The Rough Rider rides again—right through the heart of the High Peaks.
In this episode, we sit down with nationally known Theodore Roosevelt repriser Joe Wiegand to relive T.R.’s deep Adirondack ties—from youthful birding trips and great-camp visits to the legendary midnight ride that began at Mount Marcy and ended with the oath of office in Buffalo. Joe shares how he “becomes” Roosevelt on stage, why the Adirondacks shaped T.R.’s grit and conservation ethic, and how communities today keep that history alive.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
- Becoming T.R. Joe’s unlikely path—from a hippie-comedian’s son to 400 shows a year as Roosevelt—and the craft behind first-person history.
- Adirondack origins. Teen summers at Paul Smith’s and St. Regis; paddling Saranac & Tupper; and Roosevelt’s first publication on Franklin County’s summer birds.
- The night ride. Lake Tear of the Clouds, the dash via Aiden’s Lair with driver Mike Cronin, and daybreak at North Creek where news of McKinley’s death awaited—history made on Adirondack roads.
- Conservation President. From doubling national parks to creating national monuments and massively expanding national forests with Gifford Pinchot—T.R.’s enduring legacy.
- Walk it yourself. Joe’s favorite route retracing T.R.: Upper Works → Flowed Lands → Lake Colden → Mount Marcy → Lake Tear—a strenuous, unforgettable line through history.
Enjoy the episode—and if it stirs your own “strenuous life,” rate/review the show and share it with a fellow Adirondack history buff.
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Produced by NOVA
