You Gotta Find Your People

There's a song by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors called You Gotta Find Your People, and that idea has been stuck in my head.

You gotta find your people.

One of my goals is to take every opportunity I can to spend time around a fire with people in the outdoor community. Sometimes that's taking a class to improve skills I already have. Sometimes it's learning skills I don't have yet. And sometimes it's simply finding an opportunity to connect with people who share a love of the outdoors.

I'm always looking for more of those opportunities. The more we get outside, share what we know and spend time together, the more chances we have to find our people.

Finding People Who Make You Feel Alright

Recently I've been taking tracking classes from Jazmen Yoder of Northwest Natura. Jazmen teaches ecology, botany and wilderness skills here in the Pacific Northwest, and she creates a relaxed environment where everyone feels welcome outdoors.

We spent an afternoon staring at the ground looking for tracks and signs, learning about what's around us and simply enjoying nature and each other's company.

Her classes are a great mix for everyone from the novice to the expert. I have yet to take a Northwest Natura class where I haven't learned something new or discovered a different way of looking at something.

I've enjoyed them enough that I've signed up for the entire Riverwalk Series.

If you're looking for an excuse to spend some time outdoors with other people staring at the ground and getting the "dirt time" we all need, take a class.

You might learn something.

You might also find some of your people.

The People You Want to Stay Up All Night With

One of the greatest pleasures I've found in the outdoor community is getting to spend time with some of the amazing people I've met along the way.

Recently, Jacks Genega from Wildcard Wilderness spent some time with us at the PNWBUSHCRAFT property.

I've had the pleasure of taking one of Jacks' classes, and her experience as a wilderness skills instructor around the world is incredible. If you've watched her on Alone Season 13, you've also seen what a badass she is in the outdoors.

But having her here wasn't about classes or television.

It was about time together.

We spent evenings telling stories, laughing, crying, talking about our dreams and just enjoying each other's company.

There is something special about being able to stop everything else and just be in the moment with people you care about.

We all need friends who remind us to fill our cup every once in a while.

Time spent with people who share that common thread of the outdoors is a gift. Those are the moments that stay with you.

The People Who Make You Feel Whole

Since we started PNWBUSHCRAFT and became part of the outdoor community, giving back to the people who have given us so much has put a permanent smile on my face.

We've always wanted PNWBUSHCRAFT to be about more than gear.

The property where PNWBUSHCRAFT lives has always been part of that dream for Heather and me. We want it to be a place where we can give something back to the outdoor community.

Maybe that's sharing a skill.

Maybe it's giving someone a safe place to spend time in nature.

Maybe it's providing a place where someone can practice and hone their outdoor skills.

Or maybe it's simply sitting around a fire together.

We've always wanted to create a place where an outdoor community could come together.

I don't believe it's the strongest who survive.

Sometimes it's the people around us who make us whole that help us keep going.

So if you ever see us out in the wild and you're still looking for your people, come say hello.

At PNWBUSHCRAFT, you will always be welcome by our fire.