In this issue, our wonderful writers serve up all kinds of surprises. Greyson Ferguson gets bogged while boondocking in the desert, and finds his saviors in an unconventional way. Mountain-climbing enthusiasts Anna and Dustin Swanson plan a dream climbing adventure, only to be thwarted at every turn. Teddy Horowitz and his boyfriend venture beyond the city limits of Washington D.C., and discover that the fears that you have are often not as scary as they first seem; and Ching Fu finds that Washington’s Coulee Country is not just a place to pass through—it’s worth a bunch of extra time.

Also, don’t miss our breweries round-up, showcasing the weird and wonderful beer-makers around the country—we’ve scoured the nation for breweries with great views, innovative brewing and surprising locales.

In our regular “Places” feature, Alice Kenneally has an unexpected and hair-raising encounter with a grizzly in Alaska; Katy Spratte Joyce discovers that Colorado Springs—also known as “Olympic City”—has a ton to offer above and beyond its athletic associations; Rachel Schroath shares Oklahoma’s secret (it’s not so flat, after all); and Jackie Hostetler investigates the longstanding feminist history of a small Kansas town.