Posts filed under 'General'
On October 2nd 34 skydivers are planning to skydive over the summit of Mt Everest. They plan on jumping from approximately 435 feet above, soaring past the summit, free falling for one minute, and landing at 12,350 feet 8-10 minutes later.
Jumpers will have to wear an oxygen mask to allow them to breathe in the thin air. Another obstacle the altitude presents is being overcome by using larger parachutes. These should work more efficiently at that height.
Some of the hazards presented are; not finding the drop zone, malfunctioning oxygen masks, and the extremely cold temperatures they will face.
Good luck!
September 25th, 2008
Ok, no they’re not. But apparently there are rumors floating around the web that one of them has not survived one of their survival shows.
- The Adventurist reports on the Bear Grylls and Les Stroud rumors.
- I saw over on The Adventure Blog that Bike Magazine is doing a Best Trails 2009 contest. Swing by and vote for your favorite, then pick up the issue with the winners to see where the sweetest mtb trails are… according to the peoples.
- The Piton reports that Timberland and GSI are paying millions to settle a lawsuit that they sent unsolicited texts to people. Bad gigantic corporation… bad!
- Sierra Blogging Post posts about the new film FLOW. The film discusses the fact that one-sixth of the planet doesn’t have clean drinking water. The film also touches on the reality that the world is in a water crisis.
September 24th, 2008
As hiking boots go, everyone has a slightly different preference. Some like the old school full leather. Then there are those who like the mid highs that have some breathable and leather combination of materials. Then there are the trail runner guys. And lastly you have those freaks who wear sandals. (bless their hearts)
Merrell Radius Mid - Waterproof
The Merrel Radius Mid fits in between the high top full leather and the mid mixed material categories. It has quite a bit of leather on the upper, yet when worn it moves well. This flexibility is great for getting a shoe that you can hike in the first day. But be aware that all hiking boots must be “broken in.” Your foot needs to adjust to the new shoe as much as the shoe needs to adjust to you. That said, this shoe shouldn’t need millions of miles to break it in like the old school full leathers.
The Merrell website says “Hike, bike, walk, run, ride, hang out, look good, stay dry.” Hiking -yes, walking -yes, hanging out, looking god, and staying dry -yes. Biking and riding… not so much. It is a true hiker. The shoe has a vibram sole, which as we know, is great on slick rock or loose soil. If you have ankle instability the shoe is tall enough to accommodate this with snug lacing. All of this is wrapped up with a nice waterproofness for those shallow creek crossings. The insole is very comfortable as well, and it allows for a comfortable fit. So the shoe can double as a casual shoe in winter. this shoe is not for the fast and light guys, but it is for those who want a high performing more traditional hiking shoe.
My recommended use for this shoe is hiking, multi-day backpacking and trekking. As well as casual cool weather use. The Radius comes in two colors cocoa (that means brown) and dark gray (that means dark gray). It retails for $120ish, which is in the range for a good hiking shoe.
September 22nd, 2008
After the 2005 Giro D’Italia, photographer Timm Kolln captured some very telling images showing cyclists expressions immediately after they finished the race.
via The Piton
September 16th, 2008
A few weeks ago I listed several new products out on the market that could make your camping experiences even more cushy. Here is one coming out in November that could improve the taste of your water.
Guyot Designs TapGuard
This nifty little product will be out on the market just before Thanksgiving at REI stores. Then they will be distributed widely to other outdoor retailers after November 28th. The Tapguard won’t protect you from nasty stuff like Giardia. It is a water filter with a different purpose. The TapGuard aims to help people enjoy a better tasting tap water. Thus reducing the amount of bottled water we buy.
Here’s how it works.
- Pop a charcoal filter into your Tapguard (it will come with 2 filter cartridges).
- Slide the Tapguard into the mouth of your favorite Nalgene, Camelback, or other wide mouthed water bottle.
- Drink slowly, the water moves through the filter and removes chlorine and other chemicals in our tap water that make it taste like crap.
I tested the product for Guyot and like it. Here are the pros and cons as I see it.
Pros
- Clean tasting water. It really did make the water taste better, more like bottled water. It takes some of the tangy taste out of the tap water.
- Keep thousands of plastic bottles out of landfills.
- Save money on bottled water if you are a bottled water buyer.
- Will remove the iodine or chlorine taste from filtered water. Those of us who have used iodine or chlorine tablets to clean our backcountry water know what it tastes like. Anything that removes that taste is okay in my book.
Cons
- You have to drink very slowly. No gulping here. So if you’re parched after alot of activity you may want to just drink the tap water straight (you can drink it from the other side straight).
- The early design allows some water to spill through the “drinking it straight” opening on the other side and onto your face. But Guyot assures that this has been corrected in the version going to market in November.
Verdict
Definitely worth a try. At the price these are going to sell at, it’s worth it to save some money on bottled water if you drink it, worth getting rid of the iodine taste from treated water, and worth the environmental savings as well. Will be selling for $14.95
September 15th, 2008
Patagonia recently launched a site called The Tin Shed if you want to do a little daydreaming about outdoor adventures to come. Many outdoor gear companies have professional athletes they take care of. In exchange the athletes travel the world exploring and pushing the limits of their sport. The payoff for the company is a site like The Tin Shed. Patagonia’s marketing team sees the value in spreading the word on their products by stimulating their customers sense of adventure. It’s a great strategy on their part that has been paying off for years. And you and I get to enjoy all the cool stories that come out of it.
So as soon as the boss shuts the door this morning, or when you get home, take a minute to check the site out. It’s a great way to see for yourself that there are still places on this blue planet of ours to be explored.
September 8th, 2008
I’d heard of this working, but having never seen it, I wasn’t a believer. This weekend I was MADE a believer when 20 miles into a 35 mile epic, a buddy tore a nice gash in his tire. I was ready to expose this Sasquatch in the Freezer scam, once and for all. Surprisingly, it worked great.
When you replace your tube, fold a bill into thirds, and place between sidewall and tube. Any denomination works, we actually used a $20…. which reminds me I need to get that back from him.
It held up great. We rode the last 15 rocky miles with no problems. I’ve learned my lesson. Now I won’t leave for a ride without a $1 folded up in my spare tube.
September 3rd, 2008
Commercial fishing in the gulf will definitely be affected by Gustav, as with most hurricanes. But as a non-fisherman, I wasn’t sure how the storm would affect the recreational fishing.
We have family with us in Kentucky now who had evacuated from New Orleans this weekend to get out of the way of Mr. Gustav. Brian, my cousin-in-law, explained to me that after the storms the water is quite churned up. Although the nutrients are probably moving and rich, the water is too murky and churned for good fishing. He likes to catch speckled trout off the coast of Louisiana and has fished after several of the hurricanes in the last few decades. According to him, the fishing won’t be any good for a few weeks. He went out after Isabel a few years ago and they went out 35 miles from the coast and the water was still murky.
If you have a fishing trip planned for the gulf anytime soon, it might be time to rethink your plans.
September 2nd, 2008
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