Talk to Cool People (Then Say Yes!): Alicia Heyburn Encore (with PackRaft Maine)

I’ve got another special encore for you this week to remind all of us of the absolute power and beauty that can come from making connections, staying curious and just saying YES! (despite your nagging doubts...)

Picture yourself in April 2020, flailing around in and out of lockdown, wondering if the world was legit ending. That’s about the time I decided to use some of MY newly found free time to start reaching out to Maine guides to eventually recommend to visitors of our Lodge property, refusing to believe that we’d never be able to travel again.

And the very very first person to whom I reached out - who eventually took an even bigger leap and agreed to be interviewed by me, for purposes that weren’t even 100% clear to me at the time - was Alicia Heyburn.

Alicia is the Executive Director of Teens to Trails, a registered sea kayak guide, she’s on the boards of Maine Island Trail Association and Maine GearShare, she’s basically the Kevin Bacon of Maine, I think everyone in the state is, at most, two or three connections away from her.

I’ve stopped counting the number of guests I’ve had on Guides Gone Wild that were direct or indirect referrals from Alicia. And guess who reached out a month or so ago to let me know that a space had opened up on a trip she was going on with PackRaft Maine?!?

My kneejerk reaction was "I don’t think so, that sounds kinda hard and complicated, plus it’s a far drive, blah blah blah no blah...."

And then I was like, "Jen, you have spent the last four years talking a big game about getting outside, being a beginner, trying new things with new people, moving into the life you want to live - so shut the **** up, figure it out and make it happen!"

So last weekend I drove 4 ½ hours and shared a tent and two days of end to end outdoor amazingness with someone who was a complete stranger less than five years ago, whom I randomly connected with on LinkedIn.

Alicia is one of a kind, as was this trip: Alejandro Strong, the founder of PackRaft Maine, shepherded our group of complete newbies through the process of packing all our gear and led us as we biked the Penobscot River Trails, into Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, where we camped at Lunksoos Campground, then paddled the East Branch of the Penobscot back to our starting point on Sunday.

It was a weekend of sparkling water, the darkest skies and epic stargazing, making new friends and trying lots of new things.

And all because I talked to someone cool many moons ago. And said yes.

Enjoy this encore! And come on over to GuidesGoneWild.com to see all the links from Alicia's debut episode!