{"id":9010,"date":"2016-09-19T13:45:09","date_gmt":"2016-09-19T20:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=9010"},"modified":"2022-04-06T12:18:26","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T19:18:26","slug":"member-portrait-christina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/member-portrait-christina","title":{"rendered":"Member Portrait: Christina"},"content":{"rendered":"

REI Member since 2011
\nFavorite activities:\u00a0Running, Hiking, Backpacking<\/p>\n

1. Why is \u201coutside\u201d important?<\/h4>\n

Living and growing up in Okinawa, I was always surrounded by nature. I grew up living the island lifestyle\u2014going to the beach, playing at the park with my dog or hiking through trails with my friends to find waterfalls that only the locals know about. When I reflect back on my childhood and my late teen years in high school, I realize most of my cherished memories involve being outdoors and spending that time with friends and family. But when I grew up and moved to the states, it seemed to become more difficult to make time to spend outside, especially when you\u2019re surrounded by technology and caught up in the daily grind of school and work. Being outside is a chance to unplug and be completely present in the moment.<\/p>\n

2. Who are you inspired by to get outside? In whom are you fostering a love for the outdoors?<\/h4>\n

My fianc\u00e9, Kirk. He introduced me to my first backpacking trip and really opened up my eyes to all of the great places to explore in California. There\u2019s such a diverse terrain\u2014desert trails in Joshua Tree, lake fishing in Eastern Sierras, snow camping through San Gorgonio\u2014all within a few hours\u2019 drive! Every trip is a new experience, and when we start a family, I can\u2019t wait to take our kids on these adventures. Of course, our (future) trail dog will be right by our side, too.<\/p>\n

\"Christina<\/p>\n

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

My Lowa Renegade boots<\/a>. I bought them for my first backpacking trip nine years ago and they have been on every hiking and backpacking trip since. They\u2019ve been through it all\u2014mud, snow, sand and water\u2014and they\u2019re what I wore when I went high-altitude fishing, conquered Mt. Whitney and went up Mt. San Gorgonio, where Kirk proposed to me!<\/p>\n

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

It means I have access to all the best outdoor gear with great member perks and I\u2019m surrounded by like-minded outdoor enthusiasts. The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable and their passion for the outdoors definitely shows.<\/p>\n

\"Christina<\/p>\n

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

Exploring New Zealand during our honeymoon! I definitely want to hike through Milford Sound and the other Great Walks, go black-water rafting through the Waitomo caves\u2014aka the glow worm caves\u2014and kayak along the coast and (hopefully) run into some dolphins.<\/p>\n

6. What keeps you running an average of 40 miles a week? How does running benefit you physically and mentally?<\/h4>\n

Staying active and leading a healthy lifestyle are a couple of my core values, and they help me stay in shape and handle miles of hiking with a heavy pack. When I\u2019m not backpacking, running is my version of meditation\u2014it provides a way to clear my mind, set aside the thoughts that are going through my head and focus on my breathing and the road ahead of me.<\/p>\n

\"Christina<\/p>\n

7. Can you tell us about your experience climbing Mt. Whitney? Do you have any other ascents planned?<\/h4>\n

Mt. Whitney<\/a> was a bucket list adventure for me, so I was definitely excited when Kirk and I finally decided to plan our trip and do the climb. We took the scenic route and started off at Horseshoe Meadows, where we acclimated for a day since I am prone to altitude sickness. We set up camp at multiple stops, with Guitar Lake as our last stop before the ascent. The next morning we took off, and after what seemed like forever (thank goodness for trekking poles!) we made it to the top, where we joined other hikers and runners who were making the trek up that day. Although I was exhausted, the view was truly breathtaking and we savored the moment as we rested on the boulders, soaking up the sun. My next ascents would be whatever mountains we come across on the honeymoon in New Zealand, but my dream ascent would be Mt. Kilimanjaro!<\/p>\n

Looking for more inspiration? Read other REI Member Portraits here<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Not a member? Join today! Learn more\u00a0about\u00a0REI Membership<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

REI Member since 2011 Favorite activities:\u00a0Running, Hiking, Backpacking 1. Why is \u201coutside\u201d important? Living and growing up in Okinawa, I was always surrounded by nature. I grew up living the island lifestyle\u2014going to the beach, playing at the park with my dog or hiking through trails with my friends to find waterfalls that only the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":9017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[387],"tags":[8,570,552,369,651],"internal-tag":[1673],"class_list":["post-9010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hike","tag-hike","tag-member-portraits","tag-rei-members","tag-rei-membership","tag-women","internal-tag-pre-redirect-hike"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/hike\/member-portrait-christina","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Member Portrait: Christina","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/member-portrait-christina","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/member-portrait-christina"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/05\/Skrobecki-111015-2114.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/05\/Skrobecki-111015-2114.jpg?fit=1024%2C681"},"articleSection":"Hike","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["hike","member portraits","rei members","rei membership","women"],"dateCreated":"2016-09-19T20:45:09Z","datePublished":"2016-09-19T20:45:09Z","dateModified":"2022-04-06T19:18:26Z"},"rendered":"