My good friend adventure filmmaker Dominic Gill is in a tight spot and he needs your help. Just when he was about to embark upon another epic transcontinental bicycle trip his partner Ernie Greenwald has taken ill. The 76-year-old cancer patient suffered a bout of pneumonia after a round of chemotherapy and simply can not peddle along the 4,000-mile journey as planned from California to New York. But Dom still hopes to make the ride. And in the classic fashion of his award-winning film of the same title he hopes to find a few people across America to “Take A Seat” and cycle their way across the country in Ernie’s place. There’s only one catch. You have to be disabled. Read the rest of this entry »
I should be horizontal. The Mountain Film Festival in Telluride came to a close just a few hours ago. And after five action-packed days taking photographs and conducting interviews I’m pretty wiped-out. I aught to be in bed getting some much needed sleep. Soon I’ll begin work on a more lengthy blog post and you can look forward to several new podcasts. But for the moment I just had to take a few minutes to share with you the absolute best highlight of the event.
The Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride announced today its final selection of movies to appear in the next month’s Memorial Day weekend event. The annual celebration of mountain culture promises to deliver an eclectic mix of motion pictures that will not only thrill but inspire. Though centered around the active outdoor lifestyle the list of pics aims to challenge audiences to think critically about their actions in the world where they live and play.
“We are particularly excited about the festival this year,” said director David Holbrooke in a press release. “We have a very strong and varied lineup of films, speakers and artists. We have accomplished mountaineers like Ed Viesturs and Conrad Anker but we also have artists like Maya Lin and Chris Jordan. We have environmental activists like Dave Foreman and Tim DeChristopher but we also have civil rights activists with two Freedom Riders coming to town.”
I got up this morning already with a full plate. I was at my computer typing away at 6AM trying to get a head start on several projects in hopes that I could enjoy a gorgeous weekend outside. With three looming deadlines, including the latest edition of this podcast, the last thing I planned to do today was to watch streaming video online. But I got an email from my friend Audrey Peterman. She and her husband Frank are environmental activists based in Atlanta and the co-authors of the new book “Legacy on the Land.” Frank and Audrey are working to raise awareness for the importance of outdoor recreation especially as it pertains to people of color and the urban poor. The two of them along with a few other friends and colleagues are gathered today in Washington DC to attend the White House Conference on the Great Outdoors. A few hundred dignitaries from around the country were meeting to discuss new initiatives to get more people off the coach and outside. Audrey wrote in her email that the conference would be televised live and included an address from president Barack Obama.
So naturally I dropped everything, set up the computer and plugged in my digital recorder. If you missed it, I’m pleased to bring you the president’s comments. I’m not sure what the White House or the FCC will have to say about broadcast his speech, but until I get busted I hope enjoy what he had to say.
Immediately after the president’s address he signed a memorandum acknowledging his adminstration’s support for a national movement to get more people outdoors and directly involved in environmental conservation. If you’re interested learning more about how you might get involved check first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative. The president and his family are working to help all Americans live a more active, healthy lifestyle. You can too. Visit www.letsmove.gov.
The Joy Trip Project welcomes a new contributing artist to our list of muscians. Chad Farran has made a name in the San Diego music scene by playing hundreds of shows with many local bands throughout the region, producing music for TV shows and independent films, and recording CD projects for local musicians.
Over the past 3 years he has been involved in the production of music for the popular surf/travel show On Surfari that airs on FOX network’s Fuel TV, and has managed to capture the essence of foreign countries that the show travels to by studying the traditions and instruments from each place, incorporating them into musical pieces, and creating a contemporary and refreshing soundtrack. Farran’s most recent CD release is , with 22 songs featured in the first season of Fuel TV’s On Surfari. The CD features a rich landscape of music with ethnic instrumentation and grooves inspired by travels to India, Panama, Mauritius and New York.
Congresswoman Jackie Speier (San Francisco/San Mateo County) testifies today before the House Natural Resources Committee. Speier’s bill, H.R. 4491, authorizes the National Park Service to study the role the African American regiments played in establishing the National Park System and to honor their legacy.
“I am thrilled to have this opportunity to begin to tell the world of the momentous contribution the Buffalo Soldiers have made to our country,” said Congresswoman Speier. “It is fitting, during Black History Month, that we take the first steps towards the rightful recognition of these soldiers. They were truly the first guardians of our National Parks, blazing the trails, building the roads and protecting the lands for visitors – they helped make the vision for our National Parks a reality.”
Steph Davis is a frequent flier who regularly travels with a parachute. Accustomed to packing it as a carry-on it’s only when flying coach that this professional skydiver and BASE jumper checks her chute and the rest of her gear as luggage. But the next time Davis flies the indifferent skies she’ll likely think twice about trusting an airline with her professional cargo. On a recent flight from Zurich to Washington/Dulles though she landed safely, her parachute did not. United Airlines lost her bag. Read the rest of this entry »
The
I got up this morning already with a full plate. I was at my computer typing away at 6AM trying to get a head start on several projects in hopes that I could enjoy a gorgeous weekend outside. With three looming deadlines, including the latest edition of this podcast, the last thing I planned to do today was to watch streaming video online. But I got an email from my friend Audrey Peterman. She and her husband Frank are environmental activists based in Atlanta and the co-authors of the new book “
Congresswoman Jackie Speier (San Francisco/San Mateo County) testifies today before the House Natural Resources Committee. Speier’s bill, H.R. 4491, authorizes the National Park Service to study the role the African American regiments played in establishing the National Park System and to honor their legacy.
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