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the avid adventurer podcast with dave secunda
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 lens of perception on adventure and support you in defining for yourself your journey forward in the outdoors.
episode 16
EP16: Camp Blue Sky - What You Need to Know From Our Assistant Director
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 activities that connect everyone from day one. He provides a sneak peak into a typical day at camp, bustling with activities such as bouldering, kayaking, and themed evening programs suitable for all ages. He also discusses specially tailored backpacking trips that offer fun and appropriate challenges based on camper age.
episode 15
EP15: From Harvard School of Divinity to the Cattleman's Land Trust - Finding the Common Threads That Bind Us All Together
On today’s episode of the Avid Adventurer, Owen and host Dave Secunda discuss leading rock climbers Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold and whether they are the new Emerson and Thoreau, helping to translate the divine in nature to a new generation. As a land steward with Colorado Cattleman’s Land Trust, he works to help create conversations and collaborations between what have historically been oppositional relationships between the agriculture and conservation spaces, and between landowners and the rural citizens who have been traditionally sidelined. “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.
episode 14
Camp Windy Peak - What You Need to Know From a Seasoned Camper
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 activities, from relaxing yoga and baking to adrenaline-fueled rock climbing and whitewater rafting.
episode 13
The Art of Risk Management And The Path to Become the Czar of Stoke
“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 misunderstanding with one parent in particular. Just as important as getting campers excited for the outdoors is putting them at ease. Stephen explains how he builds trust with his campers by honoring their fear and hesitation.
episode 12
Navigating by Head & Heart - A Therapeutic & Outdoor Journey
“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 growth. He also recounts his own journey of leading with the heart and watching his clients embrace their vulnerabilities and find their rightful place in the world.
episode 11
Spirituality, Risk and Learning You Are Enough: An Outdoor Journey
Hannah’s story illustrates that choosing faith over fear leads on to great adventures. She explains how she talks herself through her scariest moments, how she’s learned to listen seriously to her gut instinct but also to laugh at herself. Everyone worries that they’re not good enough, but the best way to learn anything new is just by trying. Patience, endurance, and community are as vital to the outdoors as they are to everyday life. On today’s episode of The Avid Adventurer, she’ll explain how she’s now instilling these values in others.
episode 10
Tragedy, Positive Mindset & Finding Yourself Outside - A Sister's Story
“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 learned about overcoming obstacles, and how they’ve become more patient, outgoing, judicious and responsible people in their everyday lives.
episode 9
Living on Both Sides - From Camper to Leadership Team & the Learnings Along the Way
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 her time as both a camper and a counselor. As a camp leader, she quickly became a popular and trusted confidante, encouraging campers to express themselves and their identities freely, helping them through homesickness and never giving up on them even when they resisted. She insists, though, that as much as they may learn from her, she learns just as much from them.
episode 8
The Common Feeling of Being Outside and Playing in a Rock Band
“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 community with those around you. In Mexico, he explains, neither music nor rock climbing are particularly popular or well-received. He explains how he brought his mother around to the idea of his pursuing both, and gives advice for parents who are equally nervous to enroll their kids in outdoor sports.
episode 7
11 Year Old Jackson on Adventure, Risk & ADHD
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. After listening to this episode of The Avid Adventurer, you’ll understand why host Dave Secunda believes Jackson has a bright future in risk management if he wants one. Jackson shares his number one rule for parents to follow when deciding whether to enroll their children in outdoor activities, and the most important thing to remember once their children are enrolled!
episode 6
Outdoor Athlete, Farmer & Poet - A Journey to Finding Personal Wholeness in the Land
“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, equity and inclusion practices in the field of mountaineering, Rafa, a climber, guide, outdoor educator and activist, founded Coletivo de Escalada de Lençóis.
episode 5
Outdoor Athlete, Farmer & Poet - A Journey to Finding Personal Wholeness in the Land
“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 passion was really a need to escape their inner life. Their true sanctuary was found in the garden, amidst their “farm-ily”, growing root vegetables and becoming an authority on seed saving.
episode 4
The Avalanche that Changed Everything - An Everest Perspective
“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 made him rethink his risk assessment and tolerance, his attitude remains, as it has always been, humble.
episode 3
BEST IN THE WORLD WHILE HAVING FUN - A 12 YEAR OLD CLIMBER'S PERSPECTIVE
The episode also delves into the thoughtful approach taken by Matt and Sandy Bayes to mitigate and assess the risks involved in climbing. Through practicing in controlled environments and building trust with incremental challenges, they have created a supportive framework that acknowledges Bayes’s limitations while pushing the boundaries of his capabilities. Matt’s perspective on facing and dealing with failure offers a refreshing take on how overcoming obstacles can be a valuable part of personal and athletic development.
episode 2
RISK & OUTDOOR ADVENTURE - A 12 YEAR OLD PERSPECTIVE
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 everyday decisions that shape our lives. Through their unique lens, we’re introduced to a simple yet effective method for evaluating potential dangers, categorizing risks into three levels: Bumps and Bruises, Hospital, and Death. This approach, born from their shared experiences, provides listeners with a practical framework for making informed choices, whether facing the challenges of crossing a busy highway, ensuring safety at the airport, or enjoying family hiking trips.
episode 1
CHOOSING THEIR OWN PATH FINDING & EXPRESSING IDENTITY THROUGH ADVENTURE
This episode not only highlights Ash Goldstein’s thrilling adventures and personal growth but also provides practical advice for parents wanting to introduce their children to outdoor sports. Ash discusses the balance between staying guarded and being a visible member of the kayaking community, emphasizing the importance of complete trust among team members on the water. Their story is a powerful reminder of the impact one individual can have in challenging and changing the status quo, inspiring listeners to confront their own rapids, whether in outdoor adventures or personal endeavors towards creating more inclusive spaces.
