Love in a Tent comments on a New Zealand government plan to draw even more outdoor enthusiasts to that fantastic country.
… New Zealand’s Prime Minister, John Key, held a “job summit” to try to find ways to save jobs during this global recession. He gathered together a bunch of business and labour leaders to see if a day of brainstorming could produce a miracle solution.
While many ideas were bounced around, one of the ones that seems to have really caught the PM’s attention is a proposal to build a cycleway the entire length of New Zealand. This would become a major tourist draw, and help to boost falling visitor numbers. It would also create jobs building the trail, which was estimated to cost around $50 million. (Sounds low to me.) …
Love in a Tent advises that New Zealand not neglect the Te Araroa tramping trail. That’s 3,000km of gorgeous Kiwi walking. Volunteers are hoping to officially open it in late 2010. (One reason I’m planning to tramp New Zealand in 2011.)
The Te Araroa Trust posted a response March 14th. An interesting point of view: The Pedal Corridor
Personally, I’m happy to do the best parts of both routes. Hiking. And biking.
Triple Blaze posted a list of the top 100 hikes in California.
While not exactly the kind of serious hikes we are looking for, it’s still interesting. And the list will improve over time. It changes as readers vote.
“Ray Jardine revisits and rethinks his classic ultralight backpacking text…”
Overview
Ray Jardine, arguably the founding father of ultralight backpacking as we know it, wrote a book entitled Beyond Backpacking and, within its pages, presented to a backpacking community with weary backs and knees tips and techniques by which they could lighten their loads and travel easier. The book was a sellout success, and copies nowadays (if you can find one at all) fetch dozens if not hundreds of dollars on eBay and Craigslist.
Jardine is back with a revised and revamped book in which he revisits many of the principles in Beyond Backpacking and touches on new information as well. His latest installment is entitled Trail Life: Ray Jardine’s Lightweight Backpacking; 25,000 Miles of Trail-Tested Know-How.
With chapter titles such as Packweight, Equipment, Wilderness Skills, Trail Biology, and Long Distance Hiking, one can begin to see Jardine has a diversity of knowledge to impart to his readership. Jardine continues to preach some of the tenets of ultralight backpacking such as tarp vs. tent and lightweight shoes vs. boots. …
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It was just announced that World 24 hour Mountain Bike Champion Rebecca Rusch and Furnace 508 Champion Michael Emde will compete at Adventure Sports Week 2009.
“We’re thrilled to have stars the caliber of Rebecca and Michael racing with us,” said organizer Dave Adlard.
Rebecca, nicknamed “the Queen of Pain,” will be competing in multiple events, including the Mad Dash 8 hour mountain bike ride, the “It’s Only a Fleshwound” orienteering event, and the Crux and the Crucible Adventure race.
Michael Emde, the defending champion of the Furnace 508 bike race will also be riding in the Mad Dash. The Furnace 508 is widely acclaimed as the world’s toughest single day event, as the racers ride 508 miles through Death Valley in the summer, with over 30,000 feet of elevation.
Adventure Sports Week is a 10 day long festival of 24 outdoor races, contests, clinics and social events taking place at Farragut State Park, 30 miles north of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, June 5—14, 2009.
Reinhold Metzger’s record of 5 days 7 Hours 45 minutes without being resupplied was shattered by Michael Popov. We’ve updated our JMT information page.
Speed record
The speed record for fastpacking the John Muir Trail without resupply (as of 2007) is held by Michael Popov, who completed the trail in 4 days, 5 hours, and 25 minutes. Popov carried all of his equipment and received no outside assistance.
On August 26, 2007 Sue Johnston arrived at Happy Isles trailhead in Yosemite Valley, having run from Whitney Portal in 3 days, 20 hours. Total distance 218 miles (351 km).
Scientists have discovered a massive mountain range, the size of the Alps and named the Gamburtsev range, two miles under the world’s largest ice sheet in the Antarctic.
It’s the world’s highest free-standing mountain, one of the seven summits and the highest peak in Africa. While a host of celebrities gear up to set foot on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, TRAIL magazine – the UK’s best-selling hill-walking magazine – has just got home from the mountain.
Love in a Tent advises that New Zealand not neglect the Te Araroa tramping trail. That’s 3,000km of gorgeous Kiwi walking. Volunteers are hoping to officially open it in late 2010. (One reason I’m planning to tramp New Zealand in 2011.)
