About Spike

Meet Spike: The Creative Force Behind ExpeditionSpike

My name is Spike and I am the person behind this site. I created ExpeditionSpike.com as a creative outlet for a few of my outdoor interests. Above all, I love fishing, especially for trout on ultralight gear. I also love camping, shooting sports, reloading, and on occasion, prospecting with my gold pan or metal detector.

Spike The Geek.

I am fascinated by SEO (search engine optimization), online media analytics, and affiliate marketing. I also love being a content creator.  Whether it’s web or video media. I love working on the technical side of these things. And spreadsheets, God help me, but I love spreadsheets and I will find any reason to document or itemize things in a spreadsheet. LOL

You see not only outdoor articles here, but also product reviews of tech items, and from time to time we’ll talk about content. Tips and tricks and monetization. Who wouldn’t want to take their hobby and craft knowledge and skills and turn it into a revenue stream that provides passive income?

Spike at the 1994 AZ State Muzzleloading Assn rendezvous in the Mogollon Rim country

Spike The Buckskinner.

I’ve also been a “buckskinner” involved in crafting black powder rifles, knives, and leather goods, emphasizing my deep connection with traditional outdoor skills. I was a fur trade era re-enactor for several years, but kinda dropped away from it when I moved to the midwest in 1996. It wasn’t as popular there as it was in Washington & Arizona states.

I am itchin to build me a couple smokepoles tho.. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at putting together a Pennsyvania Lancaster flintlock long rifle and another easier project like a new .50 cal percussian Mountian rifle kit. This rifle was originally made by CVA, but I think they dropped the line years ago and it looks like it’s now being produced again as a kit by Traditions. Thank God cause it was looking to be impossible to find a CVA kit. I built mine back in 1990 and it’s a great rifle and a lot of fun to shoot.

Spike Believes In Bigfoot.

But these aren’t my only interests. I’m also a huge fan of anything cryptid-related. Like Bigfooting for example. Arizona has a history of strange critters. From the Mogollon Monster and chupacabras, to Thunderbirds, dogmen and giant snakes. It just goes to show you that Arizona can be a creepy place. But my interest isn’t just as an arm-chair enthusiast. I had an encounter back in 1991/1992 in Pe Ell, WA on a deer and elk hunt.  While camped out on a Weyerhaeuser logging property my hunting partner and I were in the tent, bedded down for the night when a creature touched him through the tent.

If you had a bigfoot experience I’d like to hear about it.

Spike The U.S. Navy Veteran.

I had the good fortune to be a 12-year veteran of the world’s Greatest Navy and a Trusty Shellback. I enlisted as an Aviation Structural Mechanic (AMS) and was blessed to of served with some of the greatest young women and men of this Republic.

For 5 years I was a Green Lizard with VA-95, the US Navy’s PREMIER A-6 Intruder Squadron. As  Lizard, I deployed 3 times on the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) between 1985 and 1990, participated in Earnest Will missions escorting reflagged Kuwaiti tankers, and helped wage war against Iran in the largest Naval engagement since WW II during Operation Praying Mantis.

Thank you for stopping by ExpeditionSpike.com!