Month-Long Iceland Solo Hike - Get Involved!

[unpopular]

Then why not just take a road trip to the Adirondacks, to Baxter State Park in Maine, to the region's forests, the Everglades, the Appalachian Trail - why not show them the amazing landscape which they have access to, rather than landscapes which you yourself cannot afford without outside funding? At least you are fortunate enough to own a camera to justify the trip. What about the kid who's mother isn't sure how they'll manage to put food on the table at the end of the month between paychecks and food stamps?

What I'm hearing from this is that you need in excess of $5000 to have an amazing experience.

 

[Tee]

I'll get to the rest of the comments in just a bit, but I do want to say that this isn't selfish or personal. I don't want to find myself. That's not what this is about.

From your website:
"A documentary that follows a few adventurists as they struggle through a journey throughout Iceland and with their own emotions and inner tribulations."

To the casual reader, it sure seems like you are going on this trip to do some soul searching. Also, how do you know you will experience these things? The above quote from your website is usually something that follows up an adventure not preempts it. I think you have some serious re-working to do. You're not getting your message across. It seriously sounds like you want someone to pay for you to go to Iceland, hike with some friends and then come back and tell them what a blast you had. There is nothing from the outset that you're doing this to inspire inner city children.

I spent a week in Iceland this past June. Your $5K is so low you won't make it out of the Reykjavik airport. It's wicked expensive and cold. You're going to need 5K of hiking and camping supplies alone. I wouldn't go cheap on this. This isn't the Appalachian trail where getting off the trail is much easier when things go bad. It's desolate outside of Reykjavik. What is your experience with endurance hiking and camping? Are you training for it now?


Lastly, you don't need to go to Iceland to help the inner city kids understand there is more outside their concrete jungle. You could always fundraise to sponsor a half a dozen kids to go on an Outward Bound trip. They specialize in this kind of stuff. What benefit does it have for the kids for you to go when you can help kids experience something for themselves? That has a bigger impact, IMHO. Regardless, you really need to strip your site down and reorganize what it is you're trying to accomplish.


Just some thoughts. As we say on the trail, HYOH (hike your own hike).

ETA: I was very underwhelmed with Iceland. Maybe I built up this preconceived notion like you have on your website. And I saw no mention or advertising of elves. They love them some volcanoes, though.

 

[gsgary]

How is this a weirdo direction? That's the reasoning behind me doing this. The documentaries and the book are byproducts. The point of it isn't that it's Iceland. The point of it is that I grew up around these children. I know what they're going through and they respect me. This, to them, is a fantastic and amazing thing. It IS magical and amazing to them. The point isn't really to show them that there are places better than here. The point is to show them that it's possible for them to experience great and wonderful things. They respect me. They look up to me. Me doing this will show them that they can still dream big and experience grand things. That's my intent, and has always been. I thought that was said numerous times before.

Mark

It will never happen unless you pay for it yourself, there are other ways of showing them

 

[unpopular]

Mark- I really don't want to be so negative here. I really want you to know that I do support you. But with your vague intentions here, I just cannot take this project very seriously.

First you say it's about one thing, then you say its about another thing, lastly you say it's about bringing hope to inner city youth, which really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me in the first place - and frankly, isn't really a photography project in itself. I really doubt very much you'll be getting a lot of pats on the back from your community as a whole, I doubt you'll come home as a hero who has accomplished some great work of art that has transformed the community because you took a trip to iceland and produced some pretty photographs.

The effect which art has cannot be engineered, your job as an artist is to document, investigate and interpret your environment, and not to specify how the audience ought to react to the art which you create on their behalf.

I still maintain that you can fund your project however you like, but I have to agree - you'll never get funding for a vague project with a splintered intent.

 

[Markw]

I am withdrawing from this discussion. I hear what all of you are saying, I appreciate it and I will take it all in. I haven't given up on it, but I will respectfully decline to respond to anything else posted here. It's futile to try to fight my way out of this. The damage has been done and the tone of the thread has been set for any future discussion of the matter.

Thank you.
Mark

 

[unpopular]

Well. My offer still stands. If you would like some help refining your intent, and looking for better ways to execute it, feel free to PM me.

 

[honoryourlife]

I support him a 110%.

And how much are you going to contribute?

Really.

About $500 from myself, and probably $500 from my Father. Mark has been an integeral part of my learning of photography and if he wants, I'll join him on this adventure. Iceland has always been quite interesting to me, I see it as a MAGICAL place.

You want us to pay for your holiday in paradise ? your only going for a month these lads went for over a year unaided made the film/book and made the money after the tripMondo Enduro: The Ultimate Adventure on Two Wheels - 44,000 Miles in 400 Days: Amazon.co.uk: Austin E. Vince, Louis R. Bloom, Mark Friend, Clive R. Greenhough, Bill Plenty, Charles Penty, Nicholas A. Stubley: Books

THEN DONT CONTRIBUTE! Who cares how people fund their projects, be it crowd sourcing, saving up, selling their belongings or just being a rich scoundrel who "earned" the money to pay for it. Seriously, who cares. If you don't support this project don't donate. It's as simple as that. Save the preaching for Sunday school.

It's not even a big venture it's a 4 week holiday most people could do it standing on their head

I want to see you walk this, he's not driving or anything. I'm calling you out, if you think most people can do it standing on their heads than you have no idea how the climate/terrain is there, do you?

I live in Canada, in a inhospitable little piece of "barren" wasteland. To people not used to adventuring in it or without proper survival knowledge, its death.

To most people it is just an extended holiday it is only 830 mile if you drive around the Island

He's not driving, he's walking.

^^ you're just upset because you have your pride misplaced into your finances. Nobody asked you for your opinion.

This.

^^ you're just upset because you have your pride misplaced into your finances. Nobody asked you for your opinion.

I couldn't give a **** about money it means nothing to me, i take big trips every year its nothing special to us over here

1%er right here, obviously.

^^ you're just upset because you have your pride misplaced into your finances. Nobody asked you for your opinion.

I couldn't give a **** about money it means nothing to me, i take big trips every year its nothing special to us over here

You're disgusting.

^This.

I am withdrawing from this discussion. I hear what all of you are saying, I appreciate it and I will take it all in. I haven't given up on it, but I will respectfully decline to respond to anything else posted here. It's futile to try to fight my way out of this. The damage has been done and the tone of the thread has been set for any future discussion of the matter.

Thank you.
Mark

Mark, while you may withdraw from the thread don't withdraw from this project! You can do it, I believe in you. Inspiration is needed in the world more than ever.

 

[gsgary]

I support him a 110%.

And how much are you going to contribute?

Really.

About $500 from myself, and probably $500 from my Father. Mark has been an integeral part of my learning of photography and if he wants, I'll join him on this adventure. Iceland has always been quite interesting to me, I see it as a MAGICAL place.



I want to see you walk this, he's not driving or anything. I'm calling you out, if you think most people can do it standing on their heads than you have no idea how the climate/terrain is there, do you?

I live in Canada, in a inhospitable little piece of "barren" wasteland. To people not used to adventuring in it or without proper survival knowledge, its death.



He's not driving, he's walking.



This.



1%er right here, obviously.

You're disgusting.

^This.

I am withdrawing from this discussion. I hear what all of you are saying, I appreciate it and I will take it all in. I haven't given up on it, but I will respectfully decline to respond to anything else posted here. It's futile to try to fight my way out of this. The damage has been done and the tone of the thread has been set for any future discussion of the matter.

Thank you.
Mark

Mark, while you may withdraw from the thread don't withdraw from this project! You can do it, I believe in you. Inspiration is needed in the world more than ever.

Get a life, been there done that i do all my adventure on my motorbike now, i know he's riding that was an example to show it is not a big place

 

[honoryourlife]

And how much are you going to contribute?

Really.

About $500 from myself, and probably $500 from my Father. Mark has been an integeral part of my learning of photography and if he wants, I'll join him on this adventure. Iceland has always been quite interesting to me, I see it as a MAGICAL place.



I want to see you walk this, he's not driving or anything. I'm calling you out, if you think most people can do it standing on their heads than you have no idea how the climate/terrain is there, do you?

I live in Canada, in a inhospitable little piece of "barren" wasteland. To people not used to adventuring in it or without proper survival knowledge, its death.



He's not driving, he's walking.



This.



1%er right here, obviously.



^This.

I am withdrawing from this discussion. I hear what all of you are saying, I appreciate it and I will take it all in. I haven't given up on it, but I will respectfully decline to respond to anything else posted here. It's futile to try to fight my way out of this. The damage has been done and the tone of the thread has been set for any future discussion of the matter.

Thank you.
Mark

Mark, while you may withdraw from the thread don't withdraw from this project! You can do it, I believe in you. Inspiration is needed in the world more than ever.

Get a life, been there done that i do all my adventure on my motorbike now, i know he's riding that was an example to show it is not a big place

I have quite the life, sir. I may be 22, but I bet I have more going on for me than you.

He's riding what? He's taking a plane in and hoofing it on foot. In the wilderness, in the small towns, etc.

He's not just being another tourist, give your head a shake.

As previously stated, you don't like it, don't contribute.

Simple as that.

 

[gsgary]

It should have read not riding, your the only idiot who think's its something special if he wants to help it should be near home

 

[honoryourlife]

It should have read not riding, your the only idiot who think's its something special if he wants to help it should be near home

I guess you should have spelled the word correctly.

How am I an idiot for supporting a friend of mine on an intense journey through Iceland? I know the work he is able produce and I am fully confident in his abilities.

One is never an idiot when they are helping out friends to accomplish something productive.

Besides, I like the risk factor of this adventure.

 

[gsgary]

It should have read not riding, your the only idiot who think's its something special if he wants to help it should be near home

I guess you should have spelled the word correctly.

How am I an idiot for supporting a friend of mine on an intense journey through Iceland? I know the work he is able produce and I am fully confident in his abilities.

One is never an idiot when they are helping out friends to accomplish something productive.

Besides, I like the risk factor of this adventure.

What risk ? is he doing it in the middle of winter

 

[unpopular]

About $500 from myself, and probably $500 from my Father. Mark has been an integeral part of my learning of photography and if he wants, I'll join him on this adventure. Iceland has always been quite interesting to me, I see it as a MAGICAL place.



I want to see you walk this, he's not driving or anything. I'm calling you out, if you think most people can do it standing on their heads than you have no idea how the climate/terrain is there, do you?

I live in Canada, in a inhospitable little piece of "barren" wasteland. To people not used to adventuring in it or without proper survival knowledge, its death.



He's not driving, he's walking.



This.



1%er right here, obviously.



^This.



Mark, while you may withdraw from the thread don't withdraw from this project! You can do it, I believe in you. Inspiration is needed in the world more than ever.

Get a life, been there done that i do all my adventure on my motorbike now, i know he's riding that was an example to show it is not a big place

I have quite the life, sir. I may be 22, but I bet I have more going on for me than you.

He's riding what? He's taking a plane in and hoofing it on foot. In the wilderness, in the small towns, etc.

He's not just being another tourist, give your head a shake.

As previously stated, you don't like it, don't contribute.

Simple as that.

The rich futz wouldn't last a moment without a comfy bed to come home to.

But I do agree. The project isn't anything special. There are a billion landscape photographers out there who take pretty pictures, the difference here is that he's tacking on all this pretentious hoohaa to validate it. It could be significant with a little work and direction, but the OP seems unwilling to do that.

 

[Ryan L]

Way too much to read here, but I watched the video and started at 4:00. I gotta know how you did that trick with the penis at 4:02. amazing. lol