For many years I thought my job was to go to places where it would be difficult for most of the readers to ever get to. Now, in the more than 20 years I've been doing this, the concept of adventure-travel trips or expeditions by groups has sprung up. The places I went 20 years ago now have adventure-travel trips.

I am living out my adolescent dream of travel and adventure.

As one of the first editors at 'Outside' magazine in 1975, it was my contention that most American writing going back to James Fennimore Cooper and then through Twain up to Hemingway had been outdoor writing. At that time, adventure writing meant stuff like 'Saga' or 'Argosy.' 'Death Race with the Jungle Leper Army!' That kind of thing.

Adventure travel existed before I started, I just didn't know it.

There's a spiritual complement to any attempt at transposing a commitment to humanity through music or art.

When faith is lost, when honor dies, the man is dead.

Meditation is certainly not a religion, cult, or spiritual path: it's actually a very basic practice to reduce stress.

I was an overweight kid, and I went through a period where, oh my God, they were making cow sounds at me when I walked down the hallway and just humiliating me. Kids can be mean.