Great Things Happen When Guys Go Camping

Easily one of the best things about getting outdoors and hiking or being active is meeting like-minded people to share stories and experiences with. There’s something motivating about meeting someone in your travels and hearing their stories about hiking through the places you want to go, or experiencing something you thought wasn’t possible for you.

In addition to the feeling of accomplishment and peace from going out into nature, these interactions are ones that I cherish and it was in preparation for The Portly Hiker blog that I stumbled across a group with similar goals to my own.

G.G.C. Southeast started as four friends in South Carolina who, on a kayak camping trip in March 2016, decided to rekindle their collective passion for the outdoors and share that passion with others, in the form of blogging and social media as well as excursion planning. Since then Michael, Aaron, Joshua and Chase have grown their web presence and already taken a group on a river-rafting excursion in North Carolina.

Michael said the idea for G.G.C came very organically while sitting around the fire on Otter Island in South Carolina that evening.

 “There, camping, we talked about the fact that more guys should get outdoors. Not saying women shouldn’t or anything, but it’s just something in the DNA for men. We thought about the idea of forming a group to setup trips and encourage everyone to get outdoors,” he explained.

“Around the campfire on that trip, we bounced around a few names. We liked ‘Guys Going Camping,’ but didn’t always want to use that exactly, as we aren’t strictly limited guys, but whoever wants to enjoy the outdoors. So we stuck with the abbreviation.”

So from there G.G.C. was born, but why Southeast?

“To be honest, we added the Southeast part because we didn’t really think we’d get out of that area,” Michael added. “It appears we have, and will. The idea of starting other chapters would be amazing and we would really like to the see that in the future.”

Since putting the idea together back in March things have been fast and furious for Michael, Aaron, Chase and Joshua. They recently returned from their first trip with guests. The G.G.C Southeast founders were joined by six other outdoors enthusiasts for a rafting trip down North Carolina’s Nantahala River and a night of camping.

For now G.G.C. Southeast is a fun project for people to reconnect with nature and the outdoors, but what the future has in store is anyone’s guess.  Who knows, someday soon there may be a G.G.C chapter near you.

Summer 2016 is still young and the plans for future adventures are many for the G.G.C Southeast crew, but one thing is for sure; there will be lots of outdoor adventure waiting on the horizon.

The guys are currently taking the crowdfunding route to raise funds in order to give guests the best experience possible at affordable prices.  Find out more by visiting the G.G.C Southeast Go Fund Me page, or you can check them out on twitter (@GGC_Southeast) or visit them on the web at http://ggcsoutheast.weebly.com/ to see past trip photos and video, future plans and some great outdoor talk.





All Photos courtesy of G.G.C. Southeast