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Fitz Cahall—founder of The Dirtbag Diaries and co-founder of Duct Tape Then Beer—joins me to trace a life built around curiosity, craft, and the wild. We get into the nomadic childhood that pushed him outdoors, the dog-mauling that forged resilience, discovering climbing in Seattle, and the early podcasting leap that turned unsold magazine stories into a movement. We talk States of Adventure (DK), how to choose stories that reflect a lifetime outdoors, making inclusive adventure culture, and the 50-day Sierra traverse with Becca that reset his compass. We also explore creative stamina, running a mission-driven studio, and building family identity through shared time outside—plus Alex Honnold, Climbing Gold, and where audio can still surprise us.

What you’ll learn

• How childhood instability became a foundation for autonomy, authenticity, and adventure
• The moment podcasting “clicked” and scaled from 30 friends to thousands overnight
• Anatomy of States of Adventure: selecting 30 stories that mirror a life lived outside
• Why inclusive, everyday adventures expand the ecosystem (burro racing, rollerblading Iowa, etc.)
• Sustaining creative passion for 18 years without burning out
• Designing a family life that keeps mountains and forests in the calendar

Memorable threads

• The power of medium choice: audio stories at the length they need
• Craft over clout: playful branding as a filter for the right partners
• Lessons from a stormy, illness-riddled, unforgettable Sierra crossing
• Curiosity as a daily practice—for interviews, parenting, and purposeful work

Resources & links mentioned

• The Dirtbag Diaries — https://www.dirtbagdiaries.com
• Duct Tape Then Beer — https://www.ducttapethenbeer.com
• States of Adventure (DK) — https://www.dk.com
• National Geographic — https://www.nationalgeographic.com
• This American Life — https://www.thisamericanlife.org
• Climbing Gold (with Alex Honnold) — https://www.climbinggold.com
• Alex Honnold — https://www.alexhonnold.com
• Grand Canyon (NPS) — https://www.nps.gov/grca
• Yosemite (NPS) — https://www.nps.gov/yose
• RAGBRAI (Iowa cross-state ride) — https://www.ragbrai.com
• Pack Burro Racing — https://www.packburroracing.org
  Episode takeaway

Adventure—as practice and culture—builds resilient creativity, community, and meaning when we protect curiosity and time outside.

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AdventureDiaries.com

#AdventureDiaries #AdventureStories #NationalGeographic #Discovery #NaturalWorld

🔗 Join the tester list now: adventurediaries.com/yes

Do you love maps, exploration, adventure, travel, and stories of the natural world? Maybe you’ve got a shelf full of National Geographic, or you find yourself daydreaming about places you’ve never been.

If so, I’ve got something special just for you.

I’m testing a brand-new Adventure Diaries project – and before anyone else gets to see it, I’m inviting listeners like you to help shape it. Here’s the deal:

✨ I’ll mail you 2–3 physical prototypes of this project completely free.
📍 All I ask in return is your honest feedback – what excites you, what could be better, what captures your imagination.

These aren’t digital downloads. They’re tactile, feature-rich, immersive items designed to capture the spirit of adventure, history, exploration, and storytelling.

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast – the stories, the guests, the wild places we explore – this is your chance to be part of something new from the very beginning.

👉 Visit adventurediaries.com/yes
to join the tester list.
It’s free, spots are open, and I’d love your help to refine and launch this project.

Thanks so much for supporting Adventure Diaries – I can’t wait to share this with you.

Call to Action

🔗 Join the tester list now: adventurediaries.com/yes

Send us a text

Support the show

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If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.

Follow us https://linktr.ee/adventurediaries for updates.

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AdventureDiaries.com

#AdventureDiaries #AdventureStories #NationalGeographic #Discovery #NaturalWorld

🎙️ Please make sure to click the ‘Follow’ the show – It really helps the show, thanks!

In todays episode i sit down with Jeff Jenkins — creator of Chubby Diaries and host of Nat Geo’s Never Say Never. Inclusion in adventure. Owning your story. Building a mission-first business that opens doors for plus-size travelers.

Jeff grew up in Orlando, found purpose building low-cost wells in Rwanda, and—after a life-check moment—committed to “travel the world, help people, and get paid.” He turned Chubby Diaries into a real company (S-Corp), consults across the travel industry, and fronted a National Geographic series by doing the simplest, hardest thing: being himself on camera. We dig into practical access for plus-size travelers (wetsuits, chairs, seats, hills and trams), brand storytelling, and why “live life now” beats waiting for permission.

• Candid, practical guidance for plus-size travelers who want to start today
• Behind the scenes of landing a Nat Geo show—and keeping it authentic
• A playbook for turning a niche into impact, community, and revenue

Highlights

• From choir teacher to creator: the pivot that followed personal loss
• Rwanda wells: proof that mission + action builds confidence fast
• Consulting travel brands: speak the language of outcomes and revenue
• Accessibility wins: seating, spaces, gear, and inclusive marketing moving mainstream
• “Your pace still gets the view”: adventure without comparison
• Creativity with guardrails: protecting the brand while you grow a team
• Next big dream: Antarctica (seven continents, here we come)

Call to Adventure
You don’t need permission. Start local, choose your pace, and go anyway. The view’s still yours.

Resources & Links

• Chubby Diaries — Live Life Now: https://chubbydiaries.com/
  
  CHUBBY DIARIES - LIVE LIFE NOW
• Jeff’s show Never Say Never: https://chubbydiaries.com/never-say-never/
  
  CHUBBY DIARIES - LIVE LIFE NOW
• Trailer (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHisUWlH4VU
  
  YouTube
• Florida A&M University (FAMU): https://www.famu.edu/
  
  famu.edu
• East Africa Energy Solutions (biodigesters in Uganda): https://www.eastafricaenergysolutions.org/
  
  EAES
• J

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Thanks For Listening.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.

Follow us https://linktr.ee/adventurediaries for updates.

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AdventureDiaries.com

#AdventureDiaries #AdventureStories #NationalGeographic #Discovery #NaturalWorld