This Dirtbag's Life

Now that Ira Glass has revitalized radio with his This American Life experiment, some people have started thinking of pictureless sound as a hip medium again. Climber Fitz Cahall is one of those people. His spin on audible art: The Dirtbag Diaries. The free once-a-week podcast chronicles wild adventures in far off places, featuring interviews with the adventurers themselves. Most of the stories could start with "So there I was," but some also wax poetic, like Cahall's own tale of loving and, ultimately, Thelma-and-Louising a jalopy he'd driven across Australia. The show is young, only in its seventh episode, but already has attracted a loyal following. As people look to their morning commute for entertainment, the Diaries are only bound to grow in popularity.

Here's the YouTube version of Fitz's latest episode. Subscribe at http://thedirtbag.libsyn.com/

NEW PODCASTS: Audio Version of July Feature Story "High Times" and Inteview with Author Kevin Fedarko

A Playboy bunny, massage tents, martinis, bootleg movies, high altitude golf. As correspondent Kevin Fedarko reports in the July 2007 feature story, "High Times," the scene at Everest Base Camp ain't what you'd expect. Fedarko reads his feature story and talks to Anthony Cerretani about the challenges of reporting from Everest Base Camp, why the experience was completely unexpected, and why failure fascinates him more than success.

Listen Now





Illustration by Istvan Banyai

NEW PODCASTS: Laird Hamilton, Conrad Anker, Chris Carmichael, Author Tony D'Souza, and the Latest Lab Rat

Just launched today, check out our latest batch of podcasts featuring interviews with  big wave surfer Laird Hamilton, fitness guru Chris Carmichael, mountaineer Conrad Anker, and Tony D'Souza, author of the June feature story "The Boomtown, the Gringo, the Girl, and Her Murder." Plus, hear Lab Rat Nick Heil read his June column, "The Payoff."
    Hamilton dishes on secrets to building power you can control, Carmichael talks about staying fit for life, D'Souza discusses his investigation into the murder trial of American ex-pat Eric Volz, and Anker discusses his latest expedition, a bid to retrace the steps of legendary Everest mountaineers George Mallory and Sandy Irvine.    

Launch Laird Hamilton Podcast
Launch Chris Carmichael Podcast                                                                
Launch Conrad Anker Podcast
Launch the Tony D'Souza Podcast
Launch Lab Rat Podcast