Getoutdoors.com Outdoor Blog

Are You the Memphis Crackhead Who Got Shot at While Riding Your Bike?

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:34:01 -0800

The local Memphis Fox affiliate has run the most baffling news report I've ever read about a cyclist. A man was arrested at 4:30am on a Sunday for shooting at a suspected crackhead riding a bike. It sounds like the drunken man and his brother were watching a VHS copy of Boondock Saints, and they decided to go on a vigilante mission of their own. They loaded up their truck with an expandable baton, some brass knuckles, and a .45 with a box of ammo. The most interesting point in the article is that the Fox people seem to take for granted that the guy on a bike was indeed a crackhead. I'm not sure how you determine the drug consumption of a guy riding by on a bike at 4:30am, but all the Natural Light Ice these two were drinking must have given them a 5th, maybe even a 6th sense.

Bike Racks by David Byrne

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:33:58 -0800

David Byrne is worrying about the government. The musician and writer designed 11 bike racks to be placed in neighborhoods around Manhattan. The DOT apparently has the authority to put these things in place, but if they're going to stay for more than a year and be considered 'permanent fixtures,' the city's Design Commission gets final say. That year expired last week, and Byrne wrote a testy blog post about the Commission's decision. Seems the city accepted the 9 racks that had already been placed, but as a political move, they denied installing the last two. The decision to require that the last two racks get tossed in the trash, Byrne says, is because the Design Commission was angry that they were passed over on the DOT's original decision to install the racks. Why is this important? Well, one of the bike racks that will never be installed was based on a brand of the cheap liquor Thunderbird. Such a shame.

Big Wave Surfing in High-Def and Slow-Mo

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:51:00 -0800

Shot in high-def and slow motion, big wave surfer Dylan Longbottom barrels down a 12-foot wave. This is the first shot of its kind, and offers those of us who paddle out only to get pounded into the sand a glimpse into what it's like.

via Wend

Most Expensive Ski Home in Summit County Blows Up

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:22:06 -0800

It's news like this that makes me consider the possibility that the universe operates with some checks and balances. That there's a great cosmic force in the universe that is employed solely in righting itself. I'm talking, of course, about the news that the house that set the record for the most-expensive home sale in Summit County at $8.28 million exploded last night. Sadly, it seems that it was a fairly localized, internal explosion. I certainly hope that no one was injured in the home when unventilated lacquer being sprayed as part of a remodeling project caught fire and blew the hell up. Really, the first thing you have to do after spending over $8 million on a home is remodel. Fortunately for the owners, sprinklers in the house were required by building codes since the home is over 6,000sq ft. The damage was limited to one blown out window and one burned out room. Hayduke lives!

Trek and LeMond Settle Lawsuit. Sexual Abuse Victims Win

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:22:26 -0800

Greg LeMond and Trek settled the terms of their bizarre lawsuit that started over two years ago. LeMond had put Trek in the awkward position of distributing and marketing LeMond bikes while simultaneously supporting Lance Armstrong. The arrangement wouldn't have been awkward if LeMond hadn't answered an Italian reporter's questions with troubling stories about Armstrong's supposed relationship to a doctor that had been accused of supplying other cyclists with performance enhancing drugs. Trek and LeMond settled out of court, and Trek agreed to pay $200,000 to 1in6.org, a charity that helps victims of sexual abuse. LeMond will also retain the rights to his namesake brand of bikes.

My take? LeMond won big. His angle on Armstrong doping was utter nonsense. If Armstrong was going to dope--and I'm not saying he did--there's no way that he would have reached out to a questionable Italian doc for help. The guy is sponsored by a massive pharmaceutical company. I'm sure they could cook up a winning, undetectable cocktail if they threw a few million dollars at the problem.

Bataleon's Greening of Snowboarding

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:16:03 -0800

You have to hand it to the snowboard maker Bataleon for at least acknowledging the obvious in this case. They don't pretend like their 'green' product is going to save the world. They at least acknowledge that snowboarding is not a green activity. Filling cars with gas, driving to the mountain, running chairlifts, and riding on manmade snow are all easy targets for opponents of global warming. Bataleon looks at snowboarding, shrugs its shoulders, and says, "Well, the least we can do is make a 'green' board." An even greener option would be to offer a splitboard so that people can skin for turns instead of ridingman made snow and gas-powered lifts, but I don't think one would work with their convex base. Instead we'll just ask people to throw away their old snowboards to buy this green version.

The Week In Outdoors

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

Man, I love Chris Davenport's life. Attempts to ski all Colorado's 14ers in one season, doesn't make it, still skis them all in one year, makes giant coffee table book about it, moves on to next adventure, then the next, then plans ski siege of peaks in Antarctica. Films that, makes movie. The movie, Australis: An Antarctic Ski Odyssey, looks phenomenal. Given the setting and what these mutants are doing, I'm not sure how they could go wrong.

It's Been a Bad Week for Drunken Cyclists

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:41:55 -0800

It's been a ugly week for drunk bicyclists. A couple years ago it seemed that this would all be behind us since the progressive state of South Dakota legalized cycling and horseback riding while drunk. After all, as South Dakota goes, so with the nation. But, sadly, we still have to report on the drunken debauchery of cyclist run-ins with police. The first was in South Florida earlier this week when a police pulled over a man on a bike for riding without lights. He refused a breathalyzer and was booked on $9000 bail. The second man was stopped in Louisiana for riding at night without lights, and booked on a DUI and carrying an illegal weapon. Sure, he may have had a butcher knife taped to a pool cue, but the important thing here is that he wasn't recklessly endangering anyone's life by getting behind the wheel of a car. What lesson can we take away from this? Always use a bike light.

Global Warming Climbing Opportunities: Gamburtsev Mountains

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

There are tragedies afoot with this whole climate change thing. We'll miss some of the glaciers in the Alps and in Glacier National Park, and it's too bad all those people's homes will be underwater. But as soon as that damn Antarctic ice sheet melts, there is going to be some sick climbing revealed. Antarctica's roughly 8500-foot tall Gamburtsev Mountains are not the brave new world challenge of Olympus Mons, but you can see some potential from these images from National Geographic. If you're interested in helping climbing progress, fire up your SUV, leave the lights on, and ask your energy company what else you can do to increase your carbon footprint, before the Huber brothers are too old to out up some routes.

Haiti Needs Tents! Someone Organize That Please..Ahem Gear Junkie

nospam@example.com (GetOutdoors) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:27:11 -0800

We know it's already time to move on to the next disaster, but before we forget Haiti, perhaps we can send them a few tents. This headline from the NY Times seems tailor made for the outdoor industry to step in and offer some assistance. Com'on now boys and girls, please tell us someone is organizing something....

Haitis Homeless Need Tents, Aid Groups Say
International aid organizations said they had identified three sites to temporarily resettle the homeless. Brazilian teams have begun clearing a field in the Croix des Bouquets neighborhood for a tent city for some 10,000 people, according to Niurka Piñeiro, a spokeswoman for the International Organization for Migration, but it estimates the need at 100,000 tents for families of five, to assist 500,000 people.
Another temporary settlement will be established on Rue de Tabarre for the estimated 4,000 people now camped in squalid conditions on the grounds of the prime ministers home. A third settlement will be built in the city of Léogâne. And French authorities have said that they will begin efforts to provide water and sanitation to several thousand people crowded in the Champ de Mars plaza downtown.
Tents, tents, tents, Ms. Piñeiro said. Thats the word we want to get out. We need tents.

Com'on now. Somebody organize this. We nominate Mr. Gear Junkie, Stephen Regenold. He's probably the most well connected of us all. Who seconds it? He might be too busy testing his new jello jacket, but maybe not...

UPDATE:

No sooner did we post this, than we get a link to ex-AAC president Mark Richey and his wife putting together a 2nd shipment of tents for Haiti. Anything else? Bigger or more organized? Gear Junkie, get on it.

If the GearJunkie doesn't step in we'll be happy to figure out how to collect tents. Probably makes sense that people setup ways to collect old tents by city. Hurry up and figure it out Gear Junkie and let us know.

Man Suing Olympic Organizers and Cypress Mountain for His Ski Crash

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 07:05:33 -0800

A man from Vancouver struck gold when he smacked his skull on some snowmaking equipment at the Olympic venue on Cypress Mountain. Not only does he get to sue the ski resort for his reckless behavior, but he also gets to go after the Olympic organizers. This little ski crash happened all the way back in February last year, and he says he's suffered injuries to his head and face, as well as memory loss and, of course, depression. And I thought that the U.S. had exclusivity rights with frivolous lawsuits. At least the accident happened at the Cypress venue and not Whistler since the impending auctioning of the Olympic venue could have complicated the man's litigation.

Champion Supersuit: Next Best Thing Or Next Forgettable Thing

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

Ever notice how many people go to OR to "cover" it, and then everybody just ends up partying and networking instead? The one thing I was hoping to hear about was the Champion Supersuit, a gel-filled "extreme weather suit" that is intended to replace bulky down suits for high-altitude mountaineering, and was unveiled last weekend. The Gear Junkie is pimping it, of course, because he's on the team going to Everest with the Expedition Hanesbrands team that will be wearing this stuff: "Champion is touting its Supersuit as having 'the potential to change the entire outdoor apparel industry.'" Or the potential to be a footnote, of course. You can say one thing -- at least these guys are pumping some science and effort into this trip, more than you can say for Eddie Bauer's First Ascent. If it lives up to the hype, I'm hoping they can put together a tiny, tiny 0-degree sleeping bag, and then mail me a free one. We'll see.

First Teenager to Climb The 7 Summits

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:29:28 -0800

Being a teenager is rough. No one likes them; even themselves. I have no idea if the youngest person to top out on the 7 Summits enjoyed high school at all, but I am proud of him for getting out of there for a year to chase this accomplishment. There'll be plenty of time for females during college. Johnny Collinson of Utah became the first 17-year-old to top out on the tallest peak on each continent. His first one was Mount Rainier when he was only 4 years old. This goes to prove how much you can accomplish if you give up on drinking booze and chasing sexy singles for a few years.

The Week In Outdoors

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

Well, everyone's at Winter OR now, and this morning is probably the worst of the hangovers. Someone get us a photo of this Hanes gel-filled 8,000-meter suit if you see it. Jordan Romero's probably there, pimping his quest to be the youngest person to complete the 7 summits, and this week, 17-year-old Johnny Collinson became the youngest ever to do it. Try to remember what you were doing at their age: trying to get past third base, drinking stolen liquor, getting yelled at by your football coach, deciphering emo lyrics. Oh yeah, I remember this song. Like it was yesterday. I was in Antarctica with a bunch of smelly climbers and guides, trying to go climb Vinson. Were there any cute girls there, dude? No, not really. Oh.

The Talented Mr. Yang Yu Bao - Delivery Man with a Song and a Helmet

nospam@example.com (eBomb) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:30:00 -0800

Like a Seinfeld episode, it's all about good writing, except liqwid as$troknot and dumbout. Tightness of content, underlying theme, circle back to the message - that's what I learned in my screenplay writing class at UCLA. Keeping on the helmet AND Chi-knees themes from the earlier posts, this post neatly sums it up - that makes GoBlog the pinnacle of spontaneous writing, my brother. This is one of those feel good stories or human touch pieces that makes living in New York bearable - enter Mr. Yang Yu Bao. While you may think he is just another one of the multitudes of bicycle delivery guys around the city, here's one with talent and a message: whilst singing a song, safety first, keep your helmet on.

Chinese Discover Parkour, Plan To Own It By 2020

nospam@example.com (GetOutdoors) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:26:25 -0800

Word is the French will be pushing through legislation soon that requires 75% of all Parkour videos shown on YouTube in France, to be of French origin. Additionally, a new division of the Cultural Ministry will be studying ways to protect Parkour from becoming commoditized and offered illegally by Chinese intellectual copyright pirates. Stay tuned.

Helmet Laws = Less Kids Riding Bikes

nospam@example.com (GetOutdoors) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:30:42 -0800

Hmmmm. So says a recent study, that basically comes down to the simple fact that helmets look plain dorky and kids, well, they have enough problems growing up without looking dorky. Freakonomics explains the study:

There is also robust evidence for an unintended and previously undocumented mechanism: helmet laws produced modest but statistically significant reductions in youth bicycling participation of 4-5 percent.
The authors offer three explanations for why this may be true:
1. The cost of helmets, both monetary and social i.e., Helmets are uncool, so if Ive got to wear a helmet to ride my bike, Ill find something else to do.
2. There is evidence that youths have suboptimally high discount rates (Gruber 2001), such that some youths might place too little weight on the expected gain in future utility from the prevention of injury or death relative to the costs of wearing helmets today.
3. Bike-helmet laws lower the price of activities similar to biking skateboarding, rollerblading, etc. that do not require a helmet.

Further Pursue The Gnar With Heli-Yoga

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

Helicopters increase the intensity of everything, as you may have learned by watching Die Hard, or one of those Teton Gravity Research films where they not only have rad ski shots from helicopters, but even shots of other helicopters from their helicopters. We know what heli-skiing is, and maybe you've heard of "heli-hiking," which is a great alternative for out-and-back hikes, if you're lazy. But if you're sitting around asking yourself, "What's sicker than dropping into Alaska steeps after being dropped off at the top of a peak by helicopter?" We say, "Why, dropping into downward dog after being dropped off by helicopter, of course." Heli-Yoga. You can fly into some pristine land near Banff, get a Hatha yoga session in and come out of Savasana to the noise of a helicopter landing to pick you up.

Just a short drive outside Banff National Park near Albertas Lake Louise, Icefield Helicopter Tours takes the conventional aerial experience one step further. This helicopter tourism provider has partnered with Marthas Heli-Hikes, an outdoor adventure outfitter, and together, they are offering a variety of high altitude activities, from hiking to snow shoeing, ice walking to yoga.

Are Motorcycle Fees in National Parks Unfair?

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:08:00 -0800

The Las Vegas Sun is running an editorial right now entitled, "Motorcycle riders get the shaft at national parks." It essentially points out that cars are charged $25 for entrance regardless of how many passengers are hidden in the trunk, but motorcycle riders are charged $12 for one rider and $12 per passenger. The writer claims discrimination and suggests a boycott of national parks. As a former motorcycle rider and avowed liberal hiker who hates extremely loud bikes in National Parks, I can at least say I understand where he's coming from, though I have little sympathy. Maybe they should mandate a measurement of engine noise for all vehicles entering National Parks and apply higher fees to louder vehicles. At least that'd be fair across the board.

The Week In Outdoors

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

There's been a good amount of discussion of Personal Locator Beacons in Colorado as of late, mostly because some shit-for-brains backcountry user keeps turning theirs on near Berthoud Pass. Eight times in a month, that is. The PLB isn't registered, and six times, rescuers have headed out to try to find the person in distress, only to find it's been turned off by the time they get anywhere close. One theory is that it's somebody who thinks they have an avalanche beacon, and they turn it on, get in a few turns, and turn it off again. Remember, there have been calls for legislation requiring every Mount Hood climber to carry one of these. It sucks to say, but the more of PLBs sold, the more chance someone this stupid is going to own one, making it a real pain in the ass for SAR crews.

Tens Of Thousands Dead In Haiti; Cruise Ships Still Stopping By

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

Awkward. From the Guardian:

Sixty miles from Haiti's devastated earthquake zone, luxury liners dock at private beaches where passengers enjoy jet ski rides, parasailing and rum cocktails delivered to their hammocks.

The decision to go ahead with the visit has divided passengers. The ships carry some food aid, and the cruise line has pledged to donate all proceeds from the visit to help stricken Haitians. But many passengers will stay aboard when they dock; one said he was "sickened".

"I just can't see myself sunning on the beach, playing in the water, eating a barbecue, and enjoying a cocktail while [in Port-au-Prince] there are tens of thousands of dead people being piled up on the streets, with the survivors stunned and looking for food and water," one passenger wrote on the Cruise Critic internet forum.

Fat Bike Trailer

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

I just had the pleasure of watching Fat Bike, a documentary about snow biking in Alaska. The elements of Anchorage winter bike commuting, the Surly Pugsley, and the Susitna 100 come together to make a good short film -- which won the Boston Bike Film Festival a couple months back. These folks are definitely the fringe of a fringe of cycling. More info at IndieAKFilms.com.

Utah: Come for the Snow, Stay for the Mustard Gas

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:04:52 -0800

You might be able to save $20 bucks on your Snowbird lift ticket when the air quality in Salt Lake dips into toxic levels, but just what will you be breathing while knocking around town after a day of skiing The 'Bird? Deseret Chemicals announced this week that their chemical depot will resume destroying Cold War era Mustard Gas in their Utah plant. They had to stop about a year ago when they found that the smoke issuing from the burning of mustard gas had too much mercury was was poisoning the people of Utah and their water. The U.S. Army has 70% of their mustard gas stockpile in Utah. Sure, it's great that they're destroying this stuff, but why in Utah? Well, that's part of what comes with living in one of the most Republican states in the U.S. Utah sells low-octane gasoline because it's your right as an American to put whatever garbage you want into your car. You're also free to borrow money from pawn shops at criminal interest rates, or buy the rights to burn mustard gas in your backyard. Just, whatever you do, don't drink a full-strength beer around me.

iPhone App Keeping Ski Resort Snow Totals In Check

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

The Globe and Mail has an interesting story about an iPhone app that it says is making it impossible for ski resorts to exaggerate their snow totals. There was a Dartmouth study a few months back that said resorts do exaggerate their snow totals, and more frequently on the weekends, when resorts close to urban areas pull in a lot of business from city folk who head up more often when there's new snow. It's nice to have the scientific proof, but hey, ski resorts exaggerate the amount of powder, TGIFriday's exaggerates the quality of their food. This is America. Anyway, the article, and how the iPhone is saving affluent white people from the injustices suffered by past affluent white people:

During the final season of the study, 2008-2009, skireport.com added a feature to its popular iPhone app that let skiers opine live from the mountain. The professors found that dispatches such as this one Jackson Hole DID NOT get 15 today ... more like 0 had an instant impact on the industry.

The weekend effect drops to zero where the iPhone is heavily used, said economist Eric Zitzewitz at Dartmouth. Consumers are getting armed with ever-more data. There's a deeper message, it goes beyond just skiing. When it's easier for consumers to share information, all of a sudden we don't see the exaggeration.

Air Quality Lift Ticket Discounts in Utah

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:28:32 -0800

The picturesque Wasatch Front. A jewel of the West and home to some of the finest snow in the world. Surely this unspoiled tract of wilderness has maintained its postcard charm. What? Salt Lake City had the worst air quality in the country several days last week? No air movement through the valley and a perfect grid of stoplights that are timed for a lot of stop-and-go has contributed to the current thick smog that prevents you from seeing more than a couple blocks. The air is so bad that it's rated unhealthy for anyone to be outside, it's not just the young and old who should stay inside. The only good news is that Snowbird is offering $20 off lift tickets during the inversion so that people can get above the pollution and actually see the sun for a few hours.

Summit On The Summit: Is Jimmy Chin Going To Hump Jessica Biel?

nospam@example.com (climb_ca) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:12:24 -0800

Wow, how much do you guys miss me and eBomb? We get one or two emails every six months saying you do. Anyway, with all due respect to my colleague Runout, but I think he's missing the point about Summit On The Summit. Sure, I've had about 6 drinks tonight, but it all became clear to me after I looked through this Hindenburg of a website. First of all, other than the annoying faux walkie talkie loop, it looks like they have the people on the "climb" hooked up to heart rate monitors. Sure it's probably all fake, but what if it wasn't? WHAT IF IT WASN'T? Because folks, have you looked at the people on the climb? I did. I recognize a grand total of two, Jimmy Chin and Jessica Biel.

Are you shitting me? Why on earth did Jimmy go on this ridiculous pr event? God bless he's soul. He's a good climber and a great photographer, but what the hell was he thinking? Totally didn't get it, till I saw this Biel girl on the list. Only reason I know her is eBomb loves the Backstreet boys (seriously) and I think he mentioned she was dating one of those guys. And I have to admit, she hot. So it all makes sense, Jimmy said to himself, this is a joke, but maybe I'll get to hump the Backstreet Boys' girlfriend. Which brings me back to the heart monitor. Watch Jimmy's and Jessica's. If they start showing elevated heart rates, while everyone is just chilling, you know Jimmy scored. Make it happen Jimmy. Show them Hollywood girls how a mountainsexual man rolls...

The Week In Outdoors

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

I hope these guys raise a ton of money and do some good, because it looks like they've already spent a ton of money on something that looks like a giant flop, and it isn't even off the ground yet. Summit On The Summit is a giant advertising and PR campaign in which a bunch of celebrities climb Kilimanjaro to raise "awareness" of the world water crisis. And hopefully some money. As of yesterday, they had raised about $37,000, or a little less than one percent of the price of Jessica Biel's condo. I'm pretty sure the "climbers" (Lupe Fiasco, Kenna, Biel, Isabel Lucas, Emile Hirsch, etc.) and their corporate sponsors (Hewlett Packard, Windows 7, PUR, etc.) could have skipped the whole mountain climbing stunt, and just gotten together for a check-writing party and raised about a hundred times that much money. The web site takes 25 seconds to load, the cheesy YouTube "training" videos each have about 7,000 hits, and you're invited to a giant Tweeting shitstorm. (Lupe Fiasco will personally read all your Tweets on the summit of Kilimanjaro!) Follow along.

Julia Mancuso Calendar

nospam@example.com (GetOutdoors) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:20:35 -0800

Wow, outscooped by Rocky. And on a Julia Mancuso item. We were asleep on this one. Anyway, seems our favorite pinup girl has her own calendar available to purchase for $16.95 on her site or free if you want to just download it. And to her credit, it's not full of cheap Lange type pics. There are a few of her actually doing what she does well, skiing. And even one of her surfing, which we include here. The only bikini shot is actually tasteful. So thumbs up from GoBlog. Nothing to mock here. Pick one up for your favorite horny teenage boy.

Julia Mancuso's T Minus The A Are Baaaaack!!!

nospam@example.com (GetOutdoors) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:02:29 -0800

Everybody's favorite ski bunny, Julia Mancuso, is back. What is it that she does again? Because whatever it is she does she should quit and concentrate full time on doing what she does well, showing off her ~~ski~~ rack. Here's a sneak peek at a spread in our favorite outside ~~soft porn~~ mag, Outside. Enjoy boys.

RELATED POSTS:

Julia Mancuso: Sexing It Up As The New Lange Lady

nospam@example.com (climb_ca) — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:14:37 -0800

Receive updates when we get more pictures of Julie RSS or Email

Lange has a rich history of objectifying women via amazingly tacky ads featuring scantily clad women offering come hither looks in gaudy colored Lange boots. Wow, speaking of gaudy, that sentence...Anyway, the ads were true works of art and any teenager of a certain age can attest to spending many an evening with one of the ladies. In an attempt to recapture their past glory on every teenage boy's nightstand next to the Kleenex box, Lange is dusting off the boots and bringing back the Lange ladies. But instead of anonymous airheads, they're bringing in pro athletes ~~airheads~~ to add an air of respectability. And the chosen one this year, Julia Mancuso:

"And Julia Mancuso is the perfect person to introduce the new 'Lange Girl Athlete' program because she's both an incredible athlete as well as a fun, outgoing, attractive young lady. She obviously lives in part to compete and win, but she also lives to surf, to play and to have fun. In our minds, that's a very healthy outlook for all of us," Wardlaw concludes.

Word. He should've added, "And she loves the idea of being the the object of a thousand teenage boys spank sessions." In fact, you can take part in the circus by voting for the picture that will soon adorn a thousand teenage boys' rooms nationwide.

Related Posts:

Russian "Parkour" Part Duex

nospam@example.com (GetOutdoors) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

Last month we posted about a couple of crazy Russians jumping between two 5-8 story buildings. Kind of a Russian version of Parkour. But lets be honest, a couple of liters of vodka, and everything probably seems like Parkour over there. "Ivan, did you see that guy pass out flat on his face. Awesome Parkour move." Anyway, seems parkour traditionalists are a bit insulted that anyone would call this kind of insane stunt parkour. You can read the whole conversion on the forum, Americanparkour, but basically the gist is this has nothing to do with parkour. Regardless, there's a link to the video about the jump that shows the setup. C-R-A-Z-Y. They basically stacked a lot of empty boxes between the two buildings in case either missed. Boxes dudes. Cardboard boxes to break an 8 story fall. Boxes. Here's one of the forum guys breaking down the physics of why both of them seemed a little hurt after their jump.

I was motivated to do the Math. So here it is, I think... if it was a 7m gap and a, 11m drop, that gives us a hypotenuse of 13.something, which I rounded up to 13.1m to roughly account for their curved travel path. That is 42.9790 feet of travel. h(t) = 42.9790 - 16t2 for finding the amount of time t, traveled in the air. If h(t) is the height of impact, 0, then that gives us a travel time of 1.63896 seconds. Solving for velocity = gravity x time, he was ~roughly~ traveling at about 17.88 mph when he hit the pads. If someone wants to do the weight that was put on his knees at the point of impact, I would like that.

Animal Photobomb

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:04:45 -0800

Seal wants to say what's up, too. No idea where this picture came from. Maybe a scene cut from March of the Penguins? The director removed it because it didn't support his anthropomorphic Christian message. Or was it an Atheist message? Animal documentaries are great because no one talks; makes it easier to force my own message on them. If you like animals acting human, you'll be a fan of Acting Like Animals.

via This is Photobomb

Twitter From The Backcountry: Delorme and SPOT Bring Text Messaging Outdoors

nospam@example.com (GetOutdoors) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:35:18 -0800

Oh man, the backcountry just got a little smaller. If you didn't think Facebook and Twitter are pervasive and intrusive enough, get ready for the twin leaders in the business of oversharing to invade your favorite backcountry hideaway as early as this Spring:

The DeLorme Earthmate(R) PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator will be the first handheld GPS navigation device capable of sending customized text messages even when the user is operating far beyond the range of cellular communications. The product is scheduled for general availability in the Spring of 2010 and will be unveiled this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.(via SPOT press release)

Don't know what to think about this. Mixed feelings obviously, but it was inevitable. Technology in the backcountry obviously sucks, leads to a lot of stupid people making making stupid decisions because they think their phones will save them, and is antithetical to the reason most people go into the backcountry in the first place; to find peace, quiet, and beauty in nature, away from the "conveniences" of modern life. But on the flipside, technology has probably saved a few dumb or unlucky people in the backcountry, and lets be honest, if you've got more people out there sending back pictures and reflections on the wonders of nature, maybe more people will find nature wonderful. Who knows, but be prepared for some gruesome media spectacles as stranded, dying climbers on high peaks Tweet their last words and update their Facebook profiles for the last time. Like the sad final call Rob Hall made to his pregnant wife on Everest during the Into Thin Air debacle. Can't believe we just called it the Into Thin Air debacle. Krakauer, you bastard.

Ouray Ice Festival Starts Today

nospam@example.com (GetOutdoors) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800

And evidently this year is a steampunk edition judging from the home page graphic. So trendy. Oh and Timmy ONeill will be the Master of Ceremonies for the Saturday night dinner and Guy Lacelle Superhero theme party. Jesus, what's with Timmy and the Super Hero thing? Can we stop beating a dead horse. Do we need to see him in tights at every outdoor industry event? Sheesh. Starts today, January 7th and runs through January 10, 2010.

The Season Trailer

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

A couple years ago, Fitz Cahall created the Dirtbag Diaries out of thin air and was able to get both Patagonia and New Belgium to sponsor it. The podcast has featured work from all kinds of folks, including certain hacks who also write for this blog, and has found a loyal following. Now Fitz, along with 49 Megawatts creator Bryan Smith, is behind a new project called The Season, a 22-episode HD web TV series about five outdoor athletes in the Pacific Northwest: a sea kayaker, mountain biker, climber, boulderer, snowboarder. It begins the last week of January, and will be done by the end of April. You can subscribe via iTunes by clicking here, or find more info at TheSeasonTV.com.

Tuna Fetches 177k - Sushi Eaters Around the World - Shame on You

nospam@example.com (eBomb) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:02:56 -0800

As a clear indicator why sustainable fishing is impossible and the world use of commodities will never abate, enter the $177,000 Bluefin Tuna just sold at the Tokyo Tsukiji market. The Japanese brothas like their fish, but apparently China is the rising per capita consumer of tuna sushi. Kinda sad, a majestic tuna, diced and chopped into spicy tuna roll. Sigh* A sign of worse things to come?

A giant bluefin tuna fish has fetched 177,000 US dollars (£110,000) at Japan's first auction of the year.

Officials at Tokyo's Tsukiji market, the biggest fish wholesale market in the world, said the 512-pound tuna was the priciest since 2001, when a premium tuna brought an all-time record of 220,000 US dollars (£137,000).

Japan is the world's biggest consumer of seafood.

Some 80% of the world's Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna, the two species most sought after by sushi lovers, are consumed in Japan.

Helmet Argument Continues as Uses Picks Up, Except Among Punk Teens

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 07:07:09 -0800

Nearly half of all skiers and snowboarders in the U.S. wear helmets, which is up 25% from seven years ago. Growth across age groups has been largely universal, with one exception: Adults 18 to 24 aren't keeping up. Among this group, only about 1 in 3 wears a helmet. The other end of the spectrum is adults over 65, where about 2 in 3 wear helmets. Likely because these are the people who realize they're not immortal.

In The New York Times article on helmet use, one expert posits that helmets can actually cause more damage in falls involving low speeds and soft snow. If true, this would have implications for all the Vail bunny hill, youth classes. He was speaking to the ski death of Natasha Richardson, who fell at slow speeds on a beginner hill. This expert says that the unhelmeted head has more time and distance to decelerate as it will penetrate deeper into soft snow.

Either way, the point is that ski helmets are not a panacea, and that they don't do much good when a skier passes 27mph.

Minimalist Fixie Design Has No Chain, Dignity

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

British Study Finds Drivers to Blame in Most Cycling Accidents

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:04:00 -0800

A new study commissioned by the UK's department of transportation has cycling advocates asking why their government is spending so much money trying to convince them all to wear helmets. Recent reports have speculated in the victim-blaming vein that cyclists are at fault for wearing dark clothing, listening to music, or not wearing lights at night. About 6% of accidents, fatal or otherwise, pointed to these three issues. The overwhelming cause of biker injury fell on the shoulders of drivers. The study found motorists were solely to blame for 60-75% of accidents, while cyclists were solely at fault 17-25% of the time.

While these results seem obvious to us (after all, what cyclist would run a red light if it meant riding into oncoming traffic?), they come as a surprise to the British government. They might benefit from ad money being diverted to raising driver awareness instead of trying to convince cyclists to stop getting run over. We hope to see this kind of common sense in the U.S. in the next 10 or 15 years.

The Week In Outdoors

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:01:00 -0800

You probably remember how we broke the story of Danny MacAskill's trials riding video a mere three days after it was posted on YouTube and a mere two days after we read about it on someone else's blog. Well, it turns out it changed his life, because us normal folk appreciate the unique talent and vision required to do shit like ride your bike on the top of a 1/2-inch wide fence. The New York Times published a profile of MacAskill last week, and with that, we bring you the first Week In Outdoors of the decade, and a happy new year.

180 South Trailer

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:01:00 -0800

I just got a sneak peek at and advance copy of this -- refreshing, easy on the eyes, and doesn't fit in any niche in the outdoor movie world. Comes out in March. More info at www.180south.com.

Denver Ski Train Perhaps Sees Its End

nospam@example.com (eBomb) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:35:55 -0800

While most could care less about what happens in Colorado, the ski train that ferried skiers from Denver to Winter Park may have seen its last season.

DENVER Through 69 years of service, since the days of lace-up ski boots and leather straps, the ski train from Denver to the Winter Park ski area carved a deep tradition in the psyche of Colorados winter landscape. On weekends from the citys Union Station, and through the sunburned après-ski parties on the way back down, the train evoked an alpine culture before the Interstate, and the mega-resort, and the high-season traffic jam.

But now the train may have chugged its last.

Its new operators, who took over this year after a previous operator had said the money-losing enterprise was unsustainable, abruptly canceled the season on Monday night and said that thousands of tickets bought in advance would be refunded.

Xtreme! Insurance

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:44:14 -0800

A small company out of Draper, Utah is offering athletes insurance for blown out knees, broken bones, and chopped up faces that occur in the line of sports duty. Xtreme Sports Insurance plans start at $17 per month, and they will pay some of your hospital bills if you become injured while participating in your Xtreme Sport or just walking down the sidewalk (depending on your plan).

Insurance start-ups haven't been crazy popular, but maybe we'll see more of this as the health insurance landscape changes. These simple plans are refreshing change from the inch-thick stacks of paper you have to wade through to look at most insurance fine print. I really hope these guys are successful and don't use the same screw-everyone-over practices as their larger competitors.

Welcome To Breckenridge, 'The Amsterdam of The Rockies'

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Medical marijuana dispensaries are popping up in Denver as fast as friends of mine who suddenly have "chronic back pain," ahem, I believe that is "Tha Chronic back pain." And, Breckenridge recently legalized weed -- the town, not the ski resort -- changes are in effect as of Jan. 1. Another reason for shithead high-school kids from the Denver metro area to take dad's SUV up to Summit County every weekend day this winter, besides filming every second of each other trying to be heroes in the terrain park.

From New Year's Day there will be no criminal or civil penalties imposed on anyone carrying up to an ounce of marijuana or the paraphernalia usually associated with it, such as long rolling papers, a small pipe or a bong. That also goes for tourists, in a resort popular with British visitors who flock there for the exciting ski slopes and the exuberant nightlife.

I feel like we just wrote about this. Oh yeah, we did.

In other Colorado ski news, Charlie Sheen was arrested in Aspen on Christmas day for allegedly beating his wife.

Gear Hall Of Fame: Sierra Designs $30 Jacket

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:01:00 -0800

The official name of this jacket is the Sierra Designs Microlight Jacket. To me, it is The $30 Jacket, because you will find thousands of them during REI's annual spring sale for about $30. It is not waterproof, nor is it advertised as waterproof. It is, to quote an old friend of mine, "uh, water-resistant." It is a wind shell, and lots of companies make wind shells. A friend of mine, who would wear Patagonia condoms if they made them, spent some time haranguing me trying to get me to buy one of these instead.

"$100?" I said. You've got to be shitting me. I'm going to beat on this layer, which isn't waterproof, and probably rip it at some point in the next year, likely on the granite of some multipitch route. I think I'll save $70 and buy a just-as-water-resistant, somewhat-as-windproof, Sierra Designs jacket at REI in March, and when I tear a hole in this thing, I won't cry. I'll just pick up a new one at the next REI sale. Zipper breaks, new jacket next spring. Get too close to the campfire roasting marshmallows, new jacket next spring. Decide it makes your ass look big? Chuck it, it was only $30. Minimal tears.

This is a thin, pretty lightweight layer (weighs the same as the Patagonia wind shell, but has a hood), best used for protection against the wind when you're belaying your buddy on a somewhat chilly day. Stuffs into a little stuff sack, which is small enough to clip to the back of your harness or stuff in one of the shoes you're hauling up for the descent. If you don't live in Seattle or Portland, it's also a good layer to throw in your bike commuting bag for a night where you stay out a little later and you need a little protection from the cold air, or a light rain. I'm telling you, at this price, it's practically disposable. Click around the Internet and you'll find someone selling them for $30. Pick a couple up for the family.

The Week In Outdoors

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Three climbers likely died on Mount Hood recently, and that makes us ask if everyone climbing Mount Hood should be made to wear a rescue beacon. Might as well be debating motorcycle helmets, or bike helmets, or if the government has the right to make you quit smoking. And what's this I hear about having to wear a seat belt if you're driving in Montana? Ridiculous. Is the rescue beacon a good idea? Could have been, in this situation. Should you make people wear them? Let's argue. Seems like legislators like to try to do the right thing when situations like this pop up in the news, but maybe it doesn't make sense or doesn't go all the way through. I don't know -- we always talk about how we could get a particularly dangerous section of bike path fixed in Denver, if the mayor would just happen to get hit by a car there while riding on Bike To Work Day.

Meathead Fails To Win Darwin Award, Gives Advice On Avalanche Safety

nospam@example.com (Runout) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:01:00 -0800

Sometimes, and I have said in the past, this blog just writes itself. For some reason, Alec Meyer didn't just shut up and consider himself very lucky to have survived an avalanche with no avy gear, knowledge or intelligence. The Summit Daily published another story about him causing and riding out an avalanche on Loveland Pass last week -- I assume he called the paper and asked to talk to a reporter after he felt the first article made him sound like a moron. This one just makes it worse -- i.e., his avalanche beacon would have helped him, but Santa Claus hasn't delivered it yet (forget the fact that his friend didn't have one on her either); he plans to take an avalanche Level I class after four years of backcountry skiing, etc. Sometimes it's best to just fade away into memory, kiddo.

Though Meyer said he's ridden the Loveland Ridge area extensively over the past four years, he was lacking essential backcounty gear. But he said it wasn't for lack of knowledge.

"they inspected the snow for cracks."

I ordered a beacon and shovel for Christmas already, Meyer said. I just didn't have it on me yet.

Meyer who is already singed up to take an avalanche safety class in January said he'd encourage anyone to sign up for a workshop.

We tried to go in there as well-informed as we could, said 25-year-old Alec Meyer. He said he still plans to backcountry ski, but that he would more than reconsider snowboarding on similar slopes in similar conditions to the site of his accident.

Come on Man, They Went to Berkeley

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:12:13 -0800

It's more likely that a Monster Truck champion would come out of U.C. Berkeley than three Ray-Ban-wearing spies. The three American hikers who accidentally wandered into Iran while hiking in northern Iraq are either already on trial or will go on trial very soon for charges that the Iranians won't release. By all accounts the trial will be very short, and we should find out the fate of the three sometime very soon. If they're being tried for espionage, the punishment could be death. The trio has already been held in Iran jails for 150 days, and Red Cross workers have described them as being in good health. Their fate has been very different from the five British sailors who accidentally strayed into Iranian waters and were detained but released shortly thereafter. If Iran's judiciary only knew how dumb they look for accusing Berkeley grads of being spies.

Burton Party for Snowboard Clothing

nospam@example.com (Liquid Astronaut) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:38:01 -0800

I almost forgot that I dropped by this event that everyone else blogged about a couple weeks ago. Burton unveiled their new Olympic snowboard outfits at a party in their SoHo store. I stopped by for a few minutes and several free beers. The bulk of my time there was spent knocking on the bathroom door, shaking the door handle, and waiting outside the restroom. One of the helpful clerks finally unlocked it and let me inside.

They only had PBR and a couple boxed wines. No one wants to get too showy during a recession.

There were a lot of people there who dress just like me.

I finally got in the restroom. If you're ever in SoHo and need to steal toilet paper, I highly recommend stopping at the Burton Store.

I waited for awhile to see if the Burton/Gore-Tex ice sculpture would fall over and crush anyone. It did not.

Study Finds Smoking Dope While Boarding Is A Bad Idea

nospam@example.com (GetOutdoors) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:11:16 -0800

Studies on skiing and snowboarding always seem to be excellent at stating the obvious. The last study we wrote about, for example, found men were 2.2 times more likely to suffer an injury on the slopes than women. Gee, really? This latest study isn't much different, though it does flat out contradict some assumptions driving ski resort policy. Say drinking, for example. The British government is convinced that the 30 drinking related deaths on French ski slopes last year could have been prevented, so they've started a major drinking & skiing prevention ad campaign. Despite the fact that a study, ironically published in the The British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that "There was more self-admitted drinking among the control group of uninjured skiers." Seems like the British government has it all wrong, they need to be encouraging Brits to drink more, not less. Dope on the other hand, dope is the real killer another unpublished survey found:

Drug use, on the other hand, contributed materially to injury risk. (A related, unpublished survey of injured snowboarders produced similar risk factors for accidents, Dr. Benneker says, including the finding that smoking dope while boarding is a bad idea.)

So where does that leave the average dope smoking, beer swilling skier and snowboarder here in the United States? Confused, we say. Confused. BTW, why is it that everywhere Brits go they're known for just getting shit faced drunk, and every place with large populations of British tourists from Prague to Ibiza to Greece, are trying to get rid of them.

"They scream, they sing, they fall down, they take their clothes off, they cross-dress, they vomit," said Konstantinos Lagoudakis, a mayor on Crete. "It is only the British people not the Germans or the French."

Just wondering.

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Ouray Ice Festival Starts Today

The Season Trailer

Tuna Fetches 177k - Sushi Eaters Around the World - Shame on You

Helmet Argument Continues as Uses Picks Up, Except Among Punk Teens

Minimalist Fixie Design Has No Chain, Dignity

British Study Finds Drivers to Blame in Most Cycling Accidents

The Week In Outdoors

180 South Trailer

Denver Ski Train Perhaps Sees Its End

Xtreme! Insurance

Welcome To Breckenridge, 'The Amsterdam of The Rockies'

Gear Hall Of Fame: Sierra Designs $30 Jacket

The Week In Outdoors

Meathead Fails To Win Darwin Award, Gives Advice On Avalanche Safety

Come on Man, They Went to Berkeley

Burton Party for Snowboard Clothing

Study Finds Smoking Dope While Boarding Is A Bad Idea

Study Finds Smoking Dope While Boarding Is A Bad Idea