Journal
From Passion To Profit — Local Entrepreneur Celebrates Success and His Roots
By Olivia Desmit As previously seen in Inside Columbia Magazine https://insidecolumbia.net/2019/10/01/from-passion-to-profit/ What do spine surgery and camping gear have in common? A lot, according to Josh Hendershott. The spine-specialist turned inventor launched a line of pocket-sized camping gear in 2017 and recently one of his products was featured on “NewsWatch.” But, according to Hendershott, the idea for his company, Pike Trail, started much earlier than 2017. “I remember carrying a Swiss Army knife when I was as young as 6 or 7,” he says. “My grandpa who fought in WWII gave me his old one and I carried it everywhere I went. It was my prized possession and became my first piece of pocket-sized gear that I couldn’t live without.” As Hendershott’s love for camping, hiking and fishing evolved, gear similar to the Swiss Army knife started amassing. “Since we usually relied on our feet as opposed to a motor to get us to our destination, lightweight packable gear was key. I was always thinking about how we could reduce weight and improve quality. From these experiences, Pike Trail was envisioned years before it was brought into existence.” And after marrying his wife, Erin, and helping to bring three daughters in the world, his collection of outdoor gear continued to exponentially grow. “Gear took on a whole new meaning of importance!” he says, laughing. He and his family’s love for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping and kayaking not only helped inspire the concept of Pike Trail, but also the name.“My family (my three daughters, my wife and I) and a few friends hand-cut a trail on our property that wound through cedar trees and opened up to a bluff that overlooked the Missouri River. We had a lot of really great times on that trail — and put a lot of hard work into it. That’s where the name for the company comes from.” Things were relatively calm in the world of Pike Trail until Hendershott received a call a few months ago from The American Movie Channel (AMC) Network, which produces and airs popular shows such as ‘Mad Men” and “The Walking Dead.” An executive had ordered a Pike Trail product off Amazon and liked it so much that he decided he wanted to learn more about the entrepreneur behind the idea. “I got a phone call from the AMC office saying that they wanted to do a shoot with our products, and that turned into a review lasting more than 2 minutes on a show called ‘NewsWatch,’” Hendershott says. The review aired on Aug. 26 and featured Pike Trail’s gaiters, which cover the gap between your shoe and pant and keep snow, dirt and water from going into your shoes and fold up and fit into a little bag and are ruggedly designed with stainless steel buckles to last longer. When it comes to working both as an entrepreneur and as a spine specialist for NuVasive, Hendershott says it’s a big adjustment. “Dealing with international suppliers requires either staying up very late or waking up very early to answer emails and communicate my needs,” he says. “Since, I’m an early morning person I’ve dedicated the 4:15 a.m. to 6:15 a.m. slot of my day to handle this aspect of Pike Trail’s business. I feel both spine surgery and Pike Trail work perfectly in tandem. Both actually make me better in each particular field; I’m constantly looking for ways to improve surgical instrumentation for my surgeons and am in constant collaboration with Dr. Jeff Parker (a local Columbia spine surgeon) on ways to improve spinal implants and devices.” For other entrepreneur-hopefuls, Hendershott has one piece of advice: Stick to what you know and are passionate about. “This will be the fuel that gets you through all the challenges, setbacks and obstacles that keep most from ever realizing success,” he says. “It must consume you and if it doesn’t, it probably isn’t for you, so find something you’re more passionate about and start the process over. It’s hard work for sure but I believe when you find it, you won’t really notice how hard it really is. It becomes an obsession and the effort required to make it a success will just naturally flow.”
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4 Essential Survival Tips For Hikers
Build a Solar Still using your Pike Trail pocket blanket Construct a Shelter with your Pike Trail pocket blanket Rig a Snare Get your Bearings by making a Compass 1. A Solar Still is one of the best ways to get water in a dry climate.Directions:First find a low, unshaded area on the ground and dig a hole 1 ½ feet deep by 3 feet in diameter (or by the size of your available tarp). Place a can, jar, or water bottle in the center of the hole and cover the hole with your Pike Trail pocket blanket (or any large sheet of plastic, tarp etc.) sealing the edges with dirt and rocks. Put a rock in the center of the pocket blanket directly above the container which will provide a drip point. Moisture will be drawn from the earth beneath the pocket blanket and will condense on its underside. The water will run down and drip into your container. Line the hole with vegetation such as cactus, plants or any other type of greenery to speed up and increase production of H2O. You can expect 1 pint to 1 quart of production daily depending on your climate and the size of the hole. 2. Construct a ShelterDirections:Shelter provides an escape from the elements and is necessary for your survival. If you have plenty of water and a solar still is not necessary use your Pike Trail pocket blanket as a Bivouac. Use the tie down loops to fasten it to the ground and angle it toward two trees growing side by side. A Bivouacs reflect a fire’s warmth, serve as a windbreak and provides a roof over your head. Since the Pike Trail pocket blanket is 100% waterproof it will serve as excellent protection from rain, snow and wind. If your pocket blanket is unavailable more work is involved but can still be accomplished without the use of tools by following these 4 steps: Step 1: Look for fallen timber or find a makeshift ridgepole such as a leaning or partly fallen tree to support the boughs Step 2: Wedge a ridgepole into the lower forks of two closely growing trees. If 2 trees can’t be found one end of the ridgepole can lay on the ground (Although not ideal, this will still provide some protection). You can also support each end of the ridgepole with a tripod of upright poles lashed together around the top. Step 3: Create a frame by tilting branches or poles against the ridge pole (This looks like a roof that begins on the ground and slants at an angle to the ridgepole). Make it stronger by interlacing boughs through the poles at right angles. Step 4: Cover the frame with leafy or pine needle branches. Then layer bark, sod or even snow to provide an extra layer of insulation. 3. Rig a SnareDirections:Learning how to catch food is pivotal to your survival success. If you should find yourself lost without rifle or fishing pole here’s one way to do it: Step 1: Use wire, fishing line, twine, strips of leather, or even your shoelaces. If using wire or a stiff material, bend the tip over and twist several times to form an eye. Next, run the wire’s other end through the eye to form a noose. When using more flexible or pliable material such as twine make a loop and close it with a slipknot. Step 2: Hang the noose so that it suspends head level within a game trail, den hole entrance or other spot that animals look to be using often. Make sure the noose is large enough for the head to pass through but not the animal’s shoulders. The object is for the noose to cinch tight and grab the animal as it is moving fast down its trail. Step 3: Each snare should be anchored down into the ground by stake or tied tight to a near-by tree. Check your snare frequently but be careful not to disturb the surroundings too much which could alert potential game to your presence. 4. Get your Bearings by making a Compass Make a compass by magnetizing a needle or any similar object containing magnetized ferrous metal (containing iron). Stroke the needle continually in one direction with silk such as a scarf. Your Pike Trail pocket blanket may work depending on the humidity level. The drier the climate the better chance of creating a static charge. Next place your magnetized needle onto a blade of grass floating in a small puddle of water. The needle will turn and orient itself toward the North and South Poles giving you direction. Now that you’ve found your North/South direction it’s time to find your East/West direction. First, drive a 3 foot long stick into the ground in a location with sun and set a stone where the tip of the stick’s shadow lies on the ground. Wait 20 minutes and then place another rock in the spot where the tip of the shadow has now moved. The first stone marks the west end of the line running between both stones. The second stone marks the east. Your compass is now complete with all four directions.
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Written Interview Questions with Brand Ambassador Paulene “Iron Pauly” Williams
At Pike Trail we have some of the best brand ambassadors on Planet Earth. We have world-class athletes, average Joes, and everything in between. But no matter who they are or where they come from, they all have one thing in common: they crush the outdoors every single day. One of our favorite and most accomplished BA’s is Paulene “Iron Pauly” Williams. Running the Boston Marathon is a slow day at the office for Paulene. In addition to running Boston, she is a four-time Ironman 70.3 World Championship qualifier and a two-time 70.3 World Championship racer. As if that’s not enough, she spends her weekends maintaining the American flag atop Mount Baden Powell’s 9,400 ft. summit. If you are not following @ironpauly on Instagram yet, stop what you’re doing right now, grab your phone, and correct that deficiency pronto. Once you are done having your mind blown by Paulene’s sheer awesomeness, check out our interview to find out what makes her tick. Pike Trail: Paulene, you do some amazing and physically grueling things, what drives you to work so hard? Paulene Williams: For me, it’s the journey towards a goal I set for myself. No matter what it is I decide to do, I devote 100% of myself to that goal. I become a student of that sport. I learn everything there is to know about it, and then I apply it to my everyday life. So, if it is mountaineering season, I will be in the mountains climbing in altitude every chance I get. I will be sharpening my skills in bouldering and alpine climbing, and I will live climbing while I am training. I will structure my life around it. Then, when it’s triathlon season, I will shift my entire training structure for that sport. I will train in swimming, cycling, and running every day of the week. What’s crazy is my body composition will transform to suit the sport I’m training for. That’s what amazes me about the human body, and it is what drives me. We can all push ourselves to do anything we put 100% of ourselves into. PT: I have to ask about the flag on Mt. Baden’s summit. I know you maintain it and make sure it is in good repair. How did that start? PW: Many people don’t know this, but I’m a naturalized citizen. I wasn’t born in the United States, so I appreciate more than anyone the opportunities afforded to me by being able to make America my permanent home. My daughter was born here, and we are so fortunate. I know that we owe our freedom to the brave men and women who have fought, and continue to fight, for it. Old Glory is the very symbol of that freedom. I dearly respect the flag and what she symbolizes. The mountains are my happy place, and when I summited Mount Baden for the first time and saw that the flag was worn, I knew I had to go back and replace it. That’s been my thing ever since. I summit every few weeks and change it out. I still get emotional every time I do it. PT: Ok, one more question. You are such a fierce competitor on the Ironman circuit. How did you get started in that sport? PW: Well, I was a swimmer in high school, so I had that background. After high school I stopped swimming for a long time, but fast forward 15-years or so and I started dabbling in a couple of sloooow marathons. (interviewer’s note: I don’t think Iron Pauly and I share the same definition of “slow”) Then one day I saw the Kona Ironman on TV and thought, “oh wow, how cool would it be to do one of those!” A co-worker friend of mine suggested we do a half Ironman together, so I joined a local triathlon club, bought a beginner triathlon bike, did a sprint tri, and a year or so later did my first Ironman. At the time I never would have guessed that I would start seriously racing triathlons, and that three-years later I’d be toeing the line for Team USA at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Zel Am See, Austria!
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The Ultra-Light 5 Day Hike
The goal with any hike whether it is a 5 month journey across the Pacific Trail or a quick day hike on the local trail, is to only take what is necessary to complete the journey. The reason for this is obvious, we want to be as light as possible so that we can save our energy and use it efficiently to complete the hike in a safe and enjoyable way. Beginner hikers tend to overpack and in turn excerpt more energy than necessary. Over time with gained experience comes the understanding of “the essentials”. Here is an example list of essential items for a 5 day hike with the goal of staying under 35lbs. As always, each hike is dependent on climate and conditions so please research and plan accordingly. This hike was planned for a 5 day hike in non-extreme weather.Gear List for a 5 Day Hike in Mild Weather Item Weight (kg) Weight (lb) TOTAL EQUIPMENT 7.061kg 15.56lb Sleeping Bag (including bag) 960.0 g 33.86oz BIVY Shelter 900.0 g 31.75oz Backpack 670.0 g 23.63oz Pad 434.0 g 15.31oz Pike Trail pocket blanket 195 g 6.88oz Pullover 400.0 g 14.11oz Wind Breaker 370.0 g 13.05oz Umbrella 303.0 g 10.69oz Stove 270.0 g 9.52oz Shell Pants 250.0 g 8.82oz T-Shirt Long Sleeve 240.0 g 8.47oz Camera 170.4 g 6.01oz Thermal Base Layer 170.0 g 6.00oz Sleeping Bag Liner 140.0 g 4.94oz Hat (sombrero) 127.5 g 4.50oz Cooking Pot 0.85lit 118.0 g 4.16oz Medical kit 100.0 g 3.53oz Water filter/bottle 95.0 g 3.35oz Water Bag 90.0 g 3.17oz Fuel Bottle 84.0 g 2.96oz Tripod 80.0 g 2.82oz Radio 80.0 g 2.82oz Rope 80.0 g 2.82oz Journal, pen, maps 75.0 g 2.65oz Flashlight 70.0 g 2.47oz Soap 68.0 g 2.40oz Bowl / Cup / Scoop 61.3 g 2.16oz Brief 61.0 g 2.15oz Toilet Paper 60.0 g 2.12oz Space Blanket 51.0 g 1.80oz Water bottle 50.0 g 1.76oz Knife 48.1 g 1.70oz Towel 42.0 g 1.48oz Matches/Wood/Candle 40.0 g 1.41oz Socks (2pair) 36.4 g 1.28oz Bandana 28.4 g 1.00oz Monocular 25.4 g 0.90oz Sunglasses 20.4 g 0.72oz Tooth Powder 20.0 g 0.71oz Storm Whistle 20.0 g 0.71oz Lighter 20.0 g 0.71oz Battery (spare) 16.7 g 0.59oz Head Net 14.0 g 0.49oz Toothbrush 10.0 g 0.35oz Spoon 9.0 g 0.32oz Spare Light 7.0 g 0.25oz TOTAL CONSUMABLES 6.800 kg 15 Food (5 days) 4.350 kg 9 9/16 Water 2.000 kg 4 7/16 Fuel 0.400 kg 14.1oz Salt & Spices 0.050 kg 1.8oz TOTAL PACK WEIGHT (not including clothes worn) 14.055 kg 30.56lbs WORN 1.004 kg 2 3/16 Trail Shoes 0.600 kg 21.2oz T-Shirt 0.182 kg 6.4oz Shorts 0.090 kg 3.2oz Underwear 0.057 kg 2.0oz Socks 0.040 kg 1.4oz GPS Watch 0.035 kg 1.2oz
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