The Tinstreamer Podcast

Adventure Media Roundtable - Ruidoso, New Mexico - Reflections From The Ride

Episode 4 - Anatomy of a Mountain Town - Ruidoso, New Mexico:
 
We are back in Lubbock after the Texas Tech University Adventure Media bikepacking trip along the Billy the Kid Smokey Bear route. We spent five days and four nights traversing the backcountry of the Lincoln National Forest. Along the way, I interviewed locals living the mountain life in Ruidoso. In this episode, Jerod Foster and I sit down with four students from the class to get their take on life in Ruidoso and the outdoor recreation that abounds in the sky island around the village.
 
Hannah Hudgens is a talented photographer and prolific writer. She is a veteran of these types of field class at Texas Tech and an accomplished outdoors-woman.
 
Avery Barnes is one of the hardest working filmmakers I’ve met at Texas Tech. She is the finest example of work ethic meeting talent to produce an exceptional storyteller.
 
Eddie McBroom is a modern day Mark Twain with a camera. He is a talented shooter with a quick wit and an eye for adventure. He’s also one heck of a singer.
 
Kenneth Andrews is a compelling and earnest journalist. He writes, takes pictures, and videos with a steadfast and unshakable disposition. Kenneth is the calm in the storm.
 
I’ve spent a lot of time on some epic adventures with all four of these students. They are exceptional artists and voracious travelers. It was an honor to have them on the show and get their thoughtful perspective on Ruidoso.

Amanda Foster - Community Leader and Owner of Happy Hiker

Episode 3 - Anatomy of a Mountain Town - Ruidoso, New Mexico: 
 
Amanda Foster is the owner of Happy Hiker, the premier outdoor store in Ruidoso. Amanda is a passionate advocate for the outdoors. She loves running, hiking, and getting outside with her three daughters Eva, Lola, and Emmy. She is also married to my co-host and producer of this series Jerod Foster. They moved to Ruidoso in 2021 and purchased Happy Hiker in 2023 and have become fixtures within the community. Their presence in Ruidoso elevates the outdoor vibe and stoke of their sky island paradise. 
 
This series was recorded during the Texas Tech University Adventure Media bikepacking excursion on the Billy The Kid and Smokey Bear route in the Lincoln National Forest. I sat down with Amanda the day after we got off the bikes. We fired up the mics inside Happy Hiker (no wind noise in this episode) and talked amongst the backpacks and adventure accouterments in the showroom.  We chatted about the endurance race scene proliferating in Ruidoso, mountain town life, and living a purposeful life. Amanda was a great guest with thoughtful insights on what it means to live the mountain life dream. 

Stephen Carter - Trail Builder and EcoServants Founder

Episode 2 - Anatomy of a Mountain Town - Ruidoso, New Mexico: Stephen Carter is the founder and Executive Director of EcoServants, a non-profit trail building organization in Lincoln and Otero Counties.  Stephen has lived in Ruidoso since the 1980s. Like most mountain folk, he’s had many jobs, waiter, restaurant manager, computer repair, and he’s done some time in the oilfield. A part of living in the mountains is creating the job you want. Stephen has a passion for trails and community. His AmeriCorps EcoRangers program builds multi-use trails and rehabilitates current trails all around Ruidoso and the surrounding mountains. It also puts young people to work, teaching them the importance of proper trail construction and maintenance. There are currently 60 to 70 miles of trail built by his EcoServants organization.
 
This episode was recorded during the Texas Tech University Adventure Media bikepacking trip, along the Billy The Kid and Smokey Bear route outside of Ruidoso, New Mexico. This was day two, and we had fought the wind all day. The dirt and gravel had pelted us relentlessly. When I sat down with Stephen near our campsite at the Fort Stanton - Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area, my face was coated with dirt, and I was knackered.
 
We talk about the art of trail construction and the camaraderie it builds within his crews and the greater community. Stephen gives me his breakfast, lunch, and dinner recommendations for Ruidoso, and tells me about village life in the the 80s. Stephen and his EcoRangers are building the future outdoor adventure infrastructure of Lincoln County. Ruidoso is a great mountain town, and its trail system is stellar. After you listen to this podcast, I’m confident you’ll load up the bikes and point the family truckster to Southwest New Mexico.
 

Larry Cordova - New Mexico Wildlife Biologist

It’s time for another Tinstreamer Anatomy of Mountain Town Series, where we meet folks living the dream at elevation. Ruidoso, New Mexico is the village, and my first guest is  Larry Cordova, the lead wildlife biologist for the Smokey Bear Ranger District in the Lincoln National Forest. (After 42 years of service, Larry is now retired from the Forest Service.)
 
This is the first of four episodes I recorded while bikepacking with the Texas Tech University Adventure Media class along the Billy The Kid and Smokey Bear route outside of Ruidoso. In this first conversation, Larry highlights the diverse ecosystem along our bikepacking route. He knows the flora and fauna with the expertise of a biologist and the passion of a poet. Listening to Larry describe the land and the creatures and plants that inhabit it, felt like having a great author break down a novel we were all about to live.
 
Larry tells me what he loves about life in Ruidoso, and his favorite places for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And in a Tinstreamer exclusive, Larry gives the scoop on Bigfoot! Real or fake?
 
Episodes:
Trail builder and EcoServants founder, Stephen Carter
Community Leader and Co-Owner of Happy Hiker, Amanda Foster
Round Table with Texas Tech Students from the Ruidoso Adventure Media trip
 
The Anatomy of a Mountain series is ongoing. I’ll never scratch the surface of all the unique folks that enrich the towns you love to visit. Salida and Ruidoso, we’ll be back.
 
 

Shaylin Romero - The Next Generation of Storytellers

Shaylin Romero is a young, intrepid creator that will change the world, and she is the first guest of the 2026 Tinstreamer season. I restarted my freelance writing career in 2018 with photographer and Texas Tech professor of practice, Jerod Foster. That led to my relationship with Texas Tech University where I’ve had the opportunity to work with the next generation of media professionals like Shaylin, and they never fail to inspire me.
 
Shaylin graduated from Texas Tech in December 2025 with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Media Industries. I sat down with Shaylin at The Independence Creek Preserve during Texas Tech’s Maymester field-photography class. Shaylin and I chat about, drinking from water hoses, the adventures we’ve been on, Texas pride, and the rigors of documentary production.
 
Shaylin was featured in “Chasing The Plains,” a Texas Tech documentary made by Michael Ortiz (a future Tinstreamer guest) about the student film crew on a 15-day adventure motorcycle trip up the Great Plains.

On The Hunt for Nutria with Justin Rex and Ryan Thornton

Eat The Invader - A Nutria Hunt in West Texas
 
Brandon and part-time co-host Justin Rex are on assignment in the remote Trans-Pecos Region of West Texas on a quest for a large, semi-aquatic rodent thriving in the arid desert.
 
“Eat The Invader,” is a companion piece to a story Justin (photographer) and Brandon (writer) have in the December issue of Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine. They are on location at The Nature Conservancy’s Independence Creek Preserve, a lush Oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert. In this episode, they sit down with West Texas Preserve Manager, Ryan Thornton, and talk about his job and life on the 20,000 acre preserve. Ryan educates the guys on the dirty habits of nutria and how they impact waterways like Independence Creek. This show is split into two parts: pre hunt and post hunt. Give it a listen to see if the fellas harvest a large swamp rat.
 
This was the culmination of a year long quest to harvest three invasive species in Texas for an exotic, wild dinner at Caprock Gap Ranch outside of Post, Texas. The menu is aoudad chili Colorado, smoked feral hog with green chile, and nutria nachos. Read the story here to see how the meal turned out. 

Singer-Songwriter - Simon Flory

Forth Worth Magazine named Simon Flory - Best Musician - in their annual Best of Fort Worth (2025) issue. Simon is a charismatic performer and master storyteller. Watching him live and on stage is like riding a folk music roller coaster. Exhilarating! His shows are  a romping, whooping good time. Simon Flory is coming to a venue near you! Check out his tour schedule below.
 
The Simon Flory Trio with Sharla Franklin on fiddle and Morris Holdahl on guitar were in town to play Slow Ride, a free concert series on Sundays from 3 to 5 pm at Hico Hall, in sunny Hico, Texas. Simon sat down with me in the Tinstreamer Studio for a one on one chat about his life in rural Indiana and his journey to Texas. We talk about mules without shoes, Simon’s love of recitation, 1984, Big Bend, the Levelland Folk Music scene, and much much more. Simon plays his song, “American Ancients” from his 2019 album Radioville, and we close the show with Simon, Morris, and Sharla performing, “Flatbedders Do It Better.”
Full video of this episode is coming soon.
Simon Flory Socials
Instagram
Facebook
Simon Flory October 2025 Tour Dates
10/16 - 602 Brewing Company - Bastrop, TX
10/17 - The Lonesome Rose - San Antonio, TX
10/18 - Austin String Band Festival - Austin, TX
10/19 - Trailhead Beer Garden - Kerrville, TX
10/24 - The Blue Light Live - Lubbock, TX
10/25 - Hico Hall - Hico, TX

Hico Cast: Austin and Shannon Odom - Chefs and Restaurateurs, Oma-Leen's & BarbaCelli's

Austin and Shannon Odom are the culinary masters behind Oma-Leen’s and BarbaCelli’s in downtown Hico, Texas. They are self taught chefs and restaurateurs that curate exceptional cuisine and hospitality. I’m a self-certified pizza expert, and Barbacelli’s pizza is among the best I’ve had. Oma-Leen’s is a fresh spin on Southern Cuisine. It’s locally sourced and made from scratch. Both restaurants, with their unique decor, beckon you to linger, laugh, and love with friends. If you don’t live in Hico, BarbaCelli’s and Oma-Leen’s are destination dining locations that should be on your list.
 
In this episode, Austin and Shannon recount their journey into the culinary world. It is one of grit, fortitude, and the unwavering desire to create good food with the hospitality you’d find in your grandmother’s  kitchen. They made many mistakes along the way, but they turned each mistake into an opportunity. Allison and I previewed this episode while on a road trip to Montana. “I’m really inspired by those two,” Allison said after we finished the Odom’s podcast. I know you’ll be inspired too.

Hico Cast: Ben Tadlock - Silla del Rey, The World's Finest Hunting Stool

Ben Tadlock makes the world’s finest hunting stool. What is a hunting stool? It is how a gentleman hunts. Silla del Rey (The Kings Chair) is a functional work of art designed for chasing game: hogs - deer - fowl - you name it. This handcrafted, foldable leather stool is so versatile, it begs to be used in your everyday life. Ben eats breakfast on his.
 
In this episode, we sit down in the Tinstreamer studio and learn about Ben’s journey from leatherworker to legacy curator. Crafting this leather and wood hunting accoutrement is an homage to his late grandfather, Ken Williford.
 
In the second half of this show, we’re joined by a special guest host. Cassidy Menger from Voyager Media sits down on the hunting stool, talks all things Hico, and her take on the Silla del Rey. Cassidy’s office is next door to the Tinstreamer studio. She gives a great description of the Pecan Street complex vibe. Because of folks like Cassidy and our other office neighbors, Tinstreamer is happy to call this our broadcast home.

Hico Cast: Casey and Robin Averitt - Hico Candle and Hico Mercantile

Hico, Texas is a small town located in the North Texas Hill County along the Bosque River. The Hico Cast is an ongoing Tinstreamer series that highlights the synergy emanating from this special community.
Casey and Robin Averitt have an amazing sense of aesthetic. Their attention to detail is evident in all their endeavors. In 2018 Casey and Robin Averitt opened the Hico Mercantile in an 1890’s opera house, situated along Hico’s bustling downtown. The Mercantile is a collection of 45 independent shops, selling home decor, clothing, art, antiques and more. The thoughtfully curated boutiques flow seamlessly in the majestic building, facilitating a magical shopping experience. In 2020 Casey opened Green Canoe Outfitters and Beer Garden, a men’s outdoor store with beer taps. Hico Candle is their latest endeavor and has grown to the point that they decided to sell Green Canoe Outfitters earlier this year to focus their energy on the Mercantile and Hico Candle.
In this episode, we talk about the historic buildings the Averitt’s have ushered into the modern era. Hico Candle is housed in an old hardware store with polished concrete floors and distressed brick walls.  You’ll learn about their candle making process and how the Averitt’s ensure each piece of illuminated glass is perfect.
This episode was recorded at the Tinstreamer Studio located in the Hico entertainment district.