March 13th, 2010 by admin

A few weeks back I posted a story about the World Run II, a long distance endurance run like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The event is the brainchild of Danish ultrarunner Jesper Olsen, who is about to become the first person to ever run the length of Africa, north to south, as he finishes the first half of an amazing long distance odyssey on foot.

On Saturday, March 13, Jesper will be running into Cape Point, South Africa, which will mark the end of the first stage of World Run II, which began back on July 1st of 2008, when he set off from the northernmost tip of Norway, and started running south. Now, 20 months, and nearly 21,250 kilometers later, he’s about to set some very impressive firsts. In addition to becoming the first person to run across Africa, north to south, he’ll also become the first person to run from the most northerly point in Europe, to the southernmost tip of Africa, and he’ll be the first to complete two documented runs of more than 20,000km, having finished his first during World Run I back in 2005, which went for more than 26,000km.

Upon reaching Cape Point, Jesper will then take a few months off to rest and recover before beginning the second stage of World Run II. That stage will begin in Punta Arenas, Chile, and will see him running north this time, covering the length of South America, up through Central America, into Mexico, and the U.S. before ending in Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland, Canada. When he’s done, Jesper will have covered more than 40,000km, through all kinds of terrain and weather conditions.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to salute Jesper and what he’s accomplished so far. While he still has a long way to go before he finishes World Run II, it is very impressive what he has accomplished so far. What an amazing expedition this has been through Africa, and what a great way to see the world – on your own two feet!

Update: It seems my original information was off just a bit. Jesper will now be arriving in Cape Point on Monday, not Saturday. We can afford him a little extra time to take in the sights though considering how far he has just run, right?

February 25th, 2010 by admin

PlanetFear has a cool article up on their website which offers a nicely detailed story on climbing Kilimanjaro along the Lemosho Route. The article includes some great photos of the climb as well, helping to show off the variety of climate zones that trekkers experience while on the mountain.

Standing at 19,340 feet, Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa, and one of the few places on the continent where you’ll experience snow. One of the highlights of the trek is that you actually get to experience five climate zones on the way to the summit including tropical conditions, rainforest, moorlands, high desert, and arctic. The various images that are included with this story show each of them off very well, and brought back good memories from my visit to the mountain. Even the image of the white necked raven, a common site on Kili, gave me smile.

The Lemosho Route is one of six possible paths to Uhuru Peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro. It is considered one of the more challenging routes, but is also more scenic than most of the others. It also has the benefit of having less traffic as well, as most trekkers take the Marangu or Machame Routes. The last section of the article has some good information on this route and what you can expect should you choose to take it.

There are also a few good, basic travel tips for Tanzania in general and some suggestions for equipment to bring along too, and while the text of the story is interesting and helps to set the mood, the photos really are worth a thousand words and really capture the experience of Kilimanjaro.

February 25th, 2010 by admin

Travel website Wild Junket has put together their picks for the Top 8 Natural Wonders of the World, listing the very best that Mother Earth has to offer us.

These eight locations are pretty much on every adventure traveler’s short list of “must see” places. (If they’re not, they ought to be!) Each of the entries includes a brief description of why it’s earned a spot in the Top 8, with a few photos to help support the cause. Amongst the places that make the list are Igauzu Falls along the Argentinian-Brazillian border, Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, and the Grand Canyon in the U.S. As you can imagine, the other five spots, which I’ll leave for you to discover for yourself, are equally interesting and beautiful.

I’ve been personally fortunate enough to witness five of these locations myself, and it’s hard to argue with any of them. I might add the Serengeti to my list of favorite natural wonders, as it is simply amazing not only for the size and scope of the place, but also for the amazing wildlife that is at every turn. Of all the places I’ve visited, it is probably the one that I miss the most, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in going.

Big thanks to the Wend Blog for give me the heads up on this story.

February 21st, 2010 by admin

Occasionally I get great articles, reports, and links sent my way from readers who are aware of some great adventures that I haven’t come across before. At any given time, there are always some amazing things going on, and it’s difficult to keep track of them all, although I do my best. One such reader is Darrell Raubenheimer, who drops me a note from time to time about one amazing endurance event or another that is taking place in and around South Africa, which he calls home. Earlier today, I received just such a note telling me about endurance athlete Jesper Olsen and his World Run II.

Back in 2005, Jesper completed the first ever fully documented run around the world. Dubbed the World Run, the event saw him begin and end in London, crossing Europe, and Asia, before ending up in Tokyo, Japan From there, the Danish runner hopped a flight to Sydney, ran across Australia to Perth, then grabbed another flight to Los Angeles, where he proceed to run north to Vancouver, then across Canada and the U.S., before taking a flight back to the U.K., returning to where he started. When he was done, Jesper had run more than 16,000 miles.

But like any good adventurer, the ultrarunner couldn’t stay home for long, and thus the plan was hatched for World Run II, which like all good sequels, is bigger, and more impressive than the first. This time, Jesper is running a course that is roughly 25,000 miles in length and going from north-to-south, and back again. In the process, he’ll cross four continents, numerous countries, and through nearly every time of environment imaginable.

The run got underway from Nordkapp, Norway, the northernmost point in Europe, and will continue south to Cape Town in South Africa. From there, Jesper will hop a flight to Punta Arenas, Chile, in South America, and turn is way north, heading up through that continent, and into North America, through Mexico, the U.S., and into Canada, eventually ending at Mt. Pearl, a small town in Newfoundland.

Jesper’s latest blog report, which can be found on the World Run II website, indicates that he is now closing in on Cape Town, which is a major milestone for his expedition. As of two days ago, he had completed nearly 12,800 miles, so he’s roughly halfway done. As of that posting, he was still about 500 miles away from Cape Town, but mentioned that he was looking forward to a break, some time to heal, and recover, before moving on to South America. Considering he’s just about finished up a complete run across the African continent, north to south, I’d say he’s earned some rest.

Personally, I’m in awe of this undertaking. I’ve taken the last two days off from running to try to heal a bit of a nagging injury, and now I feel just completely lazy after reading about some of the things that Jesper has been dealing with along the way. I may have missed the first half of this very cool adventure, but you can bet I’ll be following along with the second half. Thanks for the tip Darrell, it is highly appreciated as always!

February 5th, 2010 by admin

I know you’ve been patiently waiting to hear who won the fancy Peak XV down jacket from First Ascent and Summit on the Summit , so I don’t want to keep you in suspense any longer. The winner is: Katelyn Michaud of Gorham, Maine! Congratulations Katelyn. Coming from Maine, I can imagine that you can put that jacket to good use.

I want to thank the folks at First Ascent for providing the price and the Summit on the Summit team for inviting me to play a role in their amazing efforts to educate us all about the issues with clean water that plaque many parts of the planet. The celebrity climb of Kilimanjaro a few weeks back was just the beginning, and their efforts continue now, more than ever. Tragic events, like those in Haiti, only help to underscore how serious of an issue this really is.

I’d also like to thank everyone who entered the contest. I has several hundred entries, many of whom attached a personal note regarding the SOTS program, First Ascent, or the blog. I can assure you that I read everyone of those messages, and responded in some way to the vast majority of them as well. Sorry I didn’t have a jacket for everyone, but hopefully we’ll have some more great gear to give away in the near future.

January 28th, 2010 by admin

Earlier in the month I wrote several times about the Summit on the Summit celebrity Kilimanjaro climb, which saw musician Kenna lead a team that included the likes of actors Jessica Biel and Emile Hirsch, adventure photographer Jimmy Chin, and rapper Lupe Fiasco to the summit of the highest mountain in Africa. The group was climbing to raise awareness of the growing global clean water crisis, and to raise funds to deliver water to people in need all over the planet.

The climb might be over, but the cause remains the same. There are ongoing efforts to continue to get out the word about this very important subject. That that end, The Adventure Blog has teamed up with the Summit on the Summit crew to give away a Peak XV down jacket provided by First Ascent.

The rules are simple. First, and foremost, you must be a resident of the U.S. to be eligible to win. If you meet that criteria, all you have to do is head over to the Summit on the Summit blog at Tumblr, and find the answer to one simple question:

What is the minimum standard amount of water that the United Nation’s High Commission for Refugees needs per person per day in liters?

Once you’ve found the answer, e-mail it to me at KungFuJedi@gmail.com with “Summit on the Summit” as your subject line, and type your answer in the body. I’ll collect all the entrants with the correct answer, and pick the winner from a hat. All entries must be received by Midnight EST, February 3rd to be eligible. The winner will get the awesome jacket that is kindly provided by the good folks over at First Ascent, who were instrumental in outfitting the Summit on the Summit expedition. The jacket has a value of $269 and is designed to keep us warm in the most inclement weather. This really is a great prize for whoever wins! Good luck!!

January 16th, 2010 by admin

The Tour Down Under isn’t the only cycling event to get underway this weekend, as the 2010 Tour d’Afrique prepares to start this Saturday as well. This annual event kicks off from Cairo, Egypt and ends four months later in Cape Town, South Africa. Riders will cover more than 7500 miles, and cross through ten countries in this trans-continental, north-south journey.

All told, this Tour includes 96 days of cycling, averaging 77 miles per day. The schedule also factors in 22 rest days and 2 additional days of travel by ferry, which brings the total travel time to 120 days. The stages range in length from about 50 miles on rough terrain to 112 miles over smooth, paved roads.

The route begins in Egypt and wanders south through the Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, and Namibia, before finishing up at the Cape in South Africa. Some of the landmarks that the riders pass along the way include ancient Egyptian temples along the Nile, Ethiopia’s Simian Mountains, Kilimanjaro, the highest peak on the continent, and Victoria Falls. The conditions will range from arid, open plains, to dry deserts, and temperate cloud forests, and as you might expect, the wildlife will be spectacular as well.

The Tour can be done as one giant four month long ride, or travelers can elect to join at specific legs of the journey as they see fit. There are eight different legs that can be linked together in any fashion that the rider wishes.

I’ve written about the Tour d’Afrique a number of times in the past, and this is one of my ultimate trips. It looks like it would be quite the adventure to explore Africa on the back of your bike with a great group of fellow travelers. One of these days, when I’m a rich and famous blogger, I’ll find a way to join the Tour, as it really does seem like the trip of a lifetime.

January 8th, 2010 by admin

The Summit on the Summit expedition officially gets underway today, with the team of celebrity climbers heading to Kilimanjaro to begin their fundraising climb of Africa’s tallest mountain. Over the course of the next eight days, they’ll be working their way up to the summit in an effort to increase awareness of the clean drinking water crisis that effects many around the planet.

Spearheaded by musician Kenna, the project has joined forces with the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, amongst others, and is hoping to deliver clean drinking water to remote places all over the planet, with the help of a unique sponsorship drive that allows us to sponsor a foot of their climb. Kenna is joined on the team by the likes of rapper Lupe Fiasco, actors Jessica Biel and Emile Hirsch, and explorer Alexandra Cousteau.

The official website for the climb has always been slick and well done, offering lots of information about Kili, the team, and their cause. But when looking over the site this morning, I noticed that they have information how each of the team members are faring on the climb as well, listing their heart rate, O2 level, and the steepness of the trail they are currently trekking. It should be fun to follow along over the next week, and keep track of how they are all doing, as the slog to the summit is no easy hike. You can also follow along at the Summit on the Summit Twitter Feed which is found at @SOTSK.

Good luck to the entire team. I hope they have a blast, reach their goals, and stand at the Roof of Africa.

November 15th, 2009 by admin

Remember the celebrity Kilimanjaro climb I mentioned a couple of months back? The one that will see musician Kenna, joined by a group of friends that includes Jessica Biel, Lupe Fiasco, and Isabel Lucas, amongst others, making the climb to raise awareness of the growing need for clean water across the entire planet? Well, it seems that the team, and their sponsors, have kicked off a major effort to get the word out about their cause, as they prepare to head to Tanzania in January, to take on the tallest mountain in Africa.

That effort begins with a newly revamped website that provides all kinds of great information, including bios on each of the climbers, info on their gear, which is actually a showcase for some of their sponsors products, and further insights into what they are trying to accomplish. The new site is super slick, and offers fun to play around with, and includes a virtual climb to the summit, in which you can choose to sponsor a foot of the climb, allowing the team to meet it’s goal and deliver safe drinking water to their selected charities, which include the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, UNHCR, and PlayPumps International.

While this is indeed a very serious project with a serious cause, that doesn’t mean that the team isn’t having fun. Check out their first two “training” videos below to see how they are preparing for their big climb.

I was especially impressed with the information they have on the mountain itself, which includes 3D rendered flybys of Kili, information on the various routes to the summit, weather conditions, and a lot more. Scrolling through the information sure brought back memories of my trip to the area. I’m sure they’ll both give you a couple of laughs. Their training methods are, shall we say, a bit unconventional.

Expect to hear a lot more about this expedition in the weeks leading up to their January 7th start.

November 11th, 2009 by admin

Jon Bowermaster has an interesting story on his blog about the possibility of a new ocean forming beneath Ethiopia. Jon links to an article from Scientific American that says that Africa is splitting apart, and the new ocean is flowing in to fill what will eventually be a rather sizable void.

It seems that the continent is separating along the East African Rift, stretching from the southern end of the Red Sea through Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. Of course, this being a geological process, it has been ongoing for millions of years already, and will probably take millions more before it is done, which is when saltwater from the Red Sea will flow into the region, covering the Rift once and for all.

Jon notes that the first indications of this process were observed back in 2005, when a 35-mile long gash formed through the Ethiopian desert. Some scientists and the time claimed that it was the beginning of a new sea, and recent studies have shown that the volcanic activity being observed is nearly identical to that which has been seen on the bottom of our oceans.

Right now, scientists are predicting that it’ll take another million years or so before the new sea will form, but in the meantime, the Earth will continue to open and sink across much of what is now Ethiopia. Volcanic activity has been a regular occurrence in that part of the world, and will likely only increase in the years and centuries ahead.

Really interesting story to be sure. It’s amazing how much we still don’t know about how the Earth works.