# Madeline Hryse: traveler, climber, cyclist, fashion designer

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtbag-rich-7077841/madeline-hryse-traveler-climber-cyclist-fashion-designer
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtbag-rich-7077841/madeline-hryse-traveler-climber-cyclist-fashion-designer.md
Podcast: [Dirtbag Rich](https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtbag-rich-7077841)
Published: 2026-06-21T15:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.com/podcasts/dirtbag-rich/2930744
Audio file: https://content.rss.com/episodes/298082/2930744/dirtbag-rich/2026_06_20_19_42_40_13a7650d-b95b-4767-bac2-ef13b7fd47cc.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/dirtbag-rich-7077841/episodes/madeline-hryse-traveler-climber-cyclist-fashion-designer
Duration seconds: 3188

## Resource

Madeline Hryse is a 28-year-old traveler, climber, and cyclist who spent four years moving overland across Latin America and Asia—sometimes alone, sometimes with friends and strangers she met along the way—before cycling 14,000 kilometers from China to Sweden. ( @very__odd ) Madeline grew up in a family that treated adventure as a normal part of life, but her father was the biggest influence. A mountaineer, bicycle tinkerer, and dirtbag before dirtbagging had a name, he spent his youth hitchhiking to the Rockies and disappearing into the mountains for weeks at a time. Although he died when Madeline was sixteen, she reflects on how much of her own wandering life feels connected to his example. After studying fashion merchandising and selling women’s shoes at Nordstrom, Madeline escaped on what was supposed to be a six-month trip through Central America during the pandemic. Instead, she spent the next four years traveling. She taught English in South Korea, saved $10,000 through extreme frugality, trekked through Nepal, climbed her way across India and Sri Lanka, and continued through Pakistan and Southeast Asia while stretching her savings far beyond what most people would think possible. Along the way, Madeline became increasingly drawn to overland travel and the freedom of moving through places slowly. Rather than chasing famous sights, she sought out climbing communities, stayed with locals, camped whenever possible, and built friendships that carried her across continents. She explains why having a purpose while traveling made her happier than following the standard backpacker trail and how she often spent less than $500 per month while on the road. Eventually, a fascination with maps, Central Asia, and the Silk Road inspired her biggest adventure yet: a year-long b…

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