Joe, the Assistant Director at Camp Blue Sky, offers valuable advice for first-time campers: “Come with a lot of positive mental attitude because it’s going to be a great summer.” He highlights the importance of bringing comfort items to camp to ease homesickness and maintain a positive mindset. For those worried about making new friends, especially shy campers or those arriving without familiar faces, Joe reassures them with tales of the camp’s welcoming atmosphere and engaging icebreaker...

“I needed to practice at hearing other people better, and how they engage with the same landscapes that I love, on their terms,” says today’s guest Owen Yager. Learning about and working to represent other people’s stories is the common theme that unites the seemingly disparate elements of Owen’s story. Once he realized that people’s religion and traditions are the ultimate form of story, he went from an English major in undergrad to studying at Harvard Divinity School. As a land steward with...

Advice to first-time campers? "Try everything," says Kendra, a seasoned adventurer at just 15 years old with over 15 camps under her belt. "Because even if it seems scary at the moment, 99% of the time it's actually really fun." Kicking off a series of advice for new campers, Kendra shares insights from her experiences at Avid Adventure’s quintessential sleep-away location, Camp Windy Peak in Bailey, Colorado. She describes a typical day in the Rocky Mountain camp packed with diverse...

“I get to do something for others and I get to do something for myself,” says Stephen Allen about the balance he strikes in his life as a housing case manager in Boulder, Colorado from 9-5 and rock climbing in his down time. His lifelong love of the outdoors is so infectious he has been dubbed by Avid 4 Adventure campers and their parents as the “Czar of Stoke”. On today’s episode of The Avid Adventurer, he tells host Dave Secunda how he earned his title, including a hilarious story of...

“The world will only be as small as you let it, until you allow the world to be bigger than you know it,” says Eddie Mockus, licensed psychologist and founder of the Boulder Center for Family and Behavioral Health in Boulder, Colorado. He joins the Avid Adventurer podcast to delve into the power of our thoughts and the importance of managing anxiety while navigating and mitigating risks. Eddie shares how trusting our hearts and bodies as much as our intellect can lead to significant personal...

“Being outdoors, I think, ‘Man, this world was created in such a way to glorify God.” The outdoors has taught Hannah Green some invaluable lessons and skills. Growing up a shy kid, hesitant to join in activities for fear of not measuring up, working at Avid 4 Adventures was one of many instances in which pushing past her fears led to some of her greatest life experiences. Hannah joins host Dave Secunda to discuss her calling to minister in the outdoors setting, where, among the diversity of...

“To think, if we had never gone to Avid, then we probably wouldn’t be the same people,” says 12-year-old Kaylin, who joins the Avid Adventurer podcast with her 15-year-old sister Kendra to discuss the personal transformations they’ve each undergone since first enrolling as campers at Avid 4 Adventures. Though neither had any interest in the outdoors originally, they were motivated to attend camp after experiencing a major family loss. On today’s episode, they tell host Dave Secunda what they...

Lucy Kohara's first camping experience with Avid4 Adventure in 2018 completely transformed her life, influencing her interests and shaping who she has become. A few years after her initial experience, she came back as a counselor. This summer, she's excited to take on the role of a support specialist, merging her love for the outdoors with her psychology studies in college. In the latest episode of The Avid Adventurer, Lucille shares unforgettable camp memories with host Dave Secunda, from...

“I would consider playing live music similar to what climbers feel when doing stuff like free soloing. It’s a performance,” says Joe Lievano, who joins the Avid Adventurer podcast from Pueblo, Mexico to talk about these dual passions. As it turns out, scaling rocks and drumming in a rock band have more in common than one might think. With both, he says, you’re not competing with anyone but yourself, trying to be better with each try, yet you also find a profound connection and sense of...

Jackson Anderson is a self-described jack-of-all-trades. At any given moment you can find the 11-year-old enjoying everything from mountain biking and rock climbing to playing video games with his friends and even beatboxing! He explains that, as someone with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), he gets bored easily with any one activity. Yet, when he does discover something he’s interested in, he can absorb himself in it for hours on end.    He also has an incredible mind for...

When there is an issue that needs solving in the community, Rafa Rebello steps up. After moving to Lençóis in northeast Brazil, he realized that local residents rarely enjoyed the stunning mountains of Chapada Diamantina National Park, despite living right at their feet. As it is in so many parts of the world, mountain climbing in Brazil is almost exclusively enjoyed by affluent people, more specifically cis white males.    In conjunction with a growing interest and activism in diversity,...

“I see us all as seeds, as little bundles of potential that can grow into something pretty unimaginable,” says Seed Levine, a young farmer and poet, who joins the Avid Adventurer podcast from the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii, off grid, where they are farming food on a quarter acre of their family’s land. Seed is on a mission to feed the community, and give back to the earth all it has given to them.    In their youth, Seed developed what ostensibly looked like a passion for the outdoors but this...

“I had this perception that nothing bad could happen to me in the outdoors, and this was a massive wakeup call,” says climber and mountaineer Matt Moniz, of living through an avalanche that claimed nearly two dozen lives when it swept over basecamp on Mt. Everest as the result of an earthquake in Nepal. Still only a teenager, Matt leapt into action performing a search and rescue mission over the following days, and staying in Nepal for another month, ready to help. Though this experience has...

Meet Bayes Wilder, a 12-year-old climbing prodigy whose passion and prowess in climbing are as remarkable as his achievements. Bayes opens up about his love for climbing, an enthusiasm that is as infectious as it is inspiring. As a 5.14 climber, Bayes has not only earned the respect and admiration of his peers and climbing enthusiasts of all ages but has also excelled in MathCounts competitions at the state level, showcasing his problem-solving skills both on the rock and in the academic...

12-year-old Rose Gadd, climber, gymnast, and skier, is wise beyond her years. She knows that understanding risk isn't about avoiding life's adventures; it's about knowing how to navigate them more safely. Today on The Avid Adventurer, we explore this profound insight with Rose and her father, Will Gadd, an extreme athlete and renowned outdoor educator. Together, they delve into the critical importance of risk assessment, not only in the exhilarating world of outdoor sports but also in the...

‘OK, this is what’s happening. I’m on top of a massive rapid, I guess I just have to lock in,” says 17-year-old Ash Goldstein about navigating Colorado’s whitewater rapids. In the inaugural episode of The Avid Adventurer, we dive into the exhilarating and impactful journey of 17-year-old Ash Goldstein, a burgeoning leader in the whitewater kayaking community with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Ash shares their experiences of navigating the challenging waters of Colorado's...

Join us for deep and meaningful weekly inner views of kids, parents and outdoor guides as they navigate risk, compassion, limitations and upliftment found in their exploration of the outdoors. Mountain Biking, Climbing, Trekking or Paddling may be the front stage, but we’ll dig deep into what drives the avid adventurer in their quest to explore at the edge of their comfort zone. Join David Secunda, serial entrepreneur and Founder of Avid4 Adventure, for conversations that will change your...