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Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! I didn’t disappear, life just got loud and summer got full and that’s exactly why I wanted to hit record again. Consider this a fall reset for the Mango Times podcast: a quick hello, a real update, and a nudge to keep making room for adventure even when work and obligations try to crowd it out. If you’ve ever worried that you’re “behind” on your hobbies, your creativity, or your big plans, you’ll hear a familiar rhythm here.  First up, motorcycles. I finally bought a Harley-Davidson, a 2023 Street Glide built for long days and longer trips, and I named it Rosinante for all the right reasons: Don Quixote’s horse, Steinbeck’s road storytelling, and a candy-apple red machine that feels like a rolling invitation. I also share a Sierra Nevada ride and a Yosemite loop that reminds me how wild it is to have a world-class place in your backyard, especially when you meet travelers who crossed oceans to stand in the same valley air.  Then we swing from highways to stage lights. I’ve been experimenting with stand-up comedy, learning what it feels like to bomb, and realizing that the point isn’t fearless perfection, it’s showing up and getting better. There’s also a new improv project brewing, plus a brand-new father-daughter podcast: Just One More Thing, where Abby and I rewatch Columbo and ask the only question that matters now, could you still get away with it in 2026?  Got a friend with a great story, a career switch, or a long-delayed dream? Share this, subscribe, leave a review, and send me their info so we can get them behind the microphone. Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! The life you built can look faithful on the outside and still be quietly crushing you on the inside. Jason Callahan helps us name that moment when “sacrifice” starts turning into isolation, when every relationship gains an agenda, and when your confidence is louder than your actual certainty. We talk through Jason’s unlikely path from an aimless early adulthood into an anarchist touring band, then into intense urban ministry in North St. Louis where “pastoring the community” meant real work: reclaimed wood projects, a sewing centre, job re entry efforts, a cafe, and shared resources that blurred every boundary. Then the ground shifts. A devastating pregnancy diagnosis (encephalocele), months of unanswered prayers, the slow reveal of trauma, and a season of grief and burnout collide with the collapse of the very mission he poured himself into. One day the sentence finally lands: “I don’t know if I believe this anymore.” What happens next isn’t a tidy comeback story built on better arguments. It’s quieter and more practical: learning to shut up and listen, stepping out of the silo, re learning how to read the Bible with humility, and letting Jesus’ teachings on love, mercy, and care for the vulnerable stay central. That openness eventually grows into a surprising new calling: regenerative farming and permaculture, shaped by Restoration Agriculture and the conviction that the natural world can teach us without demanding we perform. If you’re navigating deconstruction, a faith crisis, spiritual burnout, or a midlife transition, come listen for a way forward that isn’t forced. Subscribe to Mango Times, share this with a friend who needs permission to pivot, and leave a review so more people can find the show. ⸻ Guest Information Jason Calahan is a husband, father, former touring musician and longtime ministry worker who is now exploring a very different kind of vocation: farming. After years spent in church ministry and community development in North St. Louis, a combination of family trauma, burnout and a changing faith led Jason to reconsider some of the beliefs and identities that had shaped much of his adult life. His growing interest in ecology and regenerative agriculture eventually led him toward farming, where he is exploring the intersection of land, community, meaningful work and a less certain but increasingly curious faith. He is also a regular contributor to The Mango Times! Resources and Links Website: Sozo Valley Farms Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a voicemail/text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. https://www.sunministries.org/ministries/sozo-valley-farm Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! You can spend years chasing adventure through plane tickets and packed itineraries, or you can build a place that makes adventure come to you. I’m back behind the mic after a packed summer, and I’m joined by my friends Curt and Chris Reynolds, who make a bold midlife reinvention feel surprisingly practical: they leave California, buy wooded property in southern Washington, and start creating a calm, welcoming stop for travelers. We talk through the full story, what life looks like before the move (teaching, accounting, raising kids, and squeezing in low-cost road trips), and how Washington won the location hunt. They share the real “unknowns” that come with developing raw land: a creek that cuts off access, the need to build a bridge, and the work of turning dense woodland into livable space. They highlight the underrated superpower of remote work, and how careful planning and living below their means lets them test the transition without panic. If you’re dreaming about a second act, early retirement planning, or moving out of state, this conversation is packed with grounded lessons. We also get honest about what’s harder than expected: county rules, regulations, and the fine print that can shape your dream faster than the weather ever will. Share this with a friend who’s itching for a change, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Then send me a voicemail or text from the show notes: what would your next adventure look like if you stopped waiting? ⸻ Guest Information Curtis and Chris Reynolds are longtime Central Valley residents who recently traded familiar routines for a new adventure in southern Washington. Chris spent years serving clients as a trusted accountant, while Curt dedicated his career to educating students in Modesto City Schools. Together, they've embarked on an exciting new chapter...creating a welcoming gathering place for travelers, road trippers, and anyone seeking community along the journey. Their story is one of reinvention, hospitality, and the belief that it's never too late to build something meaningful. Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a voicemail/text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! A train platform in Bath, England is not where you expect a midlife pep talk to hit, but that’s exactly what happens. Between rolling luggage and incoming rain, I ask the listeners “Where are you traveling next?” You’ll also hear the behind-the-scenes truth of running an interview podcast: sometimes the feed goes quiet because the pipeline runs out. So we’re turning this into a listener-powered stretch of the show and inviting your voice into future episodes. Drop us a text or, even better, a voicemail with your summer adventure plan and why it matters to you. If you’ve been waiting until you feel “ready,” consider this your sign. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review, then tell us: what are you saying yes to this summer? ⸻ Guest Information No Guest Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a voicemail/text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! Sherry McIntyre on Reinvention and Retirement. A single vote can erase a program overnight, even if it shaped a whole community for decades. That’s what happened to Sherry McIntyre, a Modesto, California teacher who spent 25 years teaching a World Religions class that was required for graduation in public school, a “first and only” experiment in religious literacy at that scale. When the school board moved to phase it out to make room for a required Ethnic Studies course, the loss wasn’t just curricular, it was personal. We sit with the tension that makes conversations about religion in schools so loaded and so necessary: how do you teach about faith traditions while honoring the First Amendment and keeping the classroom safe for everyone? Sherry’s answer is simple and hard to execute: Teach, not preach. She shares what changed for students when they replaced ignorance with knowledge, how the course held steady even in the 9/11 aftermath, and why she believes understanding world religions helps teens interpret conflict without defaulting to stereotypes. Then we widen the lens to midlife transition and retirement identity. If you’re known for one thing and that thing disappears, who are you next? Sherry talks about grief, courage, saying yes, mentoring other teachers, and stepping into a third act that includes travel and finally writing the book she’s been carrying for years. If you’re staring down a career change, a forced pivot, or a door that just slammed shut, this conversation offers a practical way forward: find the window, and climb. If it resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend in transition, and leave a review so more people can find The Mango Times. ⸻ Guest Information Sherry McIntyre is a longtime educator, thoughtful communicator, and TEDx Modesto speaker who has spent decades helping students wrestle with big ideas, questions, and worldview. As she steps into a new season beyond the classroom, Sherry brings wisdom, curiosity, and a candid perspective on identity, purpose, and what it means to navigate life when one chapter ends and another begins. Resources and Links Sherry's TEDx Talk:  Dreams, World Peace and Freshman Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a voicemail/text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! He didn’t just switch jobs, he switched directions. One day Tyrean Lewis is teaching PE and mentoring kids in St. Louis. A few turns later he’s managing teams, trying to “do the responsible thing,” and still feeling that internal pull that says, this isn’t it. Then food becomes the wake-up call. After a year of eating vegan and chasing healthier options, Tyrean starts noticing what’s missing in his own neighbourhood: real produce, consistent quality, and simple access. He connects the dots to food deserts and food justice and makes a decision that sounds small at first, grow something in buckets, but quickly becomes a full-on urban farming mission. We talk about the risk of leaving steady work, the rough first seasons, and the lesson he learns the hard way. Tyrean also brings a perspective you don’t hear every day in conversations about sustainable agriculture and local food systems. He shares how ancestry, spirituality, and intention shape his identity as a “soul farmer,” including his African naming ceremony and practices that keep him grounded in purpose. From land leases and community trust to accelerators, pitch competitions, grants, and building a real team, Heru Urban Farming grows into a model that mixes farming, education, and outreach, including school field trips and partnerships across the St. Louis metro. If you’re in a midlife pivot, craving a second half adventure, or stuck in something that no longer fits, this one is a reminder to listen to the knot in your stomach and move anyway. Subscribe to The Mango Times, share this with a friend who needs permission to pivot, and leave a review if the story hits home. ⸻ Guest Information Tyrean "Heru" Lewis is an urban farmer, educator, and community builder based in the St. Louis area. After years working as a physical education teacher, Tyrean made a bold midlife pivot into regenerative urban farming, founding Heru Urban Farming to help reconnect people with food, health, and the land around them. Through hands-on growing, teaching, and storytelling, he has become a passionate advocate for sustainable agriculture, local food systems, and personal transformation. Tyrean brings a grounded, practical approach to farming while encouraging others to rethink what’s possible in the second half of life. Resources and Links Facebook: Heru Urban Farming Instagram: Heru Urban Farming Website: Heru Urban Farming Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a voicemail/text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! Most people say they want more community. Will and Paula DeBoard actually built it...one shelf at a time...by opening Bookish Modesto, an independent bookstore in Modesto, California, at a time when most people think bookstores are disappearing. During this interview, I kept coming back to the same idea: books don’t just sell stories. They create an environment where people start recognizing and reconnecting with each other. We talk about the moment their bookstore idea stopped being a fun dinner conversation and became a real plan, along with the practical reality of starting a small business without a traditional retail background. Paula shares how she learned the behind-the-scenes work—inventory, systems, all of it—while Will gets candid about what it felt like to take a leap after a lifetime of steady work. From there, we go straight at the Amazon question: What does a local bookstore provides that online shopping never will? The answer might surprise you. Events, story times, local authors, and a store with an actual point of view. If you’ve been thinking about a midlife pivot, building something local, or investing in community, this one will resonate. If you enjoy the conversation, send me a voicemail/text, subscribe to The Mango Times, share it with a friend who loves books, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. ⸻ Guest Information Paula and Will DeBoard  are the founders of Bookish Modesto, an independent bookstore in Modesto’s college area. Leaving more traditional career paths, they built a space centered on books, community, and connection—now a gathering place for readers, writers, and neighbors looking for something more than just a transaction. Resources and Links Facebook: Bookish Modesto Website: Bookish Modesto Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a voicemail/text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! This bonus episode of The Mango Times Podcast comes from an interview I recently had with Kevin Delaney. During the interview, he asked about the origin of The Mango Times. I kept it simple and pulled that audio to make a simple episode for my listeners. This bonus drop is the raw origin story, pulled straight from a conversation and left unpolished on purpose. From early blogging days to a homeschool podcast where we chose the hard topics instead of the safe ones, I walk through the pivots that brought me here, including the long pursuit of a conversation with Josh Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye) and what that moment taught me about harm, apology, and honesty. If you care about storytelling, starting a podcast, or building community without pretending you have it all figured out, you’ll hear how one small creative habit can compound into something bigger than you planned. We also dig into the heart of the show: adventure at midlife. I push back on the shallow “midlife crisis” label, talk about motorcycles as just one expression of a lifelong pattern of exploring, and share what grief, 2020, and disillusionment with broken institutions did to my sense of direction. The thread that keeps me grounded is what my wife calls a “ministry of conversation” making space for people who are hungry for real connection. New feature: You can now text me or leave a one-minute voicemail, and I can drop your voice into a future episode. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s reinventing themselves, and leave a review then tell me: what project are you finally ready to start? ⸻ Guest Information No Guests This Episode Resources and Links A Brief History of The Mango Times Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a text/voicemail and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. ✅ Buy Me A Taco (LINK HERE) Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! A 2,200-mile canoe trip sounds like the wild part, until you hear what Dave Conway walked away from to get on the water. After nearly 40 years in the same role at the same church, Dave hits the midlife moment a lot of people quietly fear: the life you built no longer fits, and staying comfortable starts to feel like losing yourself. What follows is not a tidy “reinvention story” but a real one, full of faith, doubt, and the kind of courage that shows up before you have a plan. We talk through what it actually takes to canoe the full length of the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico: dragging through shallow headwaters, portaging around dams, calling in to locks, sharing water with barges, and paddling nine to twelve hours a day. Dave also names the gritty realities that don’t make highlight reels, like brutal wind, mosquitoes, and the unnerving chaos of jumping Asian carp. Along the way, he notices the human side of America too, from “Minnesota nice” distance to the warmth of Southern hospitality. But the heart of the conversation is a spiritual and emotional turning point. A book, a story about a sunk canoe, and one clear inner message reshape how Dave sees his work, his calling, and what it means to “let go.” We also dig into his Pacific Crest Trail experience, motorcycles, racing, and why adventure can become a vehicle for clarity in the second half of life. If you’re searching for midlife adventure, career change at 60, faith and uncertainty, or the courage to start over, this one will stay with you. ⸻ Guest Information Dave Conway lives in Modesto, California with his wife, Tanya, and they have two grown sons. He spent nearly 40 years working at a local church before stepping into a new season of life. At heart, Dave is an adventurer, with experiences that include canoeing the Mississippi River, riding a motorcycle to the Arctic Ocean, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and racing cars. When he’s not on the road or trail, he’s often building something in his shop or serving at his church. If you ask Dave what’s next, he’ll tell you: “Who knows, but I’m sure something interesting is about to come up. Resources and Links Instagram: Dave Conway Instagram: Dead Horse Riders YouTube: Go Waldo Go - Pacific Crest Trail Book Mentioned: The Last Arrow Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. ✅ Buy Me A Taco (LINK HERE) Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! Kevin Delaney on Living Life Intentionally He was once given 24 hours to live. Eighteen years later, Kevin Delaney is still using that moment as fuel, not fear and his story will make you rethink what “prime” really means in midlife. Kevin and I go back to the Bay Area in the 1980s, long before he chased rock-and-roll dreams, worked in nonprofit ministry, and eventually rose through high tech to become a LinkedIn VP. But the turning point isn’t a promotion or a title. It’s a coma, a liver transplant, and the clarity that life is fragile and life is precious. We talk about how to stop shriveling in the daily grind, how to build a life with meaning even inside corporate work, and why relationships are the only real scoreboard. Now “retired,” Kevin is focused on health span, not just lifespan. You’ll hear about his family’s hilarious and brilliant 50-before-50 list, the quest to see all 50 states, and the unexpected choice to buy John Steinbeck’s house and then finally read Steinbeck. We also get real about fear, aging, loss, and the simple mantra that cuts through excuses: now is life. If you’ve been waiting for “someday” to travel, create, reconnect, or take the leap, let this be the nudge. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts so more listeners can find these stories. ⸻ Guest Information Kevin Delaney is a former technology executive, leadership strategist, and author who spent decades helping shape culture and leadership inside the high-tech world, including serving as Vice President of Learning and Development at LinkedIn. Earlier in his career, he spent six years with Young Life mentoring students and developing the relational leadership philosophy that would influence his work in business. After surviving a life-threatening liver failure that left doctors giving him just 24 hours to live, Kevin began rethinking how he wanted to spend his time and energy. Today he writes and speaks about intentional living and meaningful second acts through his books A Life Worth Living, Cracking the Career Code, and Words to Wonder, as well as his Take Two newsletter. Resources and Links Website: KevinJohnDelaney.com - Books, Contact, Newsletter Book: A Life Worth Living Book: Cracking the Career Code Book: Words To Wonder Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. ✅ Buy Me A Taco (LINK HERE) Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! Some dreams don’t explode into your life—they sneak in, click by click, until you realize they’ve become part of who you are. On this episode, I sit down with artisan pipe carver Kraig Sederquist to explore the exact moment a hobby stops being “harmless” and starts shaping your identity.  From a first lumpy pipe in 2012 to a disciplined, detail-driven craft built on precision drilling, airflow engineering, and graceful lines, Kraig shows how slowing down can transform both the work and the worker. We trace his path to a small workshop in the Sierra Nevada where functional art takes form. Kraig shares why two simple words...slow down...altered his process, why he favors everyday buyers over luxury-only collectors, and how he balances stability with a calling that won’t stay small.  Beneath the sawdust and stains lives a universal story: midlife choices, fear mapped into steps, and the refusal to chase regret.  If you’ve felt that quiet nudge...a camera, a lathe, a notebook, an oven...this conversation offers a clear, steady encouragement: you don’t have to blow up your life to honor your calling. Start by taking your craft seriously and let it make you better. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts—your words help more people find these stories. ⸻ Guest Information Kraig Sederquist is a web developer and artisan pipe maker living in the Sierra Nevada foothills above Sonora, California. A former Marine and co-owner of Level One Web Design, Kraig blends years of digital craftsmanship with a growing passion for handcrafted tobacco pipes through his studio, SederCraft. Working primarily with briar and drawing inspiration from Danish and freehand styles, he creates functional pieces rooted in patience, precision, and tradition. When he’s not at the bench or behind a screen, he enjoys mountain life with his wife Kay — gardening, hiking, and exploring the outdoors. Resources and Links SederCraft - Handcrafted Tobacco Pipes and Accessories Kraig Sederquist on Instagram Venn Diagram - Purpose Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. ✅ Buy Me A Taco (LINK HERE) Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! Sometimes the door you’d never choose is the one that finally opens. Today I sit down with marriage and family therapist Chris Oneth to unpack a gritty pivot: from high school dropout to beloved history teacher… to therapist after a career-ending reset. The move into therapy came with both fear and strange confirmation. An old wedding announcement resurfaced where he’d once said he wanted to become a therapist. The counseling office he visited at nineteen would later become his own. On his first day in mental health, he was handed the very laptop he’d use to finish his master’s degree. He built on his teacher’s toolkit...the whiteboards, curriculum, presence...and developed a tri-relational model exploring our relationship with self, others, and environment. This isn’t a glossy reinvention story. It’s an honest look at identity, owning mistakes, and choosing action when the plan dissolves. If this episode nudges you, follow the show, share it with someone who needs courage for a pivot, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find these conversations. What’s the next brave step you’re ready to take? If you’re feeling stuck — listen to that feeling. Ask why. Then send it. ⸻ Guest Information Chris Oneth is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Modesto, California, and the Executive Director of Downey Park Counseling Associates. With a background in education and years of counseling experience, Chris works with individuals, couples, and families navigating identity, relationships, and life transitions — especially the questions that surface at midlife. Outside the therapy room, Chris is a fellow adventurer, overlander, and motorcycle rider. Like Fletch, he’s partial to his Triumph motorcycle, spending time on the road and trail where reflection, perspective, and renewal tend to show up naturally. Resources and Links Downey Park Counseling Chris Oneth - Personal Website Venn Diagram - Purpose Our Next Question - Podcast with Chris Oneth and Melanie Jones Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. ✅ Buy Me A Taco (LINK HERE) Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! What if the second half of life could be louder, braver, and more generous than the first? We sit down with longtime friend and educator Pete Swanberg to trace a path from elementary classrooms and adapted PE to founding an international special needs sports collective that brings inclusion to life through play.  This is a story about living in crescendo...choosing purpose, relationship, and flow...while turning grief and transition into fuel for service. Pete shares the moments that shaped him: the joy of working with students with multiple disabilities, the freedom he found in adapted PE, and the research that reframed his plans for retirement. Then we get practical. Adaptive Play Collective runs five-day camps with buddies for every child, sensory-rich stations, take-home equipment, and a collective of specialists who train and consult so local teams can keep the work going long after the trip ends. Board member and educator Aubrey Colton joins us from Jordan to paint a vivid picture of the need and the hope. She shares what families face—stigma, scarce resources, and kids who rarely leave home—and the transformation that happens when a room is designed for access and joy.  If you’re curious about midlife pivots, this conversation delivers heart and how-to.  Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage for their next chapter, and leave a review so more people can find these stories. Then tell us: what small step will help your live in crescendo today? ⸻ Guest Information Pete Swanberg is a husband of 40 years to Beth, and a father of 5 young adults.  He retired in 2025 after a 37-year career in education.  He’s the chief dreamer behind PlayAbility Camps, bringing movement, laughter, and belonging to kids with disabilities around the world.  When he’s not planning adapted sports camps, you can find him taking long walks with Beth, browsing the shelves at a local library, or having coffee with interesting people. Like Fletch! Aubree Colton has been married for 17 years to Ben, her high school crush. She Is a mother of 3 amazing girls who have been her greatest joy and also greatest opportunity of growth to trust in God. She has a special education degree and has had the privilege of working with the special needs community in Jordan for 11 years.  Aubree’s definition of fun is playing card games at any opportunity, hanging at a coffee shop with a friend, hiking canyons in Jordan, and finding any excuse to wear a dumb looking costume. Resources and Links Adapted Play Collective Venn Diagram - Purpose Play Ability Camps Pete's Daily Resolution: Resolved. By the power of the Holy Spirit, I will live in crescendo. I will value relationship, pursue meaning, and maximize flow. I will let go, live fully, and move on. Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. ✅ Buy Me A Taco (LINK HERE) Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! If resilience had a passport, it would look a lot like Dr. Erica Conway’s. In this episode, we sit with a dentist, mother of three, breast cancer survivor, and unapologetic advocate to explore how midlife can become a launchpad for meaningful adventure. From trekking Peru’s Salcantay Pass at 15,300 feet to the blisters of the Camino de Santiago, Erica shows how adventure can be both safe and soul-stretching...especially for solo women navigating fear and logistics. Erica shares how raising a daughter with Down syndrome raised expectations rather than lowered them. She unpacks common misconceptions about disability and offers practical insight into building real independence through meaningful support. What ties it all together is a simple philosophy: don’t wait for retirement to start living. Book the trip. Walk to work. Choose the big yes and the daily small ones that add up to a life well lived. If this conversation lit something up in you: Subscribe, Share, Review and let us know more stories we should cover. ⸻ Guest Information Dr. Erica Conway is a dentist, mother of three, and lifelong adventurer. A breast cancer survivor and passionate advocate for individuals with Down syndrome, she believes resilience is built by choosing forward motion and living fully—at work, at home, and on the road. Resources and Links Backroads Travel Booking Erica Conway, DDS Redwood Seeds Scholar Program Napa Valley Is Better Together - Donate Here Venn Diagram - Purpose Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. ✅ Buy Me A Taco (LINK HERE) Support the show

Send Fletch a Voicemail or Text! The itch isn’t a meltdown. It’s a message. We kick off Season 6 of The Mango Times by naming the midlife feeling many of us carry but rarely say out loud. Therapist and fellow motocycler Chris Oneth joins me to unpack what people casually call a “midlife crisis”—where it comes from, why it shows up, and why it might be less about blowing things up and more about waking up. We move past the red-sports-car cliché and talk about identity, deferred desires, and the roles and expectations that quietly try to box us in. We pressure-test the "Purpose" Venn diagram and explore why Gen X feels this moment so acutely—even though the urge to shift is universal and non-generational. Most importantly, we get practical. We talk through thought exercises, small rituals, weekly reps, and how adventure helps to build clarity without burning everything down.  Hey friend! If you’re feeling restless, curious, or unfinished, you’re not broken—you’re waking up. ⸻ Guest Information Chris Oneth is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Modesto, California, and the Executive Director of Downey Park Counseling Associates. With a background in education and years of counseling experience, Chris works with individuals, couples, and families navigating identity, relationships, and life transitions — especially the questions that surface at midlife. Outside the therapy room, Chris is a fellow adventurer, overlander, and motorcycle rider. Like Fletch, he’s partial to his Triumph motorcycle, spending time on the road and trail where reflection, perspective, and renewal tend to show up naturally. Resources and Links Downey Park Counseling Chris Oneth - Personal Website Venn Diagram - Purpose Our Next Question - Podcast with Chris Oneth and Melanie Jones Music used in this episode: All music in this episode is licensed for use through Epidemic Sound. ⸻ IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE MANGO TIMES, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW BY... ✅ Send me a text and let me know what you think. ✅ Share this episode with a friend RIGHT NOW! ✅ PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS HERE. ✅ Buy Me A Taco (LINK HERE) Support the show