Podcast: Only a Drive Away

November 10, 2026

Three months into a finance job in a downtown skyscraper, Isaac Eggebraaten had already used up his vacation days for the year. He felt worse every week spent behind a laptop, so he quit his job and bought a van. He set out to visit all 63 U.S. national parks with not much more than a phone camera. Three years later he has been to 43 parks. He travels in a short bus he converted himself, and he makes a living showing people how to get to these places on their own.

In this Episode

Host Dave Meier talks to Isaac about why national parks are a good first step for people who didn’t grow up camping, with their visitor centers, scenic drives, and rangers who will answer every question. They also compare the parks with the Boundary Waters, and talk about how each one offers its own way into the wild.

Isaac’s pitch is simple: getting outside is fun, it’s easier to reach than you think, and you learn something new every time.

He shares highlights too:

Touching a 5,000-year-old bristlecone pine in Nevada’s little-visited Great Basin National Park.
Hearing wolves at night on Isle Royale with his dad
Taking the boat tour on Kabetogama Lake in Voyageurs.

He also explains what the Boundary Waters taught him, starting with what real silence sounds like.

Isaac shares his view that young people have lost touch with outdoor skills, and how they might swing the pendulum back from screens. Whether you’re a young person feeling the itch or someone who wants to pass this on to one, this episode gives you a place to start.