Featured Stories: Daddy’s Discovery

Go big or go home.” This aphorism was the guiding principle of my life five years ago. I’d go whitewater paddling, play a couple of volleyball games or go for a run, then get an hour or two on my mountain bike before crashing into bed at night.

Featured Stories: Go the Distance: Lonk Hiking Trails in the Mountains (Besides the A.T.)

What are the odds that you’ll actually get six months off to hike the Appalachian Trail? Honestly. Is your boss/spouse/dog/mother going to let you walk through the woods for six months straight, shirking all your other responsibilities? Not likely....Don’t fret. There are a number of other long distance trails you can thru-hike during your allotted vacation time.

Featured Stories: Smokin': Fastpacking the Smokies

The term “fastpacking” often conjures up images of Spandex-clad extreme athletes scurrying around, running out of food, getting lost, freezing at night and having an overall miserable, spartan experience (while having no money left over because they bought expensive lightweight gear). What I discovered on a southern Appalachian sojourn was that fastpacking is a lot easier, more relaxing, and more enjoyable than you might think.

Featured Stories: Adult at Play: Grown-Up Goes to Summer Camp

I’ve got this red playground ball cocked behind my head and I’m ready to unleash it on an 11-year-old kid from Maryland. I don’t care that he’s almost 20 years younger than me. I don’t care that what I’m about to do would be considered abuse in any other circumstance. All I care about is slinging the red ball hard at the kid’s legs, sending him to the ground and out of the game.