My Outdoors Story: Megan Davin
I grew up playing in the woods, building forts, taking naps of leaf piles and running around jumping on rocks at the beach. And yet, for years I I was led to believe that I wasn’t “outdoorsy” because I didn’t grow up camping, hiking, biking, etc in a traditional sense. I was just a kid who played outside, and then moved to Vermont from the suburbs of New Jersey, a place where I never felt I truly belonged, because they wanted to learn more about outdoor activities.
I immediately immersed myself into the outdoors through applying to become a Wilderness Program Instructor (now called the Adventure Sports Center) at my college. Except I felt kind of like a fraud when I was accepted, because I actually had zero skills, just pure passion and the desire to want to learn. I read books, blogs, websites anything I could get my eyes on to try and learn as much as I could as fast as I could. But they somehow let me in and I was hooked. I went camping, backpacking, rock climbing, ice climbing, sea kayaking, white water kayaking, hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, etc. Anything I could sign up for I did.
It was great, except for the fact that there were not many women involved, and I could never understand why. So whenever I met any women through the program who were professionals, I wanted to be just like them. One of my first role models, later went on to become my boss and a friend I still look to her as one of the most resilient and bad ass women I know in the field. Andrea Charest is a BAD ASS, and she was that mentor who was there doing all the things, as a woman, and I wanted to be Andrea. And to this day, while I don’t climb much like her, she is just the most genuine and supportive role model out there shining positivity and proving that women CAN do anything in the outdoors, including Co-Own a rock climbing gym, be a mom, a wife, a friend and really a genuinely great person. And I am so glad I had someone like her to look up to when getting started outdoors.
Since those days in college I have taken my passion for the outdoors and have gotten to travel the country and the world exploring landscapes through my love of nature. And every time I am outside I see somethign new that leave me awestruck, just yesterday I was out for a run and I had to stop and photograph from fersn growing out of a log, because it was just so beautiful on the side of the road. And I am doubtful many people stop to see that beauty, but I do. Just ask my husband who frequently looses me to stopping to take photos of nature- it’s no wonder I have over 20k photos on my phone.
Now after years working in the outdoor industry, practicing and always learning, in order to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, I want to prioritize and share that critical connection with nature to you as it continues to improve my life. With over 10 years experience working and playing in the outdoor sphere, I have worked through the ranks with two main goals making sure people have the tools to feel confident in the outdoors and to educate people about the areas where they recreate. And I want people to realize you don’t have to be the best or greatest to appreciate and love nature and the outdoors, becasue sometimes all you need to just to shift your perspective when you step outside. It could be a grassy field, a tree, a bug or the clouds blowing by on a windy day- everything is so beautiful and interconnected.
While my passion for outdoor activities and recreation is strong so is my desire and drive to slow down and appreciate all of the little things outside. And I hope that whatever your interest, experience level, no matter where you live that you will have the opportunity in your own way to see the true joy, beauty, and healing powers in nature.
I am happiest when I am outside, hugging trees and truly appreciating all seasons.
