Unplugged #12: The Meta book heist, tall fences and old trees, growing is painful, and the pursuit of perfection
In which I try to join the dots between Meta's colossal data theft from creatives, the future of outdoor storytelling, and thinking with simple tools... 💡A reminder that I am now cross-posting entries on both alexroddie.com and Substack. For more info, read this FAQ. Please feel free
Freezeframe – one last journey into the Cairngorms before the world changed
Five years ago, with the first Covid lockdown imminent and a perfect forecast, I decided to seize the opportunity to complete a long-dreamed-of Cairngorms traverse in perfect winter conditions... 🌄Author's note: A version of this story was first published by The Great Outdoors magazine in 2021. At the
Unplugged #11: Uncertainty and adventure, a wildfire outside, the enshittification of komoot, and the rise of New Romanticism
What do Cicerone guidebooks, an adventure app acquisition, the Luddite uprising of 1811, the Outside crisis, and the music of Ludwig van Beethoven have in common? Dear reader, I am glad you asked... 💡A reminder that I am now cross-posting entries on both alexroddie.com and Substack. For more info,
Unplugged #10: adventure plus purpose, in search of winter, a new mountain magazine, and the Great Chiasmus
One of the big questions I've been mulling over for the last six years or so is this: can adventure have a higher purpose beyond our own enjoyment? 💡A reminder that I am now cross-posting entries on both alexroddie.com and Substack. For more info, read this FAQ.
Unplugged #9: Back from the Alps, rewilding's human cost, and a death knell for critical thinking
A reminder that I am now cross-posting entries on both alexroddie.com and Substack. For more info, read this FAQ. Please feel free to subscribe using whichever platform you prefer. I'm back from the Alps with more than 2,000 digital photos to cull, process and file. This
Unplugged #8: off to the Alps, outdoor recreation vs. conservation, environmental pragmatism, and the one change that worked
I'm packing for a photo shoot in the Alps. Here's the gear I'm bringing. 💡A reminder that I am now cross-posting entries on both alexroddie.com and Substack. For more info, read this FAQ. Please feel free to subscribe using whichever platform you prefer.
Unplugged #7: the outdoors for 'normal people', waking up from a bad run, the Field Notes thing, and microspikes vs. crampons
People like me – outdoor enthusiasts who also work in outdoors media, who have friends that work in outdoors media, and spend all day reading outdoors media – sometimes have a skewed view of what is commonly called 'the outdoors'. 💡A reminder that I am now cross-posting entries on both
Unplugged #6: Maybe we should all care a bit more
'Life cannot be delegated.' 💡A reminder that I am now cross-posting entries on both alexroddie.com and Substack. For more info, read this FAQ. Please feel free to subscribe using whichever platform you prefer. No big essay from me this week before I dive into my news and
Unplugged #5: Why I'm optimistic about 2025
It's not all doom and gloom! In fact, the vibe I've been getting in January is one of hope and renewal... at least in my little corner of the world. 💡A reminder that I am now cross-posting entries on both alexroddie.com and Substack. For more
2024 in review as a professional outdoor writer and editor
In 2023, my wife Hannah and I moved back to Scotland, which means that 2024 has been our first full year north of the border. So how has that been? And what have been my challenges and successes in 2024 as a working writer and editor? In these reviews I
