You should never trust a reporter who claims to be an expert. As a professional journalist I’m constantly amazed by what I don’t know. Much of the work you’ll find here at The Joy Trip Project is the result of painstaking research. I seek out multiple sources, read up on the latest literature and get the perspective of knowledgeable people who can speak intelligently on the topic at hand. Add a little analysis and insight from my personal experience and the result is a balanced story that is thought provoking and compelling. Hopefully what you learn will allow you to draw your own well-informed conclusions.

With these same laudable reporting skills I plan to bring a little clarity to the world of social media through a dynamic new communications platform called Channel Signal. As part of a small team of market analysts I’m going to begin a series of reports and commentaries on various aspects of the Outdoor Industry. Future posts to The Joy Trip Project web site will include stories whose details derive from the thoughts and opinions of the key outdoor product design and development influencers as well as those working on behalf of environmental protection. Read the rest of this entry »

My buddy Jimmy Chin is heading to the summit of Kilimanjaro this week. As one of the most sought-after high altitude photographers in the world I can’t say I’m surprised. When we first met he was complaining about having to go back to climb Everest  – again. “I’ve already been there twice this year,” he said when we first met in 2006. “But this one’s important. So I’ve got to go.”

Can’t say that I felt too sorry for him. But on that particular occasion he was heading back to Nepal to shoot pictures of fellow North Face athlete Kit DesLauriers’ ski decent of the highest mountain in the world. That winter she became the first person to ski the Seven Summits and Jimmy was there to film it. Read the rest of this entry »

The collected works of modern artists will change the world. I’m convinced that those who combine creative expression with a love of the natural world will bring to light the critical issues that must be addressed in order to protect and preserve the ecology of our planet at risk. Singer/Songwriter Jon T. Howard is one of those artists plying message to mission. Later this week he’s heading out on a voyage across the North Atlantic Gyre. The goal is to raise awareness for the world’s ocean becoming thoroughly polluted with disposable plastic water bottles.

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It’s hard to believe. The Joy Trip Project just turned over its first full year of production. The podcast, blog and photo stream posted to the Internet one year ago this week. And after 12 solid months of experimentation, hand wringing and soul searching the JTP is slowly emerging as a recognizable voice in the social media mainstream. And as the feed sets out its second lap around the sun the JTP is moving forward with a profound sense of purpose and a worthwhile new mission. Read the rest of this entry »

I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Casimiro at a journalism conference in Boulder back last spring. He and I were among a dozen or more writers in the outdoor space sharing our ideas as guests of Mountain Hardwear, an event they call the Trends Retreat. There’s something about a National Geographic reporter/photographer that makes you take notice and hang on his every word.  Steve’s a brilliant, charming guy who’s as willing to listen to your stories as he is to share his own. Frankly, his are better.

To be more specific Steve’s most prominent work can be found in the pages of National Geographic Adventure, the Yellow Book’s adolescent younger cousin. But this troubled youth won’t make it to drinking age. As of last month in a recovering economy the popular high profile adrenaline magazine is out of business. Plummeting ad revenue apparently made the glossy picture rich pages too expensive to print and now Steve’s out of a job.

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Sara Lingafelter came on to adventure scene with the grace of a ballet dancer and the energy of a rock star. I’ve been at this 20 years now and I’ve seen my share of young women and men go about “finding themselves” in the outdoors.  Most “live the dream” by scamming free gear, conning sponsored vacations, alienating family, neglecting friends and forgetting how to bathe, but not Sara. This once Seattle-area lawyer came to the wild world with humility and thoughtful consideration. Sara took the odd shop job, slept on floors, played chauffeur and belay slave but always with a smile. Known on her blog as Rock Climber Girl she shared her experiences and tried to inspire others along the way. On a two-year short course in the way of the dirtbag Sara paid her dues to join the tribe of outdoor professionals.

“This life is a balance of work and play, although the line between the two is just blissfully blurred, at the moment,” she wrote in a recent post. “This life is about listening to my self, listening to my body, listening to the voices that point the way… because when I trust myself, and listen to myself, and follow my intuition, then it’s a blessing when things work out.”

Sara’s working now as a field representative for the rep agency Waypoint Outdoors. She loves her job and believes she’s found her place in the world. That kind of career path is hard enough to find let alone follow. But Sara has shown that it’s possible. By approaching life in an honest assessment of what matters most we can discover what we love, what makes us happy and how best to fulfill our life’s purpose. ~JEM

Check out Sara’s blog at http://www.rockclimbergirl.com/

Wherever you are this holiday season may you find happiness in every moment. There is so much more to life when the exchange of gifts includes the sharing of warm thoughts and well wishes among the billions who cohabit our beautiful planet. Know that as you count your blessings today there are those whose hearts will take comfort in the kindness of your smile, the patience and compassion in your voice and the twinkle of laughter in your eyes.

Share your holiday joy!

Photograph by James Edward Mills

This video came across my desk this morning. Here is another wonderful example of modern media that would be hilarious if not for its painfully tragic truth.

Blair Underwood does an amazing job of illustrating a social phenomenon that I’ve experience through much of my personal and professional life. Anyone who spends time recreating outdoors will likely notice the conspicuous absences of minorities, blacks, Latinos, Asians, Pacific Islanders take your pick. People of color are seldom seen hiking, climbing, skiing,  bird watching, whatever. The reasons why are numerous, but among them sometimes is the conspicuousness of our presence.

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Just had a terrific interview with filmmaker Dominic Gill at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. His movie called “Take a Seat” follows his journey from Alaska to the tip of South America on a tandem bicycle, a journey of 20,000 Miles. Read the rest of this entry »