This episode of She Explorers is brought to you by Sawyer, an American outdoor gear company with a mission.

They're sending their Sawyer Squeeze water filters to 80 countries around the world in order to improve lives with clean water.

It's something a lot of us take for granted until we're out of water on the trail

and need to connect with our water sources. To donate a filter, text Sawyer to 41444. Regular text message

fees apply. And if you'd like to enter to win a Sawyer gift pack to keep you

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explores.com slash Sawyer or the link in her show notes to enter.

Sawyer uses the best technology to keep you going regardless of your journey.

Learn more at W.W. dot Sawyer.com.

I'm Gail Strarav and you're listening to She Explorers.

There was fear in my heart, but at the same time I felt like I just needed to be there.

And when the deer walked away, I just stayed there and I was like,

wow, this is what wildlife looks like.

That was my first time I ever seen a deer.

And I was just in sheer awe that

wildlife just exists everywhere and we're just in their space. So that's when I truly felt connected and felt more at home than I did.

Anywhere in all of my experiences and all my life was that moment in time.

Getting caught by the eyes of a deer who didn't know why I was there but I know why I was there.

I don't know it was kind of almost like poetic it was just being cold out of my mind, not being prepared for my first

camping rock climbing trip, but also being in a space where it belongs to the people.

Public lands, these green and open spaces belong to people

and I felt like I really connected with nature

...