Mission Statement

Ok, I admit it, I was wrong—the Internet is not a fad. It doesn’t appear that it’s going to fade from our popular culture anytime soon, like the way of the hula hoop, hacky sack, and pog. If anything, it seems to be getting even more popular with time. The fact that I started this blog is proof of that. I mean, up until just a few days ago I didn’t even know exactly what a blog was. But thanks to the Internet I found out that it’s simply a truncation of the term “web log.” Hell, up until just a few seconds ago I didn’t even know what the word “truncation” meant. But again, thanks to the Internet, I found out that it’s something that has been shortened by cutting off a part, end, or top. So, anyway, this is my blog. Welcome!

Since this is my first blog post on jonpenfold.com, I feel that it’s only appropriate to explain the purpose of this blog. Primarily I will be writing about adventure. And not those super expensive “adventures” that are featured in the “Destinations” department of Outside Magazine—the kind you can only afford if you make six-figures a year, or decide to tap into your retirement fund. After all, the majority of people in my generation can’t even comprehend the concept of a retirement fund, let alone crack the six-figure barrier. No, I’m going to write about adventures for the rest of us.

According to Dictionary.com (there I go with the Internet again), as a noun, an “adventure” can be as straightforward as “an exciting or unusual experience,” and as a verb, as simple as “to take the chance of.” So, that’s what my plan is—to write about exciting and unusual experiences, and to take plenty of chances along the way. An adventure can be as dangerous as climbing a snow-packed mountain in a complete whiteout (which I have done, and do not recommend), or as simple as riding a bicycle twenty miles to complete a burger-eating challenge at a dive bar in the middle of nowhere (which I have done, and do recommend). I plan on writing about races and rides and hikes and climbs. About roads and rivers and trails and tracks. I plan on writing about things that I’ve done a thousand times and others that I’ve never done before. And because my mind often wanders, I can guarantee that I will sometimes venture away from the topic of adventure to write about anything that happens to be occupying my thoughts on any given day. But that’s just part of taking chances.

So, tell your family and your co-workers about his blog. Tell your friends and your enemies about this blog. Tell your frienemies about this blog. Tell anyone and everyone you know about this blog. I promise that it will be an exciting and unusual experience!