Armchair Explorer Aaron Millar

If there's one word that defines Utah, it just might be adventure. From the
adrenaline-pumping to the meditative, the outdoors in Utah is a veritable
playground for exploration. In Part One of Uniquely Utah adventures, we spent
the morning fly fishing on the teal waters of Flaming Gorge, followed by an
afternoon of mountain biking, chasing sharp turns with a pro rider.

In Part Two, follow along as we ride on muleback to trace the steps of ghostly
gunslingers through narrow slot canyons, rappel over the sides of redstone cliffs
(sometimes directly into mud), and finally attempt the legendary 50-foot ski
jump directly into a pool at Park City's Olympic Park.

Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode:

-Fly fisherman Ryan Kelly at Flaming Gorge
-Expert canyoner and guide Micah Mansfield with East Zion Adventures
-Pro mountain biker Eric Porter in Park City
-Trail guide McClain from Meecham Outfitters
-Ski coach Ryan Devine from Park City's Olympic Park
-Two-time Olympic medalist Shannon Bahkre

PLAN YOUR UTAH TRIP
If you want to learn more about experiencing the sights and attractions featured
in this episode, go to VisitUtah.com or follow along on social media @VisitUtah.
International listeners can also book this itinerary directly as a package, with
lots of other bonus experiences too -- just visit AmericanSky.co.uk/Utah-Holidays/\
Self-Drive-Experience-Utah-Life-Elevated or learn more about all the incredible
destinations around the state at VisitTheUSA.com or on social media
@VisitTheUSA.

SOCIAL
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. Want travel
tips and advice? Questions about this episode? Message me! Sign up for the
monthly newsletter at armchair-explorer.com.

CREDITS
This show was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the
travel industry. Brian Thacker managed pre-production. Jenny Allison was
the in-field producer. Jason Paton recorded, wrote, mixed, and sound
designed the episode. Aaron Millar hosted and served as executive producer.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Growing up in Kenya, Chris Carter fell in love with Africa's
wilderness -- with forests and grasslands, mountains and waterfalls, lions and
giraffes. But after spending several years backpacking the long-distance treks of
the US, he returned to his home country only to realize that Kenya had no
comparable established backpacking trails. So naturally, he decided to create
one.

Chris partnered with the Kenya Wildlife Service to map, plan, and create the
country's first long-distance backpacking trail. The location was Aberdare
National Park, a 4,000 square mile sanctuary of hidden waterfalls, volcanic
peaks, and tropical forests shrouded in mist and teeming with wildlife. 

The only issue? Mapping the route meant bushwhacking through some insanely
dense and dangerous wilderness. And Chris would find all sorts of surprises
hiding in the bush...

CONNECT
Follow along with Chris' adventures on Instagram @Chris.Cart.Er or check out his
YouTube channel at ChrisCarterMedia. If you're interested in visiting Kenya or
Aberdare National Park, go to kws.go.ke.

SOCIAL
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. Want travel
tips and advice? Questions about this episode? Message me! Sign up for the
monthly newsletter at armchair-explorer.com.

CREDITS
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at
armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison did the guest booking and wrote this
episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio
editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap (on IG
@the_sweet_chap).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Utah: Life Elevated, the documentary podcast that will
take you all around Utah on an unforgettable road trip. Today, we're
diving into some of Utah's unique adventures...because if there's one
word that defines Utah, it just might be adventure! 

From rappelling down canyon walls to churning up dirt on a mountain bike,
there are so many ways to get a taste of the outdoors in this great
state. Join us for some unforgettable experiences, from fly fishing in
the pristine Flaming Gorge to riding mules through slot canyons to
braving a 50-foot ski jump...directly into a pool.

Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode:

-Fly fisherman Ryan Kelly at Flaming Gorge
-Expert canyoner and guide Micah Mansfield with East Zion Adventures
-Pro mountain biker Eric Porter in Park City
-Trail guide McClain from Meecham Outfitters
-Ski coach Ryan Devine from Park City's Olympic Park
-Two-time Olympic medalist Shannon Bahkre

PLAN YOUR UTAH TRIP
If you want to learn more about experiencing the sights and attractions featured in this episode, go to VisitUtah.com or follow along on social media @VisitUtah. International listeners can also book this itinerary directly as a package, with lots of other bonus experiences too -- just visit AmericanSky.co.uk/Utah-Holidays or learn more about all the incredible destinations around the state at VisitTheUSA.com or on social media @VisitTheUSA.

SOCIAL
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. Want travel tips and advice? Questions about this episode? Message me! Sign up for the monthly newsletter at armchair-explorer.com.

CREDITS
This show was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the
travel industry. Brian Thacker managed pre-production. Jenny Allison was
the in-field producer. Jason Paton recorded, wrote, mixed, and sound
designed the episode. Aaron Millar hosted and served as executive
producer.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer Tim Moore is no stranger to the unusual and unique. In his
early days as a travel writer, he rode a container ship to Iceland,
biked across Italy in a period costume, completed the Camino de Santiago
with a donkey as his only companion, and more. So when Tim got a call
out of the blue one day from his editor, asking if he'd consider biking
the length of the newly established Iron Curtain Trail, he had two
thoughts.

One was that he was absolutely not in shape to embark on this journey. First of
all, nobody had ever done it before. Nobody could tell him whether it was five
or six thousand miles long. It also wound through some slightly uncertain parts
of the world which, in Tim's mind -- having grown up during the Cold War --
were inextricably tied to nuclear annihilation.

But two...was that he was absolutely going to do it.

Follow along for an adventure that will take you from chaotic Russian streets
to frigid Finnish backroads, through dive bars and ancient ruins and
military checkpoints. Along the way, Tim's wit and humor gives a fresh
perspective on a part of the world that is still struggling to define
itself and write its next chapter.

CONNECT

Tim's book featured in this episode is called The Cyclist Who Went Out in the
Cold: Adventures Along the Iron Curtain Trail, and you can find it wherever
books are sold. Tim has also written several other books, so we recommend
checking those out too. You can also follow him on X / Twitter @mrtimmoore.

SOCIAL

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. Want travel
tips and advice? Questions about this episode? Message me! Sign up for the
monthly newsletter at armchair-explorer.com.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at
armchair-productions.com.
Jenny Allison did the guest booking and wrote this episode, along with
host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and
sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap (on IG
@the_sweet_chap).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Oregon, the natural world doesn't just inspire awe -- it gives a
touch of the sublime. In the words of one guide, it's
"timeless...important for the soul of humankind."

And today, we're immersing ourselves in those sublime experiences along the
Central Nature Trail in Oregon! Follow along as we snowshoe to the top
of Watchman Peak, for the best view over Crater Lake in the park – “like
a sapphire embedded in the Earth”, as Aaron describes it. It’s exposed,
it’s hair-raising and it’s worth every shaky step. 

After that we head to Bend, one of Oregon’s premier adventure towns, for some
sunset paddling along the Deschutes River surrounded by thousands of
swallows, baby ospreys and a surprise visit from Oregon’s state animal. 

Then it’s time to head underground for a spine-chilling 1000-foot descent
into a lava tube, formed by a “River of Fire” over 7,000 years ago. We
crawl through 18-inch-wide cracks, turn off our head lamps to experience
true darkness and marvel at the geologic forces that could create this
uniquely beautiful landscape. 

We finish at the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation for some
“river therapy” and a fly-fishing lesson from a native guide. We learn about
conserving native first foods, experience some river therapy and even
catch a fish.

Through it all, we’re going to explore the wonder and awe of the natural world
in all its forms, from mile-high views to quiet moments listening to birdsong on
the river. 

CONNECT
Interested in visiting Oregon and seeing the Central Nature Trail for yourself?
Find out more at www.traveloregon.com or follow along on Instagram and
Facebook @TravelOregon.

CREDITS
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the
travel industry. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Paradise: that elusive place where the anxieties, struggles, and burdens of life fall away. Most of us dream of it, but each of us has very different ideas about where it is to be found. For some it can be enjoyed only after death; for others, it’s in our midst—or just across the ocean—if only we can find eyes to see it."

Thus begins the premise of Pico Iyer's journey in The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise. Pico is one of travel writing's most legendary and prolific authors. He's spent nearly half a century roaming the world, thoughtfully observing the people who live everywhere from the world's busiest cities to its most remote villages.

And in his latest book -- and today's episode -- he's reflecting on what it means to search for paradise on Earth. Is the very idea of living in paradise an oxymoron? Or is it possible to indeed find heaven, in some way or another, during our own lives?

From traveling as part of the Dalai Lama's personal convoy to being guided on a private tour of North Korea, Pico's anecdotes and insights into what it means to search for paradise will open your eyes and make you eager to explore this planet of ours.

CONNECT
Pico's book featured in this episode is called The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise, and you can find it wherever book are sold. He's also written dozens of other incredible books and articles, so check those out too on his website at PicoIyerJourneys.com . You can also follow him on X / Twitter @PicoIyer.

SOCIAL
Follow us Instagram and Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. Want travel tips and advice? Questions about this episode? Message me! Sign up for the monthly newsletter at armchair-explorer.com.

CREDITS
This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison did the guest booking and wrote this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap (on IG @the_sweet_chap).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices