You need a new challenge. You've scaled Everest, you've climbed a big wall, you've done an Ironman, you're divorced with 2 kids, you get turned on by thoughts of Karl Rove naked throwing boiled red kielbasas at you (fock, maybe that's just me), welcome to the world of adventure racing. No longer the sufferfest of Raid and Eco-Challenge years, ARacing is now available in many flavours, 3 hour, half day, 24 hour, 3 day, and the much longer Primal Quest and Raid type races. You've dedicated more room in your apartment to gear storage than living, now you just need to learn how to navigate, duct tape your feet, endure sleepless nights, cold, wet feet, and tolerate your teamate who won't shutup about a some f**king french dip sandwich. Here's a primer from Robin Benincasa, one of ARacing's heavyweights, and that's not just figurative, she's a big girl.

Okay, you know darn well you've been wanting to try "that crazy adventure racing stuff" for a while now. Well, this is your quit-being-afraid-and-get-out-there official quick-start guide! One word of advice before we start: RUN! NOW! Before it's too late!

Adventure racing is the most addictive sport you will ever try, and once you get sucked in, there's no going back.

So you may as well sell your aero bars, clear out your garage to make space for scads of new gear, cut back on your hours at work, give away your tangerine Speedo, invest in some duct tape and call all your closest pals 'cause you're about to enter a world where anything and everything is possible. (Your course is limited only by your imagination.)

Robin. Classy chic. At Eco-Challenge Utah, I was talking to her and she pulled down her tights and peed right in front of me. And yes, the stories of her and Mitch U. spitting in each other's mouths abound. Anyway, I have a friend competing in one of these this weekend. And while he is a good chap, he has succumbed to the gear intensive nature of such hijinks also known as ARacing. So when your next mountain bike ride becomes a 'training ride,'a mere jog is now 'conditioning,' and eating a bowl of pasta is carbo-regeneration, you've reached the first step to becoming an ARacing dork.

While climb_ca has been flexing his journalistic prowess investigating the Chinese massacre of Tibetan near the Nangpa La, I focus on the light-hearted, the fanciful, the inane. For the first time ever, the Miss Tibet contest was open to the public.

Metok Lhanzey, 20, walks during the 'swimwear round' of Miss Tibet open to the public for the first time this year in Dharamsala, in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, October 13, 2006. Three years ago, at the tender age of 17, Lhanzey sat in solitary confinement in a pitch dark, filthy and horribly cramped Chinese prison cell in the Tibetan capital Lhasa. This weekend, the nervous 20-year-old is dreaming about being crowned Miss Tibet in a small but controversial beauty pageant held by Tibetan refugees in northern India. Photo taken October 13, 2006. (Stringer/Reuters)

Sweet. And yet strange. Just 3 years ago, she was sitting in her own feces in a Chinese prison, and now look at her, so 'happy' in a swimsuit. Those Chinese really know how to spin a story - amazor. During the interview portion, I'm sure each candidate would want to say they envision a Tibet free of Chinese oppression, but really can't because the Chinese army garrison at Nylaam has her whole family locked away at gunpoint. Nice. Anyway, I'd imagine there's not much Zoolander happening here, I mean, physical fitness, talent show, evening gown? What the f**k? Physical fitness would be herding 55 yaks over 20k mountain passes for 6 days on end, talent show would be pulling the tsampa out of your armpit and offering it to the judges, evening gown would be made out of sumptuous zopkio hair, and swimsuit? Tibetans jump into rivers with all their clothes on, why? It's called the washing machine.

Just received my invite to the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the American Himalayan Foundation. They are honoured to present as keynote speaker, former Vice President Al Gore and pleased to salute 'our Himalayan Stars.' There weren't any significant American climbs in the Himalayans this year, so the use of Stars escapes me. Regardless, I'm pleased that Al Gore is realising a new career in environmental causes/speaking engagements, otherwise he's only be known for having lost an election to a chimp and having super hot daughters. A little more here:

The American Himalayan Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the people and ecology of the Himalaya.

In these remote regions people often live without basic health care and education. Economic pressures have forced environmental degradation. And traditional ways of life are in danger of disappearing.

The American Himalayan Foundation was founded twenty-five years ago to respond to some of these pressing problems. What we do is very basic: build schools, plant trees, train doctors, fund hospitals, take care of children and elderly, and restore sacred sites throughout the Himalayas. We also assist and encourage Tibetans to rebuild and maintain their culture both in exile, and within Tibet.

Bravo. I applaud such causes and if spending time in my perfectly tailored Emporio Armani shawl collar tuxedo will help, then I'm all for it. Unfortunately, you know my view on such events, but look Tibetans do not have it easy and will somehow receive some trickle down support (money) from this event. $200 and hanging out with old white drunkards with alcohol induced rosacea who couldn't even point out Tibet on a map? What's not to love? I'll be there, UltraFormat is my plus one.

Sorry no blogging last night, climb_ca is busy preparing for the Ho-Down this weekend and I ... well I was hammered as usual. Ever wish there was a list of outdoor events for your particular area for the coming weekend? We've found it for you, Weekend Sherpa, every Thursday you get a Daily Candy-type email telling about what's cool and what to do that weekend. They've started in the Bay Area, why? Because everything outdoors revolves around the Bay Area. A little more.

Weekend Sherpa is a free weekly e-mail newsletter giving you the scoop on a variety of outdoor pursuits exclusive to Northern California. Every Thursday, Weekend Sherpa will be your guide.

I like it. Though a sherpa actually carries your shit or fixes your lines or cooks for you and really doesn't guide, or better yet, sherpa, defines a racial group. So Weekend Sherpa really doesn't know what it does and is actually completely racist? Bleh. I'd rather spend my time cavorting with supermodels, loofa-ing me senseless, on a topless beach somewhere, but Weekend Sherpa can be your guide to the hardman events each weekend. climb_ca need not apply.  Give it a shot, I think it's a great idea whose time has come, sign up and fill your junkmail box.