Erik Schlimmer is an inspirational speaker and award-winning educator who finds motivating, educating, and entertaining audiences his passion in life.

Erik possesses a bachelors degree in Speech Communication with a concentration in public speaking and is a certified Toastmasters International Competent Communicator. He has participated in Toastmasters International competitive speaking events, placing first at the club, area, and division levels.  He is founder of Journeyman Presentations, a homegrown business that provides inspirational programs to educational institutions.

Educational leadership is Erik's forte, possessing an associates degree in Wilderness Leadership.  He is a certified Wilderness Education Association Outdoor Leader and has taught leadership courses for several universities. Erik is recipient of Oneonta State University's prestigious Outstanding Adjunct Instructor Award and has received their Teaching Merit Award three times.

When it comes to adventuring, few have seen more of America.  The author's mountaineering accomplishments include climbing the 770 mountains above 3,000 feet in the Northeast, the 100 highest peaks of the Catskill Mountains in winter, and the 100 highest peaks of the Adirondack Mountains in winter.  Erik has hiked nearly 10,000 miles and completed more than 1,500 ascents throughout the United States.

A former mountain bike racer, Erik was first to solo ride the Arizona Trail Corridor and is the only person to have ridden the U.S.-Mexico border end-to-end.  He also completed a ride from Canada to Mexico on a route he established himself.

Citing this experience, Erik became a Made Coach on the MTV reality series Made.  During this Emmy Award-winning program, he put all his skills to the test to transform two female college students into survivalists.

Erik served as a paratrooper with the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division, a unit specializing in nighttime parachute operations. The highlight of his service was a four-month mission to Central America where he worked with the Honduran Army, gaining a foreign parachutist badge.

He is author of McGraw Hill's Thru Hiker's Guide to America and has written for regional and national publications.  Erik lives in Oneonta, NY.