183 episodes

The place to come to fill your ears and minds with the stories of everyday, extraordinary women who’ll inspire you to take your outdoor adventure game to the next level. Whether you’re starting your journey from the couch or the trail head, this is the place for you.

Guides Gone Wild Guides Gone Wild

    • Sports
    • 5.0 • 26 Ratings

The place to come to fill your ears and minds with the stories of everyday, extraordinary women who’ll inspire you to take your outdoor adventure game to the next level. Whether you’re starting your journey from the couch or the trail head, this is the place for you.

    If You Build It, They Will Bike (and Walk, and Ski...): Marianne Borowski, Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail

    If You Build It, They Will Bike (and Walk, and Ski...): Marianne Borowski, Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail

    Today we take a scenic ride through the intricacies of trail development, where the rubber meets the road in terms of community building, advocacy, grant writing, marketing... and bike riding!

    Marianne Borowski is the absolute force of nature behind the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail.
    For those of you who haven’t yet heard of it, the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail is an 83 mile long multi-purpose trail that spans northern New Hampshire, from Woodsville on the Vermont border to Bethel, Maine.
    The Adventure Trail patches together pre-existing rail trails, bike paths, dirt roads and a few short pavement segments to create a fluid tour of the north country great for biking, hiking, cross country skiing, horseback riding, you name it - if it’s non-motorized, you’re probably good to go on this fantastic trail. AND you can get amazing support along the way, thanks to the countless resources available on the xNHAT.org website.
    Such well-documented, well-thought-out trail networks don’t just magically appear out of the ether - there is always at least one extremely passionate advocate working behind the curtains to make their vision a reality for the rest of us to enjoy. 
    Marianne is just such a passionate, action-oriented visionary, and she was kind enough to invite me up to her hill-top perch in Bartlett to talk all things trail. I loved every minute of our conversation, so I’m sharing them all!
    Head on over to xNHAT.org to get all the details about the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail, including links to the Story Map, the GPS links, even how to get your very own copy of the OG waterproof paper map, so you can start planning your own Cross New Hampshire Adventure! And if anyone is interested in joining Trish and me on the ride later this summer/fall, shoot me an email - guidesgonewildpodcast@gmail.com - who knows, maybe we can do a whole group thing! That would be SO FUN!
    In the meantime, more great links from our conversation:
    Katy Trail (MO): https://bikekatytrail.com/Erie Canal Bike Trail (NY): https://bikeeriecanal.com/C&O and GAP (Great Allegheny Passage) Trails (PA, WV, MD, DC): https://bikecando.com/Cross Vermont Trail: https://www.crossvermont.org/Ride with GPS: https://ridewithgps.com/Read more about bicycling in Québec, and the ‘Bienvenue cyclistes!’ program: https://www.bonjourquebec.com/en-us/to-see-and-do/outdoor-activities/cyclingBike Friendly New York: https://www.ptny.org/cycle-the-erie-canal/bikefriendlyDero Fixit: https://www.dero.com/product/fixit-plus/Spencer Hawkes: https://www.spencerhawkes.com/Israel River Campground: https://israelrivercampground.com/Lamoille Valley Rail Trail: https://railtrails.vermont.gov/trails/lamoille-valley-rail-trail/Great American Bike Tours: https://www.cycletheusa.com/

    • 1 hr 12 min
    There's No Such Thing As Too Little Movement: Val Hopkins, 365 Mile Challenge

    There's No Such Thing As Too Little Movement: Val Hopkins, 365 Mile Challenge

    Today I bring you another dose of practical, relatable, do-able inspiration with my special guest Val Hopkins from 365 Mile Challenge.

    Val’s business is all about meeting people wherever they are, bringing them into a supportive community, and providing them with tools, resources and motivation to build a movement habit that works within the limitations of their life, time and physicality - whatever those look like.

    That would be inspiring enough, but wait until you hear about how Val, the tech-challenged nurse forced to retire early because of an injury, decided that she and her biologist daughter-in-law were JUST the people who should swoop in and save an internet-based movement community on the brink of shutdown…  literally weeks before COVID locked us all inside, by ourselves.

    The same drive that gets Val and her community moving "a mile a day, their way", served the 365 Mile Challenge business well, and Val and Kayla recently started their fifth year as stewards of the company and its app, offshoot communities, ambassadorships, and virtual races.

    I hope you’ll check out Val’s website, 365milechallenge.org, as well as #365MileChallenge and @365MileChallenge on Instagram - and maybe even get involved in the challenge, or a virtual race, or just take advantage of all the useful resources and tips she’s curated on her fabulous website!

    When you’re stuck in a rut, or life is going sideways for whatever reason, sometimes it only takes a teeny little prod to get a teeny little dose of movement to get you redirected to a brighter place. So why wait for the rut?? You can start building a movement habit now, in community with Val, Kayla and 365MileChallenge.org!

    Links to the good stuff:
    365 Mile Challenge: https://365milechallenge.org/@365 Mile Challenge on Instagram, @Official365MileChallenge on FacebookOutspring: https://www.theoutspring.com/Swell: https://www.theoutspring.com/events/ - watch the 2023 highlights hereAmy Hopkins, Saltwater Mountain Co. on Guides Gone Wild (Sept 2023)Join us for our next Last Tuesday Virtual Meetup on 2/27!: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/meet

    • 39 min
    Build a Community of Support OUTdoors: Rae-a Moughty, Campfire Institute

    Build a Community of Support OUTdoors: Rae-a Moughty, Campfire Institute

    Today we head OUTside with another fabulous wild guide, Rae-a Moughty, Founder and Director of Campfire Institute, an amazing organization that offers wilderness enrichment adventures for girls and LGBTQIA+ youth.

    I connected with Rae-a right after she’d wrapped up the Institute’s OUT on the Snow program held at Evans Notch Lodge over MLK weekend. We were both so fired up by the great time had by the teens, and we wanted to harness that energy to try to spread the word about Campfire Institute and all of its programs still on tap for 2024.

    Rae-a is an educator, registered Maine Guide, and all around ray of sunshine, as you’ll hear. Her passion for her work literally pours out of her, and she can’t grow her programs fast enough to keep up with the demand from all corners of Maine.

    After you're done tuning in today, make sure to click on the link below to watch the beautiful video Jenny Woodward created with Rae-a (aka "Cricket"), featuring some of the teens that have found their voice and powerful connections through Campfire Institute programs. These kids are amazing and totally, authentically themselves, right down to the classic teen eyerolls!

    It is NOT too late to sign up for Campfire Institute’s fabulous 2024 programming, so head over to CampfireInstitute.org - and even if you aren’t actively looking to register YOUR child or young adult for a program, you might just think of smashing that DONATE button and helping to sponsor another.

    Please also follow @campfireinstitute on Facebook and Instagram - and there’s even a @campfireinstitute TikTok for the youth in your life to get their stoke on without having to stoop to joining you on the old folks’ socials!

    And finally - if you are a retreat leader or guide looking for a low-key, affordable and comfy place to basecamp YOUR next group adventure, I hope you’ll check out Evans Notch Lodge - it's a sweet spot for groups like Campfire Institute, and we will work with you to achieve your vision for your event, retreat, bootcamp, whatever. Contact  @evansnotchlodge on Instagram or Facebook, or come on over to EvansNotchLodge.com for more info.

    Make sure to check OUT these links from our conversation!:
    Campfire Institute:  https://www.campfireinstitute.org/@campfireinstitute on InstagramThe OUT Retreat Weekend 2024Check out the amazing work Campfire Institute does in this video: http://vimeo.com/jennywoodward/campfireOUTdoor Leadership Training with Maine Tourism & Campfire InstituteEquality MaineGive the gift of Equitable Wilderness!Ari Leach of Blackbird Guide Services on Guides Gone Wild

    • 44 min
    Fireside Chat with Trish & Bethany - and Announcing Last Tuesday Meetups!

    Fireside Chat with Trish & Bethany - and Announcing Last Tuesday Meetups!

    What you need to know RIGHT THIS SECOND is that we are kicking off the Last Tuesday of the Month Virtual Meetup - for any and all Guides Gone Wild peeps - starting NEXT TUESDAY, January 30th, at 7pm.

    How can you join the virtual meetup, you ask?

    CLICK HERE or head on over to GuidesGoneWild.com/meet and sign up for the calendar invite and Zoom link!

    At this first meetup, we will be talking about visions and goals and hopes for 2024 - and the rest of the year, we’ll be inviting in the guides and conversations and accountability we need to actually get all the fun stuff done!

    So where did this idea come from, you might ask? 

    Well, grab a cup of hot tea, close your eyes, and picture yourself cozied up by a lovely woodstove in the Maine woods.... That’s where I was a few weeks back with my trusty sidekick Trish and Guides Gone Wild all star listener and guest Bethany Cass, on a spontaneous adventure at the Flagstaff Hut (Maine Huts & Trails).
     
    I just happened to bring my little recorder with me so I could pick their brains about what they find valuable about these little adventures. 

    Apologies for the janky audio, but I hope you enjoy a little eavesdropping into why little spontaneous spurts of nature are so AMAZINGLY amazing!

    And in case you want to hear more of us talking all the feels!:
    Bethany's inspiring episode on Guides Gone Wild: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/bethany-cass-ggw146 Trish and I talk about Vertical: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/ggw068-vertical-weekend-recap-with-trish-and-jenTrish and I talk about Rooted: https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/rooted-mtb-festival-recap-ep111

    • 11 min
    New Year, New You, New... Business?!?: GearME is For Sale!

    New Year, New You, New... Business?!?: GearME is For Sale!

    Read more about Emily's decision about GearME: 
    https://www.gearmeoutdoors.com/sale-of-business

    If you or someone you know wants to learn more about the GearME business sale, please contact Michael Hall, Commercial Real Estate Broker with The Jordie Lee Company:  207-773-1111 (office) or email mhall@jordielee.com

    **

    Way back in March 2021, I talked to Emily Kirkton, the owner of GearME, a fabulous outdoor consignment gear and apparel store in Freeport, Maine.

    As of this month, after 5+ years of running this awesome business, Emily has made the difficult decision to move on to new challenges (and honestly, more family time), so she is looking for a buyer and starting to plan for a transition toward the end of February.

    I would love to help Emily in any way I can - so I’m replaying this conversation in the hopes that I can make one of the following options manifest: 
    Someone listening will know someone who would be STOKED to take over this amazing business;Someone listening will be STOKED to take over this amazing business themselves; and/orEVERYONE listening makes a point of getting to GearME in the next month to stock up on their outdoor needs, support the circular economy, and give Emily the most financially rewarding send-off possible!Plus, this conversation is tons of fun to listen to - whether you’re a newbie adventurer, a small business owner, or a grown-up trying to get a kid outdoors, Emily shares great tips and tricks that are as applicable today as they were back in March 2021.

    **
    Timestamps for the impatient :-)

    0:02 -- GearMe Outdoor Consignment Store Transition
    10:15 -- Overcoming Challenges in Becoming a Guide
    14:32 -- Starting an Outdoor Retail Store
    27:29 -- Outdoor Adventure With Kids
    33:30 -- Changing Perspectives and Parenting Outdoors
    38:09 -- Gear Recommendations for Outdoor Activities
    42:01 -- Consignment and Gear Buying Tips

    Enjoy!

    • 53 min
    2023 Year in Review: Gift Ideas, Goings-On, and Gritty Inspiration for Solstice and Beyond!

    2023 Year in Review: Gift Ideas, Goings-On, and Gritty Inspiration for Solstice and Beyond!

    Hopping into the Wild One Wayback Wagon this week to take a quick look back at 2023 - and while we're at it, grab some last minute gift ideas, giving thoughts and gritty inspiration to take us through this darkest day and into the light of the new year!

    GIFT IDEAS:
    https://backcountryfoodie.com/ - use code WILD at checkout to save 20% on memberships
    https://navitour.com/ - support local Maine Guides and trip leaders
    https://www.cedargrovesauna.com/ - sweat and soak up and down mid-coast Maine
    https://saltwatermountainco.com/ - treat your bestie to a luxurious DryRobe
    https://www.arcticlynxmaternity.com/ - help those moms-to-be stay active and warm
    https://www.carolinesdream.com/ for all the natural skincare (chamois cream is a fave!)

    CAN'T MISS EVENTS:
    https://www.summitsinsolidarity.org/ Me & White Supremacy Challenge kicks off January 30; watch for Solidarity Hike Day in June
    https://camdensnowbowl.com/toboggan-championships/ Cheer on A Flying Flock - February 2-4
    https://somersetsnowfest.org/ and Skijor Skowhegan- February 16-24
    https://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/adirondack90miler/ September 6-8

    INSPIRATION TO SHARE:
    Anne Parmenter - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/anne-parmenter-ems-climbing-everest-mountaineer-ggw122
    Bethany Cass - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/bethany-cass-ggw146
    Anyssa Lucena - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/climb-for-a-cause-anyssa-lucena-ggw147
    Tori Gray - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/tori-gray-the-wilderness-guru-ggw137
    Lindsay Currier - https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/lindsay-currier-bikepack-maine-ggw149
    Kat Ripley -  https://www.guidesgonewild.com/podcast/kat-ripley-juniper-moss-guide-services-ggw150

    CAUSES TO CONSIDER:
    https://diversifywhitewater.org/
    https://latinooutdoors.org/
    https://protectourwinters.org/
    https://www.mainegearshare.org/

    What did I miss? Who do I need to interview? What are you looking forward to in 2024? Let me know - guidesgonewildpodcast@gmail.com!

    Happy Solstice, happy holidays, peace and love to you all :-)   ~Jen

    • 16 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
26 Ratings

26 Ratings

Huxley122 ,

Still look forward to each ep!

I'm not a guide anymore and I STILL love Guides Gone Wild! Jen asks fantastic questions and has a great variety of guests who get me thinking about my passions in work in new ways, even though I'm no longer out in the field every day. Thought-provoking, inspiring, professional, the whole package. Love it.

e_hollz ,

Great show

Love each episode, Jen asks great questions and brings you into the conversation so well.

wish i was camping ,

Everything fun!

Listening to this podcast has been motivation to get outdoors as often as possible. Every episode so far (I haven’t listened to them all yet) has touched on something I love—yoga, canoeing, camping, hiking, hanging with friends, learning new skills. Too bad this wasn’t around 30 years ago!

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