Wild Ideas Worth Living

REI Co-op

High-impact interviews for those who love adventure and the outdoors. Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews world-class explorers, athletes, authors, scientists, health experts and entrepreneurs about how they’ve taken their own wild ideas and made them a reality, so you can too. Some of the wildest ideas can lead to the most rewarding adventures.

  • 24 minutes 27 seconds
    Winning the World Snowshoe Championships with Jennifer Britz

    Jennifer Britz is a trail runner based in Bar Harbor, Maine. She spends half the year on Acadia National Park’s rugged trails and the other half perfecting her craft on lightweight running snowshoes built for speed. Over the past decade, Britz has dedicated herself to mastering this niche sport, pushing her limits across varied terrain. In 2022, she earned gold at the World Snowshoe Championships in Argentina.

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    9 December 2025, 11:00 am
  • 29 minutes 31 seconds
    Chatting Gear & Gifting with Emily Pennington

    Emily Pennington is an REI gear tester and outdoor expert who knows what makes equipment worth the investment. In this holiday gift guide episode, she shares her top picks for the best outdoor gear gifts—whether it’s backpacking essentials, ski gear for hitting the slopes, or running gear for everyday adventures. Emily breaks down what matters most when choosing quality gear that lasts, so you can give gifts that the adventurers in your life will love. 

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    2 December 2025, 11:00 am
  • 30 minutes 50 seconds
    Skydiving & Becoming a Paralympic Snowboard Champion with Tyler Turner

    Tyler Turner has always been a bit of a daredevil. He grew up skiing, snowboarding, and eventually became a skydiving instructor. After a 2015 accident resulted in the amputation of both legs, he rebuilt his life around the sports he loves. Today, he’s a three-time Para Snowboard Cross World Champion, a Paralympic gold medalist, and the first bilateral amputee to fly in a wingsuit.

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    25 November 2025, 11:00 am
  • 26 minutes 14 seconds
    Setting a Scuba Diving Record on All 7 Continents with Barrington Scott

    Barrington Scott is a record-holding scuba diver who has spent the last decade exploring the underwater world through snorkeling, scuba, and freediving. He’s lived in coastal towns around the globe, diving as often as possible and immersing himself in coral reefs, sea caves, and marine life. In 2024, Barrington set a Guinness World Record for scuba diving on all seven continents.

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    18 November 2025, 11:00 am
  • 30 minutes 19 seconds
    Skateboarding Across America with Chad Caruso

    Chad Caruso kicked off his wild idea in Venice Beach, California, with a skateboard and a goal: to cross the country on four wheels. Over 57 days, he pushed through deserts, mountain ranges, and extreme weather, ultimately landing in Virginia Beach, Virginia and setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest coast-to-coast skateboarding journey.

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    11 November 2025, 11:00 am
  • 29 minutes 29 seconds
    Discovering the Explorer's Gene with Alex Hutchinson

    Alex Hutchinson is a science journalist who explores how technology is reshaping the way we experience the outdoors. While apps can guide us to trailheads and campsites, they can also strip away the thrill of the unexpected.

    In his recent book, The Explorer’s Gene, Alex blends stories of adventure with insights from psychology and neuroscience to show how breaking routine and embracing the unknown can lead to a more meaningful, fun, and productive life.

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    4 November 2025, 11:00 am
  • 31 minutes 8 seconds
    Climbing the 14 Highest Peaks in the World with Tracee Metcalfe

    In October 2024, Tracee Metcalfe became the first American woman to climb all 14 of the world’s tallest mountains, each towering above 8,000 meters. Her journey demanded years of preparation and survival in some of the most unforgiving conditions—from the deadly slopes of Annapurna to the steep walls of K2. 

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    28 October 2025, 10:00 am
  • 26 minutes 18 seconds
    Cycling 38,000 Miles Around the World with Jacob Lemanski

    Jacob Lemanski is a long distance cyclist who embarked on a global journey in 2013 with no set destination, just a desire to see how far his legs could take him. Over two and a half years, he pedaled more than 38,000 miles across 42 countries, driven by curiosity, endurance, and a love for exploration.

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    21 October 2025, 10:00 am
  • 32 minutes 29 seconds
    How I Trained for Everest in the Saudi Desert with Nelly Attar

    Nelly Attar has climbed more than 30 notable peaks around the world, including Mount Everest. Her journey to these intense mountaineering expeditions had an unconventional origin: dance. She grew up learning choreography from YouTube and later opened Saudi Arabia’s first dance studio. As she explored movement through fitness, weightlifting, and hiking, she built the foundation for high-altitude endurance. In 2022, Nelly became the first Arab to summit K2. 

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    14 October 2025, 10:00 am
  • 26 minutes 19 seconds
    Connecting HBCU Students to the Outdoors with Ron Griswell

    Ron Griswell is an outdoor educator and founder of HBCU's Outside, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting students at historically Black colleges and universities with nature. After taking a gap year from North Carolina A&T State University to work as an adventure guide, Ron discovered a deeper purpose in the outdoors. Motivated by the lack of outdoor opportunities at his HBCU, he launched a movement to make nature more accessible and inclusive. His work continues to inspire the next generation of outdoor leaders.

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    7 October 2025, 10:00 am
  • 30 minutes 52 seconds
    Running Every Single Street in San Francisco with Rickey Gates

    Rickey Gates is a professional athlete and endurance runner known for redefining what it means to explore on foot. After racing at an elite level, he ran 3,700 miles across America and later completed every street in San Francisco. Nearly seven years later, Rickey is tackling his latest challenge: identifying and running 50 Classic Trails across North America. His adventures go beyond distance—they are a way for him to explore, connect, and see the world in a whole new light.

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    30 September 2025, 10:00 am
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