The Joy Of Planning Trips I’ll Never Take
byI was opening a fifth browser tab when I caught myself. Researching an 600+-mile bike packing route had nothing to do with what I…
TRAVEL
Video: Rafting: It’s Really Nice
byIn June 1869, the Powell Expedition made the courageous first descent of the Green River through the Gates of Lodore. In June 2018, my…
Chart: What Kind Of Truck Is Right For Your Adventures?
byThinking about buying a truck that can handle some weekend warrioring and road trips to climb, mountain bike, ski, or even serve as a…
Frequent Flier Rewards We’d Actually Like
byWhat if airlines really had to try hard to impress us? And had to get creative about it?
8 Adventure Gift Ideas Over $35,000
byHere you are again: Holiday shopping season is upon us, and you’re wondering, “How will I get the perfect gift for everyone on my…
The Worst Way To Travel
byDid you ever notice when you go somewhere new, everything is a bit less convenient than it is in your daily life? You’re constantly…
A Quick Story About Living In A Van Down By The River
byFrom 2012 to 2014, I lived full time out of a 2005 Chevy Astrovan. I had moved out of an apartment and into my…
10 Basic Rules For Adventure
byEarlier this year, my book Surviving the Great Outdoors came out, representing about 12 years’ worth of poking around in the out-of-doors—climbing, backpacking, hiking,…
2017’s Most Affordable Adventure Van
byYou probably have a lot of questions when you’re thinking about what kind of van you should buy for your adventure trips. Should you…
9 Travel Tips To Lower Your Anxiety
byI usually don’t write non-humorous lists on this blog, but I’ve traveled a lot this year so it’s on my mind. So far, I’ve been…
The Traveler’s Guide To Home
byOver a few months this past winter, my friend Nick and I pedaled to a dozen different diners in Denver to eat breakfast together….
How To Pack For A Big Trip
byYou just can’t beat getting out of the office for a few days or a couple weeks to go skiing, backpacking, climbing, or mountain…
Ireland By Van
byI stood inside the open door of a wool shop in Galway’s Latin Quarter just after a brief rain shower had passed over, the…
Celebrating 5 Years Of Semi-Rad: 25 Favorite Quotes
byFive years ago this week, I started this blog, hoping a few people might read it and get something out of it: a laugh,…
The Least Amazing Miracle
byYou are waiting in line to check your bag, and then you’re waiting in line to go through the TSA checkpoint. Twenty people in…
13 Pieces of Gear Every All-Around Adventurer Should Have
byNormally I use this space to talk about not buying a bunch of shiny new gear, to sarcastically review entire categories of gear, or…
Why Are You Not Using All Your Vacation Days?
byHi, yes, you. Did you run out of vacation days last year? No? What’s wrong? As Americans, we’re doing a piss-poor job of vacationing….
15 About 15th: A Few Stories From Colfax Avenue
byWhen I moved back to Denver in May 2014, I decided I wanted to tell a story about Colfax Avenue, the gritty four-lane street…
Review: The Buffet of Buffets
byWe were just wrapping up our fourth buffet of the day when the guy came over and asked Pitt if he was OK. Pitt,…
How To Be A Writer: One Story
byEvery few weeks, I get an e-mail or a Facebook message from someone who has a few questions about writing: how to get their…
Notes From A #VanLife
byOne Saturday last May, I slid a key into the lock on a scrappy little apartment 80 feet off Denver’s noisy Colfax Avenue. We…
How To Exit A Bathroom (Mostly) Germ-Free
byYou will probably not get ebola from touching a public restroom door handle. But if you touch a restroom door handle with your bare…
The Selfie Stick And The Game Of Life
byOne day last August at a popular tourist destination, I noticed as a guy walked around for several minutes with a selfie stick, stopping…
Utahlorado: An Idea For A Mega-State Of Awesomeness
byDear states of Utah and Colorado: Hey, so you know what would be cool? If Utah and Colorado became one giant state called “Utahlorado.”…
It Turns Out You Can Buy Happiness
byA couple weeks ago, Alastair Humphreys told me about the Explore feature on Kayak.com that allows you to enter the amount of money you’d…
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…
‘The New American Road Trip Mixtape’ Available Now
byWith the help of a bunch of great friends, I spent the last couple years putting together a book called The New American Road…