The Toughest, Goofiest Lady I Knew, 1927-2014
byMy grandmother died at 6:07 p.m. June 24, in an intensive care unit room full of machines, four of her seven children, and me….
The Three Laws Of Stuff Dynamics
byDo you have trouble fitting that last item in your backpack, or struggle to hang a piece of clothing in a closet between all…
The Lost Art Of Dreaming Over Maps
byI was talking to my friend Mark about mountain biking a while back when he mentioned linking together a bunch of shorter trails around…
‘Hey Girl’ Memes For Outdoorsy Women
by(Chris Sharma photo by Klaus Fengler/klausfengler.de) Ladies: Have you enjoyed Ryan Gosling’s “Hey Girl” meme, but wish there were something a bit more ……
Don’t Focus On The Dog Shit
byIn the span of a few minutes yesterday morning, I read about a shotgun-wielding man threatening a neighbor teaching his daughter to ride her…
Hiking Is Cool
byDo you ever think hiking doesn’t get much respect anymore? Wait, better question: Remember that hiking film that showed at the Banff Mountain Film…
Surviving a 4K (4,000-Calorie) Run
byWhen Forest and I had discussed the rules at a coffee shop in Brooklyn three days earlier, I had said, “I think vomiting is…
Are You Coming Off The Couch?
byDo you ever say “yes” to a bike ride, day of climbing, run, ski day, or other outdoor activity, and immediately after, notify your…
Tough As A Mother
byMy mom threw up at the climbing gym, just after I lowered her from the top of a route. She came out of the…
What Story Are You Telling Yourself?
byChad Kellogg died in Patagonia on Valentine’s Day this year, at 42 years old. I didn’t know him very well, just through a handful…
How To Climb A Hill
byI was in the audience during a presentation at the Green Mountain College Adventure Education Colloquium last week, when the presenter, Jojo, asked everyone…
Do You Have Obsessive Campfire Adjustment Syndrome?
byDo you ever stare at a burning pile of logs and find yourself unable to stop futzing with it? Do you look at a…
#Postbark: 365 Postcards, 365 Days
byChris Barker has developed an interesting ritual in 2014: Every day since Jan. 1, he has addressed one of his collection of vintage postcards,…
The Hierarchy Of Camping
byEver pull up next to someone at a campground and notice they brought way more stuff than you did? Or get to a campsite…
Happiness: It’s The Little Things
byThis past January at a film festival, I got to chat briefly with big-mountain skier Chris Davenport. He’s a big deal (among other things,…
Make Any Scenic Photo A #Selfie With This Swell Trick
bySometimes, when you’re in a beautiful place, it’s easy to forget to take a #selfie. Later, when you look through your photos, you realize…
The Man’s Guide to Being A ‘Real Man’
byYou probably read a few news stories over the past couple weeks about the rising popularity of beard implants, specifically the $3,000 to $8,000…
Ouch Maps: Let People Know Where You Hurt
byEver had a co-worker give you a well-meaning slap on the back right where you got sunburned the day before? Or your spouse put…
The Not-So-Bad Bad Day
byRob at Green Garage in Denver understands the art of telling someone how expensive their car repair is going to be: You can’t deliver…
The Guy Who Puts The Fun Back In Fun
byI jogged in my bike shoes with the couple hundred other riders down the dirt road to the start of the 24 Hours In…
Announcing A Revolutionary New MTB Wheel Size
byTHIS SUMMER. A REVOLUTIONARY NEW MOUNTAIN BIKE WHEEL SIZE. WILL TAKE THE WORLD BY STORM. please pause reading here for dramatic effect TWENTY INCHES….
Semi-Rad.com Is 3 Years Old Today. Thanks For Reading.
byThree years ago, on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011, I clicked “publish” on a blog post on this web site, and then put a link…
A Weekend In The Outdoors, As Told By Viral Nova
bySCENE: Monday morning at the office. You arrive, drop your stuff at your desk and walk over to the coffee pot to grab a…
Sometimes It Ain’t Rocket Science
byHerb and Jan Conn developed almost all of the early climbing in South Dakota’s Needles with a 60-foot rope, almost one-fourth the length of…
Chart: Is There A Cute Girl At The Climbing Gym?
by-Brendan
The Moments Before Your Big Moments
byI got an email from Statigram the other day offering to collect my “best Instagram moments of 2013.” I thought Why Not and clicked…
Magazines Have Some Questions About Your Workout
byOf course you want to look good. We all do. But before you throw yourself headlong into a new workout routine, magazines would like…