50 Issues and Counting

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. —Calvin Coolidge

Arbitrary as they are, temporal milestones perform an important social function: the celebration of persistence. Birthdays celebrate continued life; anniversaries honor commitment; holidays consecrate tradition and tribal custom. And in an increasingly distracted, opportunistic world, holding fast and staying the course seems rare and precious indeed. It’s easy to jump ship and swim for the bright, green shoreline; steering into the storm takes courage and a willingness to risk it all. But, as the old saying goes, with great risk comes great reward.

Milestones are also a perfect excuse to throw a party, which is something we can definitely get on board with. And so we celebrate 50 issues of Outside Bozeman magazine—50 times we’ve battened down the hatches and driven through the storm to compile the best of Bozeman—complete with outdoor insights and instruction, tales of adventure, images of action and natural beauty, and the inimitable, upbeat attitude toward life we all share here in the Bozone.

Like any good anniversary, we’ve included some highlights from the past, pulling a few key stories from the O/B archives—which we’ll continue to do in coming issues. Like a photo album, they serve as a reminder of who we are and where we came from. “Study the past,” advised Confucius, “if you would divine the future.”

So as winter settles in and you find more quiet time to sit and ponder, consider your own life: ambitions, plans, the obstacles that lie ahead. Think about what it’ll take to buckle down and plow through the adversity, to stubbornly cling to your ideals and thus achieve your goals. Whether it’s summiting a massive peak, running a marathon, or just learning how to ice-skate or Nordic ski, remember that persistence is everything, and the path lies straight ahead. And that a party is in order when you get there.