The Human Adventure

Jake Bushman
  • 5.0 (36)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Weekly

 The Human Adventure is a podcast about people who choose to live fully—through travel, challenge, creativity, and the courage to step into the unknown. Hosted by Jake Bushman, each episode features honest conversations with adventurers, travelers, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and everyday humans doing extraordinary things. We explore not just what they’ve done, but why—the failures, fears, faith, and resilience that shape a meaningful life. From remote corners of the world to inner journeys of growth and reinvention, The Human Adventure reminds us that life isn’t about reaching a destination—it’s about who we become along the way. If you’re drawn to authentic stories, bold ideas, and the shared experience of being human, this podcast is for you. 🎧 New episodes weekly 🌍 Travel • Adventure • Personal Growth • Human Stories

  1. 5d ago

    From Fugitive to Founder: Peter Young's Journey of Risk and Reinvention

    #233 - He thought he might do a couple years for breaking into fur farms. Instead, a DOJ press release tells him he’s facing animal enterprise terrorism and RICO-related charges with a maximum of 82 years. That’s the moment Peter Young goes from activist to full-time fugitive, living under a fake name, dodging fingerprints, and trying to build a life while the federal government waits for one mistake. We trace Peter’s path from a middle-class childhood to punk rock politics, veganism, and underground animal rights activism. He explains how early actions escalated from petty sabotage to fur farm raids that released thousands of mink, and why he believed illegal direct action could force media attention when peaceful protest couldn’t. We also get into the uncomfortable questions that sit underneath the headline: how conviction changes your sense of right and wrong, how fear and adrenaline reshape decision-making, and what it means to accept consequences you never expected. Then the story turns practical and personal. Peter describes the day-to-day logistics of life on the run, the close calls, and the arrest that finally ends it. We talk sentencing guidelines, why the “82 years” didn’t happen, what federal prison is really like, and how he rebuilt his identity afterward through writing and, surprisingly, entrepreneurship. If you’re interested in true crime stories with moral complexity, activism and extremism, risk psychology, and second acts after prison, this conversation stays with you. Subscribe to The Human Adventure, share this episode with a friend who loves unforgettable real-life stories, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. To find out more about Peter Young check out www.peteryoung.me.  To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod. Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

    1h 1m

  2. Jun 11

    Hiding From The School Bus With Calvin Bagley

    #232 - You think you know someone, then you hear what they had to survive. Calvin Bagley looks like the guy with the steady career and the good family, but as a kid he was literally taught to hide when the school bus came by so no one would discover he wasn’t being educated at all. We talk through Calvin’s childhood in rural Utah with isolation, fear, and extremist beliefs that kept the world at a distance, plus the strange whiplash of showing up to church on Sundays and then returning to what he describes as hell at home. Instead of walking away from spirituality, Calvin explains how faith became his lifeline, and how his view of God slowly shifted from fear and anger to love, stability, and hope. Then we trace the hard, practical path of adult education: learning to read with help from his sister, serving a mission in Brazil where learning Portuguese forced him to finally learn English structure, grinding for a GED, bombing the ACT, and getting into UNLV through an unconventional “non-admitted student” route. We also get into his years as a flight attendant, the impact of 9/11, the mentors who opened doors, and why he finally chose to tell the truth in his memoir, Hiding from the School Bus, including the boundaries and therapy that helped him stop living in hiding. If Calvin’s story hits you, share it with someone who needs proof that healing and growth are possible, then subscribe and leave a review so more listeners can find Th Human Adventure. To learn more about Calvin and to get a copy of his book check out www.hidingfromtheschoolbus.com. Calvin is also on Instagram @calvinbagley. To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod. Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

    56 min

  3. Jun 4

    Meeting Strangers On The Road with Melissa Rodway

    #231 - A passport full of stamps can look impressive, but what if the real point of travel is the people who crack you open and change how you see your life? I sat down with Melissa Rodway, author of *The People You Meet*, for an honest, funny, and surprisingly practical conversation about travel, connection, and what happens when we step outside our normal routines. We talk about the strangers you never forget, including the bold older travelers who prove adventure has no expiration date. Melissa shares why travel can make you feel lighter and more present, and how a single day can swing from pure gratitude to deep loneliness. We also dig into why certain places feel like home, why others do not, and how your body knows the difference even when you cannot explain it. Then we get real about travel ego and travel fatigue. If you have ever pushed a trip too far because you felt like you “should,” you will recognize the moment Melissa describes when travel starts feeling like work. We compare solo travel versus group travel, the hidden workload of constant decisions, safety concerns, and why active group trips with strangers can turn into a temporary family fast. If you love adventure travel, solo travel stories, and conversations about living with more intention, this one will stick with you. Subscribe to The Human Adventure, share this episode with a friend who needs a nudge to do something brave, and leave a review so more people can find the show. You can get a copy of Melissa's book, The People You Meet, on Amazon here. You can also follow Melissa on Instagram @fly_travel_media. To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod. Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

    54 min

  4. May 28

    Ten Ironmans And A Stolen Pair Of Pants with JD Tremblay

    #230 - Ten Ironman distances in ten days sounds like a headline, but JD Tremblay treats it like a case study. JD is a military veteran, ultra-endurance athlete, and founder of Hungry Warrior Academy, and he joins me to explain how he became one of the rare finishers of the Epic Deca across the Hawaiian islands and why the real secret is not heroic motivation. It is structure, repeatable systems, and the decision to follow them when your mind is loud and your body is tired. We get into the myth that the military “gives” discipline, and JD’s sharper take: the military gives structure, and you choose whether you live inside it. From there, we talk about building high performance without burning out, including energy regulation, nervous system shifts from sympathetic fight-or-flight to parasympathetic recovery, and why rest is not a reward but part of the plan. JD also shares his lens on starting versus quitting, the difference between DNS and DNF, and how a simple non-negotiable can become the first brick in a better life. JD opens up about faith, identity, and community, including the moment his son reshapes how he thinks about who he is beyond titles and achievements. He also tells the rawer side of the Epic Deca journey: going into debt, selling his house to fund the race, and hitting a breaking point that forces humility. We even had to pause mid-interview due to an electrical outage, which ends up fitting the theme perfectly: adjust, come back, keep going. If you want practical mindset tools, endurance training lessons, and a clearer definition of discipline you can apply to work, fitness, or family, hit play, then subscribe, share this with someone who needs encouragement, and leave a review so more people can find the show. To learn more about JD and his work with Hungry Warrior Academy please visit www.hungrywarrioracademy.com. You can also follow along with JD on Instagram @jdtremblaytri and to learn more about his book, Hunger For More In Life, you can visit www.hunger4more.com. To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod. Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

    59 min

  5. May 21

    From A Surfing Accident To A 240-Mile Finish with Patrick Yalon

    #229 - He was face down in the ocean, paralyzed, and running out of time. Patrick Yalon went out for a routine surf at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach and never came back the same person and he’s honest about how close he came to not coming back at all. We talk through the full arc: the low-tide wipeout that breaks his neck, the foggy scramble that ends with his friend finding him blue in the water, and the CPR that brings him back. From there it’s ICU uncertainty, brutal nerve pain, and a nine-and-a-half-hour spinal fusion from C3 to C5 with titanium hardware. Patrick doesn’t skip the dark parts: identity loss, depression, and the exhausting question of whether his body will ever work the way it used to. Then the story pivots from survival to purpose. Patrick chooses a wildly specific goal for spinal cord injury recovery and resilience: Moab 240, one of the toughest ultramarathons in the world. He lines up just months after the accident, grinds out 144 miles in 2024, then travels to Thailand to keep healing through daily Muay Thai training, time in the mountains, and a search for meaning and faith. He also shares why helping others with similar accidents matters so much, and how finishing Moab 240 in 2025 through storms, mud, lightning, and sleep deprivation becomes a shared victory with the friend who saved his life. Patrick is writing a memoir called Still Here and continues raising money and awareness for people impacted by spinal cord injuries. Subscribe to The Human Adventure, share this with someone who needs a reason to keep showing up, and leave a review if Patrick’s story hits home. To follow along with Patrick's journey you can give him a follow on Instagram @bodiezepha415. For those runners out there on Strava just search for Patrick Yalon. To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod. Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

    56 min

  6. May 14

    Rock Bottom To Redemption with Justin Kinney

    #228 - Rock bottom isn’t always a single catastrophic night. Sometimes it’s a slow drift: one more drink that becomes normal, one compromise that becomes routine, one secret that feels easier than the truth. Justin Kinney knows that drift firsthand, and he joins me to tell the full story of addiction, sobriety, and rebuilding a life from the ground up. Justin is a high school strength and conditioning teacher, a coach, a husband, and a dad in a busy blended family. From the outside, he looked like he had everything handled: professional awards, respect in the community, even leadership in church. Behind closed doors, alcohol and drugs were taking control, shame was multiplying, and his marriage and health were breaking down in small moments that eventually became impossible to ignore. We talk about what “rock bottom” really felt like for him, why treatment only worked once he admitted he was powerless, and how the consequences didn’t magically disappear just because he got sober. We also get practical. Justin shares the non negotiables that keep him steady: a consistent morning routine built on prayer, gratitude, reading, meditation, and movement, plus the mindset of getting 1% better each day. He explains how years of journaling turned into his book, From Rock Bottom to Redemption, a daily-lesson format focused on accountability, integrity, discipline, and the kind of character that’s built through small decisions over time. If you or someone you love is searching for addiction recovery hope, faith-based sobriety tools, or a clear path to rebuilding after failure, this conversation will meet you where you are. Subscribe for more stories like this, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more people find The Human Adventure. To learn more about Justin check him out on Instagram @justin_kinney_0609 and to get a copy of his book, From Rock Bottom to Redemption, you can check out Amazon. To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod. Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

    49 min

  7. May 7

    Dreaming After Loss with Chanoa Inez

    #227 - What do you do when the person you love is gone before morning and you’re in a country that doesn’t feel fully like home yet? Chanoa Inez lived that question on the coast of Montenegro after her partner died suddenly overnight. The days that followed were filled with shock, language barriers, unfamiliar systems, and an unexpected web of support, and they set her on a seven-year chapter across the Balkans that would change everything about how she understands grief, identity, and resilience.  We talk about why she chose to stay in Europe instead of returning to Miami, how community and culture shaped her healing, and what long-haul grief can look like when it quietly rewires your routines, your boundaries, and even your health. Chanoa opens up about years of stress and food allergies, searching through meditation, yoga, and retreat work, and the moment she realized the missing piece was self-love. Along the way, we dig into negative self-talk, the “victim mindset” trap, and a powerful practice: don’t let a thought pass that you wouldn’t say to a friend.  Chanoa also shares the core message of her book, Dream On: reinvention is our birthright, and after loss we can learn to dream again, even if the dream has to be different. We explore purpose, imagination, and designing a life that pulls you forward, plus how her “inside-out” approach connects to personal branding and showing up as a real human instead of a robot. If you’re searching for grief healing, self-love practices, rebuilding after trauma, or how to move forward after losing a partner, this conversation is a grounded place to start. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a quick rating or review if the show helps you. To learn more about Chanoa and her book please visit www.chanoainez.com. To learn more about me and see clips from past, present, and future shows give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod. Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

    45 min

  8. Apr 30

    Living in China: A Four-Year Journey of Challenges and Growth with Jeff Lewis

    #226 - You think you want to live abroad until you’re standing in a Shanghai apartment you barely recognize, sleeping on a mattress that feels like concrete, and realizing you can’t read a single sign outside your window. Jeff Lewis did exactly that, on a timeline so fast he had to get a same day passport and a same day visa just to make it happen. What started as a recession driven job scramble became four years of international teaching, culture shock, and the kind of growth you only get when your normal tools don’t work anymore. We talk through the full arc of expat life in China: arriving alone while his wife waits on paperwork, learning the unwritten rules of traffic and daily errands, and figuring out how a newly married couple stays connected when everything around them is unfamiliar. Jeff shares what people romanticize about living abroad and what they leave out, from language barriers and “bad China days” to the strange comfort of tracking down a mediocre hamburger because it tastes like home. He also explains how travel around China worked before smartphones, and how those weekend adventures helped them stay sane and stay close. Then the story gets even bigger: they move to a better international school, build community, and have their two oldest kids in China. Jeff gets honest about parenting abroad, hospital decisions, transportation challenges, and how cultural differences can complicate even basic support systems. We close with what he brings home to the United States as a social studies teacher, including a stronger world view and a deeper belief in second language learning for his own kids. If you like stories about China, international schools, moving overseas, and the real psychology of stepping into the unknown, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who dreams of expat life, and leave a review so more people can find The Human Adventure. Be sure and give me a follow on Instagram @humanadventurepod. Want to be a guest on The Human Adventure? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake Xploreum connects you with authentic wilderness expeditions led by trusted local experts. Browse real adventures, book directly with experienced guides, and get $200 off your first trip using code HumanAdventure2026 at xploreum.io/humanadventure.

    54 min
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5
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

 The Human Adventure is a podcast about people who choose to live fully—through travel, challenge, creativity, and the courage to step into the unknown. Hosted by Jake Bushman, each episode features honest conversations with adventurers, travelers, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and everyday humans doing extraordinary things. We explore not just what they’ve done, but why—the failures, fears, faith, and resilience that shape a meaningful life. From remote corners of the world to inner journeys of growth and reinvention, The Human Adventure reminds us that life isn’t about reaching a destination—it’s about who we become along the way. If you’re drawn to authentic stories, bold ideas, and the shared experience of being human, this podcast is for you. 🎧 New episodes weekly 🌍 Travel • Adventure • Personal Growth • Human Stories

Information

  • Creator
    Jake Bushman
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    245
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Human Adventure
  • Show Website
    The Human Adventure

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