About Me
I’m Rick Bolin, though people who have known me long enough often call me Rickus. It’s a nickname that dates back to a college debate where I, an agnostic at the time, found myself arguing against the existence of God, and my best friend Jeff, a lifelong Christian, decided that calling me Rickus Theophilus (“Rick the God-Lover”) would be an appropriate bit of irony. The name stuck. The agnosticism didn’t.
I’m a designer, filmmaker, climber, and now, a reluctant fundraiser. By day, I serve as the Director of Communications and Facilities at Mayflower Congregational UCC Church in Oklahoma City. Yes. I know it’s a weird job title. But not as odd as the job itself. When I’m able to find some free time, I work on a documentary about my hometown, train for difficult mountain climbs, and try to avoid embarrassing myself. Sometimes I actually succeed.
The Ridiculously Long-Running Goal
In 1993, some friends and I hiked to the top of Black Mesa, Oklahoma’s highest point. I had driven out there looking for some undiscovered rock climbing routes (spoiler alert: there weren’t any) and, not wanting to waste the trip, we decided to hike up to the summit marker. We found a summit register in an old weathered ammo box when we got there. The Register was filled with the names of people who had made the trek before us.
I was struck by how many of them had come from all over the country to stand on this one spot, which is notable only for being the highest point in the state. That’s when I decided, in what I can now confidently say was a moment of delusional grandeur, that I would reach the highest point in every state.
That was over 30 years ago.
Now, with 48 of the 50 state high points behind me, I am painfully close to finishing. The remaining peaks are Gannett Peak in Wyoming and Mt. Katahdin in Maine. One of them has already defeated me once. (Gannett... It was Gannett. Gannett is a jerk.)
Stuff I Do
Aside from my poor impulse control when it comes to taking on long-term challenges, I am an unrepenant cinephile. With just enough knowledge to get myself in trouble, I began working on a documentary about Pawhuska, Oklahoma, the town where I went to high school, exploring its decline during the 1980s and 90s through the eyes of Generation X. It’s part nostalgia trip, part social commentary, and entirely a labor of love. I have participated in the “48 Hour Film Project” and am currently working with my friend Howard on one of his screenplays.
I also design things, fix things, and occasionally break things in the process of fixing them. My job at Mayflower Congregational UCC allows me to do all three, sometimes simultaneously.
When I’m not doing any of that, I build and launch high-power amateur rockets, because let’s be honest—there’s something deeply satisfying about sending something thousands of feet into the air at the speed of sound and seeing it come back down in one piece (usually).
The Obligatory “Personal Life” Section
I have a beautiful wife, Sophia, who is smarter than me, and two incredible kids, Mari and Noelle, who are also smarter than me. Being the dumb one in the family is something I have come to accept.
I also enjoy hiking, climbing, woodworking, rocketry, getting lost on the dirt roads of Osage county, and generally finding new ways to make my legs sore.
Let’s Connect (Or Give Me Money, Either Works)
If you’re here because you’re curious about my 50-state high-point journey, feel free to follow along on social media. If you’re here because you want to support a guy who has been at this for three decades and is trying to finish the damn thing, you can donate to my GoFundMe. If you just want to say hi, drop me a message.
Or, if you’re really bold, come climb Mt. Katahdin with us when I finally wrap this thing up. All are welcome!