The first country my squad and I will be going to on the World Race is China, so I have themed this fundraiser in its honor.
Surprisingly, the Great Wall of China is not one continuous wall; the structure is actually made up of many discontinuous wall segments built by various dynasties, or different people from different times. It is, however, the longest man made structure in the world, and the total length of all Chinese defense walls built in the last 2,000 years total 31,070 miles. Add this to your perspective: the circumference of the earth is only 24,854 miles!
Today, the reputation of the Great Wall is that of an awe-inspiring tourist attraction. During much of its construction, though, it was often referred to as “the longest cemetery on earth” because of the number of people who died while building it. Some reports say that it cost the lives of around one million people. Chinese inventions, like the wheelbarrow and gunpowder, were first used in the construction and defense of the Great Wall. And most of the walls aren’t even made from brick and mortar; 70% of its branches were formed by rammed earth and adobe.
(Stats from http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/04/18_great-wall.html)
courtesy of Melissa Paape
Now that we’ve given proper tribute to this Chinese monument, allow me to introduce you to The Great Wall of China Fundraiser:
Going on the World Race is going to require a lot of gear that I don’t have yet. Eventually, my entire packing list is going to look like this. And the point of this fundraiser is for me to share with you the gear I need and provide you with the opportunity to sponsor me item by item, or rather, "brick by brick." Below I’ve listed all the "bricks" with a rough price on that item (to the best of my knowledge).
If you’re interested in sponsoring me for an item, please send me an email or get in touch with me and let me know which "brick" you’d like to claim. You can use the "Contact Me" link underneath my picture on the left.
I’m going to request that no one buy these items for me unless I mention otherwise. There are a lot of specific requirements and measurements needed, and I really want to save everyone the hassle of having to guess or return items. The items pictured are just examples of gear that meet the specifications required. I do not have much experience in this area; if you have an alternate item/brand in mind, especially that is cheaper, please let me know – I do not have to have these exact items.
68-80L Internal Frame Backpack
Example: Gregory Baltoro 75L Backpack, I can probably get this one for $255
however, there are other packs I can get in the $100-$200 range
Daypack PAID
Example: Eddie Bauer Adventurer Day Pack, $45
2 Person Backpacking Tent
Example: REI Half Dome 2 Tent, $150
(I purchased this when it was on sale – technically with money I don't have, i.e. credit card – so it would be nice if someone would "pay me for it." I can always take it back and get something cheaper if need be.)
Tent Footprint
Exameple: REI Half Dome 2 Footprint, $23
(also purchased this on sale)
Sleeping Bag
Example: The North Face Cat's Meow Sleeping Bag, $150
Sleeping Bag Liner
Example: Sea to Summit CoolMax Mummy Liner, $45
(hope that goes on sale)
Sleeping Pad
Example: Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro Sleeping Pad, $85
(hope that goes on sale too!)
Backpacking Pillow
Example: Cocoon Ultralight Air-Core Pillow, $25
There are, of course, other items on the list, but these are the big ones and the ones I most need by training camp (October 13-20). Thanks so much for considering sponsering these items!
