We are very pleased to be giving away two copies of Ray Salisbury’s book ‘Epic’, to our GrownUps members.
All you need to do to enter the draw is be a GrownUps member, make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter and fill in your details near the bottom of the page!
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About Epic
In Epic, the stories of a dozen memorable Kiwi explorers are brought together, with detailed maps, backstories and stunning images.
“feel the earth beneath [your] bare feet. The beach and bush beckon…”
New Zealand is a country synonymous with epic adventure. Over the years, countless sea kayakers, climbers and alpine trampers have attempted journeys across its stunning landscape, and many more dream of following in their tracks. In Epic, the stories of a dozen memorable Kiwi explorers are brought together to form a tribute to the spirit of adventure.
It is difficult to comprehend the scale of the journeys of the featured explorers, but author Ray Salisbury brings them to life with detailed maps, backstories, and narratives that fail to hide his own passion for adventure. From Graeme Dingle and Jill Tremain attempting the first traverse of the Southern Alps, to the nineteen-year-old ‘wildboy’ who lived off the land as he paddled, walked and swam 8000km of coastline, this is a showcase of the intrepid.
Seasoned explorer or armchair traveller, prepare to be awed and inspired by Epic. It doesn’t shy away from the realities of boundary-pushing adventure, with accounts of physical and mental battles, near-disasters, and sadly several mentions of those lost their lives in the wild. But with deep lows come impossible highs, in this exploration of what makes an epic adventurer.
In a world full of distractions, Epic is a reminder to get out there and experience the wild, stunning places of our planet – they are waiting.
About the Author
Ray Salisbury began a lifelong passion for photography and tramping in the early 1970s. He was introduced to camping, hiking and kayaking by the Boys’ Brigade. In 1977 he walked the Heaphy Track in Northwest Nelson with his father. Later, he qualified with a degree in graphic design and photography at AUT in Auckland.
During the 1990s Ray began leading trips into the backcountry, accompanied by his friends. These private adventures culminated in a solo 80-day traverse of the North Island mountain ranges, starting at East Cape and ending at Cape Egmont. This epic formed the narrative of his first book, Cape to Cape, self-published in 1997.
Prior to entering teacher’s college in 2000, Ray was assistant editor of Wilderness magazine for a year. Since then, he has been a regular contributor. When Ray and his wife moved to Nelson, he joined the Nelson Tramping Club, becoming editor of the club journal for a decade.
In 2020, Ray’s second book was published by Potton and Burton. Titled Tableland – the history behind Mt Arthur, the book is a social history of the eastern part of Kahurangi National Park. In 2022 he self-published a picture book on Nelson with a concise historical overview woven through the pages.
Ray currently works as a photographer, videographer and writer as well as teaching photography. He continues to write about epic adventures in New Zealand.
You can read an extract from Epic here
Terms and conditions
- You must be a GrownUps member and receive our newsletter to be eligible to win.
- Competition closes on the 7th January 2024, winners will be notified via email by 11th January 2024.
- It is your responsibility to ensure you correctly enter a New Zealand postal address where the prize can be couriered. GrownUps will not take responsibility for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
- Winners are drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
- GrownUps employees and family are not eligible to enter.
- By entering the giveaway, you approve for GrownUps to use your name on social media as winner of the competition.
- One entry per household.
- Prize is non transferrable.
- You must reside in New Zealand – the prize will only be posted within New Zealand.
- You must be over 50 years of age to enter, check your details are correct in your membership dashboard.
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