Help Expedition Alaska Crowdfunding Efforts, Get Some Cool Gear

Last summer I was part of the team that put on the Expedition Alaska adventure race, during which we hosted some of the best AR teams in the world on a grueling 400+ mile (643 km) course through the Alaskan wilderness. It was an epic event, held in an epic location, that was both thrilling to watch unfold and rewarding to be a part of.

The race was filmed by a talented crew of faculty and students from the University of Cincinnati, which has a unique and innovative Production Master Class that is taught by CCM Professor Kevin Burke, DAAP Professor Yoshiko Burke and UC/CCM Alumnus and Emmy award-winning producer Brian J. Leitten. That group spent days in the field filming the race, capturing some amazing footage in the process. Now, they're looking to crowdfund a documentary, offering adventure racing fans a look at this amazing event. 

A few days ago, the team behind the documentary launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $25,000 that will allow them to finish the project and produce 4 half-hour long episodes that show the drama and challenge of Expedition Alaska. There are multiple levels of pledges to be had - starting as low as $5 – which deliver some great perks to those who contribute to the cause. Those perks include everything from copies of the finished product, digital downloads of a "making of" documentary, and even some excellent outdoor gear. 

In an effort to help out the cause, I am donating some gear to help raise funds. In fact, there is a special "The Adventure Blogger" perk for someone who is willing to donate $500 to the campaign. If you select this perk, I will send you a mystery gear package that will definitely exceed the amount that you are contributing. You'll also receive all of the other perks that fall below that funding level too. 

The video below is the trailer for Expedition Alaska, and gives you a good idea of what to expect from this project. If you'd like to learn more, check out the Indiegogo page here.  

EXPEDITION ALASKA TRAILER from Hyperion XIII Productions on Vimeo.

Expedition Idaho Adventure Race Website Online!

Awhile back, we announced the return of the Expedition Idaho adventure race for 2014, which is scheduled to take place August 10-16 near beautiful Coeur d'Alene. At the time of that announcement, the website for the 500+ mile long race was still under construction, so there was very little news or information available for teams and AR fans alike. Earlier this week, the full website went live, providing more insights into what teams can expect when they had to Idaho later this year.

On the site, you'll find a list of the mandatory gear required for the event, some thoughts on the race's format, information on the course, and much, much more. Registration for the event is still coming, but should be online soon, so interested teams will definitely want to watch for the announcement of when they can reserve their spot in the race.

One of the highlights of this race is the finish. Adventure races aren't known for having great finishes, but at Expedition Idaho, all of the time teams come across the finish line on the final day amidst a large beer party that creates a raucous atmosphere unlike any other in the sport. It will be something to behold for sure, and teams that competed in the 2011 version of the race were amazed by the reception they got as they came across the line. The 2014 version of the race should be even better.

In the previous announcement about the return of EXPID, it was all announced that Expedition Alaska would be coming in 2015. We'll have to wait for more news on that race in the months ahead, but just the location alone should be enough to get most people excited about the possibilities. We'll share more insights into that one when they become available as well.