1346 – Redwood Stream Hike | On Location

Episode 1346 – Redwood Stream Hike | On Location

 

[START OF RECORDING]

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, don’t adjust your audio. It’s time for a episode of Sleep With Me, where I take you for a walk to put you to sleep. I’m gonna be going for a hike. Welcome to Sleep With Me. If you're new, this show is a bit different. It’s meant to be…here I’m gonna just take a stroll or a hike to put you to sleep. So, if you're new to the show, this is a episode I’m recording on location on binaural audio. You're gonna hear birds, you're gonna hear me hiking, and leaves. You won't hear any traffic sounds, but I’ll take you for a nice walk to put you to sleep. We're here in Redwood Regional Park in Oakland, and, yeah. So, basically this podcast is here to be your companion so you could fall asleep.

 

These shows are very different. I’m really glad you're here for checking the podcast out. We put out a wide variety of shows, but sometimes it’s nice to go for an immersive walk to put you to sleep. What we got coming up is support, then a long, meandering intro, which maybe will be a little shorter than normal for these walking episodes, and then we’ll just keep walking. The plan is to be here a bit over an hour. Oh, over an hour and five minutes, I guess that bird said. Eighteen minutes? Huh. I’m sorry, could you say that again? Oh, so…oh boy, I didn’t understand that one. But we’ll be here walking, and yeah, welcome to Sleep With Me. I’m glad you're here, or welcome back. I know a lot of people really like these immersive on-location episodes we're trying to put out.

 

We used to only put these out as bonus content, but we're trying to help everybody get comfortable and get off into dreamland. The way we do do that is by the people that get the most out of the podcast, the people that listen the most or sleep the most, that listen all night long or listen to two, three, four, five, six episodes a week, ten episodes a month. They opt in, kinda like tipping your podcaster in a sense. But that enables me and everyone that works on the show to be here, are the people that opt in. The show’s already a part of their life; they want to be part of the show’s life. You could do that if that’s a ‘yes’. If it’s not a ‘yes’, we're here to serve you. But yeah, if you want to opt in, you could support the sponsors, support the show directly, or spread the word, or whatever I’m gonna talk about right here. I’m really glad you're here, and I’ll be right back.

 

INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake. That could be thoughts on your mind, thoughts…oh boy, hi. Birds, thoughts, anything you're thinking about, about the past, the present, the future, it could be feelings, anything coming up for you emotionally, physical sensations, changes in time, temperature, routine.

 

Whatever it is that’s keeping you awake, I’m here to take your mind off of stuff and keep you company so you could fall asleep. What I do is I send my voice across the deep, dark night. I’m gonna use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents. So, that means I’m gonna go off topic, I’m gonna get mixed up. So, I’m gonna be…I’m gonna be on a meandering path and just taking you for a walk to, yeah, be here. You could be at my side, walking with me, imagining, but not doing any work, and this is all to take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep. This is a bit different. Even for Sleep With Me, these style of episodes are a bit different, but I guess all our episodes are a bit different. But the idea of a sleep podcaster taking you somewhere…I’ve been doing it for a while.

 

I don't know, I like doing it, and I think it works for a lot of people. But the whole idea is that this show is here to be a mild distraction, something you could barely listen to to put you to sleep. I do have to interrupt my own intro. We're taking our first trail change. We were kinda on a main trail. We were on the West Ridge Trail, and now we're getting on the French Trail. So, just FYI. I’ll talk more about that. But yeah, we're going for a nice, little walkie-poo, and it’s a nice downhill walk right now. There’s, yeah, beautiful smells in the air, and we’ll talk about that. But probably I’ll just go off topic, talk about whatever’s on my mind, but we’ll just be walking together.

 

I make this show and I’ve been making this show for over a decade because I know what it’s like in the deep, dark night when I have trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep, trouble waking up early, and I was always looking for something that wasn’t so serious or wasn’t so participatory, and that stuff does work for other people, a huge chunk of people, but the idea that you could passively go on a hike where there’s no pressure but…or it’s optional for you to be like, man, I’m looking at some moss right now and it’s looking pretty good. I have one tree with moss and one tree with some blue, faded spray paint on it.

 

So, whatever’s keeping you awake, I’m here to help with that, but I’m also here to let you know that I do my best to respect the fact that I don't even…I don't know, that…to let you be seen, but in a indirect way. What do I mean by that…is that I might not know exactly what you're going through, right? It might not be thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations. It could be changes in time, temperature, routine. You could be traveling, you could have guests, you could just be going through something, or you could have something big coming up. Maybe you work a different schedule, or maybe it’s none of those. But I list some of those because I want you to know you're not alone, and I mean that in a real way. I think I probably can relate to some of the underlying feelings or sensations.

 

I think that’s what a lot of people that listen to the show share, or people that don’t listen to the show…they have trouble sleeping. But the better news is that there’s enough people listening that right now, somewhere in the world, there’s someone listening who really does understand what you're going through, who’s been through something very similar, and they really feel welcoming for you. They say, yeah, oof, I do know what that’s like, and they are glad you're here, and they're sending that welcoming thing to you. Alls it is is it feels nice for them, right?

 

They say, man, until I got here, I thought I was the only one, and I kinda…I mean, and this has been my experience for my own journey, and I held onto that so tight, and it was like holding onto something that also was way bigger than me and way heavier than me, and carrying it around. I finally got to let go. That doesn't even mean this podcast is gonna put you to sleep. I’ll talk a little bit more about that, but it means that you're welcome here and that there’s people that you don’t know that are rooting for you to get the sleep you need and you deserve.

 

In a sense of like…they're rooting for you in the sense of like, I hope one day not only does this podcast help you get the rest you need or introduce you to another one that does help you get the rest you need, but that it…that you get the experience of having…holding a welcoming space for a new listener, even if it’s not a Sleep With Me listener. That’s the truth, because in the end, you deserve a good night's sleep and a place you could get the rest you need and you deserve, whether it’s from this podcast or something else. Yeah, because if you get the rest you need, your life’s gonna be a little bit better, right?

 

That would be nice for you, and ideally you get the rest you need where you don’t have to dread bedtime and bed becomes something you feel neutral about or look forward to, and that you could be out there in the world flourishing, and that’s a really nice thing. So, I’m glad you're here and I hope the show helps. The thing is, this show is very different, like I said earlier, so give it a few tries and see how it goes and just see if it helps you. If it doesn't, I have a website set up, sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, that has other sleepy stuff on there that you could check out and try, other sleep podcasts too, because you still deserve a good night's sleep, right, whether it’s this show or not. But give this show a few tries, 'cause it is different.

 

When you first get here…wait a second, you're gonna go hiking and I’m gonna sleep to it? Yeah, it’s a little bit different, and yeah, I might get outta breath and trying to hike while I’m talking like this and all that, and, yeah, you might hear some rocks crinkle or some breeze. But yeah, it’s like walking with a friend that you just don’t…you can barely pay attention to. This is a podcast that you just barely listen to, and that takes some adjusting, right? It’s like a TV on in the other room or something or a travelogue of a place that’s not…you're not interested in or is not that interesting or just not giving it your full attention. So, that’s one part of it. The other part of it is that this podcast is actually not even here to put you to sleep. It’s here to keep you company while you fall asleep.

 

I’m here to take your mind off of stuff so eventually you just fall asleep later on, and that takes some getting used to, too. But that’s why we put out episodes of a variety of styles. We put out episodes consistently week after week, year after year, and that’s why the shows are over an hour, because there’s no pressure to fall asleep with this show. I’m gonna be here to the very end whether you're awake or asleep, 'cause there’s people who are listening who can't sleep at all or who need a break during the day, and I’m here to keep them company and you company, and, yeah, that’s different, right?

 

I’m here to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your neigh-bore, your Borbie, your bore-bud, your bore-friend, your Boris Borlaf, your best borer…I’m getting mixed up 'cause I’m paying attention to where I’m going, too. There’s a robin down there. So, yeah, I’m here to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep when you do, or if you can't sleep, you got somebody here for you. So, just see how it goes for that, too. Then the structure of the show…I’ll just run through it really quick here. The show starts off with a greeting that I said earlier; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and that’s so you feel seen and welcomed in. You say, oh, okay, I could check that podcast out. I could give that a try. It sounds mostly harmless, to quote a book.

 

Then there’s support so that paying for the podcast is optional. Most people prefer listening to a ad-supported version and they like to listen to it linearly, meaning they set a sleep timer for like thirty, forty-five minutes, an hour, or they just listen to one episode and they fall asleep later on during the story portion of the show. But if you prefer something without ads, you can get that on Sleep With Me+. If you prefer something with story-only, without intros, I’ll tell you how to get that. You can listen all the way then, you could listen to episode after episode, but yeah, that’s the greeting, then the support, then separate from the support, which we’ve been into I don't even know for how long, is our intro. The intro is usually about fifteen to twenty minutes long.

 

Usually I’m recording it in the climb-in closet, not on a trail, so I don't know how long this one will be. But the purpose of the intro…while there is a small percentage of people that fall asleep, it’s to help people wind down, give them something to listen to, somebody to hang out with while they're getting ready for bed or while they're in bed getting comfortable and as you're drifting off or you're doing some sort of relaxing wind-down routine. So, the intro is meant to ease you into bedtime, not so much to put you to sleep. If you look…if you find you become a regular listener and you want something without intros, we have a podcast, Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me, that’s also ad-supported that you can listen to without paying for it in any podcast app.

 

Or if you want to listen to Sleep With Me five nights a week, you could listen right now as I’m talking. We put out two new episodes of Sleep With Me a week and a repeat episode, and then we have Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me. So, you could do it that way. So, just see what works for you, and yeah, go from there. But that’s the intro. I guess that’s what I was talking about, the intro. Then after the intro is support, then tonight it’ll be our bedtime story, which will be me doing half of a hike that I really, really like, and I don't know how deep we are into it now. Check…well, I forgot to check my watch when I left. So…but yeah, I’m glad you're here. Like I said, if this episode isn't for you, there’s gonna be another episode this week that’ll be a totally different style.

 

So, I’m really glad you're here. Myself and a team of people work really hard. We yearn and we strive. We really want to help you fall asleep, and the way we're able to be here for you is a percentage of people…we call them stupor listeners, people that get a lot out of the podcast. They get so much out of the podcast, it makes their life so much better, that they opt in to support the podcast back, and then everybody benefits from it. It’s just those people that get the most out of the podcast whose support we rely on.

 

So, if you do, if you're one of those people and you say, man, yeah, I want to opt in because this show is an important part of my life, I’ll talk about a couple ways right here, and I’d appreciate it, because I love being here and I love that right now when I’m recording this, we're in a place where, yeah, because of people’s support, I’m gonna record this episode, and Russell’s gonna edit it, and we may have found a nice workflow to get these out on a regular basis so we can be here for you. So, I’m really happy to do that, and I appreciate it. So, thanks again for coming by, and here’s a couple ways we're able to do this for you consistently.

 

Hey everybody, this is Scoots. This episode, we're gonna go hiking. It’s a on-location episode. I just recorded it, so I’m recording this after. It’s pretty relaxed. There are water trickling sounds and there’s a little bit less talking. I’m telling…talking most of the time, but there’s a couple gaps in there just 'cause there’s just so many nice moments out in the woods. But I just wanted to give you a heads up in case any of that is outside of your…I don't know. But I think it’s a pretty good episode and…yeah. So, let me know what you think. Again, we put out a ton of variety, so if this isn't for you, don't worry. We put out…we work really hard to put out a ton of different style of content. If you love these episodes, as always, vote with your wallet, right?

 

Support the show or vote with your voice and let me know through the contact form on our website. One other thing; if you're a Sleep With Me+ member, there will be two versions of this. As another experiment, there will be the version…well, I guess there will be three versions; the story-only version, the full ad-free version, and then in the bonus feed will be a version with about ten minutes of the end of my hike without me talking. I don't know if it’s ten minutes long, but kind of a trail off into dreamland. The only reason…that’ll be in the Sleep With Me+ bonus podcast feed, just because I know some people listen all night long or whatever.

 

So, if you're listening in the bonus feed, you probably want to just have your…every podcast app is different, but either set a sleep timer or have your podcast app stop after one episode, 'cause I don't want to…I’m just trying to tell you ahead of time so then you don’t have to let me know. So, if you're listening to this in the Sleep With Me+ bonus feed, you get a nice treat at the end of me just walking for a little while, not talking. It’s a fairly quiet trail. But yeah, I hope you enjoy this episode, and take it away, Scoots.

 

Alright, thanks, Scoots. Hey everybody, it’s Scooter here, and as he said earlier…I said earlier, I’m here in Redwood Regional Park. We're on the French Trail right now, and what we're doing is…I think it’s the French Trail, the Stream Trail, and there might be one other trail. This is a loop that is about…a little bit over five miles that I inconsistently jog, that I really like. I did a test recording maybe two or three months ago. Maybe…yeah, about two months ago, and I decided, okay, let’s try to do this in two segments. Then today we're here to do our first recording. So, a couple of things to know if you ever want to recreate this trail. You could find the trail map on…I use one of the trail map apps, but I could also try to give it to you. This…it’s…covers, for Oakland, a fair amount of elevation gain, ups and downs.

 

So, yeah, and it’s a really nice trail. It eventually…I’m doing it in reverse, and the reason I’m doing it in reverse is that…or a reverse of how I normally run it…because I figure I’ll be more observant because this is the opposite of my routine. So, it’ll be a little bit…I’ve run it once or twice this way, starting with the French Trail? I don't know. But yeah, right now we're in woods. To my left is a grove of redwoods towering above me, and then they go way down towards the ground. I don't…I’m not really good with facts and things, but this is…it’s about 2:00 in the afternoon in the winter, and it hasn’t rained for a while. That’s why I was trying to get out here, 'cause it probably hasn’t rained for about two, three weeks, 'cause after the rain, this will be pretty…oh, do you hear that? That was a tree creaking in the breeze.

 

We didn’t get a secondary creak there, but…so, yeah, this is just a really nice trail, and this has been something I’m…for years. I’m doing more walking episodes. So, at least in 2025, we're trying to make these, and then ideally maybe they’ll be coming out in 2025 and 2026. I don't know when you'll be hearing this, but it’s been on my goal list for a long time, to get back to putting out regular on-location episodes. This is recorded in binaural audio, so you can listen with headphones and hear everything in both ears just like you were walking with me.

 

Yeah, there’s a lot of moss on this particular section of the trail, and that’s one of the things I like about this, is this trail or why it kinda hooked me, and it is…and I got told this when I first moved to the Bay Area by somebody big into hiking, is I’m really grateful to be in a place where you can go on a hike like this and it just covers so much different styles. Right now I’m on a…you know, a single trail or a two-person with trail, but you're probably better off walking single-file…on the side of a hill, and I’m in the woods, right?

 

There are redwoods, but it’s kinda thick and you can't see a lot, but you can hear some wind, you could hear some water, and then eventually we’ll go down to a couple stream beds, but we’ll also be navigating a less-thick part of the woods, like going on the open hillside looking down to the main stream that’s in this park. This is just one of these many East Bay regional parks here in the East Bay of Northern…or the Bay Area that just offers so much. While it’s something I do utilize, I probably under-utilize it. Now we’ve got about another ten redwoods passing on my left, also a non-redwood tree that has moss and some sort of mushroom-like growth.

 

Yeah, so, I think my plan today would be…I thought I was gonna try to do half of this and then turn around and jog back, but maybe I’ll just do half of it and then jog the rest of the loop. I don't know. The other part of it is…the part we're covering now, by going in reverse, I definitely…there’s not that many trail changes, but there’s enough that I’ll have to consult a map on my phone. It’s easier for me to pay attention and not take the wrong trail, though the only thing that would happen if I took the wrong trail is that it would either cut time off or add time onto the hike. So, yeah…so, yeah, we're having a nice, little hike here. There’s some older trees that are on the ground and they're in the midst of the circle of life.

 

Maybe one day…I guess I would need smart glasses or something to be able to describe to you what we're seeing, but I guess this is more of a audio tour, anyway. So, it’s like…which is an audio tour where I’m not supposed to stop talking, but because of…though we did do one hike episode with just the headphones for Sleep With Me+ members, and that’s something we could do, too. I don't think we could release it in the public feed just 'cause it’s too different than expectations, but yeah, let me know. I don't know if I can…I did record when I was jogging the other day, but I don't think that’s very sleepy. But yeah, keep me apprised, because the other good thing is like, just with everything with Sleep With Me…I’m actually gonna touch some of this moss here. I’m lichen that moss, man. Ha, ha. I’m lichen that moss.

 

Yeah, sorry. I repeated the joke 'cause I was surprised by it. Pretty lush here, but now I’m a little bit closer to this stream. So, yeah, I think we should enjoy some of these stream sounds. It looks like there’s even a couple places where…when the water was going a little bit stronger in the rain storms that there’s some big collections of sticks and stuff. If there was…it’s just a creek or a…I mean, yeah, let’s…how you doing? Yeah, I’m Scooter. I make a sleep podcast. You really sound nice. Yeah, I can't stop talking, unfortunately. It’s just like the nature of a sleep podcast. Yeah, no, I’m just here out for a walk. Yeah, yeah. Hey, you really do sound good. I’m gonna step over you. You sound even different from over here. Yeah, that’s good. That’s good talking to you. I appreciate your time.

 

Yeah, so, that was…it didn’t tell me if it was a stream or a creek, but we got another set of flowing water coming up here on our left. Now we're kinda gonna gain some elevation. Now we get kind of more of…instead of a woods feel, a redwood-forest feel, and where you would expect to see Ewoks. Yeah, and we have a little bit bigger flow of water to our left with boulders, and we're on the trail going up on the right side of the water here. Now on the back side of water…on the right side of water. So, maybe I’ll talk less. I don't know. Does there have to be rules with a sleep podcast now that we're in the story section? Oh, wow. That’s a really nice sound. Getting one flow on the left side and two or three flows on the right side. That is nice.

 

A really nice look to it, like something right out of a relaxing photo, because it’s in a gully to my left. About fifteen feet down is the bed of the creek, and the creek’s slowly descending from the hill I’m going up. We’ll go up this side, and I think we’ll wrap around and then go up the other side of it. Maybe we’re gonna go up a canyon behind it. Maybe we're following the creek bed. I guess we probably are. Yeah. So, we’ve got a bit of ways to go. There’s even a pool. I’m not sure if it’s a vernal pool, but it’s a nice pool. Yeah, I guess maybe I could talk a little bit less as we listen together and you rest. Okay, right here, not that far away, we have a V where two smaller creeks from two different canyons here are coming together. It actually looks like it might even be three, which I guess this is why it’s the Stream Trail, huh?

 

Or were we on French Trail? Were we supposed to be on French Trail? Maybe this is somewhat familiar. Oh yeah, now that’s [inaudible] Trail. I don't…haven't been on that one. I just don’t ever remember…yeah, stay on the French Trail. Hear that? So, this is a little bit of a…I’m gonna navigate over this smallest creek. You can hear it coming down. But I mean, we're literally fifteen, twenty minutes and just a few miles from downtown Oakland and the Bay Bridge, 880, and it really does feel like we could be 300 miles north in California. The creek seems to agree with me, or the stream. You know, I use ‘creek’ as a term of endearmeant. Term of endearmeant. Alright, so now we're…that stream is behind us, and we're on another stream which you're gonna hear.

 

This is a stream…I’m not streaming this stream tour, but it’s a streamy tour, man. Getting dreamy with the streamies. So, there is…this is a intersection of three different canyons or whatever you want to call them, ravines. The one I’m looking up now just has barely a trickle, but I’m sure when it rains it gets much busier. We're gonna head to my left and continue kind of on this main stream…mainstream stream trail. You're so mainstream, man. What, were you…? You're not vanilla, though. Not a lot of bird action. I hear a plane and some wind. I’m touching a redwood right now. You can hear the stream down there below me as I head…keep going up. Definitely going the right way 'cause I remember some landmarks from running; just like bigger rocks or…yeah, I don't know.

 

But yeah, I mean, I’m sure…while you might not have the exact same…access to the exact same park, there’s some sort of park near you that’s just waiting for you to visit, you know? Oh, but quietly. Yeah, that’s just not how a sleep podcast works, believe it or not. Yeah, I mean, a sleep podcast…I’m talking the least amount I can for a sleep podcast, to be honest. I mean, no, your talking is lovely and I could listen to it, but I would need a eight-hour loop of it. Yeah, or like this variety. Yeah, your friend down the…oh, you agree with your friend? But you're earlier in time. How could you know that your friend was telling me that…talking and…? Yeah, I know, but humans and sleep podcasts are different than stream sleep podcasts. What…?

 

Well, if I was pitching a stream podcast to put streams to sleep, I guess I would make…I would…I guess I would talk about tepid water and, I don't know…but only temporary tepid water, like you're at a beaver dam and…don't worry, the beavers don’t use you as a bathroom, so you got that. You get to stay there. I guess I’d have to learn more about what streams like. Do you…could…do you understand the joke…here it is, the eighth wonder of the world, the back side of water? ‘Cause I never understood the joke. Hm, I’m hearing some…we're hearing some trickling, too. You hear that? And a plane, yeah. Yeah, those are drips. Sounds good. Yeah, getting a little closer here.

 

Oh, branches and…yeah, so, the cool thing is we're lucky that…the day we're coming, because there’s enough water that everything’s flowing and the mud is mostly dry. We’ve just got kinda packed dirt versus…a few days from now, this will be…uphill or downhill would not be…it would be worse than a slog, though you'd be probably running a lot faster, yeah. That would be interesting to see, of course. I agree with you. Well, no, I was saying earlier, I don't exactly know…there’s a lot of ferns here in this section of the woods, too. No, I’m not trying to change the subject at all. I’m pro-stream sleep podcast. Always flowing, but that doesn't…I don't think that’s what you want. ‘Do you sleep?’ would be another question. Is…are streams supposed…do streaming sleep…do streams dream of electric sleep? I don't know.

 

We’ve been lucky that it’s been pretty private here on the trail, and I’m getting to spend a lot of time with you, and I’ve been enjoying it. Now the trail’s gonna take me away from you. But now I’m wondering if I should just walk back down. I guess I should. I’d like to spend more time with you instead of…let’s change up our plan, right? Okay, so, I’m gonna come down, and now you're in my other ear. Yeah, I don't want to…so, there’s a lot of ferns. I was just thinking how I could work ferns into a stream…a sleep podcast for streams. I mean, we know streams have opinions. Yeah, clearly. I heard that. We know you make a variety of amazing noises. Now, humans listen to…they don’t listen to themselves to fall asleep. Like, I can't listen to myself to fall asleep. You believe that? Oh, you do.

 

But…well, what about a burn…a butterfly named Bernie? Because he’s big into…he’s not into roasts. I’m not a person that’s comfortable with roasts. I guess I’ve had to try to teach myself to grow out of that. I guess I’m fine being roasted by such a wonderful stream like you, but normally…so, I don't want to make…I don't…do you think that would put streams to sleep, me getting roasted by streams? Oh, what is roasted? It means kind of like what you're doing, like having fun at my expense. Oh, you're just being honest with me. I like that trickling. Yeah, it’s really nice. Some people won't like it, so I’ll have to remember to put a warning at the top of the thing. But anyway, that gives you a chance to visit the WC. I don't think it’s a bad thing, actually.

 

Then when you get up in the morning, you're less likely to need the WC again. A lot of quality moss on this trail. So, I guess I’m trying to think about the life of the stream, right, as we're here. Wow, so, I’m looking uphill to my left, and there’s just…what do you call it? Redwood after redwood after redwood. I wonder if I could ever do a video version…I guess I could, huh? I would tell myself that right now I’m at the wall part of the…well, I guess the three-stream intersection’s a good marking point. We're working our way towards that. Yeah, working our way back to you, stream. Something in my heart. Okay, so, I’m just trying to follow the life journey of a stream, right, because some of you…oh, we got a bird weighing in now. Did you have an opinion about this sleep podcast for streams?

 

I’m the only person that goes out into nature to get distracted by nature to talk about something else, but I guess that’s my job, eh? Okay, so, maybe I’m trying to operate from a place of understanding what the needs of a stream are in order to be of service to you, and is that misguided? Well, I mean, could I ever understand what it’s like to be a stream? Then, that’s kinda the basis for what works about a sleep podcast, is I can understand what it’s like to be a person, right? It seems pretty different, though I’m sure there’s a lot of commonalities. Okay, so, we're where two of the streams intersect here, the little one…sorry, I didn’t mean that in a non-grand way. I just mean you're waiting for rain. ‘Cause that’s the thing; the majority of you starts off as rain.

 

This is gonna be a silly question, but some of you have had to have been pee-pee, right? Maybe not my pee-pee, though not to…there has been my pee-pee in this park before, so…or, you know, some stuff evaporating, even…oh yeah, even the hot air coming out of my mouth; you're right. So, you still got it, stream. You still got my number. Wow, getting some nice trickling here and some nice flowing. What about where I just compliment you like I’ve been doing? Wouldn't that put you to sleep, or do you even…do you…? If you don’t need to sleep, could you just be comforted by my saying, wow, what a flow? Holy moly. I haven't seen trickling like this ever. I haven't seen water clarity…man, I haven't thirsted for water in…like this in years. I feel like I’m back in high school thirsting for water at a sporting event.

 

Yeah, that sound you're making when you make contact with the rocks and the moss…yeah. It’s constantly changing, right? Yeah, man. ‘Cause the other thing is I’m not gonna be with you for the whole time back. Oh, but the birds are. Okay. Yeah, you're…oh, you're looking…fishing for compliments, too? Great tweeting. Great…I mean, I know it’s technically not tweeting, but lovely, lovely. That’s lovely. Listening to the two of you in combination, it’s like a dream come true. I guess it’s not pandering 'cause it’s…is it pandering if I’m telling the truth? I don't know if there’s anywhere right now in this moment I’d rather be than where I am right now at this moment.

 

Yeah, now that we're going downhill…and it’s all gonna be downhill from here, 'cause then I have to separate from all of you, unless this bird wants to come along. I had another podcast I did with a bird that sounded a bit like you where I was kinda…huh, the bird doesn't want to be on the show anymore as soon as I do it. But, wow, listen to that. I got water on my back, water on my front, even a little hollow sound. Oof, I’m feeling so relaxed that I could climb into bed right now myself. Wow, listen to that flow. Really amazing. Yeah, I got a little bit of more…you're not trickling; I’ll tell you that much. I don't care who says it. I’ll say it myself; you're flowing. Okay, so, this is where we first crossed paths here, where I have to step over I guess another…are these tributaries? I guess you're a tributary, huh?

 

Who am I calling a tributary? I don't know exactly, 'cause formally we’ve never been introduced. But I would say that I am calling…I’m not calling anybody a tributary. I’m asking if you are a tributary, and where…? So, I think…do you head all the way to Castro Valley? So, do you go into the [inaudible] Bay down there? No idea? You're just here right now, right, in the moment. Yeah. You know, you kinda remind me of where I play with action figures. If I had action figures and I had access to you, my house would be pretty full of mud because I’d be playing action figures in you, a little tiny creek. Alright, so…oh, we got some birds calling us. We're also walking and we're gonna head back up. Oh, so, are we leaving…? Oh no, we're still on French Trail.

 

So, I think probably I only covered a quarter of the trail, but probably the most melodious quarter of the trail. That’s a win. Oh, did you hear that squinching of the mud? Yeah, this is a interactive podcast. Ha, ha, ha. Sound effects, man. I feel like a foley artist. Accidental…the accidental foley artist. Did we ever do a episode…? That sounds like a Sleep With Me title. I don't know if I’ll remember that. The accidental foley artist who makes a podcast about streams. Yeah, what happened to the guy who made Sleep With Me? Well, nobody really knows. He started making podcasts for non-sentient beings, and no one could tell if it was a Andy Kaufman thing or if he was serious or not. He seemed pretty serious, though, 'cause he said, nope, nope, nope, no more sleep podcast for people.

 

Yeah, he put out…yeah, he already put out 800 episodes of…what would he title his stream podcast? Gives a new meaning to the term creaky, dulcet tones. I could hear listeners making jokes. That’s what’s so funny. The Creeky Dulcet Tone Cast for creeks. Yeah, he got even more niche, and then he set streams…he said, no, streams are…no more streams. Yeah, he did the Creeky Dulcet Cast. That was for creeks only. That was not a good idea. Then he talked…tried…he didn’t even try to put rivers to sleep. They said, you don’t get us. He said, I think…I appreciate you, though. So, that happens. So, then he tried to make the Mud Cast to put mud to sleep, and the mud said, do you realize you're standing…walking through us? It’s not very sleepy for us if you're just making mud pies and talking about it.

 

So, that’s what happened to the sleep podcast guy. Oh, interesting. Makes perfect sense. Alright, so now we're in a woodsy portion. What’s the difference between a woods and a forest? Well, there’s a lot more sunlight in the woods, in my…in this particular…so, we don’t have towering redwoods. So, these trees around me are a little bit…so, there’s more sunlight getting through. We're back where we were with the stream. Most of it was redwood forest and there wasn’t a lot of light, and you're lower on the stream bed. Yeah, a little bit sunnier here. Get some more quality bird sounds. I don't know, it’s just a totally different feel, even from a hour before. This is a different feel going in a different direction.

 

Getting some good birds, got some berries falling from trees, can hear some…yeah, birds flying in the…oh man, I just got my first loamy whiff of fallen trees and maybe some eucalyptus? Oh man, and wet earth. Oof, took long enough for my nose to warm up, I guess, but maybe just also…oh yeah, and then the smell of the trail. Oh man, I’m lucky to be here with all of you. I’m not even trying…I’m getting even more relaxed with every step, even with those…even with the fact that I wasn’t successful at putting any of the streams or anything to sleep, that I was successful otherwise, right? Now, that is wind, I think, though there may be a undertone of the stream. Let me try to get here. I can hear the birds and the breeze in the trees, maybe the stream. Tough to make out. Yeah, you're right.

 

No, no, I’m not asking to make out with you, crow. No, thank you. No thanks, really. No thanks. Yeah, that’s what I said; no thanks. The Crow Cast would be something totally different. But I would…remember when I would sing Three-Eyed Raven, Oh So Raven? You're not…I realize you're not a raven. Or are you? Oh, that ended that partnership. We’ll never be like those two birds that were famous that I can't remember their names that had a cartoon. Heckle and Jeckle, maybe? Alrihgt, so, we are gaining elevation, so I’m trying to pace myself so I can keep talking. But yeah, we're almost at the end of the show, too. This worked out. This was nice. We had a unexpected discovery. ‘Cause honestly, I didn’t think we’d get that much water flowing and nice birds.

 

But usually when we do…in Florida in the summertime, Florida or New York, we get a lot of B-U-G-S sounds, and more birds, normally, where it is really…there’s a stillness underlying these…but not…like a peace, a peaceful stillness. Right? You can hear that. Yeah, it’s nice. The wind you could just barely hear, so…oh, and you probably hear my poles, too. I’m using poles, 'cause usually if I trail-run, I’ll use poles. I’ve talked about it, but maybe not in a while. They help me stay on…two poles help me stay on two feet. I don't know, they make it…I don't know, they make it more fun running, but I tend to not be the most…I tend to be clumsy, so having the two poles keeps me upright. Also keeps something in my hands, which I think prevents me from putting my phone in my hand, which is when I will be clumsy. So, win-win.

 

But yeah, they had another knocking sound, especially when I’m…I’m in…hitting indirect stuff with my poles, too. Alright, so let’s…well, we got a nice, flat part here, and then I’ll take a break and see the time. But I’m thinking it’s almost time to slip off into dreamland. Now we're even out of the woods and in more of a brush. I guess this is kinda woods. Right now the trail’s flat for a little while. Again, I don't want to be repetitive, but you'd be so surprised even if you were to go three miles from here to the trails in Tilden…they have a totally different feel. Or if you're at Cal Berkeley and you come up Strawberry Canyon.

 

Strawberry Canyon does have kind of a feel of that part we were on earlier, but then you get up onto the higher parts of the hill, and then, like we did for The Love of Hills, you drive out through the tunnel into the East Bay where it’s a lot hotter, and the winter and summer trails are totally different out there. Or you drive down to LA and you get an entirely different thing. I haven't done enough hiking further into the Sierras, but maybe one day I will. Maybe one day I will. I don't know. Yeah, we're getting some good bird sounds here. Very nice. Okay, so, yeah, let’s take a break here…see and just enjoy this peaceful, peaceful level of…there’s a plane, but other than that, it’s kinda quiet.

 

So, I hope you enjoyed this trek we took and it helps you get some sleep and some rest, because I enjoy taking you out here and going for a walk and walking off…it just felt like each step…each part got more and more relaxing. Like, right now…oh, there’s a little bird…some little birds there saying ‘hi’. Hi. Yeah, don't worry, I’m just walking and talking. We got some purple flowers growing even though it’s…when I’m recording this, still February here. It’s a really nice day. Mist in the sky, but warm. Birds are out. Not chirping, but you're tweeting or something, huh? Yeah, yeah, it’s nice. I’m proud of you. I’m glad all you are here and that I could be a part of your bedtime. I can kinda hear the wind picking up behind me. Hear that, the tops of the trees? That’s what that is, right? That almost sounds like a white-noise machine.

 

Now it’s in front of us, too. That could be a plane in front of us, 'cause we have Oakland. That’s a plane. But that…this noise…right? That’s the wind. The secondary noise is the plane. Well, he started making a podcast where he just walks around the woods talking to himself about noises he hears. It’s actually way more successful than Sleep With Me. What is it called? Walking, Listening, Talking. No, it was part of Sleep With Me. Yeah, so, that’s a plane, which right…this is kinda the ideal…I don't know. I always associate planes like that as…like lying in a park or on a relaxing hike and the plane’s at a high distance as really relaxing.

 

It brings up this theory of nostalgia I think I’ve talked about, which is what if…I don't know if that’s nostalgia, right, but when a plane passes overhead and you kinda get that sense, a positive sense. Like, what if that’s not nostalgia but you're remembering when you're actually in the moment? I don't know. I’m not good at…better at making a sleep podcast, but it’s like some of these sounds we’ve got to listen to today, right…we were listening to them right now, and…yeah, like that plane far off maybe also reminds us of the times we were relaxed in a park or at a beach or somewhere else. But it’s also relaxing now. I don't know. For me, it’s like, oh, so you could relax now, too, and enjoy it now, too. So, anyway, just a thought I had. But yeah, I think what we’ll do is take this last flat patch to say goodnight and thanks so much for listening. I appreciate you coming by the show, and couldn't do it without all of you. So, thanks so much. Goodnight.

 

[END OF RECORDING]

(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)

On Location

 

Redwood Regional Park

https://www.pleasantonweekly.com/blogs/notes-on-the-valley/2023/04/26/the-rich-history-of-reinhardt-redwood-park/

https://www.savetheredwoods.org/blog/why-redwood-regional-park-has-a-new-name/

https://www.savetheredwoods.org/blog/a-native-history-of-the-east-bay-redwoods/

 

Native Birds of the Bay Area

https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/1262

https://sfbaywildlife.info/species/common_birds.htm

https://savesfbay.org/birds-of-the-bay/

 

Stream vs Creek

https://www.camp-california.com/river-stream-creek-or-brook/

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/rivers-streams-and-creeks

https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/what-s-the-difference-river-vs-stream/

 

Walking Poles

https://hikingguy.com/how-to-hike/do-i-need-trekking-poles/

https://www.macsadventure.com/us/blog/the-benefits-of-walking-poles/

https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/trekking-poles-research/

 

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Don’t adjust your audio

I’m going for a hike

Just taking a stroll

You won’t hear any traffic sounds

In Redwood Regional Park in Oakland

A conversation with a bird about episode length

We used to do more On Location stuff, so I’m excited to do another

Making the show for the Stupor Listeners and potential Stupor Listeners

 

PLUGS

Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

 

SPONSORS

Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Acorns; Quince; Mint Mobile

 

INTRO

Oh, hi here, bird

Meandering on a meandering path

This is a bit different, even for SWM

We’re taking our first trail change

Getting on the French Trail

A nice downhill walk right now

One tree with moss and one with faded blue spraypaint on it

Letting you be seen in an indirect way

Someone listening right now does know how you feel

They’re sending you nice, welcoming vibes

Holding a welcoming space for a new listener

sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou

You might hear some rocks crinkle and a breeze in a tree

A not that interesting travelogue

This podcast is here to keep you company while you fall asleep

A variety of styles of episodes

Your Borefriend, Etc

I’m getting mixed up because I have to pay attention where I’m talking

Running through the show structure

The Wind Down Routine

Easing you into bedtime

We really want you to help us fall asleep

I love being here making this for you

A little warning

Water trickling sounds

If it’s not for you, there will be something totally different next time

There will be a bonus version of this only on SWM+ with an extended hike

 

STORY

Redwood Regional Park, on the French Trail

French Trail, Stream Trail, and…one other trail

A loop that’s around 5 mile

I inconsistently jog this loop

A fair amount of elevation ups and downs

I’m doing it in “reverse” so I’ll hopefully be a little more observant

To my left is a grove of redwoods

Around 2pm in the winter

It hasn’t rained for a couple weeks

Did you hear that tree creak??

I’m not sure when you’ll hear this

Recorded in binaural audio

One hike can cover so many different environments

Soon we’ll actually get out of these redwoods

A non-redwood tree with moss and a mushroom-like growth

There’s just enough trail changes that I’ll have to consult my map

I wouldn’t get lost, it would just mess with timing

Some older trees in the midst of the circle of life

Maybe one day I could wear smart glasses that could give you actual facts about the things I’m seeing

Keep me apprised 

I’m lichen that moss, hehehe

Interviewing a stream

I’m not sure, that might’ve been a creek

Another water source on my left

Now we’re gaining elevation

You might expect to see Ewoks here

The backside of the water

Maybe I’ll talk less in this episode

Oh wow, that sound is really nice

One flow on the left, two or three flows on the right

It looks like a really relaxing photo

I see a pool

Not sure if it’s a vernal pool, but it’s nice

A V where two smaller creeks meet

Oh wait, which trail are we on now?

We’re literally just 20 minutes away from downtown Oakland

It feels like we could be 300 miles away

I use Creek as a Term of Endearment

I’m not streaming this streams, hehe

An intersection of 3 different canyons

You’re so main-stream, man

Not a lot of bird action, but I do hear a plane

I’m touching a redwood right now

I’m talking the least amount I can for a sleep podcast, tbh

I would need an 8 hour loop of this stream walking to make it work

These streams all agree with one another

Can I make a stream podcast?

A sleep podcast for a stream

I also hear some trickling somewhere

We’re lucky there’s enough water that everything’s flowing but the mud is dry

But it would be cool to watch you flower faster, Stream, of course

I’m Pro Stream Sleep Podcast, of course

Do streams sleep?

I guess I’ll just walk back down

Let’s change the plan so I can spend more time with you, Stream

A Sleep Podcast for Streams

Would you enjoy a butterfly named Bernie?

I’m normally not comfortable with roasts

Would you enjoy Bernie roasting me?

A lot of quality moss on this trail

I’m looking uphill to my left

Redwood after redwood after redwood

Working my way back to you, Stream

A bird is weighing in now

I’m the only person who goes out into nature to get distracted by nature to talk about something else

Can I ever know what it’s like to be a stream?

What did you start as, Stream?

What if I just compliment you?

I could comfort you endlessly, Stream

I’m thirsting like I haven’t in a long time

Great tweeting, birds

Or lovely, whatever it is you do

Is it pandering if I’m telling the truth?

It’ll literally all be downhill from here

I did another podcast with a bird, but uh…

Oh, it immediately went away 

Wow, I’m surrounded by water on all sides

I feel so relaxed right now

Listen to that flow

Who are you calling a tributary?

You remind me of where I played with action figures as a child

Oh, we’re still on French Trail

The most melodious quarter of the trail

Did you hear that squinching of the mud

The Accidental Foley Artist

What would you title a Stream podcast?

Creek-y Dulcet Tones, surely

Making the CDT for creeks, only, was a mistake

Woods vs Forest

There’s more sunlight in the woods right here

More quality bird sounds

The first loamy whiff of fallen trees, eucalyptus, and wet earth

It took long enough for my nose to warm up

I’m lucky to be here with all of you

I’m successful in other ways

No thanks to talking to you, crow

We’ll never be like those famous cartoon birds Heckle and Jeckle

An unexpected discovery of water

A peaceful stillness underneath

You probably hear my walking poles too

They keep me upright and keep my phone out of my hand, which is nice

Out of the woods and in more of a brush now

The trails 3 miles away feel so different from this

I hope you enjoyed this trek we took

Some little birds are here saying hi

The wind is picking up behind me

It almost sounds like a white noise machine

A plane flying overhead at a high distance

My personal theory of nostalgia

Or maybe it’s not nostalgia but just memory?

Thanks for listening

 

SUMMARY:

Episode: 1346

Title: Redwood Stream Hike | On Location

Plugs: Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline

Sponsors: Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Acorns; Quince; Mint Mobile

Notable Language:

• The Wind Down Routine
• Non-Redwood Tree
• Mushroom-Like Growth
• I’m lichen that moss
• Vernal Pool
• A Sleep Podcast for Streams
• Who are you calling a tributary?
• The Accidental Foley Artist
• Creek-y Dulcet Tones

 

Notable Culture:

• • Redwood Regional Park
  • Oakland
  • sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
  • Ewoks

• Star Wars

• • Andy Kauffman

• Game of Thrones

• That’s So Raven

• Heckle and Jeckle

 

Notable Talking Points:

• Oh, hi here, bird
• Meandering on a meandering path
• This is a bit different, even for SWM
• We’re taking our first trail change
• Getting on the French Trail
• A nice downhill walk right now
• One tree with moss and one with faded blue spraypaint on it
• Letting you be seen in an indirect way
• Someone listening right now does know how you feel
• They’re sending you nice, welcoming vibes
• Holding a welcoming space for a new listener
• sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
• You might hear some rocks crinkle and a breeze in a tree
• A not that interesting travelogue
• This podcast is here to keep you company while you fall asleep
• A variety of styles of episodes
• Your Borefriend, Etc
• I’m getting mixed up because I have to pay attention where I’m talking
• Running through the show structure
• The Wind Down Routine
• Easing you into bedtime
• We really want you to help us fall asleep
• I love being here making this for you
• A little warning
• Water trickling sounds
• If it’s not for you, there will be something totally different next time
• There will be a bonus version of this only on SWM+ with an extended hike
• Redwood Regional Park, on the French Trail
• French Trail, Stream Trail, and…one other trail
• A loop that’s around 5 mile
• I inconsistently jog this loop
• A fair amount of elevation ups and downs
• I’m doing it in “reverse” so I’ll hopefully be a little more observant
• To my left is a grove of redwoods
• Around 2pm in the winter
• It hasn’t rained for a couple weeks
• Did you hear that tree creak??
• I’m not sure when you’ll hear this
• Recorded in binaural audio
• One hike can cover so many different environments
• Soon we’ll actually get out of these redwoods
• A non-redwood tree with moss and a mushroom-like growth
• There’s just enough trail changes that I’ll have to consult my map
• I wouldn’t get lost, it would just mess with timing
• Some older trees in the midst of the circle of life
• Maybe one day I could wear smart glasses that could give you actual facts about the things I’m seeing
• Keep me apprised 
• I’m lichen that moss, hehehe
• Interviewing a stream
• I’m not sure, that might’ve been a creek
• Another water source on my left
• Now we’re gaining elevation
• You might expect to see Ewoks here
• The backside of the water
• Maybe I’ll talk less in this episode
• Oh wow, that sound is really nice
• One flow on the left, two or three flows on the right
• It looks like a really relaxing photo
• I see a pool
• Not sure if it’s a vernal pool, but it’s nice
• A V where two smaller creeks meet
• Oh wait, which trail are we on now?
• We’re literally just 20 minutes away from downtown Oakland
• It feels like we could be 300 miles away
• I use Creek as a Term of Endearment
• I’m not streaming this streams, hehe
• An intersection of 3 different canyons
• You’re so main-stream, man
• Not a lot of bird action, but I do hear a plane
• I’m touching a redwood right now
• I’m talking the least amount I can for a sleep podcast, tbh
• I would need an 8 hour loop of this stream walking to make it work
• These streams all agree with one another
• Can I make a stream podcast?
• A sleep podcast for a stream
• I also hear some trickling somewhere
• We’re lucky there’s enough water that everything’s flowing but the mud is dry
• But it would be cool to watch you flower faster, Stream, of course
• I’m Pro Stream Sleep Podcast, of course
• Do streams sleep?
• I guess I’ll just walk back down
• Let’s change the plan so I can spend more time with you, Stream
• A Sleep Podcast for Streams
• Would you enjoy a butterfly named Bernie?
• I’m normally not comfortable with roasts
• Would you enjoy Bernie roasting me?
• A lot of quality moss on this trail
• I’m looking uphill to my left
• Redwood after redwood after redwood
• Working my way back to you, Stream
• A bird is weighing in now
• I’m the only person who goes out into nature to get distracted by nature to talk about something else
• Can I ever know what it’s like to be a stream?
• What did you start as, Stream?
• What if I just compliment you?
• I could comfort you endlessly, Stream
• I’m thirsting like I haven’t in a long time
• Great tweeting, birds
• Or lovely, whatever it is you do
• Is it pandering if I’m telling the truth?
• It’ll literally all be downhill from here
• I did another podcast with a bird, but uh…
• Oh, it immediately went away 
• Wow, I’m surrounded by water on all sides
• I feel so relaxed right now
• Listen to that flow
• Who are you calling a tributary?
• You remind me of where I played with action figures as a child
• Oh, we’re still on French Trail
• The most melodious quarter of the trail
• Did you hear that squinching of the mud
• The Accidental Foley Artist
• What would you title a Stream podcast?
• Creek-y Dulcet Tones, surely
• Making the CDT for creeks, only, was a mistake
• Woods vs Forest
• There’s more sunlight in the woods right here
• More quality bird sounds
• The first loamy whiff of fallen trees, eucalyptus, and wet earth
• It took long enough for my nose to warm up
• I’m lucky to be here with all of you
• I’m successful in other ways
• No thanks to talking to you, crow
• We’ll never be like those famous cartoon birds Heckle and Jeckle
• An unexpected discovery of water
• A peaceful stillness underneath
• You probably hear my walking poles too
• They keep me upright and keep my phone out of my hand, which is nice
• Out of the woods and in more of a brush now
• The trails 3 miles away feel so different from this
• I hope you enjoyed this trek we took
• Some little birds are here saying hi
• The wind is picking up behind me
• It almost sounds like a white noise machine
• A plane flying overhead at a high distance
• My personal theory of nostalgia
• Or maybe it’s not nostalgia but just memory?
• Thanks for listening