Fishing

My Ultimate Explorer Journey Ends One Round Short of the Final

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Friends, I regret to share that my journey in Outside Magazine’s Ultimate Explorer competition ended one round short of the Final last Thursday. I placed 4th in my Semifinal Group despite the incredible support from all of you and giving it my all. Gretchen and I are truly amazed and humbled by how many of you worked so hard to take me from 80,000 competitors to the final 64—and almost to the final eight! Just realizing that we have so many people who love and care for us– friends and family who would commit so much to try and will us to victory, means more to us than winning ever could.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who invested their time, energy and resources to help us. Know that all donations were directed to the National Parks Foundation, as worthy an organization as you will find, and one that happens to be in serious need now.

We also want to thank all of you who’ve supported us throughout my healthcare journey this year in so many practical and encouraging ways. Please continue sending your prayers—this is a challenge that I am winning, one in which I will prevail.

I entered this competition as an idea for how Gretchen and our family might celebrate the end of my chemo treatment in December and our 30th Anniversary in May. Rest assured, we still intend to commemorate these milestones in a very special way. This year has been unforgettable for so many reasons, and we’re so grateful to have all of you by our side this entire time.

MADE THE ULTIMATE EXPLOER SEMIS!

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CONFIRMED! I made it to the Semi-Finals of the Ultimate Explorer competition! Voting has already re-opened (October 4th) and it ends next Thursday, October 10th! The Final then runs from October 11th to October 17th. There are 8 groups of 8 people in the Semis, just 64 of us left. This is after 2 months and a competition that started with close to 80,000 competitors. THANK YOU EVERYONE for your votes and support in helping me get this far! You can vote every day for FREE! Below is my voting/profile link!

Vote Link: https://ultexplorer.org/2024/tim-hamby-yIWY

MADE IT TO THE QUARTERS!

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Friends and fam- I just wanted to report that I won my Group and made it to the Quarterfinals in Outside Magazine’s Ultimate Explorer competition! Votes now reset for the Quarters starting Sept. 23rd. The Semifinals begin Oct. 4th, and the Final, Oct. 11th. You can still vote for free everyday (the vote/profile link is in my bio). If you wish to purchase votes (with all funds going to the National Parks Foundation), then wait for the 2-for-1 vote days!

Thanks to all who helped me get so far in this comp! Gretchen and I appreciate your valuable time, generosity, and support. We’re getting excited about potentially being in position to win, although it’s going to be tough these last three rounds! It’s been a wild ride and we appreciate NEFL showing out in this national comp!

P.S. A lot of folks have been asking me about how many people I am/have been competing against in this competition. As a Quarterfinalist, I’m now in the Top 1%. There are currently 768 people left of the nearly 80,000 who started the contest. We are divided into 64 Groups of 12 people each. I am in first place in my Quarterfinal Group of 12, with 2 rounds left (the Semis and the Final).

Almost There – Top 5!

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I received confirmation on Thursday that I had made it into the Top 5 in my Group in Outside Magazine’s Ultimate Explorer competition and I’m still leading my Group. If I maintain the lead and win it this week, then I move on to the Quarters against other Group Winners on Sept. 23rd. The votes reset at that time as they do for the Semis and Final from Sept. 23rd – Oct. 17th.

Thank you, again, EVERYONE, for your overwhelming support! Here’s the link if you’d like to vote for me (still free, every day) or just to follow my progress: https://ultexplorer.org/2024/tim-hamby-yIWY. As I‘ve maintained, there’s an option to purchase “extra” votes with funds going to the National Parks Foundation (it’s a fundraiser for them), but don’t feel like you have to do that for me (only if you have a heart for NPF!). Also– if you do wish to contribute, then it is probably best to hold off until Sept. 23rd or the two weeks following when the votes reset for each of the final three rounds. It is also always best to wait for one of the many days when “purchased” votes are 2 for 1.

Thanks so much again, all! – T&G

Top 10: Still Climbing!

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IT’S OFFICIAL: TOP 10! Whoa! I’m still moving along in the Ultimate Explorer competition, and have moved into the Top 10 in my Group! Only two more weeks to survive to get to the Quarterfinals! I’ve been fortunate to be in first place in my Group the whole way, so I believe I can likely make it to the Quarters on Sept. 23rd. From there, things get most challenging when votes reset for the Quarterfinals, Semi-Final and Final from Sept. 23rd – Oct. 17th. On behalf of Gretchen and myself, we thank you again for voting (you can vote again for free every 24 hours), and sharing my profile (https://ultexplorer.org/2024/tim-hamby-yIWY). Thank you too to all those who have generously purchased “extra” votes, with all funds going to the National Parks Foundation, for which this fundraiser was created. (Don’t feel like you have to “buy” votes for me though– only if you have a heart for the NPF!) 

TOP 15 – Movin’ On!

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TOP 15 – MOVING ON! THANK YOU, AGAIN, FRIENDS! – Gretchen and I want to extend our heartfelt appreciation for all of our friends and family who have propelled me to first place in my Group in Outside Magazine’s “Ultimate Explorer” contest.  Thank you for voting, re-voting (you can vote again every 24 hours), and sharing my profile (https://ultexplorer.org/2024/tim-hamby-yIWY). Some of you have even generously purchased votes (funds go to the National Parks Foundation). 

I wanted to share a little insight on how the contest works.  Each week, the 5 competitors in each Group with the lowest votes are eliminated.  The rest move on until there is only one competitor left in each Group.  The winner in each Group (along with a wildcard winner) advance to Quarterfinal Groups where the VOTES RESET!  Top competitors in each Group advance to Semifinals. VOTES RESET! Top Semifinal from each Group advance to Finals.  VOTES RESET! Grand Prize Winner is determined October 17th. I’m in a great position now, but the competition heats up as we approach the Quarterfinals on September 23rd, when votes reset.  Each time the votes reset, things get more challenging.  So, if you’re feeling like you’d like to contribute, then Sept. 23 – Oct. 17 would be the best time for that. But we appreciate all of your votes, time and energy!

Ultimate Explorer Update 8-24-24: I’ve Advanced to Round 2!

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Friends,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU! IT’S OFFICIAL!

Round 1 of Outside Magazine’s “Ultimate Explorer” contest concluded yesterday, and I finished in first place in my group of 107 competitors! Gretchen & I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote and re-vote for us (you can vote again every 24 hours); who shared my profile (https://ultexplorer.org/2024/tim-hamby-yIWY); and those who did exactly what I asked them not to do– buy us extra votes! (You guys are nuts!). That said, I’m sure the National Parks Foundation appreciates it as much as we do, as the whole thing is a fundraiser for them.

My next challenge is to try and continue to hold my lead against the 20 others who advanced from my group. There’s a couple of more rounds to go, and near the end, votes reset. So, Gretchen and I would just humbly ask that you continue to re-vote for us to win this dream vacation as often as you think about it. Thanks again, everyone for your love and support! We are so excited to be in the running to potentially win this!

Help Me Win “The Ultimate Explorer” With Your Vote!

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Friends,

My wife, Gretchen and I would like to ask you for a HUGE favor! Will you vote for us to win $10,000 and a national parks expedition in a Winnebago RV in Outside Magazine’s “Ultimate Explorer” contest! The National Parks Foundation, Coca-Cola and Nature’s Valley area also sponsors. It’s a straightforward competition. The person with the most votes wins! You can vote EVERY DAY! There’s an option to buy votes, but please do not do that. Simply clicking and voting whenever you happen to think about us, is all we are asking. I’d like to take Gretchen on this trip for her irreplaceable role in helping me with my battle against cancer this year, and in celebration of our 30th anniversary coming in May.

As people who know me understand, I’m an outdoors addict. I’ve already made it through the application part of this contest, and am competing against a group of 107 in Rd. 1, so am off to a great start, but will no doubt need the help of friends / family to get enough votes to defeat some “outdoor influencers”. But I’ve always believed “You don’t know ‘till you go!”, so give us a click(s) and a vote, and wish us luck! Thank you so much for any time you take to do this. Here is my profile link: Here’s my profile link: https://ultexplorer.org/2024/tim-hamby-yIWY

Deer Island, Taveres, FL

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Recently, Gretchen and decided to pull the trigger on a jaunt to Grandma and Grandpa Chapman’s down in O-Town. It had been a long while. We got to take out papa’s new canal cruiser and relax in the beauty of old Florida, from Apopka to Mt. Dora and Tavares. It was quiet, breezy and beautiful, and a welcomed change of scenery from our own backyard. I think the only things missing were our nephew, Blake, and a couple of his 7-pound bass he’s so good at catching.

Check out the third pic by the fence line. Happened to catch this Bigfoot out of the corner of my eye! Definitely squatchy country out here, and this thing had to be 8′ tall. Skunk Ape for sure! You could smell the musky odor from the boat. If my girls and all the cousins were there, we could have done a full proper investigation with footprints and hair samples. As it was, we’re just going to have to let the photo evidence tell the story.

Nobody Listens to Turtle

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Spotted this guy by the walkover on the way back from a beach run. Big ‘un! This dude is living the good life in the GTM Reserve, just cruising the dunes and stuffing his face full of flowers! Like a gated community for Gopher Tortoises and other wildlife over there! 

Fish On!

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Early morning fishing preparations

Good morning, sunshine!

Bluepoints Marina Red Snapper catch
Capt. Dwayne with Trey and myself at Bluepoints Marina

Red Snapper catch, Port Canaveral
My brother-in-law, Trey and myself, with some of the day’s catch

Big Red Snapper
My brother-in-law, Trey holding up one of our many throwbacks

After banning Red Snapper fishing for a long, long time, the FWC recently opened a “season” for just a few short (8) days, to check on the health of the stock. I had the opportunity to go out at Port Canaveral, Florida with my brother-in-law, Trey, and a few of his friends, and we made ’em pay! I’m here to proclaim that the conservation efforts have worked! We must have landed 25-30+ Snapper, all about the size you see here (ranging from 12-19 lbs., with an average of abut 15 lbs.). We spent most of the day throwing back fish due to the catch limits per fisherman. Thanks to Trey and his friends, Dwayne, Grant, Amber and crew for an amazing day! We also had a Grouper, Cobia and several sharks. But mostly, it was just a non-stop Red Snapper frenzy and quite a workout! As a result, the Hamby’s have been eating well this week, and Snapper is my favorite fish! P.S. Don’t ask for the GPS coordinates! They are highly protected numbers.