The Dirtbag Diaries

"A friend of mine said that it was worth getting a budget flight to Morocco just to eat an orange.  After that you could turn around and fly home content." Writer, photographer, and surfer Mat Arney was ready for a break from his routine; and really ready to go surfing. While driving or flying was the simple solution, Mat made the journey equal to the destination, taking the train from England to...

Drive it until it dies. That's the motto I lived by as my truck, Crash, crisscrossed the West. Family members would doubtfully ask, "Are you sure you want to drive there?" I did. Friends would ask about Crash's well being as though he was my aging dog. Though I knew the day was coming, I was still blindsided when the gears ground to a halt on my way to Yosemite. Could my belief in Crash transcend...

"My father would collected me in the summer and we would range farther in our explorations of the West.  We would find small towns on the edge of wilderness and he would tell me, 'If I ever disappear, look for me here.' These trips nurtured a love of the outdoors that I cannot imagine being without.”  Deron Daugherty pays tribute to his father as they take one last hike together into the San Franc...

Next time you're out at a popular trailhead, take 30 minutes, crack a beer and take a look around the parking lot. You'll start to see that there are a few  distinct types of people you can meet in the parking lot. Each has their merits that can help you achieve a spectacular day. And each has its drawback too. It’s up to you to decide which player you want to be in the parking lot.  CLICK HERE TO...

Jessie Stone has a resume that would make any dirtbag proud -- raft guide, pro whitewater kayaker and member of the US freestyle kayak team. At the end of that list is medical doctor.  And the director of the Soft Power Health Clinic in Uganda.  She is a career shape shifter. who followed her passions and ended up in an unexpected place. How do you know when it's time to step out of the current an...

"If there are three types of fun, there should be five types of B.O." It happens to all of us. You're out camping for a few days, maybe more. Free from the hygienic shackles of society, you sniff and think, "I'm good."  Brendan Leonard's been there. He'll go multiple days without a shower, because one isn't readily available, or he doesn't want to find the soap buried in his car. It's gotten bad....

Welcome to the second half of our 2012 Live From 5 Point show. This week we continue the show from Steve's Guitars in downtown Carbondale, CO. Photographer Ben Moon presents his story about overcoming cancer, the community that rose up to support him and his thoughts on fear.  Veteran alpine climber Mark Richey recounts the incident that almost took his climbing partner's life during their ascent...

5Point Film Festival invited us back for another live Dirtbag Diaries. And of course, we said, "Yes!" We invited four people up on stage to to talk about a moment in their lives when it all seemed to go wrong. And where those moments have led them, as the effects have rippled through their lives.  Today we present the first two stories. At 23, free skier Josh Dueck overshot the landing of a jump a...

Last spring, Fred Sproat and his friend Sam pedaled 630 miles from Eugene, OR to the heart of the Sierra. Their mission was to ski couloirs by truly earning their turns and challenging the status quo of how we feed our backcountry addictions. 

"When you’re in a crowded movie theater or stadium, do you nervously fidget and plot an escape route?" asks Dean Fleming. If so, you may be suffering from Post-Emphatic Wilderness Disorder. Dean walks you through the symptoms and three steps to help you cope with this recently diagnosed disorder.

The Dirtbag Diaries turns five.  This also happens to be our 100th episode.  To celebrate the occasion, we reached out to our collaborators, our contributors and our friends and asked for ideas. Their response was resounding. "We want to hear your story, the story of the Diaries," they said.  Our intern, Austin Siadak, stepped forward to do the interview and relay the story.  

On road trips, Brendan Leonard always stops to check out the t-shirt rack, bumper stickers or display of trinkets unique to the area. And every stop is a chance to find the best, ever. But he hadn't quite found it. Until friends told him of a magical place huddled in the shadow of the Sierra. Indeed, this was a magical place, but could it exceed his checklist of expectations?

John Dittli says the skating has been epic in the high Sierra. While others have bemoaned the lack of snow, John has seized the extended window to ice skate on multiple lakes. In the spirit of making the most out of a situation. we present the Year of Big Ideas- goals from friends, pros and creative thinkers. And no matter what 2012 brings, we'll make sure there's more lemonade in all we do.

Growing up in Ireland, writer Lisa McGonigle wasn't immersed in snow and mountains. But a trip to the Pyrenees when she was 19 to try snowboarding realigned her priorities. While little rivals fresh lines on a powder day, she discovered the fine line between passionate and obsessed can be difficult to distinguish. 

Transitions may not be sexy, but they make or break us. Almost five years after I wrote the Monoboard and started The Diaries, I find myself in a metaphorical transition.  My passions run from the mountains to the Seattle music scene and I've become adept at moving between them. My life is about to change. My passions won't.  It's time to refine the transition.

Dean Fleming writes, " Like most rock climbers, I’m a control freak and I’m cheap.  So I’ll share one lifestyle tip for the committed to put extra cash in your pocket." DIY haircuts. Dean lays out 3 simple steps to keeping the dirtbag dream alive. 

It can be difficult to separate an initial seed of fear from the growing tangle of possibility that can quickly emerge in your head, but sometimes that sprouting seed is very tangible. Today, we bring you stories from Sara Porterfield and Jeremy Allyn. They'll make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. You'll try to shudder them off. But the seed- the seed will remain. 

The weekend ritual of loading up a car with gear, picking a destination, and watching out the window as the landscapes passes by is familiar to most of us. We may have a love-hate relationship with our vehicles, but they are able to take us to the places that help clear our heads and restore our souls. Is that rationalization enough?

The Underdog is the most potent myth in America. Is this special type of hero just a myth or is the underdog real? Jayson Sime was a small town Iowa kid from the tough part of town. He was told he wouldn't amount to much by his teachers and hazed by his peers. From north of nowhere to a career in politics to Mount Shasta's summit, Jayson has overcome.  Maybe heroes are real.  

While in school, Fred Sproat successfully balanced his time between guiding and love. Guiding takes a commitment to dealing with Mother Nature's spontaneous eruptions and the tenacity to keep clients happy. But you are able to pursue you passion, even if it means leaving somethings- or someone- behind.  

The first time I sat around a climber's campfire at 19, I could sense that though our lives were superficially different with jobs and responsibilities, something greater connected those gathered around the fire. Today, we present two stories from women- one a climber and one a creator- about the moment when the random became connected at a time when it mattered most. 

When David King set out to ride his bike across the US, he had read the books, bought the right gear and trained tirelessly on hills back home.  But biking day in and day out started to wear on him mentally, as well as physically. As he cranked up a steep pass early in the trip, David wondered whether he had the mental tenacity to complete the ride. 

After road racing bicycles for seven years, Gary Visser settled into life in South Carolina. He discovered a new passion in the salt water marshes, raised a family, and taught his son, Garrett, to fly fish. As Garrett prepares to leave for college, Gary appreciates that letting go, much like his parents did more than 30 years ago, is harder than one might think. 

Our long held dream of creating a live performance of The Dirtbag Diaries came true this spring at the 5Point Film Festival. Today we present the stories of the folks behind the camera. Mickey Smith and Nick Waggoner join us on stage. Welcome to the 5Point Film Festival. 

For years, Becca and I have wanted to create a live performance of The Dirtbag Diaries. When 5Point Film Festival gurus Julie Kennedy and Beda Calhoun approached me earlier this year about creating a onstage storytelling hour at the festival, I immediately said yes. Baybe Champ and Frank Smethhurst join us on stage. Welcome to the 5Point Film Festival.