Outdoor Recreation

Pete is joined by Alex Laitamaki with Ozark Gravel Cyclists for a conversation about their upcoming overnight "bike packing" ride and campout.

The weather is warm, and the Razorback Greenway is bustling with activity. One group eager to hit the trails is Run Queer NWA, an LGBTQ+ running group that meets regularly in Fayetteville. Ozarks at Large’s Casey Mann spoke with the group's founder and brings us this report.

Matt Holden’s “what I did this summer” essay for 2025 should be interesting. On today's show, we hear that the Fayetteville teacher’s summer will include trips into the Pacific Ocean and to Africa. This summer also means the inaugural Ozark Music Festival all around northwest Arkansas, so we'll provide a glimpse of what's to come. Also, the city of Fayetteville named this year's Amazing Tree, but what makes it so special?

Four Arkansas towns received grants totaling more than $460,000 yesterday to fund projects that encourage Arkansans to spend time outdoors. The grants come from the Great Strides program, which uses tobacco settlement funding to create more accessible outdoor spaces.

Last year, students in the Mena School District took part in a No-Code Hackathon, using the AI-driven platform Nyx No-Code to create promotional materials for the new mountain bike trail system, Trails at Mena, without coding. Karen Kilroy, a software engineer and founder of Nyx No-Code, recently discussed the Hackathon's outcome and future plans with Ozarks at Large’s Jack Travis.

Each semester, the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program recruits a cohort of early-stage small businesses that undergo a 12-week program. Earlier this month, Ozarks at Large’s Jack Travis spoke with Sam Beckford, founder of the chemical research company Surftec, to learn about their new product, Triboflux, and how GORP influenced his business' development.

A new piece of federal legislation may require paper documentation of a voter’s citizenship. On today's show, we learn how this impacts Arkansans. Also, as the GORP program closes this semester, we take a moment to explore one more participating company. Plus, a conversation with a mind Rogers-based firm that uses AI to stay at the forefront of advertising.

Ozarks at Large’s Jack Travis has spoken with a few founders participating in the Arkansas Global Cycling Accelerator in the past weeks, and now it's time to learn about Link My Ride. The UK-based app promises to create more social connections through cycling group rides.

Zink Lake Recreation aims to provide outfitter services to the Tulsa area, specifically for the Arkansas River and the recently rehabilitated Zink Lake. Ozarks at Large's Jack Travis spoke to Creed Henrickson, founder of the startup, who said the idea for the service stemmed from his own experience after he and his wife moved to the region.

About one in five public schools in Arkansas are using a four-day school week. A bill in the legislature could put a halt to that.Plus, a new major at John Brown University will take flight this fall and an update on Arkansas Children’s expansion across the state.