Welcome to The Joy Trip Project
I’ve been on the road for nearly three weeks now. About half way through my trip today I’m in Joshua Tree National Park. On a long road tour of the west I’m visiting several wild and scenic places to meet and connect with people like me, and perhaps you, who are dedicated to leading an active lifestyle. And even though I’m heading back toward home the journey is far from over.
The Joy Trip Project is an ongoing mission to discover and report on the many expressions of modern adventure. From my home base in Madison, WI I produce a blog and podcast series of the same name that regularly provides a variety of different stories on athletes, artists and activists [more]
The Nomad, a film by Skip Armstrong
The latest adventure web series from Forge Motion Pictures explores the depths of the human soul. The crew that delivered last year’s award-winning mountain film Cold now follows the lives of individuals who have discovered the joy and passion that comes from pressing the boundaries of athletic ability against the most primal of the natural elements.
Directed by Skip Armstrong Of Souls & Water premiered its first two of five episodes at the 2012 5Point Film Festival. Each depicting the stories of iconic paddlers the short films illustrate the motivations behind their desire to travel over water, sometimes fast, sometimes frozen but typically white, exposed to swirling currents and crashing waves of emotion.
Now available to view online The Nomad tracks the [more]
“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” ~T.S. Eliot author of “The Wasteland”
This morning I ate cereal on same breakfast table where I used to do my homework. The Joy Trip has brought back to where it all began for me at my mom and dad’s house in South Central Los Angeles. After 27 years very little has changed. And even though my 86-year-old parents required the installation of handrails they also have wireless Internet.
I’ve been on the road traveling and writing my way between the 5Point and Mountainfilm Festivals. And in my exploring through a circumnavigation of the [more]
I rolled into Yosemite Valley late in the afternoon on a Monday in May. Three weeks before the Memorial Day Weekend rush the national park seemed almost vacant. Bluebird skies and warm temperatures made for great camping weather. And even though a friend offered me a bed for the night I headed over to Camp 4.
Not far from the park exit Camp 4 is a uniquely Yosemite experience. Made popular through the 60s and 70s this patch of earth is home to the many rock climbers who come to the Valley from around the world to ascend its high granite walls. For just $5 per person each night you can pitch a tent within a short trek to the base [more]
Expedition Denali the Journey Begins
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ~ Chinese philosopher Laozi (c 604 bc - c 531 bc)
Our journey to the highest peak in North America technically began months ago. Over the past several weeks a flurry of emails and text messages across the Internet pulled together a cadre of disassociated adventurers to share a common dream. And over a weekend in May we took the first actual steps toward our goal. In a remote lodge on a ridge above Lake Tahoe our team of African-American climbers met to forge the bonds of friendship in preparation for Expedition Denali.
Typically aspiring climbers who take part in one of the many wonderful courses offered by the National Outdoor [more]
I woke up this morning nowhere I expected to be. After a 3-hour joy trip from Carbondale, Colorado I found myself in Moab, Utah. I’d originally planned to camp by the river on the edge of town. Instead I wound up having to pick between sleeping on a cozy couch or way up high in a tree slung with nets. Those are your choices when you crash at the Monkey Den.
The 5Point Film Festival wrapped up the day before and I left Carbondale with a surge of enthusiasm for a life in adventure. Four days of action movies and inspiring stories set me on course toward something wonderful. I suppose what made the event incredibly special was being able to [more]
5Point Adventures from the heart
Overcoming adversity is a common theme among adventure films. To beat the odds and triumph in the face of certain doom is the universal thread that runs like a current through the exciting stories that captivate audiences year after year. And on the second night of programming at the 2012 5Point Film Festival a subtle variation on that theme makes a compelling swift to explore not just the circumstances of adventure but the unfathomable depths of the characters who experience it.
Each of the films presented on Friday demonstrates strength and determination that go well beyond the physical challenges of gravity, altitude, speed and temperature. Instead the stories illustrate the power of individuals to rise above their fears and insecurities to [more]
A film festival of excellent quality is far more than the sum of its movies. The cultural experience that draws audiences to witness a spectacle of fun and adventure is a unique opportunity to exceed the mere goal of entertainment. The fifth annual 5Point Film Festival has built a community where aspiring explorers can watch reality unfold in film through stories that first began with a dream.
Opening night of the four-day event possessed the intimate flavor of a family reunion. This gathering of our tribe brought together in Carbondale, Colorado distant relations who share in common the genetic imperative to explore, to discover, to dream. And in the fellowship of kindred spirits a passionate crowd packed the local recreation center [more]
Despite all indications to the contrary, a new film wants you to disregard a common misconception. “We’re Not Broke” by Vicky Bruce and Hayes explores the arcane and all too confusing world of multi-national tax regulations to reveal a surprising fact. The most profitable corporations in the United States contribute almost nothing to the Internal Revenue Service. And although popular rhetoric suggests that we’ve taxed enough already Bruce and Hayes demonstrate that many of us don’t pay nearly enough.
Typically one to stay free of politics I want to share this movie on the Joy Trip Project because many of the issues we discuss here are directly impacted by the contributions of tax-paying citizens. The wild and scenic places we aim [more]
Road Tripper App for iPad/iPhone
Marion, Iowa
I just pulled over for a food break and an email check. Google maps tells me I'm 155 miles into the first leg of this westward road trip to the 5Point Film Festival and beyond. Culver's restaurants are a good alternative to your typical fast food, just as much fat, maybe more, but everything is fresh. The "Butter Burger" will do you in and if like frozen custard this is definitely the place. Free Wi-Fi makes this a good hot spot for wireless.
I'm trying out the Road Tripper App for iPad & iPhone from ZurApps Research Inc. So far I have mix opinions. The features seem to work really well on the free version but as you can guess [more]
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