I spend a lot of time alone. For the most part, I enjoy the quiet moments of my life - I think about my day, plan for the future, sort out expedition details. Its generally time well spent.

Alone time tends to put me in a more reflective mood as well. I drift away from the nuts and bolts of daily living and wonder more about the how and why's. One persistent theme seems to be why I am the way I am - not so much my more quirky traits that I possess, but I'm talking about about big themes here.

Like... why would someone, anyone (read: me) leave comfort and convenience and seek out hardship, cold and adversity?

I have some general ideas and a few theories but nothing concrete. Honestly, I'm not really sure why I am the way I am. I know I like camping and winter. And eating the same dinner for weeks straight has never posed much of a culinary dilemma for me. No, for me I think a big part (as with I'm sure most people's personality) comes from some early influences in my life.

Enter Dave Borneman (pictured with his daughters Molly and Tess). I met Dave when I was a teenager when he was working at as a naturalist at a local nature center. Throughout the year, Dave organized trips across Wisconsin to go climbing, caving, canoeing, eagle watching and more. In summer, it was week long canoe trips.

I can't even begin to describe the influence these trips have had on my adult life. From wilderness skills to dealing with hardships to working together as a group, Dave introduced us to the world. He let us wander and explore. Providing insight and guidance when we asked and sometimes when we didn't.

Eventually, Dave would leave the nature center for his own adventures and our close knit group of friends would slowly drift apart - inevitably - creating and following our own dreams.

I was in Ann Arbor the other week speaking at an REI for their grand opening there. Sierra Designs had set up the talk and I was eager to to share stories about Save the Poles expedition, my recent trip to Argentina and climate change solutions.

But equally important was to see my old friend and mentor Dave, his wife Besty (who also led some of those trips) and their two kids. We laughed and reminisced and remarked about, 'the time when...' While our trip down memory lane was a welcome relief from my nomadic life, mostly, we simply reveled in one another's company pleased that our paths crossed again if only for that one brief moment.

Who we are, where we are going, these are never easy questions to answer - if at all. However, the value and role of friends and family in our life that is something that is never in question.

Thanks Dave!