The Shorts — Penance
Penance Do as I say, not as I’ve done. It’s the central paradox of many father-son relationships. We strive to learn from our mistakes and grow throughout our lives. We want to see our hard earned wisdom reflected to others. After road racing bicycles for seven years, and pushing his youthful limits of bravery and […]
The Shorts — Dispatch from the Middle
Dispatch from the Middle Would you be satisfied pursuing your outdoor activity for only a few weeks of every year? Geography can be heartless. Climbers find themselves in the heartland. Skiers in the South East’s warmer climate. For surfer Wade Grocott, his local break is thousands of kilometers away. The weeks he’s not surfing, he’s […]
The Shorts — The Pee Tree
The Pee Tree How do you choose the stories to retell when you get back from a trip? Finding those perfect moments that capture your travels, the scenery and the action, can make you feel as picky as Goldilocks. What to say? Shane Robinson writes, “At first, I tried to recount every amazing detail of […]
The Shorts — Sitting in Silence
Sitting in Silence Mike Colpo went to guide school in search of a different life. His rugged instructor, Cody, taught him the basics of guiding climbers, but also pushed Mike and the other students towards something bigger. After spending many years in the outdoors, Cody had a wisdom beyond guiding that he wanted to convey […]
The Shorts — How She Got There
How She Got There Christine McMahon read Ranger Rick, stole her brother’s Boy Scouts Manual to learn survival tricks and was driving by age 9. She grew up relatively carefree surrounded by friends and family who made sure she feared nothing. Until the day circled in red on her calendar arrived. The day when she […]
The Shorts — Cardboard Canadian
Cardboard Canadian If you’ve ever stuck your thumb out to catch a ride, you understand the highs and lows of hitchhiking. Passing cars, sandy highway shoulders, cardboard signs, and a belief that mental telepathy can lure cars to slow down are tools of the trade. After hitchhiking in Canada and Arizona, Graham Waugh thought he’d […]
The Shorts — The Lost Art
The Lost Art Surfer. Waves. Design. Surfboard. In 25 years of surfing, Will Ranken never thought much about how those four elements interrelated to one another. When he needed a new board, he would buy one off the racks, hand over the cash, and soon he was paddling into the line up again. That was […]
The Shorts — Packing
Packing Whether you’re going to the crag for the day or embarking on a long adventure overseas, packing is a fact of life. Some of us make lists, others calculate every ounce, and still others throw every possible thing that might be needed into the back of the truck. Best to be prepared after all. […]
The Shorts — Zones of Subduction
Zones of Subduction Growing up, inheritance and parenthood–these themes have quietly woven their way into the Diaries’ Fabric. Whether it’s Brendan Leonard’s Go West or Steve Bohrer’s Balance, we’ve explored how parents introduce their children to the natural world. Today, Bob Nydam presents a story about the sometimes painful process of watching a child grow […]
