Among all of Erik's adventures listed here, the first one was the toughest one. Erik enlisted in the Army during the First Gulf War and served as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division. He completed 25 parachute jumps and a four-month deployment to Central America and attended a handful of courses to learn to fight in the desert, patrol urban terrain, maintain communications, drive a hummer, and parachute with a missile system. He earned the expert rifleman badge, U.S. parachutist badge, and Honduran parachutist badge. Erik enlisted partly because his grandfather had served. His grandfather enlisted in the Army during World War II and served as a field lineman in the 29th Infantry Division. He participated in the 1944 D-Day assault of Omaha Beach and survived the 31-day-long Battle of the Bulge.
"Americans are not to be fritted or wheedled out of their rights."
~ Dr. Joseph Warren, hero of Bunker Hill, 1774
COMPLETED HIKING ADVENTURES
1995 ● 133-mile Northville Placid Trail thru-hike
2002 ● 1,200-mile Florida Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
1995 ● 133-mile Northville Placid Trail thru-hike
1998 ● 265-mile Long Trail thru-hike
2002 ● 1,200-mile Florida Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
1995 ● 133-mile Northville Placid Trail thru-hike
2002 ● 1,200-mile Florida Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2002 ● 1,200-mile Florida Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2002 ● 1,200-mile Florida Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2002 ● 165-mile Cohos Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2002 ● 1,200-mile Florida Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2002 ● 1,200-mile Florida Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2002 ● 118-mile Metacomet Monadnock Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2002 ● 118-mile Metacomet Monadnock Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2002 ● 118-mile Metacomet Monadnock Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2004 ● All 770 Northeast peaks above 3,000 feet finish (fourth completer)
2002 ● 118-mile Metacomet Monadnock Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2002 ● 118-mile Metacomet Monadnock Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2005 ● 100-mile Great Smoky Mountains National Park traverse
2002 ● 118-mile Metacomet Monadnock Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2005 ● 100-mile Great Smoky Mountains National Park traverse
2006 ● 110-mile Foothills Trail system traverse finish
2002 ● 118-mile Metacomet Monadnock Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2005 ● 100-mile Great Smoky Mountains National Park traverse
2006 ● 300-mile Long Path two-part section hike
2007 ● 110-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area circumnavigation (first completer)
2007 ● 110-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area circumnavigation (first completer)
2007 ● 110-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area circumnavigation (first completer)
2007 ● 110-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area circumnavigation (first completer)
2007 ● 110-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area circumnavigation (first completer)
2007 ● 270-mile Baker Trail extended thru-hike
2007 ● 110-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area circumnavigation (first completer)
2007 ● 324-mile Catskill Park trail system traverse finish (third completer)
2007 ● 324-mile Catskill Park trail system traverse finish (third completer)
2007 ● 110-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area circumnavigation (first completer)
2007 ● 324-mile Catskill Park trail system traverse finish (third completer)
2008 ● 140-mile Catskill Mountains High Peaks continuous traverse (first solo completer)
2009 ● 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hike (first and fastest thru-hike that year) and Lake Tahoe Basin's dozen 10,000-footers
2008 ● 140-mile Catskill Mountains High Peaks continuous traverse (first solo completer)
2008 ● 133-mile Northville Placid Trail second thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2009 ● 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hike (first and fastest thru-hike that year) and Lake Tahoe Basin's dozen 10,000-footers
2008 ● 140-mile Catskill Mountains High Peaks continuous traverse (first solo completer)
2009 ● 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hike (first and fastest thru-hike that year) and Lake Tahoe Basin's dozen 10,000-footers
2009 ● 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hike (first and fastest thru-hike that year) and Lake Tahoe Basin's dozen 10,000-footers
2009 ● 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hike (first and fastest thru-hike that year) and Lake Tahoe Basin's dozen 10,000-footers
2010 ● All 387 Catskill Mountain peaks above 2,000 feet finish (first completer)
2009 ● 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hike (first and fastest thru-hike that year) and Lake Tahoe Basin's dozen 10,000-footers
2009 ● 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hike (first and fastest thru-hike that year) and Lake Tahoe Basin's dozen 10,000-footers
2010 ● 240-mile Trans Adirondack Route thru-hike (establishment of route)
2011 ● All 106 named features in 46,000-acre Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2011 ● All 106 named features in 46,000-acre Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2011 ● All 106 named features in 46,000-acre Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2011 ● All 106 named features in 46,000-acre Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2011 ● All 106 named features in 46,000-acre Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2012 ● All 198 Southern peaks above 5,000 feet finish (second completer)
2011 ● All 106 named features in 46,000-acre Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2012 ● All 200 highest Catskill Mountain peaks during winter finish (first completer)
2012 ● All 200 highest Catskill Mountain peaks during winter finish (first completer)
2011 ● All 106 named features in 46,000-acre Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2012 ● All 200 highest Catskill Mountain peaks during winter finish (first completer)
2016 ● 268-mile High Peaks Wilderness Area trail system traverse finish (first completer)
2017 ● All 101 named features in 40,000-acre Hammond Pond Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 101 named features in 40,000-acre Hammond Pond Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 101 named features in 40,000-acre Hammond Pond Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 101 named features in 40,000-acre Hammond Pond Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 101 named features in 40,000-acre Hammond Pond Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 92 named features in 73,000-acre Lake George Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 101 named features in 40,000-acre Hammond Pond Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 134 named features in 125,000-acre Wilcox Lake Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 134 named features in 125,000-acre Wilcox Lake Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 101 named features in 40,000-acre Hammond Pond Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2017 ● All 134 named features in 125,000-acre Wilcox Lake Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2018 ● All 55 named features in 41,000-acre Shaker Mountain Wild Forest visited (first completer)
2018 ● All 38 named features in 38,000-acre Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2018 ● All 38 named features in 38,000-acre Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2018 ● All 38 named features in 38,000-acre Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2018 ● All 38 named features in 38,000-acre Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2018 ● All 38 named features in 38,000-acre Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2018 ● 240-mile Trans Adirondack Route second thru-hike (first to thru-hike twice)
2018 ● All 38 named features in 38,000-acre Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2018 ● 240-mile Trans Adirondack Route second thru-hike (first to thru-hike twice)
2018 ● All 601 Adirondack Mountain peaks above 2,500 feet finish (first completer)
2018 ● All 38 named features in 38,000-acre Hoffman Notch Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2018 ● 240-mile Trans Adirondack Route second thru-hike (first to thru-hike twice)
2019 ● All 39 named features in 23,000-acre Giant Mountain Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 121 named features in 114,000-acre Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 39 named features in 23,000-acre Giant Mountain Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 217 Adirondack Mountain peaks above 3,000 feet during winter finish (second completer)
2019 ● All 121 named features in 114,000-acre Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 39 named features in 23,000-acre Giant Mountain Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 121 named features in 114,000-acre Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 121 named features in 114,000-acre Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 121 named features in 114,000-acre Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 130 named features in 107,000-acre Silver Lake Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 121 named features in 114,000-acre Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2019 ● All 121 named features in 114,000-acre Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area visited (first completer)
2020 ● 100-mile Rainbow Trail thru-hike (fastest thru-hike that year)
2020 ● 203-mile Lone Star Trail double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2020 ● 203-mile Lone Star Trail double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2020 ● 203-mile Lone Star Trail double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2020 ● 203-mile Lone Star Trail double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2020 ● 203-mile Lone Star Trail double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2022 ● 115-mile Highline Trail double traverse (fastest traverse that year)
2020 ● 203-mile Lone Star Trail double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2022 ● 115-mile Highline Trail double traverse (fastest traverse that year)
2022 ● 218-mile Palmetto Trail section-hike
2020 ● 203-mile Lone Star Trail double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2022 ● 115-mile Highline Trail double traverse (fastest traverse that year)
2023 ● 103-mile Arizona Trail section hike
2024 ● 129-mile Caprock Trailway double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2023 ● 103-mile Arizona Trail section hike
2023 ● 130-mile Arizona Trail section hike
2024 ● 129-mile Caprock Trailway double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2023 ● 103-mile Arizona Trail section hike
2024 ● 129-mile Caprock Trailway double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2024 ● 129-mile Caprock Trailway double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
2024 ● 129-mile Caprock Trailway double traverse (first double traverse and fastest traverse that year)
COMPLETED MOUNTAIN BIKING ADVENTURES
1992 to 1995 ● 20 XC races in expert/pro class
2002 ● 1,100-mile Arizona Trail Corridor extended ride (third completer of ATC)
2002 ● 1,100-mile Arizona Trail Corridor extended ride (third completer of ATC)
2002 ● 1,100-mile Arizona Trail Corridor extended ride (third completer of ATC)
2002 ● 1,100-mile Arizona Trail Corridor extended ride (third completer of ATC)
2002 ● 1,100-mile Arizona Trail Corridor extended ride (third completer of ATC)
2004 ● 2,300-mile United States-Mexico border ride (first and only completer)
2002 ● 1,100-mile Arizona Trail Corridor extended ride (third completer of ATC)
2004 ● 2,300-mile United States-Mexico border ride (first and only completer)
2005 ● 2,800-mile Canada to Mexico ride on self-designed route
2005 ● 2,800-mile Canada to Mexico ride on self-designed route
2004 ● 2,300-mile United States-Mexico border ride (first and only completer)
2005 to 2011 ● 1,000 miles of year-round commuting
2005 ● 2,800-mile Canada to Mexico ride on self-designed route
2005 to 2011 ● 1,000 miles of year-round commuting
COMPLETED PADDLING ADVENTURES
2002 and 2003 ● 300 miles on Adirondack Park backcountry ranger patrols
2002 and 2003 ● 300 miles on Adirondack Park backcountry ranger patrols
2002 and 2003 ● 300 miles on Adirondack Park backcountry ranger patrols
2010 ● 460-mile Susquehanna River from source to sea
2002 and 2003 ● 300 miles on Adirondack Park backcountry ranger patrols
2002 and 2003 ● 300 miles on Adirondack Park backcountry ranger patrols