Across Arizona as One, Twice - Speaking Tour

[sirena]

Across Arizona As One, Twice: Team UltraPedestrian's Quest For Unique Achievement On The AZT

Ras and Kathy Vaughan, first people to yo-yo the AZT (thru-hike from Mexico to Utah and back to Mexico again in one shot), will be coming to Arizona for a speaking tour from February 6-13th. They will be doing talks at the ATA Annual Member's Meeting at South Mountain Environmental Education Center, REI Flagstaff, REI Paradise Valley, a special Tempe event at Boulders on Broadway that includes a social hour to follow the talk, Summit Hut in Tucson and the LOST Fest in Superior, where they will also be leading a run. For the details and links on how to register, visit http://www.aztrail.org/yoyo.html

Here is the description of the talk:

When Ras & Kathy Vaughan set out to become the first people ever to yo-yo the Arizona National Scenic Trail, they expected it to be one of the most difficult challenges they had ever faced. That was the entire point: to push their bodies, minds, and relationship to their limits, and then past those limits, and to see what lay beyond. And that turned out to be the ideal mindset for this adventure, as the AZT delivered all that in 93 days and more.

In this talk Ras & Kathy will share their motivation and inspiration for taking on this never before attempted double traverse of the state of Arizona, the unique logistical challenges of the Arizona Trail, the reasons for and specifics of their "feet on the ground" thru-hiker ethic, the tiered goals for their adventure – which ones they achieved and which they failed to, what "UltraPedestrian" means to them and to the world, what they found beyond the limits of Human endurance, and why exhaustion, thirst, hunger, and sleep deprivation are essential to fulfilling the axiom, "Know thyself."

Learn more about Kathy and Ras at http://www.ultrapedestrian.com.

Question and Answer period to follow. Hope to see you there!

[azbackpackr]

@sirena
Signed up for Flagstaff since I will be going to LNT and GCFI seminars at the rim later that week. I'll just head up a day earlier. Good timing!

[hikeaz]

Across Arizona As One, Twice: Team UltraPedestrian's Quest For Unique Achievement On The AZT

Ras and Kathy Vaughan, first people to yo-yo the AZT .............................., a special Tempe event at Boulders on Broadway that includes a social hour to follow the talk, .................!

I do not seem to be able to locate the details of the B.o.B. event on the site linked. http://www.aztrail.org/yoyo.html
Can you please help?

Thanks!

[sirena]

Hi Kurt- links should be working on the page now. Thanks!

[hikeaz]

Hi Kurt- links should be working on the page now. Thanks!

Many thanks! Thanks, too for the heads-up on the series.

[azbackpackr]

@sirena
Thanks very much for posting this! My daughter and I went to it last night in Flag. Those folks wear the same shoes I've found are great for me--Altras! Anyway, it was very interesting and entertaining. They mentioned you, also.

[johnnyo979]

Is anyone going to record this speech so that I can watch it on Youtube or download the audio? I can't make it out there that early in the year. Plan to Nobo in mid-March.

[sirena]

@azbackpackr
Glad you enjoyed it, they are very entertaining!

@johnnyo979
I am looking for someone to record one of their presentations, will let you know when we get it worked out.

Are any HAZers going that could record the talk?

[rcorfman]

@sirena
I'm going to tonight's presentation but I don't have any equipment to record it with. Yes I have a phone but that would be inadequate. I think it would really depend on whether Ras and Kathy want it recorded anyway as they would have the copyright.

[sirena]

@rcorfman
Kathy and Ras are the ones who wanted me to find someone to record the presentation.

Hopefully I can find someone to record one of the presentations that they are doing later this week.

[mazatzal]

@sirena Gotta be a hazer who'd record the one at Boulders for a couple of beers ;)

[sirena]

@mazatzal
That could definitely be arranged...

[chumley]

I've never heard of boulders but I have access to video equipment, microphone, etc.

[mazatzal]

Chums "Buzz" Lightyear to the Rescue

[AZWanderingBear]

MJ and I attended tonight's talk at REI in PV. Really enjoyed the presentation. Most of it was in a motivational vein which was well received. The Q&A session at the end delved into equipment preferences and logistical issues and yielded some good info. Overall, definitely time well spent.