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Legendary adventurer and aviator Stephen Fossett disappeared over Labor Day weekend in 2007.  His disappearance would spark the nation’s largest search and rescue effort in history and pave the way for many theories and speculations on what exactly took place. To this day, he has never been heard from, nor found.  That is, until now.

The Adventurist received an interesting comment today from someone claiming to be speaking with the legendary adventurer.  This person has released an interview to The Adventurist, from the famed aviator, supposedly taking place on March 25, 2008–six months after Mr. Fossett’s disappearance.  The interview will be featured momentarily.

First, I must add that I am not here to say this is real or imagined.  I take no responsibility for any claims or retribution associated with this Interview and am only presenting it as it has been presented to myself.  The commenter on my site shared the information, of which I am now sharing with you.  I will let all of you be the judge to the merits of this and of what is actually taking place, while holding no responsibility in regards to this being true or the actual facts presented.

Click Below to Read the full Interview:

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Without warning, The Adventurist contest comes to a close.

The rules were simple.  Post an article or blog post that either mentions The Adventurist, links to The Adventurist, or about The Adventurist.  Once that was accomplished, I then asked those looking to enter to contact me through my contact page.  Here are the results of that first part.  (yes, there is a second part I will be discussing momentarily.)

• The Adventurist Is An Adventurer And A Dad–from SillyDad.com
• Friday Morning Random Ten–Music Dedicated to The Adventurist –from Thinking Outside
• The Adventurist Ventures Into An Adventure–from the Black Bear Blog
• Picture of the Year –from Help 4 Hunters
• J. Alan Hendricks–The Adventurist from Summit Stones & Adventure Musings
• Beer on Alltop from Brew Dad

There were a few others that mentioned or linked to The Adventurist along the way, but these were the only six that specifically let me know that their post was in regards to the contest.  A thank-you goes out to all who participated.  It was definitely fun reading what everyone had to say.

The first part of the contest did show quite an array of different sites that participated in the contest.  Beer, Dads, Hunting, and adventure.  A nice mix.  Once again thank-you.

Unfortunately, out of the original six entrants, only three made good on contacting me through my Contact Page.  This is where Part II to this contest kicks in.

The first part was to see who would mention the site–in exchange, I would make posts directing my readers to their articles-giving them a bit of link love and sharing some traffic.

The second part of the contest involved a cash prize of at least $20.  In order to get in on this prize, the entrant had to subscribe to my Free Email Newsletter.  Unfortunately, by evaluating the timeline, my subscriber base, and entrants.  No one bothered to take this last step.  Perhaps they already subscribe.  I don’t know.  Therre was no $20 winner in this contest.  I was a bit disappointed in that, yet, I still have my 20 bucks.  Which is cool.

This contest was a first attempt and a test.  I have learned a few things, had some fun along the way, and read some great articles by fellow bloggers who shared in the fun.  The fun aspect was the most important.

What’s Next?

That original $20 is going back in the pot.  Come Monday, I will be offering up a new contest with a different angle.  I still need to hammer out the details, but I already have a pretty good idea of what I am wanting to do.  This contest will feature that original $20, a special prize that I already have, plus a lot more link love and article sharing.  Be sure to check back Monday for the latest Adventurist Contest.

If you want to keep up to date and not miss out on the fun, I highly suggest subscribing to my Free Email Newsletter, or track The Adventurist through my RSS Feed.  Once again, i appreciate all those that took part and enjoyed this learning experience.  Go check out their articles, visit their sites, and then urge them to come back on Monday and participate in the latest contest.

The mountain biking world has been put on notice–Lance Armstrong has entered and is training for the Leadville 100.   The seven-time Tour de France champion has signed up to compete in one of the world’s highest and toughest mountain bike races.  Lance’s entry in to the realm of Mountain Bike racing could be cause for concern to the other 1,000 entrants.

Lance Armstrong hasn’t raced professionally since his last Tour de France win in 2005.  He abruptly retired after taking home his 7th Tour de France victory.  In recent years, Lance Armstrong has been concentrating on running his LiveStrong foundation for cancer research and has ventured a time or two to the New York City marathon.

Hearing that Lance is actually training for this event, makes one think that he is going in to win-something he knows a lot about.  I can’t speak for everyone, but I know I will be glad to see him competing again-

Win or not, just having Lance Armstrong enter the event will bring much attention to the mountain biking world.

Lance will be competing against mountain biking Hall of Fame inductee Dave Weins, who has won the Leadville 100  5 times and now holds the race speed record.  You might remember Weins for sucessfully beating out 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, who raced in the 2007 Leadville 100 after being banned from the Tour de France for doping in 2006.

Maybe seeing a fellow Tour de France champion go down in flames, sparked the interest in Armstrong.  It shoul;d be noted that Lance did enter last years event, but due to conflicting schedules was unable to make the race.  It is not known if Floyd Landis will be returning to the Leadville 100 this year, or not.  He placed second in last years race, but that would add a bit more competition for Lance, as well.

Discovery Channel, the network that brought you “The Alaska Experiment,” is currently casting its next Alaskan adventure. They’re looking for people who think they have what it takes to live and thrive in one of nature’s most brutal environments.

Discovery Channel’s newest series raises the bar for our adventurers by sending them on an epic journey through the wild. The challenge — if you dare to accept it — is to join a band of fellow explorers and journey through some of the harshest climates and roughest terrains in the world: the Alaskan wilderness.

Sound exhilarating? It will be! If you are ready to leave the monotony of your day-to-day life behind and push yourself to the limits, you can finally earn the right to say that you truly lived.

Be sure to include:
- Description of why you deserve to go on this journey
- Updated Photo’s (including past adventures)
- Optional: 2-3 minute video describing who you are and where your from.  Explaining
why you are up for the challenge.

Travel to Alaska to be part of an epic quest and the ultimate test of courage.  This amazing journey will test its participants in ways they never thought possible and, in the process, allow them to experience the raw beauty of nature and see the world like they never have before.

This casting call is being held from 12 am, July 25, 2008 to 11:59:59 pm on August 8, 2008.  If you have ever wanted to become a part of the Discovery Channel adventure, this could be your opportunity!

To enroll for the Discovery Channel’s Alaska Adventure, just follow the link to GotCast.com.  It sounds like a lot of fun and could be the experience of a lifetime.

GearCrave is featuring another nice bike in one of today’s product reviews.  For some reason I think these guys have a slight fascination (fixation) for  the single-gear urban trekker.  Their latest product showcase features the Veloheld Urban Spring Classic Bike.  This bike offers a stylish look and represents the latest in lightweight, urban fashion accessories-the single gear bike.  That’s right, one speed.

The bike, itself, looks pretty snazzy and can fool a lot of people in to thinking you can go really fast.  The $900 price tag is in the moderate range, but for a single-geared bike I am not sure if it is worth the price.  So, if you work for Veloheld, I would be interested in a free test ride/review opportunity, but only if I’m allowed to keep the bike;)

Go checkout Gearcrave.  If the bike isn’t of interest, perhaps you can learn a thing or two about some 1960’s Film Posters or refresh your personal style with a new look–like that of a Chow Mo-wan Film.  No need to explain, go check it out.

A Long Island man has killed himself, unvoluntarily, with the 3oz. lead sinker he was using while fishing.

Channel 7 News, out of Boston, MA, is reporting that the fisherman was fishing off the end of Jones Beach, in Long Island when the accident took place.

A neurologist at Nassau University Medical Center says the lead weight from Chicas’ fishing pole hit with “so much force that it kept going” and lodged in the back of his head.

The force of the sinker caused severe head trauma and herniation to the man’s brain.

I really can’t even picture how this could happen.  I have done a lot of fishing and I don’t ever recall hitting myself with the sinker.  Sure, I have lodged a fishing hook in the back of my head, my back, and my hand, but who hasn’t?  Hooks are a bit different than sinkers.  They have points.

It just goes to show you that lead sinkers are not only a cause of concern for the environment and wildlife, but if not in the right hands, they can also lead to a tragically weird death.  Just something to think about next time you are casting away-

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS — On Oct. 3, 2007, Civil Air Patrol suspended the search for aviator Steve Fossett following one of the largest and most intensive searches for a missing aircraft in modern history.

Despite CAP’s well-coordinated efforts, Fossett and his aircraft remain undetected. Throughout the search for Fossett, Lt. Col. Cindy Ryan, then Nevada Wing public information officer, served as primary media spokesperson. The search was conducted primarily from Minden-Tahoe Airport in Nevada. With suspension of the search, media inquiries are now handled by CAP National Headquarters Public Affairs at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

Recent comments attributed to Ryan regarding the search for Fossett contain errors of fact, appear to be taken out of context and were not released with the knowledge or approval of CAP. Civil Air Patrol’s role in the search for Fossett, as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, was limited to search and rescue in coordination with other emergency service providers. Issues pertaining to Fossett’s personal life and/or rumors surrounding his disappearance are entirely unrelated to CAP’s search efforts and, therefore, it would be inappropriate for CAP to comment about them.

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The Sierra Trading Post has launched a new weekly podcast program entitled “Adventure Edge Radio with Jimmy Buff“.  I am a week late on this discovery, as the podcast program started last week, but better late than never. Right?

Jimmy Buff, who hosts the program, will be familiar to some of us.  He is an adventurer and radio DJ who has worked with some of the top radio stations in New York City.  His latest venture, ‘Adventure Edge Radio’ will be featuring a weekly interview with known outdoor sports personalities, as well as covering weekly sports and outdoor news.

I have to admit that this program is pretty good.  It is an audio podcast that can play in the background without disrupting your work-to a degree.  You also have the option of downloading the program straight from the Sierra Trading Post blog.  I found myself venturing off and really trying to listen to what was going on.

The first edition of ‘Adventure Edge Radio’ featured at look at legendary long distance swimmer, Lynne Cox.  Lynne is known throughout the world for her long distance swimming abilities.  She has swam the English Channel, breaking both the mens and womens records for this event.  Lynne is also noted for her Arctic and Antarctic adventure swims.  It is a really good podcast, and if you want a nice introduction to this new series I highly recommend you start from the beginning.  You can find the first episode of Adventure Edge Radio by clicking the link, or you can download it here, for your IPod listening  pleasure.

This week’s podcast, the second in the series, features a few nice pieces.  Jimmy Buff talks with Ben Cheever, novelist and at-large writer for Runner’s World magazine.  He also gives us an inside look at the recent Badwater Ultramarathon, features an update on the search for legendary aviator Steven Fossett, and checks in with Roz Savage, who is currently atempting to row across the Pacific Ocean.  Once again, to listen to the second episode of Adventure Edge Radio, follow the link, or you can download the whole program here.

Sierra Trading Post will be featuring a new edition of Adventure Edge Radio with Jimmy Buff, every Tuesday.  Mark your calendars, or do as I did and subscribe to the Sierra Trading Post’s Blog for the latest updates.  This promises to be an interesting and informing weekly program and I wish both, Jimmy Buff and the Sierra Trading Post sucess on this latest venture.  It is nice to have a new voice in the adventure world.  Stop by and wish them well and support their program.

UPDATE>>>Read The Civil Air Patrol’s Response To Claims

UPDATE II>>>Stephen Fosett Interview Emerges After Disappearance

Stephen Fossett’s death may have been faked. News reports are starting to surface that the late adventurer may have faked his own death to shy away from financial problems, as well as two allegations of extramarital affairs.

MSNBC has put out a very public report and video claiming what many have questioned all along, that billionaire adventurer Steven Fossett could have done the inevitable and faked his own death. No plane has ever been found. No body has ever turned up. Quite simply, he disappeared.

Steven Fossett disappeared while making a preliminary flyover while looking for an area to stage his next big adventure, an attepmt the world land speed record. He was reported missing on September 4, 2007 when he failed to return from his flight. I have covered his disappearance and the nationwide search that ensued, quite extensively. After a couple of weeks of searching, with no clues as to what happened to Mr. Fossett, whispers began to circulate that he may have decided to disappear on his own merits.

From the UK’s Telegraph:

I discovered that there is absolutely no proof that Steve Fossett is actually dead. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, I’m a man who deals in facts, and I don’t really care if he is alive or dead, it make no difference to me.”What I am interested in is the truth - and a proper criminal investigation of this man’s disappearance was never undertaken by law enforcement or officials in the state of Nevada.”

This comment is being made by Robert Davis, the man responsible for conducting an eight month investigation into the Steven Fossett case.  Mr. Davis works for Loyd’s of London, the company that could end up paying out £25 million from Mr. Fossett’s life insurance.

Lt. Col. Cynthia Ryan, of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol has also went on record saying that Mr. Fossett could still be alive.  She said that it is unthinkable that searchers could discover six separate air accidents while looking for Mr. Fossett, but not come up with a single clue to his own demise.

Click Below to Read More

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Dave, over at the 2 Epic blog, is in the process of building his first Trans Utah challenge.  This isn’t a corporate entity, and as a matter of fact, the challenge begins at Dave’s house in St. George, Utah.  His plan is to take this thing all the way to Moab.  The first leg of the Trans Utah challenge will go from St. George to Escalante–a distance of 300 miles.

The first leg of the Trans Utah challenge will involve elevations of 2,500-10,000 ft.  You will ride over dirt roads, fireroads, single-track and pavement.

This sounds like a great event with a homegrown feel.  People are already lining up to ride with Dave and make his venture a success.  The Trans Utah will begin at 3am on October 3rd.  The time is a bit harsh, but as Dave explains, quite necessary:

but 3 am to get out of the desert lowlands at an early hour. Iv’e seen it hit 100+ that time of year here - it isn’t typical, but possible. We’ll scoot through town as a group/prologue in the dark, ride through big mesa territory in the early morning hours and hit the big climbs to the mountains in the morning. I get excited just thinking about it!

What better way to inspire people than to come up with something new, and a bit different.  I wish Dave success on this venture, and who knows, maybe this will become a yearly event.

From what I have gathered, there is no entry fee to join up with Dave.  He might get a bit sketchy about me publicizing his venture (1,000 people crammed into Dave’s house might become a problem), but I thought it was a great idea and I look forward to following along with the progress on Dave’s 2 Epic blog.

If you would like more information, please visit Dave’s 2 Epic blog as, I am sure, he will be making a few more updates along the way.