The Dirtbag Diaries

And Then What: Roadless Rule

The Forest Service has proposed to rescind the Roadless Rule, which protects nearly 45 million acres of National Forest. These forests play a role in maintaining clean water and air, wildlife habitat and provide lots of recreational access for climbing, hiking, biking and paddling. Today, Tracy Stone-Manning, executive director of the Wilderness Society and former director of the Bureau of Land Management, joins us to talk about why Roadless Areas matter, the latest efforts to dismantle protections for our public lands, and how to write your best comment. The Wilderness Society has made it easy to add your voice to the discussion about the Roadless Rule. Comments due Monday, September 21st. And Then What series made possible by Diaries+ Members You can join today.

Winnebago Warriors

“When we were living in a house, we were always compromising because we had the weight of a mortgage, of doing what we thought we should be doing,” remembers Kathy Holcombe. Until the day, she, her husband, Peter, and their daughter Abby moved into a Winnebago to travel and work from the road. “I want her to see that she can do that too: whatever her wildest dreams are, to chase them and not stop until they come true,” says Kathy. Abby’s dream? To kayak the entire 280-miles of the classic Grand Canyon run. But how does a 12 year-old arrive at a place where this goal is even conceivable? First, lots of kayaking. But, as in any sport, Abby must learn to walk up to her fears and pick them apart before deciding whether to go or not go. You can follow all of the Holcombes on social. Abby, Peter and Kathy! Support comes from ⁠Oboz⁠ Kodiak Find Kodiak at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order. Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today.

Why Do Trails Exist?

Trails are hewn from granite, carved into sandstone cliffs and engineered into our most iconic landscapes. Other times, they offer just the faintest hint of the passing of those before us. Either way, we often take their existence for granted. Today with the help of author Dillon Osleger we ask the seemingly simple question “Why do trails exist?” Read Dillon’s book: Why Do Trails Exist? Support comes from ⁠Oboz⁠ Kuat Racks Kodiak Find Kodiak at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order. Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today.

The Shorts– Traces of You

How do we love those we have lost? In two essays, Mike Foote and Natasha Buffo explore how the memory of their parents guide them through life’s biggest moments—from a grueling hundred-mile run to the choice to become a mother. Support comes from ⁠Oboz⁠ Darn Tough Free shipping on any order with code DIRTBAG Kodiak Find Kodiak at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order. Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today.

Rowing The Distance

Libby Costello and Sophia Walters met as teammates on the UCLA rowing team, but after graduation, they each struggled to reimagine what the sport would mean to them without the structure of Division 1 athletics. Years later, the two friends came back together with an audacious goal: to row self-supported across the Pacific Ocean. With the freedom of a month in the open ocean, the two friends reclaim their relationship to their shared passion. Support comes from Kuat Racks Oboz Kodiak Find Kodiak at kodiakcakes.com or your local grocery store Ka’Chava Go to https://kachava.com and use code DIARIES for 15% off your next order. Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- thank you! You can join today.