I've long been a proponent of the idea that even the grandest of ambitions are best approached a single step at a time. Which is why my mantra at 5280 has always been "just a little bit better." The idea, of course, is that if you make each issue a little bit better than the last, it won't be long before those small improvements add up to something substantial.

It's a formula that's served us well, but this month's issue of 5280 strikes me as much more than "just a little bit better." I'm proud to say that this one feels to me like our editorial and design teams have taken a quantum leap forward with the October 2010 issue. I can't remember a previous issue with this many great stories:

• Writer Robert Sanchez revisits the tragic 1970 plane crash that devastated the Wichita State football team and uncovers the scars it left on the Denver teens who were among the first emergency responders on the scene.
• Managing editor Lindsey Koehler once again reinvigorates our long-running Top Doctors guide with a surprising look at Coloradans' health habits.
• In an essay that is both beautiful and brutal in its honesty, a Boulder woman recounts her lifelong struggle to find family and faith.

Plus, there's a great look back at the Elitch Theatre, the story of how Grand Junction police may have finally solved the case of the "Gentleman Gambler," a peek at J.R. Smith's Twitter feed, and a bunch more.

The October issue is on newsstands now, and much of its content can be found here.