Journey with Jake

Have you ever wondered what Africa was like before satellite phones, GPS navigation, and carefully curated safari experiences? Barry Maughan's remarkable journey from Alexandria to South Africa during the tumultuous late 1960s offers a window into a continent few modern travelers will ever experience.

Barry's adventure began with a chance encounter that would set the tone for his entire expedition. After meeting ...

#170 - Ever wondered what it would be like to turn your healthcare career into an adventure? Aaron Bowe transforms this dream into reality as a traveling physical therapist who has crafted a nomadic lifestyle that combines professional growth with unforgettable experiences across America's most breathtaking landscapes.

Aaron reveals the unexpected financial benefits of travel therapy that most healthcare professionals...

What happens when you choose freedom over fear? Michelle Coulson's story reveals the extraordinary path that unfolds when you dare to break free from conventional expectations.

Michelle always knew she wasn't destined for the traditional path. Even as a child growing up in a small town outside Manchester, she dreamed of life "abroad" – though she couldn't yet define where that would be. After a yea...

#168 - "Collect moments, not things." It's a philosophy that sounds simple but runs counter to our consumer-driven culture. Cody Sudmeier, founder of Spur Experiences, joins the show to explore why shared adventures create more meaningful connections and lasting happiness than material possessions.

After leaving a successful consulting career that felt increasingly unfulfilling, Cody found himself at a weddi...

Bonus 10 - What happens when a former Army Ranger and Special Forces veteran finally reveals classified missions conducted during some of history's most volatile conflicts? Chris Brewer's military journey spans 24 remarkable years, from the reactivation of the 1st Ranger Battalion in 1974 to covert operations in Colombia during the Pablo Escobar era.

In this gripping conversation, Chris takes us behind enemy line...

# 167 - What drives someone to abandon their shoes and run barefoot through mountains, forests, and even snow? In this captivating conversation, Ken Posner reveals the unexpected journey that turned him from a corporate professional with chronic running injuries into a barefoot endurance athlete who's completed thousands of miles without shoes.

Ken's transformation began pragmatically – seeking relief from injury...

#166 - What happens when your adventurous spirit collides with a life-changing diagnosis? Meet Brooke King, a fearless 29-year-old who refuses to let thyroid cancer dim her extraordinary approach to life.

Brooke's story begins in Chicago, where she lived a successful but predictable life as a young homeowner. When COVID hit, something shifted - that innate desire for adventure could no longer be contained. She sold he...

#165 - The Missouri River winds through America's heartland like a massive, muddy snake—but what's it like to follow it from source to mouth? Larry Campbell, a retired math professor, did exactly that in a life-changing seven-week adventure that transformed his understanding of this iconic waterway.

Larry's journey began at Three Forks, Montana, where he made the startling discovery that the Missouri begins ...

#164 - What healing power can be found in visiting sites of tragedy and suffering? For Dr. Chad Scott, dark tourism became an unexpected lifeline during his darkest days.

When severe health issues led to a liver transplant, Dr. Scott discovered profound meaning and purpose by exploring places marked by historical tragedy. From standing in gas chambers at Auschwitz to witnessing the aftermath of atomic destruction in Hirosh...

Episode 163 - What would it take for you to completely reimagine your family's life? For Brandon and Amber Morse, it happened around a campfire in the mountains of Idaho when they asked themselves a simple yet profound question: what if we could break free from the daily grind and truly connect as a family?

That conversation led them to sell nearly everything they owned, pull their four children from traditional schoo...

What happens when you hit all the milestones society tells you to chase, yet still feel empty inside? For Jeremy George, that existential crisis led to a year-long battle with suicidal thoughts despite having a beautiful New York apartment, career success, and financial stability.

Everything changed when three consecutive wake-up calls shattered Jeremy's perception of what makes a meaningful life. His mother's ne...

Bonus 9 - What happens when a podcast host puts his own son in the guest seat? Pure magic. In this heartwarming Memorial Day bonus episode, Jake  welcomes his eldest son Josh for a conversation that bridges generations, creative pursuits, and shared family memories.

Josh, who made Jake a father 25 years ago after being born prematurely at just three pounds, has grown into a creative force who now manages his own growing Yo...

What does it really mean to travel authentically in a world dominated by filtered Instagram perfection? Buster Upton, a 26-year-old Australian adventurer, has the honest answer—and it's not what you might expect.

From his spontaneous childhood road trips with his adventure-loving mother to finding himself enrolled in a Finnish school at 16 (instead of dropping out), Buster's approach to travel has always been ref...

"Our heartbeats are the greatest currency we have." This profound insight comes from Tzara Attwater, who turned personal heartbreak into an epic adventure across Australia's vast wilderness. After walking in on her partner of ten years with another woman, Tzara spent years rebuilding herself before making a bold decision during COVID – converting a Toyota Hiace van with just a jigsaw and YouTube tutorials, then circu...

What does freedom look like when you navigate the world on wheels? For Jenna Udenberg, it arrived in the form of a Firefly - an electric attachment that transformed her manual wheelchair into an adventure vehicle capable of tackling trails she'd only viewed longingly from afar.

Diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age seven and using a wheelchair by eight, Jenna refused to let her mobility challenges define...

#158 - What if your moments of greatest confusion were actually doorways to your most authentic self? Giovanna Silvestre's remarkable journey proves exactly that. From the high-pressure halls of Hollywood to the difficult decision of walking away from her family's beloved Italian restaurant, Giovanna's path shows how embracing uncertainty becomes your greatest strength.

With refreshing candor, Giovanna share...

When David Schafran felt his life spiraling into depression and emptiness, he discovered an unexpected lifeline – salsa dancing. That first night on the dance floor sparked something profound: "It makes me feel so happy because it's so joyous and flavorful and juicy." This moment of clarity eventually led David from his high-stress tech startup in Boston to the vibrant streets of Medellín, Colombia, where he immersed...

Bonus 8 - Dr. Douglas Brouwer's journey from Western Michigan to the world and back again offers profound insights into how travel shapes our spiritual lives and understanding of home.

After spending 40 years serving as a Presbyterian pastor around the globe, Doug's adventures took him from maximum security prisons in Philadelphia to a church in Zurich, Switzerland, where he learned German at age 60. His travels ...

#156 - Chris Nance's life reads like an adventure novel where dropping out of school at 13 somehow leads to piloting massive ships down the Mississippi River and co-founding a successful coffee company. Growing up just south of New Orleans in a family of riverboat pilots and commercial fishermen, Chris's education took an unexpected turn after Hurricane Katrina when his mother discontinued homeschooling. Shortly after, hi...