Travel with Rick Steves 495b National Parks Dinner Party; The Great Southwest; Utah's Craziest Bike Ride
Nov 29, 2025
Terry Tempest Williams, a celebrated author and conservationist, discusses the unique 'personalities' of U.S. national parks and their cultural significance. Historian Flannery Burke explores Arizona and New Mexico's identities within the Great Southwest, emphasizing their rich Native heritage and contemporary cultural dynamics. Travel writer Christopher Solomon shares thrilling tales from his mountain-bike adventure across southern Utah, celebrating the joys and challenges of backcountry exploration while advocating for outdoor accessibility.
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Cover Photo: Unexpected Belonging
- Flannery recounts the cover photo story: a roadside stand portrait in Bitter Springs painted by Chip Thomas, an African-American doctor-artist living on the Navajo Nation.
- She loves the image because it blends belonging, joy, and unexpected newcomer identities in the Southwest.
The Great Southwest Began As Publicity
- The marketing idea 'Great Southwest' began as a late-1800s publicity stunt by Charles Lummis following railroad routes.
- Flannery shows how promotional narratives shaped how outsiders imagined the region.
Sky As The Southwest's Ocean
- Flannery says arriving in the Southwest feels different because the sky becomes your ocean, with brilliant light and stellar views.
- She links desert clarity to extraordinary daytime and nighttime skies and the region's observatories.
