QUESTION: HOW DO YOU MAKE A LIVING FROM ADVENTURE?

QUESTION: HOW DO YOU MAKE A LIVING FROM ADVENTURE?

From time to time I have received emails asking how to make a living as an adventurer. That is quite a question considering that I do not. Adventure and adventure sports are, for me, a pleasant past time that I use to find self-fulfillment and enlightenment... not to mention the down-right thrill. My guess is that, because I write an adventure blog, some people think that I must be making a living from it. Not true... I work a daily grind just like most people.

In all honesty and fairness, it is true that I would love to make my passion for adventure into a profitable career, at this point, I haven't.

So in an answer to the emails, I did some research on professional adventurers and found that most of them generate their incomes from multiple streams such as writing, speaking, photography, etc. In a perfect world, we would all follow the path of Bear Grylls and have our own TV shows, product lines, and endorsements. But for most the reality is far different.

I found several articles on such questions from several professional adventurers... and let me tell you, it will definitely require sacrifice, hard work, and dedication. 

Here are the links...

Andrew Skurka

Alistair Humphreys

Adventurous Kate

And here are more links to other articles on the subject...

http://www.adventuresauce.com/2012/12/elements-pro-adventurer/

http://tomsbiketrip.com/how-im-making-a-living-as-an-adventurer/

http://thenextchallenge.org/2011/04/10-tips-career-expeditions/

We here at HSA would NEVER try to discourage anyone from following a dream... the truth is that making a living from adventure CAN be done... if you are willing to truly go for it.

Good luck in your endeavors and let us know how it goes!

VIDEO: IGW 2014 PROMO

IGW 2014 Is Coming...

Time is coming soon for the 3rd annual International GoPro Weekend. Our friends at The Goworld Project are already setting the stage for what is quickly becoming one of the biggest yearly events in adventure sports.

Read this blurb from their website...

What is International GoPro Weekend? IGW is an annual 3-day event in which we ask GoPro fanatics from around the world to film something using their GoPros. We then compile the footage they contribute to make a movie that shares our concurrent experiences from this 72 hour window… International GoPro Weekend! For IGW2012 we had 37 people from 14 countries submit content! For IGW2013 we had 127 people from over 40 countries. IGW2014 promises to be even bigger!

When is International GoPro Weekend? The 3rd annual IGW (aka IGW2014) will be held March 14, 15, and 16. Holding the event over a period of three days gives everyone the flexibility to pick a day to film that’s most convenient for them. However, it is NOT a requirement that your clip be filmed during this period; we just strongly encourage you to film on these three days, so that we can share our concurrent experiences.

How do I participate? To officially sign up, please send an email request to: IGW2014@GoWorldProject.com. We will respond with more details about the event, specifics about the content desired (resolution, fps, subject nature), general guidelines and how to go about submitting your clip(s) once IGW2014 has taken place. DON'T FORGET... we give out a ton of prizes at random for participation. In years past, we've given out: SD cards, GoPro accessories, stickers, posters, a HERO3 Silver and Black Edition!!! (Shouts out to GoPro for hooking up the cameras and gear!)

Check out the Promo Video Below!!!

RECAP - DESTINATION: COLORADO

Red Rocks - Photo: HSA

Colorado is Adventure Paradise...

In our last post, Destination: Colorado, my girlfriend, my son, and I embarked upon an extremely long road trip from Corpus Christi to Denver CO.

As with any road trip, it had it's pitfalls. We started out early Saturday morning. Since an arctic front had blown into Texas, we had the rare opportunity to drive South Texas roads that were covered in ice. Originally being from Albuquerque, I was fortunate enough to remember how to drive in these conditions. We drove for 10 arduous hours, not making near the headway that we should have. Ice, holiday traffic, and a 40 MPH headwind slowed us considerably. Around 5:00PM we had to settle in at a cheap hotel in Plainview TX for the night. Rooms were full at all of the better hotels due to the road conditions, so CHEAP was all we could find. I spent most of the night sipping on wine and worrying if I would contract lice and bedbugs...

The next morning we awoke early and got back on the road.

MORE STORY AND PHOTOS AFTER THE JUMP

DESTINATION: COLORADO

Destination: Colorado... Epic Adventure Awaits

So my girlfriend, my son, and I have decided to take a little road trip for the Thanksgiving holiday. Our destination... Colorado.

My girlfriend has family there and badly wants to see them, and being adventurers as we are, we decided it would be great to take a little road trip. Little is an ambiguous term as it is about 1100 miles one way.

Aside from seeing her family, we look forward to hiking, skiing, and mountain biking, as well as other potential adventures in and around the Denver area. Not to mention, the adventure of the road trip itself. I am particularly looking forward to hiking and/or biking the Red Rocks/Dakota Ridge area. Living in Corpus Christi at sea level, there is no real way to prepare for the possibility of altitude sickness, so all safety precautions will be in place and we will save the strenuous stuff toward the end of the trip.

We depart Corpus Christi on Saturday November 23 and plan to return on Sunday December 1... I will try to provide updates as we go, but will definitely have a recap of the adventure when we are done.

Happy Turkey Day Everyone!!!

EXPEDITION: LAGUNA MADRE

Image courtesy of Leftray.com

Expedition - Laguna Madre

In our last post, "Expedition: Preliminary Talks", we hinted at an upcoming kayaking expedition in which HSA could be involved. The time has come for a few more details.

The concept of this yet-to-be-named expedition is a 120 mile kayak trip through the Laguna Madre in South Texas (see map below). HSA Founder, Joe Vulgamore, will paddle the three-day trip on a SOT touring kayak, camping at certain points along the way.

Still in the very early preliminary talk/planning stages this expedition is a paddle for charity event. The early concept is to raise funds for persons with intellectual disabilities. Until certain legal aspects are taken care of, we are not allowed to use the name of the charity in this post.

Basically though, the idea is for people to donate money for each mile paddled. The charity's Community Relation Director is working out the details on that, as well as trying to line up sponsors for equipment and gear, as well as a Title Sponsor for the adventure.

Plans are also in the works to obtain media partners. Everything from planning meetings and pre-expedition training to resupply points and POV video, will be video documented along the way and eventually put together as a full-length documentary.

The preliminary date for this expedition is early April 2014.

At this point, we can't say any more about the trip other than we, as well as our founder, are stoked and honored to be asked to be a participant in this event!

 Below is a map of the Laguna Madre with the tentative start and stop points, as well as the route through the Lower Laguna, the Intercoastal Waterway land cut (Saltillo Flats), and into the Upper Laguna.

Stay tuned for more info my friends!!!

TIME WARP TUESDAY - TEXAS SURF 9-3-10

Video From The Vault - Bob Hall Pier 9-3-10

Welcome to another Time Warp Tuesday!

Today's video was shot EXACTLY three years ago today in Texas at the infamous Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi.

Enjoy!!!

LABOR DAY WEEKEND - END OF A SEASON

Photo - HSA

The End of Summer is Here

Labor Day Weekend is upon us; the traditional North American weekend that, for all intents and purposes, signifies the end of summer.

While the calendar may say otherwise, for most school children, parents, and vacationers the season is done.

The long weekend is the last opportunity for many to enjoy one last day at the beach, one last weekend camping, or some other adventure before the fall season will be upon us.

While Fall and Winter have their own grandiose adventure opportunities such as skiing, snowboarding, winter hikes and such, it is Summer that has always allowed many of us the most joy.

So as we say goodbye to a spectacular season, HSA asks everyone to do something fun this weekend... do something challenging... give yourself a reason to say that you enjoyed the summer...

In fact, it could be a perfect opportunity to take us up on the HSA Challenge... either way, leave a reply to this post, or hit us up on our Facebook page and tell us what you did with your Labor Day Weekend.

As we here at Human Spirit of Adventure are quite fond of saying, "What Will You Do???"

 

ROAD TRIP: SOUTH PADRE WRAP UP

Photo: HSA

Road Trip Wrap Up: South Padre Island

As mentioned in our earlier post, we found ourselves on a road trip to South Padre Island for a little fun and adventure. It was a nice getaway.

We set out on Friday around noon on the 3 hour drive to our destination. When we arrived we were greeted by the beautiful blue water of SPI's end of the Laguna Madre. Traffic wasn't too bad as we crossed the Queen Isabella Causeway and ventured into town to check in at the hotel.

The room was not quite ready when we arrived so we stopped in at a local B&G for a cocktail and chips with salsa while we waited. The weather was hot and breezy with the taste of excitement in the air.

After checking in, we cruised around town seeing the sights and eventually made our way to Isla Blanca Park for a little beach time and a healthy swim. Afterward we returned to the hotel for showers and proceeded to dinner at Louie's Backyard. We were seated at a perfect table to view the regular Friday night fireworks display, which was fairly impressive. We enjoyed the outdoor dining atmosphere and ate our fill on the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet.
I highly recommend Louie's if you are ever in South Padre.

After dinner and a few more drinks, we went back to the hotel to rest up for the next day.

On Saturday we awoke ready for breakfast. We ate a nice little breakfast at a quaint little outdoor spot with a beach view and a total island vibe.
Afterward we made our way back to Isla Blanca for a day at the beach. The original plan had called for surfing, but the tropical disturbance that had been brewing in the Yucatan had fizzled by Saturday morning and the waves were not to be had. So we made up for it with a day of relaxing on the beach, drinking Sangria, and enjoying the beautiful blue waters of the southern Gulf of Mexico.

Sunday morning called for us to pack our bags for it was the last day there. But not all adventure was lost. After breakfast we boarded a catamaran and set off into Laguna Bay for a snorkeling adventure.
The bay had amazing clarity and we were able to enjoy the abundance of sea life. See a couple of screen grabs below...


It was a great trip for a weekend getaway. I lead an island lifestyle regularly, but it was great to get away from my regular beaches for a bit. Adventure is around every corner... all you have to do is look!

Photo: HSA

ROAD TRIP: SOUTH PADRE ISLAND

Courtesy - Mexicotime.net

Time to Hit the Road...

I love a good road trip! Hitting the road to a destination that will bring fun and adventure is a part of the human spirit. 

The road calls us. It beckons us. Indeed it is etched in our spirit just as it is etched into the landscape.

This weekend a road trip will lead me to South Padre Island for a weekend of fun and adventure on the white sandy beaches of South Texas. Adventure awaits with a decent surf forecast, blue waters for snorkeling, and maybe even parasailing if the opportunity presents itself.

Will update later with pics and a wrap up of the trip...

Mahalo!

VIDEO: "LIFE RECLAIMED" Trailer 1

Here it is! The first trailer from the HSA Documentary "Life Reclaimed". "Life Reclaimed" is an inspirational adventure documentary based on the premise that "Nature is Greater than Therapy". It covers the story of a man who lost everything he worked a lifetime to aquire and his fight to reclaim his life from depression, devestation, and lonliness by getting back to his roots in adventure sports.






 
HSA Trailer1B from Sirfur Productions on Vimeo.

DESTINATION: ADVENTURE - Recap

Photo: HSA

HSA Expedition Recap

Our adventure to the Oklahoma outback was exciting, fun, beautiful, and at times, quite grueling.
We started off leaving our home in Corpus Christi at about 2:00PM on Friday June 14 and drove straight on through to our destination in the Arbuckle Mountains.

We arrived at approximately 1:00AM and slept for a few hours in the jeep waiting for first light to set up our camp. As the first signs of light began to glow, just before the yellow ball peeked it's head above the horizon, we sat up our base camp and prepared for a long hike to the waterfall.

After several hours of hiking we reached our destination. There we found a beautiful 77' waterfall with an inviting natural swimming hole. As it was extremely hot out, I took a dip in the hole while 2 of my companions waded in the shallow stream created by the overflow.

After the swim, we ate lunch and began the trek back to base camp... all the while capturing footage for the HSA documentary. The hike back to camp was equally grueling. Once we were back, we sparked the fire and began cooking our dinner before laying our weary heads to rest.

The following morning, I sat out on an extreme hike to find the source of the creek that eventually lead to the waterfall. It was an arduous journey, full of rugged and steep cliffs, rocky ledges, and thick overgrowth that I had to climb and bushwhack my way through. The end result was worth the 3 day round trip as I was left with a sense of accomplishment, blessed with beautiful scenery, and the euphoria that can only come with being at one with nature.

On the 5th day, it was time to restock supplies and recharge the electronics. Shooting footage for a documentary deep in the middle of nowhere poses certain challenges, like hiking certain areas 2 or 3 times in order to place cameras, get the proper footage and angles. Afterward a break was much needed With my Dad living in Oklahoma, it was a natural choice to rest at his house before embarking upon the second part of the adventure.

READ MORE (and see photos) AFTER THE JUMP...

COAST TO COAST - Part 2... Adventures of Everyday People

A Breezy Start

Coast To Coast - Part 2

BY MICK LORD

Way of the Roses 3rd-6th May 2013

We set off from Morecombe on the West Coast of the UK at 11am on Friday 3rd May, myself and my wife Julie had in reality not really done much training for this. We were enthusiastic to share a small adventure and explore some of our fantastic countryside that we had not been to before.

The route should have been 270km however some slight mistakes found us doing just 20km further our total route 290km, our total route can be accessed here:- Way of the Roses by mick2991 at Garmin Connect - Details

Fri 3rd 11am we start from a cool and breezy Morecambe on the flat following the river Lunn out to Lancaster and then begin to climb out onto the Forest of Bowland. We were so busy chatting at this point that we missed the turning adding the extra 20k onto the route, not a good start.

We cycled up into the hills along quiet country roads and lanes passing through beautiful villages and countryside, stopping at a couple of tea shops along the way. Our aim that day was to get to Malham just the other side of Settle where our B&B was for the evening, we were tired as we got to Settle 5 or 6 hrs of up and down hill riding.

As we got into Settle thinking wow about 10k till we can rest at Malham we saw the hill that we had to get up "it was huge", we set off up in the saddle but quickly realised we had to get off and push for 45mins till the top, once at the top we had a nice freewheel into Malham for a quick bite to eat and then flop into bed exhausted. READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP...

International GoPro Weekend 2013 Trailer...

Image courtesy of The GoWorldGoPro Project

It's finally here...

The guys at The GoWorld GoPro Project and Negative4 Productions have released the first trailer from the upcoming International GoPro Weekend 2013 movie.

HSA is stoked to have made friends with these guys and were lucky enough to get a sneak peek. Now the wait is over... The first trailer dropped today and we're happy to give it to you here.

Can't wait for the full-length movie to drop this summer!

Check it out below!





IGW2013 - Official Trailer from Negative4Productions on Vimeo.

The HSA Challenge... What Will You Do?

Graphic by Human Spirit of Adventure

An idea pops in my head every once in awhile that I can't seem to get rid of... I've been thinking about this one for a bit and decided I would throw it out here and see what happens.

The idea is "The HSA Challenge"

What is the HSA Challenge you ask? Well, simply put, We here at Human Spirit of Adventure challenge our blog readers, our Facebook followers, and indeed the world, to put a little adventure into your lives. All too often people are bound to their desks, chained to their cell phones, or glued to the TV. Many of those people say to themselves, "If I only had the time I would do ______." Yet, for some reason, they never do.

In comes the HSA Challenge...

We challenge you, our readers and fans, to add some adventure to your lives and document it for the world to see. Here is the concept...

• Pick at least one day each week to do something adventurous
• Document the adventure with photos or video
• Share the adventure with us on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Humanspiritofadventure)
• And (most important of all)... HAVE FUN

That all there is to it...

Pics do not have to be professional quality... they can be shot with a cell phone in the crappiest conditions. Vids don't have to be professionally shot or edited... this is NOT an editing contest.

This is about human beings breaking away from self-imposed bondage and servitude by injecting fun and adventure into their lives. It's about rekindling that spark down deep within all of us. It's about showing the world that the human spirit is still alive.

I hope that you will all join us in this endeavor... and I'll kick it off right now with a little MTB vid that I shot yesterday at the end of my ride... Enjoy!




...

Adventure Week - Days 4 and 5...

Photo: Human Spirit of Adventure

Days 4 and 5 were spent with a mix of surfing and riding. Spring break was in full effect, there were a lot of kooks in the water, so dawn patrol was about the only good time to catch a few waves. Catch a few thigh high peelers and then get off the island before the mayhem starts.

After surfing, it was back to the trails... Riding and scouting good locations for camera placement for the documentary.

All in all it was a decent week. Not as adventurous as I'd hoped, but I'm not complaining... a decent day of surfing or riding beats a great day at the office anytime...

In June, I will head to the Arbuckle Mountains in Oklahoma for some hiking, backpacking, and a little freshwater snorkeling in a crystal clear river... there will be a little cave exploring too.

Also on tap for the summer is a little trail riding in the Texas Hill Country, filming for the documentary, and shooting videos for HSA's "yet-to-be-named" Survival Series.

Peace out!

Adventure Week - Day 3... MTB on Tap

Photo: Human Spirit of Adventure

Day 3 was mountain biking day. I awoke to a beautiful sunny morning and loaded up the jeep.

I had pondered the night before about which trail I wanted to ride. It was either a basically flat singletrack  trail in Oso Creek Park, or a bandit trail that has some rougher stuff. Ultimately I decided on the bandit trail.

It was a fun day. I rode hard for several hours and then began setting up shots for the documentary. I captured some fairly decent footage on the GoPro Hero3 Black. It was the first footage shot for the film. Eventually I will put some of it together for a quickie YouTube vid.

Day 4 coming up... Peace out!

Adventure Week - Day 2... VAS

Courtesy - PeriscopeFilm.com

So I awoke on Sunday morning in hopes of good surf, but I knew the moment I stepped outside that there would be too much onshore winds for anything good. But alas, Texan surfers have a saying... "You won't know if you don't go", so I went.
I loaded up the jeep with my surf gear, called up a buddy, and tried to hit up a dawn patrol. My friend who arrived before me called as I was nearing the beach saying it was total choof, but a few guys were giving it a go.

Being like I thought, I decided I was in no hurry and stopped for a cup of coffee, then pulled onto the beach. I took a stroll down the jetty to find my friend looking sad. The surf was big, choppy, and wind-blown... and the cold front hadn't even arrived yet. Most of the better shortboarders were getting a drop and maybe a turn before the wave totally closed out.

Since my friend hadn't paddled out in a while, we thought we'd give it a go anyway. It was for naught. Being a longboarder makes for real difficulty in that kind of wind. Not to mention the steepness of the waves. I pearled the first two tries, stood up finally on the third wave which closed out as I hit the bottom. This went on for an hour or so before I said "Screw it" and went on in. It was a good thing too because not fifteen minutes later the from hit, kicking winds up to about 45mph.

I spent the rest of the day hiking a bandit biking trail, searching for good camera placement spots for the documentary.

Such is life as a Texan surfer...

Water... The Most Precious Resource

Photo: People Are Awesome

What is the world’s most precious resource?

Some might say oil. Others might tell you that it is energy. But the cold hard truth is that water is the world’s most precious resource… and we are in danger of losing it.

How can we be in danger of losing it when the earth is 70% water?

The truth is we are nearing a point of no return. Oceans, rivers, and lakes are contaminated every day. Many nations around the world struggle to find clean drinking water. The ocean has become a dumping ground for toxic waste, trash, and plastic.

Consider this… [READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP]

President Picks Adventurer Sally Jewell for Interior Secretary...

Photo Courtesy of University of Denver

We here at Human Spirit of Adventure prefer not to delve into the political arena. We believe that Adventure Sports should be for testing a persons intestinal fortitude instead of political gain. However, we cannot help but notice that President Obama has picked Sally Jewell to replace Ken Salazar as Interior Secretary.

Jewell, an avid adventurer who counts kayaking and climbing among her favorite adventure sports, is president and CEO of Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI), one of the nation’s largest outdoor and recreational retailers. She’s on a handful of corporate and nonprofit boards, including the National Parks Conservation Association.

The Interior position is usually held by a politician from a Western state. Jewell is not a politician, but she is a Westerner and grew up in an outdoorsy family in Washington State.

As top-dog of an outdoor supply company that counts millions of hunters and fishermen as customers, Jewell represents a conservation agenda that could unite political parties. When it comes to protecting the environment, environmentalists and sportsmen groups often join efforts to protect America’s wilderness areas, which is something most, if not all adventurers can agree needs protecting.

So congratulations to Sally Jewell, we hope that political office will not uproot your love for the wilderness, environment, and the trail.

Upcoming Projects for 2013...

Human Spirit of Adventure has a few projects on tap for 2013.

We are currently working out the details for a video series of DIY survival videos, How-to videos, and will be putting together a small documentary on Adventure Sports in Texas.

The documentary will feature surfing, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, and much much more!

We do not yet have any final release dates for any of these projects, as they are still in the planning stages, but our tentative timeline is to begin posting the survival and how-to videos around June and to have the documentary release by the end of the year. We will definitely announce them here and on our Facebook Page as the details become clear.

We are very excited about these projects and hope you will enjoy them and find them useful as you adventure forward!

Thank you all for your support!