In our first story, Land Tawney seizes the chance for an epic backpacking trip into the Frank Church Wilderness, made even better by the inclusion of his nine-year-old daughter and support llamas. When the intense summer heat and rugged trail push the young girl to the brink of giving up, he must trust her to make the decision to push forward or turn back. Land calls his story “Young Grit”.

Land Tawney is a 5th generation Montanan prone to wandering & good times. Land earned his Bachelor of Science focused in Wildlife Biology from The University of Montana and has been working his entire adult life to conserve public lands and water and access to them at the local, state, and federal levels. From testifying in front of Congress in Washington DC to organizing grassroots volunteers all across North America, Land walks the walk. He now co-chairs a new non-profit, American Hunters and Anglers Action Network, and works tirelessly to protect our public lands for present and future generations.

Hayley Glassic was driven by a childhood dream of couture and must abandon fashion for a seemingly stable career path, only to have a single brochure unexpectedly reroute her life. A misunderstanding at a job interview for a job in “Cordova, AK” plunges her into the grueling world of salmon hatcheries, where she finds her true calling in the remote wilderness. Hayley calls her story “Origin Story”.

Hayley Glassic migrated from her birthplace in Pennsylvania to Georgia (the state not the country) and eventually to Montana where she has lived for 8 years. Landing in Missoula has been a blessing for friendship, love, heartbreak, growth, and community. After seeing tell us something in 2022, she has been waiting for a prompt that would fit for her to share a story. Hayley was given lots of cheeky feedback from high school friends of how poor of a storyteller she is. By sharing this story, she hopes to break that streak.

Bryan Dalpes hopes to turn his Alaskan summer fling into a real relationship, but ignores food safety for a giant steak, leading to a disastrous morning ritual right outside his would-be love’s A-frame door. When his partner abruptly ends things after returning from a grueling trip, he must navigate gossip and miscommunication to save the relationship. Brian calls his story “The Rile”.

Growing up on the mean streets of suburban Colorado, Bryan found refuge in the punk rock and skateboarding communities. While voyaging on the courageous journey from child to man-child his life course changed when he discovered the moving meditation that is rock climbing. After honing his climbing and alpine skills he spent summers in Alaska guiding ice climbing, glacier exploration, and backcountry trips. Since those years he has continued on to be a guide, instructor, coach, firefighter/EMT, Covid task force specialist, seedling nursery crew lead, mobile beer canner, freelance video editor, graphic artist, handyman, landscaper, ski patroller, house sitter, marketplace hustler…the list goes on. He is the proud dad of a floppy eared, special needs dog named Ron who is regularly recognized on the trail and pined over by complete strangers

Feeling overwhelmed by her spinning “plates” of responsibility, Betsy Funk receives an unexpected invitation to join the Peace Corps in Africa. She risks leaving her daughter and draining her finances to chase a desperate call for help, embarking on a journey that will test her limits and change her perspective on what it means to keep life together. Betsy calls her story “Mother”.

After 40 years of teaching through story, Betsy loves to share stories with folks she encounters. Either listening to or telling them she frames her world around ” what’s your story?” She finds her moments of shared joy and tears continue to make her a better person. She hopes her adventures inspire some wonder and joy in you. The goal is always to make the world a better place. Be kind…you got this.

Our first storyteller is Rad Wilkins, who as a wildlife biologist embraced the title of “poop ologist” and carried a pungent, fermented concoction called “the brew” into the backcountry to entice grizzly bears. When the love of his life came to visit his remote camp, he had to quickly learn the true rules of bear country before a romantic proposal turned into a terrifying, close encounter in a story that he calls “Wild Proposals”. Rad Watkins is a lifelong nature lover and conservationist based in Missoula, Montana. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Missoula Conservation District, where he helps lead efforts to protect local streams, wildlife, and working lands. His career has taken him from the old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest studying endangered seabirds, to Glacier National Park collecting grizzly bear DNA, to the Northwoods of Wisconsin tracking wolves and rehabbing bald eagles. Rad also loves personal development, and he’s a certified life coach who does some leadership speaking and training. At home, he, his wife Gretchen, and their kids, Lena and Norris, enjoy doing what Montanans do best: floating rivers, skiing, hiking, and spending time outdoors with their dogs and horses.

You can find Rad on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

In our next story, Bridget Feerick flies thousands of miles to Peru and connects with a mysterious, motorcycling solo traveler. With a language barrier, a gut feeling, and a wild invitation to ride with him to Canada, she must decide if taking a leap of faith is worth the risk of a true-life adventure. Bridget calls her story “My Gut Says WHAT!?…and it was Awesome!” Thanks for listening.

Bridget Feerick started her journey on this planet being born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. She traveled the world before making her home in Missoula, Montana and has continued to explore this country and the world beyond. Her passion for the outdoors is matched by a deep commitment to community engagement and social justice. Bridget holds people in transitions using her intuitive powers as an organizer, cleaner, birth/postpartum/death doula, yoga instructor, herbalist, reiki and sound healing practitioner, and so on and so forth. Oh, and she likes to get weird whether it’s through her performance art pieces or just trying to be free in a world with too many boxes. She hopes to empower and inspire as many people as she can to tap into their own intuitive powers.

Trying to escape the dark Missoula winter, a staycation house-sitting gig promises a hot tub and mountain views for Marc Moss, and instead, delivers freezing temperatures and the demanding care of a dog, a cat, and eleven chickens. What starts as a simple favor quickly turns into a crisis when a frantic call from Chile reveals an unfortunate fire and a scramble to rehouse the traumatized poultry.

Marc calls his story “The Girls”.

Marc Moss founded Tell Us Something in 2011 and lives with his life partner, Joyce, and their perpetual kitten, Ziggy on Missoula’s historic Northside.

While trekking deep into the Bob Marshall Wilderness to photograph the monumental Chinese Wall, Brian Christianson finally slows down to appreciate the remote mountain solitude with his partner. When a tiny movement catches their eye, they hold their breath for what could be the wildlife encounter of a lifetime.

Brian calls his story “Ridge Lessons”.

Brian Christianson’s love for mountains began on the pages of books while growing up in Southern Minnesota. A family trip to Colorado at age 10 confirmed the future: mountains or bust. He proceeded to study photography and geography at the University of Colorado before moving to Montana in 2008. Brian works as a nature photographer with a curiosity for wilderness in Western Montana. He shares a life with his wife Linds and cat Roo.

In our first story, From a childhood crush to a series of unexpected turns, Aunvada Being shares her story following her lifelong journey of self-discovery and the difficult choices she made along the way. Listen to Aunvada as she navigates societal expectations, personal struggles, and ultimately, finds her true self amidst unforeseen losses. Aunvada calls her story “Skittles”.

Aunvada Being. Aunvada was blessed with a creative Western spirit. She was born in and has lived in Montana for 35 of her 37 years. She is keenly aware of the vast history of all the lands we walk and is deeply grateful to walk them. She picked magical Missoula as her home after spending a year living off grid near the Garden of the Gods in Colorado.

In our next story, Jilnar Mansour, a Lebanese American volunteer in the volatile heart of a Palestinian refugee camp, confronts the harrowing realities of a strict curfew set by the Israeli Defense Forces. Amidst chaos and desperation, she recounts an extraordinary act of quick thinking and unexpected alliance, leading to a moment where vulnerability became a powerful tool for survival. Listen to Jilnar share the difficult choices that she made, and the blurred lines of impact versus intention in a story that she calls “Who Made Your Breakfast?”

Jilnar Mansour is a person who creates spaces for all to be loved and heard in order to stop generational violence. Jilnar is the daughter of an immigrant. She is a survivor. Jilnar stands for love.

Steve Schmidt is a rookie police officer in Kansas City in 1997. Steve responds to a seemingly routine recovered property call that quickly escalates into a tense and dangerous encounter of a burglary in progress. What unfolds is a story of split-second decisions, unexpected revelations, and a profound moment that would forever shape his understanding of duty, perception, and the weight of a single choice. Steve calls his story “Get Down On The Ground. Do It Now!”

Steve Schmidt, also known as Schmidty was born in the small-town of Malta, Montana. Schmidty is dedicated to positive change. With eight years’ experience as a police officer in Kansas City, Schmidty has developed strong skills in law enforcement and community engagement, all while connecting with thousands of fans as a professional mascot. Now based here in Missoula, Schmidty leads Drive Safe Missoula, a traffic safety initiative within Missoula Public Health that’s focused on saving lives through education. His expertise extends nationally, where he speaks on influencing behavior and leveraging AI for road safety and public health.

What begins as an unlikely friendship for Lauren Tobias with a free-spirited dog on The Fort Peck Reservation in northeastern Montana takes a heartbreaking turn when the dog mysteriously disappears. Days of agonizing searching lead to a devastating discovery, a poignant makeshift funeral, and an outpouring of community support. But just as grief settles in, a shocking revelation sends everything spiraling into an unbelievable twist. Lauren calls her story “Off Leash”.