Let's face it, there are people with far more impressive lives than our own. Read about them and why they seem to have it all together here.
A couple of weeks ago we stumbled across something called the Japanese Higo Knife from a wonderful project called Best Made. While we were unable to actually acquire the knife, we did find all sorts of knives and axes and bags and maps and cups and so on. We were so struck by the beauty and simplicity of not only the products, but the entire site and project as a whole that we absolutely needed to dig deeper. In doing so we discovered that one of Best Made's crew, Nick Zdon, lives and works right here in Minnesota...so we figured we'd try and get his ear for a minute or two. The following is the result of that conversation and our most recent addition to the A-List.
Chris Skogen: One of the things we’re big on here at Almanzo is self-sufficiency. What do you think being self-supported does for a person in the modern age?
Nick Zdon: I think it takes much more effort today to be self-sufficient than in did the past. It's a tricky business because so many of our tools and technology today work to keep us connected, either to our friends and family, our online persona's, or to stored online information. You could see this as both empowering and restrictive. I know that my iPhone makes it much easier for me to navigate cities that I'm unfamiliar with, empowering me to explore on my own, but it can also quickly become a crutch telling me very specifically where to go (especially with the introduction of Apple's Siri). I think we all need to be conscious of when we cross that threshold into co-dependence with a tool.
With all that being said, once you lose your cellphone a lot of that gets decided for you, leaving you with just what's in your head. There's a lot to be said for being able to meet a problem head on with a positive attitude. That, to me is at the heart of self-sufficiency.
CS: My grandfather ALWAYS had a pocketknife on him and I usually try to carry one, but I think that most people our age or younger do not. Personally I think not carrying an important tool like a small knife is a bad idea, but I’m curious to get your opinion. What do you think not carrying a pocketknife says about our culture and its future?
NZ: I don't usually carry one on my person, but have several stashed in strategic places around my studio and apartment. I also have several to choose from when I go camping. Most people these days don't have much of a use for a pocket knife, and I think a large part of our culture has worked very hard to eliminate the need for one, in an attempt to provide us with a more convenient existence. Although, I am fond of saying "It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it." That's my mantra when it comes to tools.
I think you can tell a lot about a culture based not only on what they carry, but how they care for what they carry. We at Best Made actually use and test every tool we sell, and make sure we communicate how to care for those tools. To return to the subject of pocket knives, something as simple as understanding the differences between stainless steel blades and carbon steel blades is something that's largely unknown to the people buying them. We see it as part of our duty as a company to provide the information required to own and operate a tool. In this way we hope that people will be carrying, and caring for, our tools long enough to have their grandchildren marvel at them.
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| Photo Courtesy -John Wallace (wallacefoto.com) |
CS: One of the things I like most about the work being done at Best Made is the way each piece seems to speak directly to the history of itself in a way that sort of says, “Look, I really appreciate the place I came from and very much look forward to where I’m headed”. When you’re working on a design for a something like the Map Series, how do you get inspired?
NZ: For the maps specifically, the inspiration for those came partially from a late evening on eBay and from a problem solving process regarding the printing. I managed to purchase a box of about a hundred vintage maps off eBay late one night for very cheap (whisky may have been involved). At the time I was sharing a small studio space with a few other designers and screen printers so the thought of screen printing on them was only natural. However, our studio space and equipment was not sufficient to produce prints to a level of quality I wanted. So after a long weekend of rumination I decided that the best solution would be to make a giant woodcut relief block and print that. It was a slow process, but it produced something entirely unique that would have been impossible otherwise. As for other Best Made products, we specifically look for tools and products that have the honesty that you mention. They inspire us and we hope that they inspire others, and we've been pretty successful. It's great to see people so excited to receive a Best Made product in the mail, and then actually go out and use it. It's what gets us out of bed every morning.
CS: I know that you have a pretty well educated and experienced background with printmaking and have done some amazing work for Best Made. With the Internet growing at an infinite rate and everything becoming more and more paperless, where do you see the future of formal print work going and how do you plan to keep the craft and art side of it alive?
NZ: I think that the move away from a paper-based culture is putting more of an emphasis on the quality of what's being printed, both the quality of the content and the quality of the production. That's one of the reasons we take such great lengths with our packaging. That sense of craft is becoming more and more scarce, yet people still respond to it, maybe more so because of that fact. Finely crafted printing has survived for quite a while and I'd be willing to bet that it will be with us long into the future. We are three-dimensional beings, and we love three-dimensional things. Previously, accessing information three-dimensionally was a necessity, now it's often a choice favored because it offers what online media does not: physicality, craft, nostalgia and permanence. We seek out and appreciate those things that will outlive us. Having a limited amount of time on this planet, it's only natural that we should want to leave something of ourselves behind. Additionally, it's just so much damn fun to make stuff with your hands.
CS: You’re working in St. Paul. We know why we’re here (see: finest gravel roads in the country), but what is it about Minnesota that keeps you here?
NZ: I've got a lot of family here. So that's a start. I also like the fact that the outdoors are an integral part of Minnesotan culture without being trite. Whether it's the Mississippi river running through the Twin Cities, or the lakes in the northwoods, it's impossible to separate Minnesotans from the outdoors. We here have always grown up with that fact, it's not a fad that we're in danger of growing out of. We just couldn't imagine it any other way.
I also really love how Minnesota embraces winter. From the Winter Carnival in St Paul, to the Eelpout Festival on Lake Mille Lacs we really pride ourselves on the fact that we're able to spend so much damn time out in the cold and the snow. I showed a video of darkhouse spearing to some friends from Alabama, and their heads just about exploded. I love that. Very few other states embrace winter as much as Minnesota does.
CS: Courage, Compassion, Grace and Fortitude are some of the words that emblazon the handles of a couple of Best Made axes. How do these words play themselves out in your everyday life?
NZ: I'd have to credit the Boy Scouts for instilling a lot of those ideals in me. As we get older it's easy to forget about those things that you learned when you were younger. The axes serve as physical reminders of those ideals. As far as Best Made is concerned, we welcome everyone regardless of how outdoorsy/knowledgeable they are. With the axe being such a primal object, it's easy to fall into the "manly" category, but it's very exclusionary and we actively work to project a more thoughtful attitude. Not only in our products, but in everything we do. It's in our DNA. As a specific example, the proceeds from our "Be Optimistic" badge go to the It Gets Better Project. (http://www.itgetsbetter.org/)
It's also not enough just to project those qualities in yourself. You need to be able to see those qualities in others. Earlier this year I spent a month living in Green River, Utah as a design fellow at Epicenter (http://www.ruralandproud.org/
CS: One last question, if you could only bring one tool (read: knife, axe, machete, etc…) with you into the woods for an unknown period of time, what would it be and why?
NZ: Boy that's a tough question. Lately I've been loving to the new Hudson Bay pattern axe that we just released. It's a comfortable size and will out-chop its weight without wearing you out. It's a phenomenal wood splitter, and the beard (this is the recess in the steel directly behind the bottom of the bit) allows you to choke up on the handle and use it more like a knife for smaller tasks like cutting and carving. It's light weight and travels well. It's the prefect embodiment of finesse and design over brawn.
For more information on Best Made or Nick Zdon, you can check them both out via these two links: Best Made - Nick Zdon
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Jeremy Kershaw gets philosophical with Paul Schurke, a man way more bad ass than you(or us):
For over 30 years, Paul Schurke has been one of the vanguard in Arctic and winter travel. Based in Ely, MN, Paul and his wife Susan founded Wintergreen apparel and dogsledding lodge. Here is brief interview with Paul.
JK: I'll fire away. I wanted to get your ideas on what exploring means these days. Has the concept of exploration changed?
PS: I like to think of explorers as artists, risk-takers with insatiable curiosity who push the boundaries of how we view ourselves and our world. For centuries, explorers were (unwittingly or otherwise) the pawns of power brokers bent on conquest and empire building. More recently, explorers have often been the pawns of the mass media marketing machine in its quest for sensationalized stories. No matter, explorers continue to follow where their curiosity leads. And now, when we've found ourselves living beyond the planet's capacity to support the human race and are faced with a looming social and economic collapse (and a potential descent into chaos), we need explorers to be the "frontrunners" on this rough ride. Hopefully when we come out of the rabbit hole that lies just ahead, we'll arrive in a better place.
JK: This is some pretty heavy stuff. I know you to be an optimist, a person that prefers to look at a glass half full. How has this "exploration" power structure affected you and your work?
PS: In recent years, I'd become cynical about people who called themselves "explorers" -- it seemed to self-adulatory. But given the magnitude of change that will be foisted upon our civilization during our lifetimes, perhaps all the geographical firsts and physical feats of prowess that explorers have been associated with in the past century was just setting the stage for the key role the explorers among us will play in guiding us to a brave new world. So yes I remain a optimist, especially since my life-long affinity for adventure has gained me skills that may help guide my family through the "great disruption" that lies ahead.
JK: I like to think that explorers are able to negotiate unforeseen challenges. I know that you helped to teach me how to make do with what I might have at hand (or in the dogsled). What skills do you have that set you apart and therefore might benefit your family, as well?
PS: Here at Wintergreen our family enjoys a veritable lap of luxury, and we're very grateful for that. But also we're very comfortable (maybe more so) living very simply, as we do when were out on the trail summer or winter. Resilience, resourcefulness and adaptability come with the territory when you enjoy a life of adventure. Fortunately those are the key qualities our family will need to navigate societal change. Plus it helps to know that large-leafed aster serves nicely as toilet paper in a pinch.
JK: You've done some things that are unthinkable for most people (trips, business ideas and other). Have you ever been scared and how did you deal with it?
PS: Only once. On our 1986 North Pole trip when the trap-door of my "farmer john" jumpsuit froze to the sea ice while I was squatting to answer nature's call (and missed the target). Pinned to the ice, rather indelicately exposed to -70 temps, out of ear-shot of anyone else, and near delirious with exhaustion and plumbing problems. But then I was seized but a sudden freak-out epiphany: "There's no way in hell I'm going to be caught dead in this compromising situation!" With a jolt of adrenaline I extricated myself.
JK: Those are words to live by. Thanks so much, Paul. I really appreciate your time. The last thing I need is a photo. And if I don't get one within a day, I might Google John Lithgow or Christopher Walken.
PS: I'll email you one from last week -- when Peter and I were roasting marshmallows over the forest fire on Warrior Hill.
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Jeremy Kershaw sits down with Janna Vavra, the first female to finish Trans Iowa:
On Easter Sunday, April 24, 2010, Janna Vavra became the first female finisher of Trans Iowa. After 33 hours and 44 minutes and more than 330 miles of gravel roads, Janna stepped off her bike at the finish line with only minutes to spare before the cut off time. Here is a conversation with this gravel cycling champion from Lincoln, Nebraska.
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| photo courtesy - Steve Fuller |
JK: Good morning, Janna.
JV: Hi Jeremy! How's it going?
JK: I'm still not use to this type of communicating! I'm well. I know your time is precious, so I might just start up here when you're ready.
JV: Not a problem. I'm ready.
JK: There are two types of "why" questions. One is from people who do not do this type of endurance thing. The other "why" is from those who do. So, why do such a thing as riding 330 miles of gravel in one shot?
JV: To both, I say for the challenge. To those that feel they can not, I ask how do you know you can't unless you try? That is why I did it, to see if I was capable and to shed of the fears that maybe I wasn't. To those that do endurance events, it's obviously for the challenge. To push myself beyond what I've ever done before and see if I can persevere.
JK: I know you have mentioned a "battle" theme when speaking of the Trans Iowa. I wonder if a female perspective is different than a male one when thinking of going to war against a particularly difficult event.
JV: It might be in the sense that females tend to be more emotional than males, but I like to think of myself as a strong individual both emotionally and physically. I don't think my approach to any difficult event would be much different than most men. For TI, I spent the winter months cycling outside in 10 degree weather with negative wind chills and a great group of guys that were also training for TI. I think part of preparing for a battle, is knowing you are going to war with like minded individuals that won't let you down when times are tough. I felt prepared knowing I wasn't going to battle alone. I think most guys, whether they want to admit it or not, would feel the same way.
JK: There are obviously high and low points during such a relatively long journey. What sticks with you today regarding the ups and downs of that April weekend?
JV: The most memorable part was the final few hours. They were by far the toughest and most emotional. I had spent the night riding with Bruce Currin, Matt Gersib, and Scott Bigelow. At day break we still had 90+ miles to go. Bruce and Matt were struggling and finally decided Scott and I should continue on without them. Leaving them was one of the hardest parts for me, because they selflessly said, Janna we want you to finish, you and Scott should go on. I felt like I had to finish or I would not only be letting them down, but myself and everyone else cheering for me. After Scott and I headed off on our own, the pace was fast and we stopped only three times before the finish. One of those times was for Scott to call his wife and say, we are gonna make it by 2pm, can you have pizza for us? That was an uplifting moment for me, because I know Scott was still confident we could make it and it gave me the energy to continue on. Those are the things I remember most, how everyone wanted me to finish and was doing everything they could to help me get there. That gave me motivation to keep pushing through the last few hours when it hurt the most.
JK: I think people new to the sport of ultra distance/endurance cycling (whatever you want to call it) focus on the gear. Obviously it is very important, but I am always amazed at how mental these events are.
JV: Yes, mental preparation is the key. You can have all the fancy equipment you want, but when it comes down to it, grit and determination are going to get you through.
JK: What do you do for a living and how do you fit training into your schedule?
JV: I work at the University of NE running an animal behavior lab. I study tropical fish, and aquatic invertebrates. Thankfully, my job is flexible enough that I have time to get in a couple hours of riding every day. For TI, I spent my weekends in the saddle, up to 8hrs a day. Being single, I don't have the family commitments that most do, so long training days aren't as much of an issue.
JK: You have written that the T.I. changes a person. With the knowledge and experience you have gained from finishing the T.I., is it hard going back to it or something similar to it, knowing how brutal it is?
JV: No, actually the opposite. I spent a lot of time riding road prior to my TI training. This summer I've had trouble getting motivated to ride the road and keep finding myself back on gravel. After surviving TI, I feel like the road challenges aren't quite enough. At the finish of TI, I didn't want to ride a bike again, but as soon as I got in the car to drive home I started thinking about what I could do differently next time. The experience I now have is something I can build on going into my next challenge, I just need to decide what that challenge is.
JK: One last question. I think it's about time a woman finished the T.I.! I want my girls to know that they can do anything they set their minds to. Any thoughts for women who might be contemplating attempting such a thing as the Trans Iowa?
JV: Don't ever let being a woman hold you back. We are just as strong and talented as any man out there, sometimes we just have to work a little harder to get there. I try to encourage other women to tackle those challenges they feel are beyond them, because even if they don't succeed the first time, the challenge becomes smaller with each attempt. Also, don't go at it alone. Find others out there that understand your battle, and conquer it together. Most importantly, don't worry about not finishing. Concentrate on doing your best and if your not satisfied with that, do it again until you are.
