Adventurist Life — An Introduction and an Invitation

Mr. Leary said:
For the sake of efficiency, this entire project should be outsourced to southeast asia and the content changed from adventure travel to pictures of bro-dozers rolling coal. Articles could include internet feedback about the difference in taste between the different NFL team logo Bud Light runs.
Click to expand...
EDIT: On second thought, it sounds like something Sir Digby Chicken Caesar (PG13) might be able to help us with after the holidays. In the meantime, however, we're a bit enamored with the thought of Adventurist Life making a difference in peoples' lives.
:camper

TangoBlue said:
Once we meet @dr1665 Brian, you'll learn that knucklehead is a term of affection from me. But Mike does bring up some interesting possibilities in #33 above... :D
Click to expand...
I didn't take it as anything less than how you meant it, sir. Love it. And looking forward to meeting you.

Dave said:
Love this part.
Click to expand...
Good. Figure we can keep the lights on. That's the easy part. The hard part is producing quality content, resources, and events for the community around work and family commitments. There's only so much time in the day, ya know?

Opportunity cost is a cruel mistress. A week spent polishing a trip report for the website or digital issue is a week where activity, resource, and event planning takes a back seat. Likewise, we can't leave the front page dark for three months while we design, develop, and implement a fun, self-paced, digital summer camp that no one will see because they thought we bailed months prior.

This kickstarter is going to be our buffer. It's going to allow us to throw a few bucks at people who believe in our community and mission. Maybe just a tank of fuel or case of beer at first, but the more successful we are together, the more we can do - together.

The best is yet to come, folks.
 
Last edited:
Dave said:
Is there more info on the Kickstarter?
Click to expand...
Still very much in development, @Dave, so I can't offer anything hard and fast quite yet. I'm sure @Chazz can brief you in greater detail, but here's the skinny.
  • We're looking to run the entire month of November.
  • We don't have a firm, target number yet (but we're getting close).
  • We've sketched - and are narrowing down - a short list of potential donor perks.
  • We've shot - and Chazz is currently obsessing over the editing of - our intro video.
  • We're thinking this thing will also serve as an initial membership drive - with perks & prizes.
  • Metaphor! Funds raised will serve as the battery for our startup. Once the engine's running... :)
I hate the thought of asking anyone for money without being damn sure we've got something of real, substantive value in exchange. The show of support thus far has been incredible, but that doesn't mean we can - or do - take any of it for granted. In fact, it galvanizes our desire to go above and beyond for our fellow adventurists.

Hope this helps, sir.
 
dr1665 said:
Still very much in development, @Dave, so I can't offer anything hard and fast quite yet. I'm sure @Chazz can brief you in greater detail, but here's the skinny.
  • We're looking to run the entire month of November.
  • We don't have a firm, target number yet (but we're getting close).
  • We've sketched - and are narrowing down - a short list of potential donor perks.
  • We've shot - and Chazz is currently obsessing over the editing of - our intro video.
  • We're thinking this thing will also serve as an initial membership drive - with perks & prizes.
  • Metaphor! Funds raised will serve as the battery for our startup. Once the engine's running... :)
I hate the thought of asking anyone for money without being damn sure we've got something of real, substantive value in exchange. The show of support thus far has been incredible, but that doesn't mean we can - or do - take any of it for granted. In fact, it galvanizes our desire to go above and beyond for our fellow adventurists.

Hope this helps, sir.
Click to expand...

Copy that, standing by.
 
I am looking forward to a media enterprise that focuses on the doing, the community and the reasons why we seek adventures in the outdoors. All other publications and media have left me cold with the blatant marketing, self serving promotion and trend chasing. I wish you the best in your start-up.
 
Thank you @Haggis.

It struck me this morning, everyone's seeking something. The Internet of things leads to more than a little self-promotion these days. How can we be different?

I'm thinking we use this corner of the web to shine a light on action, on self-reliance. It's about celebrating the underlying reasons why we seek adventure and helping each other live better lives. That's what we're promoting. :)
 
Paige Novy said:
So stoked to see this coming together! A frest idea indeed!
Click to expand...
Thank you, @Paige Novy. We're chomping at the bit on this one.

I was just replying to a contributor inquiry when I had an exciting thought. Check this out.

We've all only got so much time and/or money for our adventurist pursuits. Let's all that 100%.

How does your 100% look? Mine looks kinda like this:
  • 60% Mitsubishi 4WD
  • 20% publishing (natch)
  • 8% mountain biking
  • 7% hiking
The other 5%? That's where the seeds of various other interests are planted. Take, for example, mine. In no particular order... canoeing/kayaking, mountain climbing, fishing, spelunking, motorcycles, skydiving, flying, guns, bonsai, woodworking, et al.

Think about your own "5%" for a minute. What's on that list?

This place brings us all together. We become each others' teachers. The best kind of teachers.

I already know how to blow a paycheck and ruin a weekend with Mitsubishi 4WD. I've got over 6 years and 500 articles published on GBXM. I have a better-than-box-store MTB and enough accessories to give me weeks of 2-wheeled adventures. And I've got enough interest and experience hiking to make a decent start of any good trail.

Because those take up 95% of my time/money, when I do try my hand at, say, kayaking, I want to make sure I do it right. How fortuitous to have a place where I can learn from people for whom paddling is #1?

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Our first experiences in new territory often shape our long term views. Kayaking could become the thing I love more than anything else, relegating my beloved Mitsu to "just a truck," my bike and pack merely means to an end. But the only way that seed has a chance to grow and yield fruit on my currently limited budget is by knowledge sharing.

I'm so excited about this is might not be healthy. Haha.

Adventurist Life and American Adventurist are going to become THE place to go for people who want the best possible experience with their "5%" interests.

We're--all of us--going to build an ecosystem where we share why we love the things we do and how we get the most out of them.

We're going to help explorers discover routes to critical, first successes. We're going to help adventurists gain fresh knowledge and skills, advancing our crafts to the next level. And we're going to be the place where the experts (nomads) feel valued because they know they're making a difference in the communities they depend on for their survival.

I'm gonna have this George Harrison song stuck in my head all day now...

 
Wow, first I've read of this! I gotta spend more time on my computer and phone... No wait, less time. Whatever, this sounds like my kind of info, bring it on, sign me up, I'll spread the word and follow your success.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
 
2016 bump.

I drove up the hill so @Chazz Layne and I could re-record a few pieces of the Kickstarter video. I got to see snow. And Sir Clax-a-Lot didn't even need his MaxTraxx to get out of the knee-deep snow.

IMG_20160109_145021.resized.jpg


We've still got so much on our plates before this thing goes live, but ZOMG, it's going to be epic. And we can't wait to go live. We have to wait, because we want to deliver on our promises, but the itch grows stronger by the day.

For example, here's a sketch of something @Dave is about to get a PM about in advance of DRV... ;)

IMG_20160112_222251.resized.jpg


Hope you're as excited as we are!
 
This is awesome. I definitely think there is a demand for a more "close to home" publication rather then a glorified wish-list, hence the reason I find it hard to read into any of the exotic features out there.

I'm alright with a camera and can string a couple sentences together. Let me know if you need more fan-based contributions.

- Kyle
 
I'll be one of the first to donate to your kickstarter... I assume a link to the kickstarter will be linked here?

Sent from my LG-H810 using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom