Oct

The Shorts — Wheels

Wheels

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104300818″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”300″ height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]The weekend ritual of loading up a car with gear, picking a destination, and watching out the window as the landscapes passes by is familiar to most of us. Whether it’s two days or a month long, there is a method to organizing and assessing. Kelly Wilder writes, “We need the car; it’s our ticket out of wherever we are in the world.” Yet when you’re trying to live by the ethos of local and low carbon, a car “saddles us with guilt.” We may have a love-hate relationship with our vehicles, but they are able to take us to the places that help clear our heads and restore our souls. Is that rationalization enough?

Music: Fire in the Cold by Dan Wilder • Tracking, North of 63° Latitude by Form and Fate • Sometimes You Lose, Sometimes You Win by Sarah MacDougall

Music provided by Dan Wilder and IODA Promonet.

Sep

The Way of the Underdog

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104300412″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”300″ height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]The Underdog is the most potent myth in America. It pervades film, pop culture, music and sports. Politicians use it to frame their campaigns. Professional sports teams use it to psyche themselves up before big games. In theory, we’ve always liked the long shot. Is this special type of hero just a myth or is the underdog real? Contributor Brendan Leonard thinks it’s real because he’s seen it in person. Jayson Sime was a small town Iowa kid from the tough part of town. He was told he wouldn’t amount to much by his teachers and hazed by his peers. The greatest successes require the most difficult obstacles. From north of nowhere to a career in politics to Mount Shasta’s summit, Jayson has overcome. Maybe heroes are real. To be in their presence is a powerful thing. Can you learn how to emulate the underdog by watching one?

Music: Phantom Limb by Hospital Ships • Dead Letter by The Idle Hands • Gnomes by Sea of Bees • Love and Crashing by Oax

Music provided by IODA Promonet.

Sep

The Shorts — Drifting to a Fork in the River

Drifting to a Fork in the River

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104300039″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”300″ height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]”Each trip I return from is like a seed for the next one. I imagine finding solace through solitude and bliss in the backcountry,” writes Fred Sproat. “At the same time that I think about endless wilderness pursuits I think about retuning home…to her.” While in school, Fred successfully balanced his time between guiding and love. Guiding takes a commitment to dealing with Mother Nature’s spontaneous eruptions–rainstorms, mosquitos, relentless winds–and the tenacity to keep clients happy. But you are able to pursue you passion, even if it means leaving somethings–or someone–behind. With new opportunities on the horizon, could he maintain the status quo?

Music: Sucker Punch Town by Dodd Ferrelle • Namo by Dawda Jobarteh • Starting Over (Bad Habits) by Typhoon

Music provided by IODA Promonet.

Aug

Dirtbag Playlist Vol. 6

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/177864607″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”300″ height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]Aaah, August. A time to get outside and forget about computer screens. We hope you’ve been out there enjoying the summer. We certainly have. But don’t worry, even though we took a break from publishing, we’re still working away to bring you more stories this fall. This has been an amazing year at The Diaries–we hit one million downloads and we’ve continued to expand our circle of collaborators. We’ve been busy with other projects as well–The Season 2, Fringe Elements and The Love Letter–but we remain committed to bringing you stories from the community told for the community. Until then, here are some of our favorite songs that we used on episodes in the last year. Pack the car, open the windows and crank the cuts.

Tracks:

1. You Never Know Who You’re Gonna Meet by Publish the Quest

2. New Dawn by Withered Hand

3. Model Son by The Heavenly States

4. You by Gold Panda

5. Felt So Real (Featuring Toni Hill) by IAME

6. Owl Stunts by Breathe Owl Breathe

7. All I Need’s a Little More by Chikita Violenta

8. Poor Animal by Zola Jesus

9. Chapel Song by We Are Augustines

Music provided by Publish the Quest, We Are Augustines and IODA Promonet.

Jul

You Are Not Alone

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/104299656″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=false&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”300″ height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]How do you start to see the complex relationships that make up a community? The first time I sat around a climber’s campfire at 19, I could sense that though our lives were superficially different with jobs and responsibilities, something greater connected those gathered around the fire. It was the first time I felt a sense of belonging. Since then, my community has grown, and encompasses just about anyone who understands dawn light and type three fun. But getting into the spider-webbing network can be difficult even if you know it’s there. Today, we present two stories from women–one a climber and one a creator–about the moment when the random became connected at a time when it mattered most. Gather round.

You can watch the trailer for “23 feet” and keep up with Allie at Red Reel Media.

Music: LA by Fake Babies • Woven Tears by This Will Destroy You • Lauralee by Seth Glier • 3311 by Circuit Des Yeux • It Comes Back by Bradley Carter

Music provided by IODA Promonet and Bradley Carter.