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What Hurricane Helene Taught a Free Solo Climber About the Life You’re Already Living

Most of us will never free solo a 3,000-foot cliff on the Napali Coast or spend a night alone in the Appalachian wilderness with nothing but a pair of shorts. But Robbie Lenfestey — wilderness survival instructor, ecologist, and founder of Mandala Springs retreat center — would argue that every one of us is already standing on a ledge of our own. The question is whether we’ve trained our nervous system to meet the moment.

In his return to the On Adventure podcast, Robbie shared what happened when Hurricane Helene tore through his corner of the North Carolina mountains in the fall of 2024 — and how a lifetime of deliberately pushing his edges prepared him for the worst night of his life. Alone on his tractor in the pelting darkness, digging channels to divert floodwater from his structures, he felt massive boulders rolling in the creek bed and heard entire mountainsides give way in explosive cracks above him. Landslides were happening on every side. There was nowhere to go. And yet something inside him remained still.

That stillness, Robbie explains, is flow state — the same theta brainwave pattern found in master meditators and elite athletes. He first discovered it as a young man doing things most people would call reckless: free soloing without ropes, walking into the forest at night to navigate by sound and feel alone. What he learned is that when the stakes are absolute, the mind quiets itself. Thought drops away, and all that remains is the next move. Over decades, he turned what was once a byproduct of extreme risk into a skill he can access at will.

What the Everyday Explorer Can Learn

So what can the Everyday Explorer take from someone who has mastered the extreme?

Start with the Breath

Robbie points to one of the simplest and most underused tools available to any human being: conscious breathing with an emphasis on the exhale. Inhaling activates the sympathetic nervous system — the fight-or-flight accelerator. Exhaling engages the parasympathetic system, the body’s built-in brake. Simply slowing down and lengthening your exhale in a tense moment can shift your entire physiology. It’s kindergarten-level entry into something profound, and it works whether you’re standing on a cliff or sitting in a difficult conversation.

Build Emotional Intelligence Like a Muscle

Drawing on Internal Family Systems therapy, Robbie described the practice of stepping back from a triggered emotion rather than being consumed by it — creating enough separation to ask the feeling where it started. That flash of anger when your partner says something pointed? It probably has nothing to do with what was said and everything to do with a protective pattern wired in childhood. Working through those patterns doesn’t bury the emotion. It dissolves the hook so the emotion no longer hijacks the moment.

Protect Your Attention

In a world engineered to capture and commoditize human attention, Robbie sees reclaiming it as a quiet act of rebellion. Walking in the woods without a phone, practicing peripheral vision, engaging the senses in unfamiliar ways — these aren’t esoteric exercises. They expand the attentional capacity that makes flow state, presence, and deeper experience possible in ordinary life.

The Grief That Waited

Perhaps the most striking insight from the conversation is what happened six months after Helene, when a neighbor led a bonfire gathering and asked everyone to name what they had lost. Robbie — the man who had held everyone together through weeks of crisis — sat down on the ground and wept. The grief had been there all along, waiting for a safe moment to surface. Mastering the extreme doesn’t mean bypassing the human experience. It means developing the tools to move through it fully, on your own terms, when the time is right.

The real frontier, Robbie suggests, isn’t a cliff face or a hurricane. It’s the edge of what we’ve habitually come to believe is possible — and the willingness to step beyond it.

Highlights from Recent Episodes of the On Adventure Podcast

By Josh Self

There are lessons that only come at a cost. They show up in the middle of something hard—when you’re out of breath on a ridgeline, sitting across from a family receiving the worst news of their life, or listening to thunder echo through a gorge from inside a tent. In our two most recent episodes of the On Adventure Podcast, I sat down with a neurosurgeon and a bishop whose stories remind us that the edge—wherever we find it—is where the real formation happens.

The Surgeon Who Learned to Stop

Dr. Hilal Kanaan is a neurosurgeon in Greenville, North Carolina and the son of Palestinian immigrants who rebuilt their lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan after his father was expelled from the West Bank. Hilal grew up with hardship in the background—never the whole picture, but never erased. His parents walked a fine line between honoring their roots and letting their boys be fully American.

That tension shaped his own approach to fatherhood. When his kids asked for a book about religion, Hilal didn’t hand them the Quran. He wrote them one—eight pages, hardcover, titled A Book About God. Its message: be kind, express gratitude, and know that people of different faiths are simply using different languages to say the same thing.

But the moment that stopped me cold was a story from early in his career. He’d taken on a tough surgery, made a decision that made it tougher, and suddenly found himself guiding a patient toward death. He told himself: stop. Ask for help. You’re making it worse. The surgeon he called came in without accusation, focused entirely on the patient, and saved a life. From that day on, Hilal said he wanted to become the doctor others would call when they were in trouble. He still walks the hospital thinking, “When I grow up, I want to be like him.”

That kind of humility—the willingness to stop and ask for help—is one of the hardest skills to develop, whether you’re in an operating room or on a mountain. And when I asked Hilal what he’d say to someone in a season of real hardship, his answer was simple: your feelings are valid. This is not the rest of your life. And you are not alone.

The Bishop Who Kept Walking

Bishop Mark Beckman, the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville, has been pairing faith and the outdoors since a young parish priest took his youth group hiking at David Crockett State Park. Early in his priesthood, on a Good Friday, he walked into a forest at Radnor Lake and found the floor carpeted in spring wildflowers. He thought: where have I been all my life? That was over thirty years ago, and he has never stopped walking.

His greatest physical journey was the Camino de Santiago—500 miles across Spain over six weeks. He learned that the first third is a physical challenge as your body adapts to the pain. The middle, the Meseta, is flat and monotonous, and the struggle becomes spiritual: enduring the ordinariness. His daily prayer was simple: God, help me to see today with my eyes. Help me to hear, to smell, to taste, to touch. When someone later asked if he’d just picked the best days for his photos, he answered: every day had its own beauty.

One of the most striking moments in our conversation was a story from the Grand Tetons. Bishop Beckman was sitting on a bench with an agonizing toothache, and his first instinct was self-pity. But as he kept breathing and looking, something shifted: if I’m going to be in pain, I’m grateful I can look at something this beautiful while it’s happening. That night, instead of fighting the pain, he simply noticed each sensation—breathing in and out—and found a peace deeper than the suffering. It’s a lesson I keep coming back to: suffering equals pain plus resistance. Lower the resistance, and something opens up.

What the Edge Teaches Us

These conversations left me with a few lessons I keep turning over. Humility is strength—knowing your limits and acting on that knowledge is one of the bravest things a person can do. The best lessons cost something—a family’s displacement, blisters on the Camino, a failed surgery. Monotony is its own wilderness, and the answer isn’t escape but presence. Community makes the summit possible—Bishop Beckman wouldn’t have reached that Colorado fourteener without friends beside him, and Hilal wouldn’t have saved his patient without the willingness to call someone. And if you’re in the middle of something hard: you are not alone, and this is not forever.

Stay safe and stay on adventure.

— Josh

The last two episodes of On Adventure launch a new series exploring a question: where do the pursuit of adventure and the pursuit of spirituality overlap? Not just in extreme places or dramatic moments, but in the lived experience of ordinary people willing to step into uncertainty, discomfort, and transformation. Each conversation approaches that intersection from a different angle, yet together they reveal a shared truth – growth happens at the edge.

Episode 64: Adventure, Spirituality, and the Search for Something Bigger with Reed Dunn

This episode of the series begins in the physical outdoors. Through stories of backpacking, solitude, and long days in wild places, the conversation explores why nature so often becomes a canvas for spiritual awakening.

Adventure, in this sense, is not about adrenaline or accomplishment. It is about participation. Being immersed in the natural world strips away distraction and puts us face-to-face with something larger than ourselves. Mountains, weather, and vast landscapes confront us with scale and humility. They remind us that we are small, yet deeply connected.

What emerges is the idea that spirituality is not primarily about answers, but about transcendence. In wild places, that transcendence feels immediate and unmediated. Awe interrupts control. Beauty disarms productivity. The edge of physical effort becomes an entry point into meaning.

Episode 65: Why Suffering Becomes a Spiritual Awakening with Scott Sauls

The second episode shifts the setting but not the theme. Instead of mountains and trails, the edge shows up in a personal and professional reckoning. Leaving a long-held identity, facing internal exhaustion, and stepping into an unknown future become acts of adventure in their own right.

This conversation reveals that hardship does not create what is inside us – it exposes it. Pressure brings unresolved fears, wounds, and motivations to the surface. At the edge, the stories we tell ourselves stop working. What remains is an invitation to honesty.

Here, spirituality is found not through escape, but through surrender. Letting go of performance and productivity creates space for healing, community, and a re-centered sense of calling. Adventure becomes less about doing more and more about becoming whole.

Together, these first two episodes set the tone for the series. Whether through wilderness or inner work, the overlap between adventure and spirituality is clear. Both require uncertainty. Both invite transformation. And both ask us to step beyond comfort into a life that is more present, more connected, and more true.

Three Conversations. One Thread. What Endurance Really Teaches Us.

Over the last few episodes of the On Adventure Podcast, a quiet but powerful theme emerged – not about speed, podiums, or records, but about how people choose to keep going.

Across three very different guests – Lisa Decker, Mike Wardian, and Vincent Antunez – the conversations circled the same deeper questions:

• Why do we choose hard things?
• What happens when the plan breaks down?
• And what actually carries us forward when the body, mind, or circumstances push back?

Here are some of the most meaningful moments and lessons from these recent conversations.

Lisa Decker – Doing It the Right Way

Lisa Decker’s story is a reminder that endurance doesn’t have to look aggressive to be powerful.

Lisa completed the Vol State 500K – a 314-mile journey across Tennessee in July heat and humidity – not by grinding herself into the ground, but by leaning into community, pacing, and joy.

She didn’t arrive at the starting line with a crew or a rigid plan. In fact, she nearly backed out. But something remarkable happened early in the race: strangers became companions. Five individuals naturally synced up, moving together mile after mile, sharing food, laughter, and long conversations.

While others battled isolation and exhaustion, Lisa’s group turned the race into a moving community. They rested together, navigated resupply stops together, and ultimately finished knowing they had shared something far bigger than a finish line.

One of the most striking parts of Lisa’s story is that she never wanted to quit. Despite sleeping on park benches, navigating closed gas stations, and enduring oppressive heat, she felt strong the entire way. No blisters. No breakdown. No dramatic low point.

Her insight was simple and profound: “If I had left the group to do my own thing, my whole experience would have been completely different.”

Lisa also spoke openly about her 120-pound weight loss and the role endurance plays in mental health and self-trust. Her takeaway wasn’t about transformation through punishment – it was about learning how to care for herself while still doing hard things.

Mike Wardian – Seeking the Edge on Purpose

If Lisa represents endurance through joy and connection, Mike Wardian represents endurance through curiosity and intention.

Mike has done things most people would never consider – running across the United States, setting age-group FKTs on the Appalachian Trail, competing at elite marathon speeds, and now preparing to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Yet what stood out most wasn’t the resume – it was how deliberately Mike chooses his challenges.

He doesn’t wait for opportunities to come to him. He seeks the edge – the place where doubt creeps in and self-definition is tested. As he put it, these projects are about finding something that gives him “butterflies” again.

Mike described how goal-setting for him isn’t about perfection. He writes lists each year knowing some goals will roll over unfinished. The point isn’t completion – it’s direction.

One of the most powerful moments in the conversation came when he described the difference between who we think we are and who shows up mid-race:

“A lot of us have a vision for who we are, but until you actually step out there, it’s just in your head.”

Whether it’s mile 18 of a marathon or day 40 on the Appalachian Trail, Mike sees endurance as a mirror. The work reveals truth – not just strength, but limits, humility, and growth.

What makes Mike’s perspective especially compelling is his willingness to become a beginner again. Despite decades of experience, he’s intentionally stepping into an entirely new domain with ocean rowing – knowing discomfort and uncertainty are part of the reward.

Vincent Antunez – When the Real Battle Is the Mind

Vincent Antunez brings a different depth shaped by 32 years of military service, combat deployments, and decades of ultra-distance racing.

A retired Army Major and Physician Assistant, Vincent has completed events ranging from European 100K marches to multi-stage desert ultras and the Vol State 500K. But when asked what takes people out of races, his answer was blunt:

“The three B’s – the balls of your feet, your belly, and your brain. And for me, it’s always been the brain.”

Vincent’s endurance journey began almost accidentally – showing up to a German “walk” that turned out to be a full marathon. From there, distance became normal. What never changed was his understanding that finishing is a decision long before it’s a physical outcome.

He spoke candidly about fear, self-confidence, and early life challenges – and how overcoming literal obstacles in military training taught him something lasting: once you’ve done hard things, you can remind yourself you’ve done harder.

During Vol State, Vincent noticed Lisa Decker and her group moving differently – laughing, stopping for food, staying light. That observation stayed with him. It reinforced something he’s learned repeatedly: suffering is not the only path through endurance.

Sometimes, reframing the experience is the most effective survival skill.

The Shared Lesson: Endurance Is a Teacher

Three guests. Three very different lives. One unifying truth.  Endurance isn’t just about miles. It’s about:

• Trusting yourself when the plan falls apart
• Letting go of ego when it no longer serves you
• Choosing connection over isolation
• And understanding that progress often looks quieter than we expect

Lisa taught us that joy can be strategic.
Mike reminded us that growth requires intention.
Vincent showed us that resilience is often a mental practice, not a physical one.

Each conversation pointed to the same deeper idea: hard things shape us, but only if we’re paying attention.

That’s what makes endurance such a powerful metaphor for life, work, leadership, and family. It strips away pretense and leaves only what’s essential.

And that’s what we’ll keep exploring here – one story, one adventure, and one honest conversation at a time.

 

Every adventure is shaped by the person you become along the way. Over the past few weeks on the On Adventure Podcast, I’ve had three guests whose stories remind us that endurance isn’t just for the ultramarathoner, creativity isn’t limited to artists, and purpose doesn’t fade with age. Whether you’re chasing a mountain summit or simply trying to live your great life right now, there’s something here for every Everyday Explorer.

Lisa Smith-Batchen – Growing Into Greatness

When Lisa joined me on the show, she talked about what it means to age with purpose and how greatness is something we grow into, not something we’re born with. A legendary ultrarunner and coach, she’s spent four decades helping others find their “why.” Yet what struck me most wasn’t her resume of Badwater finishes or her coaching accolades—it was her humility.

Lisa believes we start out average, grow to good, and—through years of work and grace—arrive at great. She reminded me that greatness doesn’t disappear when the podiums do; it just shifts shape. For anyone feeling like their best miles are behind them, Lisa’s story is proof that you’re still the same explorer—you’ve just found new trails to run.

Tom Kubiniec – Claiming Your Own Authority

Tom’s adventure started on a different stage: under the bright lights of Los Angeles rock clubs. A former heavy-metal guitarist turned entrepreneur, he eventually became the “gun-storage guru” leading a global security company. His story is a master class in reinvention and risk-taking.

When a U.S. Army colonel once asked who he was, Tom boldly replied, “I’m the leading authority in small-arms storage and armory design.” At the time, he wasn’t—but he became it. His lesson to the rest of us? Sometimes you must stake a claim before you’ve earned it, then back it up with relentless learning and integrity.

Tom also spoke about embracing failure as fuel for innovation. At his company, the motto is “fail fast.” For the Everyday Explorer, that’s a reminder that forward motion often begins with falling down—then standing back up with new wisdom and another idea.

Vincent Antunez – Endurance as a Teacher

Vincent’s story weaves together service, resilience, and quiet perseverance. A retired Army Major and physician assistant, he spent more than three decades in uniform before turning his focus to ultra-endurance racing. From the Vol State 500K to multi-day stage races across the desert, Vincent has learned that the real battle isn’t with blisters or heat—it’s with the mind.

He told me the “three Bs” that can take you out of any race: belly, balls of your feet, and brain. The last one, he said, is the hardest to overcome. His solution? Keep an optimistic outlook, one step at a time. For Vincent, endurance has become his greatest teacher—shaping how he views pain, humility, and what it truly means to finish strong.

Keep Moving Toward Your Own Great Life

Lisa, Tom, and Vincent couldn’t be more different in background, yet their paths converge on a shared truth: growth happens at the edge of discomfort. Whether you’re building a business, raising a family, or running your next race, the lessons from these three explorers are clear—keep learning, keep adapting, and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Listen to their full conversations on the On Adventure Podcast—and keep chasing the life that calls you forward.

Adventure isn’t just about the trails we run or the mountains we climb. It’s about the way challenge shapes us—pulling us past our limits, stripping away comfort, and helping us see what matters most. In the last three episodes of the On Adventure Podcast, I’ve had the chance to sit with guests who live this out in remarkable ways.

Ken Posner: Chasing the Grid and Hearing Nature’s Call

Ken Posner set out to complete “The Grid”—climbing all 35 high peaks of New York’s Catskills every month of the year. It’s a feat of endurance, yes, but more than that, it’s a practice in transformation. Along the way, Ken experimented with barefoot running, stripped away layers of technology, and found stillness on the other side of immense physical suffering. His story reminds us that nature is always sending a signal—we just have to quiet the noise long enough to hear it.

Dr. Charles Infurna: Coaching beyond limits 

Dr. Charles Infurna grew up in a Sicilian immigrant family where work ethic wasn’t taught in lectures—it was lived out daily. That example fueled his career as both an athlete and a coach. In our conversation, Charles shared the delicate art of pushing athletes to see beyond their perceived limits without crossing into unhealthy pressure. His insight applies far beyond sports: adventure often means recognizing that the line we think is our limit is usually much farther out

Tom Hicks: Purpose, pain and the price of adventure

Conservationist and adventurer Tom Hicks spends his days fighting global wildlife crime syndicates and his free time chasing extreme endurance challenges. From Ironman races to the Barkley Marathons, from scaling remote peaks to preparing for a South Pole expedition, Tom leans into the suffering that comes with hard pursuits. For him, discomfort isn’t something to avoid—it’s often the price of purpose. His perspective is a reminder that adventure changes us not only by where it takes us, but by who it calls us to become.

 

Why do these stories matter?  Ken, Charles, and Tom live very different lives, but their stories echo the same truth: adventure is an invitation. It calls us outside, challenges us with difficulty, and leaves us stronger and more alive. Whether it’s on a mountain trail, a sports field, or in the wilderness of Africa, the pursuit of hard things reveals who we really are.

You can listen to the full episodes of the On Adventure Podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.