MEET OUR FAMILY & CREW SERVING GREENSBORO, Burlington, NC & BEYOND

DOUG HODGSON—FOUNDER

Former owner since 1977

Born & raised in the beautiful state of Oregon, just 2 miles from the beach. Once ran 1,000 miles in 3 months. Ran 21 miles on the day he turned 21 and walked 42 miles on the day he turned 42, swam 60 double laps (1.7 miles) the day he turned 60.

Valedictorian of his high school graduating class and member of Mensa. Married (to the same lovely lady!) for 42 years.

Plays piano, speaks fluent Spanish and has given 30-minute lectures in French and Portuguese. Has spoken to audiences of over 10,000 people in English and 8,000 people in Spanish.

Has read the entire Bible 14 times, including once in Spanish and once in French. Currently studying Tagalog.

Has taken more than 25,000 photographs and wrote an article published in an international magazine with a circulation of 13 million copies in 67 languages.

Has visited all of the 50 states in the US, 11 of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada (including Yukon & Northwest Territories), 12 states in Mexico, 11 countries in Europe, 6 in Asia, 3 in Central America, 5 in South America, 3 in Africa, Bermuda, 22 Caribbean islands, backpacked north of the Arctic Circle, climbed the highest mountains in 16 states of the US, hiked across the Grand Canyon in Arizona from rim to rim (25 miles), explored Bryce Canyon, Utah, and Antelope Canyon, Arizona, climbed to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite, visited the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain in the harbor of Rio de Janeiro, climbed Mt. Vesuvius in Italy and visited the Faraglione near the Isle of Capri; gone spelunking in Cueva del Viento, Puerto Rico, walked from Hanging Rock to Pilot Mountain in one day (66,000 steps), backpacked 60 miles in the Canadian Rockies, 70 miles in the Southern Andes of Patagonia (Argentina and Chile), hiked 30 miles of the Inca Trail in Peru, bicycled 50 miles of the Death Road in Bolivia, gone on 17 cruises, viewed the crown jewels in the Sultan’s Palace in Istanbul, visited Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Hong Kong, identified over 650 species of birds in the wild, helicoptered over the Juno icefield, watched grizzly bears wrestling in a river in Denali National Park, flew around Denali and landed on a glacier in Alaska, climbed Angel's Landing in Zion National Park, he swam with and hand-fed the stingrays in Cayman Islands, climbed to the top of Gros Piton in St Lucia and Mt Liamuiga in St Kitts, had a close encounter with a grizzly bear family in a snowstorm and a family of bighorn sheep in Glacier National Park, has gone on safari in Tanzania, photographed elephants, cheetahs and giraffes in Ngorongoro Crater and climbed to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, at 19,340 feet. And those are just a few of the highlights! He usually keeps a packed bag near the door…

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