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Explorer Spotlight: Nick Garcia

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Name: Nick Garcia  | Age: 29 | Location: Seattle, WA.

What’s your day job? 

Stay at home dad. I also do a little online marketing on the side for fun money. 

What are your favorite things to do outside?

Anything involving the water; swimming, snorkeling, chasing waterfalls, kayaking...if there's water around, I'm in it.

What first drew you to the outdoors?

Most of my childhood was spent camping with family and friends. I gained a tremendous amount of appreciation for the outdoors while camping in National Parks and other amazing beaches, forests, and deserts in California. Family and the outdoors went hand and hand growing up, and I can thank my parents for introducing me to all the natural wonders our country has to offer.

What’s your favorite hometown adventure?

As we have traveling around country over the last year and a half, it's hard to say where is our real "hometown". The last place we actually owned a home was Fort Worth, TX, where we loved riding our bikes around the Trinity River trail. After a long ride, nothing capped off our adventure better than knocking back a few beers on the patio of The Flying Saucer in downtown.

What’s your essential gear that never gets left at home?

Beats Pill, Thule Sapling Child Carrier, s'mores kit.

What’s your favorite trail snack?

Sweet and Spicy Beef Jerky.

Any go-to soundtracks when you’re hitting the road?

I'm embarrassed to admit this but I constantly have Steve Winwood or Elton John "bumping" on my Beats pill.

What’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened while you were adventuring?  And/or, the funniest?

We once had a campground in Arkansas completely to ourselves, which was pretty unnerving as it is. On our second night we noticed a strange man walking around the grounds chain smoking, yelling nonsense, and pacing around the only bathroom in the area. He then stood a few campsites away, continuing to chain smoke, while staring at me and my family sitting around the campfire. When I had enough and went to approach the man, and he proceeded to turn towards the woods and sprinted away...needless to say we quickly broke down camp and hit the road back home. 

Who’s your number one adventure partner-in-crime? Who inspires you?

Definitely my wife! I had the pleasure of introducing her camping and hiking. And now she can't get enough.

What are your top destinations for adventure travel?

Anywhere in the mountains. The cool mountain air and the smell of the pines is something that genuinely can't be beat.

What's on the top of your must-do adventure list right now?

Seeing the Northern Lights.

Show us your most memorable photo, and tell us about it!

This past January, we took an epic six day road trip that took us through southern Utah on our way to Los Angeles. We spent two amazing days at Zion National Park in a cozy lodge with no crowds and spectacular weather. We spent a couple hours in awe taking in the views of the canyon on the top of the Zion Overlook Hike. Zion National Park has been by far been our favorite park we have visited thus far and plan on going back many more times.

And last but not least…What’s your personal motto?

Not without Labor.

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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