Your Bio

AdventureCORPS, Inc. is an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, lifestyle, and media. Adventure is our way of life.

AdventureCORPS’ world-class events for athlete-adventurers include epic races such as the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508, muiti-day cycling and winter sports lifestyle adventures known as CORPScamps, plus several endurance cycling events in Death Valley, on and around Mt. Laguna, Mt. Tam, Mt. Shasta, and beyond. We also host and develop our adventure-related websites and blog, and provide a variety of adventure-related services.

Founded in 1984 by Chris Kostman, this group effort is dedicated to exploring the inner and outer universes, seeking adventure, energy, and insight both in daily life and "out there."

Our slogan is "We're Out There" and our prime directive is "To Seek and Share Adventure." Join us!

AdventureCORPS, Inc.
638 Lindero Canyon Rd #311
Oak Park, CA 91377 USA
http://www.adventurecorps.com /http://www.badwater.com /http://www.the508.com /http://www.XO-1.org

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Galleries

AdventureCORPS Presents Hell's Gate Hundred: Visit to China Ranch Date Farm on April 15 and Staff Ride on April 16, 2009 : Photos by Chris Kostman. We stopped to visit the China Ranch Date Farm on our way to Death Valley on April 15, because we want to support the local economy even more, plus serve a fun, unusual, and excellent source of energy at the checkpoints during our events. So the 2009 Hell's Gate Hundred is our first to feature dates from China Ranch Date Farm, located just south of Death Valley in Tecopa, NV. Be sure to stop in for a visit. They're just 9 miles off the 178, but in an otherworldly location with great hiking trails, a neat gift shop, and all manner of cacti and date palms for sale. On Saturday, April 16, we rode the whole HGH route unsupported. What an awesome day on the bike in our favorite place in the world, Death Valley National Park! All the event info is here: http://www.adventurecorps.com/hgh/

AdventureCORPS Presents Hell's Gate Hundred: Visit to China Ranch Date Farm on April 15 and Staff Ride on April 16, 2009

Photos by Chris Kostman. We stopped to visit the China Ranch Date Farm ...

Updated: Apr 21, 2009 6:22pm PST

AdventureCORPS Presents Hell's Gate Hundred: Mostly Rhyolite plus Flora and Fauna, April 18, 2009 : Photos by Wayne G. Kostman. Wayne has a keen eye for flowers and birds and other interesting smaller details which most people don't even notice. Simply put, he's a world-class photographer. He and Shelby Kostman also ran the checkpoint at the ghost town of Rhyolite during the event as well. This gallery also includes some start line shots and a few others out along the course. Enjoy! More event info here: http://www.adventurecorps.com/hgh/

AdventureCORPS Presents Hell's Gate Hundred: Mostly Rhyolite plus Flora and Fauna, April 18, 2009

Photos by Wayne G. Kostman. Wayne has a keen eye for flowers and birds ...

Updated: Apr 21, 2009 3:34pm PST

AdventureCORPS Presents Hell's Gate Hundred: From Start to Finish, April 17-19, 2009 : Photos by Chris Kostman and Elizabeth Jefferson. This image gallery contains photos from the Friday afternoon CORPSyoga class, the entire Hell's Gate Hundred route, plus the post-ride hike on Sunday morning in Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch. Enjoy! More event info here: http://www.adventurecorps.com/hgh/

AdventureCORPS Presents Hell's Gate Hundred: From Start to Finish, April 17-19, 2009

Photos by Chris Kostman and Elizabeth Jefferson. This image gallery c ...

Updated: Apr 22, 2009 11:37am PST

AdventureCORPS hikes to and beyond Natural Bridge in Death Valley, April 17, 2009 : Photos by Chris Kostman and Elizabeth Jefferson. We spent a very enjoyable morning hiking to and beyond Natural Bridge in Death Valley National Park on the day prior to hosting our Hell's Gate Hundred cycling event! It was a wonderful hike and the trailhead is located just 12 miles from Furnace Creek, along the Badwater Road! Her outfit: Beckons http://www.beckonsorganic.com and his outfit: Patagonia http://www.patagonia.com More event info: http://www.adventurecorps.com/hgh/

AdventureCORPS hikes to and beyond Natural Bridge in Death Valley, April 17, 2009

Photos by Chris Kostman and Elizabeth Jefferson. We spent a very enjoy ...

Updated: Apr 21, 2009 6:39pm PST

Email : "Live" pix from "out there" in the field! This gallery is for photos we have emailed to SmugMug from a cell phone, probably because we are on the road or otherwise "out there" and thus not online. Check back often: hopefully you'll be entertained and perhaps inspired!

Email

"Live" pix from "out there" in the field! This gallery is for photos w ...

Updated: Nov 15, 2009 12:45pm PST

Rough Riders Rambles in La Jolla / Sorrento Valley, April 29, 2009 to the Present : These are photos from our weekly (Wednesdays at 5-7pm) Rough Riders Ramble in the La Jolla / Sorrento Valley, CA area. Join us! Our slogan is "Any Bike, Anywhere" and we believe in riding any distance, in any conditions, over any terrain, at any time of day or night. That sounds really hard-core, perhaps, but mainly we enjoy getting "out there" by riding roads, dirt roads, trails, and paths on whatever bike we happen to be on or have handy. Sometimes the pavement's long gone and we're still on our "road bikes" or some bike that would be commonly considered inadequate for the job - and that's just fine by us! Rough Riding is not defined by the type of bicycle or type of riding surface. Rough Riding is a state of mind, a riding style with limitless freedom and an all-pervasive sense of adventure. More info at http://www.XO-1.org

Rough Riders Rambles in La Jolla / Sorrento Valley, April 29, 2009 to the Present

These are photos from our weekly (Wednesdays at 5-7pm) Rough Riders Ra ...

Updated: Jun 25, 2009 8:17am PST

A little bit of Rough Stuff : A nice 62 mile road ride can be greatly improved with a few trail sections thrown into the mix!

A little bit of Rough Stuff

A nice 62 mile road ride can be greatly improved with a few trail sect ...

Updated: May 01, 2009 3:35pm PST

Rough Riding the Santa Monica Mountains on May 17, 2009 : Five illustrious Rough Riders enjoyed a 40-mile excursion through the Santa Monica Mountains. More info at http://www.XO-1.org

Rough Riding the Santa Monica Mountains on May 17, 2009

Five illustrious Rough Riders enjoyed a 40-mile excursion through the ...

Updated: May 18, 2009 8:33am PST

Rough Riding Boulder Creek and More on July 5, 2009 : Eleven riders enjoyed a fantastic day of cycling in the first real hot weather of 2009: It hit about 100 at some points. The route featured "the greatest hits" of the Mt. Laguna back country: Viejas Grade, Boulder Creek, Lake Cuyamaca, Descanso, and Wildwood Glen Ln (AKA "Mad Max Road") with a start/finish in Alpine, CA. 58 miles with about 5000' of elevation gain. Video, report, route, etc are here: http//www.xo-1.org/

Rough Riding Boulder Creek and More on July 5, 2009

Eleven riders enjoyed a fantastic day of cycling in the first real hot ...

Updated: Jul 05, 2009 8:10pm PST

Rough Riding Mt. Palomar via Nate Harrison Grade on June 14, 2009 : After first riding this route on November 6, 2009, we invited others to join us for a Rough Riders Semi-Epic Ride up Palomar Mountain via the unpaved Nate Harrison Grade on June 14, 2009. Twelve riders showed up for a fantastic day of cycling in uncertain weather. Video, report, route, etc are here: http//www.xo-1.org/

Rough Riding Mt. Palomar via Nate Harrison Grade on June 14, 2009

After first riding this route on November 6, 2009, we invited others t ...

Updated: Jul 05, 2009 8:23pm PST

Hiking Telescope Peak, plus Charcoal Kilns and Ballarat : July 17, 2009 we hiked Telescope Peak, the mountain which towers over 11,000 feet above Death Valley and Badwater, the lowest point in North America. We also visited the nearby Charcoal Kilns and what remains of the ghost town of Ballarat in the Panamint Valley. Photos by Chris Kostman. More info at http://www.adventurecorps.com

Hiking Telescope Peak, plus Charcoal Kilns and Ballarat

July 17, 2009 we hiked Telescope Peak, the mountain which towers over ...

Updated: Jul 05, 2009 10:47pm PST

2009 CORPScamp Shasta, July 29-August 2 : World-Class Cycling, Yoga for Cyclists, Hiking, and more at Mt. Shasta with AdventureCORPS

2009 CORPScamp Shasta, July 29-August 2

World-Class Cycling, Yoga for Cyclists, Hiking, and more at Mt. Shasta ...

Updated: Aug 02, 2009 9:56am PST

Rough Riders Rally Preview: Check out Marin County's finest trails and scenery; get ready for July 23-25, 2010! : Here is a preview slideshow of the Saturday route for the 2010 Rough Riders Rally. The route is approximately 45 miles with approximately 5000' of elevation gain and features single track, double track, fire road, gravel road, abandoned paved road, and newly paved road. Some consider this "mountain bike territory," but this route is 99% rideable by an accomplished Rough Rider on a road bike with 32mm cyclocross tyres (or on a cyclocross bike), and perhaps 90-95% rideable on a road bike with 28mm road tyres. Special thanks to my long-time friend and local guide, Ed Levinson, a Furnace Creek 508 veteran who owned and operated a bike shop here for over ten years. (Our host shop for the Rally will be Mt. Tam Bikes at 357 Miller Avenue, as pictured in the slideshow.) This region is truly superb cycling, with fantastic views of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, the Marin Headlands, Mt. Tamalpais ("Mt. Tam"), Tiburon, Mill Valley, the Bay Bridge, a bit of the Golden Gate Bridge, and dramatic, rugged Northern California coastline. Honestly, this is cycling paradise, a region unparalleled for its beauty, diversity of scenery and riding surfaces, and its cycling-friendly trail signage and local population! More info about the Rough Riders Rally at http://www.XO-1.org and http://www.adventurecorps.com/rrr/

Rough Riders Rally Preview: Check out Marin County's finest trails and scenery; get ready for July 23-25, 2010!

Here is a preview slideshow of the Saturday route for the 2010 Rough R ...

Updated: Nov 09, 2009 10:02pm PST

Rough Riding with Rivendell's Grant Petersen : On August 10, 2009 I joined the legendary Grant Petersen of Rivendell Bicycles for a ride on and around Mt. Diablo in Walnut Creek, CA. I rode one of Rivendell's newest models, the Bombadil. Grant rode one, too, though his was a prototype. Of course, we went "Rivendell style" with "street clothes" and Keen sandal shoes: no bike clothes, no bike shoes, not even attached to the pedals. It all worked perfectly and comfortably! Really, it was just a wonderful ride in a spectacular setting. I'd argue that part of Rivendell's success can be attributed to their location next to this fantastic mountain and its hundreds of miles of trails, fire roads, and even paved roads. I've known Grant since I interviewed him for an article for California Bicyclist in 1992 and have respected and admired him ever since. It was an honor and a pleasure that Grant - as head of marketing, bike design, etc at Bridgestone Cycle USA - sponsored me in 1992-1994. There were just four of us on Team Bridgestone. When he started Rivendell Bicycles in 1994, the least I could do was to sign on as one of his first members and customers. It's been fun and enlightening to keep track of Grant and his cohorts' efforts there in Walnut Creek for the past 15 years. Everything they do comes from the heart, and from their experience out there in the real world of multi-surface cycling. Here are some photos of various bikes at Rivendell, followed by shots from our ride together on and around Mt. Diablo. Grant insisted on shooting several shots of me at one of his favorite photogenic spots along the trail. He then honored me by adding one of the shots of me to the rotation of images which randomly display on the http://www.rivbike.com website, so you can see that here as the final image of this collection (or on the Rivendell website, if you hit "reload":enough times to see this shot pop up). About the bike I rode, I have to say it was one of the very most amazing rides of my life. I'm still stunned at how beautifully it handled everything we threw at it, especially the winding and often steep single-track. I have ridden drop bars off-road plenty, but generally on road bikes in a traditional roadie position. This was my first time with the drop bars high and close (short stem, that is) and it handled perfectly while feeling extremely comfortable. My hands naturally gripped the brake hoods and the balance was absolutely superb. I had absolute control, but hardly needed any; the bike just knew what to do; very little input from me was needed. Practically auto-pilot, you might say! if I were in the market for a "mountain bike," this is the ONLY bike I would even consider; it's that good and that much of a winner. It has no competitors as far as I know. Kudos to Grant and his colleagues for this amazing design. More on the bike below. Meanwhile, be sure to head over to http://www.XO-1.org for more about this type of cycling! According to the Rivendell website, "The BOMBADIL is a stout-tubed mountain bike for rough riding and heavy loads. It's not Dutch-heavy, but by contemporary standards of expensive, fine bicycles, it's out there on the edge. The tubes are about extra strong, reinforced, and there's a second top tube to create a small strong triangle even on bigger frames. It's a MOUNTAIN bike, and not a frilly-techy one for gram counters who race in their minds but not in the world. It's not for racing, period. It is a modern mountain bike in the spirit of a 1983 model. Maybe '84."

Rough Riding with Rivendell's Grant Petersen

On August 10, 2009 I joined the legendary Grant Petersen of Rivendell ...

Updated: Sep 04, 2009 7:52pm PST

Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic Preview : Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic is the newest AdventureCORPS cycling event, featuring 103 miles with 10,000 feet of climbing and three different ascents of San Diego County's Mount Laguna! We'll climb San Diego's highest point via Sunrise Hwy from the north, via the fabled and car-free Kitchen Creek from the south-east, and via the little-known and truly epic Pine Creek drainage from the west. There are just three stop signs and NO traffic lights on this incredible route which starts and finishes in Pine Valley, CA! More info at http://www.adventurecorps.com/mlbc/

Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic Preview

Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic is the newest AdventureCORPS cycling even ...

Updated: Nov 03, 2009 6:27pm PST