wherever the wind blows: following your heart & discovering self
When you think of an adventure tour company, maybe you picture a big bus loaded with tourists, a polished itinerary, and cookie-cutter experiences. And while those big corporate tours can be a great way to see the world, Big Backyard Adventures (BBA) is different. We aren’t about ticking off bucket list items with a large group of strangers. Instead, we’re about fostering a deep and personal connection—with nature, with adventure, with community, and ultimately, with yourself.
As a kid, I lived for my costume bin. It was full of flowy figure skater costumes, a single glove for my Michael Jackson moments, and a doctor’s jacket for when I watched ER. My cousin and I were always making music videos, playing talk show host, teacher, or even interior designer. Needless to say, I was always trying on different identities—just like my favorite music icon, Whitney Houston, would sing (and I’d belt out on some days): “I’m Every Woman, It’s all in Me!”
By middle school, though, that dress-up box took a back seat to a different thrill: adventure. Top Gun was my favorite movie, and the need for speed, for pushing boundaries, was all I could think about.
At 13, I took my first real leap. I joined a two-week climbing camp that took us across Colorado and Wyoming. I was one of only three girls in the program, which meant I got put in with the high schoolers instead of the middle school group. I didn’t fit in back in the city, but out there, surrounded by mountains, adventure, and other little weirdos, I finally felt like I belonged. We spent hours in a 15-passenger van, crammed with dirty kids and guides who hadn’t showered in two weeks. Someone popped in a Jack Johnson CD, and suddenly it all clicked. The soundtrack, the people, the dirt—it all fit together perfectly. Now, every time I drive across Wyoming as an adult, past Vedauwoo, one of the climbing crags we stayed at, I put on those same songs and time travel back to that summer.
Growing up in Dallas, Texas, it wasn’t easy to find the kind of nature and adventure I craved. I was lucky to have parents who always backed me up. They’d drive me to the indoor climbing gym just so I could have my little slice of adventure. My grandparents had a farm way out in Missouri, and that was my first playground. It wasn’t extreme—mostly just fishing and playing in the dirt—but it was nature, and it meant freedom.
Playing with Mother Nature in ways that pushed my comfort zones taught me who I truly was. It wasn’t just about the thrill; it was about finding a community that got me—people who spoke my language and were growing alongside me. Back in Dallas, I felt like I was always on the outside looking in, not fitting in with the girls who lived for designer labels, sororities, and the whole curated lifestyle. And hey, there’s nothing wrong with that—it just wasn’t for me. Out in the wild, though, I found kind-hearted folks from all walks of outdoor adventure: hang gliders, surfers, backpackers, climbers, you name it.
My first solo backpacking trip was a mess—literally. I remember struggling to find the trail under a blanket of snow and downed trees, and finally, when I spilled my mac and cheese at the end of that long day, I just broke down crying. But in that raw moment, I grew. That spilled dinner taught me something I carry with me to this day: I can do hard things. Nature has a funny way of stripping you down to your core, and in doing so, revealing just how capable you really are. Out there, I found not just adventure, but belonging, and a power inside myself I didn’t know existed. That’s the feeling I want to share with everyone who joins me at Big Backyard Adventures—a sense of freedom, a community that cheers you on, and the discovery that you’re stronger than you ever imagined.
The trips I build for BBA are a mix of all those pieces of my story. The feeling of being on the open road, the joy of figuring out who you are when no one is watching, and the thrill of doing something you didn’t think you could. Whether it’s climbing, rafting, or just sitting around and feeling alive in the moment, my goal is to create experiences that help you grow, find your edge, and realize what you're capable of.
If you flipped through my old sketchbooks, you’d see them filled with drawings of people climbing, snowboarding, or rafting, chasing after adventure. I had big dreams, and somehow, they all found me. From those scribbles as a kid to my twenties, when I saw them come to life—climbing real mountains, running rivers, even getting my Top Gun soaring the skies in a hang glider. It took time, and it wasn’t always clear. I changed my major five times in college, even tried nursing for a semester until I realized that getting D’s in everything but snowboarding wasn’t exactly a sign I was on the right path. The Universe has a sense of humor if you ask me.
But I wouldn’t trade any of it, because it led me here. My favorite part of guiding these trips is watching someone’s face when they push through something they thought they couldn’t do. That look when fear melts into joy, when they break through the limits they’ve set for themselves—that’s what it's all about for me. It makes every moment worth it, and it’s why I know this is what I’m meant to do. To be here, creating those moments, sharing in those victories.
This world is a gift. And sometimes, it takes a little rush—maybe some adrenaline—to peel back the layers and let us truly see it. Big Backyard Adventures isn’t about the crowd, the checklist, or the guided microphone from the front of a bus. It’s about stepping outside of who you think you are and stepping into something bigger, with the thrill of The Unknown guiding you.
xoxo,
Katelyn
Ready to embark on your own journey of self-discovery? Join Big Backyard Adventures and connect with nature, others, and yourself in a whole new way. Discover how our outdoor adventure experiences can change your life. Find Itineraries here!
