Quartermain Expeditions

03/21/2015

What are YOU doing this summer?

03/18/2015

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/just-transatlantic-flights-from-ryanair.html?id=22495085&source=91&value=2015-03-18+00%3A00%3A00&u=7WY1QJHAJ9&nl_cs=22252037%3A%3A7597281%3A%3A22495085%3A%3A

For the likes of airlines including American, British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic, flights between the U.S. and Europe have been reliable cash cows, largely immune to the corrosive effects of competition from low-cost airlines.

03/15/2015

Like our new Run page - The first 100 likes will be entered to win a free AMR tee-shirt!

Artopios Mission Run is a three mile mud run, obstacle course race, and paintball battle, that will

03/15/2015

Artopios Mission Run - What are YOU doing this summer?

What are YOU doing this summer?

02/12/2015

Southwest too!

http://www.smartertravel.com/airfare/flights-with-brand-new-southwest-three-day-sale.html?id=22013592&source=91&value=2015-02-12+00%3A00%3A00&u=7WY1QJHAJ9&nl_cs=21871618%3A%3A8502012%3A%3A22013592%3A%3A

A whopping 1,038 domestic routes went on sale with Southwest this morning. From the east to the west, north to south, the limited time three-day promotion encompasses 86 departure airports, among them Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles. Flights start at $46 one-way ($92 round-trip), and must be…

02/12/2015

Heads up - Jet Blue Sale!

http://www.smartertravel.com/airfare/commemorative-one-day-sale-from-jetblue.html?id=22035502&source=91&value=2015-02-12+00%3A00%3A00&u=7WY1QJHAJ9&nl_cs=21871618%3A%3A7597281%3A%3A22035502%3A%3A

To commemorate its 15 years in the airline industry, JetBlue has posted an airfare sale discounting dozens of routes. Destinations include Ft. Lauderdale, New York City, as well as the Caribbean and Latin America. Fares start at $49 one-way and must be booked by 11:59 p.m. ET tonight, February 12. T…

02/12/2015

What's the best romantic adventure movie for Valentine's Day dates this weekend? We're thinking classic comedy - The Princess Bride. Yay or nay?

02/10/2015

Good day folks. Because it's almost Valentine's day, this week's Trek Tuesday focuses on Paris, the city of love. Although it's a bit of a cliché, we'd still like to visit Paris for a romantic getaway. From the Eiffel tower to the Louvre, the city of Paris is full of beauty and elegance. We'll skip over most of Paris' better known history, and instead just highlight two spots: the first someplace beautiful, the second someplace dangerous.

The first is the classic, the Eiffel tower. This amazing structure was built in 1889 as the entrance gate to the world fair of that same year. Ok maybe you knew that. But did you know that the color of the tower isn't uniform? The higher up the tower the darker it gets to compensate for atmospheric perspective. And, the Eiffel tower isn't green right now, it's actually bronze. It was repainted in 2013 and electronic polls were installed around the base so people can vote on the next recoloring. We think it's pretty interesting that the masses will shape how future people will see a historic land mark.

The second is the catacombs. Originally mine inspection tunnels, they weren't transformed to hold the dead in till 1785. More well known then they've been for a long time, these days the tunnels are a tourist attraction. However, some areas are still restricted. But, this doesn't seem to stop some people from sneaking into the depths. These adventurers dare to explore places of the deepest darkness, surrounded by death. The catacombs are so complex that people have become lost and died. One such man, Philibert Aspairt, went missing in the catacombs and his body wasn't found for eleven years. A tomb was created there in his honor. These mysterious tunnels are what urban myths are made out of.

So whether you go for adventure, beauty, or both, there is something for everyone in the city of love.

Be daring -- QE

02/09/2015

MacGuyver Monday - Too many SNOW-DAYS can be a bummer, but so can staining your stuff. We haven't tried this one out yet, but since we're stuck inside today, it might be fun to conduct a little experiment to see how well it works.

No word on the best way to get it off of your toddler's skin.

02/05/2015

Adventure should be 80 percent 'I think this is manageable,' but it's good to have that last 20 percent where you're right outside your comfort zone.

- Bear Grylls.

02/03/2015

Its Trek Tuesday!

Today we are highlighting another place in Zimbabwe we'd like to see. The Chimanimani National Park National Park is home to the Chimanimani mountains, and much of this rugged terrain is composed of quartzite ridges. The mountain range reaches all the way into Mozambique (in fact a mountain in this range, Monte Binga, is the highest point in Mozambique). But, as beautiful as this park is, it hides a dark secret.

During the Zimbabwe's war for independence the mountain passes were used by guerrilla fighters whose camps were located in Mozambique. As a result, many land mines were planted along the paths and road ways. After rain falls the mines can be uncovered and still pose a threat to travelers today. What tales of pain, sorrow and destruction exist in these mountains even to this day? As the war for independence was so recent (1964-1979) these are not long forgotten tales but fresh memories for many parents and grandparents.

On a happier note, the village which borders the park, named Chimanimani, is beginning to grow once again. There are cottages within walking distance for tourists as well as a recently resurrected Tourist association. The village also hosts an African Music festival each year.

The beautiful sights, music festival, and rich history of this area calls to the adventurer in us. This place shows us balance in this world though both dark stories and new hopes.

Be Daring.

02/02/2015

Its MacGyver Monday - and MacGyver himself would be jealous of this motorcycle created in the middle of the desert with nothing more then spare parts from a broken down car. But let’s start this story from the beginning.

Sahara Desert, 1993

French adventurer Emile Leray was traveling in his Citroen 2CV car across the Sahara. The sun burned hot and dust clouds formed behind his spinning wheels as he made his way along the road. But up ahead, impeding his travel, was a military roadblock. Soldiers stopped him, warned that there was fighting in the area, and refused to allow him to continue. Being a man of action though, Emile quickly formed a new plan. He turned around and, once out of sight, boldly turned off the road into the desert. His idea was to simply bypass the blocked section of road. It was in the midst of this daring plan that tragedy struck. The car hit a rock, shattering the frame. In the middle of the desert, with no one nearby and no way to call for help, it seemed hopeless. But Emile Leray is a resourceful man. Realizing the engine still worked even if the majority of the car did not, Emile went to work. It took twelve days, twelve days of sweat and fear - but armed only with a basic automobile toolkit and a hack saw, Emile Leray went into the desert with a car and drove out of the desert on a motorcycle.

Be daring – QE

(picture found on odditycentral.com)

02/01/2015

Tickets On Sale Now! Artopios Mission Run - New England. Summer 2015. Be Daring.

For information and to purchase tickets go to:

http://www.quartermainexpeditions.com/mission-run/

Quartermain Expeditions is an adventure company holding an obstacle course race called Artopios Mission Run

02/01/2015

Hello Adventurers, here at Quartermain we believe the future is full of opportunities to explore, discover, and experience. However sometimes instead of dreaming of the future we enjoy thinking about the past. The great explorers, inventors, and forerunners of adventure, they inspire and excite us. Today we are diving into the history and evolution of an atmospheric diving suit or "ADS." An ADS is a one-man small, articulated submersible that resembles armor and allows the wearer to maintain one atmosphere while diving.

John Lethbridge created a diving suit in 1715. Basically it was just a six-foot long barrel with two holes for the diver's arm sealed with leather cuffs and only a four-inch view port made of thick glass. It could dive up to sixty feet. This pioneering invention was put to quick use when it was used to retrieve a large amount of silver from the wrecked ship the East Indiaman Vansittart that sank in 1718.

Since then many innovations and changes have come together to create the modern ADS. These new and improved ADSs can dive over 1000 feet and have 6-8 hours of air with up to a 48 hours emergency backup supply. A big name is the world of ADS is the “newtsuit” which was developed by the Canadian engineer Phil Nuytten. This ingenious device helped selvage the bell from the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

ADSs have helped reclaim treasure and historical artifacts; they've allowed the Indiana Joneses of the world to reach the ocean floor. They allow man to walk where he has never walked before. Where else will these amazing inventions take us? Only where the next great, bold adventurer will dare to step.

Be daring -- QE

01/30/2015

It's Thorsday! And while you might not have a hammer like Thor to help you fly - maybe this is another option... https://www.facebook.com/outsidetelevision/posts/10152742192019032

'So crazy, it just might actually work.' That's the only thing we can imagine was going through Horacio Llorens and Hernan Pitocco's heads when they dreamed up this paraglider-powered high altitude human slingshot.

01/29/2015

Lucky for us, everyone here at QE made it through Juno pretty unscathed. Did you all survive? Anyone have any blizzard adventures?

01/28/2015

It’s Trek Tuesday! Tamgaly Gorge is a place that not many people have ever heard of, but it holds an amazing secret. Located in Kazakhstan amid the arid Chu-lli Mountains, this UNESCO World Heritage Site contains about five thousand petroglyphs distributed throughout 48 complexes of settlements and burial grounds. Even more remarkable than the sheer volume of carvings, the glyphs at Tamgaly represent a variety of societies over a vast period of time. Engravings from the Bronze Age all the way through the early 20th century appear throughout the site.

As the products of our shared history, we have all been shaped by those that came before. Previous peoples and cultures have influenced everything in our lives from architecture and art to science and social norms. It is not often that we get to see the past reconstructed, but if we make the journey, we have the opportunity to experience the progression of thousands of years of history through the evolution of art, all in one single location. This is an amazing place, one of memories written in stone.

Be Daring -- QE

01/27/2015

Happy MacGyver Monday everyone! Here at QE we appreciate the need for adventure and survival in all places. Sometimes you don't need to know how to create a make shift water filter (Jan 12th MacGyver Monday), sometimes you just need a way to survive and beat your friend in a Nerf war. So here you go, take the upper hand and finally understand the saying "Close only counts with horse shoes and hand grenades."

Stay warm and be daring -- QE

http://www.instructables.com/id/Nerf-grenede-with-pin/

Most nerf grenedes have sucky blast radius or require non-household materials to be made. this is a simple nerf grenede that flings nerf streamlined d...

01/25/2015

It’s Suit Up Saturday - This week we’re focusing on something so basic and, for a lot of us, so easy to come by that sometimes we forget how important it is…WATER. Here in America water is something we often take for granted. If we get thirsty, we just fill up at the tap -- or better yet, go get your nice cold filtered water right from the fridge. Going somewhere? Just grab a water bottle. We’re lucky to have such easy access most of the time, but good, clean water isn’t always so easy to come by. Have you ever thought about what you would do if your tap started spewing muddy water? Or even worse, what if you ran out of water mid-adventure in a place where it’s not safe to drink? You may not always have the convenience of a grocery store nearby. The situation could quickly get dangerous. So, today QE is highlighting a few of our favorite options for providing yourself with potable water wherever or whenever you might need it.

1) Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets. These little guys do something very important that other a lot of other options, such as the LifeStraw, neglect - they treat water for viruses. This can be lifesaving in areas where the water contains more than just bacteria/organisms and dirt. Two tablets will purify one quart of water in thirty minutes. Although this may seem like a small amount it beats having to make a fire and boil water after a long tiring day. Or, if for some reason you can't make a fire, these little guys still work.

2) Katadyn Pocket Water Filter. This is a tough little filter that purifies much more water at once than the tablets do, but it does not filter out viruses. So it can be a good investment to pair the two to be prepared for a variety of situations.

Through extensive travels in Zimbabwe where Cholera and other waterborne illnesses ran rampant, QE members often used a water filter pump, and it saved them from becoming seriously ill. After living in Zimbabwe for six months, Caleb Rae Baker emphasizes, "I wouldn't want to go back without one. It gives you a sense of security knowing anywhere you go you can clean your water."

So be a smarter adventurer and be prepared. And while you're relaxing in the States, remember how awesome it is to have access to clean water. Respect it, appreciate it. Some people aren't so lucky.

Be daring. – QE

01/24/2015

Featured Friday! Check out this GoPro video, kind of goes with this weeks Thors-day.

Gage Galles takes speedflying to the next level as he swoops between two buildings. Shot 100% on the HERO3+® camera from http://GoPro.com. Get stoked and su...

01/22/2015

Hey everyone, it's Thors-day again, the day we feature a legend or myth.

Today let's talk about the story of Icarus. We all know how it goes, Daedalus creates a pair of wings using feathers and wax for him and his son Icarus to escape the Labyrinth (apparently they weren't fans of David Bowie). As they begin to fly, Daedalus warns his son "Fly neither to close to the sun or to the water. For if you fly to close to the water the waves will wet the feathers and you will be to heavy and will drown. And do not fly to close to the sun, for it shall melt the wax from your wings and you will fall." Icarus of course enjoys sun tanning a little too much and unfortunately plummets to his death.

What we've noticed is that people usually talk about how this story warns against being too ambitious. But let's focus on another point. Icarus couldn't fly to low either. We've all heard the Mark Twain quote - “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do." And here at Quartermain, we think he's right! So let's not settle for mediocrity. Reach for the skies. It's time to fly.

Good luck, go adventure, and be daring! – QE

01/22/2015

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you all know how much Quartermain appreciates your support. We hope to keep improving and growing and it can't be done without you guys.

Happy trails! -- QE

01/21/2015

Happy Trek Tuesday!

Here at Quartermain we like the unknown. We enjoy the fact that not everything out there has been done, explored, or experienced. The fact that there are still mysteries out there (like Great Zimbabwe, see our last Trek Tuesday) makes us want to go out and see the world. So in the spirit of adventure and intrigue we present Nahanni National Park Reserve of Canada, located in the Northwest Territories, as another place we'd really like to trek to.

The Park is beautiful, but hard to access. The South Nahanni river runs through the center of the valley and while hot springs canyons, whitewater, caverns, falls more than twice the height of Niagara, and forested areas are also featured in this hidden treasure. The warm air from the hot springs allows of ferns, wild cherries, and roses to grow here, often all year long, creating a winter oasis. But these awesome natural wonders aren't the only things that draw adventurous explorers to this location.

A long time ago there lived a tribe in the mountains. A fierce tribe, the Naha tribe. The Dene people who dared to live near them told stories of how strong, large and terrifying their warriors were, and how they had the unfortunate habit of decapitating their victims. Stranger still is that this strong tribe mysteriously disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again. But that's not the end of this story. In 1908 a pair of brothers looking for gold in the valley were mysteriously found dead, without their heads. Again, in 1917 the body of an unlucky prospector was found missing, but was missing its head. Even as late as 1945 a miner was found dead and headless. Who or what perpetrated these horrific deaths? Maybe it's the ghosts of the fierce tribe of old, but no one really knows. These and other mysteries are calling adventurers to explore this amazing and diverse park. So get out there and explore, but be careful you don't lose your head.

Happy trails -- QE

01/20/2015

MacGyver Monday!

Hey there everyone! Now MacGyver himself would probably never need one of these, because, lets face it, he would never get lost in the woods. However, us mere mortals might. So here it is, an emergency whistle you can make out of a pen, and you can still write with it when you get back to civilization!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Transform-a-ballpoint-pen-into-a-survival-whistle-/

This Instructable shows you how to transform a common ballpoint pen into a survival whistle which will fit inside an Altoids tin and still work as a p...

01/18/2015

Suit up Saturdays!! looking for some cool gear check this link out! It's always time to head out on an adventure, so suit up and head out ! http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/best-of-adventure/gear-photo-gallery

West Coast Editor Steve Casimiro looks ahead at the 26 most groundbreaking products of 2010. This year's Best of Adventure gear picks were nominated in part by a panel of 34 retailers from across the country.

01/16/2015

Cool way to stay in touch without cell service or wi-fi. And, it doubles battery life! This could come in handy almost anywhere. Where would you take it?

Once upon a time, planning for the worst in the wild meant packing a signal mirror and a bunch of flares. With the Beartooth Radio, you don't need any of those things.

01/16/2015

Its Thorsday! - On Thursdays QE features its picks for legends and mysteries from around the world.

This week, in honor of today's namesake, we're highlighting Ragnarok.

In Norse mythology Ragnarok, or in Old Norse Ragnarök, is basically the end of the world as we know it. It’s the Norse Apocalypse. But don't worry too much, after some epic battles, world ending natural disasters, and the death of a bunch of gods, the world will rise again to be repopulated by a nice human couple. If you're into adventure movies that incorporate old myths and legends check out the Norwegian movie of the same name, http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gaten_ragnarok/. If you're worried about the fate of your favorite Asgardians like Thor, Loki, and Heimdall, Ragnarok is going to be the basis of Marvel's Thor 3, due out in 2017.

We know we'll watch it. Will you?

No consensus yet.

01/15/2015

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." - Andre Gide

01/14/2015

QE Presents – Trek Tuesdays

Welcome to QE’s debut of Trek Tuesdays. We'll show off places that we think are especially Adventurous or Mysterious.

Today’s Trek is to Great Zimbabwe, a mysterious, ruined city hidden in the heart of Zimbabwe. It's near the town of Masvingo and said to be built by the Shona people in the 11th century. It's not only the scale and beauty of Great Zimbabwe puts it onto our list, but also the mystery surrounding it.

When the ruins were first discovered amateur treasure hunters swarmed the site to look for gold and valuables destroying it from an archaeological standpoint. This means that no one has ever been able to truly discover the history of the of Great Zimbabwe and how it came to be there. The site may now be forever shrouded in mystery.

Even more mysterious, typically dated to the 11th through 14th centuries, there are no other examples of Great Zimbabwe’s architecture found anywhere in Africa. Many questions remain unanswered. What caused such an engineering boom, what happened to the technology, and what happened to the civilization that built it? How did such structures of seemingly European architectural influence come to be constructed in just this one part of Africa? We may never know, but these mysteries do make Great Zimbabwe one of the most interesting and exciting places to visit in Africa.

Good luck, go adventure and be daring!

- QE

01/14/2015

Grab this deal and head out on a European adventure!

Amazing Deal Alert: Iceland for $99 each-way, London for $205 each-way: http://bit.ly/1C3sNoA