Rudy Hayden – Charlotte Manager
- Home state: Virginia… it’s for lovers.
- Nicknames: R-man, Rudedog, Rude, Rudamyer, Rudre’, & The Swedish Meatball.
- Outdoor Activites: Mtn. biking, dog walking, skiing, backpacking, paddling, climbing, surfing, fly-fishing, trail running, photography. The list goes on…
- Favorite Destinations: J-tree, Tetons, British Columbia, Maine, Southwest NC. & VA.
- Gear I can’t live without: Petzl Tikka plus, cheese n’ crackers, homemade beef jerky.
- Food for thought: No matter what you do outside have a good attitude, be prepared, and know your limitations. Whether you climb, fly fish, or anything in between, Alex Lowe put it well when he said “the best climber in the world is the person having the most fun”.
- Favorite quote: “let the beauty we love be what we do”. unknown
Rudy’s blog: rudyshaps.blogspot.com
Evan Thomas Moore – Winston-Salem
- Height: 5’11” or 6’ if I stand up straight!
- Hair Color: Red, although I sometimes prefer “auburn.”
- Hometown: Richmond, VA
- Favorite Trails & Hiking Locations: Appalachian Trail in and around Central Virginia (The Priest Wilderness, St. Mary’s Wilderness, Spy Rock, Cold Mountain) McAfee’s Knob and Dragon’s Tooth in Roanoke, VA, Grayson Highlands and Mount Rogers near Marion, VA, Hanging Rock and Stone Mountain State Parks, NC, and The Knife Edge on Mt. Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine!
- When I am not at GOPC: I tutor students in writing and reading at Forsyth Country Day School, assist a local Boy Scout troop when time permits, and take friends hiking and backpacking as often as possible!
- Gear I Can’t Live Without: Gregory Z55 internal frame pack, Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter, and my ASOLO TPS 500 GTX’s!
- Favorite Quote: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” ~ Romans 1:20
- Favorite Books: “The Kid Who Climbed Everest,” by Bear Grylls, “The Hobbit,” by J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Last of the Mohicans,” by James Fenimore Cooper, “The Silence of Adam,” by Larry Crabb, and “Hatchet,” by Gary Paulsen.
- Advice for the outdoor enthusiast: Wrap some duct tape around your Nalgene bottle and leave the big roll behind. Don’t forget the TP. Regulate your breathing (in through your nose, out through your mouth) and you won’t get cramps! Also, have a plan; be prepared. And when things don’t go the way you expected, roll with the punches. Enjoy the adventure!
Evan’s blog: sirevansdispatch.blogspot.com
Carrie Bonds – Greensboro
- Height: TALL
- Hometown: Kernersville, NC
- Favorite Trails: North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail & Bartram Trail Favorite River: Upper Green Favorite Climb: Looking Glass Favorite Backpacking: Panthertown Valley & Cape Lookout National Seashore
- When I am not at GOPC: I lead therapeutic backpacking trips in Western North Carolina.
- Gear I Can’t Live Without: Marmot Sleeping Bags, Vasque Boots & Trail Shoes, and any & all Smartwool
- Favorite Quote: “Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” – Rachel Carson
- Favorite Books: “The Mermaid Chair” and “The Dance of the Dissident Daughter” (Sue Monk Kidd)
- Sage advice for the outdoor enthusiast: You don’t have to be the fastest. You don’t have to be the strongest. You don’t have to make it to the top or to the end or last the longest. You just have to find your limit . . . and push past it. “We are all better than we know. If only we can come to discover this, we may never again settle for less.” (Kurt Hahn)
Bill Hoffmann – Greensboro
- Height: 6’4”
- Feet: 13 ½ D, mild pronator, Morton’s toe, ¼ inch bunion on left 1st metatarsal head, numerous bony protrusions on both feet.
- Born: Philadelphia – Grew up: Cocoa Beach, FL
- Favorite National Parks: Grand Canyon, Rainier, Big Bend, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, Bryce Canyon and Zion.
- Favorite Ski Resorts: Vail, Snowmass, Alta, Squaw Valley and Telluride.
- Heavy I-Pod Play Count: KC and the Sunshine Band, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, Railroad Earth, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and British Prog Rock (Sample here ), No Strings Attached
- Unusual talents and physical attributes: Able to solo eat a large pizza with all toppings, extra anchovies, in one sitting. Can palm a basketball or hold a dozen eggs simultaneously in one hand. Burn 8,000 calories in a day. Possess a longer wingspan than Michael Phelps-6’8”.
- Books read in last 2 months: Lennon-Phillip Norman, Why We Suck, A Feel-Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid-Denis Leary, The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters in the Wild-Greg Childs, The Lazarus Project-Aleksandar Hemon, Physics For Future Presidents-Richard A. Muller
- Goal number of days to spend outdoors annually: 50
- Wish list trips: Tramping Milford Track, Sea Kayaking Dalmatian Coast Croatia, Touring Australia’s Natural Areas, Beach bumming in Kauai, Skiing Portillo Chile, Snowshoe racing in the North woods.
- Need to get back into it: Scuba Diving
- Favorite Surrealist Artists: Dali, Magritte, Chagall, Ernst and Di Chirico.
- Years road and trail running: 26
- Projected Years to Developing Osteoarthritis, Degenerative Cartilage Breakdown and Snapping Hip Syndrome: 3
Rob Arends – Greensboro Manager
- Height: short
- Hometown: Although I have fond memories of growing up in Amherst, New Hampshire and reminisce from time to time, I consider North Carolina my home – Gibsonville to be exact. For the outdoor enthusiast it has everything, ocean for fly fishing and paddling, mountains for hiking and climbing and great roads and trails for bicycles.
- Favorite Trail: Six Husbands trail, Mt. Wahington, NH. I think it was created before anyone thought of switch backs. Several ladders, difficult terrain and even some crawling through large boulders. Unless you are able to carry your dog up the ladders, do not bring scruffy – trust me on this one.
- On the iPod: I am a classic rocker so you will find – Zep, The Who, Floyd, Aerosmith (pre 80’s stuff), AC/DC. You’ll also find plenty of bluegrass, folk and Buffet. My wife is trying update my taste, but it is not working.
- Hero & favorite quote: Dad of course taught me a lot and he is my hero. When I would be going out for night in highschool he would always tell me to “keep it between the ditches” so that is my favorite quote. Having a 1969 Rally Sport, I sometimes found that to be difficult.
- Idol: I do not idolize people – having said that growing up in New England in the 70’s and being a huge Boston Bruins fan, “four score” Bobby Orr revolutionize the defensive position and is arguably the greatest hockey player ever. He Rocked!!
My days off consist of fly fishing, canoeing, working around the house, hiking, and spending time with my wife. My advice is to get away from the computer, get outside and do something.
Ann Stuntz – Chapel Hill Manager
- Height: 5′9-1/2″ and shrinking
- Hometown: Childhood: Statesville, NC (the cross-roads of the South AND the City of Progress); Early married years: Durham, NC; Middle Married Years: Lawrence Park and North East, PA; Present: Durham, NC
- Favorite trail: AT through Mount Rogers Rec. Area; Mt. Whitney
- On my day-off, I like to: stay in my PJ’s all day OR watch Carolina Basketball; hike with the dogs; paddle at the beach; ride my bike; hang with my family
- Currently on my iPod: Big Daddy Weave, Blacknall Pres. Sermons, Tim Keller and NPR podcasts, Joan Osborne, Willie Nelson, Mozart, James Taylor, Lots of Bluegrass
- Heroes: My Daddy
- Favorite books: Through Gates of Splendor, Time Traveler’s Wife, Christy, Shogun, Ender’s Game
- Sage advice for the outdoor enthusiast: BE PREPARED. Carry a map. Remember it’s not work. Do what you like with those you like. Don’t panic when you realize you left your tent poles at home.
Bill Mauney – VP of Retail Management
- Height: One fathom (Google it)
- Hometown: Charlotte, NC
- Favorite trail: AT through Mount Rogers area of VA. Better yet, no trail…sea kayaking in the Cape Lookout area of NC.
- On my day-off, I like to: Be on the water…any water…any where…any boat.
- Currently on my iPod: Very eclectic. Bluegrass, Classical, Country, Folk, Christian & Gospel, Holiday, Pop, R&B, Inspirational, Rock, Soundtracks, World, downloads from Hope Community Church and Tim Keller, and a heavy dose of Soul by the Funk Brothers (The biggest hit machine in all of music history, having more hits than the Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Elvis combined!) (Google them.)
- Heroes: JC. Marines. Anyone who is willing to put their life on the line for another.
- Favorite Books: Good News for Modern Man, WWII history particularly about submarines, the underground, commandos and POW escapes.
- Sage advice for the outdoor enthusiast: “A good navigator never gets lost, but having learned humility, he takes plenty of extra food and water for days of confusion.” – Mountaineering, the Freedom of the Hills. Wherever you are, you are there. There are 360 different ways to go and 359 of them are wrong. GPS is not a replacement for a skilled navigator with a map or chart and a compass.
Darren Schwartz – Winston-Salem
- Height: 5′11″ in my Sundowners and Superfeet, 5′10″ otherwise
- Hometown: Mariemont, Ohio, pronounced Mary-mont (a Cincinnati suburb)
- Favorite trail: Otter Creek Trail, West Virginia
- On my day-off, I like to: Play disc golf or shoot hoops; watch Bengals football on Sundays
- Currently on my iPod: Common, Tea Leaf Green, Yonder Mountain String Band
- Heroes: My grandparents
- Favorite books: Jon Stewart’s America, The Book, A Sand County Almanac, The Tao of Pooh
- Sage advice for the outdoor enthusiast: Wear sock liners, keep a few Jolly Ranchers in your hipbelt pouch, & wrap spare duck tape around your trekking poles
