Back to Banff – The Joy Trip Project

Back to Banff – The Joy Trip Project

There’s a fine line between dreams and destiny. Indulge in one, insist upon the other and both are inevitable. *

Just arrived at the 35th Annual Banff Mountain Film Festival!  This my second year attending and I couldn’t be more excited. Just like before I’ll be reporting on the events surrounding this celebration of adventure culture and sharing the stories behind the athletes, artists and activists that inspire awe through film, literature and graphic images. But this time, by invitation of the Banff Center of Mountain Culture, I’m here as part of the program.
Tomorrow morning I’ll sit on a panel discussion called “Writing in the digital world.” Moderated by Barbara Brownell Grogan editor in chief of National Geographic Books, this conversation aims to explore the roll Internet-based reporters and bloggers will play in the emerging world of online journalism. I’m not sure if I can be considered an expert on the subject. But I’ve managed to contribute several stories to magazines, newspapers and Public Radio programs based upon the content generated right here on The Joy Trip Project. Any success I enjoy from my work over the past two years I owe to those of you who have read it and shared your interest with friends in your social network. Thank you!
Starting today and through the foreseeable future I’ll post a variety of festival related information  here on the blog, on Facebook and on Twitter. I’ll populate the sites with photographs, interviews and film reviews as events unfold through the weekend. Among the many programs I look forward to is a presentation by mountaineer and humanitarian Greg Mortenson. His talk on the new book “Stones to Schools” will be followed up by a performance by the actor Curtis Nielsen in a one-man-show adaptation of the Greg’s best selling book “Three Cups of Tea.”
There’s also going to be a conversation hosted by my good buddy Timmy O’Neill. He’ll talk with big wall climbers Alex Honnold and Peter Croft to explore the world of high altitude free soloing, climbing high mountain cliffs without the benefit of a rope. And I can’t wait to connect with extreme skier turned organic farmer Alison Gannett. She’ll share the vision behind her Save Our Snow Foundation and offer sustainable lifestyle options to help curb humanity’s impact on global climate change.
The list goes on and on. There will more than 60 films, presentations by amazing writers and athletes and incredible conversations on what motivates ordinary people to lead extraordinary lives. That’s just a little of what the Banff Film Festival has to offer this year and I hope that you’ll follow along.
* Pretty profound huh? I just made that up this morning over a bagel at O’Hare.
The Joy Trip Project’s coverage of the Banff Mountain Film Festival is brought you thanks to the generous support of sponsor Patagonia.