Mike Derrick is a resident of Peru, Clinton County, New York, where he grew up. After dedicating 30 years of service in the U.S. Army, both domestically and internationally, he returned to his hometown in 2015. Mike, along with his wife Kathy—who is also a retired Army veteran—embraces an adventurous lifestyle. They have four children living in various time zones across the country.

When they're not in Peru, Mike and Kathy can be found exploring the great outdoors, indulging in activities like hiking, biking, Nordic skiing, hut-to-hut trekking, and canoeing throughout the Northern Forest, which stretches between the Adirondacks and Maine—Kathy’s hometown. Their outdoor adventures include hut-to-hut hikes in Vermont and Colorado, adventure racing in Alaska and Hawaii, and walking the Camino de Santiago in France and Spain. They are passionate about the trails, believe in the magic of map and compass navigation, and cherish the simple power of placing one foot in front of the other.