She Explores

In this final episode of the Where We Walk miniseries, we take a look at volunteering by hearing from Michela Williams and Brittany Leavitt: two individuals who have had a big hand in volunteer positions for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, as well as other leadership roles where they get to see firsthand how powerful volunteering can truly be.

Brittany and Michela say it best, but as you’ll hear, volunteering is a way we build paths-- not just through the physical act, but also building connections, exposing ourselves to new experiences, taking on leadership roles, and utilizing our time as volunteers to create pathways for others: recreationalists, stewards, and community members alike.

About the series: This story-forward six-part series, in partnership with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and made possible with support from REI, highlights the Appalachian Trail through both the women who helped to build it as well as those who continue to make it what it is today. Our goal is to tell a multi-dimensional story of the Trail through a range of voices from diverse backgrounds. Each episode will have a unique theme that helps tell the story of the way we shape the Trail, but more importantly — how the Trail shapes us.

Featured in this episode: Brittany Leavitt & Michela Williams

Hosted by Laura Borichevsky & Gale Straub

A Production of Ravel Media

Resources:

• Appalachian Trail Conservancy - Volunteer
• The interviewees:
  • Brittany Leavitt
    • Instagram: @bleavitt8
    • Website: britleavitt.com
    • Brittany’s experience hiking with Outdoor Afro following the Underground Railroad
  • Michela Williams
    • Instagram: @_chaurayyyyy and @blacktooearth
    • Black Too Earth Website: blacktooearth.com

You can find the entire miniseries in the She Explores podcast feed and through a “Where We Walk” Spotify playlist where we’ve queued up every episode just for you.

Music by Josh Woodward & Monplaisir using a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Ever dreamed of going to space? Analog astronaut and geoscientist Dr. Sian Proctor shares how she lives out her childhood dream of space exploration here on earth. We talked to Sian just a week after Sensoria, a first of its kind, all-women’s Mars simulation at the HI-SEAS habitat on the Big Island of Hawaii.

In this episode, we learn how proudly pursuing your passions (in the outdoors and otherwise) helps open up opportunity. Sian followed her curiosity scuba diving, getting her pilot’s license, traveling around the world, and studying science. While not the end goal, all helped her in applying to be an astronaut with NASA. And though she didn’t get the final call, she’s kept herself open to analog space exploration on Earth. We hear how preparing for life in space encourages us to be better environmental stewards and fellow humans on our home planet.

Featured in this episode: Dr. Sian Proctor

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Victorinox Swiss Army, and Alpenventures Unguided.

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

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In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Sian became an analog astronaut
• Why going on a backpacking trip is a mini-analog space expedition!
• What Sian hopes to accomplish before age 50
• Sensoria, an all-women’s Mars simulation which Sian completed at the end of January
• Why Sian believes diversity must be considered when training and sending people to space
• How as an African American scientist, Sian hopes to bring in more women of color to to space exploration
• The importance of proudly pursuing your passions throughout your life
• Why investing in space is an investment in planet Earth

Resources

• Dr. Sian Proctor: Website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
• Flight Ready Systems: Website
• Analog Astronaut: Website
• Sensoria
• Project PoSSUM
• She Explores Landing Page
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Victorinox Swiss Army Learn more at Victorinox.com and use code EXPLORE15 to save 15% now through April 6th,, 2020 Some exclusions apply.
• Alpenventures Unguided: Learn more at alpenventuresunguided.com. Use code EXPLORE at checkout for 10% off a summer alp adventure.

Music in this episode is by Meydan, Josh Woodward, Swelling, and Kai Engel using a Creative Commons attribution license.

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Anastasia and Rose hike their violin and keyboard, respectfully, into the mountains of Washington to play music to greet the rising sun. In doing so, they hope to inspire others to share their own gifts with the world.

A little over a year ago, Anastasia Allison and Rose Freeman met in person and found out they had the same dream: to play music in the backcountry (in a low impact and respectful fashion). They decided to load up a violin and keyboard and give it a try. You can watch videos of them playing in the mountains in all seasons - surrounded by snow and in the height of summer.

In this episode, Anastasia and Rose record a recent hike up Sahale arm in the North Cascades and share what makes it special for them and others.

Women Featured in this Episode: Anastasia Allison and Rose Freeman

Addy Polet is featured in the Deuter midroll.

Hosted by Gale Straub

In this episode you'll hear

• How Anastasia and Rose got started as "The Musical Mountaineers" - carrying their instruments to play music as the sun rises and sets in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest
• The sounds of the two women hiking up to Sahale Arm in the Cascades to play a sunrise "concert"
• How the women practice Leave No Trace when they perform and why they don't tell anyone that they're going to be out there
• The challenges and rewards of hiking instruments up 3,500 feet to play
• The mission behind "The Musical Mountaineers" and how it's evolved
• The ways playing music in the backcountry has impacted them personally
• How they improvise to create new music together
• What makes Anastasia and Rose a good team
• How letting go of perfection in music relates to every day life and other lessons we can draw from their performances
• And about the Women on the Road Gathering in Taos, NM!

Sponsored by Victorious and Deuter

Resources

• Follow The Musical Mountaineers: Instagram, Facebook, Youtube
• Follow Anastasia Allison: Instagram, Podcast: The Inspired Adventurepreneur, Website
• Follow Rose Freeman: Instagram
• See The Musical Mountaineers Perform at Benaroya Hall
• Women on the Road Gathering

Learn more on She-Explores.com

Join the conversation in our She Explores Podcast Facebook Group

Sponsors & Codes

• Victorious: Get the first month's membership free using the URL Victorious.com/explores
• Deuter

Enjoy this episode? Rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. It’ll help other people find us.

Music is performed by The Musical Mountaineers:

• Sunrise Improvisation - original music by The Musical Mountaineers
• How Great Thou Art (1885)
• Great is Thy Faithfulness (1923)

Music is by Jason Shaw via Free Music Archive (CC by A license)

Your stories of spending time solo in the outdoors. Including a bikepacker, a so-called fat hiker, an aspiring astronaut, an extrovert, two med students, and a backcountry paddler, in short - you and me.

It's been almost 2 years since we last asked you about how you adventure solo in Episode 8 of She Explores, Alone on the Trail. Gale asked for new submissions and she received more than she could squeeze into this episode, which is a great thing! It means you're getting out there.

Please keep in mind when you listen - there are inherent risks to recreating in the backcountry, whether you're with a friend or by yourself. It's always a good idea to take inventory of your limits.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• How solo time in nature opens up your headspace
• Why the listeners who submitted take time for themselves solo
• How Beth Bradley and Jessie Johnson used solo hiking to help quiet the negative body talk that went on in their heads
• Why getting outside solo isn't always a choice
• The ways in which you might be physically solo, but not quite alone while you're out there
• Why an extrovert says it's ok to find other people to adventure with
• The value of a long thru hike
• How going it solo can be empowering
• Some motivation to take the next step

Women featured in this episode:

• Sunny Stroeer: Website, Outside Online Article, Alpinist Article
• Jodi Spangler: Instagram
• Jessie Johnson: Instagram
• Beth Bradley: Watch her full story here; Instagram
• Francesca Turauskis: SeizeYourAdventure.com
• Savannah Simmons-Grover: Blog
• Natalie Izzo: Instagram
• Kathi Kamleitner: Blog
• Kristine Turner
• Emily Sehloff: Instagram
• Ashley Franklin
• Sian Proctor: Facebook and Kickstarter
• Julie Hotz: Instagram and Portfolio

Hosted by Gale Straub

Sponsors & Codes:

• Benchmark Maps: use code SHEEXPLORES for 20% off your order
• Ritual - try your first month!
• Sawyer: Enter giveaway at She-Explores.com/sawyer
• World Nomads: Check out their podcast at Worldnomads.com/podcasts

Music is by Lee Rosevere, Jason Shaw, and Smaller Tide via Free Music Archive (CC by A license)

Music is also by Fort Vine.

Nicole Jackson is an environmental educator, birder, and co-creator of Black Birders Week. She's also dedicated to connecting people to the environment and each other. As a girl, nature nurtured Nicole growing up on the east side of Cleveland, and much of her career is built around returning the favor.

Throughout our conversation, Nicole gifts us with nature lessons and shares how she's grown into herself as a natural leader and advocate for developing a lifelong relationship with nature.

Featured in this episode: Nicole Jackson

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Oregon State University, Danner, & Peak Scents

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Nicole Jackson: Instagram & Twitter
• Articles Featuring Nicole
  • PBS: Nicole Jackson | Environmental Educator
  • Portland Audobon: Reflections from Black Birders Week
  • Newsbreak: Being Seen and Heard During Black Birders Week
• She Explores Episode: Black Birders Week is Forever
• National Parks Conservation Association
• Children & Nature Network
• Resources: Child Abuse
  • AACAP Child Abuse Resource Center
  • National Children's Advocacy Center: Resources
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Oregon State University E-Campus: Visit ecampus.oregonstate.edu/explore to find the program that’s right for you.
• Peak Scents: Get 20% your order when you use the code EXPLORE20 at checkout at PeakScents.com.
• Danner: Learn more about the Trail 2650 at Danner.com

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by Meydan, Kai Engel, Swelling, & Lee Rosevere