Adventurer Q&A // Derek Tice

At Folk, we're actively trying to get to know our readers. We know that each person adventures for a different reason, and we aim to tell your stories. 

[Q] What's your name?

[A] Derek Tice.

[Q] Why do you adventure? Why do you explore?

[A] I want to see and experience as much as I can in this short lifetime I have been given. My brother and I grew up in a family that pursued an outdoor lifestyle. I was on skis by the age of two and dirt biking as soon as I had mastered the peddle bike. Growing up in this fashion has led me to appreciate and pursue a life of adventure where I feel most at home in the outdoors.
I didn’t find a passion for photography until I took a photo course in grad school where I picked up my mom’s old Nikon film camera and began to shoot. I was immediately addicted, the feel and sound of the shutter button was bliss. I soon found myself documenting all of the weekend adventures my friends and I would go on. Photography was a way I could implement design/art into the adventure lifestyle I had grown up knowing.

[Q] Why take risks in life?

[A] Have you heard of adrenaline? Yeah it’s nice.

[Q] Where are you from?

[A] Bozeman, Montana

[Q] What is your 9-5?

[A] I work as an Architect in training for a design firm.

[Q] When you were growing up what or who did you want to be?

[A] Growing up, I was always fascinated with the ocean. Being from the land locked state of Montana, it was a mysterious entity to me. As a kid I always thought I would be somewhere in the marine biology field, or scuba diving at the very least (sad part is, I have yet to go scuba diving).

[Q] Favorite place you've visited recently?

[A] Swingarm City= Epic Landscapes + Dirt bikes

[Q] Place you most desperately want to visit?

[A] Any place I haven’t been to yet.

[Q] What has changed about you because of your travels?

[A] My travels and photography have taught me how to see the world. Finding beauty in the everyday makes life worth living.

[Q] Who is the most dynamic and thought provoking person you've ever met?

[A] This is a tough question because it suggests I need to rate the people that have been/are in my life. I would have to say any person who has had the time to share a conversation over a campfire. Everybody brings their own ideas to the table, you just have to know how to listen.

[Q] If you could travel with one person in history or in present who would it be and why?

[A] My girlfriend, she levels me out, and is the jokiest joke maker I’ve ever met.

[Q] Must haves for travel?

[A] A tripod. I tend to usually forget mine and end up stacking rocks or finding some other means of creating a stand that never quite adds up to a sturdy tripod. Oh, and a good attitude.

[Q] Travel tips?

[A] Go with the flow. Our lives are inherently based on routine. Take the time to travel and break the mundane schedule of the everyday world.

[Q] What is the single greatest moment of human humanity you've experienced while traveling?

[A] My girlfriend and I took a weekend trip to Glacier National Park. Knowing that the crowds would be outrageous during tourist season we planned on getting to the campground a little before 6:00a.m. to ensure we got a spot at the campground in the park (a first come first serve basis). We arrived before the sun was fully up to a line of cars waiting at the entrance of the campground. We ended up being the 14th car in line. Ridiculous, but we were anticipating it. Everybody was frustrated and there was even a car who managed to sneak their way into line, cutting a bunch of us off and putting us further behind in line. It was pure chaos. As we pulled up to the gate being the next car inline, the ranger told us that it was a 50/50 chance we would get a spot. 20 minutes later she appeared and told us we would be getting the last spot for the day. Feeling relieved we couldn’t help but feel bad for the 15 or so cars behind us that had wasted their entire morning. So we took it upon ourselves to have the ranger invite the car behind us to camp at our spot. They immediately took the invitation and were extremely grateful that they paid for the camp spot. Even if it were the slightest of gestures, we were relieved to offer some humanity in a morning full of disarray. To this day National Parks do not appeal to me as they once did, but I hope I left it a little better then I found it.

[Q] Based on your travels what is the single most needed improvement for humanity to be stronger.

[A] Kindness. Respect the people around you and treat this earth like you live here.

[Q] What would you say to someone who has never travelled before?

[A] To each their own

[Q] When did you feel you were most out of your comfort zone. What did you learn from that lesson?

[A] Any time I’m standing on a cliff edge I’m out of my comfort zone. This taught me that I’m very scared of heights.

[Q] What would you say to your former self?

[A] Good luck out there

[Q] What gives you hope?

[A] The two days at the end of the work week and a full tank of gas.

[Q] Where to next?

[A] I ask myself the same thing everyday. I normally don’t know until I get there. I travel for the in-betweens not the destination.

[Q] Is flannel always in season?

[A] Only if the sleeves are cut off, Hell yeah brother.