I asked Sana, what he thought Be-Pal and Stay Wild had in common?
“Be-Pal and Stay Wild both focus on a mix of many type of activities. The concept of Stay Wild is to be like a camp fire bringing people together right? That sounds similar to Be-Pal’s style. For 35 years we’ve covered many kind of activities; camping, hiking, trekking, kayaking, horse-riding, climbing, bonfiring, bush crafting, SUPing, glamping, travel, etc…”
Yeah, we like those things too, but are more interested in motorcycling & skateboarding than SUPing & glamping. Bonfires are awesome though! We totally have that in common.
The names of our magazines have a lot in common too. Be-Pal means “Be pals with Nature.” Stay Wild means “Keep true to your nature.” We’re both nature lovers!
I asked Sana what stories they were looking for while visiting Portland. He said, ”Urban outdoor lives of Portlanders.” Specifically, “How local people enjoy outdoor life and what their favorite goods and activities are.” They were also interested in “unique garage brands” like The Original Nomad, Hand-Eye Supply, and Breadwinner Cycles.
I wondered if there is a region of Japan that is similar to Portland? “Yes, Kamakura, Itoshima, Higashikawa etc... these are very small towns where artists and creative outsiders live. There are similar shops, brands, and mountains and beaches, so people who love surfing and snow sports live there.” Cool! I want to go see Japan’s Portland.