In 2013, Thor Pedersen left his home in Denmark for the trip of a lifetime. His goal was to travel to every country in the world. He had three rules for his journey. He had to spend at least 24 hours in each country. He couldn't return to Denmark until he had crossed off every nation on the list. And last but not least, no air travel. Connect with Thor: Website Instagram Check out: Take the Wild Ideas Listener Survey!! REI Re/Supply Sign up for Hipcamp and REI’s “Summer of Magic Campout Series” Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees TEVA

Lael Wilcox is known as one of the world's best ultra-endurance cyclists. She's ridden over 150,000 miles in more than 50 countries. Now, Lael is going after her wildest idea yet: to break the record for cycling around the world. Her goal is to ride more than 18,000 miles in 110 days. Connect with Lael: Website Instagram Check out: Take the Wild Ideas Listener Survey!! Sign up for Hipcamp and REI’s “Summer of Magic Campout Series” Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees TEVA

Glen Van Peski is known as the king of ultralight backpacking. While backpackers will hit the trails with a pack that weighs upwards of 20 pounds, sometimes even up to 50 or more, Glen's pack usually only weighs around 12 pounds. Glen is also the founder of the functional lightweight backpacking and hiking gear company, Gossamer Gear, and the author of Take Less. Do More.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker. Connect with Glen: Website Instagram Gossamer Gear Instagram Glen's new book, Take Less. Do More.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker Check out: Take the Wild Ideas Listener Survey!! Sign up for Hipcamp and REI's "Summer of Magic Campout Series" Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees TEVA

At the age of 50, Ruby Gates left her career and home to get on a sailboat for seven months. At the time, she knew nothing about sailing, but the trip changed her life. Now, nine years later, Ruby has decided to go after the wildest idea she's ever had. She's circumnavigating the world by sailboat. Connect with Ruby: Sail with Ruby Instagram Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees TEVA Check out: REI Re/Supply Outside in 5 REI Co-op Adventure Travel

What if your wild idea no longer brings you joy? Retired pro skier, Grace Miller, is intimately familiar with a change of course. Grace grew up in Alaska and started skiing at a young age. Before she was out of high school, she was recruited to compete at the highest level, but at age 23 after competing on the world stage, Grace decided to leave skiing behind to pursue some new wild ideas. Connect with Grace: Instagram Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees TEVA Check out: REI Re/Supply Outside in 5 REI Co-op Adventure Travel

Alastair Humphreys is an author and adventurer who has walked 600 miles across Southern India, ran an ultra marathon through the Sahara Desert, and hiked and rafted across Iceland. Alastair's newest wild idea is to embrace the concept of "microadventures," an adventure that is short, easily accessible, and affordable while still being fun, challenging, refreshing, and rewarding. Connect with Alastair: Website Instagram Order Alastair's new book, Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Birkenstock Check out: REI Re/Supply Outside in 5 REI Co-op Adventure Travel

What if you had an opportunity to travel around the moon? Christina Koch has worked at NASA for the last 10 years, and has been a part of groundbreaking missions in outer space. In 2019, Christina embarked on a 328-day stay on the International Space Station, setting a record for the longest single space flight by a woman. Now Christina has a new assignment on the horizon. She was selected to join a crew that will travel around the moon. Connect with Christina: Instagram Christina's NASA bio NASA Artemis Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Studying the Cosmos with Sarafina El-Badry Nance and How To Become An Astronaut And Get A New Perspective On Earth From Space with Shannon Walker Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Birkenstock Check out: REI Re/Supply Outside in 5 REI Co-op Adventure Travel

Travis Rice has been pushing the envelope of what's possible in snowboarding for over 20 years. He has won prestigious awards for his riding, and completely recreated what it means to host a winter sports competition. Travis has also built new businesses like Sendy and changed the way action sports films are made. Connect with Travis: Instagram SENDY Natural Selection Tour Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Birkenstock Check out: REI Co-op Adventure Travel

Dudley Edmondson is a legendary outdoorsman and birder, nature photographer, cinematographer, speaker and an author. In 2006, he published a book called Black and Brown Faces in America's Wild Places. He hopes that his books, photos and film work will inspire the next generation of Black, Indigenous and other people of color to get outside. Connect with Dudley: Website Instagram Dudley's book, The Black & Brown Faces in America's Wild Places If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to For the Love of Birding with Corina Newsome Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Birkenstock Check out: REI Co-op Adventure Travel

What if swiping on a dating app led you to your partner and an epic bike ride the length of Latin America? This was the case for Erin Azouz and her now-husband Mehedi. The bike trip profoundly shifted Erin's relationship with her work, her husband, and most importantly with herself. Connect with Erin: Website Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Adventure and Business with David Sacher and Walking Around the World with Tom Turcich Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Birkenstock Check out: REI Co-op Adventure Travel

Kanoa Greene was born into a family of surfers in Hawaii, but for a long time she didn't feel like she belonged in the ocean. She'd never seen a plus size person out in the water and she struggled to find gear to fit her body. Eventually when she was in her 30s, she stood up on a wave for the first time and it opened up a new world for her. Now Kanoa's goal is to help other people, no matter their size, discover their own sense of adventure. Connect with Kanoa: Website Instagram & TikTok NAKOA Adventure website & Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Cycling is for Every Body with Kailey Kornhauser and Business in a Bikini: Sharing the Stoke of Surfing with Izzy Tihanyi Thank you to our sponsor: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Check out: REI Re/Supply Outside in 5

Over the past few years, Moondog Roop has done three major thru-skates. First in 2021, he spent 45 days on the 1,100 mile Florida Trail. In 2022, he thru-skated across the entire state of New Mexico, and in 2023 he skateboarded 444 miles on the historic Natchez Trace, a trail which passes through parts of Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. Connect with Moondog: Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Cindy Whitehead - Stories From a Female Skateboarding Pioneer Thank you to our sponsor: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees Check out: REI Re/Supply

What if your life revolved around leading groundbreaking polar expeditions? In 1986, polar explorer Ann Bancroft became the first woman to ski to the North Pole after a chance encounter with Will Steger. Connect with Ann: Website Ann Bancroft Foundation Instagram Ann Reed website & featured song If you liked this episode: Listen to Chris Fagan: South Pole Quest Thank you to our title sponsor, Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program

In September of 2022, at 39 years old, Chad Vanags was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal lung cancer. Chad is a surfer, runner, and all-around athlete. In the year and a half since his diagnosis, Chad has been living his wildest most authentic life as he faces his own mortality. Cancer isn't the message, but it's been the vehicle that's pushed him to become what he calls physically and mentally elite. Connect with Chad: Website Instagram Teaquilafarm Instagram Check out: Book your next REI Co-op Adventure REI Re/Supply

Professional climber Nina Williams is known for her highball bouldering career. Highballing is somewhere between bouldering and free soloing. Climbers scale rocks 20 to 50 feet tall, sometimes even taller, without a rope. Nina was the first woman to climb a number of extremely challenging routes around the world, from Bishop, California to Rocklands, South Africa. In her sport, Nina deals with fear and failure regularly. She's had to learn to manage both in a way that allows her to be safe, but still push herself to her limits. Connect with Nina: Instagram Check out: Book your next REI Co-op Adventure REI Re/Supply

That's a wrap on lucky season seven! Join host Shelby Stanger to celebrate the 50 phenomenal guests who shared their adventures with us this year as well as listeners who let us in on the wild ideas they have planned for 2024! Projects & episodes mentioned in this episode: Watch Melissa Kegler's documentary, Ice Mermaid: Cold Resolve The Wisdom of Expeditions with Conrad Anchor The Will to Wild with Shelby Stanger Climbing K2 with Lisa Thompson Submerging Into the Deep Ocean with Susan Casey Studying the Cosmos with Sarafina El-Badry Nance 150 Marathons in 150 Days with Erchana Murray-Bartlett Running Across the U.S for Trans Rights with Cal Dobbs Running Across America with Greg Nance Winning the Triple Crown of Ultra Running with Courtney Dauwalter Mastering the Mindset of a Wild Idea with Michael Gervias Thru-Paddling the Mississippi River with Cory Maria Dack Life on a Highline with Faith Dickey Uncovering Climate Mysteries with Lonnie Thompson Greening Our Cities with Cecil Konijnendijk Exploring Tree Canopies with Nalini Nadkarni Freediving for Inner Peace with BJ Griffin All Native Team Climbs Tahoma with Rachel Heaton Innovating Adaptive Adventure Vasu Sojitra Hiking Patagonia in a Wheelchair with Alvaro Silberstein Riding Free with Izzy Sederbaum Ice Swimming with Melissa Kegler Veteran Turned Everest Climber with Dom Mullins Rowing Across the Pacific with the Latitude 35 Team 100 Peaks in 50 Days with Jason Hardrath Raising Kids Wildly Journeying Through the National Parks with Emily Pennington

Ultra runner, Courtney Dauwalter is known as one of the greatest athletes of our time She's also know for running in long basketball shorts, scarfing down pizza and nachos between races, and her mindset when it comes to mastering the "pain cave." This summer, Courtney ran three of the most prestigious ultramarathons in the world and ended up winning every single one. The most impressive part is that she ran them all within 10 weeks. Connect with Courtney: Instagram Website Episode sponsor: Shop Salomon

Eavan O'Neill started running at 21 years old when she was diagnosed with Stargardt Disease, a rare degenerative disorder that leads to visual impairment and blindness. Although there is currently no cure and she can't slow the progression of her symptoms, Eavan leans into running as an incredible source of joy, and a powerful way to connect with the running community. Connect with Eavan: Instagram Episode sponsor: Shop Teva

Erick Cedeño is known for bikepacking around the U.S. He rides through some of the most beautiful parts of the country, but his trips aren’t just about taking in the scenery. Erick has a passion for history and has biked along historical routes including the Underground Railroad and most recently, he traced the footsteps and tire treads of a group of U.S. soldiers known as the Iron Riders. Connect with Erick: Website Instagram Episode sponsor: Shop Teva If you enjoyed this episode: Check out REI’s Fall/Winter 2023 Editor’s Choice Awards

When Alvarez Silberstein was 18 years old, he was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Before his accident, Alvaro had a dream to go Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. Once he started using a wheelchair, he assumed it would be impossible for him to fulfill this dream. But in 2017, Alvaro and his incredible friends organized a trip to make his wild idea a reality. Connect with Alvaro: Instagram Wheel the World website & Instagram Episode sponsor: Shop Teva If you enjoyed this episode: Check out REI’s Fall/Winter 2023 Editor’s Choice Awards