We are doing something new on the podcast! We want to start interviewing some of the coolest people on the planet – park rangers!

For our very first interview, we are talking to Ranger Ryan Cooper, who works for Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. His job is to map the Lewis and Clark Trail, so he’s basically a modern-day explorer!

Today, he is giving us a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work as a park ranger, sharing fascinating stories about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and diving into his other passion: delicious BBQ.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Ryan became a park ranger
• What he does on a day-to-day basis in his job
• Cool information about the Lewis and Clark Trail
• The unique artifacts that have been found by archeologists on this trail
• The fascinating history of the expedition
• The coolest part about Ryan’s job
• The best BBQ along the Lewis and Clark Trail

We hope you enjoy this conversation with Ryan! If you want amazing BBQ restaurant recommendations, be sure to follow Ryan on Instagram @bbqtourist. You can also check out The Smoke Sheet at bbqnewsletter.substack.com.

Let us know if you know of anyone who works for the national parks that we should interview!  We are always looking for fun and interesting people to connect with.

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Please let Ryan know that you appreciate him coming on the podcast over on his Instagram page!

Check out the full show notes here.