Papa’s Patagonia Pants

In November 2014, I kayaked the Lower Columbia River Water Trail. Because I knew the weather would be awful that week, I borrowed an old pair of green fleece Patagonia pants from my dad.

Those pants were my saving grace, both because they kept me warm and—more importantly—because they reminded me of all the people who were helping us through our adventure. My dad was our emergency contact, our weatherman, and our cheerleader. He understood what we were going through on the river, because he gets it. He’s been there. He’s chased big dreams and bled in the name of adventure—and he’s worn these pants through worse things than I have. According to family lore, he’s worn those pants on some righteous exploits: his own kayaking expeditions, countless day hikes in the Cascades, a sailing trip across the Pacific.

I love that Patagonia supports the recycling and reuse of their gear, so I sent them this photo—and it was featured on their Worn Wear Blog! Read the full story here, or come hear me tell it in person at one of our slideshows.  Photo credit: Bryan Aulick.