Fat bike/rafting the Arctic

[rwsaunders]

Does anybody know if this gent made it?

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/77zero/fatbikerafting-the-arctic?ref=live

[fourflys]

He did not... I actually met him a few days before he turned back... I met him at a small roadside motel/cafe on my way up the Alaska Hwy, he was in the Northern part of BC... I had no idea he was turning around when I met him, I just read about it later on... nice guy, shame it didn't make it...

I know there was quite an uproar from people who donated to his cause and even more complaints from those who were just armchair quarterbacking (and didn't donate it sounded like).... the discussion made it sound like he wasn't well prepared... I have no idea...

[charliedid]

The guy was completely over his head...and a bit to pie in the sky to even come close.

here are a couple nuggets from his Kickstarter site.

"All I want is to do epic stuff across the face of our amazing planet, then tell you about it so you can do the epic stuff you want to do. Is that so much to ask?"

"The project is a film documenting the adventure. It would be naivete or hubris to pitch you a plotline before I've left. I'm confident that my mind will be sufficiently blown, and I'll do my best to translate that into something that will inspire others to experience the sublimity of wildness and wilderness."

"I have managed to get my provisions to something a little less than 5 tons. I'm looking at about 30 pounds of bike, 30 pounds of pack, and 10 pounds of raft stuff. Hey, that's not even 1 ton!"

I've know plenty of well intentioned people like him over the years.

I'm sure he is a nice guy but...

Read this - http://77zero.org/fbrta-update-the-quick-version/

[jchasse]

If you've got time to kill, you can go read the uproar in the MTBR forums thread on this...:eek:

[fourflys]

If you've got time to kill, you can go read the uproar in the MTBR forums thread on this...:eek:

that's mainly what I was referring to... many people who are armchair quarterbacking... some have legit criticisms, most are just being forum :butt:...

[charliedid]

If you've got time to kill, you can go read the uproar in the MTBR forums thread on this...:eek:

got a link? I'd love to read that ;-)

[jchasse]

here ya go.

http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/arctic-fatty-build-9-zero-7-a-769025.html

I love the Plasti-dipping-the-whole-frame idea....(what the...) Maybe I should do that to my Waterford? ;)

[charliedid]

here ya go.

http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/arctic-fatty-build-9-zero-7-a-769025.html

I love the Plasti-dipping-the-whole-frame idea....(what the...) Maybe I should do that to my Waterford? ;)

Thanks for that...!

"All the gear and no idear...."

Classic

[fourflys]

I request that we not turn this thread into the MTBR thread... the OP asked if the guy finished his journey, that question was answered... this guy did more than most will ever attempt... unless someone has done these kind of trips, then they have nothing constructive to input... the guy did make it from Seattle to Northern BC on a fat bike... that in itself is damn impressive... I can say that because I've driven that stretch (and more) in a car twice and that was difficult enough...

[charliedid]

I request that we not turn this thread into the MTBR thread... the OP asked if the guy finished his journey, that question was answered... this guy did more than most will ever attempt... unless someone has done these kind of trips, then they have nothing constructive to input... the guy did make it from Seattle to Northern BC on a fat bike... that in itself is damn impressive... I can say that because I've driven that stretch (and more) in a car twice and that was difficult enough...

Nice drive isn't it? That said, I don't believe anything that Andrew did was "impressive" at all. Quite the opposite really.

[gdw]

It's hard to tell what or if he really did anything so his most impressive varifiable accomplishment was raising the money to fund the adventure/vacation/scam?.

[fourflys]

It's hard to tell what or if he really did anything so his most impressive varifiable accomplishment was raising the money to fund the adventure/vacation/scam?.

well, he rode a fat bike from Seattle to pretty much the border between British Columbia and The Yukon... he didn't get to where I met him by taxi, that's for sure... I don't know how much was on the AlCan and how much was on trails/rivers, but still... Anyone who has driven that stretch can attest to the LOOOOONG stretches of beautiful nothingness and the semis passing at 70 mph at times very close to you... it's a lot different than riding from San Fran to Santa Barbara for example...

[gdw]

"well, he rode a fat bike from Seattle to pretty much the border between British Columbia and The Yukon... "

Maybe. After reading the threads and articles it's hard to tell what he actually did. His infrequent and erratic communication has really hurt his cause.

[verticaldoug]

The guy reminds me of Christopher McCandless from 'Into the Wild'- Jumping right into the deep end, way over his head. The modern adventurer is looking for some romance with nature, the original pioneers were just trying not to die.

There are so many people out there trying to finance and raise funds for some conceived adventure. It is really tough. The best guys spend a year or more just planning. He really did a disservice to his sponsors. ( I can't believe he actually raised any money)

At the other pole, the TNF sponsored Mission Antarctic looks like good fun- Climbing, riding and paragliding in the Antarctic fjords this summer.

http://www.thenorthfacejournal.com/category/mission-antarctic/

[christian]

I will never understand why people ask for money to go on vacation. The rest of us work to pay for our vacations.

[rice rocket]

I will never understand why people ask for money to go on vacation. The rest of us work to pay for our vacations.

I think you should be wondering more why people are GIVING them the money. People can ask for anything, it's those who fork up that are the suckers.

[christian]

I think you should be wondering more why people are GIVING them the money. People can ask for anything, it's those who fork up that are the suckers.Nah, I think those people donate a couple of bucks to live vicariously; who am I to judge. It's the hubris of asking that gets me.

[fourflys]

Maybe. After reading the threads and articles it's hard to tell what he actually did. His infrequent and erratic communication has really hurt his cause.

somehow he got himself and his bike/gear to just south of the Yukon border because that's where I met him mid-July... as I said, I don't think he took a taxi... I saw his bike locked up out front, that's what got me talking to him...

[charliedid]

Maybe he took the bus...

[Louis]

Maybe he took the bus...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a1l--kTBEMc/TH1LZF0iZtI/AAAAAAAACBU/eMr_hxs8cWM/s1600/183Bus.jpg

[cat6]

The story takes place on the planet Grool, a planet inhabited by mostly short, anthropomorphous felines. The idyllic and mundane lifestyle of the feline aliens is interrupted when an alien invader known as Kat of Nine Tails kidnaps Grool's sentient populace, inadvertently leaving one of them, Squeak, behind. Shortly after, Squeak encounters a human boy known only as Bubble who agrees to rescue Squeak's captured populace.

[fourflys]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a1l--kTBEMc/TH1LZF0iZtI/AAAAAAAACBU/eMr_hxs8cWM/s1600/183Bus.jpg
That bus would have went well with motel/cafe we were having lunch at... But when there isn't anything for miles, you take what you can get... ;)

[charliedid]

ZING!

Thankfully he did not get on that bus at least.