Most of my best friends left northern Ontario after high school or over the years which followed.
I couldn’t leave. I didn’t care about more educational opportunities or better job prospects or the lure of the big city lifestyles in southern Ontario.
I grew up on a farm in the bush. We had wilderness on our land and surrounding us. I spent as much time as I could in that bush country.
It put the love of the outdoors in me to stay with me my whole life. I love northern Ontario and only think about moving further and further North each day. I would rather see trees, lakes and animals than buildings, pavement and people LOL.
This is the final edition of The Wild Northerner magazine. It was a short run of four years and I appreciate all the support from everyone who contributed to the magazine and everyone who read it. Behind the scenes, Krystie Hall did an outstanding job as editor. My wife, Arielle Hall, was amazing at layout. They were key throughout.
The contributors and I tried as best as we could to deliver issues jammed with original content about people and the outdoors of northern Ontario.
I can put this publication to rest knowing we did exactly that.
It was a fun experience publishing this magazine and is the true highlight of my 16-year journalism career. I got to work with amazing contributors over the years. I can honestly say without their content, WNM would have not been great. Stories from Leigha Benford, Scott Currie, Amanda Lynn Mayhew, Bruce Heidman, James Hodgins, Danielle Rancourt, Backroads Bill, Dave Sproule from Ontario Parks, Bruce Murphy, Lara Bradley, Adam Vallee, Mat Koprash, Julie Anne Steedman, Rebecca Dale and Shawn Whalen provided the mag with depth and variety, and just flat out made it rock.
They all have my sincerest admiration for their help and work.
It has meant a lot to me to share a bit of my passion for the outdoors with all the readers and engage people about their own passion for the outdoors. I have been enjoying exploring, camping, fishing, hiking and hunting since I could walk and talk. I knew when I started this publication it wasn’t going to be for the long haul. I did it to share some amazing stories about even more amazing people and what they love to do when they get the chance to go wild in the bush.
I was fortunate to meet a lot of neat people from across our region. I was always fired up to hear their stories.
I am ready for a new challenge in life which doesn’t involve writing. I have some exciting opportunities coming up and I am going to take full advantage of them to add more to my life resume. I have never been afraid to flip the script on my life and go in a new direction. Sometimes on a whim. I like the unknown and unpredictability of changing course on a dime. I believe this is why I love adventures outdoors.
Life for me isn’t about balance. I tip the scales. The fun is in the ride back and forth.
Be wild and stay wild my friends.
Thank you all for reading.
Good bye and thank you