Why would someone, at age 79, apply for membership in a club for notable explorers? True, I had taken excursions into some remote wilderness areas, but not the “dark and unplumbed” remote corners of the world or universe that members of this club had ventured out into. Looking at some of the members, past and present, the rolls read like a who’s who in epic achievements. People who pushed the boundaries of our world. Some had traveled to the north or south poles. Some explored outer space, while others descended into the oceans or the deepest caves on the planet. Others worked with and studied wildlife to unlock mysteries of the earth or to preserve species to avoid extinction. Internationally, there are but 3,722 men and women that have the credentials that the club accepted for membership. Had I the audacity to think I could belong to the same organization and walk alongside such notables as Jane Goodall, Apollo astronauts, John Glenn, Roland Amundsen, Robert Peary, or Sir Edmund Hillary?
Discovering what made me tick.
I never considered myself an explorer or an adventurer. Since I can remember, I have always had a desire to immerse myself somewhere far from the beaten path. To experience the solitude and the grandeur of nature, it’s wildlife, it’s unspoiled beauty, whose majesty made up the dreams I have had since childhood. Before Wikipedia, there was a source of information kids like me turned to read about or to use for school assignments. The source of information was the encyclopedia. My parents bought me a set of books called the Britannica Jr. encyclopedia. In the book with the label “I” I found information on Indians. I found a true love, understanding and learning about the first Americans, their ways, their culture, their history. Little did I know that some 70 years later, love of remote wilderness and indigenous peoples would come full circle back to me.
Tying it together
I have always believed that I should give back to my community and my country and serve for the privilege and blessings I have been given. For me, the military area that blended unconventional warfare, relationship building with indigenous peoples, and operations in remote wilderness areas were the U.S. Army Special Forces (The Green Berets). I volunteered and served as a Green Beret medic. When my service to the nation was fulfilled, I turned to serving my community. By bringing my military and civilian experience to use, I served on the Travis County Search & Rescue team.
The next step in the evolution
Throughout my life, I have sought to befriend individuals that shared the same mindset and carried the same values I had. Over the last few years, I have met many of these people. A good many of them, while not quite as famous as the notables listed above, belonged to the same international organization, The Explorers Club. This is a club that serves as an organization of men and women of all backgrounds and interests that have scientific or educational adjuncts to adventuring in the unknown areas of our world. Friends that were members told me about their exploits and the club and that got me thinking. I was invited to meetings. I perused their websites. I followed them on social media. I read a book the club published. I saw in the club, the things that I could relate to.
After reading the mission and the objectives of the club, I then explored the background and accomplishments of other members. The common thread that resonated with me was the type of achievements of the members. They also possessed traits and qualities that are aligned with those that I believe hold important and are known to be required to tackle epic explorations. I identified with these individuals and saw membership as a way of opening meaningful dialogue with those that had mutual interests or interests that would expand my knowledge. Membership would enable an exchange of ideas, information, and perspectives that otherwise, I would not readily be able to get or give. I could easily see striking up long-term relationships with members that share the same passion for exploring.
After a group that was led by and included several of my friends completed the first crossing of the Northwest Passage in a single season by solely human powered means, I felt inspired. I had just completed an exploration of Desolation Sound within the Inside Passage and was already contemplating my next exploration. The club is very specific about differentiating between adventures and exploration. To become a member, the applicant needs to have demonstrated that his/her achievements included research or education that would contribute to the betterment of society and advancement of knowledge of the chosen explorations. As I searched through my notes and documentation to identify those excursions that contained these attributes. Many of my excursions contained research and purpose to learn and document my findings of my interests in indigenous cultures. This was evident in my explorations in the jungles of the Philippines, the deserts of Southeast Arizona, the canyons that were home to lesser-known Apache bands in Arizona and New Mexico, or the wilds of the Big Bend area of Texas. Having convinced myself that I could qualify, I opened dialogue with two members in order to see if they would sponsor me for membership. The club looks for qualities in future members that would complement and enhance the relationships and knowledge base of current members. After filling out a 12-page application and having the two sponsors write recommendation letters, my paperwork was then submitted to New York for the membership committee to review the candidate and his/her paperwork. If approved, the candidate then becomes a member after a 30-day cure period. I waited several months to learn if my experiences would qualify me for membership. No one blackballed me, so on April 17th, the same day as my 53rd wedding anniversary, I officially was designated member 10907 Member National (MN’24) 2024 at age 79.
Recognition for the years of exploration. I huge thank you to West Hanson (MN’12) and Tom McGuire (MN’22) for sponsoring me.
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