Finding his path

An assortment of relics occupy room 350 of the Wenatchee High School math department. Framed NASA memorabilia adorns the wall to the left of the door. A serene Mont Blanc print hangs above a tidy desk. Pre-calculus theorems are scrawled out near a Purdue University sticker on the whiteboard at the front of the room.

For some students, this image is a daily sight and a peek into the life of their math teacher, Drew Gaylord. However, the decor leaves much to wonder about the past of the outdoor enthusiast, avid traveler, and adventure seeker.

A lecture in life

The story begins in Indiana. 18-year-old Gaylord traded his high school cap and gown for the status of “Boilermaker” (the official mascot of Purdue University). He had plans to earn a degree in engineering, following in the footsteps of his siblings, Purdue grads, and his father, an engineer.

“[College] was fantastic, I have so many things to say. I think it’s really where I became who I am. In high school, you try a lot of different things, you hang with different groups, but I didn’t develop my outdoor interests until college. I didn’t become more mature until college,” Gaylord said.

The first semester of college was, like for many students, a wake-up call for Gaylord. He had to learn to study and ignore the many distractions provided by his overzealous roommates in order to stay afloat grade-wise.

Explorers in the making

“I met the girl who [later] became my wife in college. She’s just been the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Gaylord said. “So, that’s another reason why I’d say I loved college. I’ll always thank Purdue for that.”

The engineering major met the economic major at a secret party in the boys dorm. The housing was made up of two towers, one for the boys and one for the girls.

“My roommate knew somebody in a suite on the other side, and invited them over, and [Cathy] was one of their roommates, so she came over too. So, we met there at an illicit party that we weren’t supposed to be at,” Gaylord said, laughing.

“

I met the girl who [later] became my wife in college. She’s just been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. So, that’s another reason why I’d say I loved college. I’ll always thank Purdue for that.

— Drew Gaylord, math teacher

Thus began the inseparable bond between Cathy Gilpin (later, Cathy Gaylord) and Drew Gaylord. From this point on, the word “we” replaced “I” when Gaylord recalled his past.

Together, they developed their love for the outdoors and spent their time dreaming about the adventures they would have after college. In fact, throughout their senior year, they often tucked themselves away in the library, side by side, poring over books on places all over the country.

“We would be reading about the Sierras in California, or Idaho, or Colorado because we knew we wanted to do outdoor things, and Indiana doesn’t really have that. It’s flat, it’s hot, it’s humid. We spent a lot of time looking and talking and scheming what we wanted to do,” Gaylord said.

Comrades in career

After graduation from Purdue, the pair embarked on a “scouting trip” of the West, making frequent stops to adventure. Upon reaching Oregon, the two became “flabbergasted” and knew the search was over. They drove across the scenic desert, into the volcano-filled mountains, through the Willamette Valley, Eugene, and arrived at the salty coast.

“I thought, ‘Wow, this is just fantastic. You’ve got mountains, you’ve got the valleys, and the oceans right there together so close.’ The more time we spent, we said, ‘This is it. There’s no reason to go home.’ And we called home and said, ‘Pack up some stuff for us and send it out because we’re going to stay,’” Gaylord said.

Gaylord quickly found a job at a car washing manufacturer in Portland, and Cathy started at Sprint in Hood River six months later. After commuting with Cathy to her workplace on the I-84 and reveling at the sights of the Columbia Gorge, the couple decided to call Hood River their home. A year later, Gaylord also began work at Sprint.

Sprint ended up a great company to work for, however, they eventually started considering a career change once their job satisfaction fell.

“I remember when we were thinking, ‘What am I producing with my life?’ I was just making some CEO that lived in Kansas City lots of money. It wasn’t like telephone service was this really, really important thing that enriches the world. I mean sure it’s important, but I just didn’t feel like I was doing anything that was producing or helping the world. I remember thinking, ‘I’ve got to do something that gives me more job satisfaction and life satisfaction,’” Gaylord said.

A dynamic teacher duo

The brainstorming commenced. After a while, the path was paved: teaching.

Before they began their second round of college, they two spent almost half a year traveling, hiking, and climbing.

After that period of time ended, they started a fast-paced and difficult program at Eastern Oregon University where they earned their master’s degrees in teaching in 12 months.

Cathy was offered a position at Eastmont High School after their second graduation, and they made the move to the Wenatchee Valley. Not long after, Gaylord began work at WHS — a career he finds fulfilling.

“I feel like I’m doing something. School is not the most important thing in everybody’s lives, but the [graduation pictures on the classroom wall] really mean a lot to me. I’ll look at somebody, and just remember, ‘I meant something to them at some point. They learned some math, and they were probably helped getting into college, and that helped them in their life.’ That’s a lot of people there, and if they got something from it, that means an awful lot to me,” Gaylord said.

The great outdoors

Gaylord says the outdoors stands central to his and Cathy’s lives.

“I’m just so, so lucky. We know a lot of couples that either the guy likes outdoor stuff, or the girl does, but not the both of them,” Gaylord said. “We ended up a great pair for that because she’s every bit as much into it as I am, and is every bit as strong as I am. She’s a great hiker and skier, and probably a better climber than I am. Whatever I want to do, she wants to do, or vice versa. We always mesh together so well.”

“If I give anybody advice, I would say try to find a partner that likes to do what you do, because you’ll never lack for things to do together.”

During the winter, the pair spends their free time skiing in just about every style known to man, including cross country, downhill, and backcountry (which involves climbing uphill on skis, then skiing down).

The other seasons yield even more opportunities — hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, white-water kayaking and more. They have stood on the summit of over 150 mountains, most of which lay in the Northwest.

“It’s beautiful, I get a lot of sense of accomplishment from doing things, a hike, a climb,” Gaylord said.

What’s next?

Gaylord says the list of adventures the couple wish to have only grows longer, and an exciting future lays ahead.

“We have a lot of pent-up demand for things we want to do. Certainly travel, more hikes, more time at the ocean, and more time in the mountains,” Gaylord says. “This is what we want more of, and we’ll continue while we physically can.”