🔗 Join the tester list now: adventurediaries.com/yes

Do you love maps, exploration, adventure, travel, and stories of the natural world? Maybe you’ve got a shelf full of National Geographic, or you find yourself daydreaming about places you’ve never been.

If so, I’ve got something special just for you.

I’m testing a brand-new Adventure Diaries project – and before anyone else gets to see it, I’m inviting listeners like you to help shape it. Here’s the deal:

✨ I’ll mail you 2–3 physical prototypes of this project completely free.
📍 All I ask in return is your honest feedback – what excites you, what could be better, what captures your imagination.

These aren’t digital downloads. They’re tactile, feature-rich, immersive items designed to capture the spirit of adventure, history, exploration, and storytelling.

If you’ve been enjoying the podcast – the stories, the guests, the wild places we explore – this is your chance to be part of something new from the very beginning.

👉 Visit adventurediaries.com/yes
to join the tester list.
It’s free, spots are open, and I’d love your help to refine and launch this project.

Thanks so much for supporting Adventure Diaries – I can’t wait to share this with you.

Call to Action

🔗 Join the tester list now: adventurediaries.com/yes

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In todays episode i sit down with Jeff Jenkins — creator of Chubby Diaries and host of Nat Geo’s Never Say Never. Inclusion in adventure. Owning your story. Building a mission-first business that opens doors for plus-size travelers.

Jeff grew up in Orlando, found purpose building low-cost wells in Rwanda, and—after a life-check moment—committed to “travel the world, help people, and get paid.” He turned Chubby Diaries into a real company (S-Corp), consults across the travel industry, and fronted a National Geographic series by doing the simplest, hardest thing: being himself on camera. We dig into practical access for plus-size travelers (wetsuits, chairs, seats, hills and trams), brand storytelling, and why “live life now” beats waiting for permission.

• Candid, practical guidance for plus-size travelers who want to start today
• Behind the scenes of landing a Nat Geo show—and keeping it authentic
• A playbook for turning a niche into impact, community, and revenue

Highlights

• From choir teacher to creator: the pivot that followed personal loss
• Rwanda wells: proof that mission + action builds confidence fast
• Consulting travel brands: speak the language of outcomes and revenue
• Accessibility wins: seating, spaces, gear, and inclusive marketing moving mainstream
• “Your pace still gets the view”: adventure without comparison
• Creativity with guardrails: protecting the brand while you grow a team
• Next big dream: Antarctica (seven continents, here we come)

Call to Adventure
You don’t need permission. Start local, choose your pace, and go anyway. The view’s still yours.

Resources & Links

• Chubby Diaries — Live Life Now: https://chubbydiaries.com/
  
  CHUBBY DIARIES - LIVE LIFE NOW
• Jeff’s show Never Say Never: https://chubbydiaries.com/never-say-never/
  
  CHUBBY DIARIES - LIVE LIFE NOW
• Trailer (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHisUWlH4VU
  
  YouTube
• Florida A&M University (FAMU): https://www.famu.edu/
  
  famu.edu
• East Africa Energy Solutions (biodigesters in Uganda): https://www.eastafricaenergysolutions.org/
  
  EAES
• J

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Today on Adventure Diaries I sit down with Chris McCaffrey — better known as @chrisinthecold — an adventurer who has tested himself on some of the toughest human powered challenges imaginable. From sailing as a teenager to attempting an unprepared row across the North Atlantic, to cycling 16 months across 21 countries, Chris has a knack for throwing himself into the unknown and coming back with stories of resilience, awe, and human connection.

In this conversation, Chris shares what it’s like to face hurricanes at sea, capsizes, rescues by oil tankers, and the daily grind of pushing a bike across continents. His global cycle took him from Europe through the Silk Road, into the Pamirs, across Southeast Asia, and beyond. Along the way he battled illness, typhus, road collisions, and moments of collapse — yet also found kindness in strangers, moments of stillness in vast landscapes, and the perspective that comes from living on the edge of your limits.

We cover the highs, lows, and the lessons that come with chasing audacious dreams. Chris reflects on fear, risk, and the difference between physical endurance and mental endurance. There are stories of six-foot monitor lizards in the road, collapsing in a Thai guesthouse, being taken in by strangers with no common language, and the stark beauty of cycling across the Pamir Mountains.

Most of all, this is a story about why people step into the unknown, and what they learn about themselves when they do.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How Chris attempted to row the North Atlantic without rowing experience.
• The realities of long-distance cycle expeditions across 21 countries.
• Surviving hurricanes, capsize, illness, and isolation.
• The role of human kindness and connection in endurance adventures.
• Reflections on risk, fear, and pushing beyond personal limits.

Resources & Links Mentioned

• Follow Chris on Instagram: @chrisinthecold
• Adventure Diaries on Instagram: @AdventureDiaries__
• Follow the show: Adventure Diaries Podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, and don’t forget to 'Follow' the show. Every follow helps us bring more authentic stories of adventure, exploration, and the natural world.

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Thanks For Listening.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.

Follow us https://linktr.ee/adventurediaries for updates.

Have a topic suggestion? Email us at ideas@adventurediaries.com.

AdventureDiaries.com

#AdventureDiaries #AdventureStories #NationalGeographic #Discovery #NaturalWorld