The temperature was 39 degrees Fahrenheit this morning when I got out of bed at 5AM. Warmer than most afternoons in February. Clearly, we are headed toward the next season with longer days and warm sunrises. I am spending a lot of my time as the Executive Director of the Maine Professional Guides Association online at legislative hearings and worksessions. Usually with a jacket and tie on but otherwise looking pretty much like this picture. Amazing to say the least.
The leap to technology has changed everything. I think about the things that Maine Outdoors now does using new technologies and how it has impacted your experience. Trip descriptions are online for all to read including prices with no need to figure out what is included or involved, reservations can be made online quickly and easily, you can see what is available in my schedule at any moment, trip details are easily communicated via e-mail, GPS make finding the location where we will start a snap and since we now all have cell phones a quick call or text can clear up location details or notify me of a delay.
During the trip our phones are our cameras making the even the digital camera I carry obsolete. The fish finder on the dash of the boat that tells us the water depth, temperature and where we are on the chart or map. Along with the travel speed and direction or the makeup of the bottom under us. If an emergency should occur the phone is right there and if that does not connect a satellite communication device is always along.
At the end of your trip, payment is simple using a credit card that processes through my phone. I am even upgrading that to touchless payment this summer and am working through those details now. Finally a thank you follow up by e-mail and a chance to sign up for the newsletter or leave a review on the website.
None of this was possible when I started a very long time ago and all of it makes it possible to easily spend time outdoors experiencing something that simply can not exist in the digital world. Hope to spend time outdoors with you this year using all of the digital stuff to help experience the real world around us!
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