JG: The most rewarding thing isn’t just that I have the op-
portunity to visit incredible historic sites and explore incred-
ible legends, it’s that I get to share those stories with our
viewers at home and invite them to be a part of the adven-
ture. Traveling is storytelling, and I love being able to re-
ceive and recommunicate those stories. The hardest part
is being away from my family. As a new Dad, saying
goodbye to my son is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Nothing outweighs that, but life is about balancing chal-
lenges and opportunities. I can’t wait for the day when
I take him along with me on an expedition.
AO: Do you have any keepsakes that you collect from
your travels?
JG: I have an office that’s brimming with all sorts of odd
artifacts and tchotchkes. I’ve got masks from Nepal, a
‘cursed’ doll from Mexico (my wife would like that in the
garage), spears gifted from African chiefs, and even
some propaganda comic books from Cuba. I probably
bring home too many things, but each one helps tell a
story.
West Virginia Weekends
are about playing outdoors.
AO: Have you ever received anything while traveling,
whether as a gift or simply found, that you consider
to be priceless?
JG: It’s not an object…it’s the trust of strangers. When
someone from a tribe agrees to tell me a sacred story,
when a priest agrees to show me shards of what he be-
lieves are from the true cross of Jesus, when an archae-
ologist shares a new find with us deep in the jungle,
there’s a delicate trust – that this folklore and these ob-
jects will be respected and shared with the utmost of
care. That knowledge and passion, nothing is more
priceless than that.
AO: What can we expect from you and Expedition Un-
known in the future? Are their plenty more places on
your exploration list?
JG: We’re just about to set off on our 4 th season. It’s going
to be our biggest and boldest yet. In my crosshairs for 2017:
unexplored Mayan ruins in Guatemala, the legend of a hid-
den library in Ecuador, scientists looking for microbial alien
life on Mars, lost Viking settlements that could rewrite U.S.
history, Russian treasures, Egyptian relics and new Dead
Sea Scrolls in the Holy Land. In fact, if you’ll excuse me, I
really need to get packing!
irginia
West V
RSBURG
IN PARKE
PARKERSBURG PADDLEFEST &
DOWNTOWN THROWDOWN
SEPTEMBER 16-17, 2017
A perfect weekend – A canoe or kayak paddle to
historic Blennerhassett Island paired with a premier
food and craft beer event.
Visit GreaterParkersburg.com for more great events
Adventure Outdoors | Summer 2017 | 95