Stay ConnectedThis is what adventure sounds like. Climb. Ski. Hike. Bike. Paddle. Run. Travel. Whatever your passion, we are all dirtbags. Fitz Cahall and the Duct Tape Then Beer team present stories about the dreamers, athletes and wanderers.
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Nineteen year old Kiko Lopez had never set foot on a boat when he accepted an invitation to sail from Maine to the Bahamas with three friends. Choosing to leave the world of virtual classrooms behind, Kiko spent the next six months learning to tack and jibe, hoist sails, and de-escalate drama. For Kiko, this sailing adventure deepened his understanding of himself and his purpose.
When Gary Lacy heard his boss’s daughter was joining their company ski trip, he tried to bail. “She’s probably 13, and from Boulder so she'll be a wacko,” Gary remembers thinking. Leslie turned out to be a 20-year-old who skied circles around Gary as he tumbled head-over-heels– both down the run, and for Leslie. But because of a company policy, Gary had to decide whether he’d go out of bounds.
When first-grade teacher Madeigh Winsor-McCarron’s life changed in 2020, she had a hard time coaxing herself to get out the door. Zoom classes, fear about the future, and isolation threatened her mental health. But fortunately, her best adventure buddy always tugged her back into the mountains, away from anxiety, and into the present moment.
Kyle McCrohan loves outdoor sports, and for years he chased the goals that many of us share – bigger, stronger, faster. But when he set out to make an ambitious winter ascent of an ice route on Sloan Peak, things didn’t go as planned. Since that day, Kyle has dedicated himself to finding different ways to grow in adventure that don’t involve taking bigger and bigger risks. He creates novel traverses through the Cascade Mountains that feel as artistic as they do athletic.
After Jon-Erick Anés moved from Puerto Rico to Florida, he struggled to find direction in his life. He kept repeating unhealthy patterns and feeling stuck in his relationships. When his older brother asked him to climb Half Dome together, Jon-Erick didn’t bat an eye. In our annual celebration of New Years’ goals, we bring you a story about the power of saying yes, followed by our community goals for 2022. Happy New Year!
While most people curled up on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa, Emily Ford set out in the frigid winter to thru-hike Wisconsin’s 1200 mile Ice Age Trail. Over the course of their two and a half month winter vacation, Emily and her borrowed sled dog, Diggins, tested their endurance and found solitude, friendship, and beauty to last a lifetime.
Create and make new again. After his Great Uncle Jack passed away, Noah Manke took a pair of his Uncle’s old jeans, complete with holes, oil stains and paint, and turned them into something new. It was a way to create, share and carry on the memory of someone special in his life. Now, the spirit of Uncle Jack accompanies Noah and his friends on their climbing adventures.
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Better than new. Pass along cherished gear, surprise a loved one with the gift of repair and keep a good story going. Shanon Castle received a rad bike as a gift from her parents when she was 13, but it wasn’t life changing at the time, it was just a bike she remembers riding around sometimes. Fast forward 10 years. Shanon was a concert dancer, searching for a change. Something about riding her bike to work sounded dreamy. Since she couldn’t afford a bike, she asked her parents if they still had her old one.
Give used. Give back. Give knowledge. Get inspired at Patagonia.
Consider gifts that keep giving. Marta Bills fell in love with backpacking on a sixth grade class trip to the Sierra Nevada. And her love of getting away for days at a time with a heavy pack in the mountains stayed with her up until she had kids. The busyness of family life coupled with complicated logistics kept her away from her favorite activity for decades. On her 60th birthday, her daughter surprised her by proposing a path to reunite Marta with her love of backpacking.
Give used. Give back. Give knowledge. Get inspired at Patagonia.
Teach them what you know, or take them somewhere special. On a three week trip to Japan, Chris Lock wanted his sons, ages 10 and 12, to connect with their Japanese heritage while creating lifelong memories. He found an off-the-beaten-path adventure on the Kumano Kodō trail, complete with long day hikes and rustic lodges to sleep in. As the trip unfolded, Chris realized the gift was truly his: shared time with his sons and unparalleled memories that he will cherish forever.
Give used. Give back. Give knowledge. Get inspired at Patagonia.
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