🌲🎙️🚲🪏Episode # 10

The Singletrack Mind: How a Childhood Obsession with Bikes Built a Life of Adventure & Purpose

"Morality for me is carrying a saw and clearing trail "

The Go Wildly Podcast is what happens when two childhood friends & dirtbag adventure junkies decide to bring a mic into the wilderness. We’re Emily & Heather...equal parts heart and chaos...pulling stories out of people like snacks from the bottom of a backpack. We hike. We float. We talk. And somehow, in between all the laughs and mosquito bites, something real always surfaces.

We take outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds into the woods & find out the common thread that led them to make the outdoors more than just a hobby, but a calling.We're goofy. We’re deep. We’re a little unhinged. And we somehow bring that out in our guests too. Think campfire vibes meets podcast energy...with just enough weird to keep things interesting.Together let’s GO WILDLY!

Today's Guest: Larry Sussman

Lawrence (aka Larry) Sussman, is the Executive Director of the Southern Oregon Trail Alliance—a lifelong mountain biker, trail steward, and all-around adventure junkie with a singletrack mind that’s guided his entire life.

Larry grew up in Nevada City, California—one of the best places in the world to fall in love with mountain biking. From the moment he first swung a leg over a bike at 12 years old, two wheels became the common thread through every season of his life. He even brought his bike with him when he moved to Costa Rica as a preteen!

From racing cross-country and downhill in high school and college, to learning the mechanics that landed him his first job, to leading a trail alliance today—Larry’s story is a wild ride of passion, purpose, and community.

In this episode, we talk about the unexpected power of childhood obsessions, how early passions shape our adult lives, and the beauty of giving back to the places we play. We get into his journey of mountain bike racing, his obsession with machines (including dirt bikes and cars), and how he’s now channeling all of that energy into trail stewardship and building community here in Southern Oregon.

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn what you love into a life of purpose—or how the little things you nurture as a kid can shape who you become—this one’s for you.

Connect with Larry@southernoregontrailalliance on Instagram & Facebook

Filmed on Location:Dollar Mountain Trail System in Grants Pass Oregon

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