If you’re like most of our staff here at the magazine, you likely suffer from a chronic case of wanderlust. Productive afternoons at the office are often squandered on hours of perusing the #adventuremobile Instagram feed and Googling images of mountains far and near. Bad Mondays turn into daydreams about putting in your two weeks, selling everything you own, and hitting the road.
And that’s exactly what our travel editor Jess Daddio did one year ago (minus the whole quitting your job thing).
In April of 2014, Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine launched Live Outside and Play, a spin on our motto “go outside and play,” which entailed Jess leaving her apartment behind, packing only the essentials, and spending the next 365 days working, playing, and living on the road.
From the Carolina coast to the highlands of Pennsylvania and all the way into the heart of eastern Kentucky, it was clear from day one that Jess had no problem putting the pedal to the metal. You may have seen her along with The Rigsbys (her Jeep Cherokee and SylvanSport Go) in tow at a number of regional outdoor events and music festivals. Between event presences, hosting monthly meet-ups, writing and shooting for the magazine, and trying to keep the car clean, Jess had a busy year.
Along the way, she met some amazing people and learned valuable life lessons. Her days were filled by exploring new trails and rivers, rediscovering familiar places, and getting lost more times than she can count. When we asked if she would hit the road for another season, there wasn’t a second of hesitation in her reply — HECK YEAH.
We are excited to announce the next leg of Live Outside and Play is officially kicking off today! This year Jess will be partnering with SylvanSport, Brown Automotive of Charlottesville, Va., IceMule Coolers, Hala Gear, ENO., LifeStraw, Farm To Feet, and Crazy Creek Products.
To follow along in her journey, you can check back weekly on her blog here and subscribe to the following social media handles that Jess maintains on a daily basis:
Instagram: @liveoutsideandplay
Twitter: @jessdaddio
Facebook: Live Outside and Play
