Max Hartshorne at the GoNOMAD Cafe in South Deerfield
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GoNOMAD Writer Profiles
Max Hartshorne: A Passion for Travel
The Art of Having a Great Time
"If you approach something with real passion and dedication and think about it all the time, and work on it until one a.m., eventually you're going to succeed."
Max Hartshorne has always had a passion for travel and travel writing and through hard work and bold initiative, he is now in a position to "live the dream."
Last year he visited Denmark, ranches in Montana, New Zealand's North Island, Bologna, Italy, Burgundy France, the island of Elba and many others. This year's trips have included Melbourne Australia, Quebec City, Centre Loire, France, Sarawak Malaysia Colombia's Pacific Coast and the North of England.
This is a guy who can have a great time in the frozen reaches of Arctic Greenland.
Max also did the "full monty" in the name of travel journalism when he traveled to De Anza Springs, the "clothing optional" resort in Jacumba, California, and wrote the most popular story in GoNOMAD's history: "American Nudist," which gets more page views than any two other stories combined.
When he's home he enjoys greeting guests at his internet cafe and publishing one of the country's top travel websites.
Besides working with writers from prestigious publications like the Washington Post, the LA Times, the Explorer's Club and the UK's Royal Geographic Society, he also helps aspiring travel writers get published for the first time. How cool is that?

Max on Toughie, riding at the SK Ranch in Montana. |
Many aspiring travel writers have also gotten their start by working as interns at GoNOMAD, where they help work on the website, write articles and often take trips sponsored by local tourism boards. "Max is great to work with," said one student intern. "He's very motivated and he pushes you to do better."
In 2002 Max,
then an editor at Transitions Abroad magazine, bought a travel website called GoNOMAD.com from its founder Lauryn Axelrod. At first GoNOMAD had its headquarters in Max's basement, where he worked on it part-time.
By 2005 the website had its own office in rural South Deerfield, Massachusetts and Max was working there full-time, along with Webmaster Joe O'Beng and Associate Editor (and cousin) Stephen Hartshorne.
Now the website is housed at the GoNOMAD Cafe, which features espresso, fruit smoothies, bagel sandwiches, free WIFI and classes where people can learn all about different facets of the Worldwide Web.
"I'm traveling, editing and teaching people how to work with the Web," Max says. "And I'm having a ball."
Max got his first editor's job at 21, when he helped start the Portland Chronicle in Maine. He worked in production, advertising sales, web design and editing for twenty-seven years.

Swimming in a cave in Hungary |
His writing has been published in many newspapers and other publications including the Valley Advocate, the UMass Press, and Traveler's Tales Books.
Read more stories by Max Hartshorne:
Iquique, Northern Chile: Arid Land of Stark Beauty
Beaumont, Texas: Wildlife and Nightlife in the Heart of the Oil Patch
Alabama Attractions: A WWII Battleship and a Movie Classic
Alabama's Small Towns and Downtowns
Ecotourism in Cancun: Really!
Hiking the Alps Outside of Torino
Shiraz, Esfahan and Tehran: An Iran Photo Gallery
Visiting Iran: Ancient Cities, Natural Wonders and Friendly People
Dasht-E-Kavir, Iran: A Day of Freedom in the Desert
The North of England: Where the British Go on Holiday
Colombia's Pacific Coast: Wild and Disconnected
'Wild' Malaysia: Orangutans, Elephants, Birds and Monkeys Up Close
Sarawak, Malaysia: Adventures on the Island of Borneo

The Italian countryside in Le Marche. |
A Self-Catered Vacation in Tours, France
The Centuries Meet in Tours, A Vibrant City on the Loire
Centre Loire, France: An Ancient Valley Full of Fascinating People
Melbourne Australia, Where Footy is King
Sardinia: Notes From a Big Wild Island
Huntington Beach, California: Surf City, USA
Melbourne, Australia: A City of Arts, Sport and Fun
Quebec City's Winter Carnival: Getting to Love Being Outside in Winter
Isola d'Elba, a Jewel off the Coast of Tuscany
Humpback whales up close in El Valle, Choco, Colombia. Max Hartshorne photos.
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A Slice of Peace in Tuscany's Mountains
Medellin, Colombia: From Fear to Hope
Blogging from Burgundy
Denmark: Compact, Cozy and Well Designed
Riding in Montana Among the Aspens
Becoming a Part of a Ranch Family in Montana
Meeting the Maori on New Zealand's North Island
Bologna, Italy: Conversations and Blogs
Burgundy France Lives Up to its Reputation
Blogging From New Zealand
Blogging Greenland
Kitzbuhel Austria: Designed for the Hiker, Biker and Skiier
Graz, Austria: Whimsey and Green Ideals

The hot tub at De Anza Springs Resort. |
Journey to Mars: San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Where the River Meets the Redwoods
Moments in Magyar: Hungary Is Ready for Visitors
Cyprus: A Divided Island Begins to Prosper
Malaysia: A Melange of Three Cultures
Local Guide: Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
Are We There Yet? At 46, I Take My Parents to Italy
Belfast, Northern Ireland: Peace Brings Prosperity
Nude Travel, Space Travel, Reality Travel: GoNOMAD's Editor Sizes Up Industry Trends
Against the Tide in the Off Season
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Great Beers, Music Festivals and Art
Ecotourism in Portugal: Mingling with the Storks and Dolphins of the Sado

An expert horseman in Hungary |
Renting a Car in Europe: A GoNOMAD Italian Experiment in Savings
American Nudist: Living the Naked Life in California’s Desert
Cooking In Italy: Being Part of the Family at Mami Camilla
Set Sail on a Tall Ship from NZ to Easter Island
Adventures in Travel Expo Taps Into Hot Vacation Trend
Nature, History and Railroads: Enjoying Them All in Richmond, Virginia
Arkansas Ozarks: A Green and Pleasant Land
Wintering in Montana: Glacier National Park and Whitefish