The Roadhouse

WTIP Program Director Matthew Brown had a goal of sailing 50,000 miles by the time he was 50. He just completed the last 3,000 miles, on a sailing adventure from the north coast of Africa to Antigua, sailing with an organization called the Jubilee Sailing Trust. Their mission is to enable people of all physical abilities to sail. Dick caught up with Matthew Jan. 9 to learn all about it.

Jim & Michele Miller, a husband-wife duo from Hovland, play beautiful music together. They stopped by The Roadhouse Jan. 2 on their way to a gig in Tofte. 

Local bluesman Gordon Thorne stopped by Studio A Jan. 9 to talk about the guitar workshops he's offering at Moondance Coffeehouse in Lutsen, Tuesdays through March from 5 to 7 p.m. All are invited to learn to play or just enjoy the music. And mark your calendar for this year's fingerstyle masters weekend, April 11 and 12. Of course Gordon played a few tunes, too. 

Roadhouse producer Ann Possis put host Buck Benson in the guest seat Jan. 2 for a conversation about his recent bicycle adventure through South America--a 6,875-mile journey that took 4 1/2 months. Hear what it was like,  his biggest challenges and joys, and what he learned and took away from the experience. You can read his great blog here.

Longtime Duluth News Tribune editor/writer Sam Cook joined Buck last week to talk about everything from wolves and moose to local adventurers and the changing ways we engage with the outdoors. It's a great wrap-up of 2014 and look to the year ahead.

Dr. Hari Osofsky is faculty director of the Energy Transition Lab, a new project of the U of MN Institute on the Environment. Dick spoke with her recently about why the Lab was set up, what they hope to accomplish, and why energy efficiency and renewables are so important. You can learn more about the Institute on the Environment here. 

Amy and Dave Freeman just returned from canoeing, portaging and sailing over 2,000 miles from northern Minnesota to Washington, D.C. to observe the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, and to bring attention to the issue of mining near the Boundary Waters. Dave TerSteeg caught up with them Dec. 12, and they have great stories to tell. You can learn more about their adventure and mission here.

Dick Swanson & Bob Carter welcomed all six members of the Black River Revue, a Duluth/Superior-based band, into Studio A Dec. 5. It was a crowded fun time featuring high-energy music mixing bluegrass instrumentation and their own unique sound. You can learn more about Black River Revue and their performance schedule here.

Ever wonder about how food trends get started? Bob Carter chatted Dec. 5 with Kelly Hensel, senior digital editor at the Institute of Food Technologists, about what goes into predicting food trends, and what flavors are 'hot' for 2015. You can learn more about their work here.

Facebook is making changes to its privacy policy as of Jan. 1, so we thought we'd look into online privacy from a legal standpoint. Prof. Jane Kirtley, director of the U of MN Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and the Law, spoke with Dick Dec. 5 about what information  Facebook and other companies can legally collect and use. Bottom line? Buyer beware.