The Story Show

"The Prodigal Bike"

What do you do when one of your most valuable possessions is stolen, and the thief brazenly advertises it for sale on social media? Appeal to the thief's sense of humanity? Call the cops? Give up? In this closing story from our February 2025 "Better Together" Story Show, Jens Lange shares just exactly what he did. This is "The Prodigal Bike."  

"Poetry Is Life"

Remembering and expressing the love we have for those we’ve lost can appear in myriad ways–hearing a favorite song, telling a funny story, even writing a poem in their honor. In this episode Jeremy discusses his love of writing alongside his creative writing students, and he shares two poems written for loved ones who have passed, one composed by a former student remembering her uncle, and another Jeremy wrote about his friend Richard.

"A Moving Experience"

If it hasn't arrived for us yet, it will one day: moving our parents. How does one move a life from one house to the next? What does all of this stuff say about us? What goes, what's left behind, and who ultimately decides? "A Moving Experience" is Deborah Rohne's story about moving her mother closer when the time was right and the new insights this gave her into who her mother was.

"Road Trips with My Father"

Let's face it. Parents can be annoying, and loving, and wonderful--especially on road trips. Katherine's father felt it was his utmost parental duty to take her on the road for spontaneous adventures, regardless of whether she had any advanced notice or shared his enthusiasm. Fortunately, with age often comes appreciation. 

"The Death March"

Story Show veteran Scott Pirsig returns with a moving story about a grueling trek into the Quetico wilderness where he and his canoeing partner find an incredibly remote campsite containing two mysterious objects. Check out this story for a powerful reflection on nature’s (and our own) impermanence. 

"A Trip to Remember"

As adults we often forget how challenging a first big trip away from parents can be. In this story from our February 2025 “Better Together” show, Taylor shares the story of traveling from her home in southern Minnesota to New Orleans with her youth group and how embracing new things helped her grow with the help of friends.

"Forty-Two Miles from Lusk"

Season 8, Episode 2 of The Story Show Podcast features the return of Jim Troe. Other than his college years, Jim has spent his entire life in the Albert Lea (MN) area. He and Carrie (his wife of 40 years) have raised four awesome children and are now embarking on the grandparent journey. Jim works as the director of marketing at Van Ladder Bucket Trucks, and in the last few years has written two novels--A Kingdom's Quest and CRUSHED. This story features Jim driving a bucket truck through the mountains, a task that quite frankly terrifies him, but he finds someone in even greater need of help on this journey.

"Isolation is Fixable"

We're back with Season 8 of The Story Show Podcast. This season's stories all share the theme of "Better Together" and were recorded live at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center in Albert lea, MN on February 8, 2025. Our first story features Apryl Gorton. After getting a really difficult medical diagnosis, Apryl reflects on the necessity of adapting, relying on loved ones, and choosing to move forward together.

"The Slow Burn of Discomfort"

A talented and dynamic speaker, Hannah Bergstrom de Leon closes the October 2023 Blaze Your Trail show with her story about the fruits of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Angie, Jeremy, and Shane chat about anti-imposter syndrom, curling, and the nature of time in this final episode of Season 7.

"A Tale of Two Trails"

Story Show veteran Jen Vogt-Erickson returns to the show with a story about multiple generations of her family. Many of Jen’s ancestors came to the US during the latter half of the 19th century and settled on land in Minnesota and the Dakota Territory due to the Homestead Act of 1862. These are the people she thought of when she first heard the theme “Blaze Your Trail.” At the time she was also reading a book on climate change called The Parrot and the Igloo and noticed how it intersected with this period and her family’s history in the U.S.