#381 - We Are Three Blind Veterans Climbing Kilimanjaro and Leading Inspiring Lives

#381 - We Are Three Blind Veterans Climbing Kilimanjaro and Leading Inspiring Lives

I’m talking today with three truly remarkable men, all veterans, all of whom have not let the loss of their eyesight and sometimes more affect their willingness to help others in monumental ways. They have started foundations and programs so others are not glued to their couches but instead get active and find meaning in their lives. They have found ways to adapt to the world to produce podcasts and music, and telling stories about overcoming steep odds. They have set and attained what would be unfathomable goals to most people that are even more impressive for the blind. They have also formed a tight bond that has led them to the Top of Africa – the summit of Kilimanjaro. Imagine if you will a multi-day trek starting through the jungles and pouring rain up an Alpine peak that tops out at 19,341 feet, all without vision. One of them, Aaron Hale, even first ran 200 miles from the Indian Ocean to the base of Kilimanjaro to join the climb with the others, Steve Baskis and Lonnie Bedwell, who by the way is the first blind person to kayak the length of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. The climb up Kili itself is arduous enough for most, but being blind adds elements that others wouldn’t encounter. Obviously, every step on a rocky trail can be riskier. Or take a little thing like leaving your tent in the middle of the night to answer nature’s call when no amount of lights is going to help tell you if there is a cliff a step ahead. I think you’ll be riveted to hearing this enthralling story. I would recommend following up this WASP episode by listening to Steve’s three-part series telling of their climb on the Blind Endeavors podcast channel. And also check out their other amazing achievements on their web sites, which I have listed in the show notes, including Lonnie’s quest to complete the last leg of the Explorer’s Grand Slam, which includes reaching the top of the Seven Summits, which are the tallest peaks on every continent, as well as trekking to the North and South Poles. The only part he’s missing is the North Pole, soon to come. Steve meanwhile, is working to sail solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Blind Endeavors Media Hub: https://blindendeavors.org/on-the-mountain-to-tell-the-story-a-blind-endeavors-foundation-mission-to-kilimanjaro/ [https://blindendeavors.org/on-the-mountain-to-tell-the-story-a-blind-endeavors-foundation-mission-to-kilimanjaro/] Steve Baskis stevebaskis.com Facebook Steven C Baskis Instagram and X @stevebaskis YouTube @Baskis360 and baskis360.com LinkedIn Steven Baskis Lonnie Bedwell lonniebedwell.com lonnie.r.bedwell@gmail.com Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @Lonnie Bedwell Aaron Hale Facebook www.facebook.com/aclayhale Instagram @aclayhale LinkedIn Aaron Hale pointofimpactpod.com YouTube @pointofimpactpodcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billstahl8.substack.com [https://billstahl8.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

#370 - We Are Karen Smidt Putting the Bulldog Into Traveling to Races

As many of you are planning your 2026 race schedule, you might be considering traveling out of town. Of course, that’s very different than waking up in your own bed, throwing your gear and some nutrition into the back of your car, stopping at a coffee shop along the way for some caffeine, and making a leisurely drive to a local race when few others are on the road. For answers about what and how to pack when the race is in another state, how to deal with not being able to bring big bottles of your favorite liquids on a plane, and more, I thought I’d turn to travel warrior Karen Smidt. Karen was featured in episode #186 four years ago as she was navigating her way toward an impressive goal of completing a 50-miler in all 50 states while in her 50s. She is now only six states short as she approaches her 60th birthday later this year. She not only finishes these races, but she is often a top placer in her age group or even overall in them. As Karen’s husband and crew chief Dan says, the only thing that she likes more than running is talking about it, so we have a fun time as she breaks down the gear she takes (hint: less), how she packs it, and how she achieves her need to drink pickle juice during races. Plus, we share many stories we’ve had at ultra races in far-flung locales. Definitely listen closely so you have smooth sailing at your next travel race, until you kick a rock and do a Superman on the trail! Karen Smidt Cairn Runner [https://substack.com/profile/255255769-cairn-runner] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billstahl8.substack.com [https://billstahl8.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

WASP #369 - We Are Jerzy Gregorek Reveals How a Happy Body Leads to a Happy Life

Jerzy Gregorek and his wife Aniela survived a perilous journey living behind the Iron Curtain in Poland while it was subservient to brutal Soviet Union domination. He describes the darkness of living there in the 1970s and 80s, and how it led to him becoming an alcoholic at age 15. He had a mentor who pretty much dragged him into weightlifting at the time of the rise of Solidarity, the movement that led to the fall of the repressive Communist regime and to the free Poland that exists today despite constant threats from Putin’s Russia. Escaping that destructive, alcoholic path shaped his understanding of resilience and personal responsibility. He rebuilt his life — becoming a political exile in the USA, then a four-time world champion weightlifter, and later a mentor, poet, and a student earning his PhD in Humanistic Psychology. His core philosophy — “Hard Choices, Easy Life; Easy Choices, Hard Life” — comes from lived experience and years of guiding people through transformation. Jerzy founded the weightlifting program at UCLA, and Aniela herself is a five-time world weightlifting champion with six world records. What sets Jerzy apart is his ability to integrate physical training, creative expression, and psychological insight into a holistic approach to health and resilience. He emphasizes that emotional intelligence is a crucial element in overcoming life’s adversities, and that it can be practiced, cultivated, and mastered. His three books, titled “The Happy Body: Mastering Food, Exercise, and Rest Choices,” are designed to help people embrace this path of strength, wisdom, and balance. The poetry book “The Happy Body: Food For Your Soul” helps with emotional eating. “The Happy Body Virtues: Daily Practices for the Modern Stoic” helps with emotional eating and self-regulation, while “I Got This: The Art of Getting Grit” helps with integrating the stories that contribute to building the skill of living a good life. Listen closely to the wise lessons Jerzy shares here and strongly consider getting deeper into The Happy Body to learn to apply the “Hard Choices, Easy Life; Easy Choices, Hard Life” philosophy to your own life. This might be one New Year’s resolution for change that I can heartily endorse. Jerzy Gregorek thehappybody.com jerzygregorek@gmail.com The Happy Body book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N21PL3D [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N21PL3D] Facebook The Happy Body YouTube @thehappybody LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerzy-gregorek-ab87475/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerzy-gregorek-ab87475/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billstahl8.substack.com [https://billstahl8.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

#366 - We Are Scott Tish Running in Leadville After Beating Cancer 5 Times

You can’t beat the trail running community for positivity, and during so many of my races I have randomly met the most interesting and often inspiring people, many of whom have become lifelong friends. During the descending miles of this year’s Leadville Heavy Half, I started chatting with a fellow runner and before long discovering Scott Tish’s inspiring story that included his experiences as an air ambulance helicopter pilot and as a five-time cancer survivor. Scott’s battles led him to some dark places, but he emerged on the other side with a reinvigorated view on life and gratitude for the mere opportunity to go out and run every day, much less complete races as challenging as the Heavy Half. He attributes a lot of his rebound to his wife, Pam, who gave him the tough love needed to move forward with his life and find again how running is some of the best medicine anyone can take. Scott’s journey in the Army also gave him the very rare privilege of being a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Combine that with being a survivor of very rare forms of cancer and being an ultrarunner, Scott’s one-of-a-kind story will certainly inspire you. Scott Tish Facebook @stish162 linkedin.com/in/scott-tish-tus162 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-tish-tus162] TikTok @millieandtesspapa tombguard.org This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billstahl8.substack.com [https://billstahl8.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

#354 - We Are Dave Munson Who Wants You to Get Leather Bags With a 100-Year Warranty

I really didn’t have to write much of an intro because I could simply copy the fascinating story in Dave Munson’s bio. It resonates with me because it reminds me about how David Clark found so much more happiness, not by making and spending huge amounts of money from his mattress and furniture businesses, but by serving others. I also love how Dave Munson manufactures products that are unique and insanely durable, which has become so rare these days. The story begins in 1999, in a dusty leather shop in Morelia, Mexico, young American Dave Munson slid a hand-drawn sketch across the counter and said, “No breakable parts. I want my grandkids to fight over it when I’m dead.” What a great slogan! That moment sparked the beginning of Saddleback Leather Co. That bag turned heads everywhere it went, and before long, Dave was selling bags on eBay, eventually bringing in family members to help meet demand. With grit, grace, and a business coach, he evolved into the CEO of one of the most recognized leather brands in the world. Today, Saddleback Leather is known for crafting over-engineered full-grain leather goods with a 100-year warranty — built to outlive the owner and become heirlooms. Dave’s wife, Suzette, is his true partner in both business and life. Together they raise their two kids and sponsor many more in Rwanda. Suzette also leads Love 41, a sister company to Saddleback that donates 100% of its profits to helping vulnerable communities in Rwanda, Mexico, and Fort Worth, Texas. They also operate the Saddleback Leather Factory, where all of their products are made, and you’ll learn here why leather goods make so much more sense for the environment than those made from artificial fibers. Headquartered near Fort Worth — where the Munsons live in safari tents — the company is celebrating more than 20 years in business. For Dave, it was never about getting rich. It’s always been about using business as a force for good — to shift the trajectory of poverty-stricken families and create a global ripple effect of hope, one bag at a time. As Dave puts it: “We make the longest lasting, most over-engineered leather bags in the world — and we love people while we do it.” I think it’s a really cool mission statement. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit billstahl8.substack.com [https://billstahl8.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]