Outdoor Hams, Inc.

Brian Fleischhauer, KB3QZG, (left) was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. However, since 1988, his family has spent a significant amount of time at Topsail Island, NC. Brian’s affinity for the outdoors emerged early through camping trips, water sports, and participation on sports teams throughout high school and college. In 2006, Brian graduated Magna Cum Laude from West Virginia University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, and he soon thereafter accepted a job in Washington, DC with a multinational electronics company. In 2004, Brian’s parents established their permanent residence at Topsail. On seasonal visits to his parents’ new home, Brian met Mark.

Mark Kelley, KJ4EZV, (right) was born in Whiteville, NC and raised in Raleigh. Mark graduated Magna Cum Laude from NC State University with a BA in US History in May 2008. While Mark has always participated in outdoor activity, his most remarkable outdoor achievement is thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2006. Mark successfully completed the trail in its entirety, hiking from Maine to Georgia, passing through a total of thirteen states over the course of 2174.6 miles and 175 days. On his thru-hike, Mark developed interests in amateur radio and touring the country by bicycle. Eighteen months later, Mark and Brian teamed together, combining a cross-country bike trip with amateur radio, ultimately organizing the Outdoor Hams Transcontinental Bike Ride. The cross-country journey provides them a means to improve the lives of North Carolina adolescents, as well as a means to casually view and further appreciate America.