Episode 202 – Making an Impact On and Off the Slopes with Lynsey Dyer

Lynsey Dyer is a freestyle skier, artist, filmmaker, entrepreneur, activist, podcaster, and a new mom. Lynsey is the founder of the movie production and apparel company Unicorn Picnic and co-founder of SheJumps.org

In this episode, Lynsey shares how her cousin (A.J. Cargill) was a big influence in helping her make the move to Jackson from Sun Valley, ID. She talks about her early days of living in the Hole, working at D.O.G., and getting her start with Teton Gravity Research. Stephan and Lynsey chat about some of the impactful organizations she has helped create and her latest project that involves local wildlife. They then discuss sponsorships, parenthood, the changing pro athlete industry, and what is in store next for Lynsey. 

Follow Lynsey on Instagram at @lynseydyer

Listen to Lynsey’s podcast ShowingUp at LynseyDyer.com/podcast

Learn more about Unicorn Picnic at UnicornPicnic.com

Learn more about SheJumps at SheJumps.org

This week’s episode is sponsored in part by Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling, announcing the new commercial Curb to Compost Program for restaurants and other commercial food waste generators. More at TetonCountyWY.gov or at @RoadToZeroWaste.JH on Instagram

Support also comes from The Jackson Hole Wine Club. Curating quality wine selections delivered to you each month. Enjoy delicious wines at amazing prices. More at JacksonHoleWineClub.com

Want to be a guest on The Jackson Hole Connection? Email us at connect@thejacksonholeconnection.com. Marketing and editing support by Michael Moeri (michaelmoeri.com,@thatsamoeri)

Transcript
Stephan Abrams:

You are tuned into the Jackson hole, connection, sharing, fascinating stories of people connected to Jackson hole.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm grateful for each of you tuning in today and support for this podcast come from.

Stephan Abrams:

Everyone.

Stephan Abrams:

I really enjoy reading and learning from others, which guides me to share a little quote with you before we begin.

Stephan Abrams:

Today's episode today's quote is when it comes to human dignity, we cannot make compromises.

Stephan Abrams:

And that comes from Angela Merkel.

Stephan Abrams:

And today on episode number 202, I have the pleasure.

Stephan Abrams:

To interview Lynsey Dyer.

Stephan Abrams:

Lynseys a professional in so many areas of life, she's in extreme skiing or freestyle skiing, as some call it.

Stephan Abrams:

Now she is a Strong advocate in women's sports.

Stephan Abrams:

She knows how to survive, unlimited resources, being an outdoor enthusiast and skier and finds ways to create opportunities.

Stephan Abrams:

She is a dedicated athlete who has demonstrated women such as herself and other women that she speaks about are just as brave and talented as men are.

Stephan Abrams:

And especially in the world of free ski.

Stephan Abrams:

Lindsay shares with us, the battles she has faced to be treated with fairness.

Stephan Abrams:

And why gear companies never treated women the same as a consumer group.

Stephan Abrams:

And what caused those gear companies to make changes.

Stephan Abrams:

So.

Stephan Abrams:

You'll learn a lot.

Stephan Abrams:

Listening to Lindsay today.

Stephan Abrams:

She has some phenomenal insights and some very strong passions about where she is in life and where life is going and what she's gonna do next.

Stephan Abrams:

Lynsey.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you for joining me here today at the Jackson hole connection.

Stephan Abrams:

It's great.

Stephan Abrams:

for you to take some time outta your busy schedule, being a new mom mm-hmm and business person.

Stephan Abrams:

So I appreciate your time.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

Thanks

Stephan Abrams:

for having me, Lindsay, let's start off by you sharing your story of where you grew up and, how you became a resident of this valley of Jackson.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah, that's saying a lot these days, isn't it?

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

It's like winning the Olympics.

Lynsey Dyer:

yeah, so I grew up in Sun Valley, Idaho as a young ski racer.

Lynsey Dyer:

I was traveling to Jackson all the time, literally all the time.

Lynsey Dyer:

So it was kind of a second home.

Lynsey Dyer:

And the thing I always noticed was that the powder was always in Jackson hole and, Some of my best ski races were here.

Lynsey Dyer:

Some of my best memories of hooliganism as a, as little kids, like making, just getting into trouble.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and then also being kidnapped by my cousin who her name is AJ Cargill.

Lynsey Dyer:

And she's a long time resident as well.

Lynsey Dyer:

You should definitely get some of her stories on here.

Lynsey Dyer:

She's always just kind of in my hero.

Lynsey Dyer:

She's kind of that the big sister in my life, and she made it here in Jackson, first as a bartender and a skier and live in the dream.

Lynsey Dyer:

one of the first competitors on the, extreme skiing tour, she won the tour.

Lynsey Dyer:

She was a first, female to win the, the, Alaska extreme world extremes.

Lynsey Dyer:

And.

Lynsey Dyer:

Then went on to be the first woman to, ski the grand in Telemark skis.

Lynsey Dyer:

And she just has so many of these first accomplishments.

Lynsey Dyer:

She was one of the first to sort of expand the world of, of free skiing.

Lynsey Dyer:

And I.

Lynsey Dyer:

She, she, like I said, she kidnapped me for my races and, and had me go jump off things in the back country.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and if she said I could do it, then I could.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and from then on, it was, uh, she was a huge influence in my life.

Lynsey Dyer:

And she all the way, as I was ski racing, she was always trying to get me to come to these extreme skiing competitions.

Lynsey Dyer:

And I was always kind of blowing them off.

Lynsey Dyer:

And finally, I, I, I saw what a special community it was and open and welcoming.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, then I kind of turned everything toward that eventually and, ended up winning the tour.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and that was all because of my cousin and I was living on her couch here in Jackson.

Lynsey Dyer:

And my first job was at the do G down on Glen and slinging coffee and burritos and, meeting the, the people that really.

Lynsey Dyer:

With and make, make a life here from all the ski, patrollers and photographers and, carpenters, that really make this town what it is.

Lynsey Dyer:

And I fell in love with it.

Lynsey Dyer:

I mean, it, it, it was special from the very first time anyone who shows up here, right?

Lynsey Dyer:

Like those Tetons never get old.

Lynsey Dyer:

They are magical.

Lynsey Dyer:

So everyone wants to live here.

Lynsey Dyer:

. Stephan Abrams: A lot of people wanna live here in Jackson, for sure.

Lynsey Dyer:

Mm-hmm I guess like the, the thing that really made me stay though, was if finally getting an opportunity to ski with Teton gravity research, and then finding a way to, like I said, just live on my cousin's couch, and make it, make it a life.

Stephan Abrams:

Good for you con congratulations.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm I'm very curious about, getting off on a little side.

Stephan Abrams:

road here, you worked at DOJ do do OG down on Glen.

Stephan Abrams:

you know what I'm talking about?

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

Oh yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

So, you know, it's predecessor was cafe 2 45.

Stephan Abrams:

Ah, and I think it was Becca who re brought that back to life after John Hall had closed cafe 2 45.

Stephan Abrams:

And I think he even came back a little bit.

Stephan Abrams:

Did you work for, be.

Stephan Abrams:

One, I think she was the first person that no, a couple

Lynsey Dyer:

of guys, other ski bumps.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, when, when I was there, I guess like 2005 or six, seven, something like that.

Lynsey Dyer:

Mm-hmm

Stephan Abrams:

mm-hmm so when I moved here, there was this place called cafe 2 45.

Stephan Abrams:

It was at Pearl street, 2 45 Pearl street, right across the street from the post office where, um, Momo shack is.

Stephan Abrams:

Oh, okay.

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm and that's where that breakfast burrito started.

Stephan Abrams:

And if you ate one, great.

Stephan Abrams:

If you got two, I think you got your pitcher on the wall.

Stephan Abrams:

so it's cool that you worked over there at do OG that's awesome.

Stephan Abrams:

And so you went from ski racing into, would you say extreme skiing?

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah, that's kind of the most general term, that people somewhat understand.

Lynsey Dyer:

Mm-hmm we also call it free speeding now.

Lynsey Dyer:

but essentially it's, it's making your way down a mountain in, in the natural environment.

Lynsey Dyer:

and in terms of competition, you're judged on seven different criteria versus ski racing where it's only whoever is the fastest.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so for a creative like myself, it was a much better fit.

Lynsey Dyer:

I could actually take my own line down the mountain and really.

Lynsey Dyer:

make it my own.

Lynsey Dyer:

Good for you.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

And what's the biggest drop that you have landed?

Lynsey Dyer:

there's a couple, in the Jackson hole back country scheme for TGR, the, you know, right out, out of bounds, there's the, what's it called?

Lynsey Dyer:

I have mom brain right now.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, forgive me, it's the, we call it the cave air cardiac cave.

Lynsey Dyer:

up until I hit that there had been no females that had done it.

Lynsey Dyer:

It's a double drop, probably 60 footer over this giant cave.

Lynsey Dyer:

and that was pretty fun to stomp on at that time.

Lynsey Dyer:

I was really asking for.

Lynsey Dyer:

legitimate skis for as a female.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, I had a ski sponsor and the only skis that, that were in my size were these flimsy female park skis, just really low quality.

Lynsey Dyer:

And As much as I, I asked, was ignored and, and told that for in general, women didn't wanna charge as skiers and they were on the mountain for the fashion contest and for lunch these are a bunch of French, you know, companies where a lot of the ski brands started and, And so I figured I would just charge harder to show that we did exist.

Lynsey Dyer:

Women did wanna be out there charging just as hard as the guys and, that we needed the right kind of equipment.

Lynsey Dyer:

so I had to train like even harder to, just be perfectly centered on these slim zoo park skis that I was given.

Lynsey Dyer:

and same thing.

Lynsey Dyer:

then I went to hit the next year.

Lynsey Dyer:

people call it fat bastard in the Jackson hole back country.

Lynsey Dyer:

That was probably a 70 footer.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, again, I was asking for hard charging skis that could actually handle, An impact like that and ended up having to rent men's skis from the rental shop that morning to, to try to have something that that could handle it.

Lynsey Dyer:

yeah, so it's kind of been my mission to, to show that there are lots of women that, that want to really get out there in a, in a big mountain way.

Lynsey Dyer:

And ever since then, it's, things have really shifted, which is

Stephan Abrams:

really.

Stephan Abrams:

And it's you, you're saying it's now shifted to where some of these ski manufacturers are making appropriate skis for women who are yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

As at the level of skiing that you are.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and there's lots of us, they're finally recognizing that 40% of all skiers are female and that women make up, 80% of the household.

Lynsey Dyer:

Decisions in terms of, of spending and that, were not dumb , you know, it used to be, women just, just shrink it and pink.

Lynsey Dyer:

It was, was the term, that women didn't really need, hard charging skis because they weren't getting after it in the same way.

Lynsey Dyer:

And they, they were all intermediate, which is, their finally understanding is absolutely not true.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so, yeah, Now female skis are just at the same level, that guys are, and, and even statistically they're finding that women want the highest quality, maybe just a different graphic.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, that's, that's certainly is ski for Fisher now, and that is, that's what we do.

Lynsey Dyer:

we've made gender lists just a different, uh, different color.

Stephan Abrams:

Good for you guys, way to

Lynsey Dyer:

go.

Lynsey Dyer:

And also guys deserve pink, you know?

Lynsey Dyer:

So, they're a lot that this pink ski that we made, it's just a beautiful ski.

Lynsey Dyer:

All the guys wanna be on it as well.

Lynsey Dyer:

So it's pretty fun.

Stephan Abrams:

my I'm kind of a tight wa and.

Stephan Abrams:

My first and only back country, SC set of skis

Lynsey Dyer:

were, you're not a tight one.

Lynsey Dyer:

You're a dad.

Lynsey Dyer:

So everything goes to your kids.

Stephan Abrams:

yeah, well, it was before kids.

Stephan Abrams:

I bought a back country ski setup and they're on Jills.

Stephan Abrams:

they were over at Teton mountain airing and, they were still in the rapper not drilled.

Stephan Abrams:

And I was like, that's the height I need.

Stephan Abrams:

I'll ski on those.

Stephan Abrams:

I

Lynsey Dyer:

love it.

Lynsey Dyer:

I love that story.

Lynsey Dyer:

We need more stories like that.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah, totally.

Lynsey Dyer:

Mm-hmm

Stephan Abrams:

now Lindsay.

Stephan Abrams:

You have also gotten into being an entrepreneur.

Stephan Abrams:

you've started a nonprofit as well, and you have a podcast and you ver you have a passion for creating wildlife corridors.

Stephan Abrams:

Now you're a mom.

Stephan Abrams:

So your life just got, that's amplified.

Stephan Abrams:

You're a mom as far as being busy there.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

I I'd love for you to share with, with folks, what you're doing with your nonprofit organization and, and give us the name of it and, and how this came about for making an impact that you're doing.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

So.

Lynsey Dyer:

Around.

Lynsey Dyer:

I was about 21, my best friend, Vanessa and I were on this magical road trip up to Canada.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, we were on our way to go, try to learn back flips, on the glacier up there.

Lynsey Dyer:

And Vanessa was, she had been the collegiate captain of her soccer team.

Lynsey Dyer:

She was one of the best soccer players in the country.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, I was always.

Lynsey Dyer:

less than great soccer player, but loved it.

Lynsey Dyer:

loved the camaraderie, loved the sisterhood.

Lynsey Dyer:

And we were just talking about how, how we missed that team atmosphere that, that camaraderie between women, and, and how competitive, Skiing is obviously an individual sport in, in terms of competition and certainly at the pro level.

Lynsey Dyer:

it it's always been there's room for one girl, right?

Lynsey Dyer:

One girl in the movie or one girl on the, on the team.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so it, it sets up a highly competitive.

Lynsey Dyer:

kind of ruthless environment in some, in some ways.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and we were looking to break that down and to make women feel more welcome on, on the mountains as they are versus, you know, the, the way media shares.

Lynsey Dyer:

Imagery of women.

Lynsey Dyer:

It's either a sex symbol ski bunny at the bottom, or you've gotta compete directly with men and kind of be a man.

Lynsey Dyer:

Right.

Lynsey Dyer:

And that was the path that I kind of chose was in order to build respect.

Lynsey Dyer:

I needed to compete directly with the guys.

Lynsey Dyer:

And luckily that's that's, I think that's really changing now, at the time though.

Lynsey Dyer:

We really wanted to grow our sport and to create that comradery in a safe place to play in the mountains versus having to be competitive and, uh, and create sisterhood and, and make it a more welcoming, inclusive environment.

Lynsey Dyer:

So that was, the, the mission, the goal when we first started it and now it has expanded to be, certainly NA national and international.

Lynsey Dyer:

And we've so many programs for girls ages six to 18, that expand far beyond skiing.

Lynsey Dyer:

And our mission is still to be inclusive.

Lynsey Dyer:

and a lot of programming now to.

Lynsey Dyer:

Women of color out and lots of scholarships and, and programming.

Lynsey Dyer:

I would say our most popular program that, that just sells out instantly is, this is such a great story cause it's, it was really created by one of, one of the little girls that was coming up through the program.

Lynsey Dyer:

is junior ski patrol.

Lynsey Dyer:

she was looking at a female ski patroller and wanted to learn from a female, because she was thinking maybe that's what she would be when she grew up.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so we have this program that's all over the country, where girls are broken up into, different age groups and then brought through different.

Lynsey Dyer:

Sort of workshop environments all led by female ski instructors, everything from, rescue situations and, and driving the toboggan with, with other six year olds in them to, CPR training and how to, how to splint something to, learning how to use.

Lynsey Dyer:

our beacons and the I'd say that the most popular part is there's always like the dog training, right?

Lynsey Dyer:

The, the rescue dogs.

Lynsey Dyer:

So girls really love that.

Lynsey Dyer:

And we find that the, the men will often dress up in unicorn costumes and ski around the mountain offering hot chocolate.

Lynsey Dyer:

So it's a really fun way for girls to get exposed to the mountain and play and.

Lynsey Dyer:

Exposed to female mentors, but yeah, the programming expands to now fly fishing and bike camps.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, it's really, it's really come a long way.

Lynsey Dyer:

I have, kind of focused more on wildlife right now and to make room for more diversity on our board.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, it's kind of taken off that way now, which is really cool to see.

Stephan Abrams:

So you've moved off of the board after starting the organiz.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah, we, we have term limits.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so, yeah, so it is, gotta make space for, to see where it's growing into.

Lynsey Dyer:

It's kind of like my baby's kind of growing into her own and it's time to set her free yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

You had the vision, you helped build it and create it.

Stephan Abrams:

And

Lynsey Dyer:

it definitely feels like a first born for sure.

Stephan Abrams:

I bet.

Stephan Abrams:

I bet.

Stephan Abrams:

So

Lynsey Dyer:

yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, so it's great to see that, she really is on her own two feet now and, and doing good things in the world.

Stephan Abrams:

And I do want to learn more.

Stephan Abrams:

Creating wildlife corridors.

Stephan Abrams:

How that's your new passion?

Stephan Abrams:

But

Lynsey Dyer:

before we get to, it's not necessarily new.

Lynsey Dyer:

It's, it's just one of those that, I think we all kind of, oh no, no.

Lynsey Dyer:

Sorry.

Lynsey Dyer:

It's just.

Lynsey Dyer:

There's those things that we're called to early, maybe in life and, and we're either told, or we tell ourselves that, oh, I could never do that.

Lynsey Dyer:

that's too big.

Lynsey Dyer:

Like I could never, I could never have an impact in that way.

Lynsey Dyer:

So for, for really, it's, it's kind of coming back to this, this big audacious challenge that, I didn't think that I had, I, I, I could, I had the power to change at third grade when, when, um, I really felt this first calling.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm curious to know during your path of you being a professional athlete in, in sports in general, but certainly a sport where women were not provided the recognition and the respect, especially having the same, tools to use the same gear.

Stephan Abrams:

How did that make you feel running into those barriers?

Stephan Abrams:

And then how did it make you feel that once when somebody finally listened to you and, and they said, yes, you're right.

Stephan Abrams:

And we're gonna support you.

Stephan Abrams:

To get you and other women, the stuff that you need,

Lynsey Dyer:

what's funny is it just happened this year.

Lynsey Dyer:

I've been a professional for like 15 years.

Lynsey Dyer:

And this last winter was the first time that, and it wasn't that someone was saying, we're gonna listen to you.

Lynsey Dyer:

It was someone saying, we've actually looked at the data of what the majority of.

Lynsey Dyer:

women at the highest level, what they're on.

Lynsey Dyer:

So they were just finally looking at the statistics.

Lynsey Dyer:

it wasn't, it wasn't listening to me.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, so it just kind of is just coming to be, how did it make me feel?

Lynsey Dyer:

I mean, I think there's always been.

Lynsey Dyer:

another kind of turning point this year has been the first since having this baby is the first time in my life where I felt like, oh, maybe women are a superior species.

Lynsey Dyer:

Otherwise I think we're sort of conditioned to believe from a young age that you're at a disadvantage in every way as a woman, in, in this world that we exist in.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, there's an element of, I guess, The other thing as a young girl, you, you learn very quickly that your value, has to do with how you look, again, in a patriarchal society.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so it's something you're born with, or you're not.

Lynsey Dyer:

otherwise, if you are not the equivalent of beauty, you, you can feel like you don't exist invisible.

Lynsey Dyer:

And I think skiing allowed me to, Because you're all covered up.

Lynsey Dyer:

It was the one place that I could be judged the same as, as a guy and often be, Mistaken for, for a guy.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, if you talk to women that is like skiers, especially that is such a, an honor to, to be mistaken as a skier for, for that.

Lynsey Dyer:

And there's a sense of power that comes along with that, that I felt at, at a young age, that was, it was powerful.

Lynsey Dyer:

and so it gave me a place to, to feel like I belonged and, could.

Lynsey Dyer:

On the uneven playing field.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, so it just made sense to keep following it.

Lynsey Dyer:

Does that make any sense?

Stephan Abrams:

it, it does.

Stephan Abrams:

It makes a lot of sense.

Stephan Abrams:

And, and I'm still trying to get over the, what you said that it took 15 years of you being a pro skier and it wasn't your voice.

Stephan Abrams:

That changes.

Stephan Abrams:

It was data.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

And.

Stephan Abrams:

How just how sad that is

Lynsey Dyer:

that, uh, well, if you let yourself get caught up in that you, you don't get anywhere.

Lynsey Dyer:

Right.

Lynsey Dyer:

So I guess, yeah, very true.

Lynsey Dyer:

So I just never let myself even go there because it's such an energy.

Lynsey Dyer:

Suck that I wouldn't get anywhere.

Lynsey Dyer:

there's so many sad things, you know, from heavy bullying, being from boys that were threatened at a young age, in, in elementary school or not elementary, elementary is great.

Lynsey Dyer:

Like you said, that's when we know everything, we're the most confident in middle school, all the way through college, to, to dealing with like hate on the internet now, like.

Lynsey Dyer:

I think that if you, if you let yourself go there, it will take you down.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so, I think that's a practiced skill of where you're gonna put your energy.

Stephan Abrams:

well said.

Stephan Abrams:

Let's see,

Lynsey Dyer:

well said otherwise you would just cry yourself into a

Stephan Abrams:

hole.

Stephan Abrams:

yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

and you know, where you put your energy is so important and you've done it on so many platforms.

Stephan Abrams:

Here.

Stephan Abrams:

And, I've interviewed somebody previously here in for Wyoming who they've been working on wildlife corridors.

Stephan Abrams:

Ooh.

Stephan Abrams:

Who is it as well?

Stephan Abrams:

well, you'll have to connect us as awesome.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah, you're one it's through the, Jackson hole, wildlife Federation or conservation.

Stephan Abrams:

And it's one of 200 interviews.

Stephan Abrams:

I mean, you're, you're at like 2 0 3, 2 0 4 here.

Stephan Abrams:

it's, it's tough to keep, keep it all together.

Stephan Abrams:

My apologies, not to say that anyone is more important of who I've interviewed, but I will certainly connect you.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm sure we know each other.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm I bet you guys have met for sure.

Stephan Abrams:

are you doing work locally, regionally, nationally, internationally in, in that.

Lynsey Dyer:

Right now I'm, I'm mostly trying to educate myself on what is it gonna take?

Lynsey Dyer:

cuz it's such a foreign, you know, it's a, it's a pipe dream, right?

Lynsey Dyer:

Just like the way making a movie was, where, just sort of learning how, how it works all the players, because it is so complicated.

Lynsey Dyer:

You have to figure out how the states work and how the roadways work and all the groups that go along with that in.

Lynsey Dyer:

The way, the way they, facilitate where, how money is spent and why , and then public opinion.

Lynsey Dyer:

So really it's, it's been a lot of trying to learn the past several years, essentially.

Lynsey Dyer:

I, in driving the past all the time to get to the ski mountain.

Lynsey Dyer:

I've encountered so many wildlife that have lost their lives.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, at one time there was a mama moose who I watched die over three days because the fishing game couldn't find her to put her out of her misery.

Lynsey Dyer:

and her baby was there and there was nothing that I could do and I watched her die slowly.

Lynsey Dyer:

And then I watched her baby, get hit on the road as well.

Lynsey Dyer:

And I just made this promise that I, I would, I would figure out a way to do something about this.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so it's been, um, a long process, like I said, of like, alright, I can't just jump in.

Lynsey Dyer:

Think that I know anything about how this works.

Lynsey Dyer:

I've just been really trying to meet the people who, who do know and, um, and figure out how I can best be of service with the skillset that I have, not being a lawyer, not being a, you know, working D O T and roadways.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, you'll, you'll see some big pushes coming out soon, but, right now I'm still just, just being a humble.

Lynsey Dyer:

Learner

Stephan Abrams:

well, thank you for learning to make a, such an important impact in the wildlife.

Stephan Abrams:

And

Lynsey Dyer:

yeah, it's just crazy that people come here to see these special creatures and, they're lying dead on the side of the road on the way to these magical places.

Lynsey Dyer:

And no one seems to notice or they do, but no one says anything.

Lynsey Dyer:

So it's like in.

Stephan Abrams:

Well, we can certainly say until we have more wildlife corridors, few things drive the speed limit because there are animals on the road and put the phone down

Lynsey Dyer:

well, yeah, the thing is that, there are studies that will, will that have proved that, speed limits don't change how people drive.

Lynsey Dyer:

It's really.

Lynsey Dyer:

This is, this is kind of some fascinating, statistics.

Lynsey Dyer:

It's, it's really the engineering of the road.

Lynsey Dyer:

Hmm.

Lynsey Dyer:

people will go the speed that the road sort of dictates.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and so, That is an issue.

Lynsey Dyer:

and just, but the truth is that, we just don't see them, certainly late at night, they're dark creatures and, and our roads are virtually impossible right now because our community has, has grown by like 25% in the last two years, even.

Lynsey Dyer:

These creatures that are trying to get to water or to mating grounds, literally like can't cross the road.

Lynsey Dyer:

And when they do they're, they're not making it because there are cars on them all the time.

Lynsey Dyer:

So it's not necessarily speed limits.

Lynsey Dyer:

All we know for sure is that overpasses and underpasses work a hundred percent and it's just a matter of implementing them, in, over, over the roads and making it a priority.

Lynsey Dyer:

It's it's one of those things.

Lynsey Dyer:

That's an easy fix.

Lynsey Dyer:

We just have to do it.

Stephan Abrams:

A lot of things can be just an easy fix.

Stephan Abrams:

It's.

Lynsey Dyer:

Finding well, yeah, exactly.

Lynsey Dyer:

Like, global warming is, is, is this massive like, feeling like an, an overwhelming problem that doesn't have a, a solution per se and this one has a solution.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, yeah, it's nice to try to focus on things that we feel like actually can be made

Stephan Abrams:

better.

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm . Hey, Lindsay, we're gonna take a quick break to get a word from one of our sponsors, and then we're gonna be right back to talk more about you and some of the cool stuff you've been doing.

Stephan Abrams:

Cool.

Stephan Abrams:

Lindsay, welcome back.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm certainly en enjoying this conversation with you and, and learning more about you and your story.

Stephan Abrams:

And, I I'd like.

Stephan Abrams:

For you to share a little bit about, your business, you have unicorn picnic and that's trips and gear, and it, it seems though you don't stop thinking of stuff to keep your time occupied

Lynsey Dyer:

well, I think most of us that live in this valley, as much as it might sound like I live some fancy luxurious life, we always have to be.

Lynsey Dyer:

creating more opportunities to, to find a way to live here.

Lynsey Dyer:

right.

Lynsey Dyer:

And I think, one of the greatest things about living here is getting to share it with, with other people and also, share it in, in a respectful way, on behalf of the land and wildlife.

Lynsey Dyer:

So I love showing people around certainly on the mountain, I'm guiding on the mountain and, and all the special places that make this place so special.

Lynsey Dyer:

and whether it's, it's showing someone a plant that, has medicinal properties, to showing people where the wildlife are.

Lynsey Dyer:

I, I love sharing this, the mountains with people, and I feel like a steward of that and a responsibility to share that responsibly, for certainly for people that are moving here and also visiting, so that we, we all take care of these places that we all.

Stephan Abrams:

Now you just touched on something that, I'm interested to learn more.

Stephan Abrams:

you're an athlete in the, in the world of skiing.

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm and there's so many sports out there where you hear about the, a, the contracts that athletes or earning receiving But.

Stephan Abrams:

You know, adding to that, you just said that you gotta find a way to, you know, different opportunities to be able to live out here.

Stephan Abrams:

Where are skiing?

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah, on the right, right on the spectrum

Lynsey Dyer:

of, we sort of conditioned to, to see baseball players or football players, and think that those are millionaires live in the glorious life.

Lynsey Dyer:

and I, I somewhat love kind of.

Lynsey Dyer:

The assumption that people make that I, that I'm like that in some way, there, there have been spheres that have probably made and snowboarders that, that even that live in our town that have made like real money, like in the millions, that is not so true for, on the ski side, You know, a, a lot of you might see people that call themselves sponsored.

Lynsey Dyer:

but they're just getting a free pair of skis or a jacket here and there.

Lynsey Dyer:

And that's a lot of how our industry works.

Lynsey Dyer:

it is, it is so small.

Lynsey Dyer:

It it's, it seems bigger than it is, but the truth is it's a community and, and people love skiing so much that they will do.

Lynsey Dyer:

Pretty much anything to continue skiing.

Lynsey Dyer:

And that, that is something that I committed myself to recognizing that, it put me in a flow state that I had never just was not like anything else.

Lynsey Dyer:

And it was worth pursuing, with my life energy.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, there's a lot of trade offs that, that you make in order to get the payoff.

Lynsey Dyer:

And in this case, the payoff is the skiing, you know, And so it's different than a football player or a basketball player in that way that have these giant audiences, and.

Lynsey Dyer:

I mean, to be straightforward, I made less than the last year, less than the poverty line in order to continue keeping being the outdoors as a priority.

Lynsey Dyer:

And I still feel incredibly lucky to be, finding ways to, to pay the bills and, get to represent the outdoors, cuz that is what I'm here to do at and figuring it out along the.

Lynsey Dyer:

Often comes as a surprise.

Lynsey Dyer:

Most people think I'm just a spoiled rich white girl.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm I'm breathless.

Stephan Abrams:

I'm I'm speechless here to think that.

Stephan Abrams:

Of what you made last year mm-hmm to be able to enjoy your, your passion for the outdoors.

Stephan Abrams:

And, and would you say, so you said that, you know, some people say that they're sponsored, so they might just be getting the skis or the snowboard.

Stephan Abrams:

Is there a different level called being pro?

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

And that's like a, that's a mixed, it it's always mixed.

Lynsey Dyer:

Right.

Lynsey Dyer:

cuz people that call themselves pro Often are not okay.

Lynsey Dyer:

You know, if you're bragging about it, there's probably a good chance.

Lynsey Dyer:

You're not and at the same time, maybe it, yeah, just the industry has shifted a lot.

Lynsey Dyer:

Right.

Lynsey Dyer:

And especially in the, since the pandemic hit, so many businesses have really suffered, the supply chain has really suffered and, and, and even just the culture has shifted.

Lynsey Dyer:

a lot of brands are tired of seeing white people representing the outdoors and are looking to, you know, it's, it's a bit odd, I think these days, but, You know, I've heard so many times in the last, couple years, you know, we you're, you're really talented, but we're really looking for a, a brown or black person and, in some ways that's great.

Lynsey Dyer:

And other ways to me, that's even more, tokenizing, for, for people of color.

Lynsey Dyer:

and in any case, it is what it is and yeah, sure.

Lynsey Dyer:

Maybe the, the world has seen enough.

Lynsey Dyer:

Smiling blonde blonde girls representing the outdoors.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, it is what it is.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, at the same time, like I said, supply chains have gone down.

Lynsey Dyer:

So there is maybe less need for representation of pro athletes.

Lynsey Dyer:

and, and influencers have kind of, taken over, uh, yeah, in the past couple years I've heard things.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

We're, like I said, we're really looking for, if you were, if you were brown or black, we would love to have you, or, well, you're not quite, you don't, you don't put enough modeling imagery up.

Lynsey Dyer:

cuz you know, as a female, if you, if you kind of sell your sexuality, you, you can get a bigger following and, and you're judged on, your.

Lynsey Dyer:

Your Instagram following . So I've heard that I'm not modelly enough.

Lynsey Dyer:

I've also heard that I'm not hardcore enough.

Lynsey Dyer:

So, you know, you, things are shifting.

Lynsey Dyer:

And like I said, the payout for me is skiing and being outside and I will always find a way to make that happen.

Lynsey Dyer:

So,

Stephan Abrams:

um, and, and you'll get to teach your daughter how to

Lynsey Dyer:

be outside.

Lynsey Dyer:

Totally.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, uh, so like I'm guiding these days.

Lynsey Dyer:

I.

Lynsey Dyer:

yeah, as, as you've called out, like just forced to be creative and I love being creative.

Lynsey Dyer:

So I love that challenge.

Stephan Abrams:

I can see that you're up for any challenge.

Lynsey Dyer:

the thing I'm just lucky to, to know what, what I'm passionate about and I I'm here to represent, the mountains and the, the water, and I'll do that, that.

Lynsey Dyer:

That is an honor and I'll figure out a way to do that.

Lynsey Dyer:

forever

Stephan Abrams:

now being a mom.

Stephan Abrams:

Now that you're a mom, mm-hmm , what's your thoughts of going off a 60 foot jump?

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah, this is something that I have, wrestled with.

Lynsey Dyer:

I was standing at the top of the steepest line I've ever looked down.

Lynsey Dyer:

Two years ago when I was finally like, all right, am I gonna make some space to, to create life on this planet?

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and just really asking myself, like, can, can this be the last, the last time that I put myself in, in such a dangerous situation for my own, seeking of, can I do it?

Lynsey Dyer:

and, it, I didn't, I, I skied the line and I just wanted more, and.

Lynsey Dyer:

So I'm wrestling with that right now, actually, since being pregnant, which was really difficult because I, I couldn't be as active as I'm used to being.

Lynsey Dyer:

That was really challenging.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and.

Lynsey Dyer:

I I'm chomping to get after it even more than I ever was, uh, which is a surprise.

Lynsey Dyer:

I was sort of assuming that I would get over it and want something different.

Lynsey Dyer:

If anything, though, I am more committed, I'm more, focused, more grounded in who I am and what I'm here to do and be, which feels actually really nice.

Lynsey Dyer:

and so.

Lynsey Dyer:

I'm still wrestling with, you know, how much D how much danger is it okay to put myself in now that I, um, something else is more important in my life than my own, curiosity and where I'm at with that is anything I've I've done.

Lynsey Dyer:

Even to this point, I trained and prepared so much for it so much more than people would ever imagine.

Lynsey Dyer:

I wouldn't have stepped up to it.

Lynsey Dyer:

If I wanted, wasn't a hundred percent sure that I was going to deliver and that I was going to, stop the landing.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so, and statistically, even I've researched this, women in general, They won't step up for a big promotion, even UN unless they, they think that they have a hundred percent of the qualifications as where a man will step up for that same, promotion or challenge when he thinks he has 50%.

Lynsey Dyer:

and, and this all goes back to chemicals.

Lynsey Dyer:

I've done a Ted talk on it's so fascinating, around risk taking.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so when I think of the cliffs that are still calling me, I know that I will and I, and I am, I'm studying them and preparing for them and I will be 120% ready, to do that responsibly when the opportunity comes.

Lynsey Dyer:

So that's kind of how I'm looking at it.

Stephan Abrams:

I was not aware of that.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah, it's fascinating about the chemical.

Stephan Abrams:

And you said that you did a Ted talk on risk taking.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

I just did a lot of this research onto finding, you know, skiing with female clients and male clients and seeing over and over how a woman will let you know all of her faults straight out the, out the door.

Lynsey Dyer:

Oh, well, I'm not good at this.

Lynsey Dyer:

And I'm, I'm not good at this.

Lynsey Dyer:

And well, I, I could never go.

Lynsey Dyer:

He skiing and, and her husband.

Lynsey Dyer:

Will tell me about how great he is and how he, he's got this.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and then you'll take them skiing and she will surprise you almost every time.

Lynsey Dyer:

and I saw this over and over and saw it in myself as well, and started just doing the research of what is this about and, and yeah, dumbing it down.

Lynsey Dyer:

it does go back to chemicals.

Lynsey Dyer:

E even as a young girl, young girls are.

Lynsey Dyer:

Congratulated and, and patted on the back, over and over for being good and, and, getting the teacher's approval for sitting quietly in class.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so we learn at a young age that we're really looking for that outside approval and to be perfect.

Lynsey Dyer:

and if we, if we make a mistake, we really take it hard and equally little boys at that same age are getting in trouble over and over and over because they can't sit.

Lynsey Dyer:

Sit in class.

Lynsey Dyer:

Right?

Lynsey Dyer:

And so they are learning at a young age that it's okay to get in trouble and to be imperfect over and over and to, to keep sort of testing boundaries.

Lynsey Dyer:

And essentially that turns into, women turn into people, pleasers and, and men, happen to be bigger risk takers in,

Stephan Abrams:

well, I know for a fact that you are much bigger risk taker than.

Lynsey Dyer:

Well, what I'm trying to do is really fight that, to be honest, I'm still very much a people pleaser and, and recognize it.

Lynsey Dyer:

And I, I, and a perfectionist and all these things.

Lynsey Dyer:

and I'm really trying to be conscious about stepping up to two bigger risks, just knowing this, on a, you know, a men in a mental way.

Lynsey Dyer:

And, and it's really hard.

Lynsey Dyer:

and I guess that if I had a message, it would be, that is just, what is the biggest thing you can think of now, like times it by 20 and imagine what that could be.

Lynsey Dyer:

Cause I think our, our biggest hindrance is.

Lynsey Dyer:

Is not putting a potential goal out there.

Lynsey Dyer:

That's big enough for how capable we truly are.

Lynsey Dyer:

in these bodies, in this lifetime, we're always told about all the risks and all of the, all the things that could go wrong.

Lynsey Dyer:

And so we tend to focus on those and, and set out for small goals.

Lynsey Dyer:

when the mountains have really taught me that.

Lynsey Dyer:

We really are here to, to break limits and we can, once we allow ourselves to imagine that we could mm-hmm so

Stephan Abrams:

yeah, well, Lindsey, I am inspired by who you are and what you're doing, and now being a mom, You will be a, a wonderful, influence to your, to your daughter and any other children that you decide to have in the future.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

We've gotta get kids outside and off of screens.

Lynsey Dyer:

So I'm working on that as well, or, you know, how can screens actually help get kids outside if we, if they're here for good, um, that's something I'm working on as well.

Stephan Abrams:

We, uh, we give our children very limited, very strict and limited amount of screen time.

Stephan Abrams:

So I'm so glad.

Stephan Abrams:

I think that's important.

Stephan Abrams:

They are not on the screen that much.

Stephan Abrams:

They're given two days a week where they're in the summertime.

Stephan Abrams:

We give 'em a little bit more just because it's not so much school, but even then they don't get that much time on screen.

Stephan Abrams:

Good for screen

Lynsey Dyer:

your dad.

Lynsey Dyer:

and it's really important when you hear people, you know, the, the leaders of these big tech industries that don't let their kids have screen time that really shows you

Stephan Abrams:

yeah.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah, that's right.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

as well as the EMF phrase that are coming from all of our phones, that, that influence kids and, and young developing brains more than more than we know.

Lynsey Dyer:

So I'm trying to keep mine away from my little baby too.

Stephan Abrams:

Hey, kids can still play with rocks and sticks.

Stephan Abrams:

And have build a phenomenal

Lynsey Dyer:

imagination.

Lynsey Dyer:

Absolutely.

Lynsey Dyer:

And that's what they're made to do.

Stephan Abrams:

Yeah, that's right.

Stephan Abrams:

So Lynsey, if people want to reach out and connect with you, what is a way that, you would like them to do that?

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah.

Lynsey Dyer:

Unicorn picnic is my, my website.

Lynsey Dyer:

we offer I'm an artist too, so we offer gear for getting outside and, and doing it in a lighthearted.

Lynsey Dyer:

Way playful way.

Lynsey Dyer:

and yeah, so unicorn picnic.com and then, on Instagram, I'm Lindsay Dyer, L Y N S E Y Dyer, D Y E R.

Lynsey Dyer:

I'm really active there.

Lynsey Dyer:

Love filmmaking and, and getting outside and all the different ways you can, whether it's lake life or mountain life.

Stephan Abrams:

Well, en enjoy raising a daughter.

Stephan Abrams:

Who's gonna appreciate.

Stephan Abrams:

the life of being outdoors.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you so much and enjoy your journey of being a mom and, challenging yourself.

Stephan Abrams:

And, I wish I, I appreciate you so much for being an advocate for, for women in sports, for women in the outdoors.

Stephan Abrams:

And just helping women realize their potential.

Stephan Abrams:

that's, that's beautiful.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you for doing

Lynsey Dyer:

it.

Lynsey Dyer:

I, I, I feel like I it's my responsibility, so thank you for recognizing it and anyone listening.

Lynsey Dyer:

Congratulations.

Lynsey Dyer:

If you're, live in the dream, which is to live in Jackson hole.

Lynsey Dyer:

Woo, woo.

Lynsey Dyer:

Yeah, we really made it.

Lynsey Dyer:

We all really have if we're here and, I look forward to helping, as a community take care of our, our kids and.

Lynsey Dyer:

And our community and our wildlife

Stephan Abrams:

that's very kind of you, very thoughtful.

Stephan Abrams:

Mm-hmm thank you, Lindsay, go enjoy being a mom for the rest of the day and, we'll see you around soon and I'm gonna check out your.

Stephan Abrams:

Ted X talk.

Stephan Abrams:

this evening, I'm gonna let the boys watch it.

Stephan Abrams:

That I'm gonna let 'em watch.

Lynsey Dyer:

Well, the one I was talking about is not, not online.

Lynsey Dyer:

That's a different one, but, but yeah, just that you, you should look it up just because it's a fascinating thing to, to learn about.

Lynsey Dyer:

Okay.

Lynsey Dyer:

All right.

Lynsey Dyer:

Have a great afternoon.

Stephan Abrams:

You too, Lindsay.

Stephan Abrams:

Bye-bye.

Stephan Abrams:

Bye.

Stephan Abrams:

To learn more about Lindsay and her work on so many fronts.

Stephan Abrams:

Visit the Jackson hole connection episode number 202.

Stephan Abrams:

And thank you everybody who.

Stephan Abrams:

Thank you, everybody who keeps tuning in and all of you, new listeners, get out there and share this podcast.

Posted by, Michael Moeri

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