Eric Bork, Alaska Public Media
Eric Bork, or you can just call him “Bork” because everybody else does, was the Audio Media Content Producer for KSKA-FM. He now produces and edits episodes of Outdoor Explorer, the Alaska focused outdoors program. He also maintains the web posts for that show. You may have heard him filling in for Morning Edition or All Things Considered and can still find him operating the sound board for any of the live broadcast programs.
After escaping the Detroit area when he was 18, Bork made it up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he earned a degree in Communications/Radio Broadcasting from Northern Michigan University. He spent time managing the college radio station, working for the local NPR affiliate and then in top 40 radio in Michigan before coming to Alaska to work his first few summers. After then moving to Chicago, it only took five years to convince him to move back to Alaska in 2010. When not involved in great radio programming he’s probably riding a bicycle, thinking about riding bicycles, dreaming about bikes, reading a book or planning the next place he’ll travel to. Only two continents left to conquer!
Alaskans Abroad – Guyana
Alaskans are no strangers to the wilderness, but what about the remote jungle? This week on Outdoor Explorer we are talking about traveling and living in the South American country of Guyana.
Kodiak archaeology with Patrick Saltonstall
On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll be talking with Patrick Saltonstall. Patrick is the curator of archaeology at the Alutiiq Museum, which means part of his job is to explore the Kodiak Archipelago, documenting the ancestral culture of the area.
Hiking the Brooks Range
Ever wonder what it’s like to hike and packraft the Brooks Range? This week’s Outdoor Explorer features a series of field interviews with APU’s Dr. Roman Dial and his students as they studied tree growth while hiking the Brooks Range.
Sailing the Aleutians on the MV Tustumena
Purser Maggie Hennigan is to the left. The M/V Tustumena, docked in False Pass. Photo by Adam Verrier.
The Alaska Marine Highway System has been in the news a...
Smart & Solo
This week on Outdoor Explorer, we'll be talking with Randell Carlton Green, author of the recently-published travel book, "Smart & Solo: The Blueprint for Efficient & Enjoyable Solo Travel". We'll be discussing ways to minimize the discomfort and maximize the fun and personal growth that comes from traveling solo, anywhere in the world.
LISTEN: Revisiting disc golf
Scott Johnson tees off on hole 8 of the Jack Gist disc golf course in Homer, 9/22/13. Photo courtesy of Scott Johnson..
The thrown disc, otherwise known as...
Kikkan Randall: An unexpected year
Kikkan with son Breck and husband Jeff Ellis. Photo courtesy Kikkan Randall.Kikkan at her now yearly mammogram. Photo courtesy Kikkan Randall.
In April of 2018, Kikkan Randall sat down...
Exploring Hatcher Pass
State Park employee Hobbs Barber and volunteer Gabby Bejarano. Photo: Paul Twardock.
The lodge at Hatcher Pass. Photo: Paul Twardock.
Hatcher Pass and...
The Lavaman Triathlon
Every spring, hundreds of Alaskan triathletes journey to the Big Island of Hawaii for the annual Lavaman Triathlon. At the end of a long winter the race is the draw, but it is really more about Alaskans gathering
together in the spirit of Aloha.
Dogs: Our Outdoor Explorer companions
Humans and dogs have shared physical and emotional lives for at least 9,000 years. On the next Outdoor Explorer we’ll
explore the science of the bond we have with dogs, the sports we enjoy together, and how an empathetic husky in Girdwood has become a hero to Crow Pass hikers.
Biking throughout Alaska
Bicycling is a great way to get outside, get fit, meet people, and exercise your competitive juices. The number of trails, organizations, and biking events continues to grow in Alaska. This show will feature folks from Anchorage and Fairbanks sharing thier passion for the sport.
Salmon and Alaska
Salmon are an iconic symbol of Alaska: plentiful and wild. On this week’s Outdoor Explorer we’ll being talking with Amy Gulick about her new book “The Salmon
Way.”
Revisiting adventures in field science
Alaskan geologists, biologists, archeologists, and lots of other kinds of ologists cover the wilderness in their work, in search of knowledge but avoiding something many outdoor folks are looking for: adventure. On the next Outdoor Explorer, we’ll hear from field scientists about their challenges studying Alaska, and how they keep safe and work effectively in places where other people go to test themselves against the elements.
Volunteering in the outdoors
Volunteering in the outdoors is a great way to contribute to the quality of our outdoor experiences, and is rewarding in itself. More and more land managers rely on volunteers to maintain the quality of trails, pull invasive weeds, and monitor campsites. On this week’s show we’ll be talking about opportunities to volunteer in the outdoors.
Formidable women of Alaska
Alaskan women have a reputation for pushing the adventure boundaries. Lael Wilcox, an internationally known
endurance cyclist, and producer Lee Hart and rider Jill Simek of the fat bike short film Blue, have stories to tell about their epic adventures and projects.
Outdoor summer camps
On the next Outdoor Explorer we are learning about outdoor summer camps for kids. Once school is out camps are a ritual for many families, however camps have changed a lot in the last 20 years. Camps have become more professional and are not just a month living in the woods.
Alaska Sports Hall of Fame: 2019 Trajan Langdon Award recipients
Larsen Klingel and Andy Beardsley at the Boston Marathon. Photo by Katie Beardsley.
Andy Beardsley, Larsen-Klingel and Eleanor Klingel, photo by Katie Beardsley.
Getting kids and adults outside
Now that the snow has melted, the pavement is dry, the trails are almost dry, and endless daylight has arrived, more Alaskans are spending more time outside. This week on Outdoor Explorer we are talking about how to connect kids with the outdoors. And, in anticipation of Bike to Work Day we will talk to the folks at Bike Anchorage and find out what they are doing to make Anchorage more bike friendly.
Hidden animals in Alaska
Costa's Hummingbird. Photo: Mr. WhitekeysAnna's Hummingbird. Photo: Mr. WhitekeysCosta's Hummingbird. Photo: Mr. WhitekeysOtter in Campbell Creek. Photo: Laura BurzinskiFlying Squirrel. Photo: Barb Malchick
Alaska is known for its diversity...
Climbing Denali
While most of us are storing our skis for the summer, the Denali climbing season is just beginning. Climbing rangers are putting in Kahiltna Base Camp and the first climbers are on the mountain soon to be followed by 1000s of others. Join us for the next Outdoor Explorer as we talk with two veterans of Denali, climber Colby Coombs and Denali Ranger Melis Coady.
Thanks for listening!