Adventure travel pioneer Richard Bangs
Listen now
Richard Bangs has been called the “father of modern adventure travel.” Having spent decades as an explorer, leading first descents of 35 rivers around the world, including the Yangtze in China and the Zambezi in Southern Africa, this man has lead an exciting life.
Richard Bangs is Indiana Jones, if Indy could string together long and flowery prose about his travels.
Bangs defines adventure as the search for the sublime. This perspective on travel might seem almost quaint in the light of quick YouTube uploads and Facebook status updates.
Until Richard starts telling stories, that is.
Whether dodging crocodiles in Ethiopian rivers or saving an unmanned raft full of camera equipment from going over a waterfall by getting an airdrop from a helicopter and swimming it to shore, Richard Bangs is the real deal. This man truly knows the difference between true adventure and the more sanitized and packaged trips sometimes offered today.
The man also has a way with words.
Richard has published more than 1000 magazine articles, 19 books, a score of documentaries, several CD-ROMs, and all manner of digital media. He has lectured at the Smithsonian, the National Geographic Society, the Explorers Club and many other notable venues. He writes a semi-regular feature for HuffingtonPost.com, occasionally freelances for other print and online publications, and produces and hosts “Richard Bangs’ Adventures with Purpose,” as seen on national public television.
Click here
What, exactly, is adventure and why is it so necessary to the human spirit? This week on The Edge Radio, I interview adventure travel pioneer Richard Bangs as he talks about first descents, dodging crocodiles in Africa, and whether heading out into the “unknown” can provide a deeper sense of what it means to be human. You won’t want to miss this one.
Share the word. Please let your friends know about this upcoming interview with this very special guest.
