Archive for May, 2008
Ergon Bike Grips and Bullwinkle Bike
You may have seen these already, they aren’t exactly breaking news. I had seen them in some shops and ads, even a few on the trail, but I had never heard any kind of feedback. I was pretty anxious to try them out. I had been thinking about some bar ends for my single speed anyway, so this seemed like a great time to try the Ergon GC2’s.
No Hairspray needed here. These go on easy and lock tight with a clamp. I was pretty happy with them as I headed out on the first long climb of the day. The bar ends were nice, and the odd “ear” shape gave me lots of hand placement options. They are comfortable for resting your palms on, fingers relaxed, while you grind up, up, and away.
All in all, I like them. I like them enough to keep them on my SS. The hand positions and leverage make up for what I don’t like about them.
The only thing I really didn’t like them is how they feel on technical / fast descents. With your hands being so flat and open, it is hard to relax your hands. I kept feeling as if my hands were going to slide off the front. You can either hang on and give your forearms a pump, or relax and risk being jarred over the front.
Their other major shortcoming is cost. The pair I tested retail for about $40, and their lighter models go up from there. Something to consider.
May 21st, 2008
The Teva Mountain Games are a great chance to get outdoors, watch some great athletes, check out some
good music, and browse some cool vendors.
In the way of music, Ozomatli will be there. And as far as sports they have cycling, climbing, rafting, kayaking, fly fishing, and on and on til tha break of dawn! They’ll also have art, a fully stocked vendor village, and a nightlife scene.
It all goes down June 5th-8th. So if you’re in the Vail, Co area, check it out. And if not we’ll ask BlowSnow to give us a report on how it all shook out.
May 21st, 2008
What do you get when you mix the cast of Dodgeball, Knocked Up, and SuperBad with Happy Madison productions (Adam Sandlers gig). You get… Strange Wilderness.
If you’re looking for…
- Intelligent Humor
- Insightful Philosophies
- Responsible Outdoor Experiences
- Good Clean Fun
Don’t rent or buy this movie.
But if you’re looking for…
- Slapstick Comedy
- Stoner Humor
- Ridiculous Scenarios
Then this movie is for you.
For me, the highlight of this film is when they dub their stoner voices over old wildlife films from the70s and 80s. This is a movie you watch for the same reasons you watched the three stooges.
Coming out today in a movie store near you.
May 20th, 2008
The bowline is used mainly to make a temporary loop at the end of a line. Like the other similar knots, it can be made and then secured over an object like a post. Since the bowline is generally tied with the working end, it can be passed through a ring or other object before the knot is tied. This feature makes the Bowline a convenient and useful loop knot.
The bowline, or more commonly one of its variations such as the double bowline, is sometimes used by climbers to tie the end of the rope to a climbing harness, or the like. The advantage of the bowline in this application is that the knot is easy to untie even after it has been loaded. The disadvantage is that, while it is a very strong knot under load, it has a tendency to loosen up and become untied when it is unloaded and shaken around over a period of time, as might happen during a climb. Several other knots are more commonly used in modern climbing technique.
The following image is from Pro-Knots which produces plastic, easy to use knot cards. I have one of these for fishing knots and carry it with me in my boat bag just in case I need a quick reference.
May 20th, 2008
We were recently asked to review Diet Lipton White Tea and I was pretty hype about it. I actually love their Diet Green Tea and on our recent trip to Dirt Sweat and Gears I took a couple of their 1.5 liters with me (1 Peach Papaya and 1 Raspberry) and was excited to give it a shot.
I am a huge fan of diet soda (yeah I know it’s terrible for you), but sometimes it gets old but I don’t just want water. I started trying diet tea and Lipton’s is actually the best I have had. The white tea is on par with their green tea. They were both very refreshing and didn’t taste sugary and coat my mouth (you know…non-flem endusing…gross). Again, even though it isn’t water, it certainly felt just as thirst quenching as plain water. I might also say how surprisingly fast I was able to drink 1.5 liters, another indicator of how smooth it seemed.
Lipton also has small packets of mix that you can buy and throw in 20 oz bottles of water. Just dump it in there and give it a shake and you are ready to go.
I would highly recommend trying the white tea. I can say I wasn’t impressed, but that is only because I expect so much from Lipton anyway. It was great and I plan on taking it with me on many more of my outdoor trips this summer.
Don’t forget to check out our bike giveaway we have going on right now, which is sponsored by Lipton.
May 19th, 2008
In case you missed it, Outside Magazine announced their picks for best jobs in the May issue. If you’re on the hunt for a cool gig, they’ve showcased some of the top jobs and employers for you. These are jobs that let you be in the outdoors and employers that offer perks like sabaticals, yoga at work, and free beer.
Here are a few that made the list…
Best Jobs
Resort Host
Itinerant Blogger
Endurance Trainer
Landscape Architect
Race Director
Gear Designer
Action-Sports Agent
Helicopter Pilot
Adventure Filmmaker
Best Places to Work
Clif Bar
Superfeet
SmartWool
Smith Optics
Alaskan Brewing Co
Natural Habitat Adventures
Paradigm Group
Osprey Packs
Petzl America
Horny Toad
Kelty
New Belgium Brewing
REI
Google
Johnson Outdoors
Patagonia
… and more.
Don’t forget, you can also post and search more outdoor jobs on the Outdoorzy Classifieds page.
May 19th, 2008
Here is the latest update from Meredith:
My first week is over and we are in Flagstaff, AZ. We have a rest day on Sunday and plan to have lunch with friend from Scottsdale, AZ. The drive from Scottsdale to Flagstaff is two hours. David and Debbie Medalie were friend for many years in Bowling Green, KY.
On Saturday May 17 we had a wonderful day in Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. I will send you pictures.
On Friday May 16 we crossed the Mingus Mountains at 7,023 feet in elevation. Spend the afternoon in the historic mining town of Jerome, AZ. This was a large cooper mining operation in years past.
The two gentlemen are our bicycle repairman. Rick and Pat are great cyclers and can repair anything related to a bicycle.
Weeks accomplishment/events:
- one flat tire, one broken chain, three broken spokes
- visited a bicycle shop in Palm Springs for bike rear wheel repair
- I MADE THE FIRST WEEK
- Rode over 500 miles this week
- First Century and first Desert Crossing
- First State Line crossing
Awesome job Meredith! Keep it up and keep us in the loop!
May 18th, 2008
When I heard I was getting the skateboard of the future, I fully expected a hoverboard. Ever since I first saw Marty McFly rip around on his, I have dreamt of evading bullies in the same fasion.
I didn’t get a hoverboard, but close. When the box came from my friend Mike at Daggoo (My version of Doc) I thought he had forgotten something, the box weighed nothing. I was pretty surprised when I pulled out his super light space-age material long board prototype. I can’t disclose much about the material or construction of the board, (thanks to the 32 page non-disclosure I had to sign) but I can testify this thing is light! It’s designed to absorb vibration as well, and be stable at high speed.
If you’ve ever ridden a skateboard over less than smooth asphalt you know how that can make your feet feel. Incedibly this thing, as stiff as it is, provided an amazing smooth ride. I must have lapped the hill by my house ten times. It was dark when my fiance finally convinced me to come in and I could play more tomorrow.
The next day I took the thing up some real hills. The material works amazing. The only criticism I would have is toward deign. (Sorry Mike) The board had a little too much camber, being as stiff as it is it didn’t give, even under my hefty weight. The rounded surface gave me the sensation that I was going to be bucked forward. I think if you flatten this thing out it will be the perfect longboard ride.
Mike with his baby
Mike tells me his is working on some shorter, freestyle shapes. I can’t wait to get one of those in the pool. I promise to update with details when these things come to market, becaues, as I said before, this IS the skateboard of the future.
May 18th, 2008
We’ve teamed up with Lipton to bring you guys and gals this great contest. It’s just like most of our contests here on Outdoorzy, in that it’s easy to sign-up. But the stakes are much higher this time folks, we’re giving away this Fuji Crosstown 2.0.
Lipton is no front-porch sippin tea. They are promoting an active lifestyle, and they have the products to go along with that lifestyle. They recently sponsored a video contest where people showed their active lifestyle off by submitting a video to win prizes. There are some crazy ones and some hilarious ones toos. Check out the Free Your Y Contest. You can vote on your favorite video to ensure an “outdoor” activity wins the field of submissions. 
Voting begins tomorrow.
Check out the new White Tea products while you’re there as well. White Tea has Antioxidants, Theanine, Caffeine, and H20, which are all good for the activities we love most.
How to Enter:
There are 3 Ways to enter… Pick one! The winner will be announced in 2 weeks on this blog.
1. Leave your Full Name in a comment on this blog post (your email is entered when you comment but is private)
2. Shoot us an Email at Info@Outdoorzy.com with your full name (we’ll get your email from the From line)
3. Comment on the Forum Post we have going on at the Outdoorzy Forum and since Members can only post we’ll get in touch with your through your Profile if you win.
And here’s the legal lingo…
The contest is open to US residents only, 18 and older to win. The Pepsi/Lipton Partnership will provide a check for $75.00 to be used for professional assembly of the Lipton Fuji bicycle awarded. Neither Pepsi Co., Outdoorzy, nor Unilever is liable for any injuries, damages or accidents that may result from the receipt, assembly or use of this bicycle.
May 16th, 2008
Well Meredith has blazed across California and is now in Arizona. When I spoke with him the other day the temperature was creeping into the 90s but he pressed on. He left me a message last night saying he went 122 miles yesterday!
One serious issue his group ran into near Palm Springs was strong winds. Of 40 riders 8 went down. Luckily Meredith stayed upright throughout.
Meredith sent a few pictures for us. The first shows him putting his bike in the Pacific Ocean, the second shows the group he’s pedaling with, the third shows what their lunch stops look like, and the last is Meredith in Arizona.
May 15th, 2008
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