The Crew: Who's on the adventure?

To connect with the adventure, it's helpful to know who is coming along! Our crew consists of 3 people, Maryssa Fenwick, Samantha White, and myself. Maryssa and I have known each other for a few years, and she recently spent the last summer working with me at Wildman. Samantha has been a friend of Maryssa's since they both started college at UW- Stevens Point over 4 years ago. The three of us were all looking to complete a grand journey before buckling down and getting serious with the rest of whatever life is bound to throw at us.

I think the best way to get to know everyone is hearing from them personally! Below are pictures and bios we all wrote for ourselves. The girls will also be joining me as guest writers on this website, sharing their own stories and thoughts from time to time.

Maryssa Fenwick

Hey guys!

My name is Maryssa Fenwick. I grew up in rural Wisconsin on a small hobby farm where my love for the outdoors was instilled at a young age, leading me to pursue an environmental degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP). I graduated in May with a degree in Land Use Planning and a minor in Conservation Biology. While attending UWSP I found my niche for backpacking and haven’t looked back since... That was until I worked at Wildman this past summer, where to my surprise, whitewater started calling my name. I recently purchased my first whitewater kayak and am itching to get on the water and learn!

My passion for travel and our natural world has taken me all over the globe, I’ve chased it through the valleys of the Swiss Alps in Austria, around volcanic craters in Iceland, and to the peaks of the Tatra Mountains in Poland, only to realize I’ve neglected to explore and fully appreciate the very country I call home! Through this trip I hope to share my passion for sustainable practices while challenging myself to live more simply, grow my knowledge on State's native flora and fauna, far surpass Dano’s kayaking skills and lastly, make a positive impact on people's lives along the way. I’m a firm believer that great things are created through small influences. How we treat our planet, and the people around us everyday DOES make a difference! I’m excited to learn, grow, and experience some pretty amazing things with my two best friends.

Samantha White

Hey there!

I’m Samantha White, not Sam. I grew up in Tomahawk Wi, a microscopic dot on a map, which means the diversity there is almost non-existent and everyone knows your last name. Although there is something special about a hometown, I have always had a desire to travel. I recently graduated from UW-Stevens Point with a major in Business Marketing and minor in Accounting.

Although I have had quite a bit of traveling experience, this is my first time going backpacking! I have to admit this is one of the more wild things I’ve done in my life other than spending most of last summer exploring in China. On this road trip I am most excited to see the Grand Canyon and visit friends and family that I haven’t seen in awhile. Some personal goals I have for this trip are to start journaling on a more regular basis, learn to live more minimally, climb a 14er, and to become more involved with volunteer opportunities.

“People don’t take trips, trips take people.” - John Steinbeck

Dan Camp

I'm Dan Camp, I'm 25 years old, and I'm the lucky guy who gets to travel with two pretty girls across the country for a few months. I graduated college in 2015 from Quincy University in Illinois with a degree in Biology and a degree in History. My own love for the outdoors started at a young age, with help from my dad. Since graduating, I've worked as an outdoor adventure guide in both northeastern Wisconsin with Wildman Adventure Resort and in the Florida Everglades with Shurr Adventures. My experiences working with these two amazing companies has helped cultivate my love for the outdoors, as well as push me to share this passion with as many people as possible! I believe that wild places are good for the soul and certainly necessary to truly pursue happiness.

On this trip I hope to inspire others to take on their own adventure, no matter how big or small. I'm excited to see old friends across the country, foster new connections with people we meet along the way, and gain new perspectives on my own life. One small step can inspire a thousand others.

I hope you're ready to tag along with us as we take on life on the road for the next few months! We will be posting regular updates as we go! Talk to you again soon!

Adventure comes to those who GO!