About Me

Who Am I?

My Name is Craig Martin. I am currently a Second Lieutenant in the US Army serving as a Field Artillery Officer. I also recently graduated from Purdue University in May 2021 with a degree in Industrial Engineering Technology. I am a huge fan of fitness and all things outdoors. I enjoy competing in triathlons, different length running races, and really any endurance event all together. I also quite enjoy lifting and CrossFit with friends. My favorite competition though is competing in Enduro mountain bike races. Having the mix of fitness for pedaling up the large hills/ mountains and endurance to do so for the entirety of the race mixed with the technical riding skills required to descend quickly is absolute pure bliss.

I am an avid mountain biker, hiker, and all around adventurer and traveler. I have recently discovered a passion for photography in addition to these hobbies and discovered that it is an amazingly fun way to bring them all together. The best part about all these activities is you can do them all with friends. Being able to partake in hobbies with good friends to laugh and build unforgettable memories is one of the most important aspects to being happy. Add in the ability to forget about all the problems in the world for a few brief moments makes activities like these truly special.

I am extremely passionate about the outdoors and all of the opportunity it provides. It is something I want to help motivate others to experience with the goal to try and understand the sense of peace and calmness they can provide. Chaos, stress, and anxiety is something that seems to be running rampant in our world today. Something I personally struggle with heavily. People are more on edge than ever, and it is my goal to help them go out on an adventure to forget about that chaos for just a short bit. To live happier, healthier lives through the peace that comes with getting lost in your adventure.

Why I am Here:

As I mentioned about anxiety, I struggle with this day in and day out. It is something that simply is always sitting there and just makes every little thing seem much more challenging and overwhelming than it really is. Then, once you start thinking about it and getting frustrated by not knowing why you are worrying so much, it only continues to get worse. What I found though is being outside mountain biking, taking pictures, hiking with a friend, or any number of the activities involving going on a bit of an adventure eliminates those worries. Being able to escape from the constant anxiety of everyday work and life for just a few moments and being able to breathe is the refreshment I believe everyone needs. And where this “refreshment” may look different for different people, being outside taking pictures and hiking or mountain biking is my “retreat”. Or to put it another way, it is my release that keeps me moving forward. In addition to this, I am a Christian. For me personally, I have found being out on these adventures has been a fantastic way for me to strengthen and build that relationship with God and in turn discover a bit more peace in anxiety. Being able to see firsthand the amazing paintings in the sky created by God or meet the amazing people out on the mountain bike trails has been a true blessing. It has been the point at which I have been able to opening my mind about what the world really is. It is for these reasons I started this website and hope to inspire people to go out and have adventures of their own. Whether it be a mountain biking and hiking adventure or something of the exact opposite nature, it does not matter. My hope is simply for my content on here and my social media platforms to inspire others to seek out what makes them happy to live a happier, healthier life. It is my goal to show others that if you have an impossible dream, don’t be afraid to take the leap. Sometimes, the momentum created from taking the first leap is all you need to become unstoppable.

Where Does my Joy for Traveling Come From?

I have always enjoyed traveling to different places and experiencing new cultures, meeting new people, and experiencing new locations. At one point, I had the opportunity to visit a friend who studied abroad for a semester in Seville Spain. During that time I managed to spend 10 days visiting her there as well as traveling to London, Paris, and seeing the beaches of Normandy. During this amazing experience, I had opportunities I never thought would happen. I had the opportunity to eat a homemade meal in the family room of the host family of my girlfriend at the time and getting lunch from a local nunnery. Upon this trip ending I made the decision that I wanted to do a semester abroad of my own. Beginning January 2020 I had the opportunity to study abroad for the semester in Lucerne Switzerland. This experience was absolutely incredible and was filled with amazing experiences including some unique ones such as studying abroad during a pandemic. While living here and meeting so many incredible people from all over the world, traveling to so many breathtakingly amazing places, and experiencing new cultures, I made the decision I wanted to share my story. I have been fortunate enough to do some amazing travels including 2 weeks in Ireland, all over Europe including studying abroad in Switzerland, all over the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Alaska, all over the continental US, and a few places in Canada. I decided to use my experiences, both the good and the bad, to inspire others to travel and experience all the different cultures and people around the world or even perhaps in your own backyard. a

Future Migrations?

I plan to do much more travel through Europe including a bike-packing trip and hopefully competing in and enjoying different mountain bike races and festivals. I also am hopeful to start a career in the bicycle industry somewhere as I personally believe bikes are an amazing tool for exercise and bringing people together in a fun and healthy way. I am also an aspiring van lifer! I have recently purchased a new Transit van that I am excited to begin converting. I will be sharing the process on my Instagram. Go follow @martins_migration to follow along! I dream of being able to travel all over the world and sharing my travels and experiences as I go. I am also toying with the idea of starting a Podcast to share more in depth details about my travels and also be able to get more input from some of my buddies I travel with. I also think this would be a great way to share some stories that you may not get otherwise. But more on that later! I hope to encourage others to take a leap of faith and live the dreams they never thought possible. To leave comfort, take a risk, and live the life they want.