I’ll never forget my skepticism when Jackson said, “Tulsa’s pretty cool.” I was still in school in Jonesboro. He had driven from Springfield to check out the Tulsa area so this conversation took place over the phone. “Oh?” I asked, not buying it. Later that year I had moved to Springfield and Gearhead decided to…
While managing Gearhead Outfitters in Springfield, Missouri, we had the opportunity to meet and work with some pretty cool people. During one interview with a potential hire we learned she had done trail maintenance on the Appalachian Trail the very year Jackson hiked. I still find this a delightful coincidence. Aside from her work with…
We quit our jobs and we’re moving back to Arkansas. Now we’re equal parts terrified and excited, uneasy and ecstatic. As 2019 rolled into view and we were in the thick of holiday season working retail, we started discussing our thoughts on leaving the outdoor retailer we work for. It’s easy to think about a…
This blog was born from a multitude of questions. I had just graduated, still didn’t know what to do, and honestly, kind of felt like college failed me. What do you want to be when you grow up? was something I think we were all asked when we were kids. As we got older, that…
Last October we participated in this adventure race in Arkansas called Outback in the Ozarks. One of the teams was made up solely of women, and let me just say it appeared they were having a blast. A few months later, one team member stopped by our store and after following her on social media,…
It’s hard making friends at this stage in life. We’re young-ish, meaning we sometimes have a hard time deciding whether to go out on the town or curl up on the couch with ice cream and a bottle of wine… the latter usually wins out. Some of our friends are having kids and some are…
I was sitting in the backroom at work last week, scarfing down my lunch when my co-worker Michael came to ask me if I had a minute. I spun around in my chair and raised an eyebrow while I tried finish chewing the bite I’d just taken. “Would you be interested in interviewing a police…
Last weekend we took a little trip to Mountain View, Arkansas for a little R & R. Even outdoor retail is madness in the holidays and pretty much Thanksgiving through January is wildly busy . After working loads of hours, last year we took an extended vacation to travel west. However, this year we’re saving…
The recent flood of attention given to the National Parks in the media due to the government shutdown had me reminiscing on our time in Yosemite. This trip sparked in me a deeper longing for exploration that encouraged me to ask questions about my fears, desires, experiences, dreams and goals. I think sometimes we need…
A few months ago I was bustling around the store when our co-worker, Michael(featured in the previous blog post), called me over to introduce me to the lady he was chatting with. He told me she was an avid traveler and backpacker and figured I might be interested in talking to her. Bless Michael. After…
