About this project
What is the fastest way from Salt Lake to Reno? Are people in Omaha friendly? What should we pack? What will we eat? How fast can we get there? What is bear spray? Finding the answers to questions like these in aggregate is difficult. Enter the Adventure Access Trail: (http://adventureaccess.org)
FAQ
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Anecdotes from our trip will be scattered within, but primarily this book will be organized by the things you need to know for your own trip. Topics will include the following:
-Why we need adventure now
-Basic Land navigation
-Gear recommendations
-Survival and how to meet basic needs
-How to sleep anywhere
-Predicting and dealing with weather
-Staying safe
-Meeting and enjoying people
-Identifying and appreciating flora and fauna
-Estimating costs
-Terrain and walkability
-Communications, news, and entertainment -
A checkpoint is a spot along the trail where we'll place a blaze (approximately every 10 miles). A landmark is a point of interest that we discover along the trail (bridges, statues, buildings, amazing natural scenery, etc.).
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A blaze is a trail marker that lets people know that they're headed in the right direction. Sometimes, they're paint, sometimes they're wooden. Ours are stickers that signify not only the path, but also link to a corresponding online resource describing the area around the checkpoint where the blaze is placed.
Our blazes look like our project picture (the image that you see before the video plays).
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To claim a checkpoint, take a look at the red circles on the "Trail" map at http://adventureaccess.org. You can see the numbers when you click on them. Let us know what number you'd like to have a checkpoint close to. Then, after we cross through, we'll give you a call and tell you what the area around your checkpoint is like. Then, when we add the information to the site, we will update the checkpoint name with anything you choose! This checkpoint name will appear in the book as well!
You are eligible to claim a checkpoint if you back at any of the following levels:
-Land Rush
-Surveyor
-Hero
-Virtual Sherpa
-Magnate
-Pioneer Weekend
-Adventure Vacation -
Unlike claiming a checkpoint, landmarks can only be claimed after they are discovered. When we see something awesome and at least somewhat permanent (bridges, statues, buildings, amazing natural scenery), we'll send a message out to eligible backers, letting them know that the landmark is available. The first to respond can name and describe the landmark in whatever way they want. These names and descriptions will then appear on the website and in the book!
You are eligible to claim a landmark if you back at any of the following levels:
-Land Rush
-Icon
-Hero
-Virtual Sherpa
-Magnate
-Pioneer Weekend
-Adventure Vacation -
We are leaving from Boston on July 1st, 2011.
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Our goal is to reach San Francisco sometime in December. To reach that goal, we need to walk approximately 20 miles per day. Typically, we average about 3 miles per hour, so that means that we'll be walking for around 7 hours per day.
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We are balancing our stays between a combination of camping and more traditional lodging.
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Yep! But we're also going to be having a great time and creating something awesome along the way.
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Sure! We're definitely looking for friendly faces along the way. Send us a message!
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We thought it might be. That's why we're taking precautions. Still, 911 works at most points along the path. For more remote areas, we'll have an emergency beacon, and friends will be aware of our location at all times.
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We've done a fair bit of research on this. Because this is so uncommon, there's a lack of information to form a reasonable understanding of the risks involved. We did find a quote from a guy who did a similar solo trip last year that made us feel more comfortable with the idea:
"Have some faith in this world. Things aren’t as bad as they tell us. We may all have different political opinions and different religious beliefs and different cultural norms... and many of us probably couldn’t stand to be around each other on a regular basis, but most of us would, as it turns out, extend a helping hand to a stranger in need. I walked 3100 miles across this country and didn’t encounter a single person who tried to hurt me, or steal from me, or damage my possessions. Maybe this isn’t a place that needs to be feared. Maybe it’s a place that needs to be explored, and appreciated, and celebrated."
-used with permission from: http://imjustwalkin.com/2010/08/30/thoughts-on-the-red-line/
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Yes please! We are funding the trail creation with our own money, and the cost is significantly higher than our minimum goal. Every backer of this project will help make this trail into something much bigger than what we can do on our own.
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
143
Backers
$7,383
pledged of $7,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on June 30, 2011.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
LAND RUSH LEVEL - pay what you want!! Claim a checkpoint, claim a landmark, and get a phone call detailing the conditions around your checkpoint/landmark. You'll also get a digital and signed hard copy of the book "How to Walk Across America" with our trail map. Plus you'll get regular project updates and our thanks in the book and on the website.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
BLAZE-WORTHY LEVEL - We'll send you an Adventure Access Trail sticker (the same "blaze" that we'll place at each checkpoint!). You'll also get regular project updates and our thanks in the book and on the website.
Pledge $20 or more Pledge $20 or more
READER LEVEL - You'll get a digital copy of the book "How to Walk Across America" plus all of the the non-land rush rewards above.
Pledge $35 or more Pledge $35 or more
SCOUT LEVEL - We'll send you a signed hard copy of the book "How to Walk Across America" with our trail map plus all the non-land rush rewards above.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
SURVEYOR LEVEL - Claim a checkpoint, and name it anything you want! You can see the approximate route at http://adventureaccess.org. Your chosen checkpoint nickname will appear on the site and in the book! Plus you'll get a call from us detailing the conditions of your checkpoint. You'll also receive all of the the non-land rush rewards above and an invite to walk/party with other backers and us if you're around Boston on July 1st/2nd!!
Pledge $75 or more Pledge $75 or more
ICON LEVEL - You'll receive all the non-land rush rewards above, but with a landmark instead of a checkpoint. You can add your own description and dedication! For example: "Golden Gate Bridge"? Not anymore. Now it's the "[Insert Name Here] Bridge", complete with your own history or mythology about it! These landmarks with your descriptions and dedications will appear in the book as well as the website!
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
HERO LEVEL - You are a Surveyor and an Icon! Every reward so far is yours!
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
VIRTUAL SHERPA LEVEL - You'll get custom walking trail planning and virtual support hotline (phone, email, etc.) on your next adventure, plus all of the rewards listed above!
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
MAGNATE LEVEL - We will mail you a collection of items that you're into. Shot glasses? Maps? Novelty magnets? Chamber of commerce pamphlets? Whatever you're into, we'll help you build your collection by mailing you the items from every state that we visit. (If you collect things such as diamond rings, wallabies, anvils, or ice cream, talk to us first). You'll also receive all of the rewards listed above.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
PIONEER WEEKEND LEVEL - We will guide you, your family, your friends, your college class, your business associates, or any other motley combination of you and your walking pals on a weekend walking trip and help you with pre-walk planning! (Note: we're cool with traveling outside of the continental US if you cover airfare as well). You'll also receive all of the rewards listed above.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
ADVENTURE VACATION LEVEL - We will guide you, your family, your friends, your college class, your business associates, or any other motley combination of you and your walking pals on a REALLY long walk (2 weeks!) and help you with pre-walk planning! (Note: we're cool with traveling outside of the continental US if you cover airfare as well). Instead of the pioneer weekend, you get a two week trip with us and all of the other rewards listed above!
Project By
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Getting ready to walk really really far.
