Bell Park has just opened in Henderson County, North Carolina. The park is named after Chief and Call Bell, pioneers in the youth camping business. Gary and Mark met in Chief's Camp Mondamin in 1971. We're still great friends after over 50 years. Check out our website at: www.GaryAndMark.com
We always have a lot to discuss when we get together.
Gary and Mark have Monica Barrios on this episode. Monica is the diva of Outdoor Education in Western North Carolina. She is the executive director of Inside Out which works with schools and other groups across from across the Southeast. Check out her company at: https://www.insideout-inc.com/ And here's the link to her packaged programs that anyone can do anywhere: https://adventuregamestogo.com/ Check out this feature article about Monica in "Shoutout Colorado." https://shoutoutcolorado.com/me...
DeeDee has been the Director of Security (and Insecurity) since the earliest days of the Gary & Mark Podcasting University. She recently found herself in a financial pickle. Gary has come up with a possible solution. And from there we talk with Mike Reeves, Board Chair of the Saluda Historic Depot & Museum in Saluda, North Carolina. Mikes tells us how the train came to be in Saluda and how that turned the town into a destination. You can watch a video version of this podcast on YouTube ....
It's not often you'll meet someone who is 102 years old, but we did. Bob Bessell is an incredible American hero. Take a listen to his story. You can also watch the Youtube version with the link below: Check out Episode 60 with Bob Bessell www.GaryAndMark.com
There's always lots going on when Gary and Mark get together. We got to sample some homegrown syrup produced by Dan Cameron made from sorghum. It's a perfect way to celebrate fall. Gary whippeed up some of his homemade buttermilk biscuits and that got him talking. The main part of this episode is the retelling of just some of the adventures Gary and Steve Blizzard had in 1974 when they paddled 379 miles down the Ohio River and up the Kentucky River to Harrodsburg. They were helping the City of H...
We were thrilled to be able to sit down with John Delaloye, CEO of Diamond Brand Gear, to hear about his company and the way they're turning heads. One of the things they're doing is taking old tents and other products they've made over the years and repurposing them into new, very unique pieces of gear. Folks get a product that is sure to turn heads...and we all get to keep the old material from ending up in a landfill. You can see the Youtube version of this podcast with this link. Check out t...
This episode has everything. We give a shoutout to our new Australian Gary & Mark Fan Club president, talk a bit about some outdoor activities...and then we move onto the other things. You'll hear us discuss the price of eggs, we address the possibility of classified documents at the University, and we even take on George Santos. Watch this episode on Youtube. Check out our website at: www.GaryAndMark.com
The Gary & Mark Show was pleased to welcome Bev MacDowell as our guest for this episode. Bev, from Asheville, has a lot going on. She still teaches "cursive" to new students at Carolina Day School where she has worked for over twenty years. And that's just for starters. At the age where most people are retired, Bev is just hitting her stride. She is a professional hiking guide with the Blue Ridge Hiking Company in Asheville. If that's not enough, she also works with "search and rescue" to he...
Gary is not one to rest on his laurels. He, along with the scientists in the laboratory at the Gary & Mark Podcasting University, have developed a new product that will definitely put us on the map. Folks, you're hearing it here first. This and much more coming at you. Check out our accompanying website at: www.GaryAndMark.com You can see the video version on Youtube at: https://youtu.be/hN-itWmfAXc Our Sponsors: https://www.garyandmark.com/our-sponsors.html...
We enjoyed this chat in Gary's living room with local conservationist, author, AT thru-hiker, and RVer Peter J. Barr. Peter is on a mission to document and save the old fire watch towers in North Carolina. He's written two books on the towers with one just out, "Exploring North Carolina's Lookout Towers." You can order the book at: NCLOOKOUTS.com. Peter will autograph it for you. You can learn more about Conserving Carolina at: conservingcarolina.org. Check out the Gary and Mark Show website at:...
Gary's older brother, Larry, joins us in the guest seat for this episode recorded via Zoom. Larry has a lot of life experiences including serving a career in the US Air Force as a meteorologist. But he mostly discusses "BEER" in this episode, specifically...non-alcoholic brews. Larry has devised his own system for rating NA beers and he shares with us his top pics and also those at the bottom of the pile. It makes for an interesting show. While Larry might have retired as a Lt. Colonel, he doesn...
Four old men having a brew or two and talking about the good old times at Camp Mondamin where we all worked as counselors. We had a blast at camp and at this gathering at Saluda Outfitters. Gary, Mark, Charlie, and Joe have all been friends for over 50 years. And listening to us in this podcast, you'll see why. There is a Youtube version here: https://youtu.be/yuh0tCkAf_M Don't forget to check out our accompanying website at: www.GaryAndMark.com Charlie, Gary, Mark, and Joe...
Kirsten McDonald joined us as our last guest of the day a few months back when we were once again recording at DuPont State Recreational Forest on National Public Lands Day. Kirsten is the Information & Education Supervisor for DuPont State Recreational Forest and she is now the new Dean of Communications at the Gary & Mark Podcasting University. Find out more about Dupont at www.DuPontForest.com. You can "see" this episode on our Youtube channel at: https://youtu.be/8lbwuuKyaok Give us ...
Danny Bernstein joined us as a guest at the DuPont State Recreational Forest Festival we attended earlier in the fall. Danny has written numerous guide books for hiking and backpacking trails across the Carolinas. We were pleased to have her on the show. You can find Danny's books at Amazon.com and ArcadiaPublishing.com as well as regional outdoor stores. Danny Bernstein in front of the mobile podcasting studio. Cover of Danny's "DuPont Forest - A History" Give us a thumbs up, subscribe if you h...
This episode of The Gary & Mark Show was recorded in front of a live audience of who knows how many at the 2021 DuPont Forest Festival. This event was part of National Public Lands Day and was held at DuPont State Recreational Forest near Brevard, North Carolina. Sara Landry, the Executive Director of Friend of DuPont, was our guest for this episode. Find out more about Dupont at www.DuPontForest.com. Stay tuned for two more episodes we recorded with other guests during the event. You can se...
We were invited to show up at the Forest Festival at DuPont State Recreational Forest near Brevard, North Carolina a few weeks ago to record a series of podcasts. This is the second and it features our guest, Marco Knox. Marco represents the Athletic Brewing Company and he didn't disappoint. We got free non-alcoholic beers and some other goodies for our efforts. Check the company out at: athleticbrewing.com Give us a thumbs up, subscribe if you haven't, and check out our website at: www.GaryAndM...
This episode of The Gary & Mark Show was recorded in front of a live audience of who knows how many at the 2021 DuPont Forest Festival. This event was part of National Public Lands Day and was held at DuPont State Recreational Forest near Brevard, North Carolina. Jeff Jennings, the founding president of Friends of DuPont Forest, was our guest for this episode. Find out more about Dupont State Recreational Forest at www.DuPontForest.com . Jeff Jennings, Founding President of Friends of DuPont...
We needed to get a pulse on life in Watershed, and that meant we had to put in a call to DeeDee. Luckily, she was free between many of her duties in our small town. The Gary & Mark Podcasting University is a bit quiet as students won't show up for a while. Maybe they won't show up at all. But DeeDee will be ready for them. In the meantime, she did fill us in campus and town happenings. Give us a thumbs up, subscribe if you haven't, and check out our website at: www.GaryAndMark.com where you ...
In Episode 45, Gary and Mark meet up in a park in downtown Saluda and enjoy having Steve Longenecker as our guest. Steve has worked in summer camps and schools and other outdoor oriented programs for decades. He is considered a true pioneer in rock climbing in the South. Steve Photo of Looking Glass Rock in Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina is by: ucumari photography and is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Give us a thumbs up, subscribe if you haven't, and check out our website at: www.Gary...
Gary and Mark met at Iron Key Brewing Company in Columbus. The idea was to podcast from the patio, or possibly the solitary confinement cell, or from the big house. Yes, this place used to be a North Carolina prison. But it was too windy to go outside and the idea of sitting in a small cell brought back too many bad memories. So we recorded in the mobile podcasting studio. We got off to a rocky start...first forgot to turn on the camera, then got the camera rolling and forgot to turn on the audi...
In Episode 43, Gary and Mark meet up at Saluda Outfitters, home of Green River Eddy’s Tap Room & Grill for a nice rambling chat about things on their minds. It makes for a lively discussion. Give us a thumbs up, subscribe if you haven't, and check out our website at: www.GaryAndMark.com where you enroll for the spring semester at The Gary and Mark Podcasting University. In fact, you can actually earn your BS faster than you can read this paragraph. Music: "Moments" by The Major Toms Licensed...
The Gary and Mark Show starts its third season with a podcast recorded next to the old Green River Bridge. There's a lot going on in the next 22 minutes including Gary's discussion about a portable bidet with backpackers in mind. In fact, Gary demonstrates how it works. Give us a thumbs up, subscribe if you haven't, and check out our website at: www.GaryAndMark.com where you enroll for the spring semester at The Gary and Mark Podcasting University. In fact, you can actually earn your BS faster t...
The national election wasn't the only place calling for recounts. The race for mayor in our little town caused quite a stir. Usually, Mayor Thomas runs unopposed, but this year he had some competition. The race ended up being a bit too close...so a recount was in order. That's where DeeDee came in handy. Check out life in Watershed and taken a listen to The Gary and Mark Show. This podcast can also be “viewed” on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/3nFl8m6f81w Follow “The Gary & Mark Show”...
Gary and Mark join up with Chris Balliew, for Episode 40. Chris is the Head of Taproom Operations at the recently opened Iron Key Brewing Company in Columbus, NC. We had a nice conversation with Chris after putting down a tasty lunch and an Iron Key brew. Iron Key Brewing Company is on the grounds and in the buildings of an old North Carolina state prison. Gary even got to spend a "night in the box." Well, not really...but he did get to sit on a bunk in solitary confinement. It was a good place ...
Gary and Mark met 49 years ago at Camp Mondamin and that was the start of a friendship still going strong after all these years. One event of their memorable first summer together was taking their two cabins of campers on an overnight hike to a brand-new rustic cabin at a place called Beech Point. After hours and hours of searching, they never found it. Well, 49 years later they had success. Follow this condensed 15 minute podcast video as they recreate this momentous disaster. Finally, they hav...
DeeDee is back on the show and Gary and Mark bring her some exciting news. She’s not particularly impressed. Check that out along with some dates in history, a few clean jokes, and a chance to win yourself a CD by Scott Reed and his band, “Two Drinks Minimum.” To enter the contest, watch (or listen) to the episode and send your entry to: [email protected] . Entries due by October 1, 2020. This podcast can also be “viewed” on our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/eJpIx9o47LU Follow “The G...
We enjoyed our guests, James and Andrew Greco, who told us about their trip along “The Connecticut Hotdog Trail.” The father and son spent a few days consuming a lot of dogs across the great state of Connecticut (and other nearby spots). We also have some dates in history, a discussion of the big earthquake that shook Watershed and half the state of North Carolina a couple of weeks ago. You can watch the video version of this episode on our YouTube channel at: https://youtu.be/G-NyK5nIfJI Andrew...
We had a wonderful time with our guest Scott Reed out on the tower at Camp Mondamin on Lake Summit. Scott, Gary, and Mark all met in the early 70s at the camp. It was only appropriate that the first face-to-face recording of the podcast in months happened within view of Rabbit Island resort. We did follow reasonable guidelines for keeping ourselves a safe distance apart. Scott, from Tupelo, MS (the birthplace of Elvis) is quite an accomplished musician. And a highlight of this episode is the mus...
In our first segment, Gary answers a request from a listener about why his new product, “The Little Buddy,” seems to be for men only. So as is usual, Gary will head back to the laboratory at The Gary & Mark Podcasting University and work on a version for ladies. Check out Episode 34 for the details on this new invention. We haven’t sold many yet (actually we haven’t sold any yet)…but one of these days! Our featured segment is a camp story about the 1971 first cabin hike Mark went on as a bra...
