In the bustling metropolis of Seattle, Washington, a curious resident claims the shadows beneath Aurora Bridge ….

Those who dare to venture below the bridge- more accurately, those that survive to tell the tale - speak of his sheer size, stern gaze and possessive nature…

But few can tell you the reason for his residency … and that, my friends is a story worth telling.

This is the story of the Fremont Troll



In depth:

What if a single piece of public art could encapsulate the history, culture, and spirit of an entire neighborhood? Join us as we explore the captivating tale of Seattle's Fremont Troll. Beginning with the nostalgic Norwegian folklore of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," we unravel how this story inspired the creation of the 18-foot, 13,000-pound sculpture that has since become an icon of the Fremont neighborhood.

Wander with us through Fremont's vibrant streets—teeming with artists, students, and tech professionals—and witness firsthand the community's deep connection to this monumental troll.

Trolloween:

https://fremontartscouncil.org/trolloween

Song about the Fremont Troll (by Chicago the band - Majungas)

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-fremont-troll/1276333443?i=1276333444



Works Cited:

https://www.seattletimes.com/life/a-brief-history-of-the-fremont-troll-a-menace-that-evokes-a-smile/

https://seattle.curbed.com/2019/6/4/18650083/fremont-bridge-troll-history-location

https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/type0122e.html

https://wanderwisdom.com/travel-destinations/All-About-the-Seattle-Fremont-Troll-and-How-to-Find-It

https://wedgwoodinseattlehistory.com/2015/05/01/history-of-the-fremont-neighborhood-in-seattle/

https://historylink.org/File/1320

https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/fremont-wallingford/

https://fremontartscouncil.org/trolloween

https://seattle.curbed.com/2019/6/4/18650083/fremont-bridge-troll-history-location

https://themonumentous.com/exploring-the-economic-and-cultural-impact-of-the-fremont-troll/

Grand Teton National Park has LONG ranked as one of my favorite areas in the nation …

Today we explore a brief history of the park and share tips, tricks, stories and recommendations for your next visit.

We also answer listener questions, which include:

• Do you personally believe in Cryptids?
• How many miles does your van get per gallon?
• Is Montana as beautiful as I’ve heard?
• Where do you shower?
• Why look into the flathead lake monster specifically?

Below you'll find links to all my recommendations:

Our Favorite Hike (to Delta Lake):

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/wyoming/delta-lake-via-lupine-meadows-access


First thing to do upon arriving:

https://exploregtnp.com/42-mile-scenic-drive-grand-teton-national-park/


Great stop for a quick photo:

https://jacksonholehistory.org/learn/archives-research/moulton-barn-landscapes-of-loss/


Outside the park:

Great museum with a restaurant overlooking the valley:

https://www.wildlifeart.org/


Recs for nearby Jackson:

Live music, dancing, SADDLE SEATS:

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=million+dollar+cowboy+bar&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Unique bourbon shop:

https://spiritsandspice.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoohLINjPfwxOcPrPvHmYPm7AvhHDzeG7Nfmz3EBX9QRRnJLKiAG

coordinates to my favorite free campsite right outside the park:

43 45'49.7"N 110 33'09.8"W

What lies in the murky depths of Flathead lake?

Situated neatly between the Mission and Salish Mountain Ranges Northwest Montana, the lake has long been a hotbed for sightings that defy description ...

One recurring sighting - that of the Flathead Lake Monster (or Flessie) - has been constant for well over a century.

Today we dive into its waters.




works cited:


https://www.jstor.org/stable/25746452?read-now=1&seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/533052.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default%3Ad146d4b6e5ed41c5e832ff85c4a86fab&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1

https://www.jstor.org/stable/40914539?searchText=lake%20monsters&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlake%2Bmonsters%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A723b24f3b96cc1b239f31e404af1b5f0

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1748929?searchText=lake%20monsters&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlake%2Bmonsters%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A3c95b3f77d76c297970671f8bc926102?searchText=lake%20monsters&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlake%2Bmonsters%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A3c95b3f77d76c297970671f8bc926102?searchText=lake%20monsters&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlake%2Bmonsters%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A3c95b3f77d76c297970671f8bc926102?searchText=lake%20monsters&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlake%2Bmonsters%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A3c95b3f77d76c297970671f8bc926102?searchText=lake%20monsters&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlake%2Bmonsters%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A3c95b3f77d76c297970671f8bc926102?searchText=lake%20monsters&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlake%2Bmonsters%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A3c95b3f77d76c297970671f8bc926102?searchText=lake%20monsters&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlake%2Bmonsters%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A3c95b3f77d76c297970671f8bc926102?searchText=lake%20monsters&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dlake%2Bmonsters%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A3c95b3f77d76c297970671f8bc926102

https://www.flatheadlakers.org/flathead-lake-monster

https://www.jahernandez.com/posts/flessie-the-flathead-lake-monster-of-montana

https://whistlingandy.com/blogs/the-blog/the-legend-of-the-flathead-lake-monster-a-mystery-of-the-

Here are our TOP THREE picks for beautiful - relatively short - roads everyone should experience at least once in their life.

Remember, the best way to get to where you're going is often WELL out of your way.

Here's to traveling Americas most beautiful winding roads and scenic byways!

As always, we’ll also take listener questions at the end - questions include:



Did Thoreau eve marry?

What has been your favorite meal on the road?

What is Transcendentalism?

Have you ever thought about quitting van life?

We’ve explored the reasons behind Thoreau’s decision to leave for Walden Pond, examined the seasons he spent along it’s shore ... and NOW must acknowledge one - unavoidable - fact:

Thoreau chooses to leave the pond …

Why?

Good Walden Audio Book:

https://www.audible.com/pd/Walden-or-Life-in-the-Woods-Audiobook/B074WBSHHT?qid=1724951191&sr=1-4&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_4&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=8EF5G82Q7JKKQK3Q0MGQ&pageLoadId=NFSaC0c1lnFsXpHh&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c


Civil Disobedience, Full Text:

https://libertas.org/books/civildisobedience.pdf



Works Cited:


https://www.amazon.com/Civil-Disobedience-Henry-David-Thoreau/dp/1619490927

https://www.amazon.com/Walden-Henry-David-Thoreau/dp/1619493918

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/thoreau/

https://www.jstor.org/stable/461300?read-now=1&seq=4#page_scan_tab_contents

https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvrs90hh.12?searchText=henry+david&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dhenry%2Bdavid%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3Ad123667cd32b752e3fcd984b64929d40

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/j.ctvrs90hh.12.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default%3A90df29e6fe53afc4ccdf61e002a28f6c&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1

https://www.walden.org/education/for-students/myths-and-misconceptions/


https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/henry-david-thoreau

https://www.nps.gov/places/walden-pond-in-the-walden-pond-state-reservation.htm

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-David-Thoreau/Legacy

https://thoreaufarm.org/tag/thoreaus-death/

https://www.boston.com/travel/travel/2017/08/09/heres-why-you-should-wander-walden-pond/

https://www.walden.org/education/for-students/thoreaus-place/

https://blogs.uoregon.edu/environmentalliterature230/2012/10/15/the-awakening-hour/

https://nautil.us/the-deep-time-of-walden-pond-237054/

https://daily.jstor.org/myth-henry-david-thoreaus-isolation/

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2379656?read-now=1&seq=11#page_scan_tab_contents

Throughout my over TWO years on the road, I’ve had many ups, many downs and everything in between…

Every experience has led me to embrace one - inescapable reality of Van Life:

80 percent of your time on the road will not resemble the curated photos and videos circulating online.

You’ll instead explore the parking lots, rest stops and Cracker Barrels of the Nation … BUT!

It’s this “less-than-ideal” time that makes remaining the views, hikes and experiences worth the effort.

Today we talk about this appropriately named “80/20 rule of Van Life”, and share three stories on the road that support this rule.

As always, we’ll also take listener questions at the end, which include:

- How often to do drive to different cities?

- Would you consider Thoreau a philosopher?

- What takes the longest to do when making an episode?

- What's your favorite state?

- What makes Thoreau looking into?

Two years. Two months. Two days.

This is the time spent by David Henry Thoreau along the shores of Walden Pond.

We now look into his self-proclaimed “experiment in living simply” and ask ourselves two short questions:

What exactly did Thoreau do during this time? And maybe more importantly, what did he hope to accomplish while residing at his fabled secluded cabin in the woods?

Works Cited:

https://www.amazon.com/Civil-Disobedience-Henry-David-Thoreau/dp/1619490927

https://www.amazon.com/Walden-Henry-David-Thoreau/dp/1619493918

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/thoreau/

https://www.jstor.org/stable/461300?read-now=1&seq=4#page_scan_tab_contents

https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvrs90hh.12?searchText=henry+david&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dhenry%2Bdavid%26so%3Drel&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3Ad123667cd32b752e3fcd984b64929d40

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/j.ctvrs90hh.12.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default%3A90df29e6fe53afc4ccdf61e002a28f6c&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1

https://www.walden.org/education/for-students/myths-and-misconceptions/


https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/henry-david-thoreau

https://www.nps.gov/places/walden-pond-in-the-walden-pond-state-reservation.htm

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-David-Thoreau/Legacy

https://www.boston.com/travel/travel/2017/08/09/heres-why-you-should-wander-walden-pond/

https://www.walden.org/education/for-students/thoreaus-place/

https://blogs.uoregon.edu/environmentalliterature230/2012/10/15/the-awakening-hour/

https://nautil.us/the-deep-time-of-walden-pond-237054/

https://daily.jstor.org/myth-henry-david-thoreaus-isolation/

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2379656?read-now=1&seq=11#page_scan_tab_contents

Today we listen to untouched "on location" recordings.

We break down everything that goes into recording (sometimes re-recording), editing, and reflecting upon each documentation that later is featured in episodes of Backroad Odyssey.

As always, we’ll also take listener questions at the end, which include:

• Do you have any Stories from the road that you’ll remember?
• Do you think you would have been friends with Walden?
• What do you do when you get stuck on the road?
• Do you believe in fairies?

Link to my on-location equipment:

https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-H8-Podcasting-Headphones-Windscreens/dp/B08RG4WCC6/ref=sr_1_39?crid=17E3IIUFBJ2B3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nTt0WjKQ7LYyB-Vz6TZW1A9HvlI0R_FPSCXQSHA0lErPJ8raFCUvuEdCGRETB0uphi1zwEVWYSG3pwdksSqf-k3h1EzRR9TbR5QPZ8Pt17TkUQ1lXR-LNaVRrUBNqAhs31a8Cdz1HXcDKLEHjM1k5O_RynJA_8B9prgYMsZpsJNHFAcnpQx5pftyCoowNiXgeMAyiomFqJvI_6SUzvjR5yA_eNRelDlF_OFGNNcCen7s_Sex5eQcPi-DUIaEJPAT_FmzMTNCfuWYMPzBIhjwXuirv_jbuR7AKgKz1ZepCR0.oexrZHdY_hG_qYQe4B6NjA5X612JB_tfWLXkQJ0-JGA&dib_tag=se&keywords=zoom+4+channel+recorder&qid=1722543840&sprefix=zoom+4+cahnnel+recorder+%2Caps%2C122&sr=8-39&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.2b70bf2b-6730-4ccf-ab97-eb60747b8daf