The Story of Discovering Wilderness
This is your adventure headquarters!
Discovering Wilderness is the ideal starting place for anyone seeking to get outside and explore. From first-timers to seasoned adventurers, we (DJ and Jessica Johnson) are here to inspire, encourage and equip anyone interested in discovering wilderness! It is our goal to support you and encourage you in your adventures anywhere on this beautiful planet. This site and our social media channels showcase our own adventures, hand-made cozies and resources for outstanding adventures. The last phrase of our wedding vows was “Let the adventures begin!” Discovering Wilderness is your peek into some of the many ways we are living out this commitment to each other. Enjoy and welcome!
How The Cozy Business Got Started
Well, see, there was a woman who liked to eat real food and not starve on the trail. She also wanted to give her breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, and dinner a chance to rehydrate to the best of its capabilities. Her name is Sarah Kirkconnell and is a Washington State native, cookbook author, and blogger that spends a lot of time either in the woods or kitchen. She designed and sewed the cozy since the mid 2000’s and Dani Hendrickson took over sewing in 2012, when Sarah’s life went from full to bursting.
Dani officially took over the entire cozy side of the business and used it until 2018 as the the cornerstone for Valhalla Outdoors. Now it belongs to me (Jessica Johnson) with the support of my husband DJ, also an avid lover of the great outdoors. In the spring of 2018 DJ saw Dani’s update (because he’d been following her on social media) about being accepted to the Huxley College of the Environment. This exciting opportunity would leave her little time to continue the cozy business so she was looking for a lady interested in continuing this small business.
I am a huge fan of all things outdoors. I grew up camping with my family and friends. I just love being outside anywhere…forests, desserts, mountains, lakes, rivers, streams…I love them all. I especially love hiking and camping. The combination of those two (aka backpacking) gives me a special freedom to explore and keep life simple. I am a pioneer, creator and feeder at heart so when DJ let me know about the opportunity to start sewing and selling cozies I jumped at the opportunity to learn more from Dani.
After a few conversations with Dani, a bit of strategizing with DJ and my own time in prayer, I accepted Dani’s gracious offer to continue the cozy business she and Sarah started more than a decade ago! In September 2018 Dani gifted me her leftover materials and taught me her tricks for making a solid product. Sarah and Dani, thank you for entrusting your fantastic business idea and cozy community to me! Cozies continue to be sewn in the fantastic Pacific Northwest in southwestern Washington State.
When you buy a cozy, you are supporting a small, made in the USA, cottage industry business. So, thank you!