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Haley Maurice was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of eight.  Since then she has volunteered to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, taking part in their walks each year to raise thousands of dollars towards a cure.  This summer, she took the fundraising walk to the next level.  Along with her brother Ethan, the two backpacked 221 miles along the John Muir Trail to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States.  It’s an adventure they call Summit Diabetes and you can learn more at their website summitdiabetes.com.  Haley and Ethan, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

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The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail spans 3,100 miles across 5 states from Canada to Mexico. It is one of the most remote and challenging long-distance trails with altitudes ranging from 4,000 ft. to 14,000 ft. across landscapes from tundra to desert. Dan Drehmel was one of the 150 people that attempt to thru-hike the trail each year. In 2013, he set out on his first long-distance hike and spent 131 days on the trail going north to south. He did it to challenge himself both mentally and physically and to immerse himself in the history of the old mining towns and the wild west. Dan Drehmel, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

Check out this video of Dan’s CDT presentation.

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In January of 2012, Darren and Sandy Van Soye set out on a 424 day, around-the-world expedition, visiting 53 countries on six continents.  Their goal was to bring geography to life for as many young people as possible in hopes of instilling a greater appreciation and curiosity about the planet, people, and cultures.  They also trekked nearly 500 miles in some of the most remote and beautiful places on earth.  You can learn more about their journey at trekkingtheplanet.net.  Darren and Sandy Van Soye, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

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The North Country National Scenic Trail is the longest trail in the United States.  It stretches 4600 miles from North Dakota to Vermont.  From April to October of 2013, Luke Jordan thru-hiked the trail from west to east encountering many obstacles including knee-deep snow, tree blowdowns, and overgrown trails almost impossible to navigate.  You can learn more about his adventure at stridernct.com.  Luke Jordan, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.

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Starting in September of 2012, Ken Ilgunas spent 5 months walking 1,700 miles from Hardisty, Alberta Canada to Port Arthur, Texas – the proposed route of the Keystone XL Pipeline.  He thought he might be the last person to see and document the area before it is developed.  While hiking he experienced the simple joys of camping, interactions with strangers, run-ins with law enforcement, violent dogs, and the sweet anticipation of not knowing what lies behind the next bend in the road.  You can learn more about his adventure at kenilgunas.com.  Ken Ilgunas, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.