On episode 444 of the podcast, Bob chats with National Geographic photographer Jonathan Kingston. They discuss Kingston's journey from Virginia to the western U.S. and from being a world class rock climber to a world class photographer. Kingston tells of how luck, being in the right place at the right time, and of course, having the required talent, landed him with a prestigous publication. Also, the evolution of camera technology from film to digital to mirrorless, what kind of editing Nat Geo ...
Jul 16, 2025•59 min•Ep. 444
On this week's podcast, Bob goes on a short hike with Chris Gonazales, the Executive Director of the Teller Trail Team in Teller County, Colorado. They talk about the origin of the organization, it's mission and goals, and projects it's working on, including the new Avenger Open Space in Woodland Park. They wrap up with a discussion of upcoming events and how people can lend their support. Teller Trail Team website: https://tellertrailteam.org/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! ...
Jul 02, 2025•35 min•Ep. 443
On this week's episode Bob is joined by co-host Kevin "Wild" Westendorf. Bob answers listeners - and Kevin's - questions about his recent trip to Iceland. Questions about food, culture, hiking and more are answered. Also, the discuss the Colorado Springs Parks system master plan process, now underway. Kevin tells about his recent encounter with a rattlesnake in a Colorado Springs park, which leads to a discussion about what to do if you encounter a rattler and they also debunk some common myths ...
Jun 18, 2025•54 min•Ep. 442
On this week's podcast, Bob talks about his recent trip to Iceland with National Geographic Expeditions, and his day-by-day experiences there. He also invites listeners to send him questions they might have about the trip and he'll address them in a follow-up podcast. Note: The podcast was recorded in three sessions, with two of them on a ship ( of which one was during a storm) so while we tried to equalize the varying audio quality, you will notice some changes. We tried our best, so please bea...
Jun 04, 2025•38 min•Ep. 441
In this week's podcast, Bob talks with Martin Palmaz about the sport of paragliding. They discuss the difference between paragliding, parasailing, hang gliding, and ultralight flying. Palmaz, who is an experienced paraglider, talks about what it's like to paraglide, what kind of training it takes before one can paraglide, including how much it costs to learn and then equip yourself for the sport He also talks about where in the Pikes Peak region paragliding takes place, and the inclusion, but no...
May 21, 2025•38 min•Ep. 440
On this week's podcast, co-host Wild Westendorf joins Bob for a wide-ranging discussion about the proposed 2026 federal government budget and it's effect on the National Park Service. Also, they discuss the pros and cons of various types of emergency beacons for hikers, and how one segment of the industry is using a flawed and incomplete statistic regarding other devicesto promote their own. Regardless, the message is you should have something other than a cell phone to signal for help. Rounding...
May 07, 2025•45 min•Ep. 439
Bob does a short, unscheduled podcast to announce exciting news about the new home of his newspaper columns covering outdoor recreation! Also, May 1st marks an important anniversary in Bob's personal life. Pikes Peak Bulletin website: https://pikespeakbulletin.org/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, downl...
May 01, 2025•4 min•Ep. 438
On this week's podcast, Bob talks with Laurel Munson Boyers who spent 31 years as a park ranger in Yosemite National Park. She has written "Across Yosemite's Wilderness- A Trailblazing Woman's Career Protecting the Park's Backcountry" about her years patrolling and protecting the park's wilderness and backcountry. They talk about her childhood at Yosemite, then working her way up to being a wilderness ranger. Boyers compares the average backcountry hiker today and during the early years of her c...
Apr 16, 2025•54 min•Ep. 437
On this week's episode, Bob talks with frequent guest Mandy Horvath, a bi-lateral amputee, she has conquered the Manitou Incline, Pikes Peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, all under her own power. In this episode, she tells the story of doing "No Legs, No Problem" (season 18, episode 1) of the TV show “Naked and Afraid” in which she and a male partner – both naked, and who had never met each other before - were dropped off in a remote rainforest and left to fend for themselves to get food, water and to cre...
Apr 02, 2025•54 min•Ep. 436
On this week's podcast, Kevin "Wild" Westendorf returns, and he and Bob catch up on what he's been doing since he was last on the podcast, including a brief review of his Garmin GPS watch and a comparison of it and his previous Apple watch. Then, they discuss the impacts the drastic federal budget cuts is having on our public lands, and also the collateral damage to the job market and local economies. Finally, Bob talks about a story in a local newspapers newsletter that quoted a Facebook post, ...
Mar 19, 2025•42 min•Ep. 435
On this week's episode, Bob talks with popular author and survival expert Creek Stewart about his latest book "Disaster Survival 101 - The Essential Guide to Preparing and Surviving any Emergency Scenario". Stewart has appeared on a multitude of news programs, TED talks and more. They discuss how inadequately prepared most households are for any type of emergency that might last more than 3 days. whether it be a fire, flood, blizzard, or anything else, the small steps people can take to be bette...
Mar 05, 2025•30 min•Ep. 434
On this week's podcast, the topic is Artificial Intelligence generated photography, and images that are produced that are falsely labelled as being of specific places, such as the Garden of the Gods or other scenic attractions. In the first part of the podcast, Bob chats with Colorado Springs-based photographers Jason Fazio, Daniel Forster and Jae Jarratt. They discuss what "AI photography" is, if it is even an art form, the different types of AI tools, how it affects peoples perception and expe...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 433
On episode 432 of the podcast, Bob chats with Todd Marts, Director of the El Paso County Parks and Community Services Department. They discuss what the department did in 2024, and plans for 2025. Topics include newly completed and updated master plans for Paint Mines Interpretive Park and Jones Park, a new trail in Pineries Open Space, continuted work towards building a nature center in Fox Run Regional Park, an assessment of the parks system in 2025 and more. Please consider becoming a patron o...
Feb 05, 2025•32 min•Ep. 432
Bob talks with Alicia Filley, a/k/a "The Healthy Hiker" about hiking and building and maintaining balance and why it's important for hiker fitness. They discuss the proper use of hiking poles for balance, how to evaluate your balance, and what kinds of exercises help increase balance. The Healthy Hiker website: https://www.thehealthyhiker.com/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob...
Jan 29, 2025•43 min•Ep. 431
On episode 430 of the podcast, Bob chats with Britt Haley, Director of the Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. They discuss some of the accomplishments of department in 2024, and plans for 2025. Topics include Blodgett and Fishers Canyon Open Spaces, e-bikes, a comprehensive managment plan for Pikes Peak and the Ring the Peak Trail, the 2025 budget, and more. Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more info...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 430
It's the first ever New Years Day podcast (it just worked out that way) for Bob and Kevin! They discuss how 2024 went for them and reveal if Bob reached his yearly goal of 800 hiking miles, and also review Bob's recent newspaper column on outdoor recreation New Year's resolution. Along with other topics, Kevin also discusses what drove him to switch to a new GPS smartwatch and he compares his new model to his old. Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/...
Jan 01, 2025•42 min•Ep. 429
Bob's co-host Kevin "Wild" Westendorf returns. After catching up on recent adventures, they discuss last minute holiday buying, setting resolutions, Bob's progress on getting to his yearly goal of 800 miles, donating during the Give campaign and much more. Give Pikes Peak website: https://campaign.givepikespeak.org/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website...
Dec 30, 2024•44 min•Ep. 428
On this week's episode, Bob talks with Susan Davies, the Executive Director of the Trails and Open Space Coalition (TOSC), on her upcoming retirement. They talk about her fifteen-year tenure at the helm of the organization, including the biggest accomplishments - and disappointments - of TOSC during that time. They also discuss how the political climate regarding outdoor recreation has changed in the last fifteen-years and how it may change in the future. They also discuss what her plans are mov...
Dec 04, 2024•58 min•Ep. 427
2024 Give Pikes Peak campaign participant Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates is the guest. Hear about what they do and why you should donate to them during the 2024 campaign. Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates website: https://medwheel.org/ Give Pikes Peak website: https://campaign.givepikespeak.org/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf...
Nov 20, 2024•25 min•Ep. 424
2024 Give Pikes Peak campaign participant Code 4 Outdoor is the guest. Hear about what they do and why you should donate to them during the 2024 campaign. Code 4 Outdoor website: https://www.code4outdoor.org/ Give Pikes Peak website: https://campaign.givepikespeak.org/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to listen, d...
Nov 20, 2024•19 min•Ep. 423
2024 Give Pikes Peak campaign participant Garden of the Gods Foundation is the guest. Hear about what they do and why you should donate to them during the 2024 campaign. Garden of the Gods Foundation website: https://gardenofgods.com/ Give Pikes Peak website: https://campaign.givepikespeak.org/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendo...
Nov 20, 2024•17 min•Ep. 425
2024 Give Pikes Peak campaign participant Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) is the guest. Hear about what they do and why you should donate to them during the 2024 campaign. RMFI website: https://www.rmfi.org/ Give Pikes Peak website: https://campaign.givepikespeak.org/ Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob website: https://www.HikingBob.com Wild Westendorf website: https://wildwestendorf.com/ Where to list...
Nov 20, 2024•22 min•Ep. 426
Bob starts off November with an interview with Matt Meister, the Chief Meteorologist for Colorado Springs' Fox 21 TV station. They talk about the complexity of predicting the weather in Colorado, and what makes Colorado's weather - especially in the Pikes Peak region - so unique. Meister talks about the difference between a La Nina and El Nino winter, which one we're having this year, and what it means for weather in Colorado and the western U.S, and much more. It's a fun and informational episo...
Nov 06, 2024•44 min•Ep. 422
On this week's podcast, Bob sits down with Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade. He and Mayor Yemi discuss the 2025 budget process that is underway, and how it will affect the city's parks and trails. They also discuss public safety in the city in general and parks in particular, and ballot measure 2C, which asks voters to renew the special sales tax used for paving the city's roads. If approved, the special funding will shift road paving from the major thoroughfares to neighborhood streets. How...
Oct 30, 2024•41 min•Ep. 421
On this week's podcast, co-host Kevin takes the reins and interviews Bernie Schmeits, Project Manager of Hearing, Vision and Dental Programming for the Colorado Gerontological Society (CGS). They talk about CGS's work to provide hearing aids to older adults with hearing impairments, and how this enables them to get out of the house and improve their quality of life. The non-profit relies on grants and donations to provide its services and with a loss of grants, it relies more heavily on donation...
Oct 23, 2024•40 min•Ep. 420
On a special bonus episode, Bob and Cory Sutela, the Executive Director of the Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates (MWTA), discuss Colorado Springs' proposed e-bike policy. Bob first corrects and clarifies some comments he made on the topic in episode 418, while still of the opinion that it is a generally good policy. Sutela then gives his organizations views and opinions on the policy. The main thrust of their discussion centers around how this proposed policy may or may not completely mesh with lan...
Oct 16, 2024•42 min•Ep. 419
On this week's episode, Bob and co-host Kevin discuss the newly unveiled proposed e-bike policy for Colorado Springs parks, trails and open spaces. They discuss some of the nuances of the policy, how the process of adopting the policy will go forward, and did Bob's opinion how e-bikes should be adopted into the city's open spaces change? As of this recording, there was no direct web link to the proposed policy. Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hik...
Oct 09, 2024•56 min•Ep. 418
On this week's episode, Bob talks with Randi Minetor, the author of "Death in...", a series of books about accidents and deaths that have occurred at some of the United States' national parks. With some of the incidents detailed in her books going back more than 100 years, they compare and contrast hiking, mountain climbing and other activities over the years and how modern technology has affected outdoor recreation. They discuss how Randi developed the idea for the series, the research it takes...
Sep 25, 2024•53 min•Ep. 417
Bob welcomes Wild Westendorf back to the podcast. They discuss what they have been doing since the last time Kevin on the show. Bob talks about the end of his term on the TOPS Working Committee, his experiences there and his plans moving forward. Also, Bob talks about his conversation with a person who thinks Colorado Springs voters aren't "smart enough" to vote on changes to the TOPS program, which Bob found to be an offensive opinion. (Note: This person was not a government employee of any typ...
Sep 11, 2024•41 min•Ep. 416
On this week's episode, Bob interviews Derick Lugo, author of "The Unlikely Through Hiker". They discuss how Derick, having grown up in Brooklyn, Queens and Harlem in New York City became a through hiker, tackling the Appalachian Trail with no prior experience. Derick tells of the impact on his outlook on life and interpersonal relations the experience had on him, and of writing a book about the hike. They discuss his subsequent through hikes, including through Colorado on the Continental Divide...
Aug 28, 2024•48 min•Ep. 415
