Nick Gordon has rarely felt more in demand.
"When the state shut down, when the country and the world shut down, a lot of folks I think we're feeling kind of stuck indoors and we’re social creatures; we want to get out and do stuff and be around people," the NOW Outdoors owner said in a WBay.com report this week.
Gordon, who launched his Wisconsin-based outdoors company more than 12 years ago, said business has never been more robust than it has been over the last two years—or since the COVID-19 pandemic has lingered. His company allows campers to learn the ins and outs of proper gear and how to use fire as a tool.
During one recent weekend, approximately 30 beginners—split between men and women and ranging in age from 20 to 70—came together, all sharing a common theme.
"Most people come out on these trips by themselves, they've got spouses or kids or siblings or friends that just don't want to do this stuff, whether it's winter camping or even summertime stuff, so it's a great way to just meet other outdoor enthusiasts and kind of connect," Gordon told WBay.com.
Gordon added that being in the company of the right individuals makes a difference.
"When you go with people who know more than you, you learn a lot of stuff a lot more quickly, you avoid a lot of mishaps," he said in the report. "We try to help people get out there farther, longer and safer, we do first-aid courses that are wilderness-themed; and if you're a hunter and you want to go out farther in the woods without carrying as much gear, we want to help you do it; if you want to get into paddling, if you want to bring your kids camping and make sure they have a really good time, come out on our trips and we'll help you get the confidence and the skills to do it really well."
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