OnX Offroad Ambassador!

While it isn't massive news, I have finally made it as an OnX Offroad Ambassador! So what exactly does that mean? Simply put, I have put in the time and effort towards achieving one of my primary goals. Being in this position after just a short few months is really exciting for me, and the more I get to map, the more this dream becomes a reality.

So what is involved with being an Ambassador, or even just an OnX Offroad Trail Guide? That really depends how far you want to go with it, how much time you have to invest or are willing to invest. Personally, I have dedicated all of my time to this and with the support of my family, its starting to pay off. I average 4 days at a time on trails, and will be extending these runs even longer soon. But, you have to have an understanding that there is more to being a trail guide than just driving.

To date, I have camped in -10 weather, rain and snow storms, eaten food with dust in it from excessive winds, put myself and my 4Runner in some less than pleasant situations and most of all, been away from home for several days at a time. I have had to self-recover from snow and mud on multiple occasions now, thanks to my small amount of recovery education during my time in the military, it has all worked out well so far. Tracking trails requires frequent stops for taking photos for the OnX maps, increased maintenance, some damaged tires, destroyed paint and a large investment overall of both time and money.

Since before I even began mapping with OnX, I was always concerned with making a minimal impact and took leaving no trace very seriously. Being that I now frequently hit those hidden campsites, I have started to notice more trash along the trails and at these camp sites. Part of being a trail guide is to help make it an enjoyable experience for everyone and being willing to clean up where you can as you go. Having gone through the TreadLightly! course and understanding what it means and now being an Ambassador, I feel it more necessary to clean up what I can and continue to exercise a "no-trace" mapping and camping standard for myself as an example for others.

Being a trail guide to me is taking something I already enjoy doing, provide information for others to utilize and benefit from, and to take care of the areas I explore. I have not only taken the time to collect trash along the trails, but I also make my best effort to clear downed trees, not widen a trail and stay on legal routes. I have subjected my 4Runner to various environments and hit trails that I knew had the potential to cause damage with the specific purpose of informing those that want to avoid damage or less than ideal situations.

Being an OnX Trail Guide Ambassador means I have a responsibility to set a standard and show new guides, or those interested in being a guide, what its all about. And although I have invested my time for others to benefit from, and received some gratitude on social media, my family has been my biggest source of support and encouragement. I know this post is slightly off my norm, and may not even be interesting to most, but I feel this is my first big step towards my ultimate goal. I'm not done yet, the 4Runner isn't finished yet, I still see a need for additional gear, but I am aiming to now push myself harder and further.

Stay tuned, there is more to come!