One testament to the company ’ s connectivity powers : 35 marriages have resulted from employees who met through All-Outdoors , says Scott , 58 , the youngest child of George and Dolores and the company ’ s operations manager .
“ The legacy that George started is so remarkable , not just with his own family , but through the generations of people who have been introduced to rivers here in California ,” says Peggy Lindsay , 65 , who is half of one of the earliest married couples who connected through All-Outdoors . She met Craig Lindsay in 1979 when they worked as guides on the Stanislaus River , eventually marrying in 1985 . ( The couple maintains houses in both Lotus and Truckee , where Craig runs Lindsay Construction .)
“ We met on a river , we live on a river , and both of our boys ( Walker and Carson ) are named after rivers ,” Peggy says , adding that many of the couple ’ s friends they met in the 1970s are still good friends today . Craig agrees , saying , “ Once you fall in love with running rivers , you never stop .”
All-Outdoors took shape in Walnut Creek in the early 1960s when George Armstrong , a teacher at Mount Diablo High School , sought to expose his students and youngest two children to a life outdoors . After a chance meeting on the Stanislaus River with rafting pioneer Bryce Whitmore , Armstrong purchased one of Whitmore ’ s boats , creating a longtime friendship that helped launch Armstrong ’ s passion for preserving rivers .
Dolores Armstrong passed away in 2006 after 57 years of marriage , but George remains involved in the business at age 94 from his home office in Walnut Creek . All of his children , including Gregg , 66 , who currently helps Scott with marketing and other administrative duties , worked at All-Outdoors , now operated from the
Lotus facility that includes several administrative buildings , a bus fleet to transport rafters , and a put-in location on the river .
Trey Armstrong , 23 , is one example of how the generations have carried All-Outdoors through the years . He has worked full-time for the company since 2019 , doing a variety of jobs administratively and on the water , after receiving a bachelor ’ s degree in business administration from Biola University in La Mirada . His father , Randy , who ’ s a physician in Sacramento , still comes up on the weekends to drive a bus for the company .
“ Throughout the years , my brothers and I and cousins all worked at All- Outdoors doing various jobs , either in the office or on the river ,” he says , adding that his father often jokes that his “ real job ” is driving an All-Outdoors bus .
“ It ’ s been a great pleasure of mine . Not just being on the rivers , but seeing the people that we ’ ve been intertwined with all along the way ."
George Armstrong , founder , All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting
Trey Armstrong prepares a group for a trip before they venture out on the South Fork of the American River . Trey ’ s father , Randy Armstrong , is a physician who also drives a bus for All-Outdoors on weekends .
July 2021 | comstocksmag . com 19