Alright, let's get everyone's vote about who they would like hear interviewed on BPL. I'm talking about some really in depth discussions (perhaps over a few pints) that challenge both the interviewee and BPL about their backpacking legacy, gear, the hiking industry, and plans for the future.

Here are some people that I'd LOVE to learn more about:

- Ray Jardine (for as many times as his name has been mentioned in articles and the forums, it's amazing that we haven't heard directly from him on BPL!)
- Jackie McDonnell (Triple Crowner & PCT's Yogi)
- Chip Rawlins (Colin Fletcher's heir apparent)
- Jonathan Dorn (Backpacker's editor-in-chief)
- Bob Cartwright (from backpackinglight.co.uk)
- Warren Doyle (ALDHA founding member)

Maybe BPL would solicit questions from their membership in preparation for the interviews to make it more interactive. Or maybe a live interview with questions emailed or phoned in during the course of it?

Any other thoughts?

Tom

Edited by TomClark on 12/29/2007 20:45:16 MST.

Jon Muir (Australian). He has climbed everest a couple of times (without oxygen and up new routes. I think he also did it without sherpas once). Has also walked unassisted to both poles, has kayaked solo up the east coast of Australia, and has walked, unaided, living off the land (mostly) with cart, across Australia (~2000km, ~120days) and also to the geographic centre of Aus, in different trips. Bear in mind, once you get about 200km (give or take) from the coast of Australia, you are pretty much in full-on Desert...

I'd like to hear his thoughts on going more UL. He has his gear list from his across Aus walk listed in the back of his book, and its nowhere near even LW. Sure, he took camera gear, an EPIRB, rifles, and a cart to drag it all in plus 45kg of rations, but most of his gear could have been a fair bit lighter.

Jon, if you ever google your name, maybe you could respond here? I wonder what you could do if you replaced half your gear weight with more carbohydrates...Also, what do you think someone-anyone-could do with the right training, fitness, gear, age... (I'm poking about W-E across Aus here).

Adam

I would like to here more about Eustace Conway. I dont know if he practices UL techniques- but he seems like a cool person.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfk4ifx-8jw

Edited by MAYNARD76 on 12/29/2007 18:44:13 MST.

another vote for Eustace that clip was incredible

Yeah that guy is incredible! I was just in NC, wish I'd known about him.
I may get the chance to interview a guy I know that is very similar to Eustace in a few weeks. He lives in upstate NY and built his own cabin with hand tools, grows his own food, drives a horse and buggy, etc. He may be a step ahead of Eustace. He's about the same age and recently got married :) so my Dad tells me (he's a friend of my Dad's). What I'm not sure about is how his marriage to a "big city lawyer" has affected his life style.

I'll second John Muir. I found out about him a few years ago at the Banff Film Festival. If anyone can get hold of his documentary, I would highly recommend it.

-Ron Bell of MLD
-Glen Van Peski and Grant Sible from GG
-Ray Jardine

And what about some How-To-Manuals like "First night under a tarp" from Bob Cartwright of BPL UK? Or Video Podcasts? And... a cover logo for all the podcasts that enriches Cover Flow in iTunes?

First off let me just say that I was listening to a podcast this morning and I thought,"Who would I like to hear a podcast by?" Upon finding this thread I was stoked. I agree completely with the nominations for Ray Jardine, and Bob Cartwright. I like the backpacking light podcasts, but I feel as though Bob Cartwright , Bernie from PracticalBackpacking.com, and Robert Butler from trailcast really do an outstanding job as well. Bob Cartwright has some of the most interesting podcasts I've heard, mainly because he is willing to interview people not normally heard about in the united states. These individuals include Steve Perry, Chris Townsend,Ben Corr, and John Manning. These are individuals who are virtually unknown in the united states. These people have done a lot of walks all over the world, and are rather interesting.In the spirit of the thread my podcast wishlist is as follows:

- Chris Townsend
- John Manning
- Bob Cartwright
- Nimble Will Nomad
- Ray Jardine
- Matt Hazley
- Eustace Conway
- Brian Frankle of ULA (who has some very original ideas for thru-hikes)
- and Billy Blohm from Purebound.com (we have heard from his hiking counterpart Ben Corr who has a rather interesting approach to backpacking, but has yet to be interviewed by anyone.)

As a side note, I don't know if many of you are aware about the book Elizabeth Gilbert wrote about Eustace Conway's Life called "The Last American Man," but if you haven't read it already, you should. It's an incredible story. I would also like to inform you that many of the people that others have nominated have in fact been interviewed. Ron Bell and Glen Van Peski have been interviewed by Bernie @ Practical Backpacking, and Jackie McDonnell has been interviewed by Robert Butler from Trailcast.

Edited by Marty_Mcfly on 01/30/2008 11:44:46 MST.

Marty,
Good comments. I enjoy the interviews by Bernie and Bob Butler, but that doesn't mean that BPL couldn't get into some of the UL aspect a bit more, or approach the interviews from a different angle. I have to check out the Blohm & Corr webpage, wh at I have read so far looks entertaining. http://purebound.com/hiking_crew/crew.htm

Tom