Names of the men

It's been fifty years since the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was lost in Lake Superior during a snow squall. Gordon Lightfoot's song "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" made the ship infamous. Lightfoot wrote the song because he felt the boat and its crew were not being honored the way they should have been.

My guest on this episode is Executive Director Bruce Lynn of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society & Museum. The Historical Society & Museum is located at Whitefish Point, approximately seventeen miles from where the "Fitz" went down. Bruce shares other stories, too, about ships that have been lost on the Great Lakes, but the focus is on the Edmund Fitzgerald and those lost. What is most important here is - it's more than just a song - more than just a shipwreck story. Twenty-nine lives that were lost on November 9, 1975, for a routine trip across Lake Superior never thought they said "good-bye" to the ones they loved for the last time. Please tune in and learn about the story and the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Please share and follow The Wandering Pen Podcast so you don't miss a story.

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum FaceBook Page

For the live memorial service either click on the link website link or the FB link for access to watch it live online. The service begins at 7 p.m. (est) on November 10.

The following link will take you to a video shared by the Upper Pennicila, Michigan Supply Company. It's a compelling short that is set to Lightfoots song. In it you will see footage of the "Fitz" being loaded with taconite pellets (iron ore), sailing Lake Superior and the crew on the ship. Watching the video and listening to the song is powerful.

https://upsupply.co/journal/the-wreck-of-the-edmund-fitzgerald

From the Appalachian Trail to the African savanna, this episode explores what it means to live between two wild worlds. Each year, military veteran, Brian N. Johnson travels to Kenya to lead safaris, capture wildlife through his lens, and share the powerful rhythm of life where lions hunt, zebras run, and elephants roam free.

Brian is currently developing his own tour guide busines, Alpine and Savanna Adventures, LLC, which he plans to kickoff in 2026. His mission is to invites others to experience the wonder of the wild — and to see how adventure, purpose, and conservation connect across continents.

Zoning might seem like a bureaucratic afterthought—but in truth, it's one of the most powerful forces shaping our daily lives. In this episode, we explore how zoning determines where and how we live, work, and gather. My guest is the author of Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World and the founder of the National Zoning Atlas, a groundbreaking tool that brings clarity to the often-invisible rules governing land use across the country.

Together, we talk about:

• Why zoning laws matter more than most people realize

• How zoning impacts housing affordability, neighborhood design, and equit

• The environmental concerns around new development, including data centers

• How the National Zoning Atlas is helping communities understand and change their futures

From local ordinances to national patterns, this conversation sheds light on the code behind the curtain—and why it's time we all paid attention. National Atlas Website

You can get her book at

Whistlestop Book Shop

https://www.whistlestoppers.com/