Jesse Ballard and her family are stranded in the Kenyan desert where they faced danger, dehydration, and exhaustion. Come along with Jesse on a wild adventure filled with unforgettable memories in a story she calls “The Best Walker”.

Jesse Ballard is a perinatal care coordinator who moonlights as an actor and a birth doula. She lives in Missoula with her husband, 2 kids and 2 cats.

In our next story, Betsy Funk hikes with her adult daughter Kelsey in Glacier National Park on what would become a grueling hike for her daughter. Kelsey’s determination and love for the outdoors pushed them through tears and exhaustion. Betsy calls her story “Glacier Calls”.

Betsy Funk lives in the Flathead Valley of Montana where, surrounded by mountains, she raised her family. A retired health teacher, she now spends her time in that landscape, gardening, hiking, playing music, helping her husband run his craft school and best of all, getting into mischief with her grandchildren. Savoring moments of connection every day. She believes stories are the result of that ability and gift to be in each moment. There is a certain magic in that presence with her life. It offers in each encounter, a chance to be seen, which in the big picture is what might make the world a better place for all of us.

Closing out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, Syd Lang is a camp counselor at a small long running camp in Colorado. Listen as she meets a special individual one summer, and watch their friendship blossom amidst laughter, shared stories, and a whole lot of fun! Syd calls her story “Love Sick”.

Sydney Lang grew up in Olympia, Washington and has been living in grand ol’ Missoula, Montana on and off for the past seven years. She attended the University of Montana where she studied Communication and Climate Change. She spends much of her time climbing big rocks and zooming through the trees on her bike. She has been working in the outdoor education world for many years, both in Montana and Colorado.Syd loves to eat bubblegum ice cream, practice slackline by the river, play on local trails, and cook dinner with friends.