John Rutkowski III

AKA Tercius. I started camping at age 6 doing a coast to coast camping trip. This was BEFORE Interstates and seatbelts.My AT Section and Horsehoe Trail hiking started when I was 14. And AT section hike from NJ to Leigh river to celebrate graduating from high school.College job was at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports and UVaOC sent me on many adventures and introduced me to lifelong outdoor friends. And introduced me to the Whites in winter and the AMC.I was a guide after college, Holubar Kit Specialist (the first male to hold that role), then store Manager. Fast forward to the creation of Mountain Mend which cleaned, repaired and made custom outdoor gear.Which led me to The Wilderness Group in Ventura as a Production Manager (The first days of the Ultralight trend). LOTS of 100+ road bike rides.An ex-Holubar manager offered me a job in Minden Nevada, a startup making orthopedic knee braces. It was a bike trip to Yosemite where I was filling in as Sag Wagon driver, where I met Karen, I was awestruck by her scent. She asked me to warm her feet at the bluegrass concert that night, I proposed in six weeks.Then life happened, started an IT company, BOLDER Designs selling AutoCAD. Eight years later we had a son, who was introduced to the outdoors with many car camping and he did the Whites Presidential Traverse to celebrate graduating from 1st grade.More life, at 63 started a series of cancer surgeries and treatments. Getting back on the trail was my method of recovery. I'd be sweating bullets just walk the gentle valley loop in the White Clay Creek park behind my house.In 2019 I recover to be able to walk Hadrian's Wall from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. With my son, climbing buddy from Utah days, and a college outdoor buddy that I had not seen since 1975, and the father of my son's friend who did the Presidential Traverse 3 times.I sold my business in 2022 and retiring on 2024-04-01.Now at age 70 we are off to Spain (4 of us) to Walk the Camino Portugues, and if we are feeling good, on to Fisterra. Nothing like a good walk with friends.

Posts

Day 2, too much urban walking

Day 2, too much urban walking

Day 2 Bainoia to Virgo  The was a real long urban and suburban walk, not like yesterdays hike up a pass with the rocks worn down by Roman

Apr 15, 2024 : John Rutkowski III
2024-04-14 Day 1 Oia to Baiona

2024-04-14 Day 1 Oia to Baiona

Finally walking! My apologies, Wordpress ate my draft (or I just didn’t do it right).Writing on the road is tough, in Spain the restaurant don’t

Apr 14, 2024 : John Rutkowski III
2024-04-11 Day 0 to the Camino

2024-04-11 Day 0 to the Camino

Day ZeroFinally traveling. The Four Pengionos traveled from MA, CO and DE to Santiago de Compostela. I, Tercius was the last to arrive. Percius

Apr 13, 2024 : John Rutkowski III
OK, the Requisite Gear List.

OK, the Requisite Gear List.

We Penguinos have a base weight of 11 lbs. Yes, I know the PCT and AT included sleeping gear and shelter in the base weight. They will laugh at

Apr 4, 2024 : John Rutkowski III
Warmup Walking

Warmup Walking

Wow, it's been a rainy four months in the Philadelphia metro area, 24" since 12/1/2023. That's seven months of rain in four. Sure glad I'm not on the

Apr 4, 2024 : John Rutkowski III
Something to Remember a Trip By

Something to Remember a Trip By

Spoiler alert! Dave, Phillip, and Sandy, don't read any further!Each trip or event I try to get something to remember in by.  I have taken to

Mar 12, 2024 : John Rutkowski III
Why Are 3 Septuagenarians Walking the Camino

Why Are 3 Septuagenarians Walking the Camino

Why we are Walking Well, we can, because we have stayed active since our 20's.  Just because one trek is over don't stop walking.A walk with

Mar 12, 2024 : John Rutkowski III
Now for something completely different!

Now for something completely different!

Camino Penguinos If you read my Bio, you know that I’ve been active in the outdoors since 1959, traveling the width of the US, with no interstates

Mar 9, 2024 : John Rutkowski III