Miguel Ventura | Life Imitates Art

This isn't about training.  It's bigger than that.  It's about community. Miguel's Pizza.  It's been called the "Camp 4 of the East", but that title isn't big enough.  More than what you see on the surface... the cheap camping, amazing pizza, great place to meet partners and sneak beers in brown paper bags, an undeniable climbing institution... Miguel's is a community.  It's an idea.  An inspiration.  It's our Mecca, and it's a place that shaped not only my life, but the lives of countless people who've come of age sleeping (or trying to sleep) in the now famous "climber's only" campground.   With the help of his son, Dario, who you'll also hear from in this podversation, I sat down with Miguel in his gear shop during normal business hours at the end of a busy season. Sure, we talk about how it started and where it's going, but more important, we dig into what makes Miguel, the human, tick.  He's a complex character, but we learn how a box of crayons led to the ability to communicate with an unknown world.  We find out how a simple sketch provided a whole community of fringe dwellers a place to be themselves. That's all I'm going to say.  This is one you have to listen to. Happy Holidays from the whole crew... Kris, Nate, Blake, and Paul.   The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective. You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month. Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.