Jumping into Darkness

I am not sure if these gentlemen are diving into the abyss on the end of a bungee chord or slacklining their decent.  Which ever it is they are doing all I can say is, not for me.

Marcahuamachuco

Not all adventure is done in the woods of your own backyard, even though that is the first place to go and the cheapest in cost.  And not all adventure is about trekking through the wilds of some remote unexplored wilderness.  Sometimes getting out the see an archaeological site is also a great adventure.

The city of Marcahuamachuco, the people of the men with hawk-like headdresses, is an archaeological site being dug up with could rival that of Machu Picchu, at least that is the hope of the local mayor who would like to see a big increase in tourism in his city.

The site is being explored and researched by a couple of Archaeologist named Topic, a husband and wife team.  It looks like an impressive place, unfortunately, like many South American sites is being looted for the artifacts, and thus much of the evidence needed to get a more complete understanding of the people who lived here and where they came from is gone to the black market.

Because Marcahuamachuco is not as well know as Machu Picchu the amount of people visiting the site is lower and would make it a much more appealing place to visit and explore.

A Winter Project

Photo by D. McMillin

It is Thanksgiving here in the states and I thought I would share a video I found on Youtube that show a man building a cedar strip kayak from start to finish.  Building a kayak is a wonderful experience it is also a good project for a father to do with his children.  No child will ever forget the time he and dad built a boat together.  So happy Thanksgiving.

Walking the Amazon

An adventure to rival the great Percy Fawcett, Ed Stafford walked the entire length of the Amazon river some 4000 miles taking 859 days.  Ed began his journey with a friend who dropped out to return to his family leaving him to complete the journey more or less alone. Ed picked up a local forester to help him through a difficult section, who ended up walking the rest of the way with Ed.  They faced hostile tribes who threatened them with bows and arrows, walked across drug cartel lands, avoided poisonous snakes, ate piranha, got eaten by 50,000 mosquitos, and stung by nests of wasps.  If this sounds like a walk in the park it was not, at least 1000 of those miles was done while wading through the flooded low lands surrounding the Amazon basin.

This was truly an epic adventure.  The video is a portion of an interview Ed did for Sky TV.

Selecting the Proper Hiking Shoe

Now for a little education.  If you want to get outdoors and explore some local sites a good pair of hiking boots is a must so below is a superb video put up on youtube by outdoorherbivor.

 

Angel's Landing - A Video Adventure

Photo by Mark Roberts

Here is a video I found on Vimeo demonstrating why Angel's Landing in Zion National Park is so hair raising.  The music definitely add to the dramatic impact of the short film.  If you would like to see it click on Angel's Landing and enjoy.  This certainly demonstrates how exciting the trail is and now has caused me to put this hike onto my list of if I am there I will be doing it.

From Korea to the U.K.

Photo by iguides

Two intrepid bikers Tom McConville and Peter Hoyle, while teaching English in Korea, decided to forgo the plane ticket home and bicycle the 8500 miles instead.  

The trip was a real adventure which traveled through such regions as the Gobi desert, which contrary to popular belief, gets very cold at night.  In fact Tom got a case of frostbite in his little finger and they had to spend time breaking ice off the bicycles.  

According to Tom, if it had not been for a partner he would have given up and bought a plane ticket home to enjoy the comforts of family and friends much sooner.  Which is an excellent reason for having someone come along with on every adventure.  

If you would like to read more about their epic adventure you can read their blog at crazyguyonabike.com.

Six of the World's most Adrenaline Pumping Hikes

For those who wish to go on a hike with a little more...err great deal more excitement try putting these six under your boot.

El Caminito del Rey in Spain (The king's little pathway) - This trail was built to access a dam at the beginning of the 20th century.  At it opening the king of Spain walked it, which is why it is know as the king's pathway.  The trail has unfortunately fallen into disrepair explaining the poor state and dangerous conditions found along the way.

Mount Hua Shan - The trail travels thousands of feet above the valley floor and is one of the routes to the top where a Daoists temple resides.  The temple is an ancient one and after traveling this trail anyone could see why thanking a god, even if he is made of stone and is deaf, would be an emotional one.

Mount LeConte, Tennessee - This route is found in the great Smoky Mountains and along with the scenery presents a series of lodges to stay in once you have reached the summit.

Machu Picchu - Many people travel this trail to the every rewarding site of Machu Picchu an ancient Incan stronghold and one of the few city to never fall to the Spanish Conquistadors, they never found it.  

Angel's Landing, Utah - This trail is in Zion National Park running about 2.4 miles from the valley floor to the top.  A couple of places along the trail provide chains bolted to the cliff wall to help you stay on the trail and not the valley floor, not everyone has successfully navigated the route.

Mount Pinatubo, Philippines - Pinatubo had been know as an inactive volcano, no one could remember when it had erupted last, until 1991.  Before the eruption is was covered with a lush green forest now it is a dusty ash covered cone and still active.  

A Modern Adventurer

Photo from Outdoor Empathy

Yuri Klaver is taking time to explore the wilder regions of Siberian Wilderness.  He is kayaking 1000 km/625 miles down the Indigirka River to the Arctic Ocean.  He had to brave loneliness, bears, and the worst of all the small yet fiesty mosquito.  Here is the first installment of his video journal.

Preview Into the far east of Russia from Yuri Klaver on Vimeo.

Completion of a Skiing Goal

Always looking for people who have set themselves a goal, in the world of adventure, and completed it no matter how much time it takes, I found this clip on the The Adventure Blog.  Back in 1999, before the Y2K scare, Noah Howell bought himself a copy of the book, "The Chuting Gallery: A Guide to Steep Skiing in the Wasatch Mountains ," by Andrew McLean.

Some of the routes listed in the book require more than just a little hike with a powder filled frolic.  Instead of me telling his story, however I thought I would let Noah speak.

 

Five Adventures for Fall

Always looking for  adventures to do during every season of the year I thought I would create a list of fall activities.

1) Go for a hike - This is number one and really can be done during any season of the year all that is required is the proper set of clothing and footwear.

2) During the fall a bike ride is still possible and even enjoyable so long as it is done during the warmer hours of the day.

3) The waterways are still accessible and setting a kayak in for a quite day paddling along the shore of a peaceful lake gives a lot of time to reflect or enjoy the company of others.

4) Get out with your camera and take pictures of the spectacular display of fall colors, who knows maybe you will get a picture worth framing and placing on your wall. 

5) Go for a drive to a small town near you for a walk down main street and a sit down meal at the local diner or restaurant.  Usually the small town has a wonderful mom and pop joint.

Some of these adventures can even be combined like the hike and photography expedition or the kayak and a meal at mom and pop's.  The point is getting out will make Fall an enjoyable and adventuresome season.

Flight of the Frenchies - The Movie

I do not really consider this to be an adventure but it is pretty exciting and for a movie clip it is extraordinarily well done.  I am hoping they put this documentary on line so that I can watch it free of charge.

 
I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies). Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.

Decent of the Rio Mambucaba

Ben, Pedro and Chris have taken upon themselves to do a first descent on this very exciting and wild river called the Rio Mambucaba.  There are points in this video where your think one of the kayakers will not make it, but as with most well done video's the hero's always make it out.

Mambucaba Report from Ben Stookesberry on Vimeo.