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book review – Born to Run

On the insistence of my Adventure Racing buddy, Dave Adlard, I bought a book.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

A fantastic read, even for non-runners. The author, Christopher McDougall, (video) is a master story teller. I was gripped by this true life story.

Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong. …

It’s available on Audible.com, as well as in a Kindle edition.

Get it!

Christopher Mcdougall reminds me of Jon Krakauer, another magazine scribe turned author.

Born to Run is as engaging as anything by Krakauer.

The culminating Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen is set in Mexico’s Copper Canyon. I visited as a tourist in 1999. Fantastic.

I’ve long planned to return for some serious hiking there. Unfortunately, as the book describes vividly, it’s very dangerous today as the Canyons are home to big marijuana plantations. You might get shot.

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longest solo, unassisted walk ever

British Adventurer Ripley Davenport will attempt the first recorded solo and unassisted traverse across the vast landmass of Mongolia, on foot from east to west, starting in April 2010.

This effort to push the frontiers of human capabilities, challenge ecological values and inspire youth to reach beyond their perceived limits and engage their dreams.

The Expedition will involve walking 1700 miles / 2750 km’s across the Eastern Mongolian Steppe, Gobi Desert and the Altai Mountain Range, while hauling provisions and equipment weighing in excess of 200kg in a wheeled trailer, specifically designed for the journey, in 90 days or less. …

Mongolia 2010 Expedition (M2010X)

Kraig Becker posted an interview with Davenport, 90 days in advance of the start, on The Adventure Blog.

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add GPS to your iPod Touch

If you’re looking for a GPS for hiking in North America, this add-on will soon be available for about $180.

The GPS Navigation & Battery Cradle provides a complete navigation solution for the iPod touch, including the NavAtlas® turn-by-turn navigation app with TTS technology, and the latest U.S. and Canada maps.

Click PLAY or watch a demo on YouTube.

The Cradle features a built-in GPS Receiver, Rechargeable Battery, Amplified Speaker, Audio Out connection and Mini USB port. An Adjustable Windshield Mount is included for in-car use.

The Cradle, which resembles a thin battery case, is super portable and can be used for in-car navigation (with the provided fully adjustable windshield mount) as well as for handheld use. The built-in GPS receiver provides GPS data to most location-based apps. The NavAtlas app, which works exclusively with the Cradle, will be available on the iTunes App Store for free.

product home page

Will the next generation Touch have GPS built in?

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beautiful British Columbia

With the Winter Olympics, this hiking destination is going to get some great publicity.

Ninety second video features British Columbians Michael J. Fox, Ryan Reynolds, Erick McCormack, Kim Cattrall, Steve Nash, and Sarah McLachlan.

HelloBC.com

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Stevenson Trail (GR70), France

We received a strong recommendation for an historical walk inspired by the classic Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes by Robert Louis Stevenson.

It was chosen by Forbes as one of their Top 10 Travel Adventures.

252km (156mi), most do it Inn to Inn.

Enlightened Traveler – details and more photos

Robert Louis Stevenson’s account of his 140 mile trek through the Massif Central of southern France has long captured the imagination of walkers and lovers of literature alike. In 1991 the Stevenson Trail was finally adopted by the French footpath authorities as the GR70. This guide will prove indispensable to the holidaymaker planning to follow in the nineteenth century author’s footsteps.

It includes a comprehensive list of facilities, accommodation and places of interest along the route, detailed route directions and account of Stevenson’s adventures with his sole companion and beast of burden, the donkey Modestine, at each stage. …

Cicerone 2007 guidebook – The Robert Louis Stevenson Trail: A Walking Tour in the Velay and Cevennes, Southern France

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Trailspotting – hiking photo galleries

Stuart at TrailSpotting.com is doing something interesting and innovative.

He’s built a Gallery on Flickr, adding some of his favourite photos from different photographers.

For example, click through to Yosemite Trailspotters Gallery.

Here’s one of those beautiful pics, Valley Winter Fog From Inspiration Point, by gorman jones.

Next, he’s added some annotation to that photo:

Inspiration Point is a short hike up from Tunnel View where you can admire the splendors of Yosemite Valley. It’s difficult to find an original image from this oft-photographed spot, which makes Gorman Jones’ image all the more impressive.

And, finally, linked to his hiking trip report on that location:

TrailSpotting – Yosemite Inspiration Point

Very elegant, Stuart.

Kudos.

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2010 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour

The trailer for the current world tour has been posted. As always, it’s awesome.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Find out when this amazing event is playing close to where you live – International Schedule

I’m just booking tickets for myself:

Calgary, Canada – January 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

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climber Greg Mortenson on PBS

Friday, January 15 on Bill Moyers Journal:

Author and humanitarian Greg Mortenson, whose best-selling books THREE CUPS OF TEA and STONES INTO SCHOOLS argue that education is the best way to peace in Afghanistan and across the Islamic world. Bill Moyers Journal airs Friday nights at 9 p.m. on PBS. Check your local listings.

Click PLAY or watch a preview on YouTube.

PBS.org – details

(via Trailspace)

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hike Sawtooth Traverse – Idaho

One of the great hikes of the world is a well kept secret. So says the trekking guidebook author Peter Potterfield:

… I wouldn’t go so far as to say a veil of secrecy protects these mountains, but it’s clear those who know the range best tend to keep their secrets close. Unlike mountains such as the Tetons, where topography and heavy visitation make them more of an open book, this compact range of steep mountains, twisting valleys, and hidden alpine basins lends itself to exploration and discovery. The fact is, finding the most interesting corners of the range can take persistence, and time.

“I call it ‘quiet pioneering’,” said Kirk Bachman, the founder and long time owner of Sawtooth Mountain Guides. “There truly is a unique ethos here in the Sawtooths. You could describe it as a certain reticence, or reserve, on the part of the climbers and backpackers who come here. They are quiet about where they’ve been. There’s a reluctance to share with the world their favorite places because here, the way to learn about these mountains is to go see for yourself.” …

read Peter’s trip report on Great Outdoors – Sawtooth Traverse – A trek across the mountains of Idaho’s Sawtooth Wilderness

Alice Lake
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world’s lightest day pack?

I need one of these.

The Gear Junkie:

It stuffs down to a size smaller than a baseball. Its manufacturer, Sea to Summit Inc. of Perth, Australia, suggests using it as a keychain. But unpack the Ultra-Sil Day Pack and its crinkly “siliconized” Cordura nylon quickly takes shape, a backpack materializing from a tiny ball right in front of your eyes.

As outdoors products go, the Ultra-Sil Day Pack is certainly strange. It is far from technical gear. The backpack, a basic sack equipped with shoulder straps, carries its stowed items with scant support. Lumps protrude from the thin fabric where a shoe or a water bottle might be stuffed inside. Objects dig into your back.

But what this $28 backpack lacks in performance it gains in improbable convenience. The Ultra-Sil Day Pack weighs just 2.4 ounces. It fits in any pocket. Unzipped and open, there’s about 20 liters of space inside–enough area to stow a day’s worth of supplies while traveling. …

The Gear Junkie Scoop: Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack