The Dirtbag Diaries

Taylor Mihalik, a biology teacher in Central California, leads inspiring outdoor field trips for her students. Her journey into bikepacking began with a long trek on the Tour Divide, pushing her limits and fostering optimism. Joined by Dan Connell, a bikepacking expert, they discuss the balance of teaching and racing, the transformative power of outdoor learning, and Taylor's struggle with fear and injury during the race. Her adventure captivates her students, inspiring them to embrace nature and biology.

Time spent outside as kids can extend into our adult lives in incredible ways. Jay Inslee’s passion for being outside shaped his path from his three terms as governor of Washington all the way to the national level. His pioneering policy work is having an impact in Washington state and proving that change is possible if we bring our determination to the world’s biggest problems.  Support comes from Oboz Through Dec 19th, nominate your favorite trail org⁠ for a chance to win $1000 donation from Oboz Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order.  Kuat Racks Diaries+ ⁠ You can join today⁠ and we'll send you the Diaries theme song to use as your ringtone. ⁠Gift memberships⁠ available too. Looking for a gift that will inspire? Our book,⁠ States of Adventure⁠, 30 stories adapted from The Diaries, is out in the wild. See if it's available on your⁠ local shelves⁠ or order it here:⁠ geni.us/StatesofAdventure And Then What Actions Learn More about Oak Flat (Access Fund | Apache Stronghold) Adelita Grijalva’s Save Oak Flat From Foreign Mining Act

Amie Renaud, a bikepacker and storyteller, shares her journey from heartbreak to resilience while traversing the Pacific coast. Her encounters with nature and strangers help her redefine her sense of capability after losing her bike. Joanna Henry, an essayist, reflects on her grief and an unexpected bond with a resilient spider named Bodine that offers her solace and hope. Both women explore the complexity of loss and the small, significant moments that emerge from it, weaving rich narratives of personal growth and connection.

Shane Schieffer just swam the entire length of Lake Powell self-supported in 11 days. He also just turned 50 years old and had no previous experience in long distance swimming. Shane talks about following through on personal challenges, no matter how far-fetched they seem at the moment.     Check out ⁠Shane's Instagram for his videos that documented his swim. Support comes from Kuat Racks  Oboz Through Dec 19th, nominate your favorite trail org⁠ for a chance to win $1000 donation from Oboz Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 30% off your next order by Dec 2nd Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today. Looking for holiday gift ideas? Consider States of Adventure, 30 stories adapted from The Diaries, is out in the wild. See if it's available on your local shelves or order it here: geni.us/StatesofAdventure

What do we want and what do we need? Sara Holzknecht started skiing every month of the year as a way to shake off the unexpected upheavals of life and the pandemic. Then her kids wanted in. Gabby Markel was living a dirtbag dream, but something was missing. She confronts the less glamorous aspects of vanlife and grapples with feeling untethered from community.  Support comes from Kuat Racks  Oboz Washington Discover Pass: Get your Pass at discoverpass.wa.gov Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 30% off your next order. Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today. Our book, States of Adventure, 30 stories adapted from The Diaries, is out in the wild. See if it's available on your local shelves or order it here: geni.us/StatesofAdventure

Mount Bachelor, one of America’s largest and beloved ski resorts, was put up for sale in August of 2024 after two decades of contentious corporate ownership. Sensing a sliver of opportunity, a high school teacher, a housing appraiser and local home builder launched a community campaign to put this ski hill back in the hands of locals. What started as a Facebook thread, snowballed into a legitimate would-be buyer with $100 million in local backing that collided into Wall Street players, the specter of climate change and the looming reality that the joy of skiing is no longer a simple business to run. This is the 2nd episode in a two part series. Start with Part 1 Submit your Short by Nov 16th Support comes from Kuat Racks  Oboz  Washington Discover Pass: Get your Pass at discoverpass.wa.gov Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order. Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today. Our book, States of Adventure, 30 stories adapted from The Diaries, is out in the wild. See if it's available on your local shelves or order it here: geni.us/StatesofAdventure

Chris Porter, a dedicated high school teacher and community organizer, teams up with Dan Cochran, a local home inspector, to discuss the grassroots movement to buy Mount Bachelor ski resort. They share how a simple Facebook post ignited a massive campaign backed by $100 million from locals. The duo dives into the resort's cultural significance, the challenges of corporate ownership, and the looming impact of climate change on skiing. It's a captivating tale of community spirit rallying against corporate giants.

We seek solitude. We find that place a little further out to camp, a couple of extra miles down trail. Sometimes curiosity pulls us farther off the beaten path. Maybe the late afternoon feels just a little more perfect in an isolated basin. But what happens when the darkness closes in, leaving us with only a bubble of tepid light from a headlamp? Welcome to our annual Tales of Terror. Support comes from ⁠Oboz⁠  Kuat Racks  Washington Discover Pass: Get your Pass at discoverpass.wa.gov Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order. Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today.

Some people look at ranges and imagine lines. Kílian Jornet looks at continents. Last week, Kílian completed a truly incredible adventure that was hiding in plain sight. Over the course of 31 days, the renowned mountain athlete climbed 72 fourteeners in the lower, 48 connecting them all by bike. Before he left Washington, we had a chance to sit down and talk about how he approaches projects like States of Elevation.  Want to write a Short for the Diaries? We’re accepting submissions through Nov 16, 2025. More info  Support comes from Oboz  Kuat Racks  Washington Discover Pass: Get your Pass at discoverpass.wa.gov Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order. (don’t tag on social) Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today.

The bonds we forge during mountain adventures and shared experiences, especially with family, can profoundly shape us. Explorer and author Mark Jenkins reflects on learning to rock climb in Vedauwoo from his swim Coach, and how those lessons permeated his life and eventually into teaching his own daughters how to climb.  Oak Jones's childhood was defined by keeping pace with his two older brothers. Though their paths have diverged, Oak organized a raft trip, because, he writes, “Relationships, like plants, need fresh water to grow.” Would their flimsy paddles be enough to navigate the Arkansas river? Support comes from Kuat Racks  Oboz Washington Discover Pass: Get your Pass at discoverpass.wa.gov Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order. Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today.