Matt and Karen

Standing in waist-deep water while looking up at the towering canyon walls, the scene was breath-taking. Or, maybe it was the cold water splashing our midsections that was taking our breath away. Join us as we hike The Narrows, one of the most magnificent areas of Zion National Park. On today’s episode, we talk about our experiences while hiking up the Virgin River through The Narrows, what to bring if you’re thinking of doing it yourself, and other how-to tips.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why we’re wearing the same clothes in all of our National Park sign pictures
• The best time of year to hike The Narrows
• What to bring and what not to bring
• Why you might need a permit
• What we did for work before quitting our jobs to visit the National Parks

Links:

• Photos from our trips to The Narrows
• The Narrows NPS website
• Join the conversation on Facebook – we want to hear from you!
• Our books

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Have you ever wanted to take an RV on an adventure into the National Parks? So did we, so we rented one in Arizona and toured the southern part of the state for a week. Join us as we explore Chiricahua National Monument and other National Park units from the comfort of a 19-foot recreational vehicle. Along the way, we learn about the dos and don’ts of RV life, meet the nicest people in the RV community, and lament the untimely demise of Matt’s tennis shoes.

In this episode we discuss:

• Renting an RV from Cruise America
• Going to a gigantic RV show in Kansas City
• Hiking in Chiricahua National Monument
• How to use the dump station at an RV park
• RVing versus tent camping

Links:

• Photos from our RV trip
• Join the conversation on Facebook – we want to hear from you!
• Our books

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What’s it like to wake up with a view of Crater Lake from your bedroom window? In this episode, we gleefully revisit some of our favorite National Park lodges and the adventures we had staying in them. We discuss the “parkitechture” and fascinating history to each of the lodges. We regale some hilarious stories from our stays at Crater Lake Lodge and El Tovar lodge at the Grand Canyon. We also talk about how to get reservations and some fantastic places for sunset viewing,

In this episode we discuss:

• Staying in the largest log structure in the world in Yellowstone NP
• Watching bears from the deck in Glacier NP
• Wintertime stay at Zion lodge
• Ranger programs at Bryce Canyon lodge
• Twin beds at Paradise Inn in Mt. Rainier NP
• President Roosevelt’s stay in Olympic NP on Lake Crescent
• An unexpected surprise at Crater Lake Lodge
• The mule-train journey taken by Matt’s shorts in the Grand Canyon
• The public space at the Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite NP

Links:

• Photos from our trips to Yosemite, Yellowstone, and more
• Join the conversation on Facebook – we want to hear from you!
• Our books

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Would you go into a fiery furnace on purpose if you knew you’d probably get lost, have to squeeze through narrow openings, and be forced to crab walk over sketchy boulders? Well, that’s exactly what we did, and we even waited in line for a permit to do it. The Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park is a special treat for visitors as only a limited number of people are allowed permits each day to hike through this magnificent maze of rock formations. We’ve visited the fiery furnace in Arches National Park a couple of times, and in this episode, we talk about our experiences along the trail.

In this episode we discuss:

• Karen’s fantasy of being an off-duty park ranger
• Our ranger-led tour into the fiery furnace
• Returning on our own and getting lost in the slot canyons, and
• How we live and work together 24/7

Links:

• Photos from our trips to the fiery furnace
• Recreation.gov
• Join the conversation on Facebook – we want to hear from you!
• Our books

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Join us on our backpacking trip to Sahale Glacier in North Cascades National Park. Along with our friends John and Lolly, we braved the treacherous trail and a few overly friendly mountain goats to camp at the base of a glacier in a truly sublime setting. It was a strenuous, magical, and unforgettable journey. In this episode, we relive our trip into one of the most beautiful alpine areas in all of the national parks. If you ever want to make this trek yourself or would just like to hear about our challenging yet humorous adventure, this episode is for you.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why we should stop reading the reviews of our books
• Our struggles with making it to Sahale Glacier Camp
• Why you should never separate when hiking as a group
• The toilet with the best view in the world
• And address a few questions from listeners like you

Links:

• A video of us with the mountain goats
• Join the conversation on Facebook – we want to hear from you!
• Our books

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It’s here! Episode 1 – the very first episode of our brand new podcast. We can’t wait for you to hear it!

In this episode:

• A tour of the National Parks “visitor center” in our house
• The story of how we wrote the Dear Bob and Sue books
• A trip to Alaska that almost ended in disaster
• Answering questions from readers of our books

Links:

• Photos from our Alaska trip
• The 2011 Seattle Times article about our near-disaster
• Join the conversation on Facebook – we want to hear from you!
• Our books

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