Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25059
I first learned of Robert Young Pelton not at any war zone conference or other unusual setting, but through discovering his book, The World's Most Dangerous Places, at a local bookstore. Having read many conventional and unconventional travel guides, his title called out to me as a new and much needed approach. A good friend of mine was about to embark on an adventurous journey, so I bought The World's Most Dangerous Places for him and, using a map as wrapping paper, bid him farewell. A couple of years later Blue was well in the planning stages and I was in San Francisco at a conference on adventure travel. Robert Young Pelton happened to be speaking and I made a point to attend his lecture. He had just gotten back f.rom dangerous place and walked the audience through the whole adventure. After his speech, many had questions. "Are you afraid of the danger in your travels?" He responded with wit and calm conviction, "I am not afraid of danger. I am afraid of living miserably." Although I seldom take notes, I jotted this one down. I have carried it around in my head ever since. To me, it summarizes a lot of what Blue is all about: Looking beyond what is readily available. Choosing challenge over apathy, risk over boredom. I spoke to Robert for the first time after the lecture. I was excited to tell him about the upcoming launch of Blue-the first adventure lifestyle magazine-and he was intrigued. Now Robert is our Editor-at-Large and plans to report regularly on destinations few visit safely if at all (see his article on Algeria, Life in the Death Zone on page 46). I still remember one of his first thoughts on the magazine-he said "it sounds like you are trying to capture the essence of freedom, and if Blue can do that it will succeed." AMY SCHRIER FOUNDER