Brave: Taken By Adventures - A journey of courage and discovery

Just Go*Just Now*Just by Yourself

Four Years On Foot

Appalachian Trail name "Brave", given unanimously.

CROSS-FIT project PHOTO BLOG

She was on a Cape Town road trip when her car was broken into. All her trail-running and MTB gear, her Adidas racing trophies, a Nikon with footage of abandoned ships at Cape of Good Hope for her next Beaujole Show Iron Africa - gone. On the first day she cried, on the second gave away the rest of her belongings to the maid and gardener, said goodbye to her husband, and flew across the Atlantic with a 13-lb backpackor for her four-year journey starting at the Appalachian Trail. She didn't get back home.

Lena Faber

Sentenced To Adventures.

As Seen In

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Lena is always the winner whatever happens to her, no matter which stories this enterprising, cheerful, and observant forever young lady has got into.

A. Mihailov

Professor, Maxim Gorky Institut of Creative Writing

"Lena is the "real deal"! My all time favorite world traveler and Russian Photojournalist"

Randy

"Lena Faber is one extraordinary lady who i'm proud to have met early in her ventures in the.US. love following her."

James

"We shall all live vicariously through her! She is an example and inspiration to many! Go girl!"

Casey

"She has the kind of spirit that makes the world
connect and go round."

Terence

"Fantastic! I had the wonderful pleasure of hosting Lena when she was here in southern Maine. Go Lena!!"

Jane

"Lena Faber has a wonderful personality!"

Vlad

Been & Done

4700

mi
hiking 

31

countries visited

14000

mi
cycling

15000

books
print run

Iconic Trails in 4 Years

Besides the Atacama Desert, Amazon jungle, etc

Apr 5 - Aug 15, 2014

US Appalachian Trail

A luxury resort prominent Russian South African trail runner, once I made a quick and impulsive decision, flew from Johannesburg to Appalachian Range, to start 2,180 miles thru-hike from Georgia to Maine. I was clueless about hiking in general and specifically on the Appalachian and spent two days in a hotel educating myself, with the help of a PR manager of the Appalachian Trail, about bears and snakes. However, the last six miles of the rough desert road leading to Springer Mountain trailhead left me overwhelmed with fear. I found myself in tears, worried about being alone for 100 miles and turning into Mowgli. I didn’t know there would be other hikers in the woods! They didn't know I was scared into death and gave me the trial name ... Brave.

May 21 - Sep 11, 2015

US Route 66

After hiking 2,000 miles, there were no limits. I accompanied from Johannesburg to Chicago with my 13-pound Appalachian backpack, purchased a bike, and departed for Los Angeles. As the only cyclist on Route 66, I was a sight to behold, as no cyclist had been seen on this route before. It was an exhilarating experience! I was completely overwhelmed by the massive influx of people, their curiosity, friendliness, and hospitality. This journey was not about distance covered per day or overall speed, but rather about the adventure and experience. 

May 23 - Aug 13, 2016

Across the UK

From London to the Orkney Islands in the far north of Scotland and back, I traveled along the Caledonia Way and Grand Canal. During my journey, I stayed at various locations, including local pubs and private residences, where I was greeted with a tray of English tea waiting behind my bedroom door. Despite the Scottish weather at its peak - marked by wind, rain, and a chill - the challenging uphills provided a much-needed warmth. Nonetheless, the stunning scenery more than made up for any adverse weather conditions.

Apr 21 - Jul 4, 2017

US East Coast, Canada to Florida

From Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida, spanning 3,000 miles along the Atlantic coast of the United States, lies a journey all about immersing oneself in the warmth of human hospitality. This adventure involves being invited for lunch, dinner, and overnight stays in the spare bedrooms of the welcoming people met along the way. Such a feat could not be accomplished without the support of the well-established and highly populated areas and their inhabitants.

SOUTH AFRICA

Real Running

In 2008, I found myself in South Africa, a place where running is a way of life. Intrigued, I decided to give it a try. Every week, I would participate in races alongside thousands of runners. Soon enough, my passion for the sport led me to greater heights. I was chosen to compete in the South African cross-country championships, where I emerged victorious in my category. In addition, I also won the South African Trail Series and clinched a silver medal at the 2011 World Masters Athletics held in California.                   Read more

2010s, South Africa

Professor & Runner

READ MORE

After having taught at the esteemed University of South Africa, I was honored to have won an international photo contest, leading to several successful solo exhibitions. Additionally, I developed a passion for running and honed my skills in this aren.





2000s, Moscow

Journalism. All Kinds

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I worked for the top Moscow newspaper, raised my kids, earned awards from the Journalists Union, and had books published. Oh, and I raced cars!

Books In Russian

200000 km Around Moscow

"TRASSA," my newspaper column, has been transformed into a book and published in 15,000 hard copies by the largest Russian publishing house, AST. It was hailed as the most outstanding travel columns of the 2000s in Russian media.

Driving Art

"Regarded as a natural-born racer and a top-notch journalist, she captivated audiences with her engaging and humorous descriptions of various driving techniques. With gasoline in her veins and an aversion to speed limits, this single mother of two was unable to pursue her dream of becoming an amazing racer" a fact lamented by Russian race team coach and Academy of Driving Art professor, Ernest Tzygankov.

"Lena possesses a remarkable sense of humor. Her exceptional grasp of the Russian language, impeccable taste, and natural passion and temperament are all generously bestowed upon her by nature."

Alexandr Mihailov
PROFESSOR of Maxim Gorky Institute

"Lena is no ordinary reporter - she reports in a unique way. In nearly every piece she writes, she not only serves as the author but also takes on the role of a character."

Jury Apenchenko
PROFESSOR of Maxim Gorky Institute

2018 LANDING STORY

At PechaKucha

PechaKucha is a global series of creative 6-min. presentations formatted to 20sec x20 slides.

WATCH VIDEO

Unknown Exersise

The results are nothing short of extraordinary. I have personally developed and rigorously tested innovative and straightforward methods that enhance your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, all at once. Would you like to increase your stamina and resilience, as I have? Consider incorporating my exclusive ballet exercises into your routine. Or, perhaps you would like to enjoy reading to your grandchildren without glasses, just like me? In that case, I can share with you an ancient Indian technique that has proven effective. Follow me, and you will see the results for yourself.

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FAQ

The answer is in my PechaKucha talk 2019 https://youtu.be/UaEt4N4V1c4

They grew up and live with their own families. My daughter work in the art business and my son works in IT.

The answer is here
https://lenafaber.com/blog/how-i-found-myself-in-south-africa/

I'm from Moscow and left for South Africa in 2009. I traveled much more in the US than in Russia, though I learned a lot when I worked on my newspaper column "200000 km Around Moscow".

I do not, but on safety reasons, I didn't travel solo when I was a young girl. Also, I don't go too wild outside of Europe and the US.

Net

LINKS

Photo Blog
About Lena Faber
Gallery
Books
N/papers Magazines TV
Trassa (The Track) column
Drive TV series & column
Historical Manors Around Moscow series

CATEGORIES

Hiking Trails 
Bike Rides
Road Trips
Amazon River Boat Trip
Staying Like a Local
Life in South Africa
Life in US

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