Redefining Remote

ABOUT THIS SERIES: At Remote Equipment, we make gear that enables people to unplug from a hardwired world. In this series, we look deeper at those creatively redefining what it means to work remotely.

David Herman readily admits there are better places than northern Virginia to be a skibum. A former collegiate ski racer, he's carved turns on some of the country's most famous mountains, snowy areas far from Virginia—places like California, Colorado, Vermont, and Maine.

And while Virginia's mountains might not be the most fertile grounds to be an Alpine ski coach, Herman, 30, does find time to coach and work at races held at Bryce Resort, a ski area just a couple of hours outside of Washington D.C.

For Herman, it's about wringing out the most amount of fun, regardless of the location. As an outdoor writer for hunting publications, he changes locations–a lot. He drags his teardrop camper around the U.S. to hunt, ski, work downhill races at other resorts, and finish his writing assignments.

ABOUT THIS SERIES: At Remote Equipment, we make gear that enables people to unplug from a hardwired world. In this series, we look deeper at those creatively redefining what it means to work remotely.

If you've had to hire somebody for a construction project recently, you know how difficult it can be to find good help. The reason is straight from an ECON 101 lecture: Demand for contractors and their services far outpaces supply.

In central Michigan, Chris Eddy knows exactly what it's like to be in high demand. The 33-year-old is the project manager for a growing company specializing in roofing, siding, gutters, and deck building. He oversees a crew that swells to about 16 people during peak building months ­– days filled with problem-solving, measuring, cutting, estimating, scheduling, and getting back to people who need to hire a contractor.

Eddy doesn't have an office in the traditional sense of the word, and for that he's thankful.

"I start the day by loading up my truck with whatever

ABOUT THIS SERIES: At Remote Equipment, we make gear that enables people to unplug from a hardwired world. In this series, we take a deeper look at those who are creatively redefining what it means to work remotely.

Regan Danner moved into a new office recently. A 2022 Ford F150.

And you'll have to excuse the fact that Danner's new office is often pretty cluttered. As a land surveyor for one of the largest architecture and engineering firms in the Southeast, he needs to bring everything with him, wherever he goes.

That means all the surveying tools required for him to do his job, things like electronic distance measurement instruments, a GPS, and an automatic level. It also means there's an ATV in the bed. In the cab, he'll have a phone charger, a change of clothes, plenty of insect repellent, a cooler, and even a portable microwave.

"I guess I'm a remote worker by default," said the 23-year-old with a laugh. "I like to think of remote as being away from the truck, away from any amenities,

ABOUT THIS SERIES: At Remote Equipment, we make gear that enables people to unplug from a hardwired world. In this series, we look deeper at those creatively redefining what it means to work remotely.

Let's start with a disclaimer: Emily Mendes does indeed work in an office, quite often in the traditional 9-to-5 sense. But that doesn't mean she doesn't also work remotely – and when she does, she conducts business in some truly remarkable places.

            Ah, the joys of working in the world of travel.

            Mendes, 26, works as a Senior Account Manager at Education First Go Ahead Tours, a travel planning company that organizes immersive, experiential itineraries in 87 countries and on all seven continents. Her office is in Cambridge, MA, – essentially Boston – but she spends much of her free time traveling to far-flung places.
            And it’s her job that provides much of the inspiration to travel.
            "My role is pretty evenly divided between sales and then handling

ABOUT THIS SERIES: At Remote Equipment, we make gear that enables people to unplug from a hardwired world. In this series, we take a deeper look at those who are creatively redefining what it means to work remotely. 

In classic Western movies, train tracks play an important role. Bandits hide beside them. Bridges are routinely blown up with dynamite. Somebody gets tied down to them as the smoke from an approaching locomotive appears on the distant horizon.

Marcus Salazar is here to ensure that none of that on-screen drama happens in real life.

Salazar, 33, is a railroad bridge inspector for BNSF, operator of one of the largest freight railroad networks in North America. He's responsible for inspecting some 450 miles of track, from Palmer Lake, Colorado southward to the New Mexico/Texas border. It's a desolate, rugged stretch, home to wide-open skies and unforgiving grasslands. Routine inspections of that lonely stretch of track are vital to ensure that the freight trains playing a key

ABOUT THIS SERIES: At Remote Equipment, we make gear that enables people to unplug from a hardwired world. In this series, we take a deeper look at those who are creatively redefining what it means to work remotely.

There's a spectacular sunset glowing on a late-summer evening on Lake Champlain, and J.D. Blackburn is trying to get some work done. As the sun begins to sink behind New York's Adirondack Mountains, Blackburn lies on his back on the rear of a bass boat, attempting to use the alpenglow to illuminate the "Mercury" lettering on the outboard motor he's taking photographs of.

As workplaces go, Blackburn's is stunning on this particular night. It's been breathtaking for most of the day – a day that saw Blackburn and two friends fishing the big Northeastern lake for more than eight hours. Sure, Blackburn was fishing, but he was working, too.