Life Beyond the Map: Interview w/ Modern Explorer, Tay Wanders

Life Beyond the Map: Interview w/ Modern Explorer, Tay Wanders

Author: Locations Unknown December 27, 2025 Duration: 58:21
Today we’re sitting down with Tay, a Southern girl turned road-warrior and modern explorer who approaches adventure with confidence, intention, and a grounded perspective.

A single mom and storyteller at heart, Tay creates outdoor and travel narratives designed to help women step into big, wild places feeling prepared and empowered. Through thoughtful destination inspiration, practical safety insight, and carefully built itineraries, she works to make adventure feel accessible rather than intimidating.

What began as traveling out of her truck during COVID quietly evolved into a full-scale business. By working remotely, Tay has built a life that allows her to stay present with her daughter while giving her firsthand experiences of the world from an early age.

Tay’s story is about taking calculated risks, trusting your instincts, and realizing that adventure doesn’t have to wait for “someday.” We’re excited to dig into her journey, how it all came together, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

You can learn more about Tay below:
Instagram
Tay Wanders Linktree
TayWanders.com

YouTube

Learn more about Locations Unknown: https://linktr.ee/LocationsUnknown

Check out our other shows on the Unknown Media Network:
Crime Off The Grid
Off The Trails
Hike N' Seek 
Who Runs This Park

New Patreon Shoutouts: Emily Happy & Sheryl Yankovich

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Presented by Unknown Media Group.

Hosts:
Mike Van de Bogert 
Joe Erato

Intro/Outro “Cornfield Chase” – Cinematic Waves & Rafael Krux (licensed) → https://soundcloud.com/cinematicwav3s/cornfield-chase

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/locations-unknown--6183838/support.

Locations Unknown ventures into the silent, vast spaces where people have simply gone missing. Hosts Mike & Joe guide each episode through a specific case, piecing together timelines from the final known moments, through the often-frustrating official searches, and into the lingering questions that haunt families and park rangers alike. This isn't just a true crime podcast; it’s a close look at the intersection of human error, unpredictable nature, and the peculiar geography of places like dense national forests and isolated mountain ranges that can swallow a person whole. You’ll hear about the decisions made in the critical hours, the terrain that complicated everything, and the community of experts and amateurs who keep looking. The show naturally explores how these landscapes, while beautiful, hold secrets, making the wilderness itself a central character in every story. Tune in for a respectful, detailed examination of stories that end not with a conclusion, but with an open map and a deepened mystery. The podcast digs into the cultural fascination with these vanishings and what they reveal about our relationship with the wild, remote corners of the country.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 173

Locations Unknown
Podcast Episodes
Corey Fay - Badger Creek Wilderness - Oregon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:09
November 23, 1991, a 17 year old went elk hunting with some friends in the remote Oregon Wilderness. When he failed to meet back up at the car that evening, his friends notified the authorities and the biggest search in…
History‘s Mysteries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:10
Some of the world's oldest legends & mysteries have been born from the unknown. Lost civilizations, that existed thousands of years ago, dazzle us with amazing feats of engineering and science, seemingly using modern tec…
Sam Sayers - North Cascades - Washington [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:52
August 1, 2018, 28 year old Samantha Sayers set off on a solo hike of Vesper Peak in the remote North Cascades wilderness of Washington State. As an experienced hiker who’s traversed this route multiple times, it should…
Matthew Greene - Ansel Adams Wilderness Area - California [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:04
In July 2013, experienced hiker and mountain climber Matthew Greene, was climbing with some friends in the Ansel Adams Wilderness Area of California when he experienced some car trouble requiring a few days of work. Whil…
Donnell Vista Point Disappearances [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:00
The Stanislaus National Forest is located in Tuolumne County California, near the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park. The forest is home to hundreds of miles of streams, rivers, and over a thousand miles of trai…
Kat Hammontre - Diablo Canyon - Mexico [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:13
On April 11, 2019, 68 year old Kat Hammontre went on a short day hike with family, friends, and her German Shepherd Tootsie in Diablo Canyon, located in San Pedro Martir National Park. After less than a mile in, Kat sits…
Keith Reinhard - Arapaho National Forest - Colorado [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:39
In the summer of 1988, Keith Reinhard, a Chicago sports reporter and an aspiring novelist moved to Silver Plume Colorado, a small mountain town in the Colorado Rockies. He opened a small antique store and hoped the slowe…
Bonus Patreon Only Episode (Public Release)- Fan Voicemails [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:03
Enjoy this special Patreon Only episode, normally released to only Locations Unknown Patreon supporters. If you'd like to support the show and get access to more episodes like this, visit our Patreon page and sign up for…
Secret Societies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:21
Throughout history, tales have been told of secretive groups operating in the shadows of society, controlling every aspect of daily life. Wild conspiracy theories, ranging from hiding the existence of aliens to the assas…
Jessie Hoover - 100 Mile Wilderness - Maine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:46
May 1983, 54-year-old Jessie Hoover set off on a trip from her home in Texas, traveling to Maine, where she planned to hike a remote section of the Appalachian Trail called the 100 Mile Wilderness. After failing to check…