{"id":20129,"date":"2017-10-03T07:00:03","date_gmt":"2017-10-03T14:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=20129"},"modified":"2024-07-25T17:37:05","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T00:37:05","slug":"member-portrait-ralph-trlblzrs-lee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/member-portrait-ralph-trlblzrs-lee","title":{"rendered":"Member Portrait: Ralph “TRLBLZRS” Lee"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally from Queens, New York, Ralph started hiking in Los Angeles at the age of 26 and never stopped. In 2014 he created TRLBLZRS<\/a>, an LA-based hiking group aimed at getting people from all walks of life outdoors and connecting them to nature.<\/p>\n

Why is getting outside important?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The most important thing to me is how it improves my mental health. Since day one, I\u2019ve used time outside to take care of all the stress I\u2019ve amassed during the week. I like to meditate while walking and also to connect with people.<\/p>\n

I think spending time outside is highly important for city dwellers. We are surrounded by way more distractions in our metropolises. Being outdoors is more important than ever as we get more inundated with media, news and adult responsibilities. I\u2019m not saying people should spend every waking moment in the outdoors\u2014but take some time to build it into your life on a regular basis. The mental health benefits are astounding.<\/p>\n

\"Ralph<\/p>\n

Why did you start TRLBLZRS in 2014? What has it grown into today?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

I started hiking with a group of friends and we all happened to be black men. We got together every weekend in 2012 to catch up and destress. We all fell in love with it.<\/p>\n

After a couple of years of hiking together, we all noticed there was a bit of a void in the outdoors space\u2014there weren\u2019t many black people. We wanted to help connect other people to the outdoors, those who didn\u2019t have exposure.<\/p>\n

I felt like something needed to happen, so I started emailed invites to join me on my favorite hikes on a monthly basis. I started gathering friends and coworkers on this email list. The first hike I got 14 people out. We had a good time.<\/p>\n

Now, we have people from all walks of life. It\u2019s grown from my friends and colleagues to six degrees of separation. We split off into small groups to mingle and network. It\u2019s a great way to build connections.<\/p>\n

Who inspires you to get outside? <\/strong><\/h4>\n

My son is about to turn 2\u2014he inspires me to get out. He has a lot of energy, first and foremost. We can make do in parks and the indoors, but he needs space. I\u2019ve taken him outside since he was 3 months old. He\u2019s loved it. His eyes are focused on the trees and sky.<\/p>\n

I also have a toy poodle that is 8 years old. I got him in New York. When he came to LA and he could hike up a mountain for 14 miles roundtrip and 3,000 feet of elevation without stopping, it made me fall in love with him in a different way. I love taking him outside and seeing him do his thing. He\u2019s running circles around the group of TRLBLAZERS. He likes to check on every person and then run back up to the front.<\/p>\n

God inspires me too. Every time I see running water and the foliage and the wildflowers blooming in spring, I\u2019m feeling a spiritual presence.<\/p>\n

\"Ralph<\/p>\n

In whom are you fostering a love for the outdoors?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The first thing my family and friends who come into town ask is, \u201cCan we go on a hike?\u201d I post on social media for my family on the East Coast because, like me growing up, a lot of them haven\u2019t been exposed to the outdoors. They can see what\u2019s going on and the different things I\u2019m able to do.<\/p>\n

What is your favorite piece of gear and what\u2019s the story behind it?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

My favorite piece of gear is my water filter. I have a Katadyn<\/a> and an MSR<\/a>. I like them because water is essential\u2014you need to stay hydrated. \u00a0A filter also gives folks a sense of freedom and liberty. With this tool and my water bottle or bladder, I can go anywhere, be that much lighter and explore that much more.<\/p>\n

What does being an REI Co-op member mean to you?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Being an REI Co-op member means that I\u2019m covered. I don\u2019t need to go anywhere else. If I go to any other store, it\u2019s because I want to see how it compares to REI. And I\u2019ve got Expert Advice<\/a>. I\u2019m not, by any means, an expert and I get everything I need from REI. I\u2019ve never had an issue. Customer satisfaction has been 110 percent. It\u2019s very dangerous.<\/p>\n

\"Ralph<\/p>\n

What other adventures are on your bucket list?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

I\u2019m going to do Mount Whitney. I\u2019m putting that out there. It was supposed to happen last year!<\/p>\n

Do you have any last thoughts?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Share your love for nature with those that need it most\u2014whether they\u2019re strangers or family members with a phobia of bears. Share it with them and open their eyes so they can have the opportunity to fall in love like you did. And share it with the kids, bro, share it with the kids.<\/p>\n

Find out more on Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and on the TRLBLZRS\u00a0website<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Originally from Queens, New York, Ralph started hiking in Los Angeles at the age of 26 and never stopped. In 2014 he created TRLBLZRS, an LA-based hiking group aimed at getting people from all walks of life outdoors and connecting them to nature. Why is getting outside important? The most important thing to me is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":20143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,387],"tags":[160,773,707,109],"internal-tag":[1678],"class_list":["post-20129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camp","category-hike","tag-california","tag-community","tag-hiking","tag-member-stories","internal-tag-pre-redirect-hiking"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/camp\/member-portrait-ralph-trlblzrs-lee","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Member Portrait: Ralph “TRLBLZRS” Lee","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/member-portrait-ralph-trlblzrs-lee","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/member-portrait-ralph-trlblzrs-lee"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/09\/Skrobecki_111016_0552.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/09\/Skrobecki_111016_0552.jpg?fit=1500%2C900"},"articleSection":"Camp","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Aer Parris-Hoshour"}],"creator":["Aer Parris-Hoshour"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["california","community","hiking","rei co-op member stories"],"dateCreated":"2017-10-03T14:00:03Z","datePublished":"2017-10-03T14:00:03Z","dateModified":"2024-07-26T00:37:05Z"},"rendered":"