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John Ash's remarkable journey unfolds like a masterclass in reinvention. Born in Vallejo during WWII while his father served overseas, John's early years in Detroit's golden era—when Motown was thriving and the city bustled with over two million people—laid the foundation for his adaptable spirit.

When directionless after high school, John's photography hobby became his professional gateway when the Navy recognized his talent. As a combat photographer during Vietnam, he captured aerial reconnaissance from aircraft carriers, witnessing the heart-stopping drama of fighter jets landing on deck at night. This unique vantage point—being part of history while documenting it—seems to have instilled in him a lifelong ability to both participate in and shape the communities around him.

The conversation reveals how pivotal moments redirected his life course. While organizing concerts with then-unknown bands like Pink Floyd as a student leader at San Diego State, John lived communally with fellow campus influencers. Yet his true calling emerged during a Ford Foundation experiment studying student leaders, where a Berkeley professor's architectural insights triggered what John calls an "epiphany" about his future. Boston Architectural College followed, launching a distinguished career that would eventually bring him to Humboldt County following a 6.2 earthquake in 1992.

Perhaps most inspiring is John's physical transformation—quitting a two-pack-a-day cigarette habit at 38 and progressively building from short runs to completing the Canadian Ironman triathlon. This same determination fueled community initiatives like founding the Explore North Coast Kayak Association, introducing locals to hidden natural treasures in their own backyard.

From designing the Sequoia Park Skywalk that transformed zoo attendance from 40,000 to 180,000 visitors, to writing his psychological thriller novel "The Road to Oracle," John embodies continuous growth. When asked about his desired legacy, his answer is profoundly simple: "That he spent his whole life learning how to love." Subscribe now to hear more stories of remarkable community members shaping Humboldt County's past, present and future.

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About 100% Humboldt with Scott Hammond

Humboldt County CA USA is the home of some of the most iconoclastic, genuine, and interesting folks in the world.

We are getting curious about the movers, shakers, and difference makers in Humboldt County CA-Home of the giant redwoods, 6 Rivers, and the vast Pacific Ocean.

We will discover what makes people live/evolve in the beautiful, diverse, isolated, and ever-changing North Coast of California 100%!

Listen in and learn what it is to be 100% Humboldt!

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From climbing rocks in the Mojave Desert to studying salamanders 300 feet up in redwood canopies, Jim Campbell-Spickler's journey as a wildlife biologist reads like an adventure novel come to life.

After moving from Barstow to Humboldt in 1994 to pursue his wildlife degree, he found himself captivated by the rainforest environment that contrasted sharply with his desert upbringing. "In the first 45 days I lived here, I experienced more rain than I had in my entire life," he laughs. Yet this dramatic environmental shift sparked a lifelong passion for Humboldt's ecosystems.

His research on the wandering salamander - a tiny amphibian that lives high in redwood canopies without needing standing water to reproduce - established him as a canopy ecology specialist. This expertise led him to measure Hyperion, the world's tallest tree at over 380 feet, and to document wildlife worldwide as a scientific consultant for BBC and National Geographic productions. His climbing skills opened doors to remote locations few people ever access.

Perhaps most fascinating is his work with raptors, particularly bald eagles. "We take the young eaglets down when they're six to eight weeks old, put bands on their legs, collect samples, and get them back in the nest before mom or dad returns," he explains. Some species prove more challenging than others - peregrine falcons are known to "stoop" researchers, dive-bombing them when least expected.

Today, Campbell-Spickler serves as Director of Sequoia Park Zoo, where the innovative Skywalk attraction has transformed visitor numbers from 40,000 to 180,000 annually. This ADA-accessible walkway, suspended 100 feet above the ground among redwood canopies, offers experiences found nowhere else. "During windy days, some tree tops will arc in a three-meter radius," he shares, highlighting the dynamic nature of this unique installation.

Ready for an extraordinary adventure? Visit redwoodzoo.org to discover upcoming events, meet new animals including a young bear and spider monkeys, and experience the magic of Humboldt's redwoods from a whole new perspective.

Support the show

About 100% Humboldt with Scott Hammond

Humboldt County CA USA is the home of some of the most iconoclastic, genuine, and interesting folks in the world.

We are getting curious about the movers, shakers, and difference makers in Humboldt County CA-Home of the giant redwoods, 6 Rivers, and the vast Pacific Ocean.

We will discover what makes people live/evolve in the beautiful, diverse, isolated, and ever-changing North Coast of California 100%!

Listen in and learn what it is to be 100% Humboldt!

Find us on You Tube, Linked In, Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok!

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What does it mean to truly see a place? To capture its essence through a lens while maintaining the human connection behind the camera? In this heartfelt conversation with Jose Quesada, we explore the remarkable journey of Humboldt County's most dedicated visual documentarian.

Born to Guatemalan parents (the first "gringo" in his family, as he likes to say), Jose's path led him from Catholic school in Southern California to hitchhiking across America at 19, eventually landing in Humboldt County where he spent his first night on a bench at College of the Redwoods. Little did he know this would begin a lifelong love affair with the region he would later capture so beautifully through his camera.

The conversation takes us back to the late 1970s and early 80s when federal funding created vibrant youth recreation programs throughout the county. Jose and I reminisce about our days working with young people at Camp Kim 2 in Willow Creek, where we witnessed firsthand how these programs built community and changed lives. Jose's career evolved from early childhood education to workforce development to a 30-year stint with the county before health challenges pushed him toward his true calling.

For nearly six years, Jose's photographs have graced an entire page in the Times Standard every Saturday, documenting everything from protests to celebrations, from stunning landscapes to intimate human moments. His work has appeared in publications like the New York Times, but his heart remains deeply connected to showing Humboldt County to itself. As he puts it: "I want to be known as the guy that documented Humboldt County. He saw it. He helped us see it."

Through riveting stories about having SWAT team guns pointed at him and capturing Highway 101 protests from atop his ladder, Jose reveals the creative spirit that drives his photography – finding perspectives others miss, seeing beyond the obvious, and maintaining an open, curious mind. His journey reminds us that sometimes the most powerful stories are told not through words, but through the compassionate eye of someone who truly sees the community they love.

Support the show

About 100% Humboldt with Scott Hammond

Humboldt County CA USA is the home of some of the most iconoclastic, genuine, and interesting folks in the world.

We are getting curious about the movers, shakers, and difference makers in Humboldt County CA-Home of the giant redwoods, 6 Rivers, and the vast Pacific Ocean.

We will discover what makes people live/evolve in the beautiful, diverse, isolated, and ever-changing North Coast of California 100%!

Listen in and learn what it is to be 100% Humboldt!

Find us on You Tube, Linked In, Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok!