Global Exploration via Human and Natural Power

Sail. Bike. Paddle. Hike.

77Zero is the evolution of my ongoing global exploration endeavor (formerly sailtotrail.com). Rather than a single and linear expedition, it is a series of related adventures along the theme of “7 _____. 7 _____. Zero Fuel.” In other words, it is my life. In addition to the fun part (the expeditions themselves), it includes periods of physical and skills training, and planning for specific treks ranging from a few days to a few years in scope. I hope that the in-between details will inspire you to undertake adventures of your own, even if that inspiration is of a nuts-and-bolts technical nature. When I first ditched my comfortable life of hearth and home and spectacular views of Eastlake Union in Seattle, the pure logistics of things was the most daunting challenge always lurking on the horizon.

The 7s and Filling in the Blanks

Think of the blanks as a continuum from singletrack trails and days to open oceans and years. Early adventures are things like, “7 Rivers. 7 Days. Zero Fuel.” This scales to the eventual mega-expedition: “7 Continents. 7 Seas. Zero Fuel.” I’ll probably run out of time before I get to “7 Planets. 7 Comets. Zero Fuel.”

My home base is a sailboat was rendered useless when the 2011 Japan tsunami raced across the Pacific ocean and caused major damage to a few ports on the U.S. West Coast.

Zero Fuel.

Civilization’s reliance on energy stored in fossil fuel is lazy, unimaginative, dirty, and destructive on multiple levels. This is probably the only thing upon which Bill O’Reilly, Bill Maher, and myself agree.

Demonstration of real and applied solutions to the pyromaniacal habit of burning buried stuff is the raison d’être of 77Zero.

The common denominator in the transition from burning stored energy to directing natural energy is electricity. Admittedly, electricity is merely a conduit for change. Most electricity today is not created, but merely extracted by burning buried dead stuff. However, electricity as a common denominator is a required step in the transition. Wind energy is great for sails, and passive solar heating was cool for my 5th grade experiment of building a parabolic hot dog cooker, but these do not scale and are geographically limited without conversion to electricity. Thus, my primary goal is a life driven by electricity first, and passive solutions when otherwise practical or optimal.

Aside from electricity, I advocate fun and adventure with the goal of maximizing the human experience.