Faces with Nicknames: Pedro

Things You Might Not Know About FD’s Own “Pedro”

My real name is Andrew Gonzalez.

I live in beautiful Alberton, Mont., along the Clark Fork River.

I found out about FD while working as a guide on an FDX on the Main Salmon River in Idaho’s FrankChurch Wilderness. It was unreal!

There was a moment this year in West Virginia where everyone decided to run the center of this enormousrapid called Suprise on the New River. I watched as all 15 participants dropped in and immediately got eaten alive. It was a dream come true to see that many people swimming at once. The absolute best part of the whole deal was watching all the bobbing heads laughing and smiling. It was a very proud moment for me as a guide.

The hardest part of FD is not being able to stop eating. My body is right at capacity every day at FD. I guess it is a very good problem to have, all things considered.

When I am lead staffing for FD, my preferred rental is a 2016 Toyota Sienna in black. It has to have XM Radio and at least a layer of dirt on the floor or stink of river gear.

My dog Oscar cost $25 from the Humane Society of Western Montana and he has brought me endless love.

My mustache was passed down to me by my father, Gregory Gonzales. In my culture, when a boy becomes a man, his father passes down a mustache. It’s like a quinceanera, but for boys. Pretty cool.

You probably don’t know that I am currently aboard a 40-foot sailboat with Baryl aka Daryl. We are bound for Panama over the next three months and I am so pumped. Read more about our trip here: https:// support.firstdescents.org/sailingadventure.

Thank you to every FD participant for giving me so much inspiration over the last six years to get after it. I am so thankful to you all.

Peace, love and PBR,

Pedro