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Atlanta Outdoor Club - Volunteers
Officers and Administrators
Tom Collins: President, Trip Leader
Katherine Martin: Vice President, Treasurer, Trip Leader
Paula Schubert: Vice President, Communications Manager, Trip Leader
Angela Gorecki: Treasurer
Lee Harris: Director of Marketing, Trip Leader
Steven Koonce: Director of Events, Trip Leader
Michelle Spence: Director of Recruitment, Trip Leader
Ben Taratoot: Director at Large, Trip Leader
Denise Millon: Member at Large, Trip Leader
Christopher Bolton: Member at Large, Trip Leader
Ben Shienvold: Safety Officer, Trip Leader
Phil 'Foz' Parkerson: Past President
See our Job Descriptions for more information. | Event Coordinators | Bob Bunner
Bruce Aldridge
Dante Martinez
Dean Merat ( Dante)
Dick Jetson Brown
Don Norton
Eric Chaney
Gary Babiarz
| Jason Kotz
Jennifer Howle
John Bell
John Weatherman
Kelly
Nick Gwinn
Pam Wurst
Patrick Barry
| Richard A. Zalik
Tom Jarosz (Juh'rose)
Tony Ciccarello
Tony Theriault
Tracey Steiner
Vanessa Carter
|
We are always looking for Event Coordinators. If you think you may be interested, please contact our Director of Events, Steven Koonce at boss@atlantaoutdoorclub.com. |
|  | President
Trip Leader
Tom Collins
| Event Interests: Camping, Whitewater Rafting, Hiking, Cabin Trips, Backpacking, Caving, Biking, Skiing, SCUBA Diving, Cycling, and any other outdoor activity.
Originally from California, where you can have mountains, beaches, forests (incl Redwoods & Sequoias), rivers, deserts, & 100 miles wide valleys all within a short drive, he has always been an avid outdoor enthusiast with a wide range of interests. Tom’s parents loved the outdoors and instilled that love into him.
He has traveled to 38 states and 6 countries in his adventures, but the best trip ever was a bicycle tour of Holland where you can find good people and good beer.
Tom discovered the AOC in Oct of 2006 and went on his first trip with them the very next day and has had a great time ever since. With his several years of experience in helping run social clubs, he hopes to use that in helping the AOC as it continues to grow.
His motto is: "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: 'WOW, What a Ride!'"
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Tom Collins. |
|  | Vice President
Treasurer
Trip Leader
Katherine Martin
| Event Interests: Pioneer Camping, canoeing, caving
After stepping in as “Interim President” following Amy Pickwick’s departure for Maryland in 2001, Katt led the club for 4 years and with the help of all of the other volunteers at the time, brought the club from a simple hiking club with a dream to a well recognized club in the city of Atlanta catering to all of the whims of the outdoor community. Katt passed the Presidential mantle on to Foz Parkerson in late 2005, but has returned to management with the role of Operations Manager in 2008. Katt loves coordinating and planning all kinds of events, but her special interests include canoeing and primitive camping. She has recently acquired a love of spelunking.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Katherine Martin. |
|  | Vice President
Communications Manager
Trip Leader
Paula Schubert
| Event Interests: Backpacking, Hiking, Caving, and Canoeing
Paula has been a member of the club since January 2006. She's a Georgia native, growing up in Woodstock and is still content living "OTP", which allows her to be that much closer to the North Ga Mountains and her love for the Cohutta Wilderness. To escape the everyday grind of being an Applications programmer, she gets outside as much as she can. Even during the work week, you'll find her hiking with a few friends at Kennesaw Mountain. With a true passion for life and the great outdoors, she has been told many times that her enthusiasm is contagious.
She enjoys the more challenging dayhikes and backpacking trips, but her very first backpacking experience was Cumberland island in the fall of 2006. "Backpacking brings a whole new perspective to camping and it's rewarding knowing you can survive in the woods with what you carried in on your back". She absolutely fell in love with the outdoors all over again. While, backpacking and hiking are at the top of her list, but she also enjoys caving, canoeing, kayaking, horseback riding, gardening and spending time with family, friends and of course, her four-legged "kids". Miss Maggie May and Mr. Kobie are spoiled and enough to be carried up a mountain in the back of a backpack..LOL.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Paula Schubert. |
|  | Treasurer
Angela Gorecki
| Event Interests: Hiking, Camping, Canoeing, Kayaking
Originally from Texas, Angela moved to Atlanta in 1996 from Austin. She was raised in Houston near the Gulf Coast, and so definitely loves the water and the beach. Since there are no mountains anywhere near Houston, going to the North Georgia Mountains has become a passion for her. Since joining in 2002 Angela has enjoyed the Broad River in a keowee and has learned how to paddle and steer a canoe, (she still have a ways to go on that skill). Her most recent new experience has been primitive camping and declares that she really enjoyed it, however it is not the kind of camping she did as a kid, (maybe a little spoiled with the travel trailer). Angela can't wait for the next adventure! Her
accounting and finance background has been helpful in her role asthe treasurer and who knows what exciting thing she will do next!
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Angela Gorecki. |
|  | Director of Marketing
Trip Leader
Lee Harris
| Event Interests: Backpacking, Hiking, Whitewater Rafting, Snowboarding, Canoeing, and Caving
Lee joined the club in October of 2006. December 2nd he led his first backpacking trip along the Wild & Scenic Chattooga River. His international excursions involving hiking “The Old Man of Stor”, a mountain along Scotland’s west Coast and Trekking the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu. While stateside Lee enjoys a plethora of adventurous activities from Peak Bagging to Class V+ Whitewater Rafting. He is one the of AOC’s leading Backpackers and teaches classes on the subject from time to time for the club as well as REI. Lee also leads an annual Ski/Snowboard trip and is looking to put more time into this outdoor activity as he just picked up a new board. One of his current goals is joining the “Beyond 6000 Club” (Summit ting Forty 6,000’ Peaks in the Eastern U.S.) If that’s not enough he is scheduled to climb Mt. Rainier in June of 2008.
"You only get ONE LIFE. Take charge of it and DO SOMETHING!" - Lee
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Lee Harris. |
|  | Director of Events
Trip Leader
Steven Koonce
| Event Interests: Hiking, Pioneer Camping, International Travel, Canoeing, and Whitewater Rafting.
Steven has been active with the Atlanta Outdoor Club since 2002 and has been leading events since 2004, thus making him a club old timer. During his time in the club he has been on numerous hikes and overnight camping trips, along with several canoeing and rafting trips. Proving that you can teach an old dog new tricks, he has recently added backpacking, spelunking, and hang gliding to the list events he has participated in. In August of 2007 he hiked the Inca Trail in Peru with 21 other AOC members. He says that the Atlanta Outdoor Club without question has the most varied, interesting, friendly, fun-loving, down-to-earth and attractive membership of any social organization he has been involved with in Atlanta.
He is a native of Louisiana and but has lived in Atlanta since graduating Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers). He works as a network administrator where he gets annoyed when people ask them to reset their password. He also knows where everybody is surfing on the Internet.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Steven Koonce. |
|  | Director of Recruitment
Trip Leader
Michelle Spence
| Event Interests:Camping, Canoeing, Kayaking, Whitewater Rafting, Hiking, Cabin Trips, and Backpacking.
Michelle joined AOC in April of 2005. She has always lived in Georgia and was
aware of the many outdoor activities that Georgia has to offer, but didn't get a chance to explore all of them until the Atlanta Outdoor Club. She has extreme enthusiasm for new experiences in the outdoors. Michelle hiked part of the Yellowstone National Park in 2005 and had the time of her life. Michelle climbed one of the seven summits, Kilimanjaro and went on a safari in the Serengeti this past Jan/Feb '07. Camping is definitely one of her favorite events - "There's nothing better than sitting around the campfire and enjoying each other's company late at night, and falling asleep to the sounds of the great outdoors." She has recently went caving for the first time and had a blast. One day, Michelle hopes to be certified in scuba diving, go skydiving, and run a marathon at least once in her life. Michelle says "I love to experience new things and meet new people along the way."
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Michelle Spence. |
|  | Director at Large
Trip Leader
Ben Taratoot
| Event Interests: Biking, Pioneer Camping, and Hiking
Ben is an Atlanta native. He works as a network consultant for a local IT company, meaning that he's basically a cross between a nerd and a prostitute. He likes all sorts of outdoor activities but his favorite is definitely biking. When he was younger he and his brother used to ride trails behind their house. He quit riding for a long time but over the past couple of years he's gotten back into it. He also likes both mountain and road biking.
Besides outdoorsy stuff he enjoys softball, volleyball, and spending time with his dogs.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Ben Taratoot. |
|  | Member at Large
Trip Leader
Denise Millon
| Event Interests: Hiking, Backpacking, Camping, Caving and anything in Water.
After 22 miserable winters in her native state of Pennsylvania, Denise moved to Atlanta in 2002 to thaw out and attend law school. Three years later, when she finally had some free time again, she joined the AOC and has since shared many great weekend adventures with her fellow club members. Denise loves hiking, backpacking, camping, caving, and anything that involves water. She loves to travel as much as humanly possible, and recently enjoyed traveling with the AOC to Peru, where she was able to have such diverse experiences as hiking the Inca Trail and dancing to both Wham and Bon Jovi at a Cuzco nightclub, all with an awesome group of people. Over the next 3-5 years she plans to go on hiking and backpacking trips in Patagonia, Germany, Poland and Mt. Kilimanjaro.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Denise Millon. |
|  | Member at Large
Trip Leader
Christopher Bolton
| Event Interests: Backpacking, Hiking, Camping, Kayaking, Caving, Tree Climbing, Rafting, Rock Climbing
Chris is one of the rare Georgia natives, growing up south of Atlanta in what WAS a small town. It was in his troubled adolescent years when he journeyed to Alaska with his AMAZING father that he found peace in the great outdoors. The call of the wild continued to pull at his soul but it wasn’t until his adult years that he heeded it’s cry, calming the Gurahl inside of him. He believes that happiness can be enjoyed in the simplest of things and it is often that a peculiar rock or a noble tree can bring a smile to his face.
Chris has enjoyed all things outdoors from skydiving to cave crawling but found his love of backpacking after discovering the AOC. The AOC has also brought into Chris’s life a great group of friends to experience all the gifts nature has to offer. Nature should be enjoyed with all 5 senses, see the beauty, feel the breeze, hear the critters, smell the air, and taste the streams.
“I went into the woods for I wished to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life! To put to rout all that was not life, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
Soul Name: Darkwroth
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Christopher Bolton. |
|  | Safety Officer
Trip Leader
Ben Shienvold
| Event Interests: Hiking, Canoing/kayaking, Whitewater Rafting, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Caving, Camping, Swimming, and Outdoor Sports
I grew up in South Florida and spent most of my free time outside in the sun (much of it on a beach or in a pool). A little while after moving to Atlanta (in 2004), I realized that wasn't getting out in the sun anymore. Since I had done some camping, hiking, and horseback riding as a kid, I decided to look for a hiking group. That's when I done the AOC and I've been having a blast ever since. I'm quick with a joke and always willing to help out my friends. When not doing AOC stuff, you can find me playing roller hockey, football, at the movies, or sleeping. I'm usually up for a hike (especially if there is a swimming hole), crawling through a cave, or something on the water (river, lake, or pool). If it's outside, then it sounds like fun. Did I mention that I've got 11 toes?
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Ben Shienvold. |
|  | Trip Leader
Bob Bunner
| Event Interests: Backpacking, Hiking, Pioneer Camping, Sea Kayaking, Multi-day Adventures
Bob grew up in Seattle and has been an outdoor enthusiast all of his life. He has backpacked since he was 10 and his favorite sites in the Southeast tend to be up in the Smokies. He has also backpacked extensively out West – including his native Washington, Oregon, Northern California, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and the Canadian Rockies. There are many places out West that remain on his “to do” list. Perhaps, he’ll lead us on a trip out there one day.
Since joining AOC in 2005, Bob has enjoyed the variety of events that have been led by various members of the club. According to Bob, “AOC provides the social network to enjoy the outdoors with people who have similar interests.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Bob Bunner. |
|  | Trip Leader
Bruce Aldridge
| Event Interests: Hiking, Backpacking and Pioneer Camping
A former resident of Midland, Michigan, Bruce has lived in Georgia since 1978; hiking for most of those years; and leading hikes since 1992, then with Singles Outdoor Adventures. Most recently and proudly he has served two main groups as a leader - AOC and the Georgia chapter of the Appalachian Trail Club (GATC)-and met many friends and fun people in both. Bruce also maintains a trail section of the Appalachian Trail near Springer Mountain, and is happy to help such a beautiful national resource. Bruce also enjoys canoeing, rafting and camping, when not leading his famous hikes, which almost always include waterfalls.
A graduate of the Southeastern Center for the Arts, a professional photography college (since moved to Montana) Bruce likes to go on private adventures with camera(s) and equipment to shoot pictures of waterfalls, landscapes, and macro flower pictures among other subjects.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Bruce Aldridge. |
|  | Trip Leader
Dante Martinez
| Event Interests: Hiking, Canoeing, Backpacking, Outdoor Photography, International Travel
As an Army Brat, Dante has been fortunate to travel the world and enjoy several lifetimes worth of outdoor experiences. To date he's hiked over 8,000 miles in 29 countries and plans to continue adding to that list. His family moved to Rome Georgia in 1990 and he began hiking the North Georgia and Smoky Mountains extensively. In segments, he's completed the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mtn GA to Clingmans Dome in the Smokies.
In January 2007 he joined the AOC and realized how much more fun hiking could be when the experience is shared with others. Highlights for 2007 include purchasing a canoe for a week-long Everglades adventure and hiking up Yosemite's famous Half Dome.
Potential 2008 adventures include Turkey, Maine North Woods, and North Dakota Badlands.
Along with hiking Dante enjoys outdoor photography. He has photographed his trail imp Ichabod in some of the most beautiful natural settings in the Southeast.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Dante Martinez. |
|  | Trip Leader
Dean Merat ( Dante)
| Event Interests: Hiking
Dean is passionate about helping youth,volunteering, spending time in outdoors, cooking, gardening, teaching and playing tennis.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Dean Merat ( Dante). |
|  | Trip Leader
Dick Jetson Brown
| Event Interests: Who Really Knows?
I’m not a real Ranger. Maybe someday I can play one, on TV. I am into lots of cool outdoor activities. On any given Sunday, I may be SCUBA diving or hiking, often in the mountains. I love to bring my dog Shasta along, for the fun. I am originally from Western North Carolina, near Asheville. I’ve helped teach a lot of outdoor skills classes, especially for whitewater.
I still live in the woods, now on beautiful Lake Sidney Lanier. You may have seen pictures. Speaking of pictures, I am also the AOC’s “Un-Official Club Photographer.”
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Dick Jetson Brown. |
|  | Trip Leader
Don Norton
| Event Interests: Backpacking
Don just started hiking about 1 1/2 years ago. He began in the Austrian Alps and
decided that hiking was for him. Last year he went to Colorado (Rocky Mtn. National Park) and camped and hiked everyday for two weeks. He had hiked from Amicalola Visitors Center to Neels Gap(45 miles) on the Appalachian Trail . Backpacking and organizing
trips is his love. He is planning on backpacking in Utah this summer and also will backpack in Yosemite for ten Days in August.
Don't let his age fool you, he can keep up with the best of them. Over the years he has been very active in several outdoor activities. He is the type person that likes to go all out for one activity before he tries another.He is also involved in doing maintenance work on the Appalachian trail.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Don Norton. |
|  | Trip Leader
Eric Chaney
| Event Interests: Hiking, Camping, Fishing, Photography
Eric is originally from Southern Illinois where he spent his childhood hiking, camping, fishing and anything else he could find to do outdoors. He's traveled all over the country hiking in the National Park system and pursuing other outdoor adventures such as backpacking and whitewater rafting. He's lived in Atlanta since September of 2005 and been a member of the AOC since January of 2006. A small town guy, Eric was skeptical about moving to a big city, but through the AOC has discovered the many wonderful outdoor activities within driving distance of Atlanta. A devoted amateur photographer, you'll nearly always find him with a camera in his hand, climbing rocks or wading rivers to get that great angle. He's always looking to try something new, and to make new friends to enjoy the outdoors with.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Eric Chaney . |
|  | Trip Leader
Gary Babiarz
| Event Interests: Hiking, Backpacking, Whitewater Rafting, Canoeing, Zip Lines, High Ropes Challenge Courses, Bicycling, Caving and Camping.
A native of Michigan, Gary moved to Atlanta shortly after graduating from Michigan State University. The corporate world then beckoned. He stayed fit running through airports all over the country on behalf of national corporations.
Then one day, he reconnected with the great outdoors. He enjoys many types of outdoor activities including, hiking, backpacking, white water rafting, canoeing, zip lines, high ropes challenge courses, canoeing, bicycling, caving and camping.
When he is not off on outdoor adventures, he can be found acting, modeling, coaching, creating events, consulting or volunteering. He is passionate about being a participant in life and engaging himself and others to step outside one's comfort zones. Yippee Kai Yeah.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Gary Babiarz. |
|  | Trip Leader
Jason Kotz
| Event Interests: Hiking, Backpacking, Caving, Camping, Roller Coasters, Snow Skiing, Cycling, Whitewater Rafting, Travel, Paintball, Photography, Music, Outdoor Festivals, Adrenaline Rush, Football, Jetpacks
I came to Atlanta from “The Roller Coaster Capital of the World” (Ohio) in 1995. After spending all my free time earning my Master’s Degree in I.T., living a typical Software Engineer’s existence, and partying way too hard, I climbed out my cave and rediscovered my lost love of the great outdoors. I spend a good amount of time with my nephew and after a few years coaching soccer, basketball, and participating as a Boy Scout Adult Leader, I started to regain the adrenaline rush of being outside and active on a nice day and was looking for new challenges when I discovered the AOC.
I’m never one to rest or sit still and I’m always up for newer and tougher challenges. I’m looking forward to continuing to run the Peachtree Road Race every year, competing in more sprint-triathlons, riding the entire 100 miles of the Silver Comet to AL, skydiving, rafting a Class V+, backpacking more of Lee’s Adventures, hiking Patagonia, Swiss Alps, and Kilimanjaro, continuing to experience the front seat of the wildest roller coasters I can find, flying a jetpack, and hoping to still be active long enough to catch a ride into space or stand on the moon.
If you’re out in the middle of the woods and you catch the faint sound of music then that’s probably me jamming somewhere nearby; and I’m always happy to take requests!
“There is no gene for the human spirit.” - Gattaca
“Do one thing everyday that scares you.” – Roosevelt, Eleanor.
“I hate snakes” – Jones, Indiana
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Jason Kotz. |
|  | Trip Leader
Jennifer Howle
| Event Interests Camping, Hiking, Cabin Trips, and Anything on the Water.
Growing up in Marietta, GA, Jennifer spent lots of time hiking with her family by the Chattahoochee River and around nearby Kennesaw Mountain. Then she joined the Outdoor Club in the summer of 2005 and discovered a whole new group of people to drag along on hikes with her. She loves running, hiking, reading, and enjoying a few beers around the campfire with good company. On several pioneer camping trips she has been spotted setting up her hot pink tent while wearing heels and toting a matching set of rolling luggage.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Jennifer Howle. |
|  | Trip Leader
John Bell
| John was raised in Knoxville, TN, but didn't discover his love of the outdoors until after moving to Atlanta in 1994. His outdoor adventures began with day-hiking short sections of the AT. One day several years ago, he happened across a group of rock climbers, while hiking at Rocktown. Intrigued, yet apprehensive, he reluctantly signed up for a three day rock climbing course, and the rest is history. Since then, he's been climbing all over the Southeast and has discovered an even deeper love for the bigger mountains out West with several successful summit climbs including The Grand Teton, Long's Peak and Mt. Rainier.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by John Bell. |
|  | Trip Leader
John Weatherman
| John grew up in a small town in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He lived
in DC for 13 years before moving to Atlanta in 1999.
He likes long day hikes that involve a lot of elevation gain. He can go the
distance, but he's not all that fast compared to some. He pretty much knows
his way around North Georgia and the surrounding area. He has been known to
bring quite a few bananas on a long hike.
When not hiking, John is a sometime accountant and he tries to invest in
real estate.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by John Weatherman. |
|  | Trip Leader
Kelly
| Event Interests: Backpacking, kayaking, whitewater rafting, hiking, caving
Kelly came to the club in October of 2006. Kelly comes from a small town in Ct but with a big heart and is always ready to help those in need. In her off time she is a Registered Nurse and on trail the one you want nearby in case you bump your knee. Backpacking is one of her favorite activities in the AOC but don’t let her fool you she has paddled some class V whitewater and is always up for a good challenge. One of last years , which was one of the best trips of her life.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Kelly . |
|  | Trip Leader
Nick Gwinn
| Event Interests: Travel, Backpacking, Hiking, Whitewater Rafting, and Anything Involving Water or a Challenge
Nick joined the AOC in April 2006 shortly after moving to Atlanta from California. The outdoors have always been a huge part of his life and he loves it all from surfing to backpacking to golf. He is a recent veteran of the Marine Corps where he served for five years and traveled to eight countries.
Now that he has traded a rifle for trekking poles and lost about thirty pounds on his pack he hikes the Georgia Mountains and elsewhere as much as possible. Nick has a passion for travel and plans to visit all the continents, including that really cold one, as soon as possible. He likes fast paced events that include a good work out and an adrenaline rush.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Nick Gwinn. |
|  | Trip Leader
Pam Wurst
| Pam grew up in Florida and always loved playing outside. As an adult, she realized it was really, really HOT in Florida. And way too flat. She moved to Atlanta in 1996 with the intent of reconnecting with the outdoors.
That took about a decade. She got caught up with the wrong crowd and watched way too much TV and ate way too much junk food.
After realizing that this was NOT the lifestyle she wanted, she lost about 100 pounds. But Pam was completely bored with the gym. Luckily, she discovered the Atlanta Outdoor Club in August of 2006! It only took one event, and her love of the outdoors was awakened with a new vigor. After a year of exhilarating adventures and so many new friends, she decided it was time to give back to this remarkable club. Pam led her first event in February of 2008, and plans to lead many more. Her favorite event types are… well, pretty much all of it, but she has a special love for hiking and all the amazing plants & animals encountered along the way.
"Life is good. Go outside and play!"
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Pam Wurst. |
|  | Trip Leader
Patrick Barry
| Event Interests: Mountain Biking, Camping, Backpacking, Whitewater Rafting, and Photography
Leaving the brutal Cleveland, Ohio winters behind, Patrick settled in Atlanta in December of 1993. He has a penchant for the outdoors and can best be described as “on the go.” Whether it is mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, trail running or water skiing you’ll find Patrick leading or participating in a multitude of activities.
Patrick as serves as the President of SORBA Atlanta.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Patrick Barry. |
|  | Past President
Phil 'Foz' Parkerson
| Event Interests: Camping, Backpacking, Hiking, Environmental Support Causes, International Travel, and Georgia Bulldog Football
Phil ‘Foz’ Parkerson was the President of the Atlanta Outdoor Club in 2006-2007. “I hope during my two years as President, I remained true to the original purpose of the club of getting outdoor folks together and also to grow the AOC as Atlanta’s best outdoor social club. I think I did ok. You will not find a better bunch of people or better outdoor club in Atlanta.”
In Jan 2008, Foz, a Georgia native, decided it was time to move in a new direction and moved to California for a new job. “I must admit, leaving all that I have known and loved my whole life was difficult but I am totally inspired by the new adventure, possibilities and memories waiting to be discovered.”
Foz plans to continue adventure seeking in Southern California (SoCal) and around the world. “SoCal has so much outdoor life it’s hard to know where to start. But I will start as soon as I find time from work. Ugh!” BTW, stay tuned as there may be a SoCal Outdoor Club coming soon. You never know…!
Cheers~
Foz
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Phil 'Foz' Parkerson. |
|  | Trip Leader
Richard A. Zalik
| Event Interests: Hiking, Backpacking, Trekking, Mountain Climbing, Sailing, and Outdoor Photography.
Richard Zalik is a multilingual world traveler, including China, India, and of course Europe. He has hiked in four continents, but his favored haunt is the Southern Andes, where he goes regularly. He is an expert on outdoor safety and navigation. He is known to carry a satellite phone and a GPS.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Richard A. Zalik. |
|  | Trip Leader
Tom Jarosz (Juh'rose)
| Tom is originally from Chicago and moved to Atlanta in 1993. Since moving to Atlanta, Tom developed a deep passion for outdoor adventures. Tom started hiking & backpacking in 1997, and also enjoys running and intense workouts at the gym. Currently you can find Tom training to hike & climb Mt Rainier, WA – Jun ‘08 (14,410’), Mt Elbrus, Russia – Aug’08 (18,510’), and an adventure trip to New Zealand (2009). Tom enjoys spending most of his weekends in the mountains and running trails, surrounded by amazing people, and abundant adventures that the Southeast has to offer. Some of Tom’s recent adventures include:
-Climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro (19’340’) - 2007
-Hiked the Inca Trails and Macchu Picchu - 2007
-ING Marathon – 2008
-Alpharetta Half Marathon - 2008
-Silver Comet Half Marathon - 2007
-Atlanta Half Marathon – 2007
-Completed several 10K and 5K races
-Hiked all sections of the Georgia Appalachian Trail
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Tom Jarosz (Juh'rose). |
|  | Trip Leader
Tony Ciccarello
| Event Interests: Hiking, Backpacking, Cycling, Camping, Photography, Travel
An Atlanta resident for over thirty years, Tony joined the AOC in mid 2006. He quickly realized how much fun it is hiking with a group....trading tales of past adventures while moving down the trail or sitting around a warm campfire.. He has hiked extensively in GA and NC as well as trips to CA, where he fell in love with desert peaks and those awe-inspiring wide open spaces. But he can be equally happy at a local Chattahoochee park or hiking to a north Georgia waterfall. Tony is looking forward to many more AOC events and meeting new friends who share his passion for the outdoors.
Favorite hike: Onion Valley to Kearsarge Pass, Sierra Nevada
Favorite hike in the Southeast: Carvers Gap to Hump Mountain, Roan Highlands/AT
Wanderlust list: Canadian Rockies and some Sierra backpacking. Also, Grayson Highlands in VA and much more NC exploring.
"
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Tony Ciccarello. |
|  | Trip Leader
Tony Theriault
| Event Interests: Cycling, hiking, caving, climbing, rappelling, backpacking, orienteering, travel, photography.
Tony is a transplant from Melbourne FL and has lived in Atlanta for nearly 9 years. Growing up in FL, most of his time outside school and college was spent training and competing in endurance sports like bicycle racing, swimming and triathlons. After finding his was from manufacturing and bike shop jobs into field engineering, he spent much of the next 8 years traveling abroad for work building antennas. But he always managed to fit in outdoor activities or exploring wherever the wheels landed. His engineer boss accurately stated; “You’re happy when you’re functioning like a gyroscope!” Now that the traveling shoes are kicked off for a while, caving has become the latest fix for checking out new places and a good workout. Tony most enjoys introducing people to caving, challenging hikes, heading off the beaten track, and taking lots of photos along the way.
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Tony Theriault. |
|  | Trip Leader
Tracey Steiner
| Event Interests: Hiking, backpacking, white water rafting, caving, camping, rollerblading, skiing and canoeing.
“Hey T! Where are you heading this weekend?” I am originally from Michigan, but the call of the south (in 1992) had me packing up my hiking boots and heading down to the Atlanta area. My life growing up always involved the great outdoors; it only came natural when I arrived down here to continue that love. It is a rare weekend when I am not on a trail, crawling through a cave or participating in some kind of gathering with friends. I am a teacher by profession and a big kid at heart. Don’t let the sweet smile fool you…they don’t call me “Trouble” for nothing because every adventure has a story and stories come out of every adventure.
“Dance like no one is watching, life is a journey….enjoy the ride”
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Tracey Steiner. |
|  | Trip Leader
Vanessa Carter
| Event Interests: Backpacking, Camping, Whitewater Rafting, Hiking, Kayaking, and Canoeing
Vanessa has always had a natural love for the outdoors, traveling and adventure. When she was getting her undergrad in Dance/Theatre she was commissioned by her University to perform & teach dance in Poland, and she took that opportunity to backpack through Europe for 4 months by herself. She’s also rafted the New & Gauley River, backpacked the Yuba River, hiked the Swiss and French Alps and skiied the Austrian Alps as well as many other adventures.
After moving around a lot, she has found herself in Atlanta for the 3rd time. Vanessa joined the AOC in March 2006 and knew she had found something special. After a couple of trips, she began co-leading and getting more involved. She planned her first trip as a Leader to West Virginia for Bridge Day and rafting the New & Gauley Rivers in October 2006. The AOC has offered her new friends who she never thought would have existed!
See Upcoming Events or Past Events being coordinated by Vanessa Carter. |
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