On Adventure

What do you picture when you think of adventure?

If you’re like me, you might envision flying around the world or a trek across Antarctica. Capital-“A” Adventures that Amelia Earhart and Ernest Shackleton undertook.

But adventure comes in many forms.

ad·ven·ture (ăd-vĕn′chər) noun

  1. An undertaking or enterprise of a hazardous nature
  2. An unusual or exciting experience

I identify with this definition because I thrive on new, unusual, exciting experiences. They feed my inexhaustible curiosity to learn about myself and the world around me. I am happiest when I challenge myself—be it physically, mentally, or emotionally—and embrace the risks of the unknown.

Sedona with Benny
Sedona with Benny

This drive manifests in my myriad pursuits: hobbies, passion projects, physical challenges, travels, and outdoor pursuits. Lowercase-“a” adventures is where I go all in: living in a van for 19 months, renovating 3,700 sq ft home, or running an ultramarathon.

“Always an Adventure” is the lens through which I regard life’s challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. It is an encouragement to seek out these experiences intentionally as a way of life.

This website is devoted to sharing the joy and learnings from my life’s adventures:

  • Travel reflections from vanlife
  • Building/converting a camper van
  • Culinary and homebrew creations
  • Software and audio engineering projects
  • Home improvement and renovation

My hope is that you’ll gain inspiration, practical insight, and encouragement to jump into whatever adventure excites you.

Thanks for reading!

— Chuck (December 13, 2025)

About Me

Chuck Smith is a technology executive, engineering consultant, and entrepreneur with 25 years of experience leading high-growth teams and building category-defining software products. He has co-founded two startups with one successful exit to Microsoft (TakeLessons). He has held engineering leadership roles at high-growth companies (AWS, Outreach, Textio), creating collaborative team cultures and scalable business systems. Chuck has deep technical experience with software development, information security, enterprise SaaS platforms, distributed systems, data analytics and warehousing, and infrastructure engineering.

Chuck holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science and Literature from the California Institute of Technology.

When he isn’t geeking out on data and technology, he enjoys travel, running, backpacking, and culinary adventures. He lives in Duluth, MN, with his wife and fluffy pup.

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