I love swimming holes. SwimmingHoles.org is a very cool site because it is really the only site providing information on outdoor natural swimming and it does so with an amazing breadth.
When I found out that the entire site is run by a couple of guys who do it for free, I wanted to know more. So here is an interview with Tom Hillegrass, owner of SwimmingHoles.org and USCampgrounds.info.
Do you run SwimmingHoles.org and USCampgrounds.info both as nonprofits? If so, why do you run them for free?
That red dot is me at my favorite swimming hole of all time. Click to get a better view.
A. The SwimmingHoles.org web site was started by me and is operated purely as a hobby. It produces no revenue and there is no plan that it ever will. Any promotions that appear on the site are for causes that we believe in.
I now have the help of another devoted swimming hole fan and computer professional – David Hajdasz of Meriden, CT. David has helped me with lots of information and photos over recent years and is now the webmaster for all the New England states.
The USCampgrounds.info web site is run by me only.
Neither web site produces income.
Here is why we do it:
Everyone has hobbies and for us this one fits exactly with the lifestyle we want to live. We love to travel, camp, hike and explore. We keep up with technology: the web, photography, GPS, mapping, communications, etc.. Tom is also a freelance writer and get lots of ideas and material from these travels.
Psychologists will tell you that the urge to collect things is a compulsion that eases some inner anxiety. People collect Beanie Babies and bottle caps – we feel good that our compulsion results in lots of fun information that other people can use!
Also, we just like sharing information we have with other people so they can enjoy also. I guess we just like people.
Do you have any for profit web projects?
A. There is an iPhone/iPad app that uses the USCampgrounds.info database from which we make money. It’s called “campwhere” and is available on iTunes.
Do you have a favorite swimming hole in North Carolina? (my state) How about in the entire US?
A. In NC, I really like Davidson River Campground [for all these links, go to the page and then use your browser to search for the name of the swimming hole] and Carolina Hemlock. In the whole US, I really like Treman State Park in NY and Cougar Hot Springs in OR.
Have you ever known anyone to be attacked by a snapping turtle at a swimming hole?
A. No, I have never heard of this happening. But I think snapping turtles are a problem in some Florida ponds. We don’t have any FL ponds on the site.
Do you have any plans for new websites beyond Swimmingholes.org and USCampgrounds.info?
A. No, they keep me pretty busy.
Have you discovered any interesting new websites or businesses lately?
Here is a great GPS/Mapping web site I use all the time: Adam Schneider’s mapping utilities.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Nick:
Thanks for the interview and the PR.
Tom HIllegass
No problem, Tom!