Despite a life-altering hunting accident in 1997 that caused him to lose his sight, Lonnie found the courage and determination to raise his three daughters as a single father in small-town Indiana, teaching them all to hunt and fish — and, against all odds, to drive. After the kids were grown and moved out, Lonnie was looking for another challenge.
Through adaptive sports organizations Lonnie began to get the opportunity to do some amazing adventures. Fast forward a few years and Lonnie is a National Geographic 2015 Adventurer of the Year. He has kayaked some of the most challenging whitewater in the world and is responsible for first blind descents of Africa’s fabled Zambezi River and West Virginia’s world-renowned Gauley River. Lonnie is best known for his first descent of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.
In May of 2023, Lonnie Bedwell became the first blind veteran to climb Mt Everest. He was accompanied by friends and climbing partners Michael Neal and Bryan Hill. Before the climb, Michael and Bryan rode their bicycles across India to set a world record for the fastest known time from sea level to Everest’s summit. We’ll have Michael on next week to share that story.
Sightlesssummits.com
https://www.instagram.com/lonnie.r.bedwell
https://lonniebedwell.com/
Ep. 961: How To Train for Adventures - Revisited - Rowan Smith
Ep. 960: Starting an Outdoor Company During a War - Ian deQueiroz
Ep. 959: Surviving a Plane Crash in the Mountains - Revisited - Brian Brown
Ep. 958: Solo Sail Around the World - Pip Hare
Ep. 957: Triple Crown of Ultra Distance Cycling - Revisited - Ryan Flinn
Ep. 956: Crossing Baffin Island on Skis - Valerie Gagne
Ep. 955: Conquering 30 Years of Anxiety Through Adventure - Revisited - Paula McGuire
Ep. 954: Will to Wild - Shelby Stanger
Ep. 953: Spending Five Years Exploring the South Pacific - Revisited - Nick Watts
Ep. 952: Leaving Your Successful Outdoor Company - Davis Smith
Ep. 951: Visiting Every National Park in One Year - Revisited - Andy Magee
Ep. 950: Circumnavigating Hawaii’s Big Island on Foot - Dr. Stan Fortuna Jr.
Ep. 949: Why Adventure is Essential - Revisited - Belinda Kirk
Ep. 948: Taking a Gap Year Mid-Career - Marianne Bohr
Ep. 947: I Survived Season Finale - Bear Grylls
Ep. 946: The Long Way Home - Ryan Van Duzer
Ep. 945: Recreational Tree Climbing - Revisited - Harv Teitelbaum
Ep. 944: Hipcamp Founder & CEO - Alyssa Ravasio
Ep. 943: Using Nature to Navigate - Revisited - Tristan Gooley
Ep. 942: Losing 200 Pounds to Hike the PCT - Part 2 - Josh “Long Story” Murphy
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