The Pursuit Zone (Paul Schmid)

It took Cindy Abbott 14 years to discover she has a rare and potentially life-threatening disease called Wegener’s granulomatosis. Despite this, she summitted Mount Everest and wrote a book about it titled Reaching Beyond the Clouds. She is currently training to run the 2015 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, trying to become the first women to both summit Everest and complete the 1000-mile Iditarod. Cindy is producing a documentary film about her Iditarod adventure to raise awareness of rare diseases and you can learn more at her website reachingbeyondtheclouds.com. Cindy Abbott, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Jack Hawkins is a freelance travel writer from New Brunswick Canada. He recently discovered cycle touring and has been building his kit in preparation for a 2015 cross-Canada tour. He writes about learning to become a bicycle tourist at his website jackonabike.ca with plans to include gear reviews, interviews and more. Jack Hawkins, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

On April 4^th, 2013, my next guests completed an 11,700 mile journey across North America by kayak, canoe, and dogsled.  It was a 3-year journey to gain support and protection for North America’s waterways and wild places.  During their adventure they actively engaged over 25,000 elementary and middle school students though live school assemblies and their website wildernessclassroom.com.  Dave and Amy Freeman, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In the summer of 2017 Daniel Alvarez finished a very long walk across Europe.  He started at the top of Norway and continued south across Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, Spain, and Portugal following various trails including Sweden’s Kungsleden and the Camino de Santiago.  It was a year-long journey covering over 6,000 miles and he writes about this adventure and others at his website predictablylost.com.  Daniel previously appeared in episode 5 talking about his long-distance kayaking adventure from Minnesota to Florida.  Daniel Alvarez, welcome back to the show.

• Show Notes:
• Garmin InReach
• REI Backpack
• Tarp Tent
• Gaia GPS App
• Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bag
• YouTube Reindeer video
• PowerDirector App

Dan Hobbs climbed 57 Colorado peaks in 25 days to raise money for Save the Children, a charity that helps poor and afflicted children in the US and around the world.  All the peaks were over 14,000 feet and 17 of them required class 3 to 5 technical climbing skills.  That’s 400 miles and 160,000 vertical feet of hiking and climbing using many non-traditional routes and peak-to-peak traverses.  You can learn more about his challenging adventure at rundanrun.org.  Dan Hobbs, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

At the age of 22 she had a spinal injury that ended her dreams of becoming an athlete.  Through a lot of pain, disappointment and treatment she slowly got better.  Two years later she wanted to prove to herself that she could still achieve big goals so she set out to cycle the Iron Curtain Trail also known as Eurovelo 13.  The route took her from Norway on the Barents Sea through 19 countries ending on the Black Sea at the Turkish-Bulgarian border.  It was 5 months and 5,600 miles of cycling a diverse range of landscapes, cultures, and climates.  You can read more about her adventure at cyclingtheironcurtain.wordpress.com.  Laura Scott, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

After working and hitchhiking around Australia for 2 years, he bought a bike and spent 3 months cycling around New Zealand.  He then cycled back to his home in England starting in Papua New Guinea where he came down with Dengue fever and was chased by men wielding machetes.  After working 16 months in England, the cycling adventure continued through Northern Europe before riding south into the Balkans.  In December 2018 he rode into the Middle East and onward into North Africa.  Currently in Tanzania, he is just over halfway to his goal of cycling 100,000 km through 100 countries on 6 continents.  Part of his adventure is to raise funds for Build Africa, a UK charity working to fight poverty in Kenya and Uganda by using education to combat inequality.  You can learn more about his adventures at his website tristanridley.com.  Tristan Ridley, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

For Felicity Aston, Antarctica has been a constant thread running through her life.  From time spent as a scientist at the Rothera research station to leading an expedition of eight women on a 38-day ski expedition to the South Pole.  In 2012, Felicity returned to Antarctica to test her mental stamina on a 59-day, 1,744 km expedition across the continent from the Leverett Glacier to Hercules Inlet making her the first women to cross the continent solo.  You can learn more in her book titled Alone in Antarctica and from her website felicityaston.co.uk.  Felicity Aston, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Christine Ka’aloa runs the YouTube channel GrrrlTraveler.  It’s a channel that takes you inside her solo travel adventures around the world.  Before YouTube, she lived in New York City for over 8 years, working in tv and video production including working with MTV.  When the economy slowed in 2009, she decided to take a gap year to travel abroad.  She spent time living in South Korea teaching English before spending 7 months backpacking in India and SE Asia.  She also runs a companion travel blog at GrrrlTraveler.com where you can learn more about her travels.  Christine Ka’aloa, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

We’re back with our 3rd podcast with Brian Schilling and Robin Kerber who are cycling westward on the TransAmerica Trail and writing about it at crazyguyonabike.com.

As a child, Bria Schurke traveled to Eastern Russia 10 times, first setting foot in Siberia at age four while visiting her father’s expeditions.  As a first grader she went to the North Pole and grew up among sled dogs near Ely, MN learning to be a musher and becoming an accomplished Nordic skier.  Bria has worked at medical facilities in India, Kenya, and Somalia and has worked as an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School.  In June of 2013, Bria returned to Russia with Alexander Martin as the two set out on a 2900 km canoeing expedition in northern Mongolia, central Siberia, and Far Eastern Russia as part of their Asia Rivers Expedition.  You can learn more about their adventure at facebook.com/AsiaRiversExpedition.  Bria Schurke, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

At age 15 he emigrated with his parents from Romania to Montreal Canada.  He studied software engineering at University, but after graduation he decided to take another path in life.  He left on a 9-month adventure to cycle the Americas from the top of Alaska to the bottom of South America, a 34,000 km journey that ultimately lasted more than 3 years.  For this he was awarded the European Adventurer of the year in 2018.  You can learn more at his website radupaltineanu.com.  Radu Păltineanu, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Emma Burgeson and Mitzi Peine were the first female team to compete in the Yukon 1000. It’s the world’s longest paddling race on the Yukon River from Whitehorse, Yukon to a remote Alaska Pipeline crossing near Fairbanks, Alaska. The two are avid paddlers and explorers of the wilderness and met four years ago on a 6-week canoe trip on the Anderson River in the Canadian Arctic. Competing in the tandem canoe category, their team name was The Paddlin Madelines and you can learn more at their Facebook page mitziandemmayukon1000 and at yukon1000.com. Emma Burgeson, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

After a 9000 km cycling adventure across Africa, Davey du Plessis set his sights on his next adventure, an unsupported solo source-to-sea expedition of the Amazon River.  In 2012, with the first two stages of the Amazon expedition behind him, Davey set out to kayak the remaining 5700 km to the Atlantic Ocean.  This final stage, however, would not be completed because Davey was ambushed in the Peruvian jungle, shot 4 times with a shotgun.  He managed to escape, despite his serious injuries, and find help from the locals that ultimately saved his life.  You can read about his incredible ordeal in his book titled Choosing to Live and from his website daveyduplessis.com.  Davey du Plessis, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

While in college at Iowa State University, my next guest teamed up to design and install a water valve for a rural Malian village.  It was a life-changing experience.  After graduation he volunteered for the Peace Corps in Nicaragua and while there co-founded Emerging Opportunities for Sustainability (www.eosinternational.org) – a not-for-profit organization dedicated to producing technology that is low-cost, promotes health and welfare, and minimizes damage to the environment.  In 2012, he was awarded the STATEment Makers honor from the Iowa State Alumni Association for his early personal and professional accomplishments.  Wes Meier, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Beeline Britain is a straight route heading northeast from Lands End to John ‘O’ Groats. The journey is mostly by sea kayak, but also by cycle and by hiking through the Cairngorms mountain range. It was 1,100 km completed in 28 days by a team of four consisting of Ian O’Grady, Nick Beighton, Adam Harmer, and Tori James. On their way they set the record for the longest sea kayak crossing in UK waters requiring 34 hours of non-stop paddling. They were raising funds for BLESMA, a charity that supports veterans who have lost limbs or eyesight in the service of their country and you can read more about their adventure at BeelineBritain.com. Ian O’Grady, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Scott Mestrezat is the first person to Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) the Missouri River, from June to September of 2013, starting at its headwaters in Montana and ending in St. Louis Missouri.  He traveled self-supported on a board he constructed.  It was 107 days and 2400 miles of lakes, river, wind, and heat.  You can learn more about his adventure at missouririversup.com.  Scott Mestrezat welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

She cycled away from her hometown of Sundsvall Sweden in the early spring of 2015 with the goal to cycle around the world and to experience foreign lands and cultures.  She wanted to overcome the personal challenges of riding into the ruthless headwinds, the freezing cold, the tormenting heat and be able to say in the end, “Girl.  You actually did it.”  But this bike ramble was also something bigger – a fundraiser in support of ActionAid, an organization defending the human rights of the world’s most vulnerable girls and woman.  After 33 months, 51,000 km, and 45 countries she accomplished her mission and you can learn more about it at thebikeramble.com.  Fredrika Ek, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Photos by Martijn Doolaard at espiritu-libre.com.

Ben (left) and James

In 2015 Benjamin Sadd and James Trundle decided to have an adventure and make a film.  They wanted to build on their previous journeys and do something on a grander scale so they came up with the idea of building a dugout canoe.  They traveled to the Ecuadorian Amazon, lived in an indigenous community that helped them build the canoe, then launched it into a river and continued their adventure through Ecuador's Yasuni region - one of the most biodiverse areas of the world.  These 2 months are captured in their award-winning film DugOut - An Amazon Adventure which you can find online at vimeo.com  You can learn more about Benjamin at trailtoanywhere.com and more about James at jamestrundle.com.  Ben and James, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

William Shears on left

Having never ridden a motorcycle, William Shears traveled to Vietnam to begin a roughly 1,200-mile motorbike adventure from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh.  He bought a second hand 110cc Honda he called Black Rose and set off on the Ho Chi Minh Highway with a camera to capture the journey. You’ll find it on YouTube in a video titled How to Motorbike Vietnam and you can learn more about William at his website williamshears.co.uk.  William Shears, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In November of 2014, Charlie Walker completed a 43,000 mile cycling adventure through 61 countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. It was a 4.5 year expedition that began in England on a secondhand bike he called Old Geoff. As part of the journey, Charlie also trekked 1,000 miles across the Gobi Desert from Beijing to Ulaan Baatar, rode a horse 600 miles across the Mongolian steppe, and paddled a dugout canoe down 350 miles of the Lulua River in the Congo. You can learn more about his adventure and the charities he is supporting at charliewalkerexplore.co.uk. Charlie Walker, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Laura Dekker was born on a boat and from a young age dreamed of sailing the globe.  With the support of her parents she was ready to set sail at age 13 only to be stopped by Dutch authorities.  After the legal battles ended, she won her fight and set off on her solo journey at age 14.  366 days later, she successfully completed her solo circumnavigation in January of 2012 and became the youngest person to do so.  She now calls New Zealand her home and has written a book about her adventures titled A Girl A Dream.  Learn more at LauraDekker.com  Laura Dekker, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

June 2018 will be the second time Ralph Karsten starts the Tour Divide at the Grand Depart in Banff Canada.  The Tour Divide is an annual self-supported mountain bike race that follows the nearly 2,700-mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Route from Canada to the Mexican border.  Ralph also enjoys primitive camping, practicing survival skills, and flying hang-gliders.  Ralph Karsten, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

• Show Notes:
• Tour Divide
• Bikepacking.net
• Ride the Divide movie
• Inspired to Ride movie
• The Lake Pepin 3-Speed Tour
• Born to Run
• Jones Bikes
• Banff Airporter
• Salsa Cutthroat
• ZPacks Hexamid
• REI
• Garmin eTrex
• Spot locator
• Colorado Trail
• Arizona Trail
• Black Hills Expedition
• MTBCast
• Adventure Cycling Association
• Mike Hall
• Alessi brothers on YouTube
• Atma-Sphere

In February 2018, architects Guylee Simmonds and David Schnabel bought a marine survival lifeboat and spent a year converting it for a four-month, 5000 km voyage to the Arctic.  Along with a dog named Shackleton, they traveled from the UK to Tromsø, the largest city in the Arctic, situated far north in the Norwegian Fjords.  The aim of the expedition was to design a self-sufficient boat capable of taking on the harsh environments, explore the wild and isolated Arctic landscape, and document the adventure through photography and film.  You can learn more at the website arctic-lifeboat.com.  Guylee and David, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

He is on a mission to use human power to reach the peaks of the seven summits.  After cycling to Nepal and summiting Mt. Everest in 2016, he set out on a new adventure to reach the top of Carstensz Pyramid, the highest peak of Mount Carstensz in the Popua Province of Indonesia.  He began on bicycle from Nepal, crossing India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and ending 9,000 km later in East Java Indonesia.  From there he continued by rowboat another 4,000 km to Papua Province, but because of local violence, he had to hitch a helicopter ride with a climbing expedition team to cover the final 70 km.  It was 2.5 years of training, preparing, cycling and rowing to reach the summit.  You can learn more about his adventures at his website jelleveyt.be.  Jelle Veyt, welcome back to the show.

The Great Plains Trail is a recently established long distance hiking trail in the US.  It stretches for 2,200 miles from the desert of west Texas to the Montana Canadian border.  It crosses 3 National Parks, 3 National Monuments, 10 National Forests and Grasslands, 5 State High Points, and 15 State Parks.  Luke Jordan spent 85 days on the trail in 2016, becoming the first person to thru-hike it.  You can learn more about the trail at greatplainstrail.org and more about Luke at stridernct.com.  Luke previously appeared in episode 30 talking about his thru-hike of the North Country Trail.  Luke Jordan, welcome back to the show.

For Tim and Linda, it’s been over 400 days on the road so far since cycling away from Europe in the spring of 2018.  Some of the highlights include a month through Turkey, riding through the Pamir mountains in Tajikistan, and cycling for 3 months in China.  You can learn more about their adventure at pedallingtheplanet.wordpress.com.  Tim and Linda, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

• The Adventure Cycle Touring handbook
• Why Don't You Fly? Backdoor to Beijing by Bicycle

In her book, Paddlenorth: Adventure, Resilience, and Renewal in the Arctic Wild, Jennifer Kingsley tells the story of her 54-day canoe journey on the Back River to the Arctic Ocean in Canada’s Nunavut Territory. With 3 canoes and 5 companions, the team struggles with the river rapids, the weather, and group dynamics. You can learn more about this 1,000 km canoe expedition at her website jenniferkingsley.ca. Jennifer Kingsley, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

He lives a life of adventure as a travel writer and broadcast journalist, reporting from over 100 countries in the past decade.  Back in 2016 he sailed and cycled from China to London in 133 days.  The main legs of this journey were a 28-day yacht race across the North Pacific then cycling across the USA in 49 days before getting back into the race on a different crew and sailing 11 days across the North Atlantic from New York to Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland.  His latest creation is a video series titled Earth Cycle.  In the first season he cycles 2000 miles in Norway and Sweden, interviewing locals and shining a light on environmental issues.  You can learn more about Simon at simonwparker.co.uk.  Simon Parker, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Simon's TedX Talk

BBC Radio Documentary for the Sailing & Cycling Adventure

In 2009, Tyler Fish and John Huston became the first Americans to ski unsupported to the North Pole. It took 55 days to travel more than 500 miles starting from Ward Hunt Island. They pulled and pushed their heavy sleds over sand-like snow, giant ice-rubble fields, and through stretches of open water. To avoid deadly mistakes in the sub-zero temperatures, their motto was slow and steady until the last few days when they had to ski nearly nonstop to make headway against the constantly shifting ice. The expedition is documented in their book Forward and you can learn more at forwardexpeditions.com. Tyler Fish, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Brenda Piekarski is the founder of Adventure Minnesota Films. It is a group of professional freelance filmmakers producing films focused on outdoor adventure sports in the beautiful state of Minnesota. Their first project is titled Among the Wild – The Arrowhead 135. It tells the story of 3 athletes competing in the one of the toughest winter ultra races on the planet and you can learn more at amongthewild.com. Brenda Piekarski, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Death Valley National Park on the California Nevada border is the hottest, driest and lowest of all the US national parks.  It is also the largest National Park in the lower 48 with a diverse environment of sand dunes, salt flats, mountains and valleys.  For three years beginning in 2015, Roland Banas tried and failed 4 times to cross the park solo and unsupported.  In December 2018 he began his 5^th attempt.  Starting out with a 85-pound pack of food, water and gear, Roland finally completed the trek in 6 days, 23 hours and 55 minutes covering a distance of 166 miles.  Roland has written about his adventure at explorersweb.com.  Roland Banas, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

West Hansen first paddled the Amazon at the 2008 Great River Amazon Raft Race in Peru.  Their team won the race and set a new record in the process.  On the flight home to Texas, West read the book Running the Amazon by Joe Kane and got hooked on the idea of paddling the entire river.  He started planning the next year and by August 2012 was back in Peru to begin his Amazon Express expedition.  His goal for the expedition was to be the first person to kayak the Amazon River from it furthest source to the Atlantic Ocean.  You can learn more about the adventure at theamazonexpress2012.com.  West Hansen, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

A lifelong love of sailing and adventure has taken Katherine Knight all over the world, from Iceland to Canada, the arctic and Cape Horn.  Her home, with her partner Eric, is a 50ft expedition yacht called Narwhal.  This past year they set sail on an amazing journey from Scotland across the arctic circle to Norway.  Their expeditions also devote time to Clean Up the Arctic, removing large amounts of trash from the beautiful arctic waters.  Katherine is also passionate about empowering people to get beyond their doorstep and fall in love with adventure.  You can learn more about the Narwhal and their sailing expeditions at narwhalexpeditions.com.  Katherine Knight, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Film link ‘The Adventure Itinerary’ https://vimeo.com/306564120#at=2

In the summer of 2010, Leigh Timmis pedaled away from his home in England to begin an around the world cycling adventure. Somewhere along the way he realized that cycling every painstaking and dangerous mile of the journey is not as important as enjoying it. Leigh cycled in support of the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, a charity that provides week-long holidays to children in need. After 7 years Leigh wrapped up his adventure a few days ago and you can learn more about it at his website pedal360.com. Leigh Timmis, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Out of almost 200 applicants, Hollie Woodhouse along with 3 other young explorers were selected to take on the 2018 Antarctic Heritage Trust Inspiring Explorers’ Expedition – a 560-kilometer crossing of the Greenland ice cap on skis in tribute to Fridtjof Nansen, the renowned polar explorer and humanitarian, who completed the first crossing of Greenland 130 years prior.  Their team battled hurricane conditions, heavy snowfalls and illness, but after starting on the west coast on May 4th they arrived in the east coast village of Tasiilaq on June 1st.  Hollie is also the creator of Say Yes To Adventure magazine. It's filled with inspiring adventure stories and photos.  You can learn more about Hollie and her adventures at holliewoodhouse.com.  Hollie Woodhouse, welcome back to the show.

The Great Himalaya Trail is one of the highest and longest trails in the world.  Between April and June of 2013, Doc McKerr became the first person to solo trek the Great Himalayan Trail on a 65 day, 1480 km trek in Nepal from east to west.  His route took him through some of the world’s most amazing and difficult landscapes as he trekked through Himalayan foothills, forests, jungles, and remote villages.  In total he passed over thirteen 5000+ meter passes and reached two 5000+ meter base camps while exposed to all kinds of weather conditions.  You can learn more about his adventure at east2westnepal.org.  Doc McKerr, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Tom Denniss began his lap around the world on December 31st, 2011 in Sydney Australia. Over the next 21 months, with the help of a small support crew, he ran across 4 continents including North and South America, Europe, and Australia. In total, a run of 26,232 km averaging 50 km per day. He did it for the adventure, to inspire others, and to raise money for Oxfam, an organization devoted to fighting world poverty. It was also a record-setting attempt to be the fastest person to run around the world. You can read more about his run at tomsnextstep.com. Tom Denniss, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In the book, Walking Home from Mongolia, Rob Lilwall tells the story of his 6-month trek from the frozen Gobi Desert in Mongolia back to his home in Hong Kong. Along with teammate Leon McCarron, the two alternated pulling a 2-wheeled cart containing their supplies. At the China border, they ditched their conspicuous cart in favor of heavy rucksacks and continued south as they struggled with the landscape, the language, the police, and each other all the while filming the adventure which became a 4-part National Geographic television series. You can learn more abut the book and the film at roblilwall.com. Rob Lilwall, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Ian and Jamie. Photo credit to Will Saunders

After the Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson in 1830, the US government began a series of relocations of Native Americans from their ancestral lands in the southeast to areas west of the Mississippi River. The 5 civilized tribes consisting of Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw and Choctaw were all part of the forced removals.  In 1838 the Cherokee people were removed, via a series of land and water routes, from their ancestral homelands in the Great Smoky Mountains to Tahlequah Oklahoma. It’s estimated that of the 16,000 removed, between 4-8000 Cherokee died from hunger, exposure and disease.  This journey was known amongst the Cherokee as the “The Trail Where They Cried”, today known as the “The Trail of Tears”. Beginning in mid-March 2019, Photographer Ian Finch and Jamie Barnes retraced the original trail from The Smokey Mountains into Tahlequah Oklahoma. Over 81 days they descended flooded rivers, canoeing close to 1000 miles, then continuing on foot for 400 miles. You can learn more about their journey at Ian’s website www.ianefinch.com, and at www.sidetracked.com where you can learn more about their upcoming feature article in Sidetracked Magazine’s October issue. Ian Finch and Jamie Barnes, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Ian previously appeared in Episode 129.

At age 24, Tom Bruce quit his job and set off from his home in the UK on a 10-month round-the-world cycling adventure crossing Europe, Asia, and America. It was 14,000 miles and one of the greatest experiences of his life. In the process he raised thousands of dollars for SOS Children’s Villages, an organization devoted to protecting the world’s vulnerable children. To learn more you can read his book titled Every Inch of the Way – My Bike Ride Around the World and visit his website tombrucecycling.com. Tom Bruce, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

After two years of planning, Sarah Outen set off on her London to London Via the World expedition on April 1^st of 2011.  She crossed the English Channel by kayak and cycled across Europe and Asia during the first leg of her journey.  On the second leg, she rowed her 21-foot ocean rowing boat, Happy Socks, for 150 days over 3,750 miles from Japan to the Aleutian Islands – becoming the first person to row this crossing.  You can learn more about these adventures and about the upcoming legs of the expedition at sarahouten.com.  Sarah Outen, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

After a decade of being distracted by a career, a relationship, and home ownership; Loretta Henderson decided to stop dreaming about adventure and to start living it.  She left Alaska at age 36 to begin cycling around the world.  Starting in the United Kingdom, she left the bike shop on a Thorn Raven without a map and without any cycling experience.  Four years later she has pedaled across 30 countries on 5 continents and records her adventures at www.skalatitude.com.  Loretta Henderson welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Tim Moss has a new book titled With the Sun on Our Right.  It chronicles the 16-month ‘round-the-world cycle tour he and his wife Laura began in 2013 cycling over 13,000 miles in 26 countries and 4 continents.  Before this, Tim spent 5 years working in the expedition industry supporting expeditions on all 7 continents. His own expeditions have included scaling unclimbed mountains in Kyrgyzstan, Bolivia and Russia and traveling around the world using eighty different methods of transport as well as setting the Guinness World Record for the longest distance cycled in a rickshaw.  You can learn more about Tim and his adventures at thenextchallenge.org where he encourages others to go on adventures and offers The Next Challenge Expedition Grant each year to help them do so.  Tim Moss, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Mike Summers is an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for hiking. In December 2016 he set out westbound to complete the Ice Age Trail in winter. It's one of the 11 National Scenic Trails and exists entirely in the state of Wisconsin. It took Mike 58 days to thru-hike the 1,077 miles. You can learn more about the Ice Age Trail at iceagetrail.org and more about Mike at improbablebutpossible.com. Mike Summers welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

At an early age Steve Knowlton knew he would run across America.  He completed his first marathon at age 13.  Since then he has completed 45 additional marathons and 7 ultra-marathons.  He completed his cross-country run in 2010 when he ran from Seattle Washington to Key Largo Florida.  A 3,717 mile run in 100 days to raise awareness for Chrohn’s disease.  In 2013 Steve set off on a second cross-country run, attempting to break the world speed record by running from San Francisco to New York City in 45 days to raise awareness for Asperger’s syndrome.  Steve Knowlton, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

A final podcast to explain the abrupt ending of the adventure with Brian Schilling and Robin Kerber who were cycling westward on the TransAmerica Trail and writing about it at crazyguyonabike.com.

For over a decade, Chaz Powell has been backpacking in remote places around the world. Starting in August 2016, Chaz began an attempt to walk the length of the Zambezi river starting at the source near Kalene Hills in northwestern Zambia. He walked for nearly 1,300 miles in 97 days through one the most remote parts of the world, most of the time alone and self-supported. The goal was to reach the Indian Ocean, but Chaz fell short by 600 miles due to the dangers of traveling through Mozambique. His main goal is to raise money and awareness for wildlife conservation throughout Africa and to highlight the growing concerns of wildlife crimes across the globe. He is supporting the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and you can learn more about Chaz and his adventures at thewildestjourney.com. Chaz Powell, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

With his dog Saku, he explores the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.  In 2017 they crossed Newfoundland - 700 km by foot, snowshoe, and packraft.  In 2018 with the support from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and Mountain Equipment Coop, they began a crossing over the Labrador Peninsula on foot and by canoe.  It was a 1,700 km dream project and a way to share some of these last undeveloped wilderness areas.  In the end, their goal of reaching the shores of Hudson Bay fell short by 700 km as high winds pinned them down for 28 days.  You can learn more about these journeys at newfoundlandexplorer.com.  Justin Barbour, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

• Show Notes
• Justin Barbour's YouTube Channel
• Justin Barbour's Instagram

For 368 days and 30,000 km, Peter Dudfield cycled around the world to raise money for the British Red Cross International Disaster Fund. Starting in Greece, his adventure took him to 4 continents before riding back to his hometown of Cambridge, England. You can learn more about his adventure at peterpedals.co.uk. Peter Dudfield, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In a yearlong adventure to explore his home country of Scotland, Will Copestake kayaked 1655 km around the coast in 122 days from Solway Firth to Berwick Upon Tweed. He then cycled 2510 km while summiting all 282 Munros. It was a doorstep adventure he calls Machair to Munro and you can read more about it at his website willcopestakemedia.com. Will Copestake, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Will Frazer cycled around the world from London to Miami. Along with his friend Johan du Plessis, the two spent 234 days on the road, cycling 23,500 km through 24 countries. Their adventure is called Riding for Rhinos and their mission is to raise money and awareness for an animal dangerously close to extinction from poaching. You can learn more at their website ridingforrhinos.org. Will Frazer, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In 2008, Phil Harwood completed a descent of the Congo River, starting at the Chambesi River in Zambia then traveling mostly through the Democratic Republic of Congo. For five months he navigated through the water and the corruption in his 15-foot canoe to reach the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way he encountered people that wanted to kill him and steal his money, but also local fisherman that offered their help when he needed it most. Phil tells this amazing adventure story in his book, Canoeing the Congo – The First Source to Sea Descent of the Congo River and you can learn more at canoingthecongo.com. Phil Harwood, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In late October 2018 she traveled to New Zealand to begin a 4-month southbound thru-hike of Te Araroa, a 3,000 km walking track across the north and south islands.  It’s a challenging hike that took her across various landscapes including beaches, cities, forests, and volcanoes.  You can read more about Te Araroa and her other adventures at her website blissfulhiker.com.  Alison Young, welcome back to the show.

My next guest is Jordan Harvey.  Jordan studied in Havana, Cuba and spent more than three years traveling and living in South America.  While in Chile, he and his wife guided in Patagonia and throughout the country while building their company – Knowmad Adventures – a trip operator and travel consultancy specializing in South American travel.  He says starting and running an international travel business is the most challenging adventure of them all.  Jordan Harvey welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

We’re back with our 2nd podcast with Brian Schilling and Robin Kerber who are cycling westward on the TransAmerica Trail and writing about it at crazyguyonabike.com.

Peak to Peak 2013 is the brain child of Axe Rawlinson. It was the first continuous, human-powered journey from the summit of Mt. Ruapehu to the summit of Aoraki / Mt. Cook in New Zealand. Axe and his teammate, Alan Silva, continued the adventure with Peak to Peak 2014, a climbing, cycling, and kayaking journey from the top of Ben Nevis in Scotland to the top of Mt. Blanc in France. The goal was to have fun on a shoestring budget and stay safe with as little support as possible. You can read more about these and other expeditions at axeoneverest.com. Axe Rawlinson, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Ian Packham traveled around the coast of Africa for 13 months without the support of a backup team. It was a 40,000 km journey using locally available public transportation and although Africa has a coastline shorter than Europe, crossing the borders of 31 countries is no easy task when corrupt regimes, poor infrastructure, and war may be around the next turn. Ian wrote a book about his adventure titled Encircle Africa: Around Africa by Public Transport which you can learn more about at his website encircleafrica.org. Ian Packham, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

At the beginning 2010, my next guest left her life as an Occupational Therapist in the United States and found herself as a lonely housewife in Lima, Peru.  But it didn’t take long to overcome the fear of a foreign city, catcalling men, and wild street dogs to become a marathon runner, a cook, an English teacher, and a Social-Media Marketing Manager.  Danielle Krautmann (DanielleLParker [at] gmail [dot] com), welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

For Julie Buckles and her husband Charly, their honeymoon plans consisted of building a wood and canvas canoe, paddling 1,700 miles from Lake Superior to Northern Saskatchewan, wintering over on Wollaston Lake, then paddling 1,100 miles to Gjoa Haven on the Northwest passage of the Arctic Ocean. It’s an adventure she writes about in her book Paddling to Winter and you can learn more at her website juliebuckles.com. Julie Buckles, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Emma Timmis ran across Africa, coast to coast, from Namibia to Mozambique. It was 89 days and nearly 4,000 km. Supported by a small crew, they called their expedition Head over Heels 2014 with the aim of raising money for several charities. Emma says it was the toughest thing she has done in her life, even tougher than becoming the first woman to run the 2400 km Freedom Trail in South Africa. You can learn more about the adventure and their fundraising efforts at headoverheels2014.com. Emma Timmis, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

The cycling books he read fueled his passion for travel and adventure.  The mountains of South America, the deserts of Africa, the freezing tundra of Siberia became the backdrop of his daydreams.  In 2018, after 12 years in the British Army, he left that life behind to begin cycling to these far way places.  Since then, his desire to tell his story through video has grown and he’s steadily improving his filmmaking craft as he cycles his way around the world.  You can learn more at his website adamhugill.com and at his YouTube channel Adam Hugill – Cycling the World.  Adam Hugill, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

• Show Notes
• Scott Sharick Photography
• Adventures of a Regular Guy
• mrpumpy.net

In the summer of 2019, Anna Welch traveled from New Zealand to San Francisco to begin cycling across the United States. She was inspired by the Kate Harris book Lands of Lost Borders – A Journey on the Silk Road. She wanted to see a cross-section of American culture and geography in a way that tested her mental and physical limits. She followed the Western Express and Trans Am routes, using maps from the Adventure Cycling Association completing her journey to Yorktown Virginia in 83 days. Anna says the best thing about the whole adventure was how cycling facilitated a connection to the landscape and the people. You can learn more at thesevariousadventures.wordpress.com. Anna Welch, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Anna's presentation on YouTube
My Kate Harris interview - Episode 162

Jessica Yurasek is on a journey – a journey to become un-stuck and to find meaning, purpose, creativity, and inspiration in everyday life.  After five years behind the cubicle in busy, chaotic Los Angeles, she was burned-out.  Fortunately, a job layoff pushed the daydreams into reality.  She packed up her belongings, rented her house, and planned for a year of travel vagabond-style through South Korea, Indonesia, China, India, Thailand, Myanmar, and beyond.  You can read more about her travels at missjessrose.com.  Jessica Yurasek, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In October 2016 Faye Shepherd began a 6-month, 5,500-mile cycling adventure through Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.  Starting in La Paz with her teammate Anna McNuff, the two cycled south to Ushuaia on a mostly off-road route through the Andes.  With over 100,000 meters of elevation gain they cycled the equivalent height of Mt. Everest over 10 times while wild camping most of the journey.  As Faye writes in her blog “I thought these facts and figures were going to be most important in terms of a ‘sense of accomplishment’, but they’re not. In fact, they seem wholly inconsequential against a backdrop of extraordinary experiences and memories that we have been fortunate enough to be able to create.”  You can learn more about Faye and her adventures at fayeshepherd.wordpress.com.  Faye Shepherd, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Anna McNuff previously appeared in episodes 40 and 97.

His passion is undertaking expeditions through the mountains, thousands of kilometers long, on foot and usually alone.  These journeys provide an opportunity to look within and ponder life’s most profound questions.  For more than 2 decades he has walked over 20,000 km through mountain ranges in Europe and Asia.  In 2004 he did a first ever solo thru-hike of the Carpathian Mountains and in 2014 he hiked through the Zagros mountains in Iran.  Inspired by a summer adventure in Iceland, he returned to Iceland in 2020 to complete an east to west crossing in winter.  You can learn more at his website lukaszsupergan.com. Lukasz Supergan, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In the summer of 2018, Chris Haag and Sophie George began cycling south from Homer Alaska toward their goal of reaching Ushuaia Argentina.  With North America behind them they are currently in Colombia.  You can follow the adventure at their website theplacesipee.com.  Chris and Sophie, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Seamus Crawford and Paddy Montgomery previously appeared in Episode 118 to talk about the first two legs of their journey - The Race Across Europe and the Marathon des Sables.  Now they are back to talk about their successful completion of leg 3 - the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge, a 3,000-nautical-mile row across the Atlantic Ocean.  They are fundraising for The Prostrate Project and Shooting Star Chase and you can learn more about their adventure at saddlesandsea.com.  Seamus and Paddy, welcome back to the show.

Thousands of orphaned children fight for survival each day on the streets of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.  The majority of these children are below age 12.  There are not many orphanages in Mongolia so these children form gangs and sleep beneath the city streets to stay warm.  The purpose of Brian Hunter’s expedition is to raise awareness of their plight and distribute necessities to over 3,000 of these homeless children while delivering a message of hope and love.  To do this he ran 1500 miles west to east across Mongolia from July to September of 2013.  You can learn more about his expedition at acrossmongolia.com.  Brian Hunter, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

The North Country National Scenic Trail is the longest trail in the United States.  It stretches 4600 miles from North Dakota to Vermont.  From April to October of 2013, Luke Jordan thru-hiked the trail from west to east encountering many obstacles including knee-deep snow, tree blowdowns, and overgrown trails almost impossible to navigate.  You can learn more about his adventure at stridernct.com.  Luke Jordan, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In the middle of the Karakorum range in Pakistan is a place called Concordia.  It’s where the Baltoro glacier meets the Godwin-Austen glacier.  It’s a place known as the throne room of the mountain gods because it’s surrounded by four 8,000-meter peaks, one of those being K2 the second highest peak in the world.  In 1994 Alison Young found herself in Islamabad visiting her father who was stationed at the US embassy.  Wanting to trek to Concordia, she was able to tag along on an overland journey with a Dutch and German couple.  It was a difficult and hazardous 25-day trek that you can learn more about at alisonyoungproductions.com.  Alison Young, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

The Race Across America is one of the most challenging endurance races in the world. It’s 3,000 miles from Oceanside, CA to Annapolis, MD and is must be completed in 12 days or less. Bob McEnaney raced it solo for the first time in 2014 with a goal of raising money and awareness for the Minnesota Military Family Foundation. You can learn more at his Ride.For.A.Reason.Charities facebook page. Bob McEnaney, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Into the Empty Quarter is an adventure film that follows Leon McCarron’s journey through a vast region of the Arabian Desert. Beginning in Salalah Oman with teammate Alastair Humphreys, the two pulled a heavy cart containing their supplies for 1,000 miles to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Their adventure was inspired by the British explorer Wilfred Thesiger who wrote about his crossing of the desert in the book Arabian Sands. You can learn more about the movie and Leon at intotheemptyquarter.com and leonmccarron.com. Leon McCarron, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In March of 2013, John Huston and Tobias Thorleifsson co-led a team of four that set out to explore Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic as part of their New Land 2013 Expedition.  With the help of four sled dogs, the team skijored over 511 nautical miles on Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg Islands.  The purpose of their 65-day journey, beyond traveling through a remote and beautiful landscape, was to create a documentary film to celebrate the second Fram Expedition led by the Norwegian Arctic explorer Otto Sverdrup and to educate school children about climate change.  You can learn more about their adventure at johnhuston.com.  John Huston, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

My next guest is Daniel Alvarez.  After completing four long-distance hikes including the 2,000 mile Appalachian trail and the 3,000 mile Continental Divide Trail, he traded his hiking boots for a paddle and traveled 4,000 miles in a sea kayak from Minnesota’s Northwest Angle to Key West, Florida.  It was a plan so audacious that Outside magazine awarded him a $10,000 grant.  It was a 9-month adventure he completed on March 9, 2013.  Now he has turned his boat around and is paddling his way back.  You can learn more about Daniel at his website www.predictablylost.com.  Daniel Alvarez, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Pete Marshall and Andrew Morris set out in June 2014 to recreate Mina Hubbard’s 1905 canoe expedition through Labrador in Canada. It was an adventure to both retrace the route and relive the experience of canoeing with vintage, handmade equipment. Pete is co-producing a film of the expedition called Labrador Passage and you can learn more at labradorpassage.com. Pete previously appeared in episode 2 of The Pursuit Zone to tell the story of his 2012 Trans-Territorial Canoe Expedition . Pete Marshall, welcome back to the show.

Grant Christie walked the entire length of the South African coastline as part of his Six Million Steps expedition. It was a 3500 km adventure over 250 days inspired by a love of nature and a dissatisfaction with ordinary living. Grant hopes to inspire people to chase their dreams and to motivate them to a higher ideal of conservation and you can learn more at his website sixmillionsteps.co.za. Grant Christie, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

This summer Adam “Chip” Vachon will depart on a thru-hike of the Appalachian trail, one of the 11 US national scenic trails extending 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine.  He will start at Khatadin on June 1st and head southbound, planning to complete the hike in 70 days.  He will accomplish this by going ultralight and by hiking well after sunset.  This will be his second time on the AT, having completed 800 miles in 2010.  In this episode we talk about what it takes to prepare for an ultralight and fast thru-hike adventure and the plan is to have Chip back on the show after his hike to tell the story of how it went.  Chip Vachon, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Check out Chip's website at www.achipmunkhikes.com

After a year and a half toiling through life as an actor in Los Angeles, Shannon O’Donnell left in 2008 on an 11-month around-the-world adventure.  She had hopes that traveling and volunteering would act as a reset button on her life.  Many times she traveled with family and friends, including 6 months traveling and home schooling her 11-year-old niece Ana.  Along the way the experiences shaped and changed who she is and how she travels and five years later Shannon is still traveling and writing.  You can learn more about Shannon’s adventures at alittleadrift.com.  Shannon O’Donnell, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail spans 3,100 miles across 5 states from Canada to Mexico. It is one of the most remote and challenging long-distance trails with altitudes ranging from 4,000 ft. to 14,000 ft. across landscapes from tundra to desert. Dan Drehmel was one of the 150 people that attempt to thru-hike the trail each year. In 2013, he set out on his first long-distance hike and spent 131 days on the trail going north to south. He did it to challenge himself both mentally and physically and to immerse himself in the history of the old mining towns and the wild west. Dan Drehmel, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Janet Moreland is a self-described river rat and has been kayaking for 16 years.  In the summer of 2013 she embarked on a solo kayaking expedition of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers from the source at Brower’s Spring, Montana to the Gulf of Mexico, a 3,700-mile adventure of paddling and portaging.  If she is successful, she will be the first woman to navigate this distance solo by kayak.  One purpose of the expedition is to empower kids to get outdoors and to help them learn about the history, geography, and the natural environment of the Big Muddy.  You can follow her expedition at loveyourbigmuddy.com.  Janet Moreland, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Along the US-Canada border up in the northeastern arrowhead region of Minnesota, lies the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA).  With over one million acres, one thousand pristine lakes, 1200 miles of canoe routes, and 2200 backcountry campsites, the Boundary Waters is an outdoorsman’s paradise.  Barry Johnson has visited the Boundary Waters many times over the past 25 years and has published a collection of real-life stories of adventure in the Boundary Waters titled the BWCA Reader.  You can learn more at BWCAReader.com.  Barry Johnson, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In the summer of 2012, while working a regular job and in search of a creative outlet, she decided to combine her passion for writing and travel to create the blog WonderfulWanderings.com. Little did she know less than 3 years later, she would quit that regular job to focus on the blog full time to serve a community of travelers.  Beginning this year, she left her home base in Belgium and set off on an adventure to visit a new destination every month to try the location-independent lifestyle and perhaps in the end discover a new home base.  You can learn more at her website WonderfulWanderings.com. Sofie Couwenbergh, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Sofie's article on Chris Guillebeau's site

Sofie on the Side Hustle School podcast

Cycling 4,500 miles across the USA was the easy part of Rob Greenfield’s 19-state adventure.  So what was the hard part?  How about doing it using electricity only from renewable energy, consuming water only from natural sources, and eating only locally grown organic food – a challenging off-the-grid adventure.  The ride was done to inspire Americans to live a healthier and happier lifestyle for themselves and for the planet and you can learn more about it at GreenfieldAdventures.org.  Rob Greenfield, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Sarah Winters Papsun has figured out how to travel while helping others and that skill has brought her to nearly every continent and to 40 countries.  In January of 2010, Sarah traveled to Africa to climb with the 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge team.  The goal was to climb Mount Kenya, Mount Meru, and Mount Kilimanjaro to support, encourage, and raise awareness for grassroots community organizations in Kenya and Tanzania that are focused on health, environmental, and educational development.  You can learn more about the challenge at 3peaks3weeks.wordpress.com.  Sarah Winters Papsun welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In June of 2011, Caroline Moireaux set off from her hometown in France to begin a ten-year, 70,000 kilometer walk around the world.  Her chosen route will take her through 45 countries and she may choose to bike or canoe sections of the journey when necessary, but plans no motorized modes of transportation.  After this winter break she sets off again in 2014 to cross Russia and you can follow her travels at her website piedslibres.com.  Caroline Moireaux, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

On July 27 2012, Katharine & David Lowrie began an epic journey to run the length of South America; over 5000 miles through some of the most awe inspiring and biologically rich ecosystems on earth. Katharine will be the first woman to run across the continent and as a team they will be the first to run the continent unsupported.  They hope that through sweat, tears and determination, they can open a portal into the last wilds of South America and rekindle people’s passion for running and for our amazing natural world.  Learn more about their adventure at 5000mileproject.org.  Katharine & David Lowrie welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In January 2019, Chaz Powell and Tim Roberts set off on a 1,120 km trek of the Gambia River from its source in the Fouta Djallon highlands of central Guinea to the coastal city of Banjul in The Gambia.  It was a challenging 46 days through extreme temperatures and harsh landscapes, with constant hunger and dehydration as a companion along with the wildest of animals.  With unending hospitality and kindness from the locals they were able to reach the Atlantic ocean, becoming the first people to document a full source-to-sea trek of the Gambia River.  For this expedition, Chaz partnered with the African Wildlife Foundation, one of the oldest and largest conservation organizations focusing on the protection of African wildlife and wildlands.   You can learn more about Chaz and his adventures at thewildestjourney.com.  Chaz Powell, welcome back to the show.

www.justgiving.com/TheWildestJourney 

The Volvo Ocean Race is an around the world sailing race over nine months and 45,0000 nautical miles.  Within each race team is an embedded multimedia journalist whose job is to give the fans on shore a taste of what the race is really like.  It’s one of the toughest jobs in sports media and Jen Edney was one of the ten journalists embedded this year.  Jen is a traveler and adventure storyteller using photography and video and you can learn more about her at www.edneyap.com.  Jen Edney, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Starting in September of 2012, Ken Ilgunas spent 5 months walking 1,700 miles from Hardisty, Alberta Canada to Port Arthur, Texas – the proposed route of the Keystone XL Pipeline.  He thought he might be the last person to see and document the area before it is developed.  While hiking he experienced the simple joys of camping, interactions with strangers, run-ins with law enforcement, violent dogs, and the sweet anticipation of not knowing what lies behind the next bend in the road.  You can learn more about his adventure at kenilgunas.com.  Ken Ilgunas, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

My next guest found himself at a crossroads after leaving his corporate job and splitting up with his wife.  Instead of taking the path of the stereotypical midlife crisis, he opted for the path less traveled and decided to take a walk.  Not just any walk, a really long walk – a 1305-mile walk across Turkey.  For 20 years, Matt Krause had something bigger in mind and this walk would be the first part of that bigger thing.  Check out Matt’s journey at heathenpilgrim.com or mattkrause.com.  Matt Krause, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In 2011, my next guest surprised even herself by quitting an enviable office job, hugging friends goodbye, and leaving New York City after six years. She went home to California to regroup, wondered what she was doing with her life, and then got herself a work visa and an outlandishly expensive plane ticket for New Zealand.  She spent 12 months living and working on New Zealand’s south island, traveling Southeast Asia, and becoming the most hesitant extreme-adventure connoisseur in the world.  I guess you could say she did it all on a whim.  Jess, from jessonawhim.com, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

In March 2014 Steph Jeavons set off on a solo ‘round the world overland journey on her Honda CF250L motorbike.  She completed her adventure 4 years later becoming the first Brit to do so by riding in all 7 continents.  It was an adventure not about the bike or speed, but about living, learning, and enjoying life.  She endured everything from extreme heat to the freezing cold while camping, couch surfing, and staying with fellow bikers.  She is also fundraising for Rally4Life.  An organization dedicated to relieving poverty by providing education, food, and shelter to needy families around the world.  You can learn more about Steph and her adventure at onestephbeyond.com.  Steph Jeavons, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Megan Rose spent this summer hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. During her 1300 mile hike, starting at the border of Mexico and California, she summited Mt. Whitney, got caught in a snowstorm, lost her money, and dodged a bullet. She did this to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a disease her father has lived with for the past 14 years. You can learn more about her adventure and contribute to her fundraising at her website ms-megaventure.blogspot.com. Megan Rose, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

My guest today is Pete Marshall.  Pete has paddled over 7500 miles through Canada. In 2005 he and his brother canoed 2700 miles over 122 days from their home state of Minnesota to the Arctic Ocean.  On May 8^th of 2012, Pete and 3 others began a 2600-mile, 130-day canoe expedition across the isolated regions of Canada’s northern territories from Skagway Alaska to the Hudson Bay.  You can learn more about this adventure and purchase a DVD of their expedition titled 2600 Above 60 at the website canoe2012.com.  Pete Marshall, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Sophie Radcliffe had a great job and all the trappings of success, but she wanted to create a new path for herself. Without a plan, she quit her job and set out to pursue a career in adventure. She began by starting her blog, challengesophie.com, and before long she finished Ironman Wales, had a job with Epic TV, and completed the world’s first expedition to summit the highest mountains in each of the eight alpine countries while cycling between them – an adventure she calls Alpine Coast to Coast. Sophie Radcliffe, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Located between India and Myanmar, Bangladesh is a country about the size of England and Wales, but with three times the population.  From January through March 2019, Ian Packham was on a self-supported trek across Bangladesh.  It was 665.8 miles on foot starting in Saint Martins island in the south and ending in the country’s northernmost point.  His plan is to uncover the stories of one of the world’s hidden destinations.  You can learn more about Ian and his adventures at his website encircleafrica.org.  Ian Packham, welcome back to the show.

Song of the Little Road by Graham Finch http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/7360

He is an Eagle Scout, a former military aviator, and an avid traveler who has explored over 35 countries. He rode a recumbent bicycle across the US using the Race Across America route and in July 2018 began rowing from Neah Bay, Washington to Australia, making landfall 11 months later at Trinity Beach, Queensland – a journey of over 7,000 statute miles in a custom-made rowboat and the longest solo, non-stop row from North America in the history of modern ocean rowing.  He is also raising funds for Water Mission - a non-profit that builds and implements safe water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions for people in developing countries and disaster areas.  You can learn more about him at his website jacobadoram.com.  Jacob Adoram, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

For five weeks, Erin Bastian and two teammates paddled sea kayaks 800 km through a beautiful and remote wilderness in the Chilean Patagonia. Starting in Puerto Eden, they traveled south through the fjords and rivers and among tidal glaciers and icebergs until their finish point in Puerto Natales. The expedition was called Wilderness 72 for the 72 degree line of longitude they would straddle and you can learn more about it and about Erin at erinbastian.com. Erin Bastian, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.