“Um, looks like you zip-tied some trash to your bike.” - My Fiance
Exactly! That’s called recycling. I’d been sitting patiently by the window for a week or so, waiting for the UPS guy to bring me some more Weird Gear to test. With all that window time, It’s impossible not to notice how nice the afternoons have been. Too bad the MTB trails are snowed in, and the roads are covered in gravel, mag-chloride, ice patches, run-off, and mud. I started looking into some fender options for my cross bike and came away pretty unsatisfied with what I could get for my money.
That is when “genius” struck. Check out the photos if you too want awesome fenders for $0.99. I won’t bore you with step by steps as I think you can figure out, “Oh, here is where he puts the trash on the bike.” My first attempt at a rear was a little too short, but otherwise worked suprisingly well. I was sure it would wind up tangled in my spokes within minutes. For success, you need to go back further than you would think to catch all the spray. I’m looking into extending, widening, and stiffening in new variations. The front one works great. Please send along any ideas, or DIY gear tips of your own. I still have some soup cans, an old boot, and a broken watch in my trash can.
And the best part, while I was out test riding my DIY gear, UPS made a delivery! Weird Gear 3, superlight skateboard, coming soon.
March 19th, 2008
I have just recently been trained to teach level one yoga classes through Yogafit, so when I saw Andria Baldovin’s DVD and reference book collections, I jumped at the chance to explore them! She and her husband run the Yoga Ventures website and among other things, produce DVD’s and literature through their publishing company, Brushy Mountain Publishing, Inc. based out of North Carolina.
Baldovin has combined her love of yoga and the outdoors to create, Yoga for Hikers, Yoga for Cyclists and Yoga for Climbers. Each DVD has two 28 minute yoga sessions and comes with a metal spiral bound reference book for use while in the outdoors.
I plan on reviewing each DVD, starting with Yoga for Hikers. 
Yoga for Hikers
Baldovin wanted Yoga for Hikers to be approachable by a wide audience, so I started with this DVD. From the main menu, I could pick and choose workouts according how much time I had. Here is a brief review of each option.
The Intro
I found the Introduction very informative with lots of details for every pose. Baldovin explained that this DVD was more instructional based and not a replacement for a face-to-face yoga class nor was it designed as a typical workout session. These 28 minute segments were to be practiced and then taken out to the trail to be enjoyed outside.
Meditation Segment // Pranayama or Deep Breathing Segment
Baldovin’s meditation offers tips on how to calm mind chatter and stay in the present during a hike. She also teaches how to increase lung expansion through deep breathing exercises.
Session I
The first session is designed to warm up the body before starting on a hike. I thought it did a great job of stretching the calves and upper legs plus it really opened up the hips. My body was warm and ready to hit the trail.
Session II
The second session is designed for training before a long extended hike. If a hiker was preparing for the Appalachian trail or the Pacific coast trail (or any extended hiking trip) these yoga poses would help protect against injury by building strength and flexibility.
Overall Thoughts
Because of the detail and pace of the DVD, I found myself settling into each pose for a deeper, more intense and enjoyable stretch than I typically receive from my face-to-face classes. My only concern when comparing the DVD with a typical class was the time alloted to warming up before jumping into difficult poses. My personal preference would be to add several warm up poses like moonflowers or sunflowers before moving on.
Baldovin does a fantastic job of connecting each pose with a specific hiking need or issue, so I always understood the pose’s relevance and I think any avid hiker will appreciate that feature. The scenery included waterfalls, beautiful trails, and scenic bridges.
The reference book is meant to accompany a hiker on the trail and I think it is a wonderful idea. I know I couldn’t remember each pose without some help, and I love that the book is portable and convenient.
March 19th, 2008
