Have you noticed how time – arguably one of our most precious commodities – isn’t waiting for us to get our shit together? Excuses proliferate on why we put things off that matter to us: visiting a wizened, old family member before they head to the country, volunteering for a worthy cause we say we believe in, going back to school to learn something fresh, taking that ambitious trip we’ve talked about for years. Time – as the erudite saying goes ...

By the time Indian summer rolls around here at the 45th parallel, avid mountain bikers are looking to tick a few big, definitive rides before the snow flies. Definitive, in our circle, equals a full-day outing with lots of mileage and vertical relief. The climb(s) must be sustained, nearly anaerobic lung busters, and yet just barely do-able. The switchbacks should be tight, yet ride-able without a dab. Not seeing another soul (outside of your carefully chosen posse) accentuates the ...

At the recent US Travel/ESTO national conference, the Montana Office of Tourism was presented two of the org’s most prestigious awards: Best Print Campaign and Best Interactive Campaign. As Montana’s strategic/creative agency, we at MercuryCSC were both humbled (aw shucks) and stoked!

Montana’s “Nothing Here” campaign runs against the grain of most conventional state tourism office campaigns. Instead of trying to serve up a formulaic “we’ve got it all” (see Biff, Buffy and the ...

On a recent surf trip to Costa Rica I was reminded of an important lesson… if you really want a feral experience you’re going to have to travel a bit further than most. Perhaps not a further distance, simply a different compass bearing. When the guidebook says, “go right” I’ve learned I’m better off going left… or, perhaps, splitting the difference.

Just north of Malpais, Costa Rica, the coastal town of Santa Teresa smells of ripe mangos ...