Thursday, October 23rd, 2008
Saturday morning I got up early, dressed quietly, made my lunch, grabbed the dog, slipped quietly into the garage to hook the boat up to the truck, and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour.
The wind was blowing 50 mph. I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad throughout the day.
I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. There I cuddled up to my wife’s back, now with a different anticipation, and whispered, “The weather out there is terrible.”
My loving wife of 20 years replied, “Can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?”
I still don’t know if she was joking, but I’ve given up fishing.
Author unknown.
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008
My favorite podcast on the planet is back with a brand new episode. I hope Fitz can inspire you to get outside with the incredible way he tells stories! It inspires me every time I listen.
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No Car No Problem
A 1,200-foot rock wall in a wilderness area – that’s standard summer fare. In a day and back before dinner? Sounds easy. Without a car? That’s when my climbing partners stopped returning my phone calls.
Even with growing environmental pressures and climbing gas prices, we’ll drive hundreds of miles to exist in landscape devoid of gridlock and angry horns. The irony can be hard to ignore. Recreating without a car might seem impossible, but this summer I set out to test the preconceived notion. What happens when you find yourself trapped in the Urban Jungle? You blaze your way out.
Click here for more info on this episode of the Dirtbag Diaries by Fitz Cahall.
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Andy B
outsideallday.com
Saturday, September 13th, 2008
So I was just checking out my favorite DC blog when I stumbled upon all sorts of great bike happenings coming up in the month of September. First off is the ING Direct Capital Criterium.
“Sure, most of us won’t get to ride the 1 km course, but watching will more than make up for it. And if you don’t think any of the big guns will show, think again — yesterday news hit that Christian Vande Velde, an American who placed fifth in the Tour de France, will be racing alongside his Garmin-Chipotle teammates. The course layout is perfect for public viewing, and considering that DDOT is repaving Pennsylvania Avenue ahead of the 2009 presidential inauguration, it’ll be a fast race.”
Second, and more my pace, is Bike DC on September 27. One of the most frustrating parts about trying to bike in the district is dodging the cars/trucks/pedestrians/politicians/etc, so the lure of obstacle free roadways is very enticing. Add to that what seems to be a laid-back vibe (“Bike DC is a ride, not a race”) and the beauty of our glorious city, and you’ve got the perfect morning.
Mike Lawson
District of Columbia
outsideallday.com contributor
Sunday, September 7th, 2008
A few months back I introduced my good buddy Craig DeMartino to Fitz Cahall at the Dirtbag Diaries Podcast (my favorite podcasts of aall time). Craig has an incredible story that I knew Fitz would want to help retell. Below is the show info that Fitz put together. Enjoy!
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The Shorts: The Simple Joy of Moving Upward
If you plan on calling Craig DeMartino inspirational, he would prefer you wait to see if he can even drag his butt off the ground. After loosing his leg in a climbing accident, DeMartino had to retrain his body and learn his craft all over again. He hoped one day he would compete against the able-bodied, but taking on Chris Sharma in a World Cup? That was beyond dreams.
Craig DeMartino takes us to Vail and the Teva Mountain Games. Behind the bright lights, big names and massive crowds, climbing’s everyman gets his moment in the sun.
Click here for more info on this episode of the Dirtbag Diaries by Fitz Cahall.
Click here for more info on Craig. He is available for speaking engagements.
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Andy B
outsideallday.com
Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008
Built in 1901 to serve as a way to get workers and materials across the Chorro falls in Spain, El Camino Del Rey is now a trail of the ghosts of both these workers and the adventurers who’ve tried to cross since – four tourists died in 1999 and 2000 alone. It has since closed, as you’ll see why in the clip. If this video doesn’t get your blood racing I’m not sure what will.
Mike Lawson
District of Columbia
outsideallday.com Contributor
Saturday, August 30th, 2008
A few weeks ago I came across a Subaru parked in San Bernardino County with this Web site across the back: bigbearoutdooractivities.com/. Needless to say it covered the entire back window. Being a devoted Outback fan I asked the driver about the site. It’s a group of people that use the site to do outdoor activities together up in Big Bear. The site could use a more frequent update but it is a great resource to check before you head up the mountain. If it can be done in Big Bear before the snow comes - this group is on it.
Matt Smart
Outside All day
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008
In this month’s issue of Outside Magazine there’s a great article on my favorite non-profit Project Rwanda. The article is about a trip the author took with Tom Ritchey in the fall of 07′ to Rwanda and highlights my good buddy Doug Grant (co-founder of 50 Mile Ride). The article revolves around the Wooden Bike Classic that Tom hosts. The magazine is worth picking up for this article alone.
Web extras on the article can be found at the link below. Check out the photo gallery.
http://outside.away.com/outside/destinations/200809/rwanda-cycling-video-photos.html
Another great article on their website called “The World’s Toughest Bike Race Is Not in France”. I read it in the July issue and loved it, great read. Click here to check it out.
Andy B
outsideallday.com
Friday, June 27th, 2008
Just received word that the long awaited re-opening of Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park!
Limestone-Whiting Park to Reopen July 12
By Marisa O’Neil
June 26, 2008
UPDATE - Limestone Canyon and Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, which has been closed since October’s Santiago Fire, is scheduled to reopen at 9 a.m. July 12. The arson blaze, which charred more than 28,000 acres, burned 90% of the park, one of Orange County’s most popular hiking and mountain biking spots. OC Parks staff and other crews have been hard at work over the past eight months to make the park safe for visitors and help the land recover. OC Parks staff, along with the Orange County Fire Authority and Orange County Conservation Corps, worked to regrade roads and trails, clear brush and fallen trees to ready the park for reopening.
Click here to read the rest of the article.
This new pretty much makes my weekend! My old stomping grounds are back in business.
Andy B
outsideallday.com
Monday, May 26th, 2008
In the Year of Big Ideas, my childhood friend Brad laid it out – he was going to climb El Cap in 2008. Never mind that he had minimal climbing experience or had never even been to Yosemite. We schemed and scheduled “vacation.” We planned and tried to convince others to join us, but in the end, Brad and I were on our own to wrestle with one very big – arguably bad – idea. We had four days to pull it off. We would have to climb faster than we could manufacture excuses.
Click here for more info on this episode of the Dirtbag Diaries by Fitz Cahall.
All of Fitz’s shows are great. The guy tells stories better than anyone. Download this episode if you’re looking for a solid story.
Andy B
outsideallday.com
Monday, May 12th, 2008
This is a super fun Dirt Bag Diaries. It’s a personal story by Fitz that will make you chuckle.
Life was good. The approaches were short. The routes straightforward. The work wonderfully mindless. After a long dry-spell of writing, a job as a climbing guide at Smith Rock was like a vacation from life. I was 22 again, not a failing writer struggling to pay the rent. It was too good to last.
Through the years, I’ve tried to escape words and journalism, but the writing life always has a funny way of creeping back into my world. This time it came in the form of a 230-pound cameraman with a fear of heights, a fast talking New York producer and a 30-year-old broadcaster trying to return to her childhood. It turns out you have to earn your 15 seconds of fame.
Click here for more info on this episode of the Dirtbag Diaries by Fitz Cahall.
Andy B
outsideallday.com
Sunday, April 27th, 2008
I may order this tonight. I found it in the newest issue of Outside Magazine (subscribed through Amazon). The book is about Russell Brice and his 2006 season of leading climbers on Mt. Everest. Apparently, this is the year that Russell advised one of his client teams to continuing summiting and not attempt the rescue of a climber. I’m curious to hear his side of the story.
Andy B
outsideallday.com
Sunday, April 27th, 2008
What defines you? Is it your past? How you look? I doubt it. It’s the course we chart from dawn to dusk that makes us who we are. Seventeen years ago, Sean O’Neill – artist athlete and big brother to pro climber Timmy O’Neill – lost the use of his legs after jumping from a bridge into the Mississippi River. After the accident, Timmy dreamed about helping his older brother climb El Capitan. In 2005, the brothers decided it was time to act.
Reporter and podcaster James Mills brings us a story about two brothers, one very big cliff face and a 17-year-old dream. Sometimes climbs don’t end with summits. They can extend on into our lives.
Click here for more info on this episode of the Dirtbag Diaries by Fitz Cahall.
Andy B
outsideallday.com
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
After 3 weeks of fairly significant pain in my left heel Julie made an appointment for me today with a doctor to have it looked out. My sister-in-law, Alison who is the smartest person I know and also a PA thought it was a toss up between plantar fasciitis and a bone spur. After a 15 minute get to know you session with my foot the doctor decided it was plantar fasciitis. Whew! From what I understand having a bone spur would have sucked. The cortisone shot that they use to treat a bone spur sounds interesting however. The cure for plantar fasciitis is ice, stretching and rest. All 3 of which I hate doing.
A quick side note, doesn’t plantar fasciitis sound like bunions? Please don’t get them confused. I don’t have bunions like the Casserly twins.
The result of my bout with plantar fasciitis has been 2 weeks with zero run training. This has really hurt my overall training motivation which is hovering at around 50% right now. I also had to completely cancel my trip to Wildflower in 2 weeks. Everything was set for the trip: hotel, travel partner, bike tune, new shoes, etc. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am to not be going.
The next race is on May 18 in Temecula. It’s the Xterra West Coast Championship. The mountain bike is off the rack, tuned, sized and ready to roll. Solid 90 minute ride this morning before work. I’m curious how things will go with zero running in the mix and lot’s of travel next week to CO.
I guess life will just have to go on and I’ll have to continue to realize that I’m a slow, fairly large age grouper.
Andy B
outsideallday.com
Sunday, April 6th, 2008
This is a must listen show about Tom Broxson who survived a 200-foot fall – a full rope length — off the top of Yosemite Valley’s Washington Column.
Click here for more info on this episode of the Dirt Bag Diaries by Fitz Cahall.
Andy B
outsideallday.com
