Shorts -- The Pig

Thu, 3 Jul 2008 17:51:00 GMT

A mythical, semi-secret, surf spot on Queenslandâs Sunshine Coast â thatâs as descriptive Australian Duncan McNee would get. This secret break, a quick bike ride from McNeeâs day job as a high school teacher, requires the perfect synchronicity of swell, tide and windless days. On average, the variables come together once every two years. Sometimes the world shines on us. The wind dies. The tide drops. School lets out early. Itâs up to us to catch the wave of a lifetime. At long last, we bring you a surfing story. Amen.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from The Pig

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 21:34:00 GMT

Kassin+2
"Tranquilo (Super Stereo Sound System)" (mp3)
from "Futurismo"
(Luaka Bop)

Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at Rhapsody

Yes King, Dawn Penn, Mystro, Kenny Knotts
"Rock This World" (mp3)
from "Rock This World"
(LOOP)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

James Blackshaw
"Infinite Circle" (mp3)
from "Litany of Echoes"
(Tompkins Square)

More On This Album

Enhance This! --

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 01:44:00 GMT

Finally, weâve got a special treat for you â The Crusade Enhanced. Photos by Jason Hummel, Sky Sjue and Ben Manfredi. Video by Phil Fortier. There are some sweet shots from over a decade of Cascade steep skiing. Skiing these peaks is a feat in itself â stopping to take the photos is another epic task in itself.

The file is big, so youâre going to need a fast connection and a little patience. I wonât bore you with the details, but our first foray into video and photos was interesting. Walker did a great job producing. Hope you all enjoy. Thanks for the patience.

Or Click here for the smaller version and pop-up player and continue your journey through the Google Machine.

The Crusade

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:38:00 GMT

True or False? Standard pushing is for the pros. If you want to shape skiing or climbing, you have to ditch the job, move into the car and find a deep-pocketed sponsor. The tiny window afforded to weekend warriors couldnât possibly be enough time with which to make an impact. Right?

Today, we bring you the Crusade, the story of two stockbrokers, an engineer and a nuclear physicist who, with a little help from the Internet, helped shaped American ski mountaineering without ever leaving their backyard. There will be no helicopters. No corporate expeditions. No photo shoots. Just a decade-long odyssey from the ambitious imagination of youth across the Cascades' steepest faces all the way to the unsettled wisdom of adulthood. It turns out weekend warriors are just as capable.

The photo and video enhanced version will be out shortly.

Click Here to Listen

For more background info:
Cascade Classics
Cascade Crusades
Ski Sickness

Music from Episode 20

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:09:00 GMT

Friend of Mine is a collection of U.K.-based of musicians, artists and surfers. The provided much of the ambiance for this episode. Check them out.

Also on todays show...
collection of UK-based musicians, artists and surfers. They provided the subtle beats and ambiance for much of the episode.Check them out.

Also on the show...

Lyrics Born
"Pack Up Remix (feat KRS-One & Evidence/Dilated Peoples, prod Jumbo/Lifesavas)" (mp3)
from "Same !@#$ Different Day"
(Quannum Projects)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Sally Shapiro, Junior Boys
"Jackie Junior" (mp3)
from "Remix Romance Vol. 1"
(Paper Bag Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Vetiver
"Blue Driver" (mp3)
from "Thing Of The Past"
(Gnomonsong)

Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at Rhapsody

The Shorts: Year of Big Ideas Reprieve

Fri, 23 May 2008 17:21:00 GMT

In the Year of Big Ideas, my childhood friend Brad laid it out â he was going to climb El Cap in 2008. Never mind that he had minimal climbing experience or had never even been to Yosemite. We schemed and scheduled âvacation.â We planned and tried to convince others to join us, but in the end, Brad and I were on our own to wrestle with one very big â arguably bad â idea. We had four days to pull it off. We would have to climb faster than we could manufacture excuses.

A third of the way through 2008, where are you in your year of big ideas? Weâd love to hear from you. Leave a comment and a little inspiration. What have you ticked off the list? Whatâs left?

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from the Shorts

Thu, 22 May 2008 21:34:00 GMT

Here are the cuts from the Year of Big Ideas Reprieve....You can stream them by clicking on the song title.

Dosh
"If You Want To, You Have To" (mp3)
from "Wolves and Wishes"
(anticon)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody

Santogold
"L.E.S Artistes" (mp3)
from "L.E.S Artistes"
(Lizard King)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Mobius Band
"Friends Like These" (mp3)
from "Heaven"
(Misra)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The Human Mule

Fri, 9 May 2008 15:59:00 GMT

Life was good. The approaches were short. The routes straightforward. The work wonderfully mindless. After a long dry-spell of writing, a job as a climbing guide at Smith Rock was like a vacation from life. I was 22 again, not a failing writer struggling to pay the rent. It was too good to last.

Through the years, Iâve tried to escape words and journalism, but the writing life always has a funny way of creeping back into my world. This time it came in the form of a 230-pound cameraman with a fear of heights, a fast talking New York producer and a 30-year-old broadcaster trying to return to her childhood. It turns out you have to earn your 15 seconds of fame.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 19

Fri, 9 May 2008 15:52:00 GMT

you can stream the cuts by clicking on the song title...I love this cut by David Karsten Daniels.

David Karsten Daniels
"Martha Ann" (mp3)
from "Fear of Flying"
(Fat Cat Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Golden Shoulders
"Golden Soldiers" (mp3)
from "Friendship Is Deep (Reissue)"
(Welcome Home Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Gregg Yeti & The Best Lights
"Laughter Be Your Slave" (mp3)
from "Heart Palpitations of the Rich and Famous"
(Eskimo Kiss Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Monk
"Santa Ana Murders And The Neonlights Of Love" (mp3)
from "The Man Who Sleeps On His Breath"
(sevenahalf records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The Earth Throne

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:41:00 GMT

What defines you? Is it your past? How you look? I doubt it. Itâs the course we chart from dawn to dusk that makes us who we are. Seventeen years ago, Sean OâNeill â artist athlete and big brother to pro climber Timmy OâNeill â lost the use of his legs after jumping from a bridge into the Mississippi River. After the accident, Timmy dreamed about helping his older brother climb El Capitan. In 2005, the brothers decided it was time to act.

Reporter and podcaster James Mills brings us a story about two brothers, one very big cliff face and a 17-year-old dream. Sometimes climbs donât end with summits. They can extend on into our lives.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 18

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:50:00 GMT

here's the music from the show. You can listen by clicking on the song...

Cake
"Ruby Sees All" (mp3)
from "Motorcade of Generosity"
(Upbeat Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Beatundercontrol
"All The Way [To Heaven]" (mp3)
from "Cosmic Repackage"
(Malicious Damage)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The New Rochelle Rotary Club
"Air Currents" (mp3)
from "Air Currents"
(Radar Recordings)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Daturah
"Hybrisma" (mp3)
from "Reverie"
(Graveface Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

Museum Pieces
"Eye of My Mind" (mp3)
from "Nor You, Nor You"
(Youth Club Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Stream from Rhapsody

The Shorts -- Indiana Powder Day

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:08:00 GMT

Great outdoor writing lacks ego. When listener Andy Guinigundoâs email appeared in the inbox on a rainy spring day, I read through it, read it again and thought âDamn, I wish I could have been there.â? Thatâs because no matter where you ski, whether itâs the Alaskan steeps or a local hill in Southeast Indiana, a powder day is a magical thing. Thatâs the great thing about skiing, climbing or mountain biking â you donât have to be a professional playing beneath stadium lights to understand the crowning achievements of our sports.

Andy has been skiing for decades. During the gray and often rainy Midwest winters he works ski patrol at Perfect North Slopes, a small resort across the Indiana border from his home in Ohio. Until a March blizzard, a powder day was something he had only heard about. Iâd been wanting to create some smaller shorts between feature episodes, so Andy joined us in the Dirtbag Diaries Midwest Studios, a.k.a. his walk-in closet, and gave us his own farewell to an unforgettable winter season.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from the Shorts

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:46:00 GMT

Bradley Carter claims to be a reformed rock climber. He's found music and changed his ways. Joined a band -- Max Gross Weight. He's traded dirtbag living in Yosemite for the life of a hard working professional musician. He swears it. Personally, I don't believe him for a second, mostly because he talked me into to playing hooky from work tomorrow to go clip bolts...oops did I say that out loud.

Also music by....
The New Rochelle Rotary Club
"Air Currents" (mp3)
from "Air Currents"
(Radar Recordings)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody

Theatre of Disco
"OKE" (mp3)
from "Theatre of Disco"
(Risky Disko)

Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at Rhapsody

The Golden Hour

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:34:00 GMT

In spring of 1991, Tom Broxson survived a 200-foot fall â a full rope length -- off the top of Yosemite Valleyâs Washington Column. To this day, Tom, his climbing partner Pat and the rescuers who saved his life arenât exactly sure what happened. There are guesses and conjectures, but the exact moment that changed Tomâs life will always remain a mystery.

Dr. R. Adams Cowley, the physician who pioneered our modern Emergency Medicine System, once said, âThere is a golden hour between life and death.â? His theory that a patient who survives a grave trauma has 60 minutes to reach the operating table was the guiding axiom in emergency medicine for decades.

In these precarious, defining minutes between life and death, patients fight to live, rescuers put themselves in harmâs way and decisions are made in an instant. Sometimes rescues donât go all that smoothly. Today, with the help of Yosemiteâs first responders, we bring you Tom Broxsonâs story of survival, recovery and will. It turns out an hour can last a lifetime.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 17

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:08:00 GMT

Sorry for the delay....here are the cuts.

Bradley Carter is a reformed rock climber turned musician. You can hear his guitar work throughout the episode. It's fitting too -- Carter was actually on YOSAR.

Friend Ken Christianson keeps bumping the cuts here at the Dirtbag Diaries. Ken provided the music for All These Things.

Son Lux
"Break" (mp3)
from "At War With Walls and Mazes"
(anticon)

Buy at Rhapsody

The Out_Circuit
"Across The Light" (mp3)
from "Pierce The Empire With A Sound"
(Lujo Records)

Buy at Rhapsody

Dengue Fever
"Seeing Hands" (mp3)
from "Venus on Earth"
(M80)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Southerly
"How To Be A Dreamer" (mp3)
from "Storyteller and the Gossip Columnist"
(Greyday Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store

Why?
"The Hollows" (mp3)
from "Alopecia"
(anticon)

Buy at Rhapsody

All These Things

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 06:52:00 GMT

The Weather Channelâs Local on the 8âs. NOAA. Surf cams. Weâve all been there â staring at the places we would like to be through a computer or television screen. We shut our eyes at our desks and try to imagine the feel of cutting through powder or climbing on a sun drenched cliff.

Success in the high country requires early starts and leaps of faith. The same can be said of careers, school and family. Our dreams in the flatlands take nurturing. They require our love and time, and when our personal goals grate against the pursuit of summits, glassy waves and powder days, our heads can fill with a feedback loop of tough questions about where weâve been and where weâre headed.

Today, Iâm proud to present a new voice. Becca Cahall brings us All These Things â a story about getting older and skiing faster. Weâre headed for British Columbiaâs Selkirk Mountains â an incredible range of open alpine faces, perfect tree skiing and tight chutes that every backcountry skier dreams of visiting. When the lifeâs pressing questions mount, the only antidote is the inner calm found in cold wind, burning lungs and the hiss of skis sliding across snow. Enjoy.

Click here to Listen

A little bit about the artist...

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 17:09:00 GMT

Great friendships often begin in the most average ways. Sometimes just a simple introduction during an after work climbing session can lead to a lifelong friendship.

Since that first handshake, Anya Miller has become a collaborator, a climbing and ski partner and precious friend to both Becca and me. Sheâs continually made my text look better with her unique illustrations and even helped drag me out of the Joshua Tree backcountry after I busted my ankle. Iâve watched her grow as both an artist and athlete. Now, Iâm excited to have her join the Dirtbag family.

âAll These Thingsâ? provided the perfect opportunity for Anya to design for us. Beccaâs old sledding hill is less than a mile walk from Anyaâs home. An architect by training and a designer at heart, she gathered together old photos of Becca and integrated them into the design. In the last year, Anya launched her own design company, Mindful Creative, and quickly followed it up by starting a subsidiary greeting card company, Ewe Me Us, which features eight different designs. If you like what you see, you can reach her through Mindful Creative. Click here and here for more greeting card designs.

Music from Episode 16

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 21:53:00 GMT

Indie music â who knows what that term means anymore? About a million musical pundits have offered unwanted opinions. Iâll let it rest, but I do know is this â I know true indie music when I see it.

Los Angeles-based musician, Ken Christianson lives in Hollywood, but life isnât glamorous. He shares a small studio apartment with another musician. His âroomâ? is the closet, which he has partitioned into two stories. The upper level of this spacious abode is so small that Ken has trouble sitting up right. Every night after his nine to five at a rug store, Ken goes to work on his passion â music. The result is his musical journal, a carefully crafted assortment of music. Every plucked string, note sung and key pressed is Ken. You can stream or purchase his cuts, which range from polished tracks to tiny sketches. Expect to hear more in coming episodes.

Tracks used today:

One Foot Out, Fire Diary, Five Little Men, Air, Dirtbag and Strange Hillbilly

Little Brother Goes Big

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

As some of you may know, Walker Cahall handles most of the design work here at the Dirtbag Diaries, and as the name suggests, he is my brother â seven years my junior. Now, all the older brothers out there know that complimenting a younger sibling is a risky and delicate business. Their heads may balloon with pride before eventually imploding like a dying galaxy. When Walker began destroying me in video games, I was forced to retire in order to save him from himself. I may have to do the same with mountain biking if Walker keeps pedaling hard. It's just my little way of upholding the big brother status quo.

Right now though, Iâm going to put two decades worth of strategic dead arms and psychological warfare on the line and say it â little brother went big.

While he works as a graphic designer and technical illustrator, Walker is first and foremost an artist with a strong environmental component to his work. His work -- especially his prints and experimental digital pieces â are awesome. The concepts so clever. Conflict of interest you say? As I clearly explained above, complimenting is not in my best interest, and Iâm not the only one who thinks this 23-year-oldâs work has merit. In 1996 at the age of 10, Walker had his first gallery show. That same year, Art News ran a full-page article on the young prodigy. This week, Portland-based clothing company Nau has featured Walkerâs series on sustainable energy on their web site. Completed two years, the series took months to create. Iâd post it here, but I have to send you to Nauâs site â the Collective.

P.S. For those big brothers out there, relax. According to this NY Times article, we will always remain atop the dog pile, so have a little sympathy. I send this link to Walker at least once a week, so that he doesn't beat himself up too badly.

P.P.S. The next episode will be out shortly.

Duct Tape Marketing

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:10:00 GMT

Today marks the first anniversary of the Dirtbag Diaries. Along the way, hundreds of you have written in offering words of encouragement, story ideas and suggestions for improvement. Some of you have even offered to donate money, which is so very kind, but totally unnecessary. That said I have a way for you to help us grow and improve. While the Google machine is powerful, it canât tell us everything. So in an attempt to pigeon hole you and get your feedback, weâre going to have to do this with a series of highly scientific questions presented in an audio file.

Our crack team of marketing and statistic analysis experts -- namely my wife Becca --have informed me that we will need at least 100 responses to get a sufficient sample. I think we can do it. So if you want to help ensure the future of this podcast, go ahead, open your email account and address a message to our email. Click on the "Listen Now" button below and get ready to write. This isnât an NPR pledge drive. There wonât be any tote bags or Dirtbag Diaries travel mugs. The only reward you will receive is pride in supporting something that you care about. This is what independent media is all about.

Thanks for your time and effort.

--Fitz Cahall

Inside the Abysmo

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:12:00 GMT

The photo-enhanced version of Datos Insuficientes is up and running. The Range Lifeâs Andrew Oberhardt and Todd Gilman milked their hard drives to come up with a set of images to fit with Shaneâs words. Itâs the only way to get a sense of scale. El Rio Apurimac, which roughly translates into divine oracle, is massive. Look for the details. Check out the high water mark on the canyon walls. It may take five to ten seconds to load.

Youâve got two options:

Click here for the full-sized version:

Or Click here for the pop-up player and continue your journey through the Google Machine.

If you liked what you see here, you should definitely check out this short movie on Shane Robinsonâs Abysmo trip. Along with some epic whitewater, the short features what must be one of the worldâs most burly truck rides. Also check out the Vacation to Hell -- it's definitely one of the more creative expedition ideas out there.

Datos Insuficientes

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:47:00 GMT

In the summer of 2007, kayaker and blogger Shane Robinson found himself paddling down Peruâs isolated Apurimac River, one of the Amazonâs five major tributaries. Ahead of him lay the Abysmo â a deep, daunting gash in the earth. Thousand foot cliffs rose from the river bottom. Once inside, bailing would be next to impossible. Shane and his partners, Andrew Oberhardt and Bryan Smith, knew two things about the stretch of river that they were paddling into. First, the Abysmo was going to be big. There would be miles and miles of massive slot canyons and fifth class white water. Second, the end of their journey would come in the form of a big, ugly, orange bridge named Puente Pasaje. Everything between was unknown water. They had no map, no aerial photos and enough food for five days. Fifteen years of kayaking had led to this moment.

Click Here to Listen

Music from Episode 15

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 19:09:00 GMT

A couple of notes. Some of you may have heard the Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble a couple weeks back on NPR's weekend edition. After forgetting to turn of my alarm, I woke up to their version of Steven Reich's piece, Music for 18 Musicians, after imbibing several light beers at the prior evening's house warming party. It was way too early, but I just loved what I heard.

In order of appearance:

Siba -- Vale Do Juca (mp3)Buy at Napster
Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble -- Music for 18 Musicians (mp3)Buy at iTunes Music Store

Ken Christianson -- Music for Mine

Monday Morning Procrastination

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:39:00 GMT

The next episode is on the way. In the meantime...how is this for an iconic image? Photographer, thinker and Dirtbag Diaries contributor, Blake Gordon snapped this photo while experimenting with his night photography set up. Photo District News in conjunction with National Geographic Traveler selected two of Blakeâs images in their 2008 World of Focus contest. Captured in the Canyonlands National Park, Utah, the image above won in the âWilderness Photographyâ? category. A second photo from the same trip earned the honor in the âExtreme Explorationâ? category.

My hunch â this isnât the last weâve heard from Blake.

The Year of Big Ideas

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 02:12:00 GMT

âYou don't have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things -- to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals."
-- Sir Edmund Hillary

There is nothing more fulfilling than grabbing an idea out of the air, giving it shape and realizing it. Our dreams, hopes and goals give shape to the yearâs course and ultimately our lives. Today we bring you the âYear of Big Ideasâ? â a show all about goals, some big, some small. Weâve interviewed friends, professional athletes, random people on chairlifts, anyone we could rope into contributing. Climb harder. Ski faster. Push deeper into the mountains than ever before. Hereâs to dreaming big and going bigger in the New Year.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

Music from Episode 14

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:06:00 GMT

Music from the Year of Big Ideas

Gift of Gab -- Way of the Light (mp3)-- Buy at iTunes Music Store
Modaji -- Bar Blues (mp3)-- Buy at iTunes Music Store
The Antlers -- The Universe is Going To Catch You (mp3)-- Buy at iTunes Music Store

The Dirtbag's Playlist

Tue, 8 Jan 2008 06:09:00 GMT

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for -- the Dirtbagâs 2007 Playlist. Actually itâs probably not the moment youâve been waiting for, but during the holidays I got a little behind on work. The next episode will be out any day now. Stay tuned, but in the meantime I thought Iâd give those who wrote in asking about music and bands a little treat. I sorted and tallied emails, picked a few of my personal favorites and compiled the songs together. It was hard to condense it down into a reasonable length. Some of the artists are friends; others were completely new to me. Enjoy.

Click Here To Listen

In Order of Appearance:

Chasing Trains -- Trolls Cottage
Nature of the Experiment -- Tokyo Police Club
Fire for the People -- Blue Scholars
Flowering Spade -- Sean Hayes
I've got you and you've got me --New Buffalo
Broken Wires on my Record Player -- Cars and Trains
Teenage Kicks -- Gene Drayton Unit
Night at the Knight School -- Thee More Shallows
Raining in Paradise -- Manu Chao
Let Me Land -- Sus Corez

*music made possible by Ioda Promonet and the artists

A Lifeline Home

Thu, 6 Dec 2007 01:56:00 GMT

There was nothing exceptional about how Ryan Utz and Micah Helser became friends. After nodding at each other in the office hallways for weeks, they happened to discover that they shared an interest in sustainable building. They got to talking and pretty soon found that they both shared a love for climbing and the great outdoors. While the beginnings of their friendship sound average, the circumstances were anything but.

Micah and Ryan were members of Charlie Company, a medevac unit serving the Baghdad area. Together, they were responsible for shepherding the wounded and the dead from the Iraqâs battlefields to the hospital in a Blackhawk helicopter. They cared for fellow soldiers, Iraqi police and the civilians who got caught in the midst of the violence. In the process of saving others, they dodged bullets and mortar rounds. In the long empty hours between shifts and missions, they needed to find a way to escape back to the things the loved the most. So in a flat, arid country plagued by violence, they set out to do the one thing that might seem impossible â to go climbing.

Today, we bring you the tale of two friends -- both climbers, both soldiers -- and their quest to create a lifeline back from the frontlines to the things that matter the most â friends, family and that freedom found only in open spaces. We are headed to the worldâs most improbable climbing wall. This is Camp Taji. Welcome to Iraq.

Click Here To Listen

Digg Us

Music from Episode 13

Tue, 4 Dec 2007 18:53:00 GMT

Here are the tracks and links for the artists featured in Episode 13. If you're a hip-hop fan, the Blue Scholars' Bayani was one of my favorite albums of 2007. Definitely worth a listen -- they are one of the hardest working acts in West Coast Hip Hop.

Blue Scholars -- Joe Metro (mp3)Buy at iTunes Music Store
Carly Commando -- Everyday (mp3)Buy at iTunes Music Store
Badun -- FyrtÃrn (mp3)Buy at Rhapsody
Tinariwen -- Cler Achel (mp3)Buy at iTunes Music Store

The Reckoning

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 17:10:00 GMT

Every aspiring photographer dreams of capturing an iconic image. Itâs the same kind of motivation that draws young skiers to intimidating lines in foreboding ranges and pulls ambitious climbers to Yosemite. We imagine these moments a thousand times in advance, but when we finally arrive, we are often surprised and humbled. Epiphanies require stumbling.

In 2005, photographer, writer and avid cyclist Blake Gordon set out to take the trip of a lifetime. With camera in hand, he joined brothers Mike and John Logsdon as part of their Spinning Southward Team. The Logsdon brothers were in the midst of pedaling 15,000 miles and raising money for the National Brain Tumor Foundation. Blake would join them to ride the final leg through Patagonia.

For Blake, it was almost like a math equation. Plug 2,500 miles worth of pedaling through a raw and lonesome landscape, add a couple of close friends and Blake was bound to get an image that flawlessly conveyed the essence of the Logsdonâs journey. Even before his flight touched down in Santiago, Chile, he could already visualized that image. He already knew what this trip would be about.

Today, we present The Reckoning â a story plucked from the pages of a young photographerâs notebook. You can ride your bike to the edge of a continent, but when the road ends it doesnât always lead to neat resolutions.

Click Here to Listen and Watch

Digg Us

Music from Episode 12

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:42:00 GMT

Here is the music...Lady Don't Tekno is a personal favorite.

Cars and Trains -- The Wires From My Broken Record Player (mp3)Buy at iTunes Music Store
Latyrx -- Lady Don't Tek No (mp3)Buy at iTunes Music Store
Burial -- Ghost Hardware (mp3)Buy at Cargo Records
Frightened Rabbit -- Be Less Rude (mp3)Buy at iTunes Music Store

Help Wanted

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 22:20:00 GMT

Thereâs no such thing as a perfect job. Thereâs always a catch â nagging bosses, gossiping co-workers, crummy benefits. Thatâs why we get paid to work.

But what if there was a magical place where you could get paid to climb? At the center of this kingdom is a mountain, and all you have to do is climb it. The job pays well and during your four hours of paid break you have the run of the place because your boss is too busy moonlighting as a talking duck to discipline you. It also comes with some sweet perks. The employee lounge is actually a secret lair atop the peak, and youâre allowed to cut the line to ride the roller coaster.

What happens when a bunch of climbers are left unsupervised with the keys to the Magic Kingdom? Find out. Some jobs are perfect, even if Tinkerbell is out to get you.

Click Here To Listen

Music from Episode 10

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:48:00 GMT

Blockhead -- Duke Of Hazzard (mp3)

The Gene Drayton Unit -- Teenage Kicks (mp3)
Buy at eMusic

The Mexican Institute of Sound -- OK! (mp3)
Buy at Rhapsody

The Pinker Tones -- Karma Hunters (mp3)
Buy at Napster

Prayer for a Friend

Fri, 7 Sep 2007 19:18:00 GMT

How do people remember the dead? Some people stuff wrinkled snapshots into wallets. Others build ornate mausoleums. Others ensure their friendsâ memories by creating goals that can never fully be realized. In 2003, my friend John Bombard lost his battle to cancer. On the day of his passing, I stumbled across an unclimbed route on Washingtonâs famed Prusik Peak. It was so beautiful, challenging and improbable that I would probably never complete it, yet my youthful enthusiasm and commitment were unflagging. This would be my own awkward offering to my friend.

Today on the Dirtbag Diaries, weâre traveling from the halls of a New England boarding school where two boys forged an unlikely friendship to the wind-swept wilderness deep inside the Cascade Mountains, where a trio of climbers have been hard at work solving one of the Northwestâs greatest free climbing projects. Some prayers can never be whole.

For the photo enhanced version click here.

Music from Episode Nine

Thu, 6 Sep 2007 21:07:00 GMT

Manu Chao -- Rainin in Paradize
Buy at Manu Chao Pre-Order Store
Amy Millan -- Look Up (mp3)
Buy at eMusic
Jodi Martin -- 15 Minutes Out To Sea (mp3)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Loquat -- Swingset Chain (mp3)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Numbers -- Mind Hole (mp3)
Buy at Kill Rock Stars Store

The First Time

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:54:00 GMT

I want you to think back to the first time you touched granite, rolled a kayak or linked ski turns. Whether youâre pushing your sport to new heights or daydream about first tracks during your rush hour commute, those first experiences are something we all have in common. It probably felt a little daring, slightly awkward, but absolutely wonderful, and while the waves may get bigger, the routes bolder, they never get rawer.

This week the Dirtbag Diaries brings you the First Time â stories about peopleâs initial experiences in the outdoors. Instead of one big episode, weâve gone ahead and split this weekâs broadcast into five parts. Weâve got some very special guests. Some you may recognize. Others, we are proud to introduce. Click on the story description to listen. A complete music list from this weeks broadcast can be found in the comments section. Part Five is a listener favorite.

Part Five

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 04:40:00 GMT

Part Five: Snowboarding can't change a life. Snow melts, but life doesn't get any easier. Deep seeded change can only come from within. Today, we're headed all the way from New York City's notorious Bushwick neighborhood to Whistler Blackcomb's ski slopes to discover how snowboarding helped transform a young woman headed for trouble. Stephanie McLawrence, a self-described bookworm from Brooklyn, brings us a story about finding a second chance in a first time.

Part Four

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 02:50:00 GMT

Part Four: In the last decade, Steve House has pulled off some incredible ascents in the Canadian Rockies, Alaska and the Himalaya. Today, we're going to look back through the eyes of an 11-year-old boy. House tells us about the day his pursuit of high places began and very nearly ended.

Part Three

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 02:49:00 GMT

Part Three: For listener Erin Shea, February 14th will always be linked to cold, darkness and the sound of falling ice. Now that's our kind of love affair. We bring you the story of a lonely M.I.T. undergrad who has a very special Valentine's Day.

Part Two

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 01:29:00 GMT

Part Two: Pro kayaker Tanya Shuman tells us about her search for the perfect wave. It's a journey that took her around the globe before leading her back to the place where it all began -- Skookumchuck Narrows.

Part One

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 02:42:00 GMT

Part One: A 22-year-old Coast Guard ensign finds his inner child in the Alaskan mountains and barely escapes.

No Big Deal

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:43:00 GMT

In 1996, photographer John Burcham and three friends completed the first foot traverse of the 650-mile long Alaska Range. Together, they forded streams, chased off curious grizzlies and crossed crevassed glaciers. After 75 days, they had become a single unit. After delays mounted, Burcham decided to leave the group at the very end of the trip in order to make it to his sister's wedding. He said goodbye and parted ways. He was alone in the continent's last great wilderness with a sobering realization -- crevasses, hungry wildlife and hypothermia can kill you, but loneliness can drive you crazy.

Click here to watch the enhanced version with photos from John Burcham.

Check out the comment page to find out more about the music from the episode.

1000 Words -- Revamped

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 21:42:00 GMT

Photographer Corey Rich went into his archives to bring you more defining images of the world's best athletes chasing adventure around the globe. Tommy Caldwell free climbs the Nose. Barrett Christie carves it up on Mt Baker. It's just the beginning. Click here to watch the improved slide show.

Anatomy of an Accident

Sat, 2 Jun 2007 01:37:00 GMT

In May of 2007, I made a mistake that should have cost me my life when I slipped high on a Central Oregon volcano. I fell between 250-300 feet, over a cliff, through rock bands before grabbing a rock out cropping and stopping my fall. I'm still not sure how I stopped myself. Amazingly, I walked away with a sprained thumb. This week the Dirtbag Diaries presents the Anatomy of an Accident. What do you take away from a near-death experience? Is there meaning in it? If so, what does it say about our relationships with these mountains, these rivers and these oceans.

Music from Episode Six

Sat, 2 Jun 2007 01:13:00 GMT

If you liked what you heard...
Birdy Nam Nam -- Engineer Fear from their self titled album
Elliot Smith -- Needle in the Hay from the album "Elliot Smith"

Additional music provided by Patagonia's very own Sus Corez. Check out more her music at her myspace page.

A Brief Moment in a Beautiful Place

Mon, 14 May 2007 23:22:00 GMT

There is a fine line between a life-lasting memory and disaster. Whatever the discipline -- alpinism, big wave surfing, foreign travel -- we calculate risk, formulate plans and sometimes we have the spunk to see them through. This week we're headed for Laos to recount the story of two friends and one spectacularly bad idea. Join us as we follow Jacob Bain, Colin Brynn and a bamboo raft down a river at the edge of the world. Sometimes bad ideas work out for the better...sometimes.

For the photo-enhanced version, click here.

Music from Episode Five

Mon, 14 May 2007 23:00:00 GMT

While he is not traveling the world, the very-talented Jacob Bain also sings and plays in Seattle-based band Trolls Cottage. Check them out on the web at www.trollscottage.com. They've got a new EP coming out at the end of this month.

We're also very fortunate to have the input of Sus Corez. When she isn't hard at work in Patagonia's photo department, Sus is making music with an organic edge. You can visit her at http://myspace.com/suscorez.

A Thousand Words

dirtbagdiaries@earthlink.net — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:34:00 GMT

There is no textbook on adventure journalism, but if there were one, it would contain one single, steadfast rule -- you can't photograph adventure from a safe distance. There are no sidelines in wilderness. El Capitan doesn't have a press booth. Even for the most safety-conscious, danger can come in many forms -- falling rock, toxic jellyfish, even a bad case of the Itch. This week, adventure photographer Corey Rich gives us photos and the untold stories behind them. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Which words? Find out.

To stream the enhanced version click here.

Music from Episode Four

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:18:00 GMT

For those interested in learning a little bit more about music from this weeks episode.

Download "Born On The Cusp" (mp3)
from "Set Free"
by The American Analog Set
Arts & Crafts

Stream from RealNetworks / Rhapsody

the Great Big Garage in the Sky

dirtbagdiaries@earthlink.net — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 23:19:00 GMT

Episode 3 -- Many of us associate our vehicles with freedom, independence and youth. Even as we come to terms with the fact that automobiles may be an unnecessary evil, it's hard not to think back to that first surf or climbing trip and day dream about open windows, loud music and a best friend riding shotgun. Can a hunk of metal have a soul? What happens when the motor finally stops running? This week we bring you the sometimes-true tale of a 1974 Mitsubishi Sigma, a boy on the cusp of adulthood and a life changing journey across Australia. My Odeo Channel (odeo/8219bb1ebcf3cd36)

Big Thanks to Ghostland Observatory

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 22:09:00 GMT

Electronic rockers Ghostland Observatory provided music for Episode Three. If you haven't heard of this Austin, TX duo, you're missing out. They've routinely earned rave reviews for their two full length albums Paparazzi Lightning and Delete.Delete. I Eat Meat, but it's their raucous, energetic live performances that have triggered a growing wave of fans. Check them out at http://myspace.com/ghostlandobservatory or at their home-grown label, www.trashymoped.com.

the brotherhood

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 17:59:00 GMT

In this week's episode, we are headed for a remote cliff in northern Arizona where we join rock climbers Albert Newman and James Q Martin as they attempt the first free ascent of Tooth Rock. It's been a three and half year odyssey for the duo. They have suffered through life-threatening rock fall and severe dehydration with the hopes of creating one of the finest routes in the desert. Join us as we follow along on the first free ascent of More Sand than Stone V 5.11 and explore the fine line between determination and stupidity.

The Monoboard

fatzkhill@earthlink.net — Thu, 1 Mar 2007 00:50:00 GMT

Gaper. Touron. Weekend warrior. As mountain people, we can be a cold, hard lot adhering to an "Us and Them" mentality, but at the root, what makes a dirtbag a dirtbag? Is it a look? The clothes we wear or the skis we ride? Or is there something deeper to out culture? Can anyone be a dirtbag?

This week, Fitz Cahall finds a kindred spirit in his monoboarding landlord. Welcome to the Dirtbag Diaries.

LISTEN TO EPISODE 1