From Wainwright The Biography by Hunter Davies:

“Give me a map to look at, and I am content. Give me a map of country I know, and I am comforted: I live my travels over again, step by step, I recall the journeys I have made; half-forgotten incidents spring vividly to mind, and again I can suffer and rejoice at experiences which are once more made very real. Old maps are old friends, understood only by the man with whom they have travelled the miles. Nobody could read my maps as I do. Lend a book to a friend and he can enjoy it and miss nothing of its story: lend him a map, and he cannot even begin to read the tale it has to tell. For maps are personal things which books are not. The appeal of an old map is to the memory; an old map spread across my knees closes my eyes. The older, the more tattered it is, the greater my affection for it. I recall our adventures together in storm and sunshine; an occasion, perhaps, when it slipped from my pocket and I searched my tracks anxiously, as for a lost companion, until it was found; an occasion, perhaps, when the mist was thick and instinct and the map urged different ways, and I followed the map and came to a safe ground again. Ah yes, maps are grand companions.”

~ AW Wainwright

Hiking into the mountains!

With the birth of a new year comes a desire in many to write down personal lists of goals, or New Year’s Resolutions, that one hopes to achieve before Baby New Year grows into Father Time.  I’m a goal-orientated person and take my resolutions seriously, even adding a few to my list throughout the year.  In 2009, my grandest resolution was to hike 100 times in 240 days.  Last year, it was to hike 500 trail miles.  Both of those goals pushed my physical and mental limitations, but I prevailed and succeeded.  So what’s next?  Here’s what’s next:

GOAL #1 – To Summit Mount Whitney

The 99 Switchbacks to Whitney. Photo by Casey Schreiner and used with permission.

I figure if I’m ever going to summit the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states, this is the year to do it.  I’m in the best shape I’ve been in a while and I’m still under the spell of the hiking lifestyle.  However,  I’m not in physically fit enough to confidently say that I can accomplishing this goal.  It’s going to take a lot of work to get to the fitness level necessary to climb 14,500 feet into the sky.  Plus, I’ve had problems hiking at high altitudes that have caused me to retreat to lower altitudes.  This goal will require months of cardio work, muscle development, and trail thumping. It’s gonna be Rocky-training-in-Russia-to-face-Draco kind of work.

Along with a heart on fire and a strong desire raging deep within, I am resolved to accomplish a few secondary goals that are related to Whitney but are accomplishments onto themselves:

Goal #2 – Hike All Five Four Sierra Club Routes to Mt. Wilson

The four main routes to Mt. Wilson.

According to the Sierra Club, there are five routes to the summit of Mt. Wilson.  Well, four really.  The first route listed on the Sierra Club’s website says to drive up the Angeles Crest Highway, park at the Mt. Wilson Park, then simply walk the one hundred or so yards to the highest accessible point.   I suppose they provided this “route” because of this unique option that requires almost no hiking to summit it’s peak.   So why do I chose Mt. Wilson, which has been developed for over a century and is home of a forest of broadcasting towers and the famous Mt. Wilson Observatory when I could aim to hike other less-developed peaks in the area?  I’ve lived in the Pasadena area for almost a decade and I’ve never hiked to the top of Mt. Wilson.  The fact that there are a handful of hiking routes to the summit, all of which climb through the beautiful foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, and all within a short drive of my home, make Mt. Wilson an excellent location for training.

Goal # 3 – To Complete At Least Three Backpacking Treks With My Team

I have asked two hiking companions to join me on this quest for bagging Whitney’s peak.  Sharon has been a good friend for many years and has helped inspire and motivate me to complete my previous hiking goals.  She has joined me for quite a few explorations into the local mountains and is currently working on her resolution of completing this year’s  Los Angeles Marathon – it will be her first!  Michael and I met on one of my hiking club outings last year where he told me of his aspirations of climbing Whitney. All three of us have sat down together and worked out our “game plan” to prepare for Whitney.  We have decided to go on most, if not all, of the following climbs together.

• Half Dome (Yosemite National Park) – 4,737 ft (1,444 m) – With all the hiking I’ve done in California since moving here in 1985, it surprises people when I tell them that the last time I was in Yosemite was over 20 years ago when I was just a boy.  Don’t get me wrong.  The reason why I haven’t been back isn’t because I don’t care to see Yosemite again, but rather that California offers so many other outdoor options which are less crowded and do not require reservations six months in advance.  But we’re determined to do this classic world-renown hike and are ready to set the dates and acquire the necessary permits.

• Mt. San Antonio (“Mt. Baldy”) -10,068 ft (3,069 m) – This Southern California peak is a popular destination for many hikers in training for Whitney.

• San Gorgonio Mountain (“Old Greyback”) – 11,503 ft (3,506 m) – The tallest peak in Southern California and my nemisis.  I’ve attempted to climb this giant three times, the first two treks I had to turn back after succumbing to altitude sickness (once with just a few hundred yards remaining to the summit).  The last attempt ended abruptly with an emergency departure from the mountain.  But, you know what they say, fourth time’s a charm!

• Kearsarge Pass (into Kings Canyon National Park) – 11,760 ft (3,584 m) – Located just north of Mt. Whitney in the Eastern Sierras, Kearsarge is the back door into Kings Canyon National Park.  I stood at this pass in August, 2009 for Hike #42 and felt as if I was looking into Paradise.  For this trip, we’ll hike into Kings Canyon NP and camp amongst the natural beauty.

Jumping for joy at Kearsarge Pass; Kings Canyon National Park in the background.

We are all pretty excited to work towards this goal together and I suspect you’ll read a lot about our progress on this website.

Goal #4 – Hike With 150 People.

I started this goal in 2010 but was not able to finish it by the end of the year, so I’m going to keep going until I get 150 people into the outdoors and onto the trail. After 150, I might just keep going. Hiking is a passion and I want to share it with others. If you would like to hike with me, please join my Facebook group, The Hike Guy’s Hiking Club.

Goal #4 – Continue Volunteering in the Community

Last year, I completed training as a reforestation supervisor with Tree People and a naturalist with the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. This year, I resolve to continue giving my time and energy to these two great organizations. My goal is 100 hours of service between the two.

So there they are, laid out on the table.   No turning back now!  I’ll be blogging about my progress throughout the year and, hopefully, by the time Baby 2011 becomes an old man, I’ll be able to report back here with the successful completion of these five goals.  I’m full of doubt but ready for a good challenge… and that’s exactly where I like to be in January.

Happy New Year’s Eve, everyone! Today is a day we spend time reminiscing about the year behind us and look forward to the year ahead of us. I’ve got a lot to reminisce about. You might recall that this site was launched with three ambitious personal goals I hoped to achieve by the end of 2010. Let’s see how well I did on completing them.

Goal #1 – Become a member of a Search & Rescue team.
Status: FAIL

I threw in the towel on this goal fairly early in the year. I was excited to be accepted to the San Dimas Search & Rescue Team and start down the 2-3 year road towards becoming a member, but the time needed to dedicate to wilderness classes and homework would not fit into my schedule. Plus, I wanted my weekends to explore! So I replaced this goal with this:

Goal #1 (Plan B) – Become a Volunteer with a local organization that promotes the outdoors.
Status: Double Win!

In 2010, I became a volunteer with two great organizations:
1. Tree People – Founded in 1973 here in Los Angeles, this non-profit organization’s main goals is to add more trees to the geography of Los Angeles – and idea I can get behind. After the devastation in the Angeles National Forest caused by the Station Fire of 2009, I heard that Tree People would be the group that would eventually replant saplings in the burned areas. I became a reforestation supervisor in February and have helped plant trees in the Arrowhead Lake area during the Spring. Next year, Tree People begin the major task of replanting the Angeles National Forest. If you are interested in spending an afternoon replanting trees you can show your grandchildren, Tree People has got a lot of opportunities for you. Check out their site for details. They have tentatively scheduled to reforest every weekend in March and April.

Planting Trees in Fawskin, CA

2. Santa Monica Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA)- The MRCA works with an assortment of other organizations (including the National Park Service) to secure and develop park land throughout the Los Angeles area. The MRCA preserves and protects many public lands scattered throughout the area, including Franklin Canyon Park in Beverly Hills. It was here that I became a volunteer naturalist in April. As a naturalists, I can conduct guided programs for school groups and the general public, assist at MRCA special events, operate park nature centers and information booths, and/or rove trails. I’ve roved a few trails in the Verdugo Hills, offering assistance to hikers, and I taught a program on astronomy at Vista Hermosa Natural Park in downtown LA. I’m looking forward to dedicating more time to guided programs in 2011.

Trail roving in the Verdugo Mountains

Goal #2 – Hike 500 miles in 2010.
Status: WIN! Total mileage: 513

In 2009, I completed the life-changing goal of hiking 100 times in 240 days and I recall thinking that nothing could top such a physical task. Nothing could push me further. I was wrong. My hiking goal for 2010 took me to what I thought was my limit and pushed me beyond it. This year I hiked 91 times in California, Utah, and Oregon.  The final 100 miles were done on an 18-day trip to New Zealand, where I backpacked 20 miles in a single day, something that I never thought I could do.  I was able to witness some of the most majestic natural wonders I’ve ever seen. (I’ll post a slide show shortly.) Best of all, I was able to finish this seemingly unreachable goal on my birthday, December 6th, in New Zealand. Happy Birthday, indeed!

Each photo represents a mile that I hiked in 2010.

[Zoom-able version]

Goal #3 – To hike with 150 people
Status: FAIL

I wasn’t able to get 150 people on the trails, but I was able to hike with many fantastic people that have been an inspiration to me and others. I was able to convince a few who had never hiked to get outdoors and tramp, something that can be quite intimidating for a city dweller. I was also introduced to many hikers whom I now call friends; those who I met on the trail or through my hiking group on Facebook, The Hike Guy’s Hiking Club. I currently have over 200 members in my little club and hopefully they’ll all eventually join me on the trail. So, for this goal, I got less than half way there: I end 2010 with a total of 66 people whom I’ve hiked with since January.

A BIG THANK YOU to the 2010 Hiking Club: Peter, Shawnte, The Mystery Hiker, Casey, Ric, Eliza, Leighton, Lori, Justin, Chris, Jackie, Amie, David, Jassica, Sarah, Chris, Shannon, Jean, Mike, Remi, Alyse, Jamie, Michael, Gregory, Melanie, Lauren, Brandan, Elizabeth, Jen, Sandra, Bob, Michael, Vanessa, Justine, Molly, Karima, Mona, Tim, Justine, McKenna, Sharon, C.J., Dan, Noel, Cassandra, Daniel, Laura, Carlos, Julie, Claudia, Zachary, Joe, Alan, Rashid, Natalie, Ann, Angela, Michael, Emily, Alexandra, David, Robert, Dan, Peter, and Wendy.

So what resolutions do I have for 2011? I’ve been thinking about this for a while and will post something about it soon.

This photo mosaic uses 500 photos representing the 500 miles I completed. Here’s a zoom-able version.

Rob & Jan with Ranger Jay Snow in Death Valley National Park.

Hi, Rob. Thanks for agreeing to an interview. I’m sure my readers will enjoy hearing about your adventure. Can you tell us when/how this project began?

The idea germinated around Christmas time at our apartment in Denver. Our son planned to relocate to Columbus OH early in 2010 and we decided to relocate to Florida. But we could not believe after 2 years in Denver how many parks we had not visited – all the spots around Moab, Grand Tetons, Glacier, Yellowstone.

Who had the idea to search for sponsorship?

The core idea for the Tour was Jan’s – she said we should get an RV and visit them to see if we liked RVing. The more we talked about it, the more it turned into a big project: National Park Tour 2010.  I got busy and wrote a pretty good marketing plan, as it so happens there was an RV show in Denver in early January. We visited several RV manufacturer’s there, and got a lot of encouragement. But we were warned that RV companies are not marketers, they are manufacturers. We had an introduction at Mercedes Benz (MBUSA), and knew they made the Sprinter Van used by several RV companies to outfit as a Class B.

We got lucky. MBUSA was in the process of bringing the Sprinter brand back into their lineup under the Mercedes badge, taking the brand back from Dodge Ram. We happened to hit them with our idea at just the right time. Preparation meets need. Sponsorship. MBUSA worked with Airstream (good branding combination) to outfit an Airstream Interstate for us.

What is the goal of this journey?

First and foremost is to let people know that the Sprinter Interstate is a great means to getting out there and seeing America, especially the National Parks. Our personal goal is to visit every National Park you can drive to in an RV, including Alaska. Plus we hope to launch a new career for Rob as a travel writer and photographer. A side benefit is that we are discovering the RV lifestyle and whether it suits us or not.

I’m about to embark on a 6-day road trip from Los Angeles to Central Oregon and back again. Finding which roads to take, where to stop along the way, and what spots I’ll have to skip due to time constraints has been both exciting and frustrating. How did your route come together?

We feel your pain, Kolby. We knew up front that we had to focus exclusively on the National Parks or we never would have made the project a reality. There is just too much to see and do – there will always be regrets about not being able to stop and see everything. For example, we really, really, really wanted to visit Page, AZ to shoot the Antelope canyons. So you have to make choices, and we made ours early on as the genesis of the project.

The route planning was a challenge – but we figured we had to plan it to avoid early-to-mid summer in Alaska (we are not fans of bugs!!) and needed to be in the the northern parks in the fall. Since we lived in Denver when we planned this, it made sense as our starting point. Our apartment lease was up at the end of April, so we figured Colorado and Utah parks would be warming up by then (not necessarily so – we started in snow and got snowed on as far south as Bryce Canyon). Then the logistics of being finished by winter determined the rest of the route.

Do you feel that 217 days is enough to see everything you’ve planned to see?

We’ve found that there is never enough time to do all that you want to do, or could do. Again, it’s choices that have to be made. Is 217 days enough to do what we hoped to do? Yes. Would we like to have more time? Yes, too. It would be great to spend a month in Alaska. And two weeks in Yellowstone. But that is not what the trip is about. We set out to discover the parks, the people who work there, fellow RVers and those serendipitous meeting of people along the way. That’s what is happening, so no complaints here. As Jan reminds us regularly, while it is disappointing to leave one place, it is equally exciting to get to the next place. Every park is unique, they all have their mysteries and surprises. And the people we meet are of an endless variety, so many great stories out there. Lots of people are living very unique lives, and it is great to connect with them and hear them tell of their journey.

Have you had to make any major modifications to your original plan since you started this journey?

No major modifications in terms of timing or route so far. And barring any emergency, we don’t expect any at this point. Things just seem to be working out. For example, our daughter announced a new grandchild arrival – but it’s not due until second week in December. And we are officially done on December 2nd.

Jan near Capitol Reef National Park

According to your website today, you’ve traveled 6,624 miles in 49 days of travel, visiting 15 National Parks along the way – not even a quarter of your total journey. Have you begun to realize on how big of an adventure this is?

Actually, it is still sinking in. It does not feel like we’ve traveled that far – and we know we’ll exceed our original mileage estimate of 20,000 miles by about 10,000 miles. As we look back on the photo albums and Facebook postings we’ve created, it is beginning to hit us that this is a BIG adventure. We don’t have much time to reflect on that because we are always busy – scoping out the parks, managing the daily routines, creating content, responding to growing amounts of email – plus all the hiking, regular shopping for supplies. Oddly enough, we don’t feel rushed. And we’ve lost weight – a good thing! We’re getting pretty fit on this journey.

Do you see your trip as life-changing?

You bet it is. We’ve essentially gotten rid of pretty much everything we own that is not with us in the Sprinter Interstate. We’ve talked for over 15 years about living a simpler, less cluttered life – the idea that less is more, and we’ve done some of that. But not as totally as we have now. And it has been a discovery that what we thought is true is indeed true. Jan can make an oasis home wherever we are, with whatever we have. And the reduced stress and much better peace of mind is all that we read it would be.

There are a lot of people we’ve met that have given up big corporate jobs and bennies and are enjoying this kind of a lifestyle. They’ve all encouraged us to do the same. Others have been hammered by the recession, and it caused them to make major life changes that they are finding more rewarding than what they had before. The common refrain seems to be “we should have done this a long time ago.” We agree!

I imagine you must feel that you were shot out of a cannon when you began this adventure.

Good turn of phrase – it sure fits us. We did feel that way, because so many things came together at the last minute. And because we picked up the Sprinter Interstate at the Airstream factory in Jackson Center, OH, we had to drive it back to Denver to load it up with our stuff before we officially hit the road. Fortunately, Forever Resorts put us up in their Holiday Inn Resort in Estes Park for the first 3 days at Rocky Mountain National Park. That really helped us calm down and relax in our roomy suite, so there was not the pressure to immediately go “full time” in the RV.

Last year, I completed a goal of hiking 100 times in 240 days. With each hike, I would photograph myself with a numbered card representing the hike number. Do you have any similar rituals on your journey?

That is a great idea, Kolby. We met a father & son team touring Route 66 in a little Scion XB and a tent and they had a photo ritual with some silly doll thing. But it worked! Our ritual is to connect with at least one Park Ranger on day one, and figure out a less-traveled hike or location in the park to visit. Two hikes are also a ritual – one short and sweet, one long and hard, if they are available. Jan, though, has the coolest ritual – she is getting her National Park passport stamped at each park – including those with 2 locations for 2 stamps; and she sends our 2 year old grandson a postcard from each park. Without fail, as our daughter Brooke is tracking our route on a large map, creating a memory piece for our grandson.

Every year, thousands of “empty nesters” have embarked on long RV journeys, but I haven’t heard of many using social networking services such as Twitter and Facebook to share their experiences. What inspired you to use these services?

My career background is 30+ years in marketing, so we knew the value of the social media. Plus our daughter and son were big proponents of leveraging the web to attract followers. We created our own blog, Facebook and Linkedin sites before we got sponsored. Once we began the Tour, though, all the web-based communications was turned over to Cargo, the marketing agency for Mercedes Benz Sprinter. We create the content – Facebook posts, Facebook notes, Picasa albums, YouTube videos – and Cargo manages the distribution and promotion. Plus we also Tweet regularly. We’re extremely fortunate to have this backing; there was no way we could be doing all that we do plus handle that (despite thinking we could in the beginning.)

When I travel, I tend to bring my laptop so I can send out updates from the road and stay connected to my friends and family. Sometimes though, I’m not sure if staying connected is the best for my well-being. There are times where I’m glad that there’s no cell service or Wi-Fi.

We agree. There is a peace and a solitude that is muy importante that comes from total disconnecting. We’ve experienced that a couple of times, in Big Bend for example. Although we are responsible for providing daily content to Cargo, being totally disconnected was a good experience once we accepted the hard reality of no connectivity.

I know you have shared a lot with others on your website, Twitter and Facebook, but do you keep a written journal of more personal thoughts and experiences from this adventure?

We are trying. Jan has started a personal journal. And I have a ton of thoughts and impressions that if I don’t start writing them down will be lost forever.

Rob & Jan on Lake Saguaro, Arizona.

Planning can only go so far for a major trip. I imagine you have had many unexpected surprises, both for the good and bad.

We had expected to spend more time at the RV in the parks, cooking meals outside and interacting with other RVers. But we’re finding our days in the parks are long, and we get back well after fellow RVers are done for the day. That’s not good or bad, just different than we expected a “normal day” would be. We don’t have any normal days!! Another surprise has been the encouragement of fellow RVers – they all think what we are doing is wonderful (we agree.) A big surprise has been the long-forgotten acquaintances that have come out of the woodwork and now following us. One of them dates back from our wedding in 1975. Finally, the driving experience of the Sprinter Interstate is way better than expected. Whether a short 4 hours or a long 10 hours, we don’t experience road or driving fatigue. A very comfortable and car-like drive. We love it.

Your photos are incredible!

Well, thanks for the compliment – glad you are enjoying them. One of my expectations on this journey was to become a better photographer, and I can see how that is happening as we go along. Olympus partnered with us, as they are partners with the National Park Foundation and were intrigued with our project. They have been great to us – very generous. Like Mercedes and Airstream, they realized we had a pretty good story to tell.

What camera/lenses do you carry?

I already had an Olympus E-620 DSLR, but knew I wanted some high-quality glass. When they asked us what equipment we wanted, I made this list of lenses and was starting to expand on that. Then it hit me: who would know more about what we need for an adventure like this than Olympus? So we asked them what we should have. They responded with 2 great – absolutely great lenses – the Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm F2.8 – 4.0 SWD and Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD. Then they added an E-PL1 as a back-up for my E-620 with a converter to allow me to use the full size lenses on it should I need to. In addition, they sent us a teleconverter EC-14 that doubles the lens lengths when attached – in effect, making my 200mm a 400mm. Included in the package they sent also a superb pair of binoculars which Jan uses extensively, and a digital voice recorder to assist us with notes in the field. Amazing folks at Olympus – we are proud to be associated with them.

The glass immediately improved photo quality and I found myself working harder at composing photos that would make Olympus proud to be associated with us. And I’m still working on that!

Do you have any plans on publishing a book on your journey?

Yes, we do. Our current plan is for a large-sized coffee table book, heavy on photos and written excerpts of our experiences “on the trail.” We also think there might be room for an RV-focused book about our experiences and what we’ve learned from this odyssey. The other item we are planning is a uniquely over-sized limited edition calendar, for 2011 and 2012.

Finally, can you give any advice for those looking to plan their own odyssey?

Have a purpose and stay focused. And quit thinking about it – get up off your duff and do it. As in now. Without delay.

—-

To follow Rob & Jan’s journey, check out sprintertour.com!

I’ve updated the section of my site to include all the hikes I’ve done this year, tracking the progress of my goal to hike 500 miles this year.  Included on the list are hikes I’m not counting towards the 500 miles because they didn’t meet my definition of a hike.

Here's a snippet of the hikes I have done so far this year. Click on the image to be taken to the full list.

Today’s hike was to Sturtevant Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls in Southern California. Since we hiked during a weekday afternoon (and a locally-celebrated holiday), my friend and I seemed to have the trail all to ourselves. When we arrived at the falls, Michael revealed that he carried in beers packed in ice! Happy Cinco de Mayo indeed.

Here are a few photos:

Michael and I in front of the 50-foot Sturtevant Falls.

Excellent afternoon lighting. The golden hour!

Spring is still going strong in the Angeles National Forest.

Michael in the Santa Anita Canyon.

One of a handful of old spillways in the canyon.

There are about 80 cabins in the Santa Anita Canyon.

Another beautiful sight along the Gabrielino Trail.

Celebrating hiking and Cinco de Mayo with an ice-cold Corona.

Thanks to Michael for hauling in the bruskis!

Light Pollution in Joshua Tree National Park

So what can you do about light pollution? If you’re a homeowner, make sure all of your outdoor lights are fully shielded (i.e. the light doesn’t shine above the horizon) and place timers/motion sensors on lights that stay lit for long periods of time. (These two things are responsible for about 70% of all light pollution). You can also participate in the 5th annual global campaign to measure night sky brightness known as GLOBE at Night. Starting today (March 3rd), GLOBE at Night provides participants an opportunity to go outside and observe the constellation Orion. I’ve done it myself for the last two years and it’s very easy:

1. Choose a clear, moonless night during March 3rd and 16th, between 8 and 10pm local time.
2. Match what you see in your portion of the sky with one of 7 GLOBE Magnitude Charts.
3. Report your observations into the GLOBE at Night Web site.

That’s all there is to it!

Here’s more from the site:

GLOBE at Night helps students become aware of Earth as a system while observing the atmosphere and learning that what we do on Earth affects the skies above. Participation in GLOBE at Night is open to anyone in the world to get outside and look skyward during 3‐16 March. You can enter your observations on the GLOBE at Night Report web page from 3‐31 March.
Participation does not require any special training or instruction. The GLOBE at Night Web site provides all the information needed to participate, including instruction guides for teachers, students and parents.
There is no cost to participate in GLOBE at Night. Please share information about GLOBE at Night with anyone who might be interested. Color postcards and one‐page flyers are available on the Web site for you to distribute. In 2009, citizen scientists from 70 countries submitted over 15,000 observations. Help us top that in 2010!

Part of my collection of National Geographic magazines

But old fashioned types like me don’t seem that common these days.  It’s becoming all about the digital age, where there’s a push to change information into one’s and zero’s.  It happened to music not too long ago.  Anyone remember the boom box? How about Tower Records back when they had isles of records? It was just ten years ago that the thought of fitting our entire collection of songs into a device the size of a teabag was only found in science fiction.

And now the cyber-eyes are looking at the printed page.  Each sale of Amazon’s Kindle seems like another death of a book.  Yesterday Apple announced their new iPad, a flat magazine-sized device that I’m certain will sell very well.  Sure, I read a lot of words on screens – even the ones I’m typing now – but there’s more to books and magazines than just the words on the page.  It’s about the physical space the book takes, an actual object you can hold, feel, and smell.  It’s the sound of the cracking spine as you open it or the sound that two pages make as you turn them.  It’s the dog-eared corner, underlined passage, or marginalia that captures a moment in time, connecting the book owner directly with the book.  It’s the feng shui of the page layout – the thought & care that went into the width of the gutter and the margin, the font size, the placement of the words and images on the page.  It’s the glossy feel of the magazine cover, how the colors can pop off the page and the words seem to have a weight to them.

Why do I wax poetically now, you ask?  Sadly, I recently found out that one of my favorite magazines has decided to cease publishing.  Without any fanfare, National Geographic Adventure magazine announced in December that its December 2009/January 2010 issue would be its last regular print edition.  Some say it was a decline in advertising dollars that ended the monthly mag.  But I think the editors saw the future, with its instant delivery of news and information with a push of a button tap of a screen.  Maybe someday we’ll see them as adventurers not only outside on the mountains but also in the publishing house, boldly cutting a path into unknown magazine publication territories.  But for now, I’ll miss the printed real version of the magazine I’ve known since its first issue more than a decade ago.

A 'Dear John' letter from National Geographic Adventure Magazine