The Dirtbag Diaries

This is what adventure sounds like. Climb. Ski. Hike. Bike. Paddle. Run. Travel. Whatever your passion, we are all dirtbags. Fitz Cahall and the Duct Tape Then Beer team present stories about the dreamers, athletes and wanderers.

Wilderness
Sports
351
The Shorts--5 Types of B.O.
"If there are three types of fun, there should be five types of B.O." It happens to all of us. You're out camping for a few days, maybe more. Free from the hygienic shackles of society, you sniff and think, "I'm good." Brendan Leonard's been there. He'll go multiple days without a shower, because one isn't readily available, or he doesn't want to find the soap buried in his car. It's gotten bad. Really bad. Brendan breaks down the B.O. levels. What's your rank?
10 min
352
Live From 5 Point Vol. 4
Welcome to the second half of our 2012 Live From 5 Point show. This week we continue the show from Steve's Guitars in downtown Carbondale, CO. Photographer Ben Moon presents his story about overcoming cancer, the community that rose up to support him and his thoughts on fear. Veteran alpine climber Mark Richey recounts the incident that almost took his climbing partner's life during their ascent of Sasser Kangri II. Colorful language included.
30 min
353
Live From 5Point Vol. 3
5Point Film Festival invited us back for another live Dirtbag Diaries. And of course, we said, "Yes!" We invited four people up on stage to to talk about a moment in their lives when it all seemed to go wrong. And where those moments have led them, as the effects have rippled through their lives. Today we present the first two stories. At 23, free skier Josh Dueck overshot the landing of a jump and fell 100 feet out of the air. He returned to skiing the following winter in a sit ski. And he rips! You owe it to yourself to watch The Freedom Chair and Josh hucking a backflip. Kayaker Chris Korbulic was nearing the end of a 7 week trip through central Africa with Ben Stookesberry and Hendri Coetzee. After paddling the difficult stretch of the Lacuga River, a crocodile pulled Hendri underwater. The film Kadoma (full version available on iTunes) tells the story of their trip. Chris has continued to return to Africa pursuing the rivers that brought him together with Hendri.
38 min
354
The Shorts-Pedal Your Turns
Last spring, Fred Sproat and his friend Sam pedaled 630 miles from Eugene, OR to the heart of the Sierra. Their mission was to ski couloirs by truly earning their turns and challenging the status quo of how we feed our backcountry addictions.
15 min
355
The Shorts-Post-Emphatic Wilderness Disorder
"When you’re in a crowded movie theater or stadium, do you nervously fidget and plot an escape route?" asks Dean Fleming. If so, you may be suffering from Post-Emphatic Wilderness Disorder. Dean walks you through the symptoms and three steps to help you cope with this recently diagnosed disorder.
11 min
356
Origins
The Dirtbag Diaries turns five. This also happens to be our 100th episode. To celebrate the occasion, we reached out to our collaborators, our contributors and our friends and asked for ideas. Their response was resounding. "We want to hear your story, the story of the Diaries," they said. Our intern, Austin Siadak, stepped forward to do the interview and relay the story.
31 min
357
The Shorts--The Mobil
On road trips, Brendan Leonard always stops to check out the t-shirt rack, bumper stickers or display of trinkets unique to the area. And every stop is a chance to find the best, ever. But he hadn't quite found it. Until friends told him of a magical place huddled in the shadow of the Sierra. Indeed, this was a magical place, but could it exceed his checklist of expectations?
13 min
358
Frozen Lemonade
John Dittli says the skating has been epic in the high Sierra. While others have bemoaned the lack of snow, John has seized the extended window to ice skate on multiple lakes. In the spirit of making the most out of a situation. we present the Year of Big Ideas- goals from friends, pros and creative thinkers. And no matter what 2012 brings, we'll make sure there's more lemonade in all we do.
15 min
359
The Shorts--By Any Means Necessary
Growing up in Ireland, writer Lisa McGonigle wasn't immersed in snow and mountains. But a trip to the Pyrenees when she was 19 to try snowboarding realigned her priorities. While little rivals fresh lines on a powder day, she discovered the fine line between passionate and obsessed can be difficult to distinguish.
11 min
360
Transitions--Efficiency Manifesto
Transitions may not be sexy, but they make or break us. Almost five years after I wrote the Monoboard and started The Diaries, I find myself in a metaphorical transition. My passions run from the mountains to the Seattle music scene and I've become adept at moving between them. My life is about to change. My passions won't. It's time to refine the transition.
15 min
361
Lifestyle Tips for the Committed
Dean Fleming writes, " Like most rock climbers, I’m a control freak and I’m cheap. So I’ll share one lifestyle tip for the committed to put extra cash in your pocket." DIY haircuts. Dean lays out 3 simple steps to keeping the dirtbag dream alive.
10 min
362
Tales of Terror Vol. 2
It can be difficult to separate an initial seed of fear from the growing tangle of possibility that can quickly emerge in your head, but sometimes that sprouting seed is very tangible. Today, we bring you stories from Sara Porterfield and Jeremy Allyn. They'll make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. You'll try to shudder them off. But the seed- the seed will remain.
23 min
363
The Shorts--Wheels
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. 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?
12 min
364
The Way of the Underdog
The Underdog is the most potent myth in America. Is this special type of hero just a myth or is the underdog real? 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. From north of nowhere to a career in politics to Mount Shasta's summit, Jayson has overcome. Maybe heroes are real.
20 min
365
The Shorts--Drifting to a Fork in the River
While in school, Fred Sproat successfully balanced his time between guiding and love. Guiding takes a commitment to dealing with Mother Nature's spontaneous eruptions and the tenacity to keep clients happy. But you are able to pursue you passion, even if it means leaving somethings- or someone- behind.
12 min
366
You Are Not Alone
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. 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.
30 min
367
The Shorts--Conquering Sherman
When David King set out to ride his bike across the US, he had read the books, bought the right gear and trained tirelessly on hills back home. But biking day in and day out started to wear on him mentally, as well as physically. As he cranked up a steep pass early in the trip, David wondered whether he had the mental tenacity to complete the ride.
9 min
368
The Shorts--Penance
After road racing bicycles for seven years, Gary Visser settled into life in South Carolina. He discovered a new passion in the salt water marshes, raised a family, and taught his son, Garrett, to fly fish. As Garrett prepares to leave for college, Gary appreciates that letting go, much like his parents did more than 30 years ago, is harder than one might think.
12 min
369
Live From 5Point Vol. 2
Our long held dream of creating a live performance of The Dirtbag Diaries came true this spring at the 5Point Film Festival. Today we present the stories of the folks behind the camera. Mickey Smith and Nick Waggoner join us on stage. Welcome to the 5Point Film Festival.
41 min
370
Live from 5Point Vol. 1
For years, Becca and I have wanted to create a live performance of The Dirtbag Diaries. When 5Point Film Festival gurus Julie Kennedy and Beda Calhoun approached me earlier this year about creating a onstage storytelling hour at the festival, I immediately said yes. Baybe Champ and Frank Smethhurst join us on stage. Welcome to the 5Point Film Festival.
35 min
371
The Shorts--Dispatch from the Middle
For surfer Wade Grocott, his local break is thousands of kilometers away. The weeks he's not surfing, he's surrounded by the prairies of Saskatchewan. Answering the questions of his fellow and understandably curious Saskatchewanians is just part of the process. Surfing? Saskatchewan? Really? Wade has got the answers.
13 min
372
Ditch Logic
In 2005, Gregg Bleakney was on the rise. He had all the trappings of a successful life, but Gregg also had a secret. Something he wasn't sharing with his boss, his family or friends, even his longtime girl friend. It was an idea that was about to change his life. Today, we present Ditch Logic. Evolving as a person isn't always pretty.
35 min
373
The Shorts--The Pee Tree
How do you choose the stories to retell when you get back from a trip? Shane Robinson writes, "At first, I tried to recount every amazing detail of my travels, only to watch my unsuspecting friends' eyes gloss over in boredom." The stories we share are gateways beyond the mechanics of a trip, but dig into how we appreciate spending times away from our daily routines.
12 min
374
Sodade
Jacob Bain has traveled to SE Asia, Cuba, and Africa. And though he sometimes has climbing gear, he always has a guitar. In the summer of 2010, Johnny Fernandes invited Jacob and his band Publish the Quest to Cape Verde to partake in a musical experience as part of his goal to preserve the local music. Can a hook, a horn line and a new take on a traditional song overcome culture and language barriers?
24 min
375
The Shorts--Sitting In Silence
Mike Colpo went to guide school in search of a different life. His rugged instructor, Cody, taught him the basics of guiding climbers, but also pushed Mike and the other students towards something bigger. Mike found himself facing a fear greater than physical risk.
15 min