He makes an appearance in our show intro, and in this bonus episode we discuss our best friend and travel companion, our dog Finn. Life on the road with a pet presents some interesting challenges and we answer a listener question with our tips and ideas about taking care of your fur kids in this mobile lifestyle so they can take care of you. Got questions of your own? We'd love to hear from you! Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn ...
Oct 12, 2019•16 min
Boiling rivers, bubbling mud pots, steaming hot springs, and giant volcanoes. It kinda sounds like that fiery hellscape from Lord of the Rings, but really it’s Lassen Volcanic National Park, the least visited of all 9 of California’s national parks, and a place that’s not nearly as terrifying as its geologic features could have you believe. This week, we recount Matt's ascent of Lassen Peak, Brad's impromptu dip in the lake, and our fav lodging accommodations yet. We'd love to hear from you! Fol...
Oct 09, 2019•36 min•Season 1Ep. 12
If you’re looking for the perfect place to chase waterfalls and run from black bears, then cap it all off with an apple martini at a makeshift speakeasy, Shenandoah National Park is the place for you! This place has it all: bountiful forests, foggy mountaintops, scenic drives, intimidating wildlife, and quaint towns filled with chatty cab drivers and friendly restaurant service. It’s also got a lot of history, and we’re excited to share all our findings on this wonderful Virginia park. We'd love...
Oct 02, 2019•36 min•Season 1Ep. 11
One of our uncontrollable impulses is comparing National Parks to Disney movies. Hiking through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in western Colorado reminded us of Maleficent's castle in "Sleeping Beauty," with all the twisted, gnarly trees and the pitch-blackness of the canyon. In this episode, we'll recount our visit to this hauntingly beautiful place. Have questions for us? We'd love to hear from you! Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Ranger...
Sep 25, 2019•44 min•Season 1Ep. 10
In this bonus episode, recorded in the RV that has taken us around the country and to these National Parks we've been talking about all season, we decided to introduce ourselves a little bit. Both of us come from very different backgrounds and have very different stories, and we talk about how those disparate paths led us to each other and to this life on the road. Have questions for us? We'd love to hear from you! Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Rangers F...
Sep 21, 2019•23 min
Between the misty rainforests, the ominous beaches, the craggy mountaintops, and immense wildlife like elk and whales, exploring Olympic National Park is like stepping into the home of the Grecian gods themselves. But you don't need to be immortal to enjoy all the adventure and beauty this million-acre park has to offer. Got questions of your own? We'd love to hear from you! Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn more about your ad-ch...
Sep 18, 2019•37 min•Season 1Ep. 9
We return to our mail bag and talk about what we said "thank you" to and let go of when we moved into the RV and the logistics of parking one of those things in a National Park. Got questions of your own? We'd love to hear from you! Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Sep 14, 2019•10 min
If Al Capone was alive today, we have a feeling he'd be a Parklandia listener. The notorious gangster was, after all, a lover of national parks, just like us! Or at least he was known to frequent the thermal baths at Hot Springs National Park. This episode, we explore this bustling Arkansas mountain city, along with the history, heritage, not to mention craft beer and bath salts it has to offer. Hot Springs is truly not your typical National Park! Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , ...
Sep 11, 2019•26 min•Season 1Ep. 8
We've been getting questions on Facebook and Insta and in this special Saturday episode, we take some time to answer a listener question about life on the road. In short: it's not an endless vacay, keep a stash of quarters, beware of poo showers. Got questions of your own? We'd love to hear from you! Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener fo...
Sep 07, 2019•6 min
Fair warning, listeners: anytime we reminisce about Badlands National Park we tend to get super emotional. Matt first traveled to this South Dakota wonder in 2016 and the Badlands brought on a sweeping sense of awe and admiration. In this episode, we recount our trip here together to this landscape that is part Grand Canyon, part Mars. Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwor...
Sep 04, 2019•31 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Most people equate flooding with disaster, but it can do just the opposite sometimes—like at Congaree National Park in South Carolina, where flooding represents the circle of life. Matt and Brad go kayaking and make some new friends, and even answer some listener mail. Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Aug 28, 2019•33 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Guadalupe Mountains National Park in West Texas is a paradise for hikers and rock-lovers, with the tallest peaks in the state, gypsum sand dunes, tons of human history, and the largest Permian fossil reef in the world. And apart from the whole Matt almost dying thing, it made for a wonderful visit! This episode, Matt and Brad battle Mother Nature and enjoy a lot of tuna salad. Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn more about your ad-...
Aug 21, 2019•30 min•Season 1Ep. 5
If Batman were to live in a national park, he would definitely live at Carlsbad Caverns. The Dark Knight would surely feel right at home in the enormous, pitch black chambers, just him and a couple hundred thousand roommates who fly out to eat bugs each night. This episode, Matt and Brad explore the caves, take in the wildlife, and work up an appetite at Carlsbad. Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod , and join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn more about your ad-choices at ht...
Aug 14, 2019•42 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In the late 1100’s, the cliff faces of Mesa Verde were veritable cities filled with homes, towers, and central plazas. Then, the ancestral Puebloan people completely deserted their homes and communities, effectively disappearing... except for their spirits which still live in these mesas. This episode we recount our visit to those cliff homes and beyond. Follow Parklandia on Instagram @parklandiapod Join the Parklandia Rangers Facebook Group Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheart...
Aug 07, 2019•50 min•Season 1Ep. 3
If we were to hop into a time machine and travel back to the year 220 million BC, let’s just say things wouldn’t go well for us. This was a time when the food chain was dominated by crocodiles the size of our RV, and when modern day Arizona was a veritable Jurassic Park of dinosaurs and jungles as beautiful as they were dangerous. Imagine us visiting Isla Nublar, but instead of Jeff Goldblum’s pithy comic relief, it’s pure terror and there is no Dr. Grant to save you. Fortunately, this era has b...
Aug 07, 2019•27 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In our inaugural episode of Parklandia, hosts Matt and Brad bring friends along for a murder mystery train ride and explore the true comeback story of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which went from notoriously polluted to winning the Oscars of rivers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 07, 2019•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1
A married couple packed up everything from their home in Chicago and bought an RV to travel the country full-time, with one goal: to visit as many national parks as possible along the way. With each stop in each park, Brad and Matt Kirouac immerse themselves and the listeners – and the Kirouac’s dog Finn! – in these beautiful, larger-than-life places and share our discoveries about what makes them truly special, from the intimidating wildlife of the Everglades to the cinematic lore of Redwood, a...
Jul 30, 2019•2 min
