There are so many nice bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and photographers on the market creating superb out of doors content material each day.
Not solely did I wish to personally get to know them higher, however I additionally wished to discover out of doors influences and fervour for nature.
Thus, we’ve launched the I Love The Outdoors Interview Series.
If you have an interest in taking part within the sequence, please contact us and tell us!
Paul Fiarkoski
- Tell us a little bit about your self. How outdated are you? Where are you from? Where do you reside now? Are you married? Kids?
I’m a Gen Xer dwelling within the coronary heart of Phoenix, Arizona with my lovely spouse.
We stay inside strolling distance of a community of mountaineering trails within the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, so we log a variety of miles mountaineering near house.
We moved right here from Colorado in 2012, after spending 17 years close to the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
Since turning into empty nesters in 2019 we changed time at our children’ sporting occasions with time in our small however cozy journey trailer.
2. What is your favourite out of doors exercise?
These days I’d should say mountaineering is my favourite, primarily as a result of it’s what I spend extra time doing than another out of doors exercise.
My pursuits have modified over time. I’ve been into fishing, mountain biking, snowboarding, tenting, kayaking and mountaineering.
3. Where is your favourite path?
The path I’m presently in love with is the Arizona National Scenic Trail.
It meanders 800 miles by way of the state, from the Mexico border within the south to Utah within the north.
One passage goes proper by way of the Grand Canyon.
To date, I’ve solely hiked just a few segments of it, for a complete of about 60 miles, however each inch of it’s like strolling on hallowed floor.
4. Where is your favourite tenting spot?
Do folks actually disclose their favourite tenting spots?
Okay, because you requested so properly, right here’s one in all my favorites in Arizona: Mather Campground at Grand Canyon, South Rim.
It’s nice for tent or RV tenting. You can stroll to the sting of the canyon from the campground.
Insider tip: Arrive at 9 a.m. for the only option of the restricted first come, first served campsites.
Bonus tip: I’ll share this tip: Campendium is my secret weapon for locating nice camp websites.
5. What was your first out of doors reminiscence as a child?
I lived on Air Force bases till I used to be virtually 8 years outdated, primarily Clark Air Base within the Philippines.
Since it by no means will get chilly there, I used to be exterior enjoying with the neighbor youngsters every time I wasn’t sleeping, consuming or attending college.
For household holidays, my mother and father used to lease a hut on a small, primitive island and we’d spend per week at a time there.
6. Who was your greatest out of doors affect?
My dad was my greatest out of doors affect. He grew up in Vermont and was an avid outdoorsman.
After he retired from the service and relocated our household to the states (Nebraska) within the early 70s, he typically took me and my siblings tenting, boating and fishing.
As I obtained older, I surrounded myself with associates who loved related actions and started charting my very own adventures as I obtained older.
7. What was your all-time finest tenting or mountaineering expertise?
Hands-down, my finest all-time mountaineering expertise was the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim with my spouse in 2018.
There are two methods to do it: The good means, or the best way we did it – straight by way of in someday. Smart folks break it up into two or three days.
We began out on North Kaibab Trail on the North Rim at 5 a.m. and emerged from Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim 14 hours later.
If you embrace the aspect hike we took to Ribbon Falls, the whole distance was 26 miles.
To full this hike, you first descend 5,800 ft to the Colorado River, then climb 4,800 ft as much as the South Rim.
It was a complete beast and I couldn’t stroll usually for just a few days afterward, however the views and the expertise are etched in my thoughts ceaselessly.
8. Who is your favourite individual to camp or hike with?
My favourite tenting associate is my spouse. We’ve realized the way to stability journey with rest.
As far as mountaineering goes, I can’t nail it right down to a particular particular person.
I information hikes within the Phoenix space as a aspect hustle, and I really like assembly and mountaineering with totally different folks from all around the globe.
9. What is your favourite piece of drugs and why?
This could sound trite however my favourite piece of apparatus is my smartphone.
I don’t know what I’d do with out GPS-based apps.
Plus, the cellphone makes it so handy to take photos and video, and write up journey experiences whereas the experiences are nonetheless contemporary in my thoughts.
10. What do you’re keen on concerning the outside?
Being out in nature is my remedy.
Whether I’m mountaineering, fishing, kayaking or simply chilling in a hammock, my worries appear to soften away after I’m having fun with the good outside.
11. What out of doors locations are in your bucket listing?
Here in Arizona, two key locations I nonetheless have to examine off my bucket listing are The Wave and Aravaipa Wilderness space.
Both require permits, that are issued sparingly by way of a lottery system.
Outside of Arizona, I’ve obtained my sights set on the nation of Croatia. Someone described it to me as being like a hybrid of Colorado and California, with mountains and seashores.
12. What is your aim as an out of doors content material creator? How can we assist you and the place can we discover your content material?
In 2014, I created my very own private Arizona bucket listing and began checking locations off. A pair years later, I created the AZ Wonders weblog to share photos, movies and classes realized from all my Arizona adventures.
I really like getting suggestions from those that I’ve impressed them to see extra of Arizona’s pure wonders.
In 2019, I printed the Arizona Bucket List Adventure Guide & Journal, that I promote on the weblog and on Amazon.
I additionally share loads of photos and experiences in (virtually) actual time on my social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Paul – thanks for the good interview and taking part within the I Love The Outdoors Interview!
If you have an interest in taking part and sharing your story, please contact us and tell us!
Previous Interviews