Enjoying a lifetime devoted to the great outdoors
I have loved being in the outdoors all my life. Growing up in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh, I loved to explore the nearby neighborhoods on my bike and would frequently worry my parents as I would be away for hours exploring caves in Highland Park or swimming in the Allegheny River. As soon as I got my first car, I off to the mountains to explore the lakes and trails and conquer the mountains at local ski areas.
Next, I discovered Ohiopyle, and it was an instant love affair that still goes on to this day. There is something magical about the way the river interacts with the mountains. The sights sounds and colors hooked me. And, now that I am retired, I spend much of my time roaming the river and the mountains.
My love of the outdoors was further enhanced when I was able to build my insurance career around providing for the insurance needs of outdoor adventure outfitters. Work for me often times consisted of floating a river with a client or cross country skiing through the wilds of Maine. We insured outfitters from Maine to Georgia, and since most of these where located in the mountains or by a river, I got to see and explore so many of the nooks and crannies of the Eastern United States.
Today though, age has slowed me down a bit; however, I cherish every minute I can spend outdoors. Even on these chilly days, I frequently spend a few hours on the bike trail or in the woods doing some hiking or if we get some snow, I love to put on the cross country skies and just take off through the woods.
Our home in the mountains is set up with a covered front porch where I love to sit and listen to the rain in the warmer months. In the colder months with the leaves off the trees and low angle of the sun, a hot cup of tea and the Herald-Standard is a great way to enjoy the tree house deck that faces south and just begs for a companion to watch the afternoon sun settle behind the clouds of the next oncoming storm. I just could not live in a place without this connection to the outside.
Winter will soon be here and more time will be spent inside than out. I am fortunate that I get to spend some of winter in Florida, hiking the Everglades or hunting for shells on the beach. With temperatures in the 70s and low 80s, it’s a great time to again be outdoors.