I was following along via Twitter on my phone when I got the ‘tweet’ that Chris Waddell had reached the summit of Kilimanjaro. This accomplishment makes Chris the 1st paraplegic to summit the mountain unassisted. Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world at 19,340 feet.

We know that there will be more info in the coming days surrounding this phenomenal accomplishment and we will update you as we have more info.

Congrats to Chris and the One Revolution team.

The Namib Desert Challenge is back for the second consecutive year and will once again take in the Sossusvlei region from the 21st – 25th February.

The ultimate running adventure – Namib Desert Challenge is a 220Km Footrace over 5 days through the toughest and most scenic terrain which Namibia has to offer. The competitors carry everything they need to survive in their ultra running backpacks and each night they have to reach a designated tented campsite which marks the completion of the stage.

Competitors will challenge each other completely unaided, averaging the equivalent distance of a full marathon each day. There are no route indicators, distance markers or crowds offering support. This is the ultimate test of endurance, each person against the toughest elements on the planet and equipped with only a map and a compass for navigation purposes. Continue Reading

We wanted to publish information for those that may just be entering the fantastic world of adventure sports or interested in branching out to enjoy a new sport. The below post is basic information on gear acquisition for each of three disciplines: mountain biking, paddling and trail running.

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Mountain biking clothing must perform well in any weather allowing the rider to get on with the ride, instead of being hampered by inadequate protection.

Helmets
Mountain bike helmets should be a top priority when buying bicycle clothing and accessories. Protective headgear is a critical part of any type of biking activity, but especially so for mountain biking with its potential for falls.

Shorts
Specifically designed cycling shorts have built in padding that takes much of the discomfort out of riding for long periods.

Gloves
Without gloves, hands become sore from braking and vibrations. Fingerless, padded gloves are recommended.

Jerseys
Jerseys should fit well and have invisible seams to prevent chafing. Fabrics should “wick” moisture away from the skin to the outer layer, where it can dry easily, keeping the rider cool and comfortable.

Cold Weather Riding
A jacket is important for cold, wet weather, compromising water resistance with breathability. Long-sleeved vests can be combined with arm and leg warmers or tights. A woolly hat under the racing helmet and showerproof gloves will also make riding more comfortable.
Continue Reading

GET READY to kick 2010 off with a TURBO adrenalin rush! How about a gruelling challenge set to keep your blood pumping for a whole 10 days!!

The MaD Tuk Tuk Challenge, set to commence on January 20, 2010, is a guaranteed adrenalin rush with a bonus for those forever searching for that perfect HIT!

Teams are expected to pimp up their Tuk Tuks to the max then take to the tracks of Cambodia, crossing 900 km of some of the most unexplored and extreme areas of South East Asia all in name of charity. The route will take the entourage through remote villages where they will set up camp and help communities where need be. This could be repairing a humble dwelling, refurbishing a water-pump or carrying out some basic medical treatment. Whilst helping along the way, each team is also fundraising their Tuk Tuk through sponsorship and donations to reach a combined target of US250K in partnership with Mad Adventures Ltd.

Primary focus of the event is to raise enough funds to continue & expand on MaD’s work in Cambodia and to build & manage their up-coming project in Zimbabwe, which now claims the highest number of orphans per capita in the world.
Continue Reading

We have been following Roz‘s progress on Stage 2 of her solo row across the Pacific. Included here is a highlight video of that journey. We are excited for her as she is back on dry land and already making preparations for the third and final leg in 2010.

Congratulations to Checkpoint Zero/Inov-8 for winning the Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing Series. The team earned 100 points in the final event of the season (Bushwhack Adventure Race) to grab the series prize with a perfect 400 points for the season. Over 100 teams competed in 26 different events throughout the season which began in January. The team has won an all expense paid trip to compete in the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge in the United Arab Emirates in December.

I found this video over at The Adventure Blog of skier Cody Townsend skiing a tight canyon while wearing a helmet camera.

Flashing Hallways from Cody Townsend on Vimeo.

It’s been raining for two weeks in north Texas. In the last 48 hours it’s rained 5 inches. The 2009 USARA 24 Hours National Championship is supposed to take place in and around Lake Ray Roberts. The problem is nobody is exactly sure where the shoreline for Lake Ray Roberts is anymore. UTM coordinates that were once on the shore are now 100 yards out in the lake. The race directors are scrambling around trying to salvage the course. Now the wind is blowing 25 mph and there are whitecaps on the lake.

David, Mary and I are holed up in our room watching countless episodes of Duck Commander and
Whitetail Massacre (OK – first one is real, second one is a guess). I have seen so many ducks blasted from the sky and deer pierced with arrows or lured to a blind with girl deer scent and then dropped in a hail of lead that I am thinking of becoming a vegan.

Not David, he wants to see if the local convenience store sells rifles. Mary is now sleeping up to 16 hours a day and has taken to accusing me of setting alarms just to annoy her. I am re-reading a 4-day old New York Times for the 5th time. The room seems small.

Finally the race directors get a course together that works and tell us to pick up the maps at 5:00 a.m. on race day. A lot of racers are disappointed that the original start, a paddle across the lake, has been canceled and instead we will bike
around it.

I wasn’t one of them.

The Start – 7:09 a.m.
Elapsed Time 00:00
It was dark, windy and cold whenthe gun went off (reflexively Ilooked for the dead deer…). Almost 70 teams poured out from under the start banner and bolted down the driveway of Lantana’s, the host hotel, about 300 yards to where our bikes awaited. With 200 red taillights flashing it looked like we were running into a multiple car pile-up.

Mary, David and I had agreed that we wouldn’t bolt to the bikes. Yeah, right. David is genetically incapable of holding back. I have hit my max heart rate 2 minutes into a 24-hour race more times than I can count. Mary and I stick to the plan and arrive at the bikes a few seconds behind David. We were on the bikes and headed out the long entrance road to Lantana’s, towards the town of Pilot Point.

We grab the wheel of a group that forms in front of us and confirm we are all together. I know we are going to the front of the race in the next few miles; it is all David can do to give us five minutes to warm
up. He is itching to go…

Town of Pilot Point – 7:21 a.m.
Elapsed time: 0 hours 12 minutes
It’s only 3 miles into town and we are there very quickly. We have already bridged up one or two packs
of riders. We hit the crossroads near the center of town; it’s deserted at this hour. Actually it’s deserted at
almost any hour…

We have been keeping tabs on Gracie Sorbello and Matt Burney as they unicycle the entire “Great Divide Cycling Route” to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They began earlier this summer on July 2 and finished last week on September 16. The day after they finished their journey, Gracie posted this thought on their blog:

Thursday, Sept 17, 2009

“It didn’t quite kill us, so i guess we’re… stronger?”

YES, we have finished the Great Divide journey!
YES, we have a big game of media catch-up to play!
NO, I am not recovered!

Early on in the adventure, it became clear to me that riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route on a unicycle would not be a test of technical riding ability; it is a test of will. It tests one’s ability to endure: fatigue, extreme weather, dehydration, pain, etc.

We checked on some of their interesting stats from their adventure.. they amazed and humored us all at the same time!

total route mileage = 2,628.7*
riding days = 67
average daily mileage = 39.2
# of pedal strokes (based on route miles, tire circumference, and squiggle factor) = 3,670,621
most # of saddle sores at one time = 11
total # of continental divide crossings: 32 Continue Reading

Adventurer Profile

Name: Ripley “Doc” Davenport

Location: I live in the country in a little village called Husby, on the Island of Fyn in DENMARK.

Age: 39 (My 40th birthday will be in the Gobi Desert next year).

Occupation: Teacher and Adventurer

Sports: Mountain biking

Athletic Background: The British military got me started. Before then, I was the typical spotty kid that stood around and never really shined in anything related to sports.

Athletic Goals: At the moment my goal is to successfully complete the Mongolia 2010 Expedition solo and unassisted in less than 90 days.
I aim to become more occupied in youth projects especially organisations such as i2P – impossible2possible.com. We need to dissolve the classroom walls and allow students to discover that their dreams and ambitions are within reach. We need good leaders with compassion and vision motivated by a thirst for knowledge.

Athletic Highlights: Each adventure has its highlights and it’s difficult to choose but apart from more personal highlights of achieving a solo unassisted traverse of the Namib and a solo of the Karakum desert back in 1998, I would say that the pinnacle would have been working with a European project to get youth, with disabilities, involved in active sports and adventure in a bid to help them reach personal and physical summits.

Two 11 years olds, Janice Wells suffering Down’s syndrome and Aden Forsham with a prosthetic leg volunteered to join my expedition to climb the Zugspitze in Germany. Two good friends serving in my regiment – Angus Jeffries and Mark Coup offered to assist.

Their determination to achieve new athletic milestones with disabilities inspired many individuals with disabilities, including many veterans with disabilities, to challenge themselves. They achieved their goal and we all reached the summit together, to prove that a person with a disability could do it.

“We were overwhelmed with emotion to see these two kids standing on top of Germany. We all cuddled on the summit. It was very intense.”
That was the start of my journey to help youth reach beyond their limits. We also raised £3650 for charity.

Favorite Workout: Yoga.

What Inspires or Motivates You?: Inspiration comes from the word “No”. If I hear something can’t be done or something has some kind of limitation, I immediately start thinking about how to do it. Mongolia 2010 is a fine example of that.

Favorite Fuel: Nuts, raisins and dried apricots.

Favorite Indulgence: At home: Spaghetti meatballs, spaghetti Bolognaise, pizza, and good whisky. During expeditions: Chocolate, coffee and a miniature bottle of whisky.

Typical Workout: Pulling/hauling 4 car tires over forest track with a 20kg backpack.

What songs are on your MP3 player?:
The Jones Girls – Nights Over Egypt
Air – All I Need
Leroy Hutson – Paradise
This list is endless…

In less than 7 days, Justin DeForest will set out from Hampton Roads, VA to paddle the Intracoastal Waterway to Key West, FL. The route will be broken into 7 sections of about 200 miles each and his plan is to complete each section in approximately one week. The adventure has taken the name Intra-Coastal Expedition (ICE) 2009.

The 35-year-old paddler/adventurer is using the expedition to raise money and awareness for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. He has dubbed the campaign the ‘Penny Paddle Pledge’. The Penny Paddle idea is simple; pledge a penny for each mile DeForest paddles. The estimated mileage for the trip is 1300 so your total contribution would be $13.00. 100% of all contributions will go to the Foundation.

”The Wildland Firefighter Foundation is an organization I respect and support, and this is my way of showing that,” Deforest said. “By kayaking down the Atlantic coastline I will be able to interact with local communities and spread the word about the foundation. There are very few places in the country not affected by wildfire, be it southern California or the coast of South Carolina.”
Continue Reading

An Australian city has voted to collectively eliminate its dependence on disposable water bottles and promote the use of reusable water bottles and filtered water stations throughout the town. Bundanoon is a small town located about 90 miles southwest of Sydney in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. The businesses and residents of Bundanoon voted overwhelmingly in July to take this stand against the bottles and for the environment. This initiative will make the town Australia’s First Bottled Water Free Community (and possible the world’s first as well). The initiative has been named ‘Bundy on Tap‘ as the city is expanding its filtered drinking water facilities. Businesses will have reusable bottles for sale and there will be more free filtered water stations (or ‘bubblers) for the public.

CamelBak has partnered with Bundanoon and will be the first reusable water bottle filled with tap water at the kickoff celebration this Saturday, September 26. Camelbak will be donating 2000 BPA-free reusable water bottles to the town and its businesses.

The kickoff celebration will begin at 10 a.m. this Saturday for the ‘Bundy on Tap’ initiative will include a town procession to officially turn on the tap at three new water stations where residents can fill their reusable water bottles for free.

“The residents of Bundanoon have a great reason to celebrate. Their switch to reusable water bottles will help them save money, reduce waste and protect the environment. These are three crucial issues that all municipalities must face,” said Sally McCoy, CEO for CamelBak. “As a company committed to making disposable water bottles obsolete, CamelBak was inspired by Bundanoon’s bold move, and we’re proud to be a part of their ground-breaking cause.”

For more information, contact Huw Kingston at huw@bundyontap.com.au or visit www.bundyontap.com.au.

Are you looking for something new that is beyond the ordinary and out of this world? We believe that we have found it. The Rickshaw Challenge allows teams of 1-3 people the opportunity to drive an auto rickshaw along a specified route throughout the heart of India. The auto rickshaw is a 3-wheeled vehicle with a two-stroke engine.

The event was first conceived in 2006 by Aravind Bremanandam who wanted to create an event that would take participants on a unique adventure while helping India’s less privileged. Participants are encouraged to raise funds of at least $2100 to contribute to this charity event. Many of the charity projects that are undertaken help to build schools which participants get to see along the course of the Rickshaw Challenge.

There are currently 4 Rickshaw Challenge events taking place in India. The next event is the CLASSIC RUN (December 29, 2009 – January 8, 2010, 11 Days) and will follow a route through Tamil Nadu in South-eastern India. With your intrepid team of challengers, you will pilot a 7-stage course that will take you on journey of over 1,000 kilometres (roughly 590 miles). Your auto rickshaw will traverse a wide multitude of roads and changing weather through the exotic Indian countryside. The route will take you from Chennai to Kanniyakumari. Continue Reading

In 2007, Freya Hoffmeister circumnavigated Iceland in a record 33 days. Three month later, she set out to become the first woman to round the South Island of New Zealand, solo and unsupported. Seventy days later, the 43-year-old sea kayaker from Husum, Germany completed another record-setting trip!

So, what’s next for the paddler, known as “The Woman in Black”?.. The Race Around Australia Expedition.

Expected to take her roughly one year, the 9,400 mile (15.000 km) journey around the southern continent is considered one of, if not the, most challenging trip in the world of sea kayaking. While there have been dozens of attempts, if Freya makes it, she’ll become the first woman to complete the journey and only the second person since Paul Caffyn, her friend and mentor, did it 27 years ago.

What makes it so formidable?

Huge salt water crocodiles, Great White sharks, venomous sea snakes and deadly jelly fish, massive surf, exposed crossings, the challenge of coordinating freshwater and food dumps, hundreds of kilometres of sheer cliffs without any landing zones and destroying cyclones are some of the most daunting treats – not to mention the tropical heat and physical toll it will take to average upwards of 35 miles (~ 60 km) per day for one year.
Continue Reading

We’re aiming to get interviews with each North American team competing in the AR World Championships in Portugal this November. Cyril from the California based team “nuun-FeedTheMachine” is usually busy training or growing his endurance sports nutrition store, FeedTheMachine, but he carved out some time for us earlier this month . . .

nuun-FeedTheMachine was impressive in 2008, finishing in 6th place at the World Championships in Brazil.  How psyched are you to race in Portugal this year?

Cyril: “The World Championships regroup the highest concentration of the best international teams. The energy that results is incredible and it brings out the best in our team. We love to race against the best, because it clearly lets us know where we stand. There is no pretending at the World Championships!”

Continue Reading

Chris Waddell is the most decorated male skier in Paralympic history. A 1988 skiing accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. Determined to get back on the slopes, he began skiing on a monoski roughly one year later. A little more than two years later, Waddell was named to the US Disabled Ski Team.

Now he’s planning to set another record. At 19,340 feet, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. Waddell will attempt the first paraplegic summit of Kilimanjaro in the fall of 2009 with a team of experienced colleagues and a camera crew dedicated to documenting the historic climb. Although Kilimanjaro is considered a “walkable” mountain, typical features such as logs and large rocks prove threatening obstacles for Waddell’s journey the summit.

Waddell will summit Kilimanjaro in the appropriately named Bomba, a one-of-a-kind, 4-wheel handcycle propelled entirely be arm power. The unique handcycle steers 2 ways, via traditional hand bars and through a special pedal that sits under the chest.

“I hope my climb will make us see some of the 21+ million disabled people in the world in a whole new way,” says Waddell.

Chris has landed in Africa and is currently awaiting the arrival of the remainder of his gear before setting out towards the peak on the 24th. He plans to reach the summit by the 28th. Continue checking back as we will be posting updates in the coming days about the expedition.

This is the first in a series of videos that we will post from this year’s PQ Badlands. Thanks to Randy Ericksen for these clips.

Jacqueline Windh sent us this short video of British Columbian adventure racer and endurance athlete Jen Segger’s amazing expedition to travel the length of Vancouver Island. The entire adventure was done non-stop by foot and bike over 4 days and 750km between August 24-28, 2009.

Video by Jacqueline Windh.

My training program
As I said, I started to train for Mongolia 2010 way back in October 2008 but even before then I was always working out. I have given myself ample time to get conditioned both mentally and physically for this expedition.

I believe in taking things slowly and not overexert my body. I have measured goals that give measured challenges. I may readjust my objective as I go along to suit the body.

THE WEEKLY PLAN

MONDAY

Push ups
Shoulder shrugs
Sit ups
Pulsing Squat
Crunches
Gluts / Hip Flexor Cable Pull
Hamstring Curl Continue Reading

CURRENT WEEKLY TRAINING PROGRAM

Below is the current weekly training program. This intensifies in the run up to the expedition.

PERSONAL TRAINER: RAY ZAHAB

Introduction
Physical training for the Mongolia 2010 Expedition commenced in October 2008. It’s my idea that the better I am prepared for this challenging expedition the safer and more worthwhile it will be.

Getting fit is one of the cheapest parts of my expedition – running, walking, mountain biking, pulling old car tires, yoga and lifting anything heavy is free! I also believe in spending time testing equipment, especially what I plan to use in Mongolia, and myself in cold or warm situations. Mongolia will throw some ruthless weather my way.

I entertain no illusions. I know Mongolia 2010 will be very physically and mentally demanding. Getting fit and staying motivated is the solution.

A very respectable friend, personal trainer and key source of inspiration is Ray Zahab. The knowledge he provides is invaluable.

Ray has customized a work-out to the type of activity I will be doing in Mongolia, and while I can simulate some activities (like walking and car tire pulling) there is no substitute for getting outside and experiencing genuine conditions – wind, rain, snow, mud and a full backpack!

These work-outs give me the edge physically, they will also prime my mind and body mentally for the expedition. It’s no good doing all my training in a nice well furnished and air conditioned Gym, for a desert expedition, surrounded by flat screen TV’s and lively music.
Continue Reading

More people than ever before turned up on Sandbanks beach in Poole this weekend (11-13 September) for this year’s Animal Windfest 2009. The free watersports and extreme sports event hit the beach and saw an estimated 15,000 people visiting over the course of the three days.

Keeping the audiences entertained were some of the biggest names from windsurfing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, mountain biking and Thundercat racing. One of those attending was kitesurfer, Andy Ward, who is on the cusp of his attempt to cross the channel from Alderney to Poole – a 70 mile journey that will see him sail into the record books if he completes it.

Day One

The weekend started with a combination of awesome wind and bright sunny skies, prompting pros and organisers alike to proclaim it “the best conditions Windfest has ever had.” But it was on dry land where the action first started. Four-time “British Biketrial Champion” and former “World Expert Biketrial Champion”, Martyn Ashton wowed audiences with his tricks on a mountain bike. His young protégé, Sam Pilgrim assisted in upping the ante by jumping high, while audiences’ jaws dropped!

Also on hand to entertain were the pro wakeboarders. Stars such as Matt Crowhurst, Steph Caller and Jonty Green grabbed, flipped and occasionally slipped over a selection of gap rails, bringing cries of admiration and alarm from fans.
Continue Reading

Team Salomon/Crested Butte finished in second place overall at this year’s Primal Quest Badlands. This year’s team was comprised of Jari Kirkland, Eric Sullivan (Sully), Jon Brown (JB) and Travis Macy (on Team Merrell/Zanfel Adventure in Primal Quest Montana-2008). We have asked several teams to send us their gear lists which satisfied the PQ mandatory list requirements.

Primal Quest Mandatory Safety Equipment (per person):

Backpack: Salomon Raid
Headlamp: AYUP
Lightweight Long pants and Long-sleeved shirt: Salomon tights, light-weight Salomon longsleeve
Waterproof shell jacket and pants: Salomon Goretex Paclite
Fleece top: Salomon
Sunglasses: Rudy Project
Shoes: Salomon XT Wings
Continue Reading