Back on The Out Of Bounds Podcast with another twofer Tuesday double episode. This week back to back interviews with Heather Hansman, author of "Powder Days" and followed by a sit down with newly minted Fischer athlete Brody Leven.
Adam and Heather talk about what would make someone want to write for a living these days, how that even works and what it looks like in todays day in age. She's written for Freeskier and been published in The New York Times, but has a new book coming out this week, "Powder Days". A book is kind of like a hardcopy podcast that you listen to with your eyes. A wild concept these days, and Heather and Adam discuss the importance of having tangible things in your hands. The book itself is about the mythical lore of being a ski bum has come from over the years, what that actually means to live it, and how living the dream isn't necessarily dreamy. And can that dream still be a reality today and moving forward in a changing environment in ski towns. She also did some interesting research on the mental health aspects of ski culture. How can being in the outdoors be good for you and also trap you in it. It's a collection of stories that at the end of the day celebrates ski culture in a authentic and relatable way, and in a way that didn't really exist before. Book comes out 11/9, but this interview is out now, so go listen!
Back half of the pod brings us Brody Leven and with him a fresh perspective on what being a pro skier means today. The journey from park skier to ski mountaineer and environmental activist, has taken Brody from the snow-belt of northeastern Ohio to Salt Lake and the Wasatch for the past 15 years. These days Brody seems to enjoy and care about the uphill of ski touring more than skiing down. He and Adam talk about how more people are going up on their own these days, as mega passes squeeze resorts and the towns around them to the brink. The newly minted Fischer athlete, had actually been a pro skier this whole time but did not have a ski sponsor for the past 4 years, which makes no sense, but it did to Brody. This leads to a discussion about sponsorship as a commodity that sheds light on the industry as a whole this day in age, and how much is too much to give as an ambassador? Brody is a high energy dude doing a lot of cool things in the mountains and sounds like this partnership with Fischer has nowhere to go but up!
Two interviews and nearly two hours for your listening pleasure. And get used to it. Adam has a lot of rad people that he's talking to and isn't gonna borgart and sandbag them for a rainy day. SO brace yourself. The long nights of winter and long pods of Jaber are coming! See you next week!
