GearJunkie all started with an idea — his idea.

You’d think building a multimedia empire takes a lot of planning. But in fact, sometimes you just back into it.

So it was with GearJunkie, once a paper-and-ink zine called “Vertical Jones,” then a syndicated newspaper column, then a scrappy blog, then a — well, if you’re reading this, you know how the story ends. Or rather, you know how the story continues.

As GearJunkie has grown, so too has its founder, Stephen Regenold. For more than a decade, Regenold has pursued the world of gear-based outdoor adventure with both laser focus and childlike enthusiasm. From weeklong races through the jungle to alley cat bike races through the city, Regenold never shied away from a good mental and physical challenge.

But now a father of five, and with a staff approaching 20, the OG GJ has had to pass off the reins and find a new focus. Listen in as GearJunkie’s founder reflects on where our publication has been and where it’s going. He even offers up some off-the-page experiences you have to hear to believe.