This week's Outdoor Enthusiast Next Door is Robert Nebel. Robert is freelance writer based in Atlanta. In his 18 years as a video producer/editor and 14 years as a freelance writer, his work has appeared in the Atlanta Constitution, USA Today, Points North, the Gwinnett Daily Post, and many others. He's also interviewed several celebrities and other notable figures including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Bill Maher, Al Franken, and The Rock. Learn more about Robert and read a few of his stories on his website here.

Why do you travel?

I travel because it is essential to my health and well-being. Living in a large city like Atlanta with its traffic, sprawl and general lack of real community, I need to get away to places where I get to know the people. That is why so many of my travel features take me to small towns in the Southeastern United States . Thankfully there are plenty of opportunities not too far from home so that I can find good people, peace and breathtaking scenery. The best part about traveling is writing about it. It's like I get to relive the experience even though I'm chained to my laptop in a house or sometimes a wireless hotspot.

And why outdoor/adventure type travel?

It's a connection that I need from time to time. After being holed up indoors writing or working on a video project, I need to get away from it all and find a way to stay grounded. I don't have to spend a fortune to go anywhere either. Being in a great state like Georgia , it is easy to hop in the car and go to the mountains or to its coastal areas.

Favorite outdoor activity and why.

I love packing up the car with my bikes to hit nearby trails. In Atlanta it is quite dangerous to share your bike with the road. But on a hot, dry day, I can bike on shaded trails and feel a good breeze. Believe it or not, we tend to get cabin fever in the middle of summer by staying in our air conditioned houses and cars too much. Getting on bike trails early in the morning or evening is the perfect antidote to "Southern Cabin Fever."

Tell me about your last outdoor/adventure trip.

It was a rafting trip on North Carolina 's Nantahala River with my wife and daughter. The Nantahala is a great way to introduce the family to rafting. Years before that trip, my wife and I did the Ocoee River and that was rough. So I was a bit worried about having my 9-year-old daughter on the raft, but right after we put-in, my nerves were calmed. We did the rafting trip through the Nantahala Outdoor Center which I give high marks. They are truly professional with all of their safety gear and excellent staff.