10 Essential Questions: Anita Elder

For our member profile this week we talked to ...

Name: Anita Elder
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Member Since: April 2006
Occupation: Freelance Graphic Designer
Favorite Activities: I really enjoy hiking and camping, but have slowed down in the past couple of years (once knees are replaced, I hope to do a lot more). These days, I like to go to spots where I can sit back, breath in the mountain air and enjoy the beauty of my surroundings.

10 Essential Questions

How did you get involved with The Mountaineers?

I took a photography composition course with Ray Pfortner through DiscoverU. He recommended the Mountaineer Photography Committee as a place to learn more about taking good photographs and gave an endorsement of their Basic Photography Course.

What motivates you to get outside with us?

I love to take nature and scenic photographs, so I look for activities that are slower paced so I can enjoy the beauty and practice my photography. Photography may have been my introduction to the Mountaineers, but the Naturalists took it a step farther by teaching me to identify the things I photograph.

What's your favorite Mountaineers memory?

I don't know if this is my favorite memory, but it's definitely one I'll never forget! It was is a photography trip that Linda Moore arranged at Steamboat Rock. We were hiking through a canyon and had to cross a narrow stream (that ran through a pipe under the trail). I was in the lead as I was crossing, I heard a rattlesnake. It scared me and I took off running, only to run through the rattlesnake gauntlet...they were everywhere! I finally got some sense and stopped running, so I wouldn't accidentally step on a snake. It took some coaxing to get Linda to catch up with me. Luckily, on the return trip, the sun had shifted and the snakes were gone.

Who/What inspires you?

I get inspired when I see or read what other members are doing. Sometimes it's a slide presentation/photos that they share at a potluck or dinner. Other times, it's the photos they share on Facebook. Sometimes, it makes me jealous, since my knees keep me from enjoying the same experiences.

What does adventure mean to you?

When I think of adventures, I think of all the places in the world I want to see and experience for myself. Life is too short to be satisfied with my own backyard. I'm slowly checking off places on my bucket list. I have ridden elephants in Thailand, seen Mt. Everest with my own eyes, swam with stingrays in the Caribbean Ocean, and rode a camel into the Sahara Desert. I try not to let my disability keep me from my next adventure.

Lightning Round

Sunrise or sunset? Sunset.
Smile or game face? Smile.
Superpower? It's a toss up between being able to fly or being able to transport. Either one would allow me to see more of the world!
Post-adventure meal of choice? Whatever the locals are eating.
If you could be a rock star at any outdoor activity overnight, what would it be? Long distance hiking.

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