VholdR – wearable sport camcorder

I’m looking at options for recording adventure racing events.

This would work.

VholdR Wearable Camcorder (Black)

VholdR Wearable Camcorder (Black) ($330)

Leave a comment if you have any other recommendations.

“Waterproof” (or water resistance) is a big selling point. Here is the VholdR being used on a Jetski.

Adventure Week 2009 Idaho

My buddy Dave Adlard is a master organizer of big events.

He’s putting together the biggest new Adventure Race anywhere!

Adventure Week is schedule to take place June 5th – 14th, 2009 at Farragut State Park, just 30 miles outside of Coeur d’Alene. The jam-packed schedule will include a number of amazing races, including triathlons, mountain biking, and adventure races. There will also be orienteering competitions, mountain treks, and even disc golf tournaments. And endurance athletes are not going to want to miss “The Crux and The Crucible“, two demanding and rewarding adventure races that will push teams to the limits.

The Adventure Blog

introducing-adventure-week1.jpg

There’s truly something for everyone. Beginners. Children. Recreational outdoors enthusiasts. Even World Class endurance athletes.

Details on the official website: Adventure Week 2009. (I’m the editor.)

Or download the detailed brochure in PDF format.

Put the dates on your calendar now. It’s going to be FANTASTIC.

no recession for bicycle manufacturers

Treehugger linked to this graph:

bicycle-production-graph-bikes-01.jpg

Makes sense.

And in the USA, the $700 billion Bailout contained a provision that anyone who bikes to work can claim a $20 tax credit per month.

Even those driving to work in a Hummer will try to claim that $240 / year.

Statistically, cycling stats will go through the roof.

Bike Friday Folding Bicycle

Andrew Posner searched for a bike for a frequent traveller:

… It had to: be reasonably light (between 20 and 24 pounds); have a steel frame; fold down small enough to fit into a suitcase that can be checked in at the airport; have a wide enough gear ratio to be used for long training rides and hill climbs; and cost no more than around $1,300.

I eventually settled on the Bike Friday Pocket Rocket, a $999 dollar bike that comes with a beautiful fire-engine red paint job, drop handlebars, a steel frame, and easy folding capabilities. The 20 inch wheels roll fast enough to make long rides possible, while still being small enough to fit into a suitcase. For another $250 you can purchase a special suitcase designed for the bike; the suitcase can be checked in at the airport as standard luggage (read that: no extra charges). Traveling with a bicycle couldn’t be easier. …

A Review of my Bike Friday Folding Bicycle

This is the best travel bike I’ve found, so far.

bike-friday.jpg

Bike Friday – details

check this site: mntnLIFE.com

The Adventure Blog gave a shout out to an outdoor adventure site called mntnLIFE.com.

It’s social networking where content is mostly generated by users.

I clicked through the “earth” section to see what hikes had been added so far. Here’s a sample page for the excellent Mt Katahdin, Maine scramble we posted recently:

katahdin.jpg
screenshot

See the original page.

Looks good.

I’ve joined as a member. (Free)

Check it put using the powerful search functions starting from the home page: mntnlife.com

walk up, ride down – Mt Washington, B.C.

I had a great half day on Vancouver Island. (Not at the much more famous Mt Washington in New Hampshire.)

Mt Washington is the home of the excellent Mount Washington Alpine Resort. It’s 25km from the Comox Valley, close to good hostels in Courtenay.

In summer the chair lift carries hikers and bikers. The view from the top is awesome.

The real highlight are the cheeky ‘Whiskey Jacks’ (Gray Jays) who happily alight on your hand, hoping for crumbs. (Don’t feed them.)

If you climb the mountain (45min) you can ride down for free. Otherwise, a trip is a reasonable $15.

Highly recommended.

more photos – flickr

Nearby is Paradise Meadows Trailhead, the best jumping off point for hiking the Forbidden Plateau. This is also the most popular trailhead of all in massive Strathcona Provincial Park.

Radical Reels video – Banff Mountain Film Festival

I attended the Banff Mountain Film Festival in November and gave it a mixed review.

It took until February before they posted the trailer for the current Radical Reels World Tour.

But, it was worth the wait. Very well edited … even if it is partly a commercial for the sponsors.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. It features sports including skiing, climbing, kayaking, BASE jumping, snowboarding and mountain biking.

(via Sierra Blogging Post)

If you ever get the chance to see the touring Film Festival, or the touring Radical Reels festival, do it.

Related: 2007 Radical Reels trailer

Man vs. Wild – Copper Canyon, Mexico

I’m on the record as boycotting Man vs. Wild, fearing that the TV show will encourage people to do things far more dangerous than those filmed by Bear’s crew.

But I found myself watching a full episode, lately:

In Mexico, Bear must find his way out of Copper Canyon, and his only supplies are a water bottle, a flint and a knife. Bear demonstrates how to build a simple compass and climb sheer cliffs safely. For shelter, he uses ancient caves and makes fire with a traditional “fire saw.” Bear also demonstrates techniques for finding scorpions or grubs and fishing without a rod or line.

Man vs Wild Episodes – Wikipedia

It’s hard to stay angry at Bear, his boyish enthusiasm is inspiring.

My real excuse for watching is that I’m planning a very similar adventure, dropping into Copper Canyon from the train tracks and finding my way to Batopilas village.

(To make up for my sin of watching Man vs. Wild I watched a full episode of a real Survivorman, Les Stroud. Much more impressive in every way.)

copper-canyon.jpg
original – flickr

more of Sam Meztli’s photos photos tagged Copper Canyon – flickr

the thing to do in Phoenix …

… is cycle the canals.

canal-phoenix.png

They’re part of the Central Arizona Project (CAP), a 336mi (541km) diversion of water from the Colorado River through to southern Arizona. The largest and most expensive aqueduct system ever constructed in the United States.

In Phoenix I rented a mountain bike from the hostel ($15/day) and rode the flat desert until I got close to one of the many “mountain parks”.

bieke-phoenix.jpg

Locking up my ride, I then ran up rough trails to the summit.

Great training for Adventure Racing, was my thinking.

My best day was a ride to South Mountain Park (not on canals this time) and a trail run from Holbert trailhead up to Dobbin’s Lookout.