Maven Memoir: Christina, the Mover and Shaker
There are a couple things you'll notice on first meeting Christina: her huge eyes, her bright-as-a-lighthouse smile, and her infectious laugher. Talk with her for a few more minutes, and you'll likely a) want to be her best friend, and b) have been invited in to an experience she's created to bring people together.
We're dedicated to empowering women with the skills and info they need to create their own empowering experiences in the outdoors, and Christina has leapt into that spearheading those experiences. Since our trip together last October, she's planned two of her own trips for groups of girlfriends. That's the beauty of Trail Mavens: when you teach one woman a skill, you're likely teaching her community, too. Sharing comes naturally to us (insert musical cue: 'It's the circle of liiiiiife'). Without further ado, I present you with Christina:
Name: Christina Turner Fisher
Hometown: Palo Alto, CA
Trail Mavens Adventure: Big Sur camping
Tell us a little about yourself! What do you do for work and for fun?
I am a Sr. Administrative Coordinator on the Corporate Citizenship team at McKesson Corporation in San Francisco. During the work week, I assist with community engagement programs and corporate giving. On the weekends, I can be found skiing, jogging, and hiking with either my husband or with girlfriends.
My interests in exploring the outdoors come from my late father, Alvin. He was an outdoorsman, a mountain biker and a great teacher. Growing up in the Bay Area, my brother and I had countless opportunities to play in parks, go on hikes and appreciate nature. Being surrounded by green hills or feeling dwarfed by Redwoods is my preferred way to slow down, reflect and appreciate the good things in my life.
What inspired you to register for a Trail Mavens trip?
I wanted to understand how to plan a camping trip and feel confident in my tent pitching, map reading and campfire skills. Oh, and the emotion jealousy. Jealousy was the driving force in my quest to find an outdoor trip just for women. My husband has his crew of guys who he goes rock climbing and back country skiing with. Throughout the year, they would head off to Mt. Whitney or the Eastern Sierras to play. Well, I wanted my own outdoors squad! But I needed to meet other like-minded ladies who wanted to explore our beautiful state with me.
I’m pleased to report that my investment in my Trail Mavens trip has paid off wonderfully. I met two Mavens on my Big Sur trip who also live in the East Bay. We hit it off like popcorn and browned butter! And we've camped, hiked and laughed together ever since. We’re looking forward to a Yosemite backpacking trip later this year. I am feeling more confident in planning camping trips. My outdoors squad is growing too!
What was the most surprising thing about the experience?
How quickly I wanted to plan my own camping trip once I learned that rainy weather should not be a deterrent! While our Big Sur trip was sunny and warm, winter was arriving, and I wanted to have another camping experience before the end of the year. Sasha, Trail Mavens founder, encouraged me to put more emphasis on the activity I wanted to do during the day (i.e. hiking, canoeing or even wine tasting), rather than the season. If there's a chance of rain during the camping trip, then make sure to bring board games to play inside the tent or under the canopy. Also, researching fun things to do in the nearest town is a good idea. If it’s too rainy to hike, then you can go bowling, antiquing or even see a movie.
Have you used the skills you learned on the trip since? When/how?
Yes, my map reading skills have improved. I have a better sense of elevation changes and what to expect. I also safely started and put out my very first campfire at Samuel P. Taylor State Park last December, another valuable skill I learned on my Big Sur camping trip!
What's your favorite memory from your adventure?
When we hiked down to the beach, we kicked off our hiking boots and charged towards the surf giggling. The water was so refreshing and cold. We had the beach to ourselves and it was pristine. We were surrounded by constant beauty.
