They say that when one door closes, another one opens. And in our case, we are swinging our RV door open to a new adventure with a new podcast and a whole new way to celebrate the National Parks community we've come to know and love. We're drawing Parklandia to a close and launching Hello Ranger , an independent podcast designed to showcase and celebrate communities within the national parks, and how these places unite us together. Find us at the Hello Ranger website and on Facebook , and be sur...
May 20, 2020•3 min
In our final installment of Traveling Eats, we visit the Alpine wonderland of Veil, Colorado, take in the German-inspired architecture and more importantly, the food and drink, both traditional and modern. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod , join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page ! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 29, 2020•31 min
Maybe the most basic task of the full-time RV life is...living in the RV. And in order to make that transition from our Chicago loft to our new home, we had to do a lot of downsizing. It was not easy and involved a lot of difficult decisions and we had to leave a lot of things we love behind and in storage. In this last installment of Boondocking With Brad, we'll discuss what that process was like and the trade-off between our old brick-and-mortar home and life on the road. Follow Parklandia on ...
Apr 22, 2020•22 min
Before the pandemic changed literally everything about our day-to-day life, we recorded a series of episodes focusing on the food and drink scenes in a number of cities that we really love. This week, we're talking about Portland, Maine and all of the deliciousness we hope to return to when life returns to normal. Thank you for listening, take care, and wash your hands. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod , join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page ! Lear...
Apr 15, 2020•22 min
The world is made up of living and nonliving things that are all hanging out together in different configurations. The stuff that's hanging out together in Yellowstone — wolves and porcupines and Douglas firs and mayflies and geysers and snowstorms — are different than what you'd find in the Everglades between alligators and turkey vultures and sawgrass marsh and microorganisms. And just like with sports or the stock market or your family at Thanksgiving, there are rules of engagement between th...
Apr 08, 2020•17 min
There’s a lot to see and do in Florida. It’s got Mickey Mouse, South Beach, Harry Potter, Key West, orange juice, and… two of the most terrifying animals, together at last. That’s right, Everglades National Park is the only place on Earth where alligators and crocodiles coexist, and it’s just one of many fascinating facts about this epic national park. Yet as scary as that may seem, it pales in comparison to the horrors of having no WiFi. Everglades is really just a place of pure wonder, excitem...
Apr 01, 2020•54 min•Season 2Ep. 27
As the coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, disrupts life across America, one of the many unexpected consequences of much of public life shutting down is the closure of campgrounds and the displacement of full-time RVers and van-lifers. We heard from many listeners living out on the road that they were scrambling to find new sites to go to and we thought we could help guide listeners toward some of the resources in place, speak with some of those being affected, and with others who a...
Mar 25, 2020•54 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Ever since I was a kid, when I would rent Jaws from the local video store on a weekly basis, the ocean has simultaneously been the most captivating place for me, and also my worst fear. It’s a testament to the ocean, and the mystery of that watery wilderness that kept me coming back for more. This is a park where getting into the water is paramount. You can’t come here and not doing something at least on top of the water, if not under it. After all, 95% of this 172,000-acre park is water. We're ...
Mar 18, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 25
In this bonus episode of Boondocking with Brad, we answer perhaps the most basic question: what is "boondocking?" Basically, it's staying in your RV without hooking up to outside power, and we'll talk you through some of the dos, don'ts, concerns, and things to keep in mind while on... and off... the road. Got more questions? We'd love to talk! Join the conversation in the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page ! Also be sure to follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod...
Mar 14, 2020•18 min
We compare national parks to movies a lot on this podcast, and that’s mostly because these places have a larger-than-life vibe and atmosphere that truly looks like something out of a film. But no park is as much of a cinematic star as the one we’re talking about today, which is Redwood National Park in California. These soaring forests have totally soared to movie stardom over the years, appearing as the backdrop for some pretty serious blockbusters. And it makes sense; these trees are truly oth...
Mar 11, 2020•59 min•Season 2Ep. 24
When you think about the Grand Tetons, what comes to mind? Is it iconic, snowy mountains, pristine lakes, and grizzly bears? But how about White Russians, white water rafting, and hootenannies? All of those things take place here at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, and clearly, there’s a lot to love about this epic park. We'll discuss the magnificent vistas, the food, the need for proper footwear, and the ubiquity of bear spray. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod , join the Pa...
Mar 04, 2020•47 min•Season 2Ep. 23
New Mexico has some of the best regional foods and ingredients in the whole country and we are obsessed. Green chilies, blue corn, piñon nuts, and the list goes on. So many amazing flavors—too many to fit into one episode, so we're focusing on just two areas we've spent time in: Albuquerque and Santa Fe. In this bonus episode, we'll cover some of our favorite local dishes, restaurants, brews and spirits. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod , join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Grou...
Feb 29, 2020•28 min
American history is fraught with contradictions and incomplete—or sometimes outright wrong—interpretations. We were confronted with this head-on at Little Bighorn National Monument in southern Montana. The place serves as a monument to the Battle of Little Bighorn, which took place in June of 1876 between new settlers and the Lakota-Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. Until 1991, this site was named in honor of General George Armstrong Custer. In this episode we'll talk about what we learned ...
Feb 26, 2020•39 min•Season 2Ep. 22
On our Yellowstone first-parter, we talked about both of our individual first trips to America’s O.G. national park, along with info on thermal features and a supervolcano that you don’t really need to worry about. Now it’s time for the sequel episode, Yellowstone: Full Throttle. Because just like that insane sequel to Charlie's Angels, our part 2 episode of Yellowstone is filled with stunts and sights that defy logic and possibility. And subbing in for Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu...
Feb 19, 2020•48 min•Season 2Ep. 21
So you've got your brand new RV and you're ready to take in on your first journey and you pull into your campsite and... now what? In this bonus Boondocking with Brad episode, we'll talk about the basics of hooking up and turning on... your lights and water! Plus, Brad finally spills the story about The Incident in Santa Fe that we've been hinting at all season. Spoiler: It is gross! Got more questions? We'd love to talk! Join the conversation in the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like ou...
Feb 15, 2020•22 min
With over 200 miles of mapped passageways (and a mind-boggling amount yet to be discovered), Jewel Cave National Monument is the third longest cave in the world. And all of that lies in just four square miles beneath South Dakota. The folks who named the cave did so appropriately (and not after the singer), because inside lies a dark, ominous cavern lined with shimmering crystals. This episode, we recount our visit and about sharing our RV with our first on-the-road guest, plus, we'll talk with ...
Feb 12, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 20
For season 2 of Parklandia, there are a lot of firsts we were excited about, and new chapters to begin. From the first guest interviews to the first time we called 911 from a national park. And today is another first: it’s our first time covering an urban park! Washington D.C. is just so rich with history and culture. And the omnipresence of memorials and historic sites is inescapable. And while the classical white marble buildings of the National Mall and the memorial parks are a far cry from Y...
Feb 05, 2020•49 min•Season 2Ep. 19
In this past week's episode, we covered Matt's family trip to Yellowstone. Brad visited Yellowstone while on the "maple trail," selling barrel-aged maple syrup for Burton's Maplewood Farm across the country. In this special bonus episode, we sit down with Tim Burton (not the director, the producer...of maple syrup!) in-studio to talk about the journey on the maple trail, camping in the world's first national park inside of a box truck, and the very special people we were traveling with. Tim is a...
Feb 01, 2020•28 min
We think it’s safe to say that Yellowstone is the most iconic national park in the country. It’s the first example people think of when they think of national parks, and its most notable features, like geysers and bison and grizzly bears, have come to be synonymous with the National Park Service. Not only is it an American icon, but it’s the second largest national park in the contiguous U.S., it’s one of the most visited parks in the country with more than 4 million annual visitors, and most im...
Jan 29, 2020•44 min•Season 2Ep. 18
We love our life on the road, but it's hard not to long for some of the familiar sights...and tastes...of our old home in Chicago. In this episode of Traveling Eats with Matt, we'll start in our old neighborhood of Ukrainian Village and go over our favorite places to grab a bite and a drink. Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod , join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page ! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystu...
Jan 25, 2020•25 min
When it comes to big-time national parks, it doesn’t get much more iconic than Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. I mean, really, these mountains are featured on Coors Light cans. That’s big. This park really is just larger-than-life and overwhelming in the best way, with some of the mightiest mountains in the country. So it’s no wonder why Rocky Mountain is not only one of the most visited parks in America, with more than 4 million annual visitors, but also a symbol of the national park ...
Jan 22, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 17
For our second installment of Boondocking with Brad, we'll go over the nuts and bolts of what you need to know about operating and maintaining an RV, from how to power it all the way down to what kind of toilet paper you need for the very different lifestyle on the road. Got more questions? We'd love to talk! Join the conversation in the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page ! Also be sure to follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod . Learn more about your ad-choices ...
Jan 18, 2020•17 min
When most people think of Kentucky, they might think of bourbon, horse races, fried chicken... all fitting, but what about the largest cave system in the world? Mammoth Cave National Park is not only the longest cave on Earth (or in Earth), but it is fascinating to learn about all the weird and wild ways this cave has been used over the years, from burial site to gunpowder manufacturing, to whiskey distillery, to church, to hospital...and more. This episode, we explore this bustling park, both b...
Jan 15, 2020•50 min•Season 2Ep. 16
If there is anything we love more than visiting National Parks, it's definitely discovering all of the amazing food and drinks this country has to offer while we're out on the road. And with that in mind, we're starting up another miniseries of bonus episodes called Traveling Eats. And for this first installment, we're heading to the happiest place on Earth, Disney World! Follow Parklandia on Instagram at @parklandiapod , join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group and Like our Facebook page ! Le...
Jan 11, 2020•30 min
When it comes to iconic images from the national parks, Arches is right up there with the Grand Canyon, Old Faithful at Yellowstone, and the bat cave at Carlsbad Caverns. Especially the Delicate Arch, which is so popular that it’s featured on Utah’s license plates. Arches National Park in Utah was a bucket list priority of ours once we first started living and traveling in the RV. It was actually one of the first national parks we visited once we made the official leap from Chicago condo to RV. ...
Jan 08, 2020•44 min•Season 2Ep. 15
One of the topics of conversation that comes up with our listeners often is about the RV lifestyle — how to get started, which vehicle is right for you, what to know before you head out on the road. So this season, we'll be devoting a number of bonus episodes to just that. In this first installment of Boondocking With Brad, we'll talk about the different classes of campers available, from pop-up to big rig, and what you should know about each of them. Got more questions? We'd love to talk! Join ...
Jan 04, 2020•13 min
It's a New Year and a new season of Parklandia! To kick it off, we're doing our first episode on a National Seashore, Cumberland Island off of Georgia's southwestern coast. Things got pretty dramatic for us there, with torrential downpours and a terrifying lightning storm, but it wasn't all terror! We has a pretty great time exploring this beautiful island which is truly unique among all the national parks we've visited, with its wild horses and ruined mansions. Grab an umbrella and join us! Fol...
Jan 01, 2020•55 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Season 2 of Parklandia is coming January 1st — New Year, New Season! And we're so excited to announce that it's going to be full of our adventures through our National Parks, monuments, historic sites and more. Plus, we'll be talking to friends and travel companions, fellow National Park lovers, we'll discuss more of the ecology and conservation regarding these amazing places, AND you'll get more practical knowledge on the RV lifestyle and how to stay well-fed on the road. All coming your way in...
Dec 23, 2019•2 min
In this crossover episode, we appear on the show Committed, hosted by Jo Piazza. Last year Brad and Matt Kirouac gave up their very comfortable and secure lives in a beautiful loft in a gorgeous neighborhood in Chicago to live as nomads in an RV with the goal of visiting all of 61 the country’s national parks. Their new lifestyle challenges every single part of their relationships and they’ve been forced to dig deep to see if they really want to be in this together. Listen to the full episode an...
Nov 20, 2019•11 min
For the final episode of our first season, we're changing things up just a little bit. This episode is our first one highlighting a national park service unit that isn’t a technical national park. But Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania is no less amazing. It’s the kind of place every student in America learns about growing up, and maybe even visits. And especially from a historical perspective, it’s one of the biggest bucket-list destinations in the country. We also cover our trip...
Oct 16, 2019•44 min•Season 1Ep. 13
