A Sense of Wonder

My first outdoor adventures were small and close to home: I grew up on a cul-de-sac in the San Francisco suburbs, and our little court was ringed by foothills that led to magnificent Mt. Diablo State Park. Along with my brother and our neighborhood friends, I explored that land extensively over the years. Within minutes of closing the gate at the end of our street, we would find ourselves tucked into the folds of those hills, no houses in sight, with nothing more than our desire for exploration and our wits. It was wildly fun—and liberating. Of course, as we grow older, our lives change in unexpected ways, as do our adventures. We even modify the way we define the word adventure: Wearing the blinders of everyday life, a rough commute home from work or a harried trip to the supermarket can become an “adventure” in adultland. The notions of excitement and discovery should be more sacred than that, especially here in Colorado, and you can count 5280’s editorial team among those who believe it’s essential that we maintain a sense of wonder connected to our escapades. To that end, you’ll find that every story in this special issue is dedicated to the pursuit of bold, authentic exploration in the Centennial State, from following the exploits of a young man trying to paraglide the length of the state’s Rocky Mountains to examining how outdoorsy types have leveraged their lifestyles on social media to walking in the footsteps of one of American history’s iconic explorers. Adventure comes in a variety of flavors—but what’s important is finding something that is wildly fun and liberating for you. We hope this issue encourages you to do just that.