A Man from Utah

Hey Everybody, I am excited to announce that the Great Salt Lake Adventure is back on! After a disappointing turn of events last year we had to postpone our trip and with the craziness of 2020 we really wrestled with if we should move forward or not but ultimately we felt that a bit of positivity in setting a new World Record may be a bright spot amidst so much else that is going on right now. So we're going to to do it! Meet Traveler After a year of toiling over this incredible project the canoe build is now complete. What an awesome opportunity I have had to craft a beautiful vessel that performed exceptionally well in its maiden voyage as well as its first real field test putting in 15 miles on the GSL! To Build a Boat The Journey's Agenda Our launch date is coming up super fast and below you'll see the breakdown of our journey. July 6 th - Launch from GSL Marina – to arrive at Bridger Bay Campground on Antelope Island July 7 th – Bridger Bay – Spiral Jetty July 8

“Difficulties are just things to overcome.”  -Ernest Shackleton If you have been following the Great Salt Race saga you may know that yesterday 8/28 was our scheduled launch date and that this morning should have found me paddling the first full leg of the journey from the Great Salt Lake Marina up to the Spiral Jetty. As it happens, I am not on the lake, and the purpose of this post is to explain why that is. About a month/month and a half ago preparations for the Great Salt Race were starting to really ramp up. This included both an increased effort to complete the boat build and a mad dash to log as many miles in paddle prep as possible. During this time however I began experiencing some medical issues that were inhibiting my ability to fully engage in paddle preparations. I saw a doctor and they were unable to fully answer what may be causing said condition. I tried to push forward hoping things would resolve themselves...never the best idea, and as things persis

The Great Salt Race 8: Miles Logged : 121 Boat Building Some major milestones were reached the last few weeks. The most exciting would be the closing in of the hull. This means that the actual body of the canoe has been built, much remains in detail and fine tuning, but the foundation elements are all in place now. Paddle Prep: The mile count is gradually but steadily growing as we prep for the long haul. One of the greatest blessings of this whole ordeal has been taking in some of the extreme beauty of this good earth. I am no photographer, and I know the below images fall far short of the reality they represent, but I hope you can enjoy some glimpses into what early morning paddle adventures have brought to me. Thank you again! Another Thank you to family and friends for all their help and support through this process, and thank you to an incredible employer  #marketstar  for spon

The Great Salt Race 7: Miles Logged: 74 Boat Building: The last week or so has seen some real progress on the canoe build. The planking has progressed quite well, and its really starting to look like an actual canoe. The next steps will be to finishing closing in the hull, attaching the outer stems, pulling the staples, and then sanding....A LOT of sanding. Once its all smooth and clear it'll be time for applying the fiberglass/epoxy coatings. It should be a fun couple days with some great pics of the process. Its important that you put a little bit of yourself into each build, apparently the boat had the same idea about me. This is a picture of a sliver that went in fast and deep. Cedar has very long thin grain which meant trying to pull this little guy out without it breaking off just wasn't happening. We read online about a method where you soak the wound in hydrogen peroxide. We tried it, and it worked like a charm. If ever y

“It is hard to make the boat go as fast as you want to. The enemy of course, is resistance of the water, as you have to displace the amount of water equal to the weight of the men and equipment, but that very water is what supports you and that very enemy is your friend. So is life: the very problems you must overcome also support you and make you stronger in overcoming them.” ―  George Yeoman Pocock The First Plank from Adam Nelsen on Vimeo .

The weather this past week has not exactly been Canoe friendly, so....the focus has been on boat building! Many thanks to my wife and kids for lending helping hands and words of encouragement as things move along. Also wanted to thank my friends at Marketstar for their support and well wishes on this adventure. The details were announced in a corporate wide meeting last week and many have since reached out expressing their excitement and enthusiastic support. I am grateful to work for such an amazing company. Thank you all! #ourmarketstar   https://www.facebook.com/MarketStar/ The Strong Back with its station blocks installed This fun little contraption is a wood steamer. One simply boils water in the kettle, the steam fills the pipe and as the wood inside heats up it becomes very pliable and ready to shape. The Bow and Stern of a canoe are supported by bent wood pieces called stems. Here are the stems bent and clamped to the mold. The Station molds a