In 2011, after years of planning, I embarked on my first major dual sport trip, originally intending to ride to Tierra Del Fuego. Life happened and instead, I found myself taking on the entirety of the Trans-America Trail, almost exclusively with paper nav and roll charts. This transformative trip reshaped everything, and long-term ADV travel became the organizing principle of every choice I made for nearly a decade.

This first trip taught me so much, but most importantly, I embraced one particular fundamental belief: "true adventure lives in hardship". While I do like to believe that adventure can be found even in a mundane trip to the grocery store, it's the moments when everything seems to fall apart that truly define the journey. Whether it's a breakdown on an abandoned fracking road in the Ozarks, or sometimes just a wrong turn on the trail, these challenges necessitate vulnerability and forge enduring friendships and unforgettable memories with friends as well as strangers. These times of adversity have proven to be the most rewarding moments of my life. Leading me to chase after the richness that comes from embracing difficulty and the unknown. It was clear to me that I would feel at home with Mosko because I knew that every employee has experienced firsthand the value that hard travel brings.

I did manage to make it down to Tierra Del Fuego after all. And when I finally reached that famous sign that reads “Fin Del Mundo”, I had seen penguins, flamingos, and emus in the wild that very day. This culmination of my South America trip was truly incredible, reinforcing my passion for welcoming this “real adventure” with joy as a catalyst for growth. This mindset has not only guided my personal adventures but also shaped my career, helping startups and small businesses thrive amidst uncertainty and bold acceptance of failure. Today, I continue to live by this ethos, finding freedom and resilience in every twist and turn life brings.