Summer is here! Which means it’s time to welcome Elevation Outdoors newest intern! Although she’s a Florida girl at heart, Sophia Zayas’ passion for adventure and the outdoors make her a natural Coloradan. Read on to learn more about Team EO’s newest member and find out which pieces of outdoor gear she can’t get enough of, and where she’s planning her next great adventure.
Elevation Outdoors: What is your favorite beer?
Sophia Zayas: I’m actually more of a wine connoisseur. But I do enjoy Hoegaarden Rosée by Brouwerij Hoegaarden. It’s a Belgian wheat beer with an abundant raspberry flavor that always leaves me wondering if I really just drank a beer, which is just how this wino likes her beer.
EO: Favorite color?
SZ: My favorite color would have to be the calming but glowing blue of the Caribbean sea. It seems like for as many times as I’ve seen it; it never ceases to leave me amazed.
EO: Favorite outdoor brand?
SZ: Being a Florida native, all I really need to get by is some ice cold water and a place to relax. For that reason, my two favorite outdoor brands would have to be YETI coolers and ENO hammocks.
EO: What’s your happy place?
SZ: My happy place is the ocean. Whether it’s a day at the beach with friends, a family boat day, or a freediving trip, the calming sound and motion of the ocean’s waves will always feel like home.
EO: Favorite sport?
SZ: I’ve always enjoyed sports that revolve around self-improvement, such as weightlifting, yoga and running. In the last year I’ve left my comfort zone and taken up surfing, wakeboarding and a little bit of skating and snowboarding. I’m falling in love with these board sports and the way they remind me that you’re never too old to try something new!
EO: Best advice you’ve ever been given:
SZ: The best advice I’ve ever been given was “you get out what you put in.” I think when things may not be going your way or the way you expected them to, it’s important to reflect on your actions and efforts. Sometimes just a simple extra push can change everything. Nothing is more liberating than putting your life into your own hands.
EO: Tell us about your most epic adventure?
SZ: One of my favorite and most epic adventures was a 3-week trip to Costa Rica. Venturing around the country came with kind souls, great food, new animal friends and some fantastic views; one being the view of the Arenal Volcano located in La Fortuna. After riding ATVs around the volcano my friends and I hiked through the Costa Rican rainforest where we were greeted by many of the native animals and ended the day with hot springs and mud masks.
EO: Where’s your favorite place to go outside and play?
SZ: The mountains of Colorado have turned into my new playground. I love climbing up the massive boulders for the perfect lunch view and enjoying the intoxicating colors and smells of the beautiful wildflowers on the way down!
EO: What’s the next outdoor trip you’re planning?
SZ: The next outdoor trip I’m planning is a camping trip to St. Mary’s Glacier here in Colorado. It will be my first time camping in the mountains and I can’t wait to see what’s in store!
