Casie “River” Frederick is a blogger for www.MostlyFreebird.com

Casie “River” Frederick is a blogger for www.MostlyFreebird.com, and a writer for The Trek and the Budget-Minded Traveler. She completed the Appalachian Trail in 2017 and is a member of the AT Class of 2017!

We met Casie through our friend Lauren, who owns Mainely Succulents, out of Orono, Maine. Side note – a big shoutout to Lauren, and also our friend Jamie Clark, who owns the Willie Wags, a place for women entrepreneurs to come together. Both of these ladies have incredible energy, and clearly that breeds more awesome!

Lauren and DD went hiking this summer after DD spoke at the Willie Wags, and during the hike, Lauren mentioned that DD HAD to meet her friend Casie. Lo and behold, Lauren and DD both attended the next get together at the Willie Wags during one of ther After Hours Events – this version was the book club. Of course, DD and Casie hit it off immediately, and the rest is history.

We all took our first group winter hike together up Saddleback Mountain this winter, and the vibes were great. Watch for many more appearances of Casie in our adventures! You can see her featured in our Saddleback Video, as well as our Cadillac Mountain video. Her energy and excitement about life are absolutely contagious! Make sure to look for her pieces on The Trek and The Budget-Minded Traveler, as well as follow her on social media – all of her links are posted at the end of the article!

About Casie “River” Frederick

Your name/nickname/trailname: Casie Frederick, “River”

Where are you from and where do you live?: I grew up in Hermon, Maine, and that’s where I’m residing now!

How did you get the nickname River?

It’s kind of an embarrassing backstory, and to some I just say I got coined ‘River’ because I go with the flow and fell in one. But the real reason is because I have to stop to pee way more than the average hiker, hence, ‘flowing like a River.’

Your favorite adventure thus far: In 2017, I took 6 months to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail northbound – AT Class of 2017! Since then, I’ve had some other backpacking adventures, but this one still takes the cake. It was my first backpacking experience and long distance trail, but I felt so free and in my element. I got to write about my experiences (the good and the bad) on The Trek, an outdoors and backpacking platform, which was a huge dream of mine.

MostlyFreebird.com — Casie fininshing her AT Thru Hike – AT Class of 2017!

Casie’s Adventure goals:

Too many to count! I have a long list of places I want to see and things I want to do. The adventure goals that are most forefront in my mind right now involve converting my Rav4 and an indefinite cross country journey. I would love to tackle some more National Parks and explore mountains out West. Of course, other long distance trails (like the PCT and Te Araroa) also call my name.

Why did you start MostlyFreebird.com?

I started the Mostly Free Bird blog because I felt like so many people can relate to this urge to travel and adventure, but feel held back by the notion that they don’t have enough time or money. (Want to learn more? Check out this blog post….)

Through writing about my personal experiences with budgeting and seeking adventure in the “little things”, whether it’s local or abroad, I wanted to reach those that felt they were excluded from a fun and free lifestyle because they have real life responsibilities. I think there’s this misconception that in order to do “cool” things you have to be one type of person (you know, this laidback, barefoot wanderer with loads of free time and not a care in the world). That’s just not the case.

What you hope others take from your projects, MostlyFreebird.com and your writing?

I so sincerely hope that others feel that if I can do it, they can, too. I’m pretty much an open book when it comes to how I present myself. I’m by no means rich (I work two jobs as an elementary school Ed Tech and a waitress), I’m in no way naturally athletic, and to be honest, a lot of new situations make me incredibly anxious.

However, I’ve still been able to travel all over the world, cross off some major bucket list dreams, and try anything from ice climbing to pole dancing to scuba diving. And even if those things aren’t your cup of tea, I hope that people can take away that there’s tons of adventure to be had close to home. You don’t have to venture far or devote a huge chunk of time in order to adventure or feel as if you’ve accomplished something.

Tell us about your favorite thing about the outdoors and Maine:

I’ve developed a deep adoration for the state of Maine, so much to the point that I get personally offended when I hear someone diss it! A couple weeks ago I was in NYC and got quite defensive when I heard people saying they could never live in Maine because “there’s nothing to do.” My favorite part about Maine is that there’s so MUCH to do. It’s overwhelming. I’ve been actively exploring this state for years, and yet I still find new things all the time, whether it’s a cute little coastal town or a hidden hiking trail. We are so lucky to live in a place where we have access to the ocean and the mountains, where a normal day can mean visiting a Whoopie Pie festival, sneaking a quick day hike in, and then listening to a local band over some craft beer.

What advice would you give an aspiring adventurers for becoming more involved your project or a similar project?

My number one advice would be to get clear about what your dreams are. They can be big or small, it just matters that you actually give yourself a chance to explore yourself without limitations. For some, it may be something big, like an international trip or a total career change. For others, it may mean exploring their state on the weekends or learning a new skill/hobby. It’s all about figuring out what brings you happiness and fulfillment, so it won’t look the same as someone else’s.

Once you get specific, then you can get realistic. Look at what you’re spending your money on (I don’t mean the mandatory stuff like rent and groceries, I mean the extra stuff: coffee, manicures, going out on the weekends). Look at what you’re spending your extra time on. Ask yourself, “what small changes can I make to start heading in the direction I want to go?” No one’s asking you to impulsively buy a plane ticket on your lunch break! Just start to shift your mind to at least consider that what you want is achievable.

Top 5 tips you’ve learned when creating your brand that you might want to share:

1. Be honest with others

I’ve been able to connect with so many by simply being vulnerable. There’s enough curated feeds out there with flawless photos and “my life is so perfect all the time” impressions. Being genuine goes a long way, and people care about that.

2. Be gentle with yourself

I go through waves of feeling super inspired to pour my heart out. Other times, after checking in, the writing feels a bit too much like homework. I still have a lot of stories to share that have never been typed – and I just remind myself that the time will come. I never want to force anything.

3. Connect

Reach out to others (readers, fellow adventurers, people you look up to), ask questions, support one another.

4. Look around

I learned a lot while writing the “Maine Monday” features on the blog. It really reminded me that there’s a lot of experiences that are within an hour’s drive away. If you are seeking adventure, take a few moments to brainstorm. What is there close by that you either overlooked or haven’t made it a point to seek out yet?

5. Practice what you preach

It’s easy to tell others that a fun and fulfilling lifestyle is right at their fingertips; or not to be discouraged if they have bills to pay and a booked schedule. What’s not easy is feeling that way about yourself all the time. The truth is, life can be hard. On days that I feel bogged down, I remember the whole mission behind Mostly Free Bird. This is what inspired me to finally take a chance and join the AT Class of 2017!

What are your tips for surviving Maine winters?

As much as I love the outdoors, I used to tend to hibernate in the winter because it’s so dreadfully cold. My biggest tip is to embrace the Maine winter! It’s not going anywhere, so you may as well make the most of it. Find some friends that actually enjoy winter sports, and I promise they’ll get you out on those dark and dreary mornings. You’ll most likely never look back and say, “wow, I really hated that full day of skiing.” The first step is always the hardest. I’ve also found that having the right gear is a huge plus- it turns out that the snow is way more tolerable when you have appropriate footwear, base layers, etc.. So, a tip would be to invest in some basics. Oh, and Mcgillicuddy’s. I’ve recently discovered this is the secret to surviving any cold winter day in Maine.

Your favorite Adventure Quotes/Mantras

“I’m a big believer in winging it. I’m a big believer that you’re never going to find perfect city travel experience or the perfect meal without a constant willingness to experience a bad one. Letting the happy accident happen is what a lot of vacation itineraries miss, I think, and I’m always trying to push people to allow those things to happen rather than stick to some rigid itinerary.” -Anthony Bourdain

“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac