From Jenae…

 I would say that we are all nerds in one form or another, but the great outdoors is where Julie’s nerd truly shines. (Just read what everyone else wrote…) What I would rather point out is that even though Julie reliably recaps trip details in here trusty purple notebook, in the most listful way… daily miles, # of ibuprofen taken, spots sent, squares of TP used and unused, etc…  My favorite is how she recaps the moments as she tells her stories… our stories. Each account spills out rich in color and emotion… you can’t help but feel what she felt and laugh along with her. Her enthusiasm, disgust, pride… all undeniable. And though she usually makes herself out to be the butt of her stories, I am lucky enough to have been the runner-up-butt of her stories since we were 5 yr old … I wouldn’t want it any other way…  cause it’s all LLOVE for us and the adventures.

From Wendy…

Julie makes confidence contagious. She is a decision-maker and natural leader. She is also an instinctive caregiver, with all of the creds required – she studied sports medicine in college and is a Wilderness First Responder. And… she always finds the most micro-trash on the trail!

From Kristen…

Julie is our problem-solver. We talk about so many personal challenges on the trail and Julie has the ability to sort through the noise and provide clear-minded advice. She’s our safety net, and while we all joke about some day taking the classes necessary to aid each other in outdoor emergencies (reminder, we need to do this), we haven’t because Julie has our backs. She’s ensured we all know the Leave No Trace principles and dozens of ways a bandana is useful on the trail.