The Muir Project Behind the Scenes; Weekend Shopping Spree

Before getting to the subject at hand, a few items of interest for your shopping pleasure.  For some reason, I’ve been bombarded this week with announcements of sales of all varieties – and some of them seemed good enough to pass along.

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The first one features kigo, a small, environmentally responsible company whose shoes I prefer more for general walking around than for dedicated running.  My kids happen to love kigos as well, and we’ve purchased a few pairs for them when we could grab certain models on sale.

Beginning Friday, the company is kicking off what their promotional e-mail calls “the most killer kigo footwear sale ever.”  They’re discounting every shoe on the website to 50% off for a short time (perhaps a week or so according to the e-mail).  In some cases, you can grab kigo’s eco-friendly minimalist shoes for as little as $25.  Check out the sale here.

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If you want a little more rugged outdoor gear, Backcountry.com is discounting Spring 2012 products from The North Face up to 40% off, and they’re offering free shipping on purchases over $50.  Backcountry carries a very impressive inventory of TNF apparel and gear, so instead of me describing it to you, you should probably just go look for yourself.

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One more: remember my post about GoLite’s daring new business model?  Well, they’ve been putting some crazy deals online recently, and this weekend they’ve got a handful of items on sale for up to 60% off normal retail price.  I really hope this model works for GoLite, because the savings they’re able to pass on to customers is extremely cool.  Be sure to check this one out as well.

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As for today’s topic: it’s also a solicitation of sorts, but one that speaks more directly to my heart than a bunch of shoes or gear; it has to do with an upcoming documentary that I’ve promoted a few times in the past.

The Muir Project is a multi-media collective that set out to hike 219 miles of the John Muir Trail last summer.  They’re compiled enough footage and music to put together a couple of mouthwatering trailers, and they’re now making the final push to make the finishing touches on a full-length documentary.

Or as the e-mail I received this week states:

As we approach the first anniversary of our departure on the John Muir Trail, we look back on our adventure both on and off the trail. 

We're working hard to get our documentary, MILE … MILE & A HALF ready for festival submissions starting this July.  The picture edit is close to complete, sound editorial has begun and our amazing trail musicians have started composing their musical score. 

So much of this has been a labor of love for us.  We've had some generous sponsorship offers, but are still looking to help offset the cost of this endeavor.  Our hope is that there will be enough awareness of The Muir Project by the time we submit to festivals, that we can make a big splash and find distribution in one form or another.  Please help us spread the word and keep the good news coming. 

Consider it done.  If you’re interested in contributing to the Muir Project documentary, go here to help them knock this one out.  And if you need some more convincing about the coolness of the project, here’s another clip to give you the general vibe.

“The Muir Project – Behind the Scenes Featurette” (click to play):

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One final note as we head in to the weekend, which promises to be an exciting one for me, as my son and I are headed here:

Clouds Rest in Yosemite National Park, which will be a continuation of the adventure we embarked on with a memorable day on Half Dome last year.  If this trip ends up half as spectacular or rewarding as that one, it will definitely be worth writing about – which is a report I hope to deliver sometime upon our return.

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