September 12, 2008
I'm Back!
Hello to all in cyber space, I am back from Explorer oblivion. Yes, dear reader (if there are any still out there) I am back. Physically and philosophically.
I'd like to say that its been a wonderful, great summer, but it hasn't. Its been a bit of a struggle. Putting the final emotional nails in the coffin of a bad relationship was a positive thing. Then there was a trip to LA to meet with Mark Warford of Weapons of Mass Entertainment, Seattle to meet with a major IT company, was I in Colorado, too? I'm not quite sure anymore.
The life, my life, is not so glamorous anymore. I spent a big part of the summer just reestablishing myself in my community and working odd jobs to make ends meet. I couldn't help but smile at the irony of doing an interview for Outside Magazine at one minute, then taking a bunch of five year olds for a hike for a local resort.
But the nice thing about being at a low point is that everything else is up. So here I am on the high side of a really big abyss, looking up. The girl was bad news from the start, so its more of a relief to have that chapter closed. The Tech company, while saying no to a financial sponsorship, is looking into other options, Outside Magazine is doing a small feature in the October issue, I'll be in Colorado again (I think) and maybe Hawaii too... I've made some great new friends in the past few months. And surprisingly, I feel good for the first time in a long while.
I just returned from Greenland and Baffin Island. Incredible trip. Incredible people. Amazing sights. See the picture above. Yes, that is a glacier and yes, it is that cool.
Of course, Save the Poles has not been covered in moth balls this whole time. I've been working hard to recruit new team members. Lisa Strom, from Sweden has joined the north pole leg. Hernan Maquieira has joined the South Pole leg.
Speaking of the South Pole, I will also be guiding a trip to the South Pole this winter. Should be fun. Its a shorter, supported route than the route I'll take in 2009 for Save the Poles, but a tough trek none the less - around 750 miles.
Then there is the gear. I've signed on a few new equipment sponsors Ibex and Optic Nerve. I'm continuing my work with Sierra Designs to create a new tent unexpeditionally named, The Big Kev - PT, in honor of a high school adventure buddy who is now married, slightly overweight with kids. Big Kev, the person, is a great friend and I feel lucky to be able to bestow upon his name this honor. Seriously. Consider it an homage to weekend warriors everywhere. The PT part of the name is mostly concerning the arctic and style of the tent - Polar Tunnel.
Facebook has been a bit weird unfortunately. For some reason, my Save the Poles group has been wiped off their data base. I think it has something to do with some give-a-way's that I was doing. But to not be on Facebook is to linger on the edge of oblivion (at least for some of us). Look for a new and improved FB presence in the near future.
What else, let's see... There's obviously a bit more. I was elected as a member to the prestigious Explorer's Club, but since events tickets are priced for the upper end of someone who is a quadrillionaire, I haven't yet attended dinner or lecture.
Global Warming wise there is a lot going on as well. Save the Poles signed on with the Center for Biological Diversity to help support penguin conservation. There is also a climate change curriculum in the works with nationally accredited Wolf Ridge ELC.
And what about little old, yours truly. 37 years now, a little wiser, a few new wrinkles - living in my friend's basement. Other times, living out of my little gas sipping KIA. Again, hardly glitz and glam. Dreams cost is a more current motto. To quote that cheers song, 'making the way in the world today takes everything you've got'.
Still, I am happy and healthy. In Greenland, I found great joy in the vast and untraveled expanses of the Arctic. If nothing else I felt at home. Then, there are the simple pleasures. Friends, family, a cold beer.
I recently heard that that old TV show, The Greatest American Hero is being made into a feature length movie. How cool is that? And since I've taken to quoting 80's TV show theme songs, you know how it goes:
"Believe it or not, I'm walking on air, I never thought I could feel so free ee ee..."
Thanks for making it this far. Bye for now.
I'd like to say that its been a wonderful, great summer, but it hasn't. Its been a bit of a struggle. Putting the final emotional nails in the coffin of a bad relationship was a positive thing. Then there was a trip to LA to meet with Mark Warford of Weapons of Mass Entertainment, Seattle to meet with a major IT company, was I in Colorado, too? I'm not quite sure anymore.
The life, my life, is not so glamorous anymore. I spent a big part of the summer just reestablishing myself in my community and working odd jobs to make ends meet. I couldn't help but smile at the irony of doing an interview for Outside Magazine at one minute, then taking a bunch of five year olds for a hike for a local resort.
But the nice thing about being at a low point is that everything else is up. So here I am on the high side of a really big abyss, looking up. The girl was bad news from the start, so its more of a relief to have that chapter closed. The Tech company, while saying no to a financial sponsorship, is looking into other options, Outside Magazine is doing a small feature in the October issue, I'll be in Colorado again (I think) and maybe Hawaii too... I've made some great new friends in the past few months. And surprisingly, I feel good for the first time in a long while.
I just returned from Greenland and Baffin Island. Incredible trip. Incredible people. Amazing sights. See the picture above. Yes, that is a glacier and yes, it is that cool.
Of course, Save the Poles has not been covered in moth balls this whole time. I've been working hard to recruit new team members. Lisa Strom, from Sweden has joined the north pole leg. Hernan Maquieira has joined the South Pole leg.
Speaking of the South Pole, I will also be guiding a trip to the South Pole this winter. Should be fun. Its a shorter, supported route than the route I'll take in 2009 for Save the Poles, but a tough trek none the less - around 750 miles.
Then there is the gear. I've signed on a few new equipment sponsors Ibex and Optic Nerve. I'm continuing my work with Sierra Designs to create a new tent unexpeditionally named, The Big Kev - PT, in honor of a high school adventure buddy who is now married, slightly overweight with kids. Big Kev, the person, is a great friend and I feel lucky to be able to bestow upon his name this honor. Seriously. Consider it an homage to weekend warriors everywhere. The PT part of the name is mostly concerning the arctic and style of the tent - Polar Tunnel.
Facebook has been a bit weird unfortunately. For some reason, my Save the Poles group has been wiped off their data base. I think it has something to do with some give-a-way's that I was doing. But to not be on Facebook is to linger on the edge of oblivion (at least for some of us). Look for a new and improved FB presence in the near future.
What else, let's see... There's obviously a bit more. I was elected as a member to the prestigious Explorer's Club, but since events tickets are priced for the upper end of someone who is a quadrillionaire, I haven't yet attended dinner or lecture.
Global Warming wise there is a lot going on as well. Save the Poles signed on with the Center for Biological Diversity to help support penguin conservation. There is also a climate change curriculum in the works with nationally accredited Wolf Ridge ELC.
And what about little old, yours truly. 37 years now, a little wiser, a few new wrinkles - living in my friend's basement. Other times, living out of my little gas sipping KIA. Again, hardly glitz and glam. Dreams cost is a more current motto. To quote that cheers song, 'making the way in the world today takes everything you've got'.
Still, I am happy and healthy. In Greenland, I found great joy in the vast and untraveled expanses of the Arctic. If nothing else I felt at home. Then, there are the simple pleasures. Friends, family, a cold beer.
I recently heard that that old TV show, The Greatest American Hero is being made into a feature length movie. How cool is that? And since I've taken to quoting 80's TV show theme songs, you know how it goes:
"Believe it or not, I'm walking on air, I never thought I could feel so free ee ee..."
Thanks for making it this far. Bye for now.