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Exploration Local: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Mike Andress
Come journey with us as we explore and highlight the people and places that make the Blue Ridge and Southern Appalachian Mountains special and unique. We explore the towns, trails, rivers, scenic byways, businesses, and people that fuel the life & adventurous spirit in these mountains. Listen in on this relaxed conversational style podcast as host Mike Andress interviews Authors, Business Owners, Photographers, Athletes, Adventurers, Travelers and Friends who have a deep connection to the outdoors and directly influence the culture of the Blue Ridge. We’ll even explore the many ways nature & the outdoors can positivity influence our health and well being.
Latest Episodes
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- Today43 min
A New Chapter for the Outdoor Business Alliance | Conner Borkowski
Send us Fan Mail The outdoor industry is about a whole lot more than the gear we make or the activities we enjoy outside. It's an entire ecosystem of businesses, nonprofits, organizations, and communities that contribute to a thriving outdoor economy. In Western North Carolina, that bigger picture is reflected in the evolution of the Outdoor Business Alliance (OBA). Originally founded as the Outdoor Gear Builders, the organization recently adopted a new name to better represent the broader in...
- 1 weeks ago57 min
The Saluda Grade Trail: Connecting Towns and Generations
Send us Fan Mail A railroad line that once climbed one of the steepest grades in the country is getting a second life and it might become one of the most memorable rail-trails in the Southeast. We sit down with Leigh MacDonald (PAL) and Summer Flynn (Conserving Carolina) to unpack the Saluda Grade Trail: a 31.5-mile vision that links communities across North Carolina and South Carolina while honoring the corridor that helped build them in the first place. We talk candidly about what it real...
- 4 weeks ago1h 3m
CRAFTED Bike & Gear Show: A Gathering of Bikes, Brands & Community
Send us Fan Mail Every bike has a story, and so do the people who build them. At the inaugural CRAFTED Bike & Gear Show at Cane Creek in Western North Carolina, I set out to hear those stories—and came away with far more conversations than I could fit into a typical episode. In this extended episode of Exploration Local, we meet the people behind the bikes, gear, and ideas shaping the cycling world. There’s a look at how open-source design could help make adaptive cycling more accessible,...
- Oct 2, 202627 min
The Roadless Rule Is Under Threat: What It Means for North Carolina with Carla Fox, The Conservation Alliance
Send us Fan Mail 58 million acres of national forest land have stayed largely free of new road building for more than two decades and that protection is now under real pressure. I sit down with Carla Fox, Membership Director at The Conservation Alliance, to break down what the Roadless Rule actually does, why it was created, and what the U.S. Forest Service is proposing through its draft environmental impact statement. We get specific about what “inventoried roadless areas” are, how they dif...
- Sep 30, 202648 min
More Than a Brewery: Trailside Brewing with David Schnitzer
Send us Fan Mail Trailside Brewing is one of those places that makes you rethink what a “local brewery” can be. In this episode, I sit down with David Schnitzer, CEO and Owner who built his career in summer camps and outdoor leadership, and you can hear that DNA in everything Trailside has become in Hendersonville, North Carolina. This isn’t just a stop for a pint. It’s a gathering point where people show up after a ride on the Ecusta Trail, linger for a meal, and leave with new friends. We ...
- Sep 16, 202653 min
FIND Outdoors: Creating Experiences That Connect Us to Nature with Carolyn Ashworth
Send us Fan Mail What happens when you connect people to nature? For Carolyn Ashworth, President & CEO of FIND Outdoors, that connection is at the heart of their work. FIND Outdoors grew out of the Cradle of Forestry in Western North Carolina and today works across North Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky, helping people experience public lands through campgrounds, visitor centers, recreation sites, guided experiences and education. Carolyn's connection to the Cradle is personal. She spent ti...
- Sep 1, 202643 min
700 Miles in 17 Days: Operation Carolina with Jonathan Milkovich
Send us Fan Mail 700 miles across North Carolina in 17 days sounds like an endurance headline. But after talking with Jonathan Milkovich, it’s the reason behind the run that sticks. Jonathan is a lifelong runner, Army airborne infantryman, and founder of Operation Warrior Fit—a nonprofit connecting veterans, first responders, active duty, and National Guard through fitness, competition, and community. He shares the personal path that brought him here: a knee injury, the isolation of the COVID...
- Aug 19, 202645 min
Scars On The Mountain: The Story Behind The Story with Christopher Pike & Michael Foley
Send us Fan Mail In this episode I sit down with Executive Producer Michael Foley and Director Christopher Pike to talk about Scars on the Mountain, their feature documentary now streaming on Angel Studios. Foley shares what it was like to mobilize with volunteer helicopters, deliver medicine, and witness a grassroots rescue effort that became Operation Helo. Chris walks through the hardest part of the work: earning trust in small mountain towns, holding space for grief, and refusing to make ...
About Exploration Local
Come journey with us as we explore and highlight the people and places that make the Blue Ridge and Southern Appalachian Mountains special and unique. We explore the towns, trails, rivers, scenic byways, businesses, and people that fuel the life & adventurous spirit in these mountains. Listen in on this relaxed conversational style podcast as host Mike Andress interviews Authors, Business Owners, Photographers, Athletes, Adventurers, Travelers and Friends who have a deep connection to the outdoors and directly influence the culture of the Blue Ridge. We’ll even explore the many ways nature & the outdoors can positivity influence our health and well being.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Exploration Local as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
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When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
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How often does Exploration Local release new episodes?
Exploration Local publishes monthly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Exploration Local cover?
Exploration Local covers topics including Culture, Society & Culture, Travel, Places & Travel. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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