Invaluable
“There should be no friction in the system. If someone wants to come and climb, they should be able to come and climb,” says Abby Dione, owner of Coral Cliffs in Florida. When Abby had to close her doors in March 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions, she wasn’t sure how long she could keep the business afloat. Faced with losing its only climbing gym, and fueled by a spark of ingenuity, the community had to consider how much they valued the gym beyond the climbing holds.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • daedalus by Kai Engel • Primary Colors by Ken Christianson • Roy by JBlanked • Money by Jahzzar • Tumult by Kai Engel • Brooks by Kai Engel • Falling into You by Little Glass Men • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
The Year of Big Ideas 2021
When Doug Barclift decided to start a business, he headed to an untraditional spot to buy his real estate– a junkyard. There he found the school bus, wedged between a trailer and a stack of cars, that he would transform into his own paddleboard company. And when a pandemic, civil unrest, and forest fires all threatened to thwart him, Doug kept paddling out to stay positive in a difficult year.
And friends and previous contributors share their goals to keep you dreaming and scheming, even when it feels like we’re just trying to get through another year.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Freaks by Bradley Carter • Lake Rise by John Berry • Something by Kai Engel • Home and Then Gone by Bradley Carter • Shenanigans by Cordelia Zars • The Wall Cahall by Fitz Cahall & Cordelia Zars • Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw • The Biddy Bong Song by Publish the Quest • Brazilian Rhythm by Sunsearcher • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
The Gift
“No one is going to talk me out of doing this because this is a great idea,” says Becca Skinner. “I just gave the best Christmas gift and everyone is going to thank me later.”
When Becca surprised her family with an overnight stay in a fire lookout cabin, she expected their holiday vacation to be a little more cozy than it turned out to be. In this episode, we follow the Skinner family through a frozen holiday and are reminded that sometimes misadventures bring us closer together.
Happy Holidays!
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Up Early by Bradley Carter • Holiday Gift by Kai Engel • The Architect by Cleod9 • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
The Shorts — The Inlet
In 2019, Will Dunlap began having existential questions about his place in the world. So he bought a plane ticket to Alaska, rented a kayak, and set out for the Taku Inlet. Through bitter rains and long days of paddling, Will experienced an inner journey he would never forget.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Brothers by Cleod9 • Snowmen by Kai Engel • The Landing by John Berry • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
¡Venga, Venga!
Growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, Fernanda Rodriguez had never heard of “climbing” until she stumbled across a group of boulderers in the forest. That day, she remembers feeling “like a flame was lit inside my heart.” At 15, despite the tide of economic and cultural challenge that faced her, Fernanda made up her mind to become one of the best climbers in her country.
Music: If Walls Could Talk by Jacob Bain & Nis Kotto • Brazilian Rhythm by Sunsearcher • Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw • July by Kai Engel • Quasi Motion by Kevin MacLeod • Delivered by Brendan O’Connell • Tracks provided by Free Music Archive or with permission from the artists.
