#cornthwaite

There's something deeply basic and beautiful about following your feet. Some wise Buddah once said that every journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step, and although that isn't strictly true the sentiment is there and applies to every decision, step, bounce, push, pedal and whatever action we choose to take us forward.

I've been a long-time admirer of KEEN footwear, not just because they make strong products in a nice, sustainable way, but because they have a simple, powerful ethos. Yes, they're a business, but they want to make a difference at the same time as trotting through life. And like me, they've chosen the outdoors and adventure as their playground.

Earlier this year KEEN invited me to be an Ambassador for them, which made me smile. And you know what, they made me feel wanted. I've worked with plenty of companies over the years but have sometimes been left with a sense that I'm not really valued.

KEEN aren't like that. From the first minute they tuned into my motives, asked me to get involved with projects, shared my stories on their channels, and when I rolled through their home base of Rotterdam on my ICE Trike they gave me a bed and a place to chill, and instantly had me up on stage at one of their Ocean Film Tours, which just happened to be on when I arrived.

And Julian and Perry even gave the Trike a good workout in some pretty hefty wind!

I felt like I was part of a family. Can you ask for more than that? As a nomadic traveller community is something I often miss out on, so in that sense, KEEN had me at "Hello."

A few months after we met I embarked on the 11th leg of my Expedition1000 project, this time in a Hobie Kayak across Scandinavia. 

Of course, KEEN's roots lie in good waterproof shoes with a solid toe plate to avoid those agonising hopping-around-in-pain moments, and with endless rocky islands ahead of me I wanted to ensure my feet not only survived the journey, but also enjoyed it in comfort.

Most days I slipped into a pair of Clearwater CNXs. They were my bread and butter for pedalling (the Hobie Kayak is powered by a Mirage Drive, based on two fins that replicate the propulsion of penguin flippers) and took me through storms, across wide sections of open water and, of course, made coming ashore on rocky, stony landings blissfully easy.

Also in the bag were a pair of Class 5 Flips which replaced the Clearwaters when I was in camp each night, and a pair of Marshalls, the only traditional 'shoes' I had with me. These got a run out on the coldest of days, and when my camps weren't flip flop friendly. I also used them for the longest of the 60 portages I had to make when crossing Sweden on the lock-ridden Göta Canal.

So, here we are. 48 days. 24 islands camped on. 1000.5 miles covered between Oslo, Norway and Helsinki, Finland. KEEN shoes having a part to play all the way. 

And you know the best thing, my feet still have 14 more 1000+ mile journeys to enjoy, and with KEEN around, enjoy them they will.

- Visit KEEN's website

MEDIA RELEASE | 14TH AUGUST 2014

  BRITISH ADVENTURER BEGINS

MIRAGE KAYAK JOURNEY

FROM OSLO TO HELSINKI

    Since quitting his day job in 2005 British man Dave Cornthwaite has written three books and broken eight world records in the pursuit of an ambitious self-powered goal that has already seen him cover over 18,000 miles around the world.

  This morning in Oslo, Cornthwaite begins the 11th leg of Expedition1000, a project to complete a series of 25 different non-motorised journeys, each a minimum of 1000 miles in distance.

  Starting at Aker Brygge/ Tjuvholmen at 11am, Cornthwaite left the Norwegian capital of Oslo bound for Helsinki, Finland. He will travel over 1200 miles along the Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish coastlines using a pedal kayak powered by Hobie’s innovative Mirage system, based on the propulsion of penguin flippers.

  In addition to encountering stunning scenery and marine life, Cornthwaite expects to face stormy weather, open water crossings and busy sea traffic, but he is no stranger to overcoming challenges.

  His previous journeys include world record distances by stand up paddleboard along the Mississippi, and across Australia by skateboard. He has also sailed across the Pacific and in 2012 swam over 1000 miles down the Missouri River.

  Speaking from the UK earlier this week, Cornthwaite looked forward to arriving in Oslo: “This will be a memorable way to celebrate my first visit to Scandinavia. It’s a part of the world renowned for exploration, and I hope my own journey inspires locals along the coastline to come and join me on the water.”

  Cornthwaite is a passionate advocate of encouraging adventure as a way of developing human potential. His motto of ‘make life memorable, say yes more’ has already helped him raise over £100,000 for good causes. He hopes to raise £1 million by the end of his Expedition1000 project.

  Notes for Editors:

More details on www.davecornthwaite.com

Email Dave: [email protected]

Hi-Res Images for Press Use: http://bit.ly/1a8xkpR

Back in 2010 I made my first Expedition1000 video which at the time was a little short on content.

Gladly, I've been busy these last couple of years. Paddleboarding and tandem'ing and sailing and swimming and stuff, and with 8 Expedition1000 journeys now completed I felt it was about time for a new video to explain the project and my motivations for living an adventurous life.

It's not easy summing yourself up in 6 minutes, but I had great fun rummaging back through hours of footage and trying to tell a story worth telling. I hope you enjoy it.

With 17 expeditions left to go I'm constantly working hard on my next plans and in 2014 I have three new expeditions pencilled in. The length of Chile's Atacama Desert by Whike, a completely unplanned journey around Europe, and a coastline-skirting epic around Brazil by kitesurf.

This is shaping up to be quite a fun summer. Here's my Yes List for July through to September, featuring little adventures just waiting to be taken on, events I'm speaking at or attending, and other's people journeys that I'm following and might just pop along to support at some stage.

Also, I'd like YOU to be involved in some of the below! There are options to take part in, attend or even have a big hand in some of the things in this list:

July

- Now until the 31st July: Special Delivery! To finalise my back rehabilitation and to train for a 72 hour football match in early August I'll be riding a Boris Bike all over London delivering any London-based orders of my books / Say Yes More merchandise made through this link. Bike Helmet at the ready…!

- 22nd - Paperback launch for my third book, Life in the Slow Lane. Just a couple of days ago I received the proof for my third book, such a special moment to hold a solid paperback in hand for the first time. If you read it I really hope you enjoy, and I'd always appreciate some feedback on Amazon if you can spare the time. 

- 24th - Speaking for Explorers Connect in Plymouth with Emily Penn. Em and I sailed across the Pacific together last year and have since done a few journeys independently. We'll be mixing up the traditional speaking format by interviewing each other on stage. Tickets are £4.

- 25th - Following our event in Plymouth, it's straight back to London where Emily Penn will be discussing her recent journey to the mid Pacific in London at one of the capital's coolest venues - Bathtub 2 Boardroom. Details here.

- 27th - With a few friends including another Dave, who is responsible for BAMboo Clothing, we're going to build an Old School Bamboo Raft and float down the Thames, with no prior boat-building experience whatsoever.

- 29th - I'll be speaking at the Octopus Clinic this evening, to say thanks to the Osteopaths who've helped me get my back in working order following a damaged disc which caused me to pull out of my last journey. Come along for some tales of adventure!

August

- 1st - 4th - I'm taking part in a World Record Breaking Football Match,  72 hours of 5 aside in West London's Westway Sports Centre. Having stayed awake for 72 hours non-stop in 2010 I know how much of a challenge this will be! Come along and support us, we'll need every bit of encouragement we can get. The event is raising money for the Inspiring Futures: Uganda charity and I'm aiming to raise at least £350 through this page before the event starts, legs feel wobbly already! 

- 5th  - Explorers Connect London: This should be a great night. I'm speaking alongside the incredible Felicity Aston, who is one of only three people to ever walk across Antarctica. She's the only one of those three who isn't a Norwegian male, which gives you an idea of her calibre. Details here.

- 16-18 - Adventure Travel Film Festival: Can't wait for this. I'll be speaking and introducing a short film about my Missouri River swim, as well as hanging out with a cool group of people and camping in my hammock all weekend. Visit the website for tickets and details.

September

- 16th - The Night of Adventure Series for Hope & Homes for Children has been running for a few years now, since its inception by Alastair Humphreys. Featuring a sweat-inducing format involving each speakers 20 slides move on automatically after just 20 seconds, it's an inspiring event worthy of its venue in Leicester Square's VUE cinema. I'm honoured to be hosting the night, too. 

- 19th - I'm speaking in Bristol for lifecycle.org.uk, come along!

Other projects, adventures and opportunities

- For the duration of the Summer I'm continuing a project I briefly flirted with last year. It's called 50-50, or more specifically, 50 ways to make £50. I'll be writing a book about the project and am on the lookout for weird, wonderful and downright horrible ways to make 50 quid. If you have a job for me, let me know!

- My friend Sean Conway is currently moving his way up the coast in an attempt to be the first person to swim the length of Britain. I'll be chasing him down at some point to join the team for a few days of coastal shenanigans.

Apologies for the unexpected two-day delay for this post, the fourth in this 'making an expedition happen' series. It's been a busy week, my next journey begins in just three days so last-minute tweaks and admin naturally fills the time. Then throw in the launch of my 3rd book and it adds to the to do list!

It's all part of the process, though. When you're planning an expedition you have to be prepared to be flexible. Delays are okay, as long as you know your priorities. The key is to make sure everything is done well, then you can't ask for much more.

Expeditions are just like icebergs; it might seem like the hard work is done on the move but in actual fact about 80% of the work is below the surface and happens before the official start line.

Planning an expedition requires patience, dedication, the ability to deal with rejection and disappointment and the grit to carry right on through until it's done. Sounds like an expedition already, doesn't it?!

However hard the planning phase is, let's try to make it as easy as possible and break it down into manageable chunks. Here's a step by step process:

1) The idea: this is the golden nugget, the eureka moment. You usually know that you have the right idea because your heart starts beating very fast and suddenly you become filled with passion and a certainty that you've discovered a purpose. And you want to tell everyone.

2) Make a list: it sounds simple, but I've seen some brilliant projects fall apart because the protagonists don't plan sensibly. You have your idea already, adding to it by making a list of everything you a) need & b) need to do gives the concept some tangibility. Then, start ticking off items from the list - once you've done them all you're ready to go!

3) Pad out your project and build a website or blog: personally, as soon as I've had the original idea for an expedition I'll grow that seed by slowly building a mini website. Suddenly you see the project coming together before you, it's a marvellous way to clarify everything (with the extra added incentive of being able to add extra content to your pretty idea as soon as the journey starts.) If you're devoid of web skills never fear - try www.moonfruit.com, a drag and drop website creator that my 4 year-old nephew could master with his eyes shut.

4) Manage your time: you're not going to get anywhere special without focus. Commit to your project, don't waste time faffing about on Facebook or Twitter unless it's related to your project aims. Use your time wisely and do do do. 

5) Be realistic with timescale and budget: don't rush this, it's important. You need time to get the money together. To prepare, develop skills and promote. Don't be a cheapskate but don't go overboard with your budget, either. Look at the list you made after No. 2) and research how much each item/ service will cost as accurately as possible.

6) Be creative: this bit is exciting. You have your own project and you can make it unique. Sure, take into account what other people have done but make your work your own. Be original.

7) Talk about your project: vocalising your aims is a surefire way to get constructive feedback, to find people who can help you out and, of course, as soon as you start telling people what you're up to it's extra incentive to make sure you actually do it!

8) Work hard and take responsibility: this is your moment to shine. Work hard and you'll increase your chances of success. You're the one responsible at all times because this is your project. Sometimes people will let you down but you're the one who brought them onboard (in whatever capacity) in the first place. If you have to take a step backwards, step forwards quickly, stronger than before.

Finally, get the balance right between planning effectively and over-planning. It's possible to prepare TOO much, leaving no life for your expedition to breathe. Remember, adventures are supposed to be uncertain times. Allow yourself to wake up not knowing where you're going to sleep the next night. Allow yourself some freedom, but plan to ensure you meet your objectives and, importantly,so you can avoid danger as much as possible. 

This is the fourth part of a series of blogs about making expeditions happen. Here are the previous ones.

Tomorrow’s blog will discuss how to successfully promote your expedition.

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My third book, Life in the Slow Lane, is out now on Amazon Kindle at a discounted price for a limited period.

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You might enjoy this film, where I swim 1001 miles and get very tired