Never GIve Up...

I guess we all hear that growing up...

“Come on Son...Don’t give up....Keep pushing.”

And I have clearly had to use this phrase as a mantra MANY, MANY times during some of my more miserable and lengthy climbs over the years.

But never has that phrase ever played out so clearly than during last night’s Episode 8.

The last episode had us in the hospital dealing with Ike’s sprained ankle and receiving the news that they were going to require that he be placed in a cast for the rest of the race. I assumed this would be a death blow for our chances to continue as there would be no way we could keep up the established frenetic pace of the remaining 6 teams. But hey, we would at least go out proud and holding our heads high with the way we performed.

Then we got the gear list for the first day of the stage and on it was pfds...this meant that we would encounter water at some point during the day...which translated to time OFF of Ike’s ankle. Our host/pal Dave Salmoni took me to the side and said “Listen, this stage will suit you. Don’t give up. Trust me on this...just hammer at it and you can stay alive”. Good advice Dave. We took it to heart.

After a very cool rappel down the ancient walls of a weathered kasbah, we hobbled down to the shore of Lake Bin el Ouidane where we saw the inflatable rafts and I immediately realized that this would be our daily salvation....water = ankle rest.

By the way...2 dudes (one of them blind) in a ‘duckie’ is not easy to paddle in a straight line. Even though it looked the Football Players where the only ones spinning in circles, in fact all of the 2 person ‘duckies’ were struggling to hold a straight line.

About an hour later we arrived at the island and found the fixings to build this supposed catamaran. I love Akbars comment “First....what IS a catamaran?” Seriously. I have done a lot of adventurous things in my day, but sailing is not one of them. And to really emphasize that point, all of the directions where written in sailing terms...”Booms”, Jibs”, “Masts”, etc. Huh?

I just looked at the pictures and Ike, Erik and I seemed to get it together pretty quickly.

Our maiden voyage was not pretty...our sitting configuration was awkward and inefficient. And I distinctly remember Ike having a HUGE rip down the back of his shorts so that his ass cheek was right in my face. I immediately suggested we make a strategy change. Erik moved to the left and paddled. Ike moved to the right and manned the sail. I moved to the back and used the paddle as a prop. This made all the difference in the world. We actually started sailing. Pretty cool. Another bonus...I didn’t have to look at Ike’s ass cheek anymore.

Approaching the next island a couple miles away we were neck and neck with the Cops, as the Gypsies uncharacteristically drifted off in the wrong direction. Rob, Danni and Jim from the Cops were straight up gamers. Even though this was just an overnight camp we all wanted that win somethin fierce. They would not be denied.

Both teams hit the beach simultaneously and the race up the bank was on. Ike took off. Erik grabbed my pack and we ran. I looked to my left in time to see Rob trip and stumble sprinting up the hill and suddenly the absurdity of this scene struck me and I started laughing hysterically in the midst of a heated race. We were all going for it with all we had...racing up a scrabbly hill to win a mere 3 minute head start the next day. Now in reality we all know it had nothing to do with that puny lead out the following morning. It was all about being a hard charging winner... putting everything out there in the spirit of competition. As we pulled in and Danni drew very close to Erik and I, I’m embarrassed to say I actually elbowed her right in the nose. Uncalled for...you dirty redneck! Sorry Danni. She graciously accepted my apologies, understanding that in the heat of battle...shit goes down. Plus, she is a tough as nails Boston cop. That helps.

So there it was...we won a “stage”...albeit an overnight camp stage. We were psyched. Blind dude....busted ankle with a cast on...and we come in 1st. Awesome!

Off camera....that night we experienced a fairly significant storm filled with high winds (around 70mph) and violent lightening. It lasted for a solid hour and there was actually talk of evacuating us off the island...which seemed a bit over the top. But just as quickly as it started, the storm passed. Many of the teams had not constructed their Berber tents in a bomb proof fashion that afternoon and the wind toppled them down like toothpicks...with our sweet Cali Girls being one of the homeless groups. We offered them some tent space and they took us up on it. Was nice having someone other than stinky dudes in our tent for once. They are a class act those gals...each one of them. All destined for greatness.

The next day’s stage proved to be a hard one to swallow as we watched the excitement from the previous days win get washed away within 20 mins of the starting line. Every team passed us with ease as we were limited to Ike’s hobbled cast. Although we were not “giving up”, we knew that we would be unable to keep up with the pace that we watched fly by us. Erik and I tried to comfort Ike in the fact that later that day we would be drinkin beers and showering our stinky bodies. Ike would have nothing of it. “we are not giving up”, he kept saying....surrounded by hours of silence. It left Erik and I to listen, feel and taste the hills of Morocco like we had not yet experienced up to that point. Everything slowed down for the first time. It was beautiful and bitter sweet at the same time.

Hours later as we were rounding a corner towards what we knew would be close to the finish line we walked right next to the lake. I remember Erik saying, “Hey, since we’ve lost, why don’t we take a dip and just enjoy this last hour”. I replied, “let’s just round this corner and see if there is anyone at the challenge area”. Sure enough we rounded the corner and there were 3 pink figures in the far distance. Holy shit are you kidding! How could that be? They had to have been there for over an hour. Well surely they will figure it out any minute and be on their way. Let’s go have a look.

Once we arrived at the challenge point we read over the instructions and they just made sense to me...unlike the Moroccan rope lock...unlike counting the cobras. I just got this one. Give me a map and a compass and I am generally gonna be OK.

Much to the chagrin of our recent tent mates, we rolled in and just nailed it...ran up the hill and came in 5th for the day to send them home.

Wow!

It was ridiculously exciting for Erik and I to watch the finish last night with our friends here in Boulder. We were there and knew what happened, but I couldn’t sit down, it was so tense.

We know the idea of Never Give Up is something that should exist in all of us. We know that you are never really out of it if you just give yourself a chance. Well....last night proved that to me in a way that I never thought possible.
NEVER GIVE UP!!!!

This Is Loyalty

Episode 7 was a tough one to watch.

I knew this was where we would see Ike go down and I remember the anxiety we all had for him as, in spite of his injury, we continued to put dozens of rugged miles behind us....potentially exacerbating a previous injury and causing Ike life long repercussions.

It started out simple enough...run to the other side of the Kasbah (foreshadowing!) and locate a symbol “hidden in plain view” somewhere in the chaotic yet beautiful city landscape. After about 10 minutes of looking around with the binoculars I finally catch a glimpse of it on the side of an ancient looking stone structure and we are off to the trucks and down into the hustle and bustle of the city.

Arriving at the souk (Arabic for market) we hop out and begin to navigate through the sweet sounds and smells of an enchanting Moroccan flea market...the kind of place I would have loved to have spent a morning strolling and perusing. Instead we are at a half trot, trying hard not to bang into the Moroccans and their wares. This was one of the many times during the Expedition where I desperately wish we could have just called a “time out”. Let’s all just put the race on hold for an hour and enjoy this magical place....see it... smell it....taste it. Although we had been charging through the dynamic northern African countryside for weeks at this point, we had not had much of an opportunity to really “feel” Moroccan culture from the inside and I know from many years of travel to far away places that a flea market...a place of trade and barter... is exactly the kind of place where you can see how a culture truly engages with itself.

But alas...this is a competition and we have to keep the pace at a high level if we expect to stay alive. So we weave and bob...cutting around piles of herbs and antique metal features trying to be as respectful as a bunch of Americans charging through a market can possibly be.

“Sorry....excuse me...whoops...Shukran (Arabic for thank you)”.

I have to say, it’s not exactly easy to guide Erik through such chaos without occasionally bumping or stepping on something or someone. Throughout the market jog we were met with a variety of smiles, looks of curiosity as well as a few Moroccan phrases which were clearly along the lines of “Quit stepping on my shit!”

Check point cleared, one-way “airline” ticket secured and we were back through it again and over to the waiting Explorers... and here is where the game changed...in a big way.

As I got in the backseat of the SUV I saw Ike disappear from view as he was getting in the passenger side door and I thought nothing of it. Once we rolled out I could see that Ike was grimacing and clearly in pain. We had been charging through countless miles of super rocky and bumbly terrain for weeks now...where an ankle or knee injury was a high possibility as evidenced by Gypsy John’s twister 2 episodes ago as well as several others. But in the most unlikeliest of places, Ike rolls his ankle getting into the car. And it’s the same ankle that he fractured while serving in Afghanistan a few years previous. Well....this sucks. Ike’s a tough guy and he seemed to be in a lot of pain. Erik and I probed Ike with questions and I took a look with the eyes of an ER physician assistant and it sure didn’t look good. He seemed to have laxity in the joint with lots of swelling and tenderness throughout. Game changer.

The timing was good however as the next challenge was to put me up in an airplane and get saddled up to my good friend Rashid and spill out the door and fall to the ground. Ike had about an hour to rest and be evaluated by the medical staff.

Time out....

one of my favorite lines of the show so far, “I’m skydiving in Morocco. Sick!!”

Back to Ike... once I’m on the ground I am informed by the medical staff (who are all quite aware of my Emergency Medicine experience) that his ankle stability is questionable and he will need to be pulled from the race to obtain an Xray. I have recently discovered that Executive Producer Lisa Hennessy trumped the med staff decision and allowed Ike to make the call himself.

At this point we all know what kind of man Ike is. He is a man that has structured his professional life around “doing it all for his team”. This is the kind of guy that you want on your team. He will not let you down. He has served in combat zones that would make a brave man retreat in a hole. He has committed himself to always being there for the men and women around him. He surely wasn’t going to let some ankle injury keep him from staying up with his boys. At one point I’m quoted “You would have to literally cut Ike’s leg off to stop this guy”. Once Lisa gave him the go (thanks Lisa!), there was no question we were gonna fire and see how it played out.

Miles of rocky terrain, cliff faces and one perplexing challenge later (another Kasbah), we rolled into camp in 2nd place. Amazing effort on Ike’s part. Erik became the 2nd most inspiring person on Team No Limits that day. I was surrounded by 2 men that are as tough as they come. A true honor. Ike is the perfect embodiment of a soldier...brave, committed and tough as nails. We are lucky to have men like him protecting our country.

We all stood nervously near the finish line waiting to see who was going to by taking the flight out that afternoon. I’m not gonna lie to you, I was so hoping to see my Country Boys round that corner. All 3 of these men are stand up, strong, considerate southern gentlemen that I will call friends for the rest of my life. Good ole boys that are a great example of considerate, mature and genuine young men. I was very sad to see them go. That being said...there will be other Country Boys appearances in the world of MountainVision at some point in the future.

Next week will push us beyond what we thought was possible. We are hanging on for dear life at this point. Join us for the rest of the journey.

Now That's Trust

Imagine this scenario...

You are blind. And I mean lights out blind. Not visually impaired. Not, "I can see some shades of light, maybe a few shapes". No...you are dark as night blind.

You are told that it's time to jump off a cliff into some water below. Initially you are unclear as to how far the jump is. Maybe it's 10 ft...perhaps 20 at the most. No big deal. Kind of like a high dive at the pool. You've done that before. You can do this.

Then your buddy tells you to follow him to the edge of said cliff. You can hear the raging water below. It sounds like it's REALLY far down there. Like REALLY far down. You can feel space all around you...below you. Your buddy scoots up to the edge of the rock to take a peek down and spurts out a "Well alrighty then...my goodness...it's like a 40 footer...but it's cool, its cool."

"What?"

"It's no problem dude. You will do this. You will do this. Chances are good you're gonna live through this."

Any rational person would say "you are absolutely out of your mind". I mean come on... I can't see where I'm going to land. I might flip over and land on my back or head. 40 ft is a LOOONG way down. A lot can go wrong in 40 ft. No way man.

Well I suppose Erik IS a bit irrational. He's also got balls of steel and trusts his bro unconditionally.

I have been guiding Erik on mountains and rock faces all over the world for close to 20 years. Together, we have navigated what many folks would consider some of the most challenging and deadly terrain on the planet...much of it requiring VERY precise communication, a profound level of trust and a willingness to execute with everything we've got.

You scootch over to the edge. Stand up. Hold your buddy's hand and count it down...3. 2. 1. Launch!

Commercial break.

This was a great episode of Expedition Impossible...lots of drama, excitement and fun challenges. The production staff did a great job putting this all together (shout out to you Shooter). You can imagine the complexity of putting together such a huge operation. Quite impressive.

After the jump we moved on to a very cool zip line and straight into a very sneaky challenge where attention to detail was mandatory. Ike took this challenge on and as he headed off to retrieve the key I hollered out to him a specific detail about our symbol. Turns out...it was a critical piece of the puzzle. Ike nailed it and we were off to the 4th class rapids.

Going in to the rapids was the only time during the entire adventure that I was actually a bit nervous. The water safety guys had come to me prior to the put in and stressed very clearly that there were MANY opportunities for folks to get hurt on the upcoming stretch of water...and more specifically, Erik could get in big trouble here. I would need to be razor sharp. I wasn't worried about me being able to navigate the water....however I was genuinely concerned whether I would be able to get Erik through it cleanly. Well...our descent wasn't particularly pretty...Erik did take a few swims...but we made it down. And we passed a few teams along the way and came in 3rd for the stage. Not bad for such a challenging stretch of racing.

As we came across the finish line, Erik's voice was still trembling with adrenaline. I had lost my voice from hollering out commands on the river for hours. Dave says that Erik is a real life action hero...and right on cue I put out a "yep...he's Superblind". Straight up.

Previews for next week show someone sustaining a significant ankle injury...speculation that it's broken. Ladies and Gentlemen....meet my man Ike. He's a stud and you are about to get to know him. It's getting real now.

Shedding A Tear For All To See

When I agreed to do Expedition Impossible with Erik I knew I was going to be exposing myself on national TV for better or for worse. I knew that the "redneck" that hides inside of me would surely make an appearance along the way (and it has). I also knew that my foul mouth would probably surface at some point as well (and it has).

What I didn't expect or count on was having a good solid cryfest in front of millions of people. But just to keep my pride in check, there it was... Jeff, Erik and Ike all crying like a bunch of housewives watching Oprah together.

I had been dreading this episode ever since we returned from Morocco as I knew that showing 3 tough, mountain climbing, salty guys unabashedly sobbing with the cameras rolling would make for TV gold. That being said, if I'm going to cry about anything it will only be over my beloved son, Jace. Crying over fatigue, frustration or illness is for folks that haven't spent 20 years suffering in mountain ranges all over the world...not me. But when it comes to being a father... I am a helpless little puppy and capable of welling up at the slightest thought of Jace.

So when we heard there was going to be a "reward" for the team that came 1st into the overnight camp we all knew it was going to be some sort of contact with our families and that was enough of a catalyst for No Limits to push even harder to get a chance to speak to our loved ones. At the start line I told Erik I was going to push him harder than I had up to that point and in typical Erik style, he agreed with me completely and was game to charge hard. Little did we know that the days terrain would be the absolute worst possible bit of course that could have been laid in front of us. Countless miles of rocky, bumbly riverbeds punctuated by a few more miles of rocky, bumbly riverbeds. I can get Erik across essentially any stretch of ground on the planet...but when it comes to long sections of ankle to waist high rocks...we just can't move that fast. It was what it was.

Now why did we leave the fish fossil behind and not bring it with us to trade for the fish? Because the instructions did not clearly say to do so. I was reading each of those instructions in a very literal interpretation. Only good thing that came out of that whole screw up was my consideration of just "grabbin a fish and start runnin...but that was the redneck in me". Classy.

The fact that our boys the Gypsies gifted us the reward was an absolute huge move. At the halfway point in the Expedition, we had already spent 2 weeks together suffering separately during the day and then rehashing it at camp every night. We were feeling close to several of the teams (although not all)...but primarily we were developing a strong affinity for the young Gypsy dudes as we saw a bit of ourselves in them and knew that their hearts where in the right place with regards to this crazy adventure. They weren't reality TV mongers. They weren't whining or complaining. They were just out there having fun and getting it done. We liked their style. And by giving us the chance to talk to our families it just cemented their character and as a result we will always be fans of John Post, Erik Bach and Taylor Filasky. Good guys.

Another touching moment that deserves comment is my man Akbar throwing all sorts of high praise over to Erik regarding his athleticism. Ak has played football at the highest level with some of the most extraordinary athletes in the world, so for him to say that Erik is superior to all of them is just a remarkably inspiring thing to hear. Another class act, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila.

Sorry to see our friends the Firemen go home. When you look up "real American dude" in the dictionary...these are the guys you find. They have a service approach mentality. They care for people... which was illustrated in the help they provided the Cali girls in last weeks episode. And beyond that...they are just straight up funny guys with a razor sharp, Yankee style of humor that had me belly laughing on many a Moroccan sunset. I will drink beers with them at their firehouse at some point in the future.

We are halfway now with this thing. Only 8 teams remain. Next week we will be paddling some real rapids. The last paddle section was tame...somewhat boring. Next week is real. Class 4...hard...scary. The only time over the entire expedition that I was nervous was just prior to putting in...about to guide Erik down this river section. Should be fun to watch.

If You Aint First, You're Last...

Well...clearly the past week has been full of texts, emails and calls from friends saying some iteration of "If you guys don't win this mountain stage, I'm done watching." Expedition Impossible Episode 4 took us into the Atlas Mountains of Morocco...obviously the terrain that everyone expects us to dominate. We gave it everything we had...and 2nd was as good as we could do behind those little Gypsie jackrabbits.

Erik, Ike and I knew we would be expected to do well on this stage. In fact, essentially every team approached me asking "which way are you going to take up that mountain?" and "what layers are you gonna wear for the day". Clearly the other teams knew our experience in the mountains and although it was a competition, I was happy to give them honest and sincere recommendations. Seeing folks succeed makes me happy...however in the case of this race...I just want them to find success after we do.

A strange thing occurred in the course of this race...we got very close to each of these teams. The further we got in the competition, the more mutual respect we developed for each other.

Especially our Gypsy Bros...

My favorite line of the episode is when Gypsy Eric tells me "Jeff, if you get a key on the first try, I'm gonna punch you in the face"...my response, "well then, you better knock me out on that first punch". The rest of that line that didn't make the edit is always, "cause I'm gonna come up swingin for the fences". At least a bit of the No Limits/Gypsies banter is making it in the finished cut. It's clear that there was a lot of love between our two teams. We genuinely like these guys and although we are in full on competition mode with them throughout...there was a lot of help and nurturing along the way. We are currently in the process of combining team forces to create some really worthwhile future projects.

The Modern Gypsy Blog.

That being said...I'm very competitive, so I was fairly pissed with a 2nd place finish on the mountain stage. You heard it from Erik as he's interviewed by Dave at the finish line, "We wanted first, but I guess we'll take 2nd". We were wanting better.

Next week's episode is titled "A Blind Man's Nightmare"....hmmm. Sounds tough.

If He's Willing to Push it...I'm Willing to Take Him There

Another tough stage is behind us now on Episode 3 of Expedition Impossible. Erik, Ike and I moved up to 2nd place overall once all of the camel riding, puzzle solving and dust storm forging was over. I remember this stage very vividly as it stood as the most freaked out I've ever seen my boy Erik....and I clearly have seen him in countless sketchy situations. The camels took the cake.

We were introduced to camels in Episode 1, however the creatures from Episode 3 were a whole different breed. I actually never rode a camel the first time around...just walked in front, leading the train across the dunes. So as we arrived into the "camel outpost" I was gearing up to take my first ride.

It was clear from the get go that these camels were not excited to have anyone riding them as Erik's camel was trying to get rid of him in a similar fashion as the horse did with me in last weeks episode. Erik had the look of Jesus in his eyes (yes, Jesus can occasionally be seen in a set of glass eyes) as he was getting bucked left and right. We finally decided as a team that the safest and most efficient way to travel was going to be to walk these feisty creatures to our destination...riding them was out of the question.

The barrel raft went by for us in a pretty uneventful way. We just problem solved the most efficient way to paddle and then executed. Not enough drama to make for good TV.

Lot's of folks are asking why Ike is not interviewed at all. Well, he was...just as much as Erik and I. What's clear is that it's all up to the producers what gets shown, who speaks and what gets cut. Ike's presence will be felt here soon as some rather dramatic turns will take place that will shove him front and center. It's comin!

As we cross the finish line in 2nd place they show me saying something like "Erik is pushing himself exponentially harder than anyone else on this race. And if he's willing to push himself like that...then I'm willing to take him there." I have seen Erik put it all out there over the years...pushing himself beyond what I ever thought was possible. He has an extra gear that allows him to go further than what could possibly be anticipated. I've seen it many times. On more than one occasion on this race I asked Erik if he could "give me a little bit more". Every single time...he did. That dude has more will to push it than anyone I know. As much as he inspires folks around the world... he inspired me countless times to take him further and higher.

Next week...the Atlas Mountains. I'm feeling good about our chances ;)

Leaving Erik Behind...

Yep...that's what happened.

For those of you that didn't catch it (you can follow the ABC link and watch last nights episode), I had Erik stay put while Ike and I took off to do the water challenge.

I know...how could I go and just leave my blind buddy to wander around like a lost dog. I'd like to say it was just Hollywood editing that got us in the spot...but truth be told, I really did just leave him there.

I was so wrapped up in the competition that I simply forgot about the 20ft rule that's in place for all adventure races. The production team wasn't about to let us (even the blind dude team) get away with blowing off that rule.

The fortuitous thing that happened though was after Ike and I got back with our bucket of water and the staff told us to dump it and take Erik with us next time, we happened to select the most water tight bucket that was available....so it still only took us 1 trip back and forth from the water source. Every other team took 2 runs. So, it was a wash.

I know when I'm with Erik that my experience will be different. I have to check my own agenda at the door. I am on shift for him. I have known that for 18 years of working with him and I have accepted that role everyday I'm with him. Yes, at times being with him requires double the effort and clearly at times I have to slow down quite a bit (which is tough for this competitive old boy to handle sometimes). However...adventuring with Erik has enhanced my experiences more than I could ever relate. When I'm with him my senses are heightened in ways that they never are when I'm not guiding him. I am acutely aware of everything around me...all of the things that could hurt him... or worse. As a result the world takes on a sharper detail. I feel threats...I sense danger...and I manage fear. I am grateful to him for enhancing my experience in ways that no one else can.

On to Episode 3. Hope you enjoy.

Next up... "New Horse"

Episode 1 is behind us and so are those nasty cobras and my obvious inability to count past 10.

I hope you enjoyed the first episode of Expedition Impossible, which aired last Thursday on ABC! Somebody sure did because the show was ranked #1 among adults 18 to 49, teens 12 to 17, and kids 2 to 11—the highest rating the network has had on Thursday night since the finale of Lost in 2008.

While I can’t tell you anything about future episodes, as long as Team No Limits hangs in there, I will post some stories about what happened that you don’t see on the camera.

For example, you may not have realized that the first of the ten stages was actually two days long. The first day of racing wasn’t too critical except the winning team got a 5-minute head start the next morning. And the teams that came in 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th, then got a 5-minute head start over the remaining teams. It’s the second day of a stage that really matters because that’s when the helicopter may be flying you away.

As we were resting in our Berber tent before the start on the first day, Erik left to go to the bathroom and Mark Burnett came in to have a one on chat with me. Towards the end of our conversation Mark asked me, “Are you sure he’s going to be able to handle this?” I said, “Yeah, I think so.” Then Mark says, “Well I hope we haven’t made a big mistake by having him here.” Of course I saw a great opportunity to fire Erik up by sharing this encounter with him and I actually believe Mark said this on purpose, knowing I would hear about it. Not 100% sure, but if this was part of his plan, it totally worked. When somebody says Erik can’t do something, he tends to get fired up!

At this early stage of the competition, all the teams are checking each other out. We had seen each other in LA at the audition and again in a hotel on the way to Morocco but nobody was allowed to talk to other teams. So Ike and I sized up the others for Erik. We laughed about the guys in knee-high purple socks but, at the same time, they looked pretty fit. We also saw these giant guys, who we later discovered were NFL football players. We joked, “Big trees fall hard.” When we happened to pass Akbar in the hotel, he actually growled at us, which was rather unsettling. It turned out he was totally kidding and is actually a super nice guy!

The first day involved the brutal sand dune climb in searing heat. Notice that out of all 39 contestants, Erik was the only savvy one with enough insight to wear gaiters to keep sand out of his shoes. This may sound like a small thing but everyone else had sand piling down their feet that gave them huge blisters. Ike and I had to stop several times to pour sand out of our shoes. Blind dude gets experience points right out of the gate.

Did I mention how brutal the climb was? The show focused on Chad (from the Country Boys) suffering but I can tell you he wasn’t the only one. Erik and I had just arrived from Colorado, which gave us a bit of an edge, but poor Ike was a flatlander and he really struggled. Of course Ike soldiered on—he’s earned two Bronze Star Medals, a Purple Heart, and an Army Commendation Medal after all— but this raised the specter of doubt about our team’s success for the first time.

The second day was really hard for Erik because it was super rocky as we descended into a valley. This type of terrain is super difficult for him to move through quickly and I got worked. At this point, we were about even with the Fishermen but eventually Erik couldn’t keep up the pace and they passed us. As they went by, one of them turned to us and with that thick Boston accent said, “Remember our names, we’re the Fishermen. We’re for real!” In my typical competitive spirit...that did nothing but make me want to crush those guys.

So lots of early assessments going on on everyone’s part. We can’t fault the girl who wrote us off in the beginning: She said something like, “There’s a blind guy on one of the teams, so I know we’ll beat at least one team.” Like a lot of people, she just had no idea what a blind person is capable of. As we got to know the Fishermen, we actually liked them a lot; they came across as Gloucester gruff at first but were really awesome—sincere, hard working and the kinds of guys who you’d want around in a raging storm. They also had incredible fishing stories, going out to sea for weeks on end and having to be totally self-reliant. The Football Players are actually the nicest guys in the world. Akbar is a gentle giant full of curiosity, except when it comes to all the insects around camp. All the creepy crawlies terrified him.

Our big mistake wasn’t mis-counting the snakes, it was moving too fast. We were among the front runners and just made a mistake, which was a huge bummer that cost us a half hour. But that’s one of the things you learn from experience…you screw up, you make a mistake, deal with it. The reality was that 3 other teams counted wrong as well. However the editors made it appear it was just us that miscounted. Guess I'll always be known for miscounting the snakes.

However, the faster you get over it and the faster you come together as a team and figure how you’re going to remedy the situation and get back on track, the faster you’re back in the game. I was really proud of Ike and Erik because we kept our heads together even though we made this blunder. And Erik never blamed Ike and I for the miscount. He just took it in stride and powered on.

Next week we will take on the horses...and believe me there will be some serious buckin goin down. Listen for the soon to be well documented comment after hitting the dirt, "New Horse".

Well that’s it for now. Stay tuned for next week’s episode and then come back to my blog for more behind the scene stories!

Here We Go!!!!

It's on...tonight!

Starting tonight on ABC, my team No Limits will race 12 other teams across Morocco for the Expedition Impossible prize.

I had mixed feelings about heading into this adventure when Erik first pitched it to me. The prospect of being on a reality show made me throw up a little bit in my mouth. There was no way I wanted to be a part of some Survivoresque, voting off, alliance riddled game show. There just seemed to be no upside to the experience if that was the format and I expressed this concern to Erik.

After a little Q&A with the casting director, we were informed that this "reality show" was actually a harken back to Mark Burnette's Eco Challenge style race.

Now you've got my attention.

Erik and I have competed in several adventure races over the years, most notably PrimalQuest in 2004. After only sleeping 18hrs in 9 days during PQ I swore to never do another race like that again.

Clearly I have remarkable short term memory.

Once Erik and I committed to the race we had to select a 3rd teammate. We could have selected any number of our hundreds of very fit and capable adventuring pals...many of which would have loved to have been a part of such a big production adventure. We went with our new buddy Ike Isaacson, one of the wounded soldiers from our Soldiers to the Summit project last Fall. Ike was injured in combat a few years back and seemed to be a totally capable teammate for this unique experience. The great pitch here was that Ike had some partial hearing loss while in Afghanistan so the perfect team name for us would be "Deaf, Dumb and Blind"...and yes, I accept my role with pride.

The adventure was full of grand TV production clusters...some interesting, others ludicrous and pointless. However the entire experience was exactly what we were looking for...an adventure.

Tune in starting tonight on ABC....see if we can turn the Impossible into something possibly worth watching.

Expedition Leadership in the Wild

A really wonderful article from...

John N. Gans, the Executive Director of National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)

The lessons about leadership learned in the crucible of the backcountry environment — unpredictable, challenging, and dynamic — map to today's business environment. The wilderness is an unparalleled venue for highlighting team and individual strengths and learning to compensate for shortcomings. Executives from Google and Timbuk2; students from Wharton and the Kellogg School and even most NASA astronauts have evolved through such training. Think of it as an MBA from nature.

Outdoor training activities, even those as straightforward as lightweight backpacking, enable students to actually practice different leadership and communication models so that they can learn about their own leadership style and its impact on outcomes in a group. Understanding their go-to "signature" style allows them to then develop situational leadership skills that can adjust to current events and group needs.

A 2008 University of Utah study focused on the long-term benefits of wilderness education. The study, "Long Term Impacts Attributed to Participation in Adventure Education..." (link PDF) found that, beyond outdoor and survival skills, program graduates gained critical leadership skills including: effective handling of difficult circumstances, the ability to work as a member of a team, strategic planning, and how to communicate positively with diverse types of people.

In the 16 years I've led the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and in the more than 30 years I've been active in the outdoors, I've seen the idea of "expedition leadership" take hold in organizations. In large part, that's because companies are moving away from the traditional hierarchical, command-and-control structures and towards looser networks and flatter org charts.

The concept of expedition leadership as espoused by outdoor training programs effectively turns the command-and-control model on its head. Expedition leaders encourage active followers. All of the members of the team are empowered to make decisions and through their efforts everyone has a role to play bringing clarity to the larger group vision. Middle managers, the business equivalent of an expedition member, generally have the most information about the decisions that need to be made. Giving them permission to make the decision, and see it through, leads to cohesion and rewards, collaboration rather than competition.

As part of outdoor training programs, students are asked to step back and create functional teams that work across traditional departmental lines and outside of a strict hierarchical structure. Setting goals, making a plan, managing resources (food, fuel, etc.), working as a team, and remaining flexible are crucial to a successful backcountry expedition and the expedition of life. The model focuses on collaborative teamwork to achieve goals. Risk management becomes intuitive given the inherent risks and hazards of remote and wild areas.

Outdoor training "was a life changing time for me," said Nantucket Nectars and Plum TV founder, Tom Scott. "The stakes are very real. The chain is as strong as its weakest link. The goal is to arrive at the next place as one. All links intact. I came back a different person."

Even if a team-wide outdoor training isn't in the cards for your group, getting away from the boardroom and into a more natural setting will allow your team to step out of the standard office roles. We do a yearly three day executive team retreat at a nearby nature center where meetings in a rustic setting are combined with "walk and talks" addressing specific issues. Each day a group hike or bike ride is included for exercise and relaxation, but meals are when the real team-building takes place. Preparing a meal together truly illuminates each person's leadership styles and tendencies. Competence, teamwork, and communication are all on display.

Extended wilderness expeditions develop one's understanding of leadership, teamwork, ethics and judgment. Connecting with the wild outdoors in an intense way fosters the kind of self-reliance, judgment, respect, and sense of responsibility that can help leaders thrive in today's shifting organizational landscape.

Ten Years Ago Today...

....I stood on the summit of Mt Everest with some of my closest and dearest friends. Men that I call brothers. The bond that we have was established with the galvanizing effort of getting our blind buddy Erik as high up on the mountain as we possibly could...and back down safely again.This was a selfless journey...putting our own personal agendas on the back burner in order to achieve a success that would only be reached with the efforts of the team.

I look back on that day with an inspired and genuine satisfaction. That each one of us was putting out everything we had for the guy next to us. It is an amazingly empowering tool to know that you have surrounded yourself with individuals that are as committed to a cause as you are. It gives you strength and security that if you should stumble...if you should fall, your people have your back.

I learned a lot that day... about how to be a teammate, how to be a leader and how to dig down deep for something bigger than me. Now ten years later I realize how critical those lessons are to me as a husband, father and man.

Expedition Impossible Promo

This is the commercial spot that is airing on ABC now. See if you can spot a few things:

1)dude getting thrown from horse....that's me. "New horse!"

2)dude taunting the other teams "Wouldn't it be humiliating to get beat by a blind guy?"...yep, that's me too.

For those of you that live in Colorado...premier party at the Lazy Dog in Boulder on June 23rd. Show starts at 7pm. Otherwise, tune in and pull for Team No Limits.

Fundraiser for STTS and a Reunion of Sorts...

This Friday I will be taking part in a very worthwhile fundraising climb with some old and new friends.

The intention is to celebrate our 10 year anniversary of climbing Everest with our old (yes, very old) crew. However included in our group will be many donors and supporting clients that, through their donations will be supporting the upcoming Soldiers to the Summit film tour that will take place this Fall.

We hope to ascend Quandry Peak in Summit County. We expect there to be quite a bit of snow which will create some solid alpine conditions...lucky us.

It's such a wonderful way to celebrate old projects with new.

Expedition Impossible!!!

Well, here we go!

The word is out...

Erik, Ike and I are Team No Limits on ABC's epic adventure program this summer...Expedition Impossible.

Follow along on Twitter and Facebook for constant updates regarding air time reminders (begins on June 23rd on ABC, 9pm EST), feedback after each of the episodes as well as other fun related items.

This will be REALLY good television (I know, that's an oxymoron). No, really!!!!

I am now a Twit!!!

Tried to resist as long as I possibly could.

With some very exciting news in the coming weeks, I have been advised that making 140 character or less comments about my routine will be found somewhat interesting.

So...here we go with the Twits!!!!

@MtVisionInc

Are Leaders Made or Born?

Are leaders born? Or can they be made? A new study that looks at the brain waves of various individuals seems to find evidence that charismatic leadership has a physical manifestation in the brain. But it may be possible to teach people how to change their brain activity in ways that may make them more inspirational to others.

By Peter Capelli

Do you get the sense that everything now is genetic?

Surely one of the last bastions of learned behavior is executive development. Over the generations, we have spent millions turning individuals into leaders at the military-service academies, at business schools and with corporate programs.

Despite the extensive practice of leadership development, we don't have a great sense as to how well this training actually works, and many critics have long suggested that leadership can't be taught. Some people are born leaders, they say, and others just aren't.

So here's a study, "Leadership and Neuroscience: Can We Revolutionize the Way That Inspirational Leaders Are Identified and Developed?," that appeared in the February issue of the Academy of Management Perspectivesthat gives some solace to both sides of the debate.

The study, by David A. Waldman, Pierre A. Balthazard and Suzanne J. Peterson, centers on the concept of coherence, which measures the extent to which different parts of the human brain communicate with each other.

The idea is that different parts of the brain are responsible for different types of behavior and responses as well as different types of cognition (remember the "left/right brain" arguments?). Brains that are better able to communicate across regions may also be better able to handle a range of responses and thinking, especially the complex process of understanding and conveying emotions.

The study used electroencephalographs -- those little electrodes on your head -- to measure the extent to which signals are moving across parts of the brain.

The authors found that greater movement, suggesting greater coherence, was associated with individuals who had visions of the future for their organizations that were more inclusive and collective; those with less coherence had more individualized or, one might say, more selfish visions.

And finally, those with more collective visions were seen as more inspirational and charismatic by their followers.

The idea that charismatic leadership has this physical manifestation in the brain is especially important because such leadership appears to be, at a minimum, one of the least teachable aspects of management.

So these results seem to support those who believe that some people have it and others don't.

But before we get carried away with the inevitability of biology, the authors of the study note that the same techniques of mapping brain signals have been used in other contexts to actually rewire the brain.

Neurofeedback is the process of helping an individual understand how his or her brain is firing in different ways and recognize the associated sensations so that one can learn to focus on particular patterns of firing.

The idea is the same as with biofeedback, which helps people learn how to control their involuntary processes like heart rates.

There is some evidence that neurofeedback can change some brain functioning. It may be possible to teach people how to change their brain activity in ways that create more coherence across regions of the brain, possibly allowing us to process information and emotions in ways that make us more inspirational to others.

It's important to note that these results are just suggestive. We don't know with any certainty that the brain patterns observed are actually the cause of the leadership traits. And we don't know to what extent we will be able to change those brain patterns.

But we may have to get used to the idea of leadership-development programs that involve hooking participants up to monitors and having them watch video screens.

Since leadership-development programs are so often held in swanky places, maybe those video screens can be set up near the golf course.

Peter Cappelli is the George W. Taylor Professor of Management and director of the Center for Human Resources at The Wharton School. His latest book, with Bill Novelli, is Managing the Older Worker: How to Prepare for the New Organizational Order.

The Mysterious Adventure...

So, it's about that time....

I am about to depart for a far away, exotic land in a few days for perhaps one of the craziest adventures I have ever participated in.

I'm excited...a bit nervous and anxious to get under way.

And yes, I do wish I could disclose more details on what it is that I'm doing... but sadly, I am under contract to not discuss any details about where I'm going and what exactly the adventure consists of.

Soon enough though the whole story will be told... as this event will broadcast all summer on ABC.

Until then...the shroud of silence will continue. My next blog post will be on my return in late April.

Happy Spring!

Outside Magazine Article on STTS

Here it is...

The Outside Magazine article written by our embedded reporter Brian Mockenhaupt. We will see this in the hardcover edition sometime in mid March. Otherwise here it is in the online version. Well done Brian!

More Soldiers to the Summit

On the way to the top...

I love this photo. My great buddy Chris Morris and I are discussing something that seems to be very important with our pal and one of the soldiers on our Nepal trip last Fall, Matt Nyman.

Matt and I just did an interview with Iowa Public Radio (Matt is a native of Waterloo).

The interview can be heard in it's entirety here.

We are in the heavy planning stages to execute a Soldiers To The Summit...the Second Edition.

The hope is to head to Antarctica next January to climb the highest point on that continent, Mt Vinson. Much more to come on that.

And of course, the Soldiers To The Summit documentary will be released in the coming months. A continental tour will follow to support the film. Stay tuned!

Kiteboarding!!!

Are any of you adventurous folks looking for a new sport/hobby/obsession? One word... KITEBOARDING!!!

Once or twice on the North Carolina coast I had scene a scattering of folks ripping through the ocean attached to a large kite, but I would have never guessed how popular this sport really is. And now I know why. Once I determined that I was going to spend a couple of months in Baja and coincidentally enough, in one of the kiteboarding Mecca's of this hemisphere...I decided that I had to do it. So I wen

t out and bought a kite, harness and lines. Everything I would need to fly like a bird across the ocean. One problem...I had no idea what I was doing. And this is the kind of sport where training and instruction are critical in order to not get dead.

So once I arrived in Los Barriles, luck would have it that the house directly behind our rental was full of super experienced "kiters" from California. One of the fellows, Tyler Bradfield is a full time instructor and immediately offered to help me in my quest to learn this new sport. Tyler spent hours with me, patiently explaining safety, technique and the geothermal nature of wind. He even got in the water with me one day and taught me some critical kite skills necessary to generate enough power to get up out of the water and on to the board.

I have spent my entire professional life "guiding" people in the mountains, so I know what it takes to teach a "newbie". It takes a lot of patience and personal skills. Tyler showed exceptional patience and skill with me....regularly giving me suggestions and hints to advance my skills and stay safe.

So now I'm up and riding. Not exactly flying through the air yet...but that will come.

If you have any desire to pursue this wonderful sport, there is only one guy you should use. Tyler can be found here tybradfield@yahoo.com. He is typically either teaching in Maui or the San Francisco Bay area, but is typically willing to travel to destinations for personalized instruction.

MountainVision Youtube Channel

We now have a depot for all videos related to MountainVision.

Please check out the MountainVision Inc Youtube Channel.

Off to Baja...

As the new year rang in for us here in Colorado...my wife and I turned our attention to our upcoming family adventure to Baja. Here in a couple days the bite of the Colorado winter will be replaced with two months of the warm breezes and surf of the Baja Peninsula for the Evans family.

I have been blessed over the past 20 years to have traveled the world, seeking out adventure on mountains, rocks and adventure races in wonderfully remote and exotic locations. Now that my son Jace is a spry 5 years old...I think he's ready to start his life of adventure and exploration.

We identified a small house, right on the beach in the small fishing and kiteboarding communnity of Los Barilles...just south of La Paz.

We refuse to treat this as a vacation (except for the occasional sunset beer). Our activities will include whale watching, turtle egg hatching, deep sea and beach fishing, kiteboarding (my new sport), surfing and not least importantly...a revision of my book (which will now include photos).

When all is said and done, everything I do is for my family. It is finally time for us all to share an adventure together... establishing memories and spending quality time together in a unique and somewhat exotic location.

Don't forget to carve out time for the people closest to you. Time is so fleeting. We have a finite amount of it and I for one will spend the first bit of this joyous new year with the two people closest to me.

Then....it's on to the month long around the world race that is known as "Expedition Impossible".

Happy New Year!

A Recent Event Testimonial...

A wonderful reference sent from a former client to a potential client...

I highly recommend Jeff Evans as a speaker for your National Sales Meeting.

Jeff spoke at Megadyne Medical's National Sales Meeting in March of 2009 at the Deer Valley Resort in Park City. He not only has an inspiring and compelling personal story to tell - taking the first blind man to the top of Mount Everest - but does so in an engaging and enlightening manner using analogies from his experience and the climbing teams ultimate success to the teamwork, leadership and execution required to be successful in the corporate world. He was a huge hit with our sales team and was the top rated event over the course of the meeting.

Even today, after two years, we often refer to his presentation and/or Everest observations as we discuss our own goals, objectives and targets. The Megadyne management team and sales force came away from the presentation with a greater understanding of the commitment required to achieve significant goals, the vision and leadership required to stay focused on the summit, and the planning, execution and teamwork necessary to move up the mountain!

Moreover, we found a partner and friend in Jeff. He was extremely easy to work with and very interested in learning about Megadyne and our needs. He demonstrated a geniune desire to understand our electrosurgical product lines, markets and customers. He has a medical background and could easily "talk the talk" with our sales team - easily attaining a level of credibility that enhanced his presentation.

Jeff was able to easily weave our desired message and focus into his presentation. In fact, we based the theme of our National Sales Meeting - "Reaching New Summits" - around his message and ensured that everyone had a copy of his book to take home after the presentation as a reminder. Needless to say, Jeff made an extremely positive impact on our overall message to the sales force and helped set the tone for the years sales objectives.

Based on your stated goals, I am positive that Jeff will have the same impact for you.

Reflection...

Friday, December 10
As I'm sitting here in my hotel room waiting to head to the airport and begin the long journey home, I think fondly on this most recent adventure and my 21 new friends. Over the course of nearly 2 weeks, we walked, shared meals and suffered together...creating a bond that is unique in its depth. It's clear to me after years of adventuring that a persons true heart is exposed when put through challenging events. I watched as each of my new friends dug down deeper than they ever imagined possible to reach this summit. And it's in this struggle that each person found that fundamental place that exists within each of us...that hides from most folks and takes "a little bit of pain" to expose it.
It was an honor to walk with each of these guys and share in such discovery.
A deep and profound thank you to JC Huezinga for putting this group together and being the catalyst for all the goodness.
Till next time...
Jeff and the crew

Summit!

6am' Dec 8
What a day!
The team departed camp yesterday around 12:30am and headed up for what would be the challenge of a lifetime.
Many would say it was the hardest physical/emotional day of their lives.
20 of 21 made the summit. Greg made it to Stella Point (just an hour short of the summit...an extraordinary accomplishment on its on).
We are all just waking from a solid night of sleep and rest. Today we will make the final 3 to 4 hour hike back down into the jungle. Showers and restaurant food tonight!
More to come.
Thanks for all of your support.
Jeff and the crew

Into Karanga Camp

8:30PM, December 5th
We all pulled into the 13,700ft Karanga camp this afternoon in misty clouds and warm temps.
Except for the few headaches and upset bellies, everyone is doing quite well. We will rest tonight to get ready for our move tomorrow up to high camp at around 16,000ft. Our plan is to head for the summit tomorrow night around midnight, with hopes of summiting around 8am the next morning.
Prayers and good thoughts are very much appreciated.
Thanks
Jeff and the crew

Barranco Camp...all is well

Sunday, December 5
Yesterday we made the move from the Shira Plateau over to the Barranco Valley. It's a fairly long day (about 7 hours) so I think everyone was pretty happy to see camp after some heavy up and down hiking.
Today we push up over "Breakfast Wall", about 1200ft of rocky scrambling and pull into Karanga Camp at about 13,700ft.
The few headaches that folks had yesterday and last night seem to have abated this morning with a little medical intervention.
All is well and everyone is fired up. More to come.
Jeff and the crew

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Into Shira Camp

Since the last dispatch we have passed through Camp 1 and today moved up to Camp 2 (Shira Camp). Perched at 12,400 ft, everyone seems to feel pretty good and having a great time. The weather has been somewhat fickle, but never discouraging. An occasional spit of rain and cloud cover followed by intense, radiating sun.
Tomorrow we will cruise up the Shira plateau, up and over Lava Tower and down into Barranco Camp. It will be another day full of panoramic vistas and beautiful terrain.
Till then...
Jeff and the crew

Last Meal and Shower

Eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow we... hike.
We all shared a nice meal and some fellowship last night and this morning breaks with excitement as everyone is ready to start the journey upward.
The weather seems to be a bit rainy here in town, which is really quite irrelevant to what's going on at the base of the mountain over an hour away. We cross fingers that our first day is not a wet one as its much more enjoyable to cruise through the jungle in drier conditions.
There are 22 of us on this journey, each person climbing this mountain for their own personal reasons. We will push each other towards the top, sharing in the friendship that comes with such an adventure.
Dispatches from here on out will be spotty. I will do my best. Everyone sends their love to the folks at home.
Onward and upward.
Jeff

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Arrival Complete

Wednesday, December 1
So we are all now accounted for in Tanzania. All the folks, all the bags. This bodes well for a group of 22, as typically with a group this size, something or someone goes missing. Our debriefing meeting took place this morning where I reviewed with the group the climb details and what to expect from the next week. Everyone is clearly excited and perhaps a bit nervous for the journey that lies ahead. More to come...

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