I have mentioned recently through our many A Local Wander outlets that this summer has seen some changes in how often our family can get out to explore. That transition has created a fantastic opportunity to reach out to a few good friends who share our love of travel and outdoor adventuring and ask them to share a few of the places they've been visiting. To start us off, today I'd like to introduce you to one of my oldest friends, Matt...
Matt and I met in 2000, when he came to work for me as a bellman at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge outside Denali National Park in Alaska. A native of Montana, the Alaska backcountry quickly became like a second home full of opportunities for camping and hiking. I will tell you that one of my favorite memories is dragging Matt up a not so strenuous, but oh so very windy, hiking trail kicking and screaming the whole way. (I think he will deny the whole excursion ever happened). Fortunately, there were many more successful outings to hide that one behind.
After attending Utah State University, Matt enlisted in the United States Army and moved to Texas, and then Germany. Between being stationed there, and visiting other family also living in Europe, Matt has been fortunate to travel quite a bit "on the continent." And now, after a stint in Tennessee, Montana is once again home.
So what does Matt have ready to share with you? In his own words...
"Hello
everyone! I have always been somewhat impulsive and adventurous. The only thing I have ever fully committed to is my amazing wife, Alisha. Throughout my life I have always made last minute decisions, with an appreciation for the experiences those choices have given to me."
During the past 2 summers, those decisions have taken Matt to California for work as an aviation mechanic with Neptune Aviation, a company providing firefighting aircraft to government agencies managing and extinguishing wildland fires.
While the work is hard and the days are long, there are occasional opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air, and numberless locations for beautiful photography.
Matt has offered to share some of the central California outings he has taken here on A Local Wander with you. I hope you will welcome him, leave him your thoughts, and starting tomorrow when he shares photos from a recent hike near Ragged Point, add a few new destinations to your California bucket list!.
