Rich Dezso Interview

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1) What is your favorite place that you have been to on the planet?

The Swift River in Cummington Massachusetts. It's a secluded but easy to get to wilderness area with plenty of pools for swimming and large rocks for sunning. It's where I took my partner of eight years for our first date.

2) Do you shoot pictures with a digital or film camera?

I take exclusively digital pictures, we just bought a Cannon Rebel Xti.

3) When you have 2 hours to squeeze an activity on a Saturday morning, what do you do?

It depends on the time of the year, in the spring I like to go for a very slow walk around my property (25 acres). I frequently stop and just observe, taking everything in, from the mushrooms to the deer. In the summer I like to take the Kayak out for a tour around one of the local ponds. During the fall I grab my hunting gear and see what I can harvest. When winter comes around I go for brisk walks around my neighborhood and into the adjacent Yale Forest.

4) What is the number one reason why you don’t get outside as much as you’d
like?

I have many many hobbies which keep me busy around our house. Although most of them are done outside.

5) Where would you build your ideal vacation house?

My ideal vacation house would be on hill top in the middle of a 100+ acre island. The island would be in the middle of a large lake in a temperate climate where the lake would never freeze over completely.

6) What adventure, that you have yet to do, is number one on your list?

I like my adventures simple and plain, nothing floats to the top of the list.

7) What is the most significant gear invention?

I'm not really a gear geek, I tend to keep everything simple, but if I had to pick one I would choose my kayak. It is light weight and extra wide for stability. It allows me to put it on my shoulder and walk into remote ponds or marshes.

8) What is your number one priority when buying a car?

It has to be a pick-up with 4 wheel drive. I live on a dirt road and have not shoveled my driveway in the last four winters.

9) What do you do to enhance your outdoor fitness?

I try to eat healthy. It's tough when working, but if I plan ahead and don't by the cafeteria food I tend to feel better and have more energy.

10) What was your scariest moment on an outdoor adventure?

My scariest outdoor adventure moment was when my cousin, her friend and I were swept into huge flood induced rapids while tubing. We planned to get out of the water to avoid the rapids but couldn't get a grip on the shoreline rocks. We were young and stupid. After that I always listen to the authorities when they close an area due to dangerous conditions.