The Joy Trip Project

I’ve been told it shouldn’t matter. But as one in a handful of black professionals in the outdoor recreation industry I can’t help being wildly excited. In June the first team of African-American climbers will attempt to reach the summit of Alaska’s Mount McKinley, the tallest peak in North America. Also known as Denali at [...]

In June of 2013 the first team of African-American climbers will attempt to reach the highest peak in the continental United States. The project called Expedition Denali aims not only to demonstrate the long standing presence of black athletes on the adventure scene, but to inspire a new generation of young people to embrace the [...]

At the turn of the last century a great American hero set an enduring standard of excellence that forged the basis of the modern National Park System. With a “take charge” style of leadership Colonel Charles Young commanded a regiment of U.S. Army soldiers in the construction of improved roads that made it possible for [...]

The first morning of the new year my wife Shamane and I spent working out at our local health club. Now that we finally have almost two feet of snow on the ground it’s a shame we couldn’t go skiing. All the trails around Madison are groomed to perfection and one friend said the cross-country [...]

I used to be a card-carrying member of the National Rifle Association. Back when I was into projectile sports, archery and target shooting, I was required to take a gun safety course as a condition of eligibility for competition in biathlon. The NRA offered instruction for proper gun handling so I could run a short [...]

Over the weekend I watched an inspiring documentary film. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the story of an 85-year-old chef in Japan that arguably makes the best raw fish, seaweed and rice in the world. True aficionados of sushi know that it is far than the sum of its parts. The mastery of this popular [...]