Miles & Mountains

Nick
  • 5.0 (43)
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Join Nick, a social worker and coach by day, as he unravels the inspiring stories of athletes and the public, uncovering the motivations behind their actions, from conquering mountains to participating in ultra-endurance races and competing in rodeos. Get ready for heartwarming tales of community support, acts of kindness, and the revelation that everyone has a deeper story to tell. Whether it's running, climbing, or participating in rodeos, these stories will inspire and uplift. #Running, #Climbing, #EverydayAthletes, #Rodeo

  1. JAN 20

    From 4-H To FFA w/ Jaxi

    A fifteen-year-old stock show competitor opens up about life in FFA, why she chose pigs over sports, and how caring for animals builds real discipline. She shares the feed plans, show prep, and family support that keep her moving toward a future in nursing. • moving from 4‑H to FFA and finding a better fit • what FFA teaches about livestock, routine, and responsibility • choosing pigs, training methods, and daily handling • feeding strategies, target weights, and show prep for OYE • weekly care, pen cleaning, grooming, and teamwork with her sister • honest talk about butchering, costs, and hard choices • future goals in healthcare inspired by her grandmother. Shoutout to : Jaxi Long  The Long Family  FFA  Ag-Gear Store  https://www.aggearstore.com/ Use Code: Milesmountains  For 15% Off  Raising Awareness: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Mental Health  Send us a text

    30 min

  2. 11/09/2025

    Metal Riffs & Country Roots with Jared Graham

    A metal kid grows up on thrash and stadium riffs, then finds himself writing country songs on a beat-up acoustic. That’s where our conversation with Jared Graham begins—somewhere between distortion and dust, showmanship and bare-boned truth—and it doesn’t let up until the last chord rings. We trade stories about the albums that rewired our ears—early Metallica, the maligned but meaningful Saint Anger, and the Red Dirt records that sneak up on you with brutal honesty. Jared opens up about bombing out of a formal music track, switching majors, and refusing to quit the guitar. The pandemic pause gave him space to write; the return to stages—from winery barns to Montana saloons—taught him how to read a room, shift gears mid-set, and end with a song that matters to his family. If you’ve ever fought for a booking by sheer persistence, or felt that jolt when a crowd locks in and the set starts feeding on itself, you’ll recognize his path. We tour the Northwest circuit—Long Branch’s songwriter rounds, Ellensburg’s WinterHop, Tri-Cities breweries that turn taps into stages—and swap notes on live presence from Slayer’s velocity to Demon Hunter’s surprise catharsis to Sturgill Simpson’s relentless focus. Along the way, we dig into why rock-to-country isn’t a sellout move but a search for a fuller language: metal names the rage, country names the ache, and together they feel like real life. If you love genre-bending artists, gritty lyrics, and the DIY hustle behind every “yes,” this one’s for you. Hit play, then tell us the show that changed you—and where Jared should play next. Subscribe, share with a friend who lives for live music, and leave a review so more listeners can find the pod. Instagram: @jared.q.graham https://www.instagram.com/jared.q.graham?igsh=Y3VmZW9lZjg0OGVk Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/share/1AtbGwnQsK/?mibextid=wwXIfr Shoutout to : Jared Graham The Graham Family  Music that shaped us.  Ag-Gear Store  https://www.aggearstore.com/ Use Code: Milesmountains  For 15% Off  Raising Awareness: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Mental Health  Send us a text

    1h 18m

  3. 10/29/2025

    From Idaho Gridiron To Olympic Skeleton Hopeful

    What does it take to aim your life at 89 mph and keep your head still while the world blurs? We sit with Andy Whittier, a Team USA skeleton hopeful on the cusp of Cortina 2026 and pull back the curtain on a sport that pairs sprint speed with steel nerves and brutal precision. From a small Idaho town and Division I football to a niche winter discipline, he explains why size and weight caps push some athletes toward skeleton, how a 70-pound sled changes sprint mechanics, and why no two 50-second runs on the same track ever feel the same. The journey isn’t glamorous. He left a secure marketing career, lived on sponsors and side gigs before a stipend finally kicked in, and accepted that holidays would happen without him. Training is a study in extremes: two to three runs a day, 4–6 G’s testing neck strength, and hours of film, sanding runners, mobility, and “mind runs” to map every curve. We trace the selection process from Park City to Europe—how circuits are assigned, how points stack from November to late January, and why only two men and two women will ultimately earn their Olympic start numbers. What stands out is the mindset. He talks about crashing early and getting back on the sled 15 minutes later, about reducing life to the work in front of him, and about the electric weight of the anthem after a win. The culture is both cutthroat and generous—teammates push each other hard and celebrate each other’s breakthroughs—because the flag deserves the best-prepared athlete on race day. If you’ve ever wondered how visualization, relentless discipline, and community support can carry someone from a local track to the world stage, this conversation delivers an unfiltered look at the process and the price. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves winter sports, and leave a review with your favorite moment. Then set a reminder to watch the Utah Olympic Park selection races on YouTube and tell us: would you go headfirst even once? Instagram: @andy_whittier_ https://www.instagram.com/andy_whittier_?igsh=MWt1cnM0NHpiZ2U2OQ== Website: https://linktr.ee/awhittier Shoutout to : Andy Whittier  The Whittier Family  US Skeleton Team  US Winter Olympic Team  Ag-Gear Store  https://www.aggearstore.com/ Use Code: Milesmountains  For 15% Off  Raising Awareness: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Mental Health  Send us a text

    41 min

  4. 10/18/2025

    Where Imagination Meets Wilderness with Eliot Pepers

    A headlamp slicing the dark. A kid who’d rather be grinding levels than hiking switchbacks. A flash of fear on the roadside that turns into something like courage. Eliot Peper joins us to share Ensorcelled, his compact 90-minute novel about a boy named Tim whose attention is split between the glowing pull of video games and the raw, unscripted wonder of the Sierra backcountry. We dig into why this story works so well in a short form and how a tight arc can carry more voltage than a sprawling series. Eliot talks about writing in first person to capture a mind that hops from action to reflection to speculation, and how the book intentionally blurs that line where imagination colors reality without erasing it. He opens up about the moment that inspired the “rewild your attention” theme: seeing himself through his newborn’s eyes, staring at a small rectangle while the world dazzled right beside it. From there, we trace the trail—parents, friction, friends, and a mysterious light that readers can’t stop talking about. The outdoors isn’t just scenery here. Eliot draws from real trips to a hidden Sierra lake and a life lived near the Pacific, where surfing teaches timing, patience, and commitment. We talk about creativity as a way to love nature more—write a page, sketch a shoreline, record a wave—and why that practice makes the next ride richer. We also widen the lens: genre as a toolbox rather than a box, how to market work that refuses neat labels, and why he thinks writer’s block is a myth for long-form storytellers. Plus, a candid take on AI as both promise and upheaval, closer to the printing press than a passing fad. If you’re hungry for a fast, moving read that blends fantasy’s wonder with the grit of real trails, you’ll find a lot to love here. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge outdoors, and leave a review to help more listeners discover the show. Instagram: @eliotpeper https://www.instagram.com/eliotpeper?igsh=MWJ4eXh5bGhjbHVzbw== Website: https://eliotpeper.com Shoutout to : Eliot Peper The Peper Family  Ag-Gear Store  https://www.aggearstore.com/ Use Code: Milesmountains  For 15% Off  Raising Awareness: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Mental Health  Send us a text

    49 min

  5. 09/28/2025

    Beyond the Arena: A Conversation with Clay Noel Harper

    Step into the world of rodeo media with Clay Noel Harper, the 26-year-old Editor-in-Chief of Rodeo Life magazine who's reshaping how Western stories are told. Born into what many consider "rodeo royalty," Clay Noel shares her unique journey from college rodeo competitor to becoming a respected voice in rodeo journalism. With remarkable humility, Clay Noel opens up about growing up in a family deeply rooted in the Western way of life. Her father, a retired bullfighter turned renowned Western artist with a secret passion for Sasquatch hunting, instilled in her the importance of giving back to the industry that gave her so much. This mission has guided her career from New Mexico State University through positions at Cowboy Channel and now as an independent media professional balancing editorial leadership with sideline reporting at major rodeos across the country. What makes Clay Noel’s perspective particularly valuable is her insider-outsider position in the industry. Married to professional saddle bronc rider Joe Harper, she provides intimate glimpses into the challenges rodeo athletes face—from judging inconsistencies to the physical toll of competition. Yet as a media professional, she maintains the analytical eye needed to tell these stories authentically. Her passion for showcasing the human element of rodeo shines through as she discusses memorable interviews, including her final conversation with bareback rider Trenton Montero before his tragic passing. Clay Noel’s insights about rodeo's evolution are particularly fascinating. She discusses how modern competitors approach their sport with professional athlete mindsets while maintaining rodeo's gritty spirit. She celebrates the industry's growing inclusivity while emphasizing what makes rodeo unique—particularly its recognition of animals as athletes in their own right. Whether you're a lifelong rodeo fan or just curious about Western culture, Clay Noel’s story offers a compelling look at an industry balancing tradition with innovation. Subscribe now to hear how faith, family, and flying hooves have shaped one of rodeo media's rising stars, and discover why her voice is helping preserve the authentic stories of the American West. Instagram: @clay_noel25 https://www.instagram.com/clay_noel25?igsh=OHU3OXY5azBsNzhj Shoutout to : Mrs. Clay Noel Harper Joe Harper Rodeo Life Magazine  The Barry Family  The Manning Family  Miles Barry Wiley Coyote Karas  Ag-Gear Store  https://www.aggearstore.com/ Use Code: Milesmountains  For 15% Off  Alter Ego Ambassador: https://alteregorunning.com/ Miles & Mountains Promo Code: Milesmountainsyr3 Raising Awareness: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Mental Health  Send us a text

    1h 20m

  6. 08/13/2025

    Michaela Trinidad Conquering Bigfoot: The Mental Game of 200-Mile Ultrarunning

    What drives someone to run 200 miles through rugged mountain terrain? Just three years after her first ultra marathon, Michaela Trenidad conquered the infamous Bigfoot 200, completing the punishing course around Mount St. Helens in 74 hours.  Michaela pulls back the curtain on what she calls "the stretch of carnage" - a seven-mile section where exhausted runners collapsed alongside the trail every mile. She reveals the surreal experience of hallucinations after days without proper sleep, describing how the mind struggles to process reality when pushed to extreme limits. "I'm convinced you can sleep while walking," she shares, explaining how she navigated through nighttime sections with her eyes closed, trusting her trekking poles to keep her upright. The conversation challenges conventional wisdom about training, as Michaela reveals she typically ran just 40-60 miles weekly while preparing for this enormous challenge. This speaks to a central theme that emerges throughout: ultrarunning success stems more from mental fortitude than physical preparation. "I had no other options," she explains about her mindset approaching the race. "I had thought about it so much leading into it... it was almost like life or death in a way." Beyond the physical journey, Michaela shares touching insights about the ultrarunning community, the spiritual dimensions of seeking solitude in nature, and finding purpose in extreme challenges. Whether you're an experienced ultrarunner, a curious newcomer, or simply fascinated by what drives humans to test their limits, this conversation offers a window into the transformative power of embracing seemingly impossible challenges. Have you found your "why" for the mountains you're climbing? Join our community of trail runners and share your story with us on social media or leave a review with your own experiences pushing beyond comfort zones. Shout out to: Michaela Trenidad The Trenidad Family The TriCities Wolfpack  Badger Mountain Challenge Ben, Lance, Matt, Jason, Brandon and the rest of the Tri Cities running community.  Ag-Gear Store  https://www.aggearstore.com/ Use Code: Milesmountains  For 15% Off  Alter Ego Ambassador: https://alteregorunning.com/ Miles & Mountains Promo Code: Milesmountainsyr3 Raising Awareness: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Mental Health  Send us a text

    1h 46m

  7. 08/10/2025

    In the Dirt w/ Trevor Wells

    Professional bullfighter Trevor Wells returns to discuss his journey through recovery after a career-threatening knee injury and his decision to retire from bullfighting after his upcoming final three rodeos. • Suffered tears to ACL, LCL, MCL and fractured kneecap during a rodeo in May 2024 • Underwent surgery in September 2024 and has regained 85-90% mobility • Found the mental challenge of watching others fight bulls while injured was the hardest part • Feels called by his faith to pursue a different path including church ministry work • Currently working as a welder and helping with church bus routes on weekends • Planning final three rodeos including hometown show in Dothan and last ever appearance in Niceville • Family adjusting to life off the rodeo circuit with mixed emotions • Looking at property with space for small arena setup • Father developing 30-acre property with plans for rodeo events and clinics • Considering future involvement in rodeo through announcing or production Shoutout to : Trevor Wells and the Wells Family.  Ag-Gear Store  https://www.aggearstore.com/ Use Code: Milesmountains  For 15% Off  Alter Ego Ambassador: https://alteregorunning.com/ Miles & Mountains Promo Code: Milesmountainsyr3 Raising Awareness: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Mental Health  Send us a text

    28 min

  8. 07/30/2025

    Into the Wild: One Woman's Journey Through Ultra-Endurance Adventures

    What drives someone to bike 631 miles across Idaho for charity, swim five miles through frigid waters with their 70-year-old grandmother, or keep pursuing extreme physical challenges after surviving a rocket attack in Syria?  Meet Melisa Creek, an ultra-endurance athlete and military veteran whose extraordinary journey blends adventure with purpose. In this raw, captivating conversation, Melisa takes us from the grueling slopes of Mount St. Helens to the treacherous Aasgard Pass in the Enchantments, sharing what motivates her to constantly push beyond perceived limitations. "I love feeling kind of beat down," she admits with surprising candor. "I love that feeling of doing something I didn't know if I was capable of doing." This philosophy has guided Melisa through remarkable feats, including a cross-state bicycle journey just weeks before deployment and swimming Wallowa Lake in 52-degree water only three months after giving birth. Beyond the physical challenges, Melisa offers a powerful perspective on resilience after trauma. Her experience surviving an Iranian rocket attack while deployed fundamentally changed her relationship with everyday stress: "Being at work during a rush—I feel like I'm able to keep my composure because we're not getting blown up. It's just coffee." Throughout our conversation, Melisa reveals how these extreme pursuits have evolved from potential escape mechanisms in her youth to becoming deliberate choices for personal growth and self-discovery. With future goals including qualifying for the prestigious Western States ultramarathon and climbing Mount Rainier, her story reminds us that the human spirit thrives not in comfort, but in challenge. Whether you're an aspiring athlete, outdoor enthusiast, or simply someone seeking inspiration to push beyond your own boundaries, Melisa’s journey demonstrates how facing our limits—both physical and mental—can lead to profound transformation and unexpected joy. Shoutout to : Melisa Creek  Jose Garcia  Ag-Gear Store  https://www.aggearstore.com/ Use Code: Milesmountains  For 15% Off  Alter Ego Ambassador: https://alteregorunning.com/ Miles & Mountains Promo Code: Milesmountainsyr3 Raising Awareness: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Mental Health  Send us a text

    1h 44m
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5
out of 5
43 Ratings

About

Join Nick, a social worker and coach by day, as he unravels the inspiring stories of athletes and the public, uncovering the motivations behind their actions, from conquering mountains to participating in ultra-endurance races and competing in rodeos. Get ready for heartwarming tales of community support, acts of kindness, and the revelation that everyone has a deeper story to tell. Whether it's running, climbing, or participating in rodeos, these stories will inspire and uplift. #Running, #Climbing, #EverydayAthletes, #Rodeo

Information

  • Creator
    Nick
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    263
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Miles & Mountains
  • Show Website
    Miles & Mountains