Cyber Bullying

What is cyber bullying? No, it’s not punching your laptop. It’s when teens repeatedly harrass another teen electronically. Today we’re going to dig into what it is, if you’re doing it, if you’re a victim, and what to do about it.

Start by checking out: stopcyberbullying.com.

Alison Gannett Walking for Environment

World champion freestyle skier Alison Gannett is trying to raise awareness about global warming – and threats to the skiing industry – by walking to Copenhagen in advance of the upcoming international climate change summit. Get the whole story here:

http://www.theskichannel.com/news/skinews/20091116/A-freeskier-and-the-Russians-are-calling-on-the-world-to-save-our-snow

Thanks to elevationoutdoors.com for the tip.

Have fun, save the earth!

I’ve just discovered my new vice: http://www.gamesthatgive.net/. Play any of 9 online games from solitaire to sudoku, and every time you score, you donate to one of 12 charities, including The United Way, the American Heart Association, and Mercy Corps. I of course chose to donate to one of my favorite environmental non-profits, the Wilderness Society.

It works like this: you play, advertisers advertise, and GamesthatGive donate 70% of their proceeds to charity. The more you play, the more your charity gets.

Even better, these people are insidious enablers, offering workplace-friendly features like a mute button and a “Boss” link that instantly opens a bogus non-disclosure agreement. So it’s low-risk, high-karma time wasting for a cause. What’s not to like?

Ig!tit2

Sore Muscles (How Sweet it Is)

I woke up to the most wonderful feeling in the world this morning – sore, achy thighs. After a 10-month hiatus from running due to plantar fasciitis, I visited the doctor on Tuesday and got the news I was hoping for – all clear to run.

So yesterday morning, after a long stretching session, I laced up my running shoes, grabbed Zola’s leash, and stepped out into pre-dawn 40-degree chill. I was giddy – it could have been 0 degrees and snowing, and I’d have still been out there. After a quick warm-up walk, I trotted down the Sundell path and crossed the road into Wildwood Park, waking the dark woods with my panting. Yep – going downhill, and not all that fast, had me heaving. But I knew I was in lousy running shape – no surprises there.

It had rained all night, and dripping leaves still dropped occasional torpedoes. Dark gray clouds hung low over the valley, and absolutely no one else was out on the path. I crossed Connelly’s Run and headed up to the Main Street Tunnel, my first uphill run in nearly a year. Breathing: heavy. Legs: lovin’ it. Plantar: a little stiff, but no pain. All systems go (albeit slowly).

Through the inky tunnel, down the switchbacks and under the railroad tracks to Bisset Park, brushing the stone wall for good luck, and that was it – I turned around and headed back. A 5K was plenty for a first run on a creaky PF. Up was a long, drawn-out affair, but I had no need to push my plantar on the first day back. I was just delighted to inhale the morning air, pound my stress into the pavement and luxuriate in sweat.

Which leads me to this morning, loving that lactic acid like never before. So good to be back.

Glacier Osprey Cam Goes Live

Glacier National Park has just launched a new osprey cam. They’ve trained their lens on an osprey nest platform just outside the St. Mary’s Lake visitor center. Check it out for a glimpse of the inhabitants:  http://ns.www.nps.gov.edgesuite.net/featurecontent/glac/webcams/hq2float-08.htm.

For the full menu of Glacier web cams, go here: http://www.nps.gov/glac/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm.

Ig!tit2

Trail Days 08 – Going Ultralight

Went to Trail Days yesterday afternoon, sat in on a seminar by Mike Martin of Backpacking Light magazine, of which I am a recent subscriber. He basically guided us quickly through a sampling of ultralight gear, showing us what it looked like, felt, weighed, etc. He got to touch on how different pieces work together to eliminate redundant or unnecessary gear, but not as much on this as I’d hoped. Afterward, I spent a good deal of time looking at all the various stoves & fuels, from homemade to expensive titanium. I quite liked the Bushbuddy, a wood stove. But it’s $160! I don’t have that kind of outlay. I think the esbit stove made from an empty food can may be the best bet for me for right now.

I’m thinking of writing about how to put together an ultralight kit on a seriously tight budget, but I’ve still got to figure it out first!

After the seminar, I rejoined R&H at the talent show, and then we walked down gear alley. Got to look at JacksRBetter quilts, and more importantly show them to Renee. We also checked out some UL tents, picked up a couple nice pieces of base layer (including one for Hallie!), and then made our way home.

Just have to say, Damascus is a gorgeous spot. I find that, in Virginia, the further south I go the more I like it. I find this incredibly counterintuitive.

I have determined that I really don’t need to invest in clothing initially, and, as several people have suggested, I’m saving my pack purchase until last. Figure out the gear first, and then you’ll know what pack you need to put around it. I intend to use my Lowe Crossbow as my UL pack initially, though even my big pack is fairly light @ less than 3 pounds. Considering the extra support it offers, it’s not bad. Anyway, the big initial purchases/acquisitions that I need to make: sleeping bag/quilt, shelter, cook gear. Sleeping bag because mine is useless! Shelter because mine are all too heavy (even my antique Flashlight). Cook gear because I seriously think I can shed 5 pounds on that alone. But, do I need a MicroPuff if I’m going to switch to quilts? Should I go with Esbit, Alcohol or Canister. Esbit cheap to free, burns hotter than alcohol, not as easy to source. Alcohol stove cheap to free, not as fool-proof as Esbit or canister, easy to source fuel, burns not so hot. Canister, burns hottest, pretty convenient, can actually simmer, but costs much more and you have to carry a lot of metal and more fuel than you necessarily need. Who knows. I’ll need to decide soon, before I hit ROMO in July.