Spring clinics on backpacking gear, supplies & skills

[askurka]

In March and April I'm giving about 45 slideshows and clinics all over the country. It'd be great to see some of you there. If you make it out, please say hello.

The clinic, in particular, you might like since it focuses entirely on the backpacking gear, supplies and skills necessary to make hiking fun, rather than an arduous chore between camps. It's designed for backpackers who want to move, whether that be on the Appalachian Trail, another trail, or off-trail. Weight is obviously an important factor in one's hiking experience, but you don't want to be blinded by it -- you still need to be safe and comfortable, and in the long run sometimes it's better to have a marginally heavier item that offers superior durability, efficiency and reliability.

At many venues I'm also giving a general audience slideshow about my 4,700-mile, 6-month Alaska-Yukon Expedition. It features great pictures, video clips and stories. For those of you who were at the ALDHA Gathering, a lot of it will be familiar.

For complete event info, visit: http://andrewskurka.com/slideshows-clinics/current-schedule/

Below is a list of confirmed venues and dates:

Google – Authors@Google (private)
Monday, March 5
Mountain View, CA

Sunrise Mountain Sports
Monday-Tuesday, March 5-6
Livermore, CA

Heartflow (private)
Wednesday, March 7
Redwood City, CA 94063

Sports Basement – Bryant Street
Wednesday-Thursday, March 7-8
San Francisco, CA

GoLite - Boulder
Saturday, March 10
Pearl Sreet
Boulder, cO

Quest Outdoors
Monday-Tuesday, March 12-13
Louisville, KY

Bill Jackson’s
Wednesday-Thursday, March 14-15
Pinellas Park, FL

Pack & Paddle
Friday-Saturday, March 16-17
Lafayette, LA

River Sports Outfitters
Monday-Tuesday, March 19-20
Knoxville, TN

Nantahala Outdoor Center
Wednesday-Thursday, March 21-22
Asheville, NC

Forsyth Country Day
Friday, March 23 (private)
Winston-Salem, NC 27103

Great Outdoor Provision Co and Summit School
Saturday, March 24
Winston-Salem, NC

Washington & Lee University
Wednesday-Thursday, March 28-29
Lexington, VA

Campmor
Friday-Saturday, March 30-31
Paramus, New Jersey 07652

Seekonk High School
Monday, April 2
Seekonk, MA

BSA Troop 77 and Innovation Academy Charter School
Wednesday, April 4
Tyngsboro, MA

The Alpine Shop
Friday-Saturday, April 6-7
Kirkwood, MO 63122

Fin & Feather
Monday-Tuesday, April 9-10
Iowa City, IA 52246

Kalamazoo College
Saturday, April 14
Kalamazoo, MI

Lee's Adventure Sports
Saturday, April 14
Portage, MI 49002

The Mountaineers
Monday & Wednesday, April 16 & 18
Seattle, WA 98115

Mt. Baker Theatre
Tuesday & Thursday, April 17 & 19
Bellingham, WA

Columbia Center for the Arts
Saturday, April 21
Hood River, OR 97031

GoLite – Colorado Springs
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado Mountain Club
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Golden, CO 80401

Neptune Mountaineering
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Boulder, CO

Midwest Mountaineering Expo
Saturday, April 28
Minneapolis, MN

GoLite – Boulder
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Boulder, CO

[Joey C]

I hope to make the Lexington, VA event. Thanks for the info on this.

[Six-Six]

I am hoping to see you at the GOPC in Winston-Salem, NC. Safe travels. Don't lose your voice by March 24th, okay?

[askurka]

I hope to make the Lexington, VA event. Thanks for the info on this.

Glad to share it here. Never like to self-promote but someone needs to get the word out.

The VA presentations will be fun. Rumor has it that Ron Bell from MLD is going to show. Meeting Ron is worth the chore of listening to me for 60-90 minutes. See you there.

[dhock83]

Will u be at the NCT conference again this year?

[askurka]

Unfortunately, no, I will not be back at the annual meeting this year. However, one of the silent auction items last year was the opportunity to have me give my presentations at whatever event the winner wanted, and it was purchased by the Chief Noonday Chapter, which is based in Battle Creek. Those are the April 13-14 dates in Kalamazoo. Maybe I'll see you there.

If you live near Dayton, there's a good chance that I'll be returning for The Adventure Summit in 2013. I can't confirm that yet but it seems like the organizers, Brent and Amy Anslinger, live bringing me in.

[askurka]

The events thus far have been mostly very good. It's also been a lot of fun to be back on the road, meeting fresh faces (and re-meeting older ones) and getting out on trails other than those in Boulder.

I'm in the Southeast for the next week weeks:

* Wed & Thurs, March 21 & 22, Nantahala Outdoor Center in The Grove Park Inn, Asheville
* Saturday, March 24, Great Outdoor Provision Company, Winston-Salem
* Wed & Thurs, March 28 & 29, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA
* Fri & Sat, March 30 & 31, Campmor, Paramus, NJ

Event details, and info about other Spring events, can be found here: andrewskurka.com/slideshows-clinics/current-schedule (http://andrewskurka.com/slideshows-clinics/current-schedule)

[askurka]

Currently on Amtrak from NYC to PVD, following the Campmor event earlier today. Looking forward to being based at my parent's house in southeastern MA for my events this week:

* Monday, Apr 2, Seekonk High School
* Tuesday, Apr 3, Middletown, RI
* Wednesday, Apr 4, Tyngsboro, MA
* Friday & Saturday, Apr 6-7, Kirkwood, MO


For event details, go to: http://andrewskurka.com/slideshows-clinics/current-schedule


The week of April 9-14 I'm in the upper Mid-West. Will post a reminder in another week.

Please say hello if you make it one of these events. Always good to match virtual names with real people.

[askurka]

Off to Midway in the morning, to start my Midwest leg. Over the next week I'll be in St. Louis, Iowa City, Madison, and Kalamazoo. All event details: http://andrewskurka.com/slideshows-clinics/current-schedule

If you can't make it to an event but would like to watch the presentations, you can view them online. It's not as good as the in-person experience but it's an option.

Ultimate Hiking Gear & Skills Clinic

http://youtu.be/FGQTcQhL08A

Circling Alaska & Yukon

http://youtu.be/hMf7TypZwtc

[Wags]

watched 1/2 of the circling alaska video. pretty awesome man. you are an inspirational adventurer taking off on such a quest...

[askurka]

Wags - See in-person if you get a chance.

Events this week:
* Fin and Feather, Iowa City, IA
* Fontana Sports, Madison, WI
* Western Michigan Univ
* Kalamazoo College
* Lee's Adventure Sports, Portage, MI

Next week: Seattle, Bellingham, and Portland
Week after that: Colorado Front Range

All event details: http://andrewskurka.com/slideshows-clinics/current-schedule/

[rhjanes]

just finished your gear book. Well done.
only suggestion would be a brief page or two on the trips that you mention in the book.

[askurka]

Glad you liked the book.
In the back of the book there is a "list of trips" section. Probably should have been more front-and-center but it got squeezed by other content.

[askurka]

Last week of my Spring tour. Not sure how many whiteblaze members have attended one of the events -- If you have the opportunity to, you might consider it; check out the very positive reviews (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=59989&skip_to_post=540649#540649) from the BPL community. Events this week:

Tuesday, April 24
GoLite
Colorado Springs, CO

Wednesday, April 25
Colorado Mountain Club
Golden, CO

Thursday, April 26
Neptune Mountaineering
Boulder, CO

Saturday, April 28
Midwest Mountaineering Expo
Minneapolis, MN

All event details: andrewskurka.com/slideshows-clinics/current-schedule (http://andrewskurka.com/slideshows-clinics/current-schedule)

[Kinnickinic]

I notice that tickets must be purchased for your talk at Neptune's in Boulder this Wednesday evening. Can they be purchased at the door?--Kinnickinic

[Odd Man Out]

Missed you in K'zoo. too bad. But I did just read your book and wrote a review over on the WB Media Forum. Check it out.

[askurka]

I notice that tickets must be purchased for your talk at Neptune's in Boulder this Wednesday evening. Can they be purchased at the door?--Kinnickinic

Yes, they sure can.

[Darwin13]

No NY? We are always forgotten!

[double d]

I attended Andrew's presentation on Sat. April 14th in Porter, Michigan and I was very impressed with him and his knowledge. Furthermore, I am glad that I live in country that has people like Andrew who have that deep sense of exploration to hike the wild places of this world. Andrew is also a humble person, a very good public speaker and even took the time after his presentation to talk to me directly about the Colorado Trail (I'm hiking it this summer). If you get a chance, I highly recommend attending his presentation and buying his book.