CURRENT MISSION

I work managing and maintaining all of the backcountry trails, airstrips, campgrounds, and public use cabins in the wilderness of America's largest national park - Wrangell-St. Elias.

I'm currently doing a bit of traveling for both work and play. As always, I'm hoping to discover some great adventures along the way and hoping to find some keen Csurfing hosts to meet up and explore with.

ABOUT ME

I live and work in an amazing part of Southcentral Alaska, where I grew up. In my mid twenties, I made a career change that freed up a lot of time for me to travel and work seasonally. I spent winters traveling to Europe, the Caribbean, New Zealand, Fiji, Mexico, Hawaii and 46 of the 50 States, up and down the East Coast as well as a 1-month exploration of Cuba, which was incredible! I spent previous winters road-tripping through 27 different US States and Canadian Provinces, as well as a two-month stint in the Caribbean, and finished in southern Utah earning my private pilot's license so that I can fly bush planes back in Alaska. Since taking over a year-round supervisory position a few years ago, my off-season travel has been curtailed for the time being, but I still make the most of my vacation and work travel when I can!

PHILOSOPHY

Be Kind. Work Hard. Have Fun.
I want to be the type of person to take my LIFE seriously, but never take MYSELF too seriously.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've purchased my first and second homes in the last two years so I am going to start hosting soon. When I am home, I work in the backcountry of Wrangell-St.Elias National park, so I'm often gone during the summer. I've helped a few CSers plan trips in my area and even lent/given away a few pieces of equipment to sojourners in need, but I haven't gotten to host yet. My hometown is pretty small, so if you ever find yourself there and you are in need or just want to meet up, ask around; I'm certain you'll find me pretty quickly, haha. (Also, one of my good friends runs a great Bed and Breakfast in town, so if you are in dire need of a place - I'd be happy to set that up for you.)

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE
I've surfed quite a few couches during my travels, including some amazing experiences in the Caribbean, but most recently I spent about a month on the road driving from Pennsylvania to Florida and from Florida over to Utah. I had some of the BEST Csurfing experiences I've ever had soaking up the local scene in places like Asheville NC, Jacksonville FL, New Orleans LA, and more! In January and April of 2014, I spent about 45 days on the road, driving from Spokane, WA to Austin, TX and then from Austin back to Alaska. I met some great people and had some wonderful experiences seeing towns and cities across the West through the eyes of these local CS friends. Several of these experiences turned out to be the unexpected highlights of my trip. Thanks to all you legends who host!!

Interests

I love everything outdoors including camping, hiking, fishing, biking, running, climbing, split boarding, skydiving, bungy jumping, kayaking, swimming, and more. I love a good book, practicing photography, and traveling. With the acquiring of my pilot's license, I've recently gotten into recreational aviation as a part-time hobby.

• books
• photography
• running
• flying
• aviation
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• fishing
• hiking
• kayaking
• camping
• skydiving
• skiing
• rock climbing
• swimming
• sign language
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

I love: classical literature, short stories and non-fiction - pretty much everything from hip-hop to classical music - indie films, dark comedies, classic black and white films, and documentaries.
My last: Book - She Comes First by Ian Kerner Song - Good Time by Earl St. Claire Movie - Jojo Rabbit by Taika Waititi

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I used to think the greatest thing I had ever done was stand on my head in four states at the same time - until I learned that because of the primitive surveying equipment used during the 19th century, the placement of the Four-Corners monument is actually nearly a mile away from its intended geospatial location . . . now I know the only thing I really did was stand on my head in Arizona….

Honorable mentions: Piloting my first solo cross-country flight over the Grand Canyon, riding fat-tire snow-bikes 10 miles to soak in a secluded hot springs in winter, bungy jumping in New Zealand, skydiving at sunset over the beach in southern California, rafting Class V whitewater in Alaska, spearfishing in Fiji, hiking the 9 Great Walks of New Zealand in 9 weeks, and so much more . . .

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach:
"Let's eat, Grandpa!" vs "Let's eat Grandpa!"
Commas save lives, people.

Learn:
Earned my Private Pilot's License.
Earned a TESOL certificate at the University of Texas in Austin.
I would love to learn Spanish and improve my use of American Sign Language
I am also jealous of every person who can play a musical instrument . . . teach me.

Share:
Almost everything! Spent most of my life in rural Alaska, so I have wilderness stories galore. Have done quite a bit of traveling around the world and in the States, so plenty of suggestions and recommendations for adventurous souls...love to cook, hunt, fish, and forage....

What I Can Share with Hosts

I LOVE to help out! I have a hard time sitting still for too long, so if you have a project to complete or need help starting one, I'm in! I'm fairly handy; growing up in rural Alaska has given me a well-rounded skill set, including 16 years of experience in construction and the building trades.

I try to repay my host's kindness with my own generosity: for me Couchsurfing is less about saving money and more about fostering interactions between adventurous people. So PLEASE just ask! I'll probably say yes!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Fiji, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Ukraine, United States, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

New Zealand, United States