LONDON — L3 Adventures officially completed the full opening of London’s newest outdoor survival retail store with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 24th.
L3 Adventures brings camping, hiking, kayaking gear and other standard survival and novelty gear to Trie County where locals previously had to travel all the way to Lexington to get it right. I promise.
The store is run by Stephen Jones, and his story of how he got to where he is now adds an extra layer of intrigue to the already coveted retail store.
Jones was a law student in Eastern Kentucky. He later admitted that he hated it when he decided to go on a kayaking trip with his friends that would change the trajectory of his life forever.
As he was eating more than he could chew, the pitch’s rapids capsized his kayak and Jones hit his head on an underwater rock. After the ordeal, he was fine, but there remained a more pressing problem.
“It’s been a long night,” said Jones. “All our gear got wet and it got down to about 40 degrees that night. I tried to dry everything by the fire, but it didn’t work, there were also some random chainsaws in the secluded background.”
The next morning the snow melted and the river swelled, so the group hiked all the next morning. In the end, the hike was about 6 hours, and the group lugged all their gear and kayaks while facing fatigue and hunger.
This experience, along with his own emergency medical training experience, led Jones to open L3 Adventures, with plans to offer basic wilderness survival classes in the future, if possible.
“I trained in New Hampshire as a wilderness paramedic,” he said. “I’m licensed he’s not an EMT Instructor, but he can get a First Aid Instructor. [certification] No problem, practically everyone gets First Aid CPR certification. You can also teach them how to make stick splints, canoe paddles, sweatshirts, leash femoral traction devices, and some medicinal herbs. It seems so, but only basic safety. Many people are advised to stay away from this animal, what to do if a bear approaches, and other basic things like how to start a fire, shelter from a tarp, and basic bushing.
Jones hopes his business, like any business, will bring him money, but hopes it will be good for the community and can fill a much-needed hole in the area. I said I was.
“I’m just trying to help the community. This is something we don’t really have around here, and I think it’s good business,” he said. You have to make a living, but I sell everything at retail price.The prices should be about the same if you find them in my store and online.”
His accident put him on the road to L3 Adventure, but Jones said he hiked at Woods Creek the week before the ribbon-cutting and still has time to traverse outdoors.
As for kayaking, he has been kayaking the Rockcastle River since his accident, but has yet to return to overcome the rapids on the pitch.It has not been [back there]. I don’t like water. I still don’t like water. ”
Jones commented that he’ll probably return one day and conquer his old enemies, but in the meantime he still has other plans to improve the community beyond just opening a shop.
“What I really want to do is possibly buy a kayak livery next year. My sister ran Rockcastle Adventures Kayak Rentals and I would like to buy the property,” he said. said. “Then I’d like to create a scout group like Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, but actually teaching survival skills, not just how to sell cookies and popcorn. The town has CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).” There’s a wonderful program called, and if I can work with disadvantaged children and take them out and make them think, maybe I’ll take a break.”
In the meantime, L3 Adventures continues to support the local community and all of its trails, rivers and lakes that make the area an attractive place to live, and looks to be doing well in its first year of business. is.
Jones commented that the website is expected to launch in a few weeks, but anyone can stop by at 1022 North Mill Street anytime. L3 Adventures is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM.