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On this episode of Off the Gravel Road, host Malachi Reed sits down with Stephen Gousie and Jerry Cross from the Spirit of Adventure Council to explore one of Scouting’s most powerful traditions — Wood Badge.

More than just a training course, Wood Badge is a deep dive into teamwork, communication, and servant leadership — lessons that reach far beyond Scouting. Stephen and Jerry share stories from their own experiences as participants and staff, the humor and challenges of leading adults through “learning by doing,” and how the course continues to evolve for modern leaders.

Whether you’re a longtime Scouter or just curious how leadership can grow from the campfire to the community, this conversation will remind you why the best leaders never stop learning.

🎧 Off the Gravel Road — where lessons learned outdoors help us lead better everywhere else.

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In this episode of Off the Gravel Road, host Robb Ellis sits down with John Judge, Scout Executive of the Spirit of Adventure Council, former CEO of the Appalachian Mountain Club, and author of The Outdoor Citizen.

From his early days teaching environmental science at camp to leading some of New England’s most respected outdoor organizations, John shares how Scouting builds more than skills — it builds resilience, leadership, and community stewardship.

Together, Robb and John explore the idea of “Outdoor Citizenship” — the belief that spending time in nature creates a responsibility to protect it. They talk about access and equity in the outdoors, the challenges of reaching today’s youth, and how the lessons learned around a campfire prepare young people to lead with kindness in an increasingly digital world.

It’s a conversation about belonging — to the land, to each other, and to something larger than ourselves.

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In this episode of Off the Gravel Road, we sit down with George “Rusty” Krause — a lifelong Barnstead resident whose name is woven through the town’s fire service, fields, and civic life.

Rusty has worn more hats than most folks could fit on a rack: engineer, farmer, fire chief, horseman, and now fire warden and public servant. He’s a man with a great sense of humor, a big heart for community, and a knack for telling it like it is — which is probably why I’ve lean on him as a sounding board in my role on the Select Board.

From the statewide burn ban to the days of green fire trucks, from hay fields and horses to family legacies that stretch back to World War II, this conversation captures both the flavor and the fabric of Barnstead.

Rusty’s two cents have guided countless town decisions — and in this conversation, he shares the history, humor, and hard-earned wisdom behind them.