Tammy Faye Watson talks injury recovery, endurance running, rock climbing and doggies!

Wilder Mind Podcast

Mammoth Lakes is one of my favorite towns to visit. The area is an outdoor enthusiasts dream with easy access to endless ranges, stellar rock climbing, amazing snow sports and a variety of waterways for shooting fly line. Beyond that, exists a remarkable crew of positive and go-hard humans that are committed to living a life of meaning and adventure that constantly inspires me to pursue the same. In that crew is a human that is small in frame, but huge in heart. Tammy Faye is a local hard woman known for her incredible love and skills in mountain endurance and rock climbing. When she’s not working at the Mammoth Tavern, putting herself through night courses in nursing school or raising her 3-fur kids with husband Tucker, she can be found outside on any number of mountain dispatches. ~~~ Tammy grew up in the Inland Empire city of Riverside, some 55 miles east of the downtown Los Angeles. She developed her connectedness to the outside world early, as a young cross country runner. This love for the outdoors, combined with her desire to continually push the edge of her physical and mental strength, led her to snowboarding the tree lined runs of the proud stratovolcano of Wy’East (Mt. Hood) in Oregon’s Cascade Volcanic Arc. Following that, she ventured towards the Sierra Nevada Mountains for a 1-year stint in the then burgeoning town of Mammoth Lakes. 10 years later, she’s become quite the local hard woman crushing mountain dispatches and brewing up one mean cup of coffee from her kitchen with the exact Mountain View you’d expect from this always evolving athlete. ~~~ As I sipped my morning coffee and slowly rolled my trusty old Savannah The Vannah (GMC Savana - aka rolling studio/sometimes #vanlife rig/one mean driving machine) down the dirt road toward the parking lot of the Payahüünadü (aka The Tablelands, aka Happy Boulders aka The Happies) I noticed a dust storm behind me in the distance. As the cavalry neared, I saw two familiar SUVS. I knew some of the best humans and doggos were filling those seats! I laughed, nodded my head and raised my coffee mug as they passed with honking horns, big smiles and waving arms. Some 5-minutes later I was full of laughter to be greeted by a dancing Tammy, Leah and Madison and a rambunctious crew of 5 of the best pups around! The day that followed was nothing short of picture perfect. We were later joined by our friends April, Eric, Forrest and Robbie. All of us friends, some old, some new, spending a calm Tuesday laughing, snacking and climbing our way trough the day. These humans, days and adventures are each a little mini story that I love to retell, to relive and write anew every chance I get. I truly hope you’ll enjoy the conversation that followed. It’s been an absolutely delight to build a friendship with Tammy and learn and grow alongside her. She’s one of a kind, and I can’t wait for you to hear from her. As always, my friends, to your wildest self, be true.