Speaking Of Travel ®

Tim Lewis is president of TALA Professional Services, an international technology and innovation firm. By bringing innovative ideas to life, he impacts entire communities and helps create a focused vision. Tim explains how his work helps communities embrace and leverage technology for economic development, education and workforce training such as The Gateway Innovation and Discovery Center in Tuscaloosa, AL. He is also a leader with the Equal Justice Initiative and is committed to challenging racial and economic injustice and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Sunil Patel is the founder/farmer of Patchwork Urban Farms and Sunil’s Indian Suppers in Asheville, NC. He is an accomplished chef and visionary and is laying the groundwork for a citywide food system by creating networks of sharing relationships that can support a village scale food production platform. Sunil explains why having farming out in the open, where people can experience it on a daily and seasonal basis (just by seeing it happen in their neighborhood), will in a subtle but powerful way shift how we relate to the land we live on and the food we eat. Sunil's Indian Suppers are created with love and a mixture of Sunil's farming background and worldly travels, creating an experience spanning the range of the diverse array of Indian cuisines. The local-seasonal menu is always cooked from scratch, with Sunil's care for the earth, nutrition and heart, leading to a feeling of fusion but still a wholly Indian experience.  Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net

Graham Sharp, banjoist for the Steep Canyon Rangers since they first came together 20 year’s ago, talks about their life on the road, how the band has evolved over the years, their relationship with Steve Martin, and what’s ahead moving forward. Graham talks about how the band continues to evolve with a fresh sound and identity all its own and how the creative process unfolds. With such a passionate and energetic on-stage style, they really know how to put on a show. The band also features Woody Platt (acoustic guitar), Mike Guggino (mandolin), Nicky Sanders (fiddle), Mike Ashworth (box kit/cajon) and Barrett Smith (upright bass).Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Today’s music scene is a golden age for women. French pop-rock soul singer Madeleine Besson and Australian-born, singer/songwriter and instrumentalist Katie Cole are two such Nashville-based women who are shining a light for others to follow. Madeleine tells us about her new recording Journey Home, an album about departures, destinations, and the lessons learned along the way. It provides insight on Besson's own journey, which began in her childhood home of Paris, France, how she traveled the world as a child and eventually moved to Nashville as an adult. Katie is the touring keys player for The Smashing Pumpkins among many other musical endeavors, and recently released her newest solo offering, Things That Break, Part 1, featuring rootsy instrumentation, weaving Americana moodiness and Katie's own brand of soaring melodies. "I just want to make music that makes me excited and proud," said Katie.      Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, t

The Warner family will be spending their holiday season across the pond in London, England. Commuting to visit relatives in Somerset is an especially interesting experience for the Warners. “We will drive down,” Doug said. “What is interesting about the drive is that you go… within 50 yards of Stonehenge.”As a family who frequently travels together, the Warners know what it takes to get the job done. “Get here early,” Doug said. “Do whatever you have to do to get out of the house quickly and relax at the airport.” The Warner family loves the convenience of AVL. “We live one exit away,” Doug said. “It is literally a five-minute drive.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

The Keaton family is making their first-ever trip to Rome, Italy. With the holidays on the horizon, the Keatons are eager to celebrate in a different way and make memories together over the holidays. When it comes to traveling as a family, Michael understand the importance of patience and flexibility.“It can try the patience a little bit,” he said. “Kids want to do their thing, and parents have ideas of what the kids should be doing. We give them enough freedom, and it all works out.”Michael loves starting his adventures at AVL. “It is very convenient,” he said. “The parking is close to the terminal. It is very affordable. It is much faster than taking a long two-and-a-half-hour drive… and it is great that at the end of your trip you do not have a two-and-a-half-hour drive awaiting you when you are all exhausted and just want to go home.” Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Why is biodiversity important to the places we love to travel? The 2019 Speaking of Travel Climate Listening Project Series with Dayna Reggero begins with a discussion around Dayna’s recent photography series “Voices of Hope for Forests,” featuring individuals from around the world who are working together to protect forests as part of the Environmental Paper Network. The Environmental Paper Network is made up of 140 organizations who are working together on a Global Paper Vision for the pulp and paper industry. Guests include Josh Axelrod of the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), Beth Porter of Green America and Amy Moas of Greenpeace. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Steven is off to New Orleans to spend the holidays with family, but he is not going alone. He is bringing along his favorite four-legged travel companion, Levi. As someone who frequently travels with a pet, Steven knows a thing or two about bringing furry friends on board.“He is fun to travel with,” Steven said. “He has traveled everywhere with me. A lot of people like him and try to pet him.”Steven likes the ease of traveling in out of the AVL. “It is an easy airport to travel out of,” Steven said. “It is not like a big airport where you have so many planes coming in.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Grace is heading south for winter. She will spend the season with family in Arizona. Her dog is also joining in on the fun, awaiting boarding in her carrier.“You have to pack a lot of stuff.” Grace said. “That is why we… carry her the way we do. We have so much to handle, to check in and out.”Grace likes how easy it is to navigate her way around AVL. “It is friendly and small,” Grace said. “It is just easy to get around. I enjoy it here.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Robert is Memphis-bound for the holidays to be with family. The Tennessee native was only in town briefly, picking up his son who attends college in the area. With such a quick turnaround, he came prepared to navigate the airport with efficiency. “I always anticipate the TSA stop. Wear stuff that is easy to get off and put back on. Have a backpack to keep it all so you do not misplace it. It will fit in the overhead bin – no matter how small the plane is.”Robert likes the convenience and speed of traveling through AVL. “I picked Asheville for our… flight because it is easy to check in and check out,” Robert said. “If you rented a car, you can drop it off.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Best known as The Midlife Comic, Jason Scholder is also the inventor of a yoga product called the Three Minute Egg. His curiosities take him down many roads, both literally and figuratively. Jason tells us about how travel began impacting his life at an early age, studying abroad in Ecuador, hitchhiking the entirety of Turkey, studying yoga in India and how his travels have taken him to France, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy and Greece. And why comedy became a way of life for him. Funny guy! Funny show!   Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Since 2006, Jeff Miller and his Blue Ridge Honor Flight team has transported veterans from WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to Washington, DC, to visit the memorials dedicated to their honor and sacrifice. On May 4, 2019, they will fly again, giving those who have served our country a chance to experience the hope, healing, and welcome home they so deserve. Learn more about this great mission, how you can get involved or how you can send a deserving veteran to DC for a day of honor. www.blueridgehonorflight.com Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Each month in 2019, Dayna Reggero of The Climate Listening Project, along with guest experts, will discuss climate change and its impact on the places we love to travel and how how we can become sustainable travelers. We’re about to embark in this new transformative year of wonder and discovery. Remember, only dreams give birth to change. So let’s all dream BIG! As we move into the new year, you’ll have more opportunities to listen to experts and learn how we can find common ground and become more conscious of leaving a smaller footprint as we embark on our journeys.  Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Kent Wolff and his two daughters, MaryKent and Cami, have a tradition of traveling together and love it. Find out how they make time to travel often and how their time together brings them closer. The family talks about their reasons for travel and their favorite traveling experiences. Explore with them as they tell us about their favorite cities and why and how traveling inspires them.Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Emily Rathmanner’s mission to build a fair trade brand with artists brought her to the Intag Region of Ecuador where she witnessed what a small group of women could do to create positive change. She's been traveling since college, about 4.5 years, and is a graphic and web designer. A recent entrepreneur, she began a business partnering with women in Ecuador to make handbags made from cactus called "Made by Minga." Find out how Emily began traveling and what led her on this mission and what she's been up to in the past year. Emily is a compassionate 27 year-old and is already making change happen that she wishes to see in the world. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Kenny Capps is a cancer patient advocate and the executive director for Throwing Bones for a Cure. In January of 2015, Kenny, an avid ultra marathon runner from Black Mountain, NC, had to stop running after being diagnosed with stage two Multiple Myeloma, which currently has no cure. Kenny tells his epic story of running the Mountains to Sea Trail in NC to raise awareness to Multiple Myeloma. "You only have so many opportunities to do something that is monumental in life," said Kenny. Find out how he made all this happen and how his team rallied to help him get there.  Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Michael works for Delta Airlines at the Asheville Regional Airport. As an avid traveler with 13 years of airline experience under his belt, Michael knows the and ins and outs of travel from both sides of the counter.“I love [working here],” Michael said. “Every day is a new day… there’s different challenges and different experiences. Meeting all types of people on a daily basis; I truly love it.”Michael likes to leave room for spontaneity when he travels. “If you really want to enjoy some place or take it all in, don’t overpack or overthink,” he said. “We only have one life, so it makes a big difference.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Meghan is taking an impromptu trip to Las Vegas. By checking into the amenities offered at her destination, she was able to pack as quickly as possible.“I’m hoping that by staying at a house, it will have most of the necessities I need,” she said. “I pretty much just packed a couple pairs of clothes.”With little time to spare, she was thankful for the flexibility and convenience of her local airport. “I like that it is conveniently located near my home, so I didn’t have to prepare too far in advance before leaving,” Meghan said. “I had plenty of time to get here, and now I’m enjoying the company in the terminal.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Sierra is the Marketing and PR Coordinator at the Asheville Regional Airport. As part of the marketing team, she helps organize AVL’s art and music programs for passengers and airport visitors.“We invite local artists to come and play for our passengers,” she said. “It sets a nice relaxing tone for everyone.”Highlighting local talent in the terminal allows passengers to have an immersive Asheville experience before they even leave the airport.“Our art gallery features a lot of local artists,” Sierra said. “It allows people to get a taste of Asheville and gives them something to do while they are traveling.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Cynthia is on her way to Indiana and she has a unique way of passing time while traveling.“[Knitting] is a really good thing to do in the airport or on the fly to entertain yourself,” Cynthia said. “You actually get something done and have something to show for… spending time waiting.”Cynthia likes the convenience of flying out of AVL. “It’s really small and it’s easy to get through the line for security,” “It’s a lot faster than at a larger airport.”Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.