Using ingenuity and poetry to conquer the PCT and the perils of breaking down on a gravel road in rural Oregon during a bikepacking and volcano summiting expedition from Mount Lassen to Mount Baker.

Adventure Storytellers: Gracetopher Kirk, Richard Kresser
From: Portland, OR & Seattle, WA
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Music: Maricz, Chris Haugen, Wayne Jones, Text Me Records/Bobby Renz

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Adventure stories about PCT & Tour de Volcanoes

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This week's featured adventure stories

Gracetopher Kirk's Adventure Story:
PCT On A Shoestring Budget

Gracetopher "McGuyver" Kirk​

• One of Oregon’s best emerging poets
• Helped fund their PCT trek with their original poetry.
• The author of the book just released in April 2019, McGuyver's Trail Poetry

Gracetopher scraped to save  money to fund their 2017 PCT thru-hike. But  breaking their back meant putting those funds toward unexpected medical expenses. This setback would have deterred most, but not Gracetopher.

Gracetopher’s story is a real life demonstration of how, if you REALLY want to live a life focused on adventure, you can do it! Gracetopher hiked 947 miles on a pittance finding ways to make it work along the way... including pulling a tarp out of a dumpster and turning it into their shelter, and picking vital hiking equipment out of hiking boxes.  

Since meeting Gracetopher, I have been impressed by their innovation, drive, and determination.

When I think of Gracetopher, a person who has become a valued friend since I initially met them, an image of some dirty socks that I’m handwashing comes to mind….just when I think I’ve squeezed and twisted as much of that dirty, soapy water out of those socks as I can, I give one more twist, and another drop comes out.

That drop is Gracetopher.
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An example of this is when Gracetopher managed to talk some schlepps into giving them their old used car with a promise to pay them back months later. Gracetopher then drove that car up to Washington to trail angel. ~Angel Mathis, Boldly Went Host

What is trail angeling?

Trail angeling, according to Gracetopher, is very simple:

• Go to your nearest trailhead frequented by thru-hikers
• Either be prepared to give out rides to the nearest town or bring treats like soda, beer, fresh fruit, baked goods, or really any food or drinks.
• Hikers appreciate even the smallest gestures.

When Gracetopher trail angeled, they gave away apples from their family farm as well as rides between the trail and towns.

Before Gracetopher was trail angeling and when they were still actively hiking on trail, they regularly made time to sit and write and record their poetry. Gracetopher posted these poems, rich with meaning, on their Patreon page. This became a vital source of financial support streaming directly from their community which helped them fund their life changing hike and trail angeling experience.

Apples from Gracetopher Kirk's family farm that they took trail angeling

Gracetopher's Poetry : McGuyver's Trail Poetry

If you listened to this episode, you heard Gracetopher's recording that they did for us on the PCT which was a recitation of their original poem, Lost in the Eyes of Infinity, which led to their designation as one of Oregon's Best Emerging Poets.

Gracetopher has shared a series of additional ​poetry recordings that Boldly Went is excited to co-produce for both, our Patreon Page, and Gracetopher's Patreon Page. We hope you'll support both! 

I also strongly encourage you to get Gracetopher's book filled with their original Poetry.
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McGuyver's Trail Poetry by Gracetopher Kirk

Follow Gracetopher "McGuyver Kirk"

• Instagram @thegracetopher
• Patreon.com/Gracetopher
• Blog Adventures With Gractopher

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Richard Kresser's Adventure Story:
Tour de Volcanos

Richard Kresser

• Well-known adventurer in the Pacific Northwest for the number of hare-brained adventures he dreams up and accomplishes.
• Successfully circumnavigated and climbed the R.A.S.H., which stands for Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount Saint Helens, and Mount Hood in just 6 and a half days. Watch the short film, Dick's RASH, The Up, Down, and Around created by The Wild Ones.
• A ski patroller 
• SnowGoat SkiMo Director
  
• All around adventurer
• His biggest brag? Ability to belch on command. ​

Tour de Volcanoes

A human-powered and self-supported trip where he successfully bikepacked and summited these 16 active Cascade volcanos leaving and returning from his doorsetp in Tacoma, Washington and going to Mount Lassen (Amblu Kai) in northern California to Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan) in northern Washington.

1. Start: Tacoma, WA 243 ft.
2. Lassen (original name Amblu Kai) 10,463 ft.
3. Shasta (Waka-nunee-Tuki-wuki) 14,180 ft.
4. Mount Hoffman near Medicine Lake (email us the original name if you know it!) 10,850 ft.
5. McCloughlin (M'laiksini Yaina) 9,495 ft.
6. Mount Mazama near Crater Lake (Giiwas) 8,157 ft.
7. Paulina Peak in Central Oregon (email us the original name if you know it!) 7,989 ft.
8. South Sister (email us the original name if you know it!) 10,363 ft.
9. Middle Sister  (email us the original name if you know it!) 10,046 ft.
10. North Sister  (email us the original name if you know it!) 10,085 ft.
11. Jefferson (Seekseekqua) 10,495 ft.
12. Hood (Wy'East) 11,250 ft.
13. Adams (Pahto, Klickitat) 12,280 ft.
14. Helen's (Loowit) 8,363 ft.
15. Rainier (Tahoma) 14,411 ft.
16. Glacier (Dakobed) 10,525 ft.
17. Baker (Koma Kulshan) 10,781 ft
18. Finish: Tacoma, WA 243 ft.
    

Follow Richard Kresser

Instagram: @mkresser 

Snowgoat SkiMo

• @snowgoatskimo
• https://www.snowgoatskimo.com/
  

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Music

Maricz. Ukelele Jam
Castleshire​. Chris Haugen.
Wayne Jones. Resolution
Text Me Records/ Bobby Renz. Mountain

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