Alex Strickland was born and raised in possibly the least mountainous and outdoorsy city in America – Memphis, Tenn. Despite the lack of trails and people to enjoy them with, he became a hiker, mountain biker and runner. Today, he's traded up for the Wasatch Mountains of Utah and added skiing to the mix, once someone explained what snow was.

A former newspaper editor in small-town Montana, Strickland enjoys freelance writing and photography for publications around the Mountain West and sharing his love for the outdoors through his work.

He is an occasional bike racer and hopeful triathlete who tinkers with one of his many half-built bikes in the shed on days when he's not on the trail.

View Strickland's blog and photography portfolio. He can be reached by e-mail.

My backyard is: