Parks & Travel

A Big Blend Radio Travel Podcast covering Parks and Public Lands, Historic Sites and Landmarks, and their local communities, destinations, and recreational opportunities.

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Episodes

Friday Dec 13, 2024

On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Food, Wine & Travel" Show with IFWTWA, travel writer Jo Clark talks about her top four park destinations in Sonoma County, California.
Hear about Point Reyes National Seashore, Jack London State Historic Park, Sonoma Botanical Garden, and Sonoma State Historic Park, and read Jo's article about these parks here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/top-4-parks-to-visit-in-sonoma-county/ 
Learn more about the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) at https://www.ifwtwa.org/ 
Follow this podcast here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzIUCV2e7qm1chVylr9kzBMftUgBoLS-m 

Friday Dec 06, 2024

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Toast to The Arts & Parks" Show features acclaimed trumpeter Delbert Anderson, the National Parks Arts Foundation (NPAF) artist-in-residence in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
A Diné jazz trumpet artist, composer, and educator, Delbert stands at the forefront of a vibrant Native American jazz scene. His work, deeply rooted in his Diné heritage, seamlessly integrates Navajo "spinning songs" of love, healing, and courtship with jazz and funk, thus marking him as a community-minded Indigenous individualist. Through his Delbert Anderson Quartet, Anderson revives the improvised sounds of the Diné circle, blending them with jazz, funk, and hip-hop. His compositions are inspired by Navajo Nation landscapes, historical events, and the desire to preserve and educate about Diné history. More: https://delbertanderson.com/ 
Learn more about the National Parks Arts Foundation's unique artist residency programs in parks across the country at https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/ 

Thursday Dec 05, 2024

From outdoor adventures and snow play to seasonal shopping, events and festivities, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "California Sequoia Country" Podcast focuses on winter and holiday fun in Tulare County, California.
Located in Central California, Tulare County is home to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Giant Sequoia National Monument and Sequoia National Forest, and charming art and agricultural communities including Visalia, Tulare, Exeter, Dinuba, Porterville, Three Rivers, Lindsay, and Woodlake.  
Featured guests from the Sequoia Tourism Council include - Holly Streit - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, https://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm - Suzanne Bianco - Visit Visalia,  https://www.visitvisalia.com/ 
Plan your visit to Tulare County, at https://www.discoverthesequoias.com/ 

Tuesday Dec 03, 2024

'Tis the Season of Giving and this episode of Big Blend Radio explores the myriad of ways to support our parks, the arts, military, kids and families, and more. Enjoy these inspiring conversations that offer practical ideas for giving back. 
ON THIS EPISODE:- IVAN LEVIN gives an overview of the preservation and educational programs that the National Park Trust offers. Established in 1983, this non-profit dedicates 86% of its resources to park preservation and its youth, family, and military programs. Visit https://parktrust.org/  
- CHRISTY WOOD, world champion horse trainer and author,  talks about her fundraising efforts to support the Independence Fund in purchasing all-terrain track chairs and funding caregiver programs for wounded veterans. Visit: https://independencefund.org/ and keep up with Christy at https://wdnhorse.com/ 
- VICTORIA CHICK, an artist based in Silver City, New Mexico, talks about raising funds to build the Southwest ​Regional ​Museum ​of ​Art ​and ​Art ​Center, ​which would be the first fine art museum in southwest New Mexico. Learn more at https://www.southwest-art-museum.org/ and visit Victoria's site at https://victoriachick.com/ 
- CLIFFORD GARSTANG, an author and writer based in Staunton, Virginia talks about some of his local non-profits including the Heifetz International Music Institute - https://heifetzinstitute.org/; the Staunton Music Festival - https://www.stauntonmusicfestival.org/, and the American Shakespeare Center - https://americanshakespearecenter.com/. Learn more about Cliff's writing at https://cliffordgarstang.com/ 
- LISA EVANS, travel writer and author, talks about the Operational Christmas Child program through Samaritan's Purse, see: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/. She also discusses ways to give back to areas in need, and how to be a "Good Samaritan" during the holiday travel season. Keep up with Lisa at: https://writerlisa.com/ 

Wednesday Nov 20, 2024

From visiting Georgia O’Keeffe’s Home and Studio in Abiquiú to exploring Bandlier National Monument, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Lost Angel Travel Adventures with Linda Ballou" podcast focuses on day trips and attractions you can experience when visiting Santa Fe in Northern New Mexico, known as The City Different.
Read her article on day trips here:  https://nabbw.com/expert-columns/travel/awesome-day-trips-in-northern-new-mexico-linda-ballou/ 
Read her article about Georgia O'Keefe here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/georgia-okeefe-to-run-wild-and-free/ 
Listen to Linda's previous podcast about her visit to Santa Fe, here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/exploring-sensational-santa-fe-new-mexico/  Follow Linda Ballou's adventures at https://lostangeladventures.com/ and learn more about her books at http://www.lindaballouauthor.com/ 
Listen to Big Blend Radio's "Lost Angel Travel Adventures" Show every 3rd Wednesday at High Noon PST,  here on YouTube:  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzIUCV2e7qm3Bmktgu8osUzx2VOF35dgO&feature=shared 

Sunday Nov 17, 2024

Part 2 of today's National Hiking Day or Take a Hike Day, this episode of Big Blend Radio focuses on unique and easy hiking experiences in England, Scotland, and Wales. Hear Part One that focuses on America, here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/hiking-destinations-across-america-and-beyond/ 
FEATURED GUESTS & THEIR ARTICLES:  - TRAVEL WRITER DEBBIE STONE talks about Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail anArticles:- Hadrian’s Wall Path: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/walking-hadrians-wall-path-national-trail/  - The Wales Coast Path: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/a-walk-on-the-wild-side-in-wales/ 
- GLYNN BURROWS OF NORFOLK TOURS talks about walking and easy hiking experiences along England’s Coastline and the Roman Roads of Peddar’s Way.Articles:- Walking England’s Coastline: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/walking-englands-varied-coastline/ - Roman Roads & Peddar’s Way: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/roman-roads-of-england/ 

Sunday Nov 17, 2024

In honor of National Hiking Day, also known as Take a Hike Day, this episode of Big Blend Radio focuses on various hiking destinations across America from Delaware and Maryland to Texas and Arizona, Arkansas and Hawai'i, plus, some global trail adventures that include the Cayman Islands and Slovenia!
FEATURED GUESTS:- JUDY KARNIA - Travel writer and nature therapy guide at https://judykarnia.com/ - JULIE DEE SUMAN - Travel writer and photographer at https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/julie-dee-suman-travel-writer-and-photographer/ - SHARON K. KURTZ - Travel writer and photographer at https://sharonkkurtz.com/ - ELAINE A. POWERS - Author, conservationist, and biologist at https://elaineapowers.com/ - TIFFANY BERTRAM - Innkeeper & owner of Tiffany's Bed & Breakfast at https://www.tiffanysbedandbreakfast.com/ 
CHECK OUT THIS PAGE for hiking articles and resources discussed in the podcast, as well as an online jigsaw puzzle of Saguaro National Park: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/hiking-destinations-across-america-and-beyond/ 
CHECK OUT PART TWO OF THIS PODCAST covering easy hiking experiences in the UK: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/easy-hiking-experiences-in-the-uk/ 

Early Pottery of the Southwest

Saturday Nov 16, 2024

Saturday Nov 16, 2024

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, this episode of Big Blend Radio's WORLD OF ART Podcast with artist Victoria Chick focuses on early pottery of the southwest including Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, Southern Colorado, Southern Utah, and Northern Mexico. Read Victoria's article about it here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/early-pottery-of-the-southwest/ 
Victoria Chick is a contemporary figurative artist and early 19th/20th century print collector based in Silver City, New Mexico. Visit: https://victoriachick.com/ 
Victoria appears on Big Blend Radio every 3rd Saturday. Follow the podcast: https://worldofart-victoriachick.podbean.com/ 
This episode is also featured on our other Big Blend Radio channels: "Big Daily Blend," "Toast to The Arts," and "Way Back When." Check out our Big Blend Radio Network of podcasts here: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork 

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BIG BLEND RADIO'S PARKS & TRAVEL PODCAST 

Big Blend Radio’s "Parks & Travel” Channel features podcasts, interviews, and expert panel discussions covering travel advice and stories about parks, public lands, historic sites, and destinations across the country and around the world.  We also cover conservation and preservation issues. Follow the Podcast on Podbean, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, ListenNotes, iHeartRadio, and more.



Big Blend Radio podcasts are hosted and produced by Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, the mother-daughter publishing team behind Big Blend Magazines, and full-time travelers on the Love Your Parks Tour.



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