Joshua Kinser is a writer and musician based in Chimney Rock, North Carolina, east of Raleigh-Durham, but he spends much of his free time anchored in the Research Triangle that he covers in this book. He grew up on the beaches of Pensacola, Florida, and developed a passion for the outdoors and hiking during the many summers he spent backpacking in North Carolina. His love of travel and enthusiasm for new experiences has led him to some of the coolest jobs in the world. They include travel writing for magazines and guidebooks, exploring national parks and forests as a backcountry wildlife biology research technician, and professional drumming in cruise ship bands. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Montana's Glacier National Park, and the forests surrounding Yosemite National Park count among his job sites. His cruise-ship gigs have taken him to Caribbean islands, Australia, Japan, China, New Zealand, Borneo, and South Korea. Joshua wrote Moon Handbook's Guide to the Florida Gulf Coast, 3rd edition, and he has published more than 200 articles online for websites such as Trails.com, Ehow, and USA Today Travel. He has worked as a staff writer for Gannet with the Pensacola News Journal, and has contributed to publications that include Sail, Times of the Islands, Bonito and Estero, and Northwest Florida Business. He earned a degree in journalism from Pensacola State College in December 2010.