Dirt Sweat and Gears 2008 - Le Mans start

2 comments May 6th, 2008

Dirt Sweat and Gears Pics

Here are some random pics from the Dirt Mud, Sweat, and Gears Festival in Fayetteville Tennessee. They put on a great race this year and we met some cool people, vendors, outdoorzy members, racers, and spectators. There were stitches sewn into legs, tendons torn, clogged wheels, a mess of dérailleur hangers broken, lots of Outdoorzy t-shirts given out, Gary Fischer himself was on hand representin, several frames, and some full bikes were given away, and $125 worth of gift certificates to the Outdoorzy Store were awarded.

Tinker Juarez came out on top in the men’s solo division, Pua Sawicki for the women’s. And the National Mountain Bike team came in 2nd in the “Here for the Beer” category, with JmacTN getting the award for crappiest/muddiest lap.

Now on to the pics…

3 comments May 5th, 2008

Dirt Sweat and Gears Pit Video

Outdoorzy is headed down to Fayetteville Tennessee today to hang out at Dirt Sweat and Gears. We’re a sponsor at the race and will be giving away swag, camping out for a few nights, listening to bands, watching the race, and rubbing elbows with the mtb community. It’s one of the premier mountain bike races in the southeastern US.

Here’s a video from last years pit row…

Add comment May 2nd, 2008

Yoga For Cyclists

Cycling is a very enjoyable but demanding sport. I am extremely short and small so I have a 13 inch frame and it still doesn’t quite fit me. I have to keep my seat completely lowered so that I don’t fall over when we stop:) After an all day trail ride, this arrangement (and the fact that I am too cheap to buy a custom bike) causes my body to shift and become unbalanced. In other words, I need some serious deep stretching to cope.

Yoga for Cyclists DVD and book is exactly what the doctor ordered especially if I’m trying to avoid injury. The book is lightweight enough to put in my camelback and use during breaks and the DVD has a warm-up/cool-down session and a training session for when I can’t make it to the trail or road.

The two sessions featured on the DVD are designed to cultivate strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance and of course these are all things cyclists need to enjoy their sport. I am always on the hunt to strengthen my wrists and keep the numbness out of my seat.

Here are some of the muscles and benefits focused on during the two sessions:
leg strength; hips; butt; abdominals and lower back; arms; chest expansions; shoulders and wrist strength; forearms; increasing lung capacity; increasing circulation to the pelvic area

The poses are designed to give us something to work toward so there is a nice challenge and they work to strengthen muscles so when we do crash, we can take the impact better and recover faster.

As with all of Andria Baldovin’s specialized yoga programs, there is a wonderful meditation sequence and breathing exercise. Most of all however, I really liked that there was a strong connection drawn, before each session, between what muscles the poses work and how those muscles relate to biking.

2 comments April 24th, 2008

Lots of Swag at Dirt Sweat and Gears

Dirt Sweat and Gears is the big mountain biking event in the Southeast US each year. And the Outdoorzy team will be in attendance. It will be happening the first weekend in May, and we have it marked on the calendar and we can’t wait to get down there and have some fun. There will be musical performances, tons of free swag (including bike give-aways), lots of outdoor loving people, oh yeah… and lots of mountain bike races!

Outdoorzy will be giving away loads of gift cards to the Outdoorzy Store so you can load up on cycling gear and any other fun summer outdoor gear and clothing you need. Not to mention lots of other gear and freebies. Just drop by our tent and check us out. It won’t be hard to find us, we’ll be the ones with the big Outdoorzy.com banner. There will be plenty of other vendors there as well.

If you’re looking for something to do that weekend and you’re within driving distance come on up and check out all the excitement in Fayetteville Tennessee.

8 comments April 19th, 2008

What Do I Need In My First Aid Kit?

This is a question we should all be asking ourselves as we prepare for the upcoming warm weather and all the outdoor fun we’re going to be having. Fist Aid Kits are perhaps the most important piece of gear you’ll take with you into the wilderness.

So what do you need inside? This really all depends on which outdoor activities you’ll be partaking in. Different activities will have different sets of hazards. If you are fishing, you may need to bring along first-aid for cuts or pricks from those hooks. If you are camping you may want to be sure you have everything you need to treat burns since you’ll most likely have a fire and be cooking. Backpacking and hiking often see twisted ankles. And so on…

If you already have a First Aid Kit, now may be the time to pull it out and restock. You can replace bandages alcohol pads and ointments you depleted last year. You will also need to check the expiration dates on any medications.

Here are some excellent First Aid Kits, ranging from basic needs (lightweight) to more advanced kits.

Adventure Medical Kits - Solo Kit - $10.95 (regularly $17)

Adventure Medical Kits - Travelers First Aid - $21.95 (regularly $36.50)

Adventure Medical Kits - Marine 400 Kit - $77.95 (regularly $120)

No matter which kit you use, don’t leave home without it. It could save your life!

7 comments April 14th, 2008

Tour De Nez Cycling Festival

Tour De Nez is a six day cycling festival featuring anything that has to do with 2 wheeled motion. (not related to 3 wheel motion)

The festival takes place in Truckee, Ca. This is a new venue for the 16th annual event, which is scheduled for June 17-22nd. So if you’re in the area and want to see what’s up in the cycling community, it sounds like this is your place. It is being hosted by Northstar Resort which looks like a pretty sweet place. (hint-hint Nez… if you want a reporter on the scene)

“Our partnership with Northstar™ Resort has enabled us to take the Tour to a new level,” explains Tim Healion, Tour de Nez Supreme Commander. “We will be able to really showcase the area as a destination for cyclists and people who enjoy the outdoors.”Healion said, “With the Tour largely moving to Lake Tahoe, everyone from the top domestic pro teams to cycling enthusiasts and families looking for a fun day outdoors will find Northstar Resort’s location and the Tour’s activities to be the best ever.”

3 comments April 10th, 2008

Weird Gear 2: DIY Wednesday!

“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. 

1 comment March 19th, 2008

Adventure Ideas for Argentina

Seeing what’s Behind the Iguaza Falls, Exlploring Patagonia, Mountain Biking in Salta, The lake District, Wine Tasting in Buenos Aires… and that’s just for starters.

I got the opportunity to spend some time trekking and exploring Peru last year. But I have to say the southern tip is my next stop in South America.

ArgentinasTravel.com is a great resource for finding out more about a trip to Argentina. They update their content often and have quite a bit of detail on specific locations. Just don’t forget that the seasons are flipped in the southern hemi. Right now it’s Summer, and our Summer is their Winter. Don’t worry though if you want to take a Summer vacation, there are plenty of climates to choose from.

Other options include Rafting the Mendoza, Climbing Aconcagua, Whale Watching, and killer Fly Fishing.

2 comments March 14th, 2008

Mammoth Cave Needs Your Help

The trail system at Mammoth Cave National Park will be changing. Trails will be re-routed, and mountain bikers may lose out in the deal. UNLESS people vote. I’ll be directing you to the voting at the end of this post, once I explain the voting options. You must vote by March 24th.

Mammoth Cave has traditionally been a hotbed of contention between hikers, bikers, and equestrians. The trails in the park are all open to hikers. Equestrians have access to all the other trails except one loop. It is the only dirt trail open to mountain bikers. There is a gravel trail now open to mountain bikers and hikers which runs from the park headquarters to Park City, Ky. Any trails open to horses normally have holes and ruts that can restrict hikers.

The trail proposal has five alternatives. I’ve been studying each one and I feel like option 4 is the best for all parties. In the end it’s very friendly to equestrians once again, and allows for a new mountain biking trail. Hikers would continue to have full access.

My comments in Italics.

Alternative #1: this is the No Action Alternative. It is required by National Environmental Policy Act to serve as a baseline for comparing other alternatives. In some cases the best solution to a problem is in taking no action, leaving a situation at the status quo. However, in this trail plan, the No Action Alternative is not acceptable.

Alternative #2: this alternative would allow bicyclists to use Sal Hollow, Buffalo, and a portion of Turnhole Bend (north) trails all year. All northside trails would be designated for hikers and horse users. This restricts hikers and bikers further. Not acceptable.

Alternative #3: this alternative would permit horse use on Sal Hollow from June through October (during the driest months of the year); except for this restriction, horses would be allowed on all other northside trails. Hikers are allowed on all trails. Bicyclists would be allowed on Sal Hollow, Buffalo, and a portion of Turnhole Bend (north) trails all year. This options allows horses on the only trail that mountain bikers and hikers own. This is not acceptable in my view.

Alternative #4: this alternative proposes a new six-mile, single-track loop trail which would be constructed east of the Green River Ferry Road-North for bicycle and hiker use only. All other northside trails would be designated for hikers and horse users. This option is acceptable. The mountain bikers would loose 2 miles of trail, but they would gain a trail designed for them. The only problem with this is that it doesn’t account for the transition. If you vote for this option please note that you want Sal Hollow restricted from horses while the new trail is being built.

Alternative #5, Preferred alternative of the NPS. This alternative would establish First Creek Trail for bicyclist and hiker use only. All other north side trails would be designated for hikers and horse users. This option could be an acceptable plan B in my opinion. It provides about the same amount of non-horse trail as Alternative #4, but the trail is not optimal for mountain bikes. The trailhead is more remote than the Alternative #4 also.

I strongly encourage anyone who has time, to drop by the Mammoth Cave site and vote (cough, cough… alternative 4). You’ll be helping keep the balance as fair as it can be for now, on these multi-use trails.

Go to this site and vote, the link to leave comments is in the upper right.

4 comments March 5th, 2008